Proper 14 - G - 2013 - What Does "Don't Worry" Mean?

The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Baptism Sermon

August 11, 2013 - Pastor Adam Moline

Genesis 15:1-6            Hebrews 11:1-16         Luke 12:22-40

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today is from the Gospel lesson just read, especially these words, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on.”  Thus far our text for today. 

Dear friends in Christ. The story is told of a man who built his house down on the banks of the river.  His friends warned him the day he laid his foundation – “You’re too close to the river, what if there’s a flood?”  The man boldly and confidently responded, “God says Don’t be anxious about your life, and I know God will take care of me.”  It wasn’t but a few weeks after construction was completed that during a rainstorm, the river level rose quickly, and soon the man was on the roof of his house surrounded by the raging flood.  One of his friends came in a boat shouting “Hop in, and I’ll save you.”  The man responded “God says don’t be anxious, and I am such a good Christian that I’m not worried at all.  God will save me!”  Soon the water had risen further, and a helicopter from the National Guard hovered overhead.  The man looked up and shouted, “Go away, I’m not worried at all!  God will save me.”  And as the helicopter flew away, the man was washed away into the water.

As the man died and entered heaven, the first words he asked were, “God, you said not to worry, but that you would save me!  What happened?”  God looked at him, and responded, “I sent your friends to warn you, I sent a boat to save you, and finally I sent a helicopter to carry you out of the flood.  Why are you angry with me? 

Don’t be anxious, Jesus says.  Don’t worry, have no fear little flock!  There are two ways that we can take these words today – as a rule or as a promise.  As a “Don’t be anxious or else!” or as a “Don’t worry, I’ve got it” spoken by a friend.  One a rule, and one a promise.  But we need to know which way is the correct way to understand these words, because after all, they are words spoken by the very living God incarnate.  Is it a rule we are to follow, like the man on the roof?  Or is it something different?

The way that we so often take these words is as a law, as a rule that God want’s us to follow.  Don’t worry.  Stop worrying, just be happy!  Or else!  And that’s the way that we so often deal with things in our lives isn’t it?  Grandma is sick and dying, but I won’t worry, God doesn’t want me to.  The bills are tight this month due to unforeseen expenses, but I won’t worry, God commands me not to.  Grocery costs have gone up lately, how will I pay for the food we need?  School is starting again soon, and the kid’s need new clothes, but I can’t worry, I can’t fret, I can’t stress out, because God says not to!

Dear friends, we see what happens.  The more we attempt to not worry, the more we actually do.  The more we strive to not be anxious, the worse our anxiety grows!  It grows in an ever increasing loop, until we’re finally worry about not worrying about things that we shouldn’t worry about! 

So what do we do?  We work ever harder trying to prevent the struggles of this world.  We work ever harder to build up a safety net financially, or a retirement account for the future.  We do everything that we think is in our power to eliminate worries and struggles, and through it all we end up trust in ourselves. 

Dear friends, that’s what is truly behind all our worries.  Its ourselves.  It’s our own wants and desires.  It’s our own fears and worries.  Its because we are scared of this world and the struggles it throws before us.  We know we cannot overcome them.  We know that we are always an accident or illness or disaster away from destruction, and so too are our families.  We see the families on the news that have had tragedy befall them.  We ourselves have friends whose families have faced calamity.  And really, we too have had misfortune strike us where we are most vulnerable – in our very hearts. 

But dear friends, when we worry about not worrying, we are still worrying!  And when we are worrying, we are taking Jesus’ words as a command.  Rather, Jesus’ words here are a promise.  Don’t worry, because I have overcome the world.  Don’t be anxious, because I have won the victory over all sins, all worries, and all struggles.  Don’t be anxious, because you, dear friends, are valuable to God. 

Hear Christ’s words in our text.  Look at the ravens of the fields.  They neither toil or spin, they don’t worry about anything, and yet God still takes care of them.  And dear friends, how much more important are you than they are?  How much more does your God care for you than for a silly little bird.  You are the reason for creation.  You are the reason for this whole world.  God built it all for you. 

And what’s more, you are so much more valuable, each of you, than a little sparrow or pigeon.  You are so valuable to God that he entered our world overcome by sin.  He baptized you to take all you worries and sorrows and pains away and to place them on himself.  Your anxiety became His as he worried to the point of sweating blood in the garden.  Your worries became his as he died for selfish sin on the cross.  His blood was shed because of your value to God.  His life was spent that yours might last forever.  He died in your place.

So don’t worry, he now says.  What’s the worst thing that can happen?  Death?  It has been defeated by the cross?  Suffering?  Jesus has suffered for you all ready?  Sin?  Christ has taken all sin away.  Even should all your family die as Job’s did, you may be certain that Jesus has cared for them, and brought them in faith into eternity.  There is nothing in this world to worry about that Jesus hasn’t already solved.

Now I do want to make it clear.  That doesn’t mean we can just sit on the couch and expect God to send free money and food to our door.  Or sit on the roof during the flood.  God doesn’t work that way.  But what it does mean is we can be sure and certain every day, that no matter what happens, that through baptismal waters we have overcome the world through Jesus and his life, death and resurrection on our behalf.  He has saved us, not by righteous things we have done, not by our ability to live worry free, but by His own suffering and worry on our behalf. 

Have no fear little flock, no matter what you face, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.  In the name of Jesus.  Amen.  

Proper 24 - G - 2012 - The Un-greedy Jesus

The Twenty-first Sunday After Pentecost - Proper 24

October 21, 2012 - Pastor Adam Moline

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today is the Gospel lesson, especially these words, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”  Thus far our text.

Dear friends in Christ, We live in the United States of America, the wealthiest nation on earth by far.  The United States wealth is $4 Trillion dollars greater than the next wealthiest nation.  That should make you tremble in your shoes just a little bit, when Jesus says the words of our text today.  “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God,” Jesus says.  “Easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, then for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 

Jesus can’t be talking about me, can he?  Jesus can’t mean us here in the United States.  I can’t be in the “wealthy” category, I can barely pay my bills, I can barely make ends meet.  I am worth millions less than even the poorest presidential candidate, or big business executive.  Why should it be so hard for me to get into heaven?  Why should it be difficult, when I have just enough to take care of myself?  Jesus must be talking about the super wealthy, and not me!

Wrong.  Jesus is talking about you, and every other person who thinks, “That’s mine, I earned it, it belongs to me, and the only way you’ll take it from me is by prying it from my cold, dead, fingers!”  It doesn’t matter if you’re the wealthiest person in town, or the poorest.  If you love your things, if you love your stuff more than you love God, it’s going to be difficult for you to enter the Kingdom of God. 

That’s the first commandment, isn’t it?  You shall have no other God’s.  What does this mean?  We should fear, love and trust in God above all things.  That’s the law of God, with those who break it punishable by eternal death and hell.  The problem is, not a one of us, no not any single person here, has kept that rule.  We’ve broken it, time and time again.  In fact, we’ve even turned the whole thing on its head.  We’ve feared, loved, and trusted in all things above God.

Come on Pastor, why should I share that food that I’ve worked so hard to earn through my labor, with someone who is hungry?  Why should I take up my time to help my neighbor, when they can just do themselves?  Why should I give my clothes to someone in need, when there are shelters, and clothing banks for things like that? 

It gets even more personal than that, doesn’t it?  I am just as guilty as you when it comes to possessions.  That’s a family heirloom, so no, you can’t borrow it or look at it.  Why should I put money in the offering plate before I get my own bills paid for?  Why should I care if the church down the road stays open, or if our own church has Sunday School teachers?  Live, and let live, take care of yourself, and that’s enough. 

How hard it is for those who have wealth, how hard it is for sinners like you and me, for people who trust in their things to enter the Kingdom of God.  Imagine if Jesus acted the same way that you and I do in regards to his possessions – possessions of life, righteousness and holiness.  Imagine if Jesus treated the forgiveness he earned for you the same way we treated our weekly offering.  “No, let me take care of myself first, then worry about you sinners.”

But he doesn’t.  Jesus doesn’t skimp in his gifts to you.  He earned every bit of your forgiveness by his death, by his blood, by his suffering.  He gave up his life to purchase your freedom from sin and death.  He purchased and won you, not with gold or silver, but with his holy precious blood, innocent suffering and death, that you might be his own possession and live with him in his kingdom. 

And having won your forgiveness, Jesus now gives you his possessions freely, and generously.  Today, Jesus gives you generously and graciously his own body and blood to you today, so that you may be forgiven of your sins of greed and covetousness.  He gives you his Word, so that your faith in him may ever grow in trust in Christ alone.  And through that word, you are connected to the cross and resurrection where you are given eternal life, forgiveness of sins, and salvation. 

Where we are selfish with our possessions, Christ gives freely of his.  Where we covet the things our neighbors have, Christ only cares about us.  Where we because of our sin cannot enter heaven based on our own merits or works, Christ has given all the work necessary for us to get the eternal gifts of heaven.  There is not one gift that God gave to Jesus that he has not shared with you. 

And so now, you baptized Children of God, now your sin is dead.  You no longer look sinful, instead you look like Christ – for you are robed in his righteousness through baptism.  Instead of being sinful greedy people, we now look like Christ sharing all our possessions, sharing all our wealth, giving to our neighbor in need and who hungers.  It’s not to earn heaven, heaven’s already been given in Jesus.  It’s because in the forgiveness Christ gives you, you now look like a Christian, you share like a Christian, you love like a Christian.  And that means that even if you give all you have a way to care for your neighbor, you still have the best wealth of all – heaven.  Eternity.  Peace. 

Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, ³⁰ who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.   In Christ, you have more blessings than you can even imagine.  Amen.  

Proper 20 - O - 2012 - Slaughtered For Sin

Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost - Proper 20

September 23, 2012 - Pastor Adam Moline

Jeremiah 11:18-20                   James 3:13-4:10                      Mark 9:30-37

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today comes from the Old Testament lesson just read, especially these words, “But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter.”  Thus far our text.

Dear friends in Christ.  What do you think of when you hear the word slaughter?  Do you think of chickens losing their heads and making their way into your freezer?  Do you think of duck season that opened yesterday?  Or maybe you don’t think of food at all, maybe you think of war, of fighting, of murder.  Do you think of the untold millions of babies who were vacuumed out of women’s bodies this year?  Do you think of ambassadors and army personnel losing their lives over seas?  Do you think of the great number of people killed in Vietnam and Cambodia?  For me, slaughter means lots of blood, lots of gore, lots of suffering.  What about you?  What exactly do you think of when you hear the word Slaughter? 

Slaughter is the cost of sin.  Blood is the price that must be paid for people who are guilty.  Something innocent must be taken, and slaughtered, murdered, destroyed, so that sins might be taken away.  An animal must be massacred, and then, and only then will forgiveness be given.  In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:22)

Forgiveness is what was needed in Jeremiah’s day.  The people of Israel had fallen into apostasy.  They had turned their backs on God.  They worshipped false gods and goddesses, like Baal and Ashtoreth.  Their kings ignored true prophets and instead listened to false prophets who told them exactly what their itching ears wanted them to hear.  They stole, they swore, they failed in their duties as fathers and mothers, they didn’t teach the faith.  They were sinners.  Or to put it plainly, they were people just like you and me. 

Jeremiah came and preached to them.  Jeremiah came and told them the truth, that they were guilty, and that God’s just judgment was coming, that if they did not repent and turn from their sin that the Babylonians would come and take them away. 

The people laughed when Jeremiah told them this.  The people ignored Jeremiah, even throwing him into a pit to stop him from preaching this nonsense.  They didn’t perform the sacrifice for forgiveness.  They didn’t believe God’s word through his prophet.  There wasn’t blood sacrifice for sin.  But slaughter would still come.  The Babylonians would destroy Jerusalem, driving Jeremiah to Egypt, and taking the rest of the people into exile. After all, that is the price of sin – Slaughter, blood, massacre. 

Dear friends, do you think your sin is any less serious?  Do you think that the cost for your own forgiveness is any less dire than the slaughter mentioned in our text today?  You are just as guilty.  You are just as sinful.  And you and me, we ignore our guilt just as much as the people of Jerusalem in Jeremiah’s day. 

It’s exactly what James says in our epistle today.  Look at your life.  “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. ³ You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. ⁴ You adulterous people!”

We sin daily.  We curse, swear, lie, steal, hate, gossip, fail every day.  We fail to live up to that perfect standard set up by God.  And so there must be a slaughtering on our behalf.  There must be blood out poured for you and me.  There must be a massacre and carnage, there must be a blood sacrifice. There must be blood, and it must either be your own or someone else’s.

That’s the catch isn’t it.  We don’t want our own blood shed.  We want someone elses shed for us.  We want someone else to hurt, someone else to bleed, someone else to die for us, because we are too frightened to do it on our own.  And that, dear friends in who Jesus is. 

Jesus is the one who has come for the explicit purpose of shedding his blood for you.  He is the one who came to be led like a gentle sheep to the slaughter in your place.  He is the one who came to die, he’s the one to take the punishment, he’s the one to set you free from sin and death.  It’s Jesus, That’s his purpose, that’s what Jesus would do for you.  That’s the person your God is.  A person who loves you so that he gives up his life in your place. 

That’s exactly what Jesus tells his disciples in our text today.  “‘The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.’   But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.”  We so often don’t understand who Jesus is either.  We make him out to be a nice guy, or a great teacher, or a law giver who says, “Just accept my invitation, and then I’ll bless you.” 

Its true, Jesus is a nice guy.  Its true, Jesus loved everyone, and that we ought to do the same in faith.  But none of these things matter one lick, one iota, unless Jesus is the lamb of slaughter who goes to suffering and death in your place.  Jesus is only “Jesus” if he’s slaughtered for you.

The blood from that slaughter covers you in baptism.  That blood washes away your guilt, your shame, your weakness, and leaves you forgiven forever.  The blood from the slaughter of Jesus makes you well.  The blood heals your sin, and makes you once again forever a holy people of God.  And you know that hope will be forever, for Christ did not stay slaughtered, he rose again, and even now lives and reigns in heaven forever. 

That’s the promise.  That’s the joy of a slaughtered Jesus.  That’s the hope we all share in him.  That we are forgiven in blood, that Christ has been slaughtered for you, and that you have hope now forever more.  He’s your God, He’s the Lamb of Slaughter, He’s Jesus, your hope and joy.  Amen.  

Proper 13 - G - 2012 - Jesus the Buffet King?

Tenth Sunday After Pentecost - Proper 13

August 5, 2012 - Pastor Adam Moline

Exodus 16:2-15           Ephesians 4:1-16         John 6:22-35

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, amen.  Our text today comes from the Gospel lesson, especially these words, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ, You can imagine that with three boy children, one of my parents favorite places (and ours!) were all you can eat buffets.  Loads and loads of food without limits, all at one manageable low cost.  My brothers and I prided ourselves in getting our monies worth – or even more than our monies worth.  We would have contests to see who could eat more plates full of food, often times getting into the double digits.  We would gorge and stuff ourselves on food.  It is almost embarrassing to talk about!  And finally when we were all done, when we had eaten our fill, we’d make the comment, “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to eat another bite.”

But meals would come again; we’d be hungry again just a few hours after filling up.  The next day we would eat just as much food all over again – because no matter how full you are of food, you always will need to eat more to survive. 

It’s this idea that is behind our text today.  Jesus has fed the people, five thousand of them to be exact, with only a few loaves and fishes.  And as our text said two weeks ago, when the meal was done, they were satisfied, they were full, they couldn’t eat another bite.  It was the end of an all you can eat buffet.  The people were so excited about their free food, that as they talked after the meal, the apostle John writes that they were going to make Jesus king by force.  Why?  Free food!  They wanted Jesus to be the Buffet King of Israel, the guy who provided food for them, the guy who let them eat every day to their fill. 

But that’s not what Jesus wants, so he hightails it out of there, walking across the Sea of Galilee, before they can make him the bread buffet king.  And thus our text today.  When the people finally find Jesus, when they finally catch up after running all the way around the Sea, they feign surprise, “Lord, what are you doing here?” they say “fancy meeting you here Jesus”.  But what is really on their mind?  Food.  Feed me Jesus.  I’m hungry.  Give me something to eat, and give it to me now.  I want more buffet.  I want more.  Gimme gimme gimme gimme!

But Jesus cuts to the chase, “You seek me, not because of who I am, but rather because you ate your fill of the loaves.”  But even if I feed you that bread again, you’ll be hungry.  Even if you eat bread every day for the rest of your lives, you will still face death.  You see, dear friends, Jesus has so much more than earthly care for us.  He’s much more than a buffet king, he’s a life king, an eternal king, and most importantly a forgiving king.  He’s the bread of life, the gift of God that keeps people alive forevermore, as their sin is gone in Jesus forever. 

What about you, dear Christians?  How often do you hunger for the things of this world, the things that will pass away, that won’t truly and eternally satisfy you.  How often do you want God to give you a worldly buffet of goodies, on your terms, with your timetable, while ignoring what he really wants to give you?  How often do you chase after God, do you come here to this place, hoping that by being a good enough person God will reward you monetarily?  Truly, truly, I say to you, if this is true, you are seeking God, not because you saw signs, but because you want your fill of the loaves, your fill of the world, and your fill of your desires.  And God will have nothing to do with it. 

Dear friends, dear sinners, hear God’s word, through the mouth of the Son of God, “I am the bread of life, whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”  In other words, Jesus is the thing that satisfies.  No matter how much money you have, without Jesus, it doesn’t matter.  No matter how nice a car you drive, without the Bread of Life, it is worthless.  No matter what you do, what you want, how you get, without Jesus it is just a chasing after the wind. 

But Jesus really satisfies.  Jesus really provides.  Jesus really gives what he says he does.  And when Jesus the bread of life comes to you with his gifts, you know they won’t just disappear the next day, needing to be filled by something else. 

The bread of life fills you so that you never hunger again.  He fills you with forgiveness, earned through his own deafeat of sin on the bloody cross.  He fills you with salvation, as he dies for your sins of want and selfish gain.  He fills you with life, life that surpasses all your understandings and imaginations – life with peace, and comfort before the throne of God.  You see, dear friends, the bread of life suffers so that you don’t have to.

So today, come and eat from the altar on which sits the bread of life that was nailed to the cross – and be filled.  Come and eat, and be satisfied with Jesus body in with and under the bread.  Come and drink, and be satisfied with the blood that poured out of his hands and side, drink the drink that in with and under contains blood for forgiveness, life and salvation for you.  Come and receive the gracious gifts of the Bread of Life, Jesus Christ.  Come and be satisfied. 

You see, when I was a child, I’d go to the buffet and eat and eat, and still be hungry.  But with Jesus, I never hunger again.  For he gives me faith that fills me, faith that makes me well.  Faith that satisfies the hungry soul forever.  Amen.  

Proper 6 - G - 2012 - The Mustard Seed Savior

Third Sunday After Pentecost - Proper 6

June 18, 2012 - Pastor Adam Moline

Ezekiel 17:22-24         2 Corinthians 5:1-17   Mark 4:26-34

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, amen.  Our text today is from the gospel lesson just read, especially these words, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ, mustard seeds are small, very small.  One of the last Sundays I spoke with Iva Tischer, she brought it a necklace with a mustard seed embedded in a bead.  It amazed me that Jesus would compare his glorious heavenly kingdom with a seed so small you could barely notice it when it is even in the palm of your hand.  But that is exactly what Jesus says in our text today, “the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth.”  It is tiny, it is insignificant, something that the average person doesn’t notice.  And yet, hidden inside that minuscule tiny seed is a plant, ready to grow, ready to branch out toward the sky so large that all sorts of critters can make their home in it.  

That’s what seeds do isn’t it?  We who live here in rural America know – seeds grow.  Its how we make our living, its what keeps us in business.  You take the seed, hide it in the ground, water it and then it grows and provide for us in all sorts of ways.  And so it is with the kingdom of God – and with Jesus himself.  For just as a seed, Jesus came and was planted on this earth – a seemingly unimportant baby born of a virgin in a tiny village suburb of Israel’s capital.  Hidden there in that seed, in that baby was the fullness of God, the only begotten son who has existed since eternity. 

That baby grew up, worked in his father’s carpentry shop, and lived an average, insignificant life until its 30^th birthday.  And then, as a seed finally after much waiting and praying pokes it head above the ground, the Son of God began to be noticed.  He healed the blind and sick.  He preached to the poor and talked to the sinners.  He turned water into wine, he raised the dead, he became anything but insignificant.  The seed had sprouted, and was growing at a furious rate. 

He grew so fast in fact that the Pharisees and Sadducees, and all others noticed.  This couldn’t happen.  He was cutting in on their business, and making them look small and weedish comparatively.  Those who had formerly respected them turned to watch this mustard seed become a great tree that cast its shadow on all who believed.  And as sinners do, in their jealousy, in their selfishness in their guilt (the same guilt you and I carry as well) they decided to take drastic action.  They cut him down by nailing him to a tree and leaving him to die.  And when he was dead they put him back in the ground, into a tomb, sealed it and tried to forget about him. 

But even a tomb could not hold him; death would not be his master.  He sprouted again, and grew faster and taller and more massive than they would ever understand.  He rose again on the third day, and now lives and reigns to all eternity.  The tiny insignificant seed now is the tallest, fullest, most beautiful tree around.  The kingdom of God – Jesus – had started small but now is huge, with room on its branches for all sorts of birds to perch, room for you and for me. 

There’s room for sinners there in the branches of the kingdom of God, there’s room for sinners in the branches of the church.  There’s room for you in the arms of Jesus.  I know, at times it may seem like you don’t belong.  At times it may seem like your sin is too great, that your guilt is too large, and that you don’t deserve to live here in the church.  You are right, and yet, Christ still has a place for you, because in his name you are forgiven. 

Here, in the church, you have a home, along with all repentant sinners.  It’s a home you didn’t create – God planted it.  It’s a home that you don’t sustain, God does with His holy word and Sacraments.  It’s a place you didn’t find, God brought you in through baptism.  And now you, a forgiven sinner, are sheltered in the arms of the church even to life everlasting.  Make nests in the arms of Jesus, dwell in his love, in his grace, in his gifts.  For here, you will be kept safe from all the dangers of this world. 

The kingdom of heaven, is like a mustard seed, small and insignificant.  And yet, it grows up to be the safety of all that live in it.  It is strong, it is a mighty bulwark against evil, and through grace earned in the death of Jesus, it is your home forever more.  Amen.  

Proper 5 - E - 2012 - Things Fall Apart and Things are Renewed

Second Sunday After Pentecost - Proper 5

June 10, 2012 - Pastor Adam Moline

Genesis 3:8-15            2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1            Mark 3:20-35

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.  Our text today comes from our Epistle lesson that was just read, especially these words, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”  Thus far our text today. 

Dear friends in Christ.  It was several years ago, I remember it well.  I woke up one morning while serving on vicarage in Brookings South Dakota, and there it was staring at me in the mirror.  Well, it wasn’t in the mirror so much as attached to my head.  At 25 years old, there was my very first (of many by the way) gray hair.  It was a sign that I wasn’t the young high school kid I used to be, but was a quickly aging person.  Its something I imagine many of you have experienced as well.  Our bodies age, they begin to fall apart, they wrinkle and hurt. 

It is in the face of this great issue that Paul writes, “Do not lose heart”, even though your body is falling apart, even though your knees give way, even though cancer ravages your body.  Do not lose hope, for this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.  Or so says St. Paul in our text for today – boldly and without reservation!   For these words aren’t just wishful thinking, but they are a bold truth proclaimed in a world that doesn’t believe this to be the case.  Paul preaches eternal life in a world of death. 

It is easy for us to lose hope isn’t it?  In our own congregations we have seen people whom we love dearly whose health has deteriorated.  We have had loved ones who have passed away – 11 funerals in our parish over the last year and a half.  We ourselves know our bodies are not as good as they once were.  Our joints hurt, our limbs are weak.  Our balance is off center.  Wrinkles are creeping into our face as are gray hairs into our heads. 

The signs are there, look at your body and compare it with 5 years ago, with ten years ago.  Its dying.  Its falling apart.  Unless you are a child your body will not get any better than it is today.  It will slowly, ever so slowly get worse and worse until one day it will no longer be able to keep itself alive.  It will no longer be able to keep your heart beating, and your lungs breathing.  And it will stop, and you, yes each of you, will finally be dead. 

It is exactly what God promised would happen to sinners in the beginning, and we are ashamed of the fact that it has affected us.  In our Old Testament lesson we see that dreadful moment, right after sin entered the world.  Adam and Eve hiding in the bushes, their bodies already deteriorating.  Their fate is already certain.  Adam will die.  Eve will die.  Their children will die – even murder one another.  Their fate is certain and they are ashamed. 

We feel that same pang within our own lives.  We dread that same fate as Adam and Eve did.  We too are doomed to die, and we see that fate drawing ever nearer in our own lives as we look to our own body.  No doctor can stop it, no medical intervention can prevent it forever – yes maybe delay it, but not prevent. 

Alzheimer’s, Lou Gehrig’s, blindness, cataracts, cancer, strokes, heart attacks, pain and suffering.  These only the tip of the ice berg for us.  All of them, leading to our death, to our end, to the grave where our body will decay, our bones will collapse, until finally there is no remnant of us left on this earth except for dust.  For you are dust, and to dust you shall return!  What hope is there in the face of this?  What comfort comes to the lost sinner, to the dead, to those whose fate is sealed?

It is in the face of this question that Paul preaches in our epistle.  Do not lose hope.  Do not lose hope, though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

You are being renewed, even as your body falls apart.  Your spirit which once was dead in sin has been revived.  How?  It is connected to the death and resurrection of Jesus.  In baptism that which was dead is made alive, the blood of God means the stain of sin is removed from you forever.  Even as your body crumbles and dies, your soul is promised to live forever, renewed in the life giving blood of the lamb. 

Paul even calls the struggles of this world “light, momentary afflictions.”  As we deal with cancer and sickness, we would hardly call them light momentary afflictions, yet Paul knows the truth and preaches it faithfully.  That if Christ is risen from the dead forever, so too will those who believe in him.  If Christ lives and reigns in heaven for eternity, those who follow him shall as well.  If you have cancer, or Alzheimer’s even for 20 years, it is nothing compared to the eternal joy that awaits, for years without end in heaven. 

Your sin is forgiven.  Your death averted.  Jesus paid the price for you in his suffering and death on the cross.  For we know that if the tent that is our earthly body is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.  That is what we await.  That is where we hope.  Do not lose heart, Though our outer self is wasting away, our eternal self is just beginning.  Amen.  

Lent 3 - G - 2012 - The Temple of Bloody Sacrifice

The Third Sunday of Lent
March 11, 2012 - Pastor Adam Moline

Exodus 20:1-17           1 Corinthians 1:18-31             John 2:13-25

This weeks sermon written was extremely different than sermon preached - just was in the preaching mood I guess, but here is the written sermon:

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today comes from the Gospel lesson just read, especially these words, ¹⁹ Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ.  The Jewish temple was the place forgiveness of sins happened, because that is the place where God dwelt.  There, animals were slaughtered.  There, blood was spilled – gallons of it.  There the priests daily offered countless sacrifices, burning them on a giant altar.  It was a huge 34 acre complex, covered with gold and jewels and a vast market place.  In that market place, animals that were to be sacrificed were bought and sold. 

It is there, that you bought and paid for your forgiveness of sins.  You bought the sacrifice necessary for your guilt before God.  You paid for the coins to give the priest for the temple tax.  It is there, you used your own hard earned money, to get forgiveness from God – all of it through the blood of countless animals killed every day. 

The forgiveness of sins was not cheap in the Jerusalem temple.  And what made it even worse was the way you got it.  For through the hundreds of years that Jewish people went to the temple to get forgiveness of sins, inflation ruled supreme.  The temple had its own currency, its own coins you had to buy.  It was almost like Chucky Cheese, you went to the temple, and used the real money to buy the temple coins, or tokens which you used to buy the other sacrifices.  And as if buying forgiveness wasn’t bad enough the cost rose and rose and rose, for the priests in the temple were taking advantage of the people. 

The dwelling place of God had become a den of robbers.  The holiest place in Israel was no longer a place of forgiveness, but a house of trade to barter for forgiveness.  How very like us.  For we too try to bargain with God to get the things we want in the way we want.  “God if you will heal my uncle, I swear I will come to church more often.  Lord, I am going to sin just this one time, you’ll forgive me anyways, right?  I mean, I do believe in you, so just let me sneak by this time – it will only happen once I swear!”

We ourselves become the thieves and robbers.  We ourselves steal from God in this way, and in so doing lose sight of the blood that must be slain for our forgiveness – the true cost, the true price. 

In our text, Jesus walks right into the midst of this situation, and gets righteously angry.  “How dare you make my house a place of trade?  How dare you spend so much time and effort worrying about the price that you must pay for forgiveness?  How dare you defame the place where God chooses to dwell?”  So Jesus makes a whip, and runs through the temple whipping and driving out sin from the Jewish temple. 

For Jesus knows the truth, as we have mentioned, that blood must be shed.  For in blood is the life of a creature.  And since we sinners deserve death, lifeblood must be poured out on our behalf.  And it must be done before God to count for our guilt, for our bargaining, for our downright shamefulness. 

For that is why Jesus came.  In our text today, there are two temples.  The Jewish temple, the majestic building built by mere man for God to live, and the Jesus of Nazereth, where God chose to dwell.  Jesus would be the temple where the ultimate sacrifice would occur.  He would be the temple where all sin would be forgiven now and forever – all yours, all mine, the entire worlds.  It is there that not you at all, but God would purchase your forgiveness. 

Jesus tells the Jews in the temple as much in our text.  “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”  No, not the buildings built by man, not the place in Jerusalem.  But the created human flesh where the uncreated God dwells.  For as Jesus drove sin out of the temple building in Jerusalem with whips in our text, so too would Jesus drive the sin out of the world as whips struck his own flesh.  In the temple of his own flesh, Jesus would spill the blood necessary for your forgiveness.  The very temple of God, the place where the second person of the Trinity dwelt among his own people, would be destroyed.

It’s on the cross that this all happens.  This season of Lent that is where we look, to a cross, where all our guilt, all our shame, all our lust and hate and angriness is covered with blood from a sacrifice.  The life of Christ pours out from his hands and side for you so that no longer do you need to bicker and steal, but instead that you might receive freely from God and share with those who are around you. 

You are washed in the blood of Christ. You are covered with his righteousness.  You belong to him, as you freely receive the gifts from Christ – baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and his holy word. 

The cross also means a promise for you.  For as the temple of Jesus’s body was destroyed, so too did it raise again.  On the third day following the crucifixion, the tomb of Christ was empty.  And this is the promise.  Covered in Christ’s blood through baptism we have already died to our sin, and we are raised into eternity with him, raised into the place where there no longer will need to be atonement – where there will be no sin, not hurt, not pain.  Raised to be with God – with Jesus forever and ever. 

Amen.

Lent 2 - G - 2012 - Who do you say Jesus is?

The Second Sunday of Lent
March 4, 2012 - Pastor Adam Moline

Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16             Romans 5:1-11            Mark 8:27-38

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today is from the Gospel lesson just read, especially these words, “For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”  Thus far our text today. 

Dear friends in Christ.  Jesus asks two questions in our text today.  First – Who do people say that I am? Second – Who do you say that I am?  Who am I?  What is my identity?  And if you get this question right, that you are blessed beyond all belief, but if you get it wrong, you belong to Satan, you are setting your mind on the things of man, and Jesus will be ashamed of you on the day he comes with angels in the glory of the Father. 

So… who do people say that Jesus is?  We have heard all the answers.  Jesus is a good teacher, he shows us how to live a life worthy of God.  He shows us how to have our very best life now, and how to get along with our neighbors.  Jesus is my rich uncle who wants me to be rich as well, so long as I follow him correctly.  Jesus is a role model who shows us how to organize our community to accomplish things that benefit the greater good.  Jesus is a great prophet who gave us the 40 steps to live a purposeful life.  Jesus is an idea, a person we use to defend our own beliefs to people and places he is the person we can make say whatever we want.  Jesus has been defined as all sorts of things to all sorts of people. 

Dear friends, it is the same in our text.  When Jesus asks the disciples “Who do people think that I am?” they respond, “Some say John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”  Everyone had a different opinion.  And none of them are completely right.  Yes, there is some truth to it, but only half truths.  Jesus is a prophet, in that he proclaims the very word of God, but he is also more than a prophet.  Jesus is like Elijah in that he performs miracles, but he is more than that as well.  Jesus is a teacher, he is a role-model, he does want to share his riches with us – but it is impossible to peg Jesus by using one of these terms alone.  There is something more about Jesus, and we have to know and understand that first. 

So Jesus asks the disciples “Who do you, you twelve, you followers, who do you say that I am?”  And Peter answers right away, “You are the Christ”.  He hit the nail on the head.  Jesus must of smiled!  You’re right Peter, you got it!  You understand!  I’m the Christ!  You win the prize!  And when we hear it, we join the chorus right along with Peter!  “Duh Pastor!  Of course Jesus is the Christ, everyone knows that.”  But I ask you, what does that mean?  Who is the Christ?  What exactly does that mean? 

Peter didn’t know either, so Jesus starts to explain it.  “And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.  And he said this plainly.”  Wait a minute, that’s not the Jesus I want.  That’s not my friend, that’s not my role-model, that’s not my idea of who Jesus is.  What’s the deal with the death and dying business?  That’s not who I want for my Christ!  Cool down your talk Jesus, lay off your rhetoric! 

Or so Peter says.  And dear friends, so too do we.  “Cool down this death of Jesus business.  Don’t talk about bloody deaths and all that baloney.  Just leave be quiet and tell me how to make my family get along better, and tell me how to live my life in a worthy way.  Tell me what I must do to be saved, because that’s the Christ I want.  Tell me, so that I can do it all by myself.  That’s the Savior I want.”

Dear friends, Jesus only has one answer for this kind of talk, only one response to us who would reshape the Christ into who we want him to be – “Get thee behind me Satan!”  Get out of the way because the Christ must die.  He must suffer many things at the hands of unbelievers.  He can’t leave your sin behind for you to do what you wish with, he must take it upon himself, set his eyes on Calvary and bleed, ooze, thirst and die for your sins.  That’s what the Christ does.  That’s his job.  That’s why he comes, and the first and primary reason.  To save you from sin. 

People hear this, and they laugh at us.  People hear this, and they criticize us Christians, they call us hypocrites and religious fanatics.  They say we are lunatics for believing in all this Jesus and resurrection stuff, but friends that’s who your Christ is – not just a teacher or role model, but a savior who saves by dying in your place.

Any “Jesus” that avoids the cross is not the true Jesus.  Any Jesus who doesn’t suffer is just a shadow of the true Jesus.  Any Jesus who is just a regular guy, or only a friends fails to fulfill the roll of Christ. Your Jesus, the Jesus of scripture – not of popular opinion – wants to teach you about his death.  He wants to make you rich, not with the things of the world, but with the things of heaven where moth and mold cannot destroy.  He wants to be your role model so that you follow him to the cross in your baptism, and rise with Him into eternity apart from sin.

So, dear friends in Christ, “Who do you say that Jesus is?”    Is he just a teacher?  Is he just a role model?  Is he just a man?  No, He is the Christ – the sacrifice for your sin.  He is the one to take you from this world to the next.  He is the one… who dies to save you from sin.  Amen.  

Lent 1 - O - 2012 - The Sin Sacrifice

The First Sunday of Lent

February 26, 2012 - Pastor Adam Moline

Genesis 22:1-18          James 1:12-18             Mark 1:9-15

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today is the Old Testament lesson, especially these words, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.”  Thus far our text.

Dear friends in Christ.  Without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sins.  Scripture is clear on that point.  Adam and Eve, Noah, Terah, all the patriarchs knew this fact.  For this reason, they had killed countless animals, pouring out their blood in bowls and burning the animals on altars to God – to forgive all their sins.  To be made right with God by the death of another creature.

So when God tells Abraham what he must do, it is a tall order.  Abraham had seen sacrifices before, he had performed sacrifices before, but never one that would be as difficult or as gruesome as the one God commands him to do on this day.  God tells Abraham, “As a burnt offering, as a way of forgiving your sins, your Son must die at your hand.  And when you have killed him, when you have drained his blood out of him, he must be laid on a pile of wood and burned as an offering to me.  By his death, you will be forgiven.”

His own son must die.  He has to kill his own child, whom he loves, the one through whom he hoped to have descendants that numbered of the sand on a beach, that numbered as the stars of heaven.  His child must die, God has commanded it.

What must Abraham have done wrong?  What sins must he have committed?  Did he doubt too much?  What sin could be so great that his children had to die?  But even as he asks these questions of God, Abraham gathers the supplies, he gets the fire, he gets the wood.  They saddle up their donkey, and they head to the mountain God will show them. 

They travel for three days, riding on the donkey, when finally Abraham sees the place, Mount Moriah.  Abraham stops, gets down from his donkey, and loads the wood of the sacrifice on the his own son, his beloved son, the one who pleases him, and they begin the final journey.  Isaac carries the wood up the mountain to the place where he must die.  Abraham carries the knife and the fire, dreading what must be done.  Isaac stacks the wood upon the altar, and notices something is missing.  “Where is the goat?  Where is the Ram?  Where is the creature we are going to sacrifice father?”  Abraham’s only answer is “The Lord will provide the sacrifice.”  Isaac lays on the wood, Abraham raises the knife, mustering all his strength to bring it down on his son, his own Son, whom he loves. 

And God stops him.  Abraham wait, Abraham don’t kill your Son!  Stop!  Don’t do this!  For you were right in your confession, I will provide the sacrifice for your sins.  I will provide the lamb to be slain and burned.  I will provide, for it isn’t your son, but my Son that must die.  Its my Son – it’s Jesus, he’s the one who will die for your sin Abraham, for Isaac’s sin, and for all mankind’s sin. 

God stops the death of Isaac, and in the same way, dear friends, he stops your death as well.  For just as Abraham, just as Isaac, you too are sinful.  You too are guilty.  You too have broken God’s law, and have not trusted enough, haven’t loved enough, haven’t done enough.  You fall short by what you have done and by what you have left undone.  And dear friends its your fault, your own fault, your own most grievous fault.  That sin threatened to separate you from God, just as it did for Abraham, for God demanded a sacrifice from you to make things right. 

But you don’t have enough to fix your problem.  There isn’t enough you can do to fix it, even your own death can’t save you.  So as Abraham confessed God will provide the sacrifice – His own Son, born of the Virgin Mary, to die for you.   Hear the words of our Gospel lesson, "Behold my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."  Its that one, who will die for you.  

And so here we are in Lent, looking ahead to the sacrifice of Christ for you and your sins.  We are looking ahead, to Jesus, riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, just as Isaac rode to Moriah with his Father on a donkey.  We are looking ahead to Jesus carrying a cross up to Golgotha, just as Isaac carried the wood of sacrifice p to Moriah.  We are looking ahead to Christ willingly suffering and dying at the will of his father, just as Isaac was for his father Abraham.  And as Abraham was willing to drive a knife into his own son, so too is God willing to drive nails and spear into his son. 

And its all for you.  Its all for Abraham.  Its all for Isaac.  And dear friends, on the cross, its all done.  The blood for forgiveness of sins is shed.  All of it pours out on to the ground.  Jesus suffers the death you deserve.  And with his very last breath, Christ shouts out “It is finished.” No more does God demand sacrifices from you for salvation.  No longer does He ask for your death, but instead he gives you life forever.  Instead, you walk safely down the mountain, just as Isaac did.  Instead you are free as God’s own child forever. 

Without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sins.  And blood has been shed.  But its not Isaacs.  Its not Abraham’s, its not even yours.  It is Jesus blood.  And it means your life.  Amen.  

  

Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  

Transfiguration - G - 2012 - The Hidden God Revealed

The Transfiguration of Our Lord

February 19, 2012 - Pastor Adam Moline

Exodus 34:29-35         2 Corinthians 3:12-18; 4:1-6        Mark 9:2-9

Grace, Mercy and Peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today comes from the Gospel lesson, especially these words, “And Jesus was transfigured before them.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ.  God hides himself.  He does it for our benefit.  He does it to protect us sinners from his holiness, his almightiness, he righteous justice.  God hides himself from us, for He is righteously angry at our terrible sin and disregard for the many gifts that He gives to us.  For sinners cannot stand before God.  God will not tolerate the sinner being in his presence with his sin unfurled for all to see.  He will not stand for those who brazenly declare “yes I have sinned, and will do it again, and who are you God to stop me?” 

But God does love you, and God does desire you to be saved.  So God hides himself from your sin, so that he can continue to proclaim his word to you. 

In the very beginning when Adam and Eve ate of the fruit they were not to eat, immediately they were afraid of a holy and righteous God – so they hid in the bushes.  God upon finding them, gives them a more suitable hiding place – animal skins.  To hide sinful man, blood had to be shed, animals had to die.  Only then could mankind be hidden from God’s wrath because of sin.  Only then could our world go on. 

Nine generations later, Noah was hidden away on the ark, hidden from the just judgment of God on a sinful world.  Safe in the ark, God was hidden from Noah as the world of sin was washed away outside of the ark.  Through water, Noah was safely brought through the terrible alien wrath of God’s judgment of sin. 

God hides himself away over and over throughout the pages of scripture.  He is hidden from Moses behind a burning bush.  He is hidden from the people of Israel in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.  The people of Israel however want to see God, they want to know who he is.  So God comes down, hidden in cloud and thunder, and the people again are afraid.  Before God reveals himself, they change their mind, knowing their sin is too great to see God for who he really is – a Good and Loving God, who is angry over sin. 

So instead, they send Moses, who is the only man to look upon God face to face.  In our Old Testament lesson today, we see the result.  “Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.”  God’s glory shone from Moses’ face, and was again graciously hidden from the fearful Israelites by a veil. 

God continues to hide throughout the pages of the Old Testament.  He is hidden on the Ark of the Covenant between the Wings of the Cherubim.  He hides in the Tabernacle in the Holy of Holies, where again the priest had to pour blood out to hide man’s sin before God.  God hides in the Temple of Solomon, and God hides himself from Elijah, only allowing him to see the back of his cloak as he heard the very word of God. 

God hates sin.  God hides sin from his presence, and thus he hides himself away from sinful people.  He hides away to protect them, to keep them away from his just judgment on sin – that the sinner should die.  That the sinner does not deserve to be in the presence of God.  That the sinner is guilty, and God the great and powerful judge delivers the judgment.  God hides, to keep you safe. 

You can imagine then John, James and Peter’s reaction on the mount of Transfiguration then.  They get to see God revealed.  They get to see God as we all will one day see him when he returns again.  They see hidden God revealed.  For God has hidden himself from them as well, hidden in our own human flesh.  The man that Peter James and John had been following was really God hidden amongst them.  The God who spoke to Moses hidden in the burning bush spoke to Peter, James and John hidden in the body of a man.  The God who hid himself away from sinners now is hidden in their very midst. 

And now only that, in our text today, God reveals himself for who he really is.  Jesus was transfigured before them, revealing his glory, glowing white.  Elijah and Moses appeared and spoke with Jesus – with God no longer hidden in a man, but revealed – about why God had come. 

You see God doesn’t want to hide from you forever.  He doesn’t always want to be separated from you.  He doesn’t want to have to hide to keep you safe from his holiness.  Instead he wants you to be holy like the very Lord your God is holy.  And there is only one way for that to happen.  God hid himself in Jesus, in a man, to reveal himself to all – not through a burning bush.  Not through a pillar of cloud and fire, not through the cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant, but revealed for who he truly is – love – hanging on a cross dying for your sin, dying for your guilt, paying the price you owe. 

That’s why Jesus is revealed on transfiguration to show who he is – God.  And being revealed he will reveal himself again on a Friday we call Good, on an old rugged cross, with his own blood, not the blood of animals hiding your sin away forever.  Now, in him you have life.  Now in him you have forgiveness.  Now, in him you belong to God. 

Friends, Jesus comes to you today as well, again hidden.  For while we are forgiven, we still are in this world of sin, so God still hides, he hides in bread and wine, for forgiveness life and salvation.  He hides in water and word where he washes away your sin, and takes them upon himself.  He hides in preaching to create and sustain faith in your lives.  He hides here today, so that he can one day reveal himself to you as he did to Peter, James and John.  Not as a God angry at sin, but a holy God who forgives.  A holy God who loves.  A holy God, who through the death and resurrection of Jesus can be himself again, no longer hiding away.

It is all through Jesus. It is all through his grace, and through his mercy.  For in him God is hidden, and in him, God will reveal himself to the world, outstretched upon a cross – all because he loves you.  Amen.  

Epiphany 4 - O - 2012 - The Greater Prophet

The Fourth Sunday After Epiphany

January 29, 2012 - Pastor Adam Moline

Deuteronomy 18:15-20           1 Corinthians 8:1-13          Mark 1:21-28

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today comes from the Old Testament lesson today, especially these words, “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.”  Thus far our text today. 

Dear friends in Christ, we have all see the classic movie the Ten Commandments.  Charlton Heston plays Moses who leads God's people through countless plagues and trials, all to bring them to the promised land.  Moses was the greatest prophet ever to live in the Old Testament time.  He was the best of the best of the best – with honors!  God had worked through him his entire life to bring about the will of God in the world – to lead the Israeli slaves out of Egypt into a promised land, flowing with milk and honey.  Moses was the best prophet, for he had seen God face to face, (~ynIP'-la, ~ynIP) - Deut 34:10)mano y Dios.  He had spoken to God in a way that no other prophet could or would.  Moses was the best. 

God had worked through Moses’ life in all sorts of ways to use him and mold him to be a good prophet.  He was rescued from the Nile river to grow up, not as a slave, but to learn all the Egyptian customs of court and royalty.  He left Egypt after murdering an Egyptian, and learned how to raise sheep and cattle, learned how to live in the wilderness, and most importantly learned about God.  And God sent Moses back to speak his word boldly to a people who did not want to hear it, and through God’s work, to lead God’s people out of slavery.  Moses was the greatest prophet, and God worked through Moses his entire life. 

And yet today, in our text, Moses speaks of another prophet, who would be raised up from the midst of the people of Israel.  A prophet who was to come later, who would be even greater than Moses himself.  A prophet more powerful and more trustworthy, a prophet who would speak God’s word from his own mouth. 

How could there possibly be a prophet better than the greatest prophet ever?  How could there be a prophet who could exceed Moses in word and deed?  How could this thing possibly come about, for Moses was the best of the best of the best – with honors!

But even Moses fell into sin.  Even Moses wasn’t perfect, he was a guilty sinner, just like you and me.  Moses left Egypt when he was a prince, why?  For murder.  That wasn’t his last sin either.  As Moses travelled to Egypt to set God’s people free, God almost struck him down for disobeying God and not circumcising his own children.  You have to admit, Moses who saw God in the burning bush disobeying God’s command of circumcision is pretty bullheaded.  Moses sinned, as God told him to speak to the rock so water would come out, and instead he hit it with his staff – more worried about the show than about the word of God.  And finally countless times Moses, in anger and stubbornness, broke the eighth commandment saying, “God why did you put me in charge of these thick headed Israelites.” 

You see, Moses was a sinner like you.  He was stubborn like you.  He sinned everyday in his life like you.  He ignored God’s word at times, like you.  He got mad at his neighbor, he spoke ill of those around him, and he tried to weasel his way out of God’s design for his own life, just like you do.  Moses, the greatest prophet, stood before the burning bush and said, “Send someone else Lord, and leave me alone,” just as we so often do in our own lives. “Not me Lord, someone else, make someone else be an elder, a missionary, a teacher, an anything.  Not me, some other poor sap instead.”  Moses was a sinner just like you. 

But also, just like you, Moses looked to a prophet who was greater.  A prophet who would be raised up from the midst of our own people, to speak the very word of God, to lead God’s people not from Egypt to the Promised Land, but from Sin into God’s sin free promised land – heaven. 

Moses trusted God’s word to him about that Greater prophet – Jesus.  Jesus would speak God’s word better than Moses could ever do, because Jesus mouth would be the very mouth of God.  Through Jesus, the Son of God, God’s word would come directly, not through a sinful man.  Moses trusted that the prophet Jesus would speak with authority.  Authority that we see in our Gospel lesson today, as Jesus says to a sin filled lowly demon – “Be silent, Come out of him!” and the demon must obey, for it is God’s word that is spoken. 

Jesus is the greatest prophet, greater than any other even Moses.  (Greater by far than false prophets like Mohammed and Joseph Smith).  Jesus is the prophet who speaks God’s word, and than fulfills all that was spoken before.  Jesus is the prophet who says, I choose to give you life, life to the full, and will buy you through my own bloody cross and death.  And unlike Moses, unlike Isaiah, unlike Hosea and Jeremiah, unlike dear friends even you, Jesus is sin free.  Jesus is perfect.  He does no wrong, he speaks no wrong word. 

SO when the great prophet Jesus tells you something, you can trust His word.  It comes from God.  It comes from the one who died on your behalf and rose again.  It comes from the one who now lives and reigns forever in heaven. 

Hear the words then of the prophet greater than Moses.  “Take heart, your sins are forgiven.  In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.  Come to my waters – baptismal waters – for whoever drinks the water I give will never thirst, but it will well up inside of him to eternal life.  Believe in me, believe also in the one who sent me.  I will wipe every tear from your eyes.” 

Jesus speaks these words to you.  Words from God.  Words of promise for you.  Words of forgiveness for you.  Words from the prophet greater than Moses.  Yes, Moses was great.  But Jesus is greater, and Jesus is for you.  Hear his word and believe.  Amen.  

Baptism of our Lord - G - 2012 - Jesus the Sponge

Genesis 1:1-5         Romans 6:1-11            Mark 1:4-11

Grace, Mercy and Peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.  Our text today comes from the Gospel lesson just read, especially these words “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”  Thus far our text.

Dear friends in Christ.  We have all seen a new sponge, sitting idly by the sink, waiting to be used.  It looks pristine.   It is clean and soft.  It isn’t missing any pieces, and it is relatively germ free.  But you know that as soon as you stick it in the dirty dishwater, that clean sponge will soak up all the grease and grime and germs of the dishes you are washing.  A clean white sponge becomes a nasty brown and crusty sponge.  It takes the dirt of the water up into itself.  It no longer is clean, but it is stained with the goop of the other things in the water. 

Friends, that is what happens in our Gospel lesson today.  Jesus Christ, the spotless, sinless Son of God gets down into the dirty water of the Jordan River, and is baptized.  The baby who was born pure and holy, the Savior who has no sin of his own soaks up all the yucky disgusting things that are in the baptismal waters in the Jordan River. 

You see, for Jesus, the baptismal waters were not clean.  They were full of filth, filth that you and I had put in the waters.  For we, just like Jesus in our text today were baptized.  We too, just like Jesus were washed in the waters of baptism.  For you and for me, those waters washed away all our bad things.  It washed away our sin. 

For our sin stains each and every one of us.  Scripture says our sin is as scarlet.  Isaiah says, “For your hands are defiled with blood and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies; your tongue mutters wickedness.”  You are guilty.  You are dirty with sin.  It corrupts all your nature.  Your sin is so great that it is like you have been wallowing in the mire, covered in mud. 

This sin doesn’t just cover your outside, it penetrates deep into the very recesses of your soul.  It has become a very part of your nature.  You cannot help but sin, as Scripture says, you are a slave to sin.  “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin” Jesus says.  Because of your sin, when God looks at you, he sees your filth, even the hidden filth.  When God looks at you, he sees all the wrong you have done and received.  He knows your guilt.  It stains your very being. 

But you have been baptized.  You have been washed by God.  All that disgustingness of your sin was washed, inside and out, here in a few drops of water and the Word.  There you are washed, made whiter than snow.  There you no longer are guilty, but instead forgiven.  In baptism all the sin of your body of your soul, that which you know and that which you don’t know is taken away from you.  In baptism you are clean. 

We all know what happens when you wash the dirt off of something in a tub.  The water becomes dirty.  The water takes up the filth that is washed away and stains the water.  That, friends is the water that Jesus climbs into today.  Water filled with your sin.  Water filled with your guilt.  Water that is dirty.  And Jesus, the spotless lamb of God, just like a sponge, soaks up your sin and guilt.  As Jesus goes down into the water He is clean, and as He comes out he is filthy with your sin. 

In fact, you can say, that after Jesus soaks up your sin, he is the biggest sinner ever, the greatest sinner in the whole world.  For he has all the sin of you his people.  And as he comes out of the water, God says, “This is my Son, with whom I am well pleased.”  God is pleased, because you are saved.  God is pleased because Jesus has taken your sin and given you His righteousness.  Because you have traded places.  Where once he was clean and you were dirty, now he is dirty and you are clean. 

Jesus takes your sin, and he bears it through this world.  He carries it boldly and humbly onward through his life, setting his eyes on his ultimate goal.  Destroying that sin.  Killing that sin.  Eliminating it from you forever, preventing you from taking it back to yourself.  Jesus, who has soaked up your sin, goes to the cross of his own free will, to suffer and die for all your sin. 

For it is his blood, the blood that pours out of his hands, his feet, and his side.  The blood which comes from his wounds that truly cleans away your sin that he carries.  In his death you are given life.  In his death you are rescued, because in his death your sin gets killed forever.  Your filth is destroyed, run down the drain if you will.  And you are left clean forever before God.

Dear friends in Christ, you have been baptized, just as Jesus is in our text today.  And so when God looks at you, he no longer sees your filth and sin, but he sees his Son Jesus and his righteousness.  And so he looks to you and says, “You are my child, and with you I am well pleased.”  For you are cleaned in Jesus.  You are rescued in his death.  You are set free forever.  Amen.