Pentecost - O - 2015 - Dead Dry Bones made alive in Christ!

Divine Service Setting One

Opening Hymn 496

Hymn of the Day 498

Communion Hymns 503, 643, 500, 618

Closing Hymn 805

Proper 20 - G - 2011 - Your Just Reward

Isaiah 55:6-9   Phillipians 1:12-14, 19-30       Matthew 20:1-16

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 just read, especially these words:  “So the last will be first, and the first last.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ.  I want my just reward.  I want what I think I deserve.  This is the attitude of the man in our parable today.  He has agreed to work for the entire day for a set wage, one denarius.  He labors, working hard at his tasks for the day.  And as he works, others come in later in the day.  Some come in a few hours later, and some others even come in at the last minute, only an hour before the end of the day.  As this man works in the vineyard, he talks with those who are around him, and learns that they too have been promised a denarius.  The man begins to think about it.  If the man working only one hour receives a denarius, then don’t I deserve 12 times more?  After all, I have worked longer then they have.  I have been here a whole day, and they have only been here a few short minutes. 

As the man watches the late comers receiving their pay, he begins to imagine what he will do with his extra income.  He begins to imagine what things he will buy, what sort of food he will eat.  He tells himself he really deserves these things, after all the early bird gets the worm, and I was here first, so I should get a bonus for what I have done.   You can imagine the man’s surprise then when he receives his wage for the day’s work, the single denarius that he was promised at the beginning. 

That’s not fair, is it?  That shouldn’t be the way it works, should it?  If someone works longer, they should get more, shouldn’t they?  They should be more richly rewarded for their faithfulness.  And yet, the man in our text received exactly what he was promised, exactly what he agreed to.  He received his just reward.

And what of you, dear friends in Christ?  What does this say to you?  What message can you pluck from this tale that Jesus tells us?  Friends, the truth is that it is for us that Jesus speaks this parable.  It is for the situations that we are in.  We know what our hope is.  We know what our promise is.  We have received the Kingdom from Jesus, we have had our sins forgiven in the precious blood that flowed from the cross.  We have life, and life to the full.  And we have been promised heaven for living a life of faith here in this world. 

What a gift!  What a blessing.  For you see that life of faith isn’t even dependent on us.  It is a free gift that Jesus gives us.  Something we don’t deserve, something we don’t earn, something that is a blessing.   And yet, like the man in the parable, we believe we have earned it, and that it is ours to determine for ourselves.  And so just like the man in the parable, we often look down on those who are around us.  We like to compare ourselves with them, saying, “I am better than he is, aren’t I?  Come on Lord, don’t I deserve something better than that sinner over there.  I mean, I have done more good things for you, haven’t I?”

We are prideful people, aren’t we?  We do like comparing ourselves with others, because we are so good at seeing the speck in someone else’s eye.  We are so good at judging someone else to be guilty while ignoring the glaring sin in our own life.  I have been a Christian longer than you, so I have a greater say in this church.  I have done more good for our community, so listen to what I want.  I have sinned less than that poor miserable person there, so I am holier, aren’t I?  In all of these things, we put ourselves into the first and most important position, the position of power.  And so we grumble to the master of the house, Jesus, and say, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.”

But “The last will be first, and the first will be last.” Friends, it isn’t about being better, it isn’t about deserving more.  Christianity isn’t about any of these things.  Being a Christian is about Jesus, the one who had all glory, power, and honor, and yet gave it up on your behalf.  As St. Paul writes in Philippians, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.   And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!”  Jesus puts himself in last place so that you can receive life.  He takes your deserved punishment upon himself so that you can receive his reward.  He dies, so that you may live.

And Jesus has made all Christians equal in his eyes in that he has given to all who confess his name eternal life.  It isn’t that Jesus is cutting you out, it isn’t that Jesus is taking away what you think you deserve.  No, Friends, Jesus is giving you the whole thing, and he gives it to those others who believe in him as well.  And because all that Jesus gives is a free gift, we are to receive it with thanksgiving, and with joy.  We are to look at those others who also receive the gifts of God with joy as well.  Look how much love your God has.  Look how he has lavished forgiveness upon all people who trust in him.  Look how much he has done for you, and your sin, and the sin of the whole world.  Look how he made himself last so that you could be first. 

It’s not fair.  It’s not the way it should work, is it?  God gives to all, including you, even when we don’t deserve it.  Amen.  

Pentecost - 2011 - E - Why Does the Holy Spirit Come?

Grace, Mercy and Peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Our text today is the reading from Acts, especially these words, “And it shall come to pass, that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Thus far our text.


Dear friends in Christ. Today is Pentecost, the day we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit, as described in our second reading today. The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples as they sat, starry eyed and nervous in the upper room 10 days after the ascension of Jesus into heaven. You can picture them sitting there can’t you? “Well Peter, what are we supposed to do now?” “How am I supposed to know John? I’m just a regular guy like you are.” “Well shouldn’t someone know?” These apostles, chosen by Jesus were just sitting around. They were wondering what to do! They didn’t know how to do this Ministry that Jesus had asked them to do. Where do you start? So much for brave and holy apostles.

But as they are sitting there, the Holy Spirit comes, as a flame blowing through the house. He separated into 12 different flames and landed on each one of them. It was only then, that they knew what to do. It was only then that through the Holy Spirit, they were able to fulfill the mission that Jesus had called them to do: To tell the world about Jesus’ life death and resurrection, to preach the word.

After all that is why the Holy Spirit has come, to point us always towards Jesus Christ and Him crucified for your sins great and small. To come and give you the Good News that in Him you need not worry about eternal death, but instead to look forward to eternal life with Jesus. The Holy Spirit never points to himself, but only to Jesus. He never toots His own horn, but he always works faith in you, so that you might receive from Jesus.

But that isn’t what we think of the Holy Spirit, and so often today that’s not how we speak of the Holy Spirit. Today, we often make the Holy Spirit into some sort of divine decision maker. “What would God like me to do today? Should I wear the plaid shirt, or the striped?” We expect the Holy Spirit to tell us what choice we should make so that we can be more holy, and please God with our actions. God should I go on vacation to Hawaii, or California, can you let me know? Should I marry person A or person B? Should I have chicken or beef for dinner?

Friends, it’s not bad to ask God to bless your decisions in these matters, but when we ask the Holy Spirit to divinely tell us what the right answer is, we have taken the Holy Spirit away from His true job. We have separated Him from what he has promised to do, to point us to Jesus.

And what’s worse, so often we allow the Holy Spirit to become the excuse for what we want to do. We see this all over the place. God made me gay, so its ok for me to do what I want. God will forgive me if I sleep with the person outside of marriage. God won’t care if I cheat on my taxes or steal from my neighbor. I have even heard a song that proposes that God has bigger things to worry about than the little sins I do, because he has people like Hitler and Osama Bin Laden to worry about.

Friends, when we do this, once again we are not allowing the Holy Spirit to point us to Jesus, because we aren’t allowing ourselves to realize our own condition and how much we need God. We aren’t allowing ourselves to hear how we are poor miserable sinners, by our own fault, and how we need the forgiveness of Jesus, how we need His mercy and grace. Instead, we don’t even look past our own selves and desires.

But today on Pentecost, we hear why Jesus and His Father sent the Holy Spirit, so that we might learn of Jesus. Remember those apostles, who were sitting nervous and confused in that upper room, wondering what to do? When the Holy Spirit descended upon them, they no longer doubted what to do? They no longer were nervous of the consequences or how to begin. But boldly they went out among the crowds of Jerusalem, and began preaching the Gospel. Through the Holy Spirit, they begin pointing people to Jesus, and they themselves trusted in Jesus.

It wasn’t on their own desire. It wasn’t there decision, but it was a gift that God poured out through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit always points to Jesus. So as the Holy Spirit worked through the Apostles He began to point people to Jesus. He began to proclaim salvation in His holy name. He fulfilled what the prophet Joel wrote, “that all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” For the Holy Spirit causes people to call on Jesus’ name. He says look to that cross there, for on it your sins died. Look to that empty tomb of Easter, for there is your assurance that Jesus is raised from the dead. Look to the right hand of God where Jesus lives and reigns, for there you one day will join him in eternal bliss and contentment.

Friends, the Holy Spirit comes to you, just as He did to the Apostles. He comes to you in baptismal waters, where you are washed in the blood of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins. There, in plain old water combined with God’s word the Holy Spirit gives out freely faith in Jesus. It is as if he grabs your head and turns it to look at the cross of Jesus, completely apart from your own will and desire. There your old sinful nature daily drowns as the Holy Spirit holds him underwater, leaving your Holy perfect in Jesus self to live for all eternity.

The Holy Spirit comes to you, just as to the Apostles as you come here and hear God’s Word. The Holy Spirit promises to always work with that word to create and sustain faith in your hearts. In the weekly bible readings, the Holy Spirit comes to you. In faithful preaching, you are pointed to Jesus the author and perfecter of your faith. And in your own personal bible study, the Holy Spirit feeds and sustains that faith created in your baptism.

The Holy Spirit also comes to you as you receive the Lord’s Supper. There he brings to you and feeds you on Christ’s very body and blood, so that you might have life and have it to the full. Friends, you don’t need to go searching around to try and find the Holy Spirit, He is always at work in you, and He is always exactly where he promises to be: In the Word, and in the two Sacraments, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. And because he points you to Jesus, because he creates faith within you, you have freedom in Jesus. You have freedom to wear plaid or stripes and know that either way, Jesus has forgiven you for the Holy Spirit tells me so. You have freedom to avoid the sins of the world, to avoid stealing, to avoid cursing, to avoid living together and sexual temptation, because the Holy Spirit ever points you toward Jesus who did not give into these sins on your behalf.

Faith comes through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit ever points you toward Jesus. The Holy Spirit ever declares, you are forgiven, not because of your works, but because of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is like a giant roadside billboard that says, “Look there at Jesus, for in him, and him alone do you have forgiveness, life and salvation.” The Holy Spirit ever points you toward Jesus, and because of that, all who call on the name of the Lord will be forgiven. Amen.

Series B-Pentecost-2009-G- "The Holy Spirit Testifies About Jesus"

"When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.

I did not tell you this at first because I was with you. "Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you."

-John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15

Grace Mercy and Peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our text today is the Gospel lesson; especially verse 26 “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.” Thus far our text.

Dear friends in Christ, I like to go hunting every fall. I enjoy getting out doors and spending some time out in God’s beautiful creation. I especially enjoy it when I got to go pheasant hunting with my dad. My dad owned 2 Britney spaniels, pointing dogs. These dogs would run in huge circles wherever they wished, sniffing for birds. Upon finding some sort of bird, they would come to a perfect stop instantly, and point to where the birds were. They would stay there pointing until we could get up there to flush the birds, so that we, hopefully, could hit them. The dogs loved this, they loved the opportunity to run and to point birds. That’s all they did. They would point the birds and wait for you to flush them. And if you missed, the dogs would be sure to give you a sideways look, as if saying, “I pointed them out to you, and you couldn’t even hit them?

Friends, the Holy Spirit works the same way. The Holy Spirit is always pointing something out to us, Jesus. On this great church holiday, Pentecost, we celebrate the giving of the Holy Spirit, but even then, it is not just the Holy Spirit that we need to think about, but instead we need to know what the Holy Spirit does. How the Holy Spirit points not to Himself, but instead to Jesus Christ and Him crucified for all of our sins. Our text today makes that clear, as Jesus says, "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, He will testify about me.” The Holy Spirit testifies about Jesus, and Jesus alone. He is like a giant road sign that says “Hey Jesus is this way! Follow me to Jesus”. But sadly, we as sinful human beings sometimes struggle with this. We don’t always understand or listen to the Holy Spirit. And when we misunderstand the Holy Spirit, we misunderstand who He is testifying about, Jesus Christ.

To know how we misunderstand who the Holy Spirit is testifying about, we have to know how it works. Jesus promises in today’s text that He would send a helper, a counselor, who when He comes will guide you in all truth. This promised helper is the Holy Spirit, and even today He does the will of Jesus. He convicts of our sin as we hear God’s word, and He pours out forgiveness through both Word and Sacraments. We call these the Means of Grace, where God works with us poor sinners today. These are the ways that we get the forgiveness of sins earned for us by Jesus on the cross.

But often times today, we ignore the work of the Holy Spirit. We ignore the means by which He is a helper and counselor to us. Instead we neglect and ignore His work, and end up looking for God in all the wrong places.

Take the first of the means of grace, God’s word. How often in our lives do we neglect hearing God’s word. Yes, we come to church, but do we always pay attention to God’s Word outside of Church? I know that for myself, a vicar at a church getting ready to return to studies at the Seminary, it is very difficult to keep in God’s word every day. Sure I look at it, and I study it for sermons, but it is difficult to get into God’s word for the purpose of devotion. There is always something else to do, rather than read a few chapters of scripture. I can watch the television. I can clan the house. I can go for a jog, or a walk. I can find hundreds of different things to do to avoid God’s word, to ignore the work of the Holy Spirit pointing me towards Jesus.

What about you? Do you sufferer from the same excuses that I have? Do you too avoid God’s word? Even today, people struggle to believe whether or not the Bible is the truth, or if it really means what it says. When this happens, we begin to doubt God’s word itself, and when we doubt God’s word, we doubt whether or not the Holy Spirit works through that word or not.

With this the other two means of grace, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper also suffer. It is the very word and promises of God themselves that make those two things so valuable to us as Christians. In Baptism we believe that we are connected to the death and resurrection of Jesus. But if we doubt God’s Word, we can’t really believe that to be true. If we doubt God’s word, Baptism becomes just a nice symbolic act. And the Lords’ Supper is where we eat the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, but if we doubt God’s word, it is a nice little post sermon snack.

With these doubts, the Counselor, the Holy Spirit who Jesus sent, is no longer connected to God’s word. And if it is not connected to God’s word, it isn’t really a help at all. Yes, we may look for the Holy Spirit elsewhere. Perhaps we try to find him in other places, maybe in how we feel, maybe in how we think, maybe in what we “do” for Jesus. But He has not promised to be there. The Holy Spirit promises to work through God’s word, and so it is there that we must find him, even though, that is not where we often times look for Him.

If we ignore the Holy Spirit, it would be like hunting with my dad’s pointers and when they went on point by a bird, searching the next field over looking to scare up the birds. No longer would we actually find any birds to even shoot at. No longer would we be trusting our helper, or our counselor. In the same way, when we ignore the means of grace by which the Holy Spirit work, we ignore who they point to.

But that is not the way we hunt, and it is not the way that Christians find the Holy Spirit. Today on Pentecost, we heard in the Epistle lesson how the Holy Spirit was poured upon the apostles like tongues of flame. How the Holy Spirit came upon them and caused them to go out and testify that day, not about themselves, but instead about Jesus Christ. You see the Holy Spirit isn’t out there pointing at himself, but instead is always telling us about Jesus.

It is the work of the Holy Spirit that tells us today, “Even though you are a sinner, even though you are guilty, Jesus has died for you.” Jesus was beaten and bloodied, for you. Jesus was mocked and ridiculed, for you. Jesus was nailed upon a cross and left to suffer there until death, for you. And then Jesus raised from the dead on the third day and now lives and reigns for all eternity, for you. All of these things were done for you and for your sin. This is the message of the Holy Spirit. And it doesn’t end there. Instead there is more good news in the message of the Holy Spirit. He proclaims now that you are directly connected to that suffering and death.

How? Through those means mentioned above. It is in these means that God gives by the work of the Holy Spirit we are brought to and sustained in faith. In these things, the Holy Spirit shouts, “Jesus died for you,” and now you hear that message with your ears. The Holy Spirit shouts, “You have died and risen with Jesus, because you are washed in the waters of Holy Baptism.” You now partake in that very body and blood of the crucified and risen Jesus Christ at the Lord’s Supper. These things all point us directly to Jesus Christ.

Yes sometimes in our lives we struggle with what we believe about them. Yes sometimes we even ignore them, or mistreat them, but they are always there pointing and directing us back to the cross. Even when we turn and stray away, the Holy Spirit returns us to the correct path.

On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out, and now He testifies about Jesus Christ crucified.

Because of the Holy Spirit’s testimony, the apostles testified about Christ Jesus, and that message through the Holy Spirit has come down over thousands of years, and now the Holy Spirit testifies that same message to you. Jesus Christ has died for your sins. Jesus Christ suffered for you. Jesus Christ loves you, and will be with you always, even to the very end of the age. “There He is in the hearing and study of God’s Word. There He is in the receiving of the Sacraments.” The Holy Spirit is there to point and guide us, so that we cannot miss Jesus.

Friends, the Holy Spirit testifies about Jesus, and how Jesus saves you from your sin. You are now forgiven, because Jesus died for you, and the Holy Spirit tells us about it. That is what Pentecost is all about. Amen.

Now may the peace of God which far surpasses all human understanding keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord unto Life everlasting. Amen.