Epiphany 7 - O - 2014 - Be Holy in Jesus

The Seventh Sunday after Epiphany

February 23, 2014 - Pastor Adam Moline

Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18             1 Corinthians 3:10-23             Matthew 5:38-48

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today is from the Old Testament Lesson just read, especially these words, “Be holy, as I the Lord your God am holy.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ.  Be holy, God says.  How holy?  As Holy as the Lord your God is holy.  In other words, you are to be perfectly holy, without any spot, or stain, or shortcoming of failure at all.  You are to be Holy in the way you interact with God, and as God explains in detail, you are to be holy in regards to all your neighbors as well. 

God explains how in our lesson.  Be kind to the sojourner and traveler.  Provide food for the needy.  Don’t lie, don’t steal, don’t deal falsely.  Don’t pay people what you owe them late, don’t slander, and protect the life of your neighbor.  Finally, God says, don’t hate your brother, but love him as yourself. 

If you do these things, and if you do them perfectly, then you will fulfill God’s command and be holy as God himself commands in our text.  But as you well know, there’s a problem with this.  You aren’t perfect, and you aren’t holy.  You fall short time and again.  You don’t, and I don’t, care about our neighbors perfectly the way we ought to.  We do lie.  We do steal and more.  We aren’t holy, and no matter how hard we try, we cannot make ourselves holy enough to please God.  Even if we were to be perfect each and every day for the rest of our lives, we still couldn’t make up for the places that we have already fallen short.  You are not Holy, unlike the Lord your God who is holy. 

But that’s part of the message of our text today as well.  That the Lord God is Holy, that he is the very definition of Holy.  He has always been holy, and will always be holy.  He even was holy when he took on our human flesh in the person of Jesus Christ.  Jesus fulfilled that entire list of things that God wanted humans to do.  Jesus was the only person who truly was holy as the Lord God is holy, because he was the Lord God hidden in human flesh. 

He was so holy, that he cared about his neighbors – you and me – enough that he went to the cross, to suffer, to die, and to rise again, so that sin might be forgiven. 

And he shares that holiness with you dear friends.  You who could not be holy, Jesus makes holy.  How?  In baptismal waters, he washes you with the washing of rebirth and renewal poured out on us generously through the Holy Spirit.  In baptism, the sin of you have committed is washed away with the blood of Christ.  To put it clearly, in Baptism, your unholiness is covered up by Christ’s holiness – his righteousness becomes your righteousness. 

Now when God looks at you, he doesn’t see your failures, or your weaknesses, or your shortcomings, instead, he sees Jesus, crucified and risen for the sins of the world, covering your sin specifically. 

Be Holy as I the Lord your God am holy.  How holy?  Jesus covering your sin holy.  Jesus died for your sins holy.  Holy, just as Jesus, the Lord your God in human flesh, is holy.  And dear friends, you are, holy washed in the water and word of baptism.  In the name of Jesus.  Amen.  

Epiphany 6 - G - 2014 - Ten Commands

The Sixth Sunday after Epiphany

February 16, 2014 - Pastor Adam Moline

Deuteronomy 30:15-20           1 Corinthians 3:1-9     Matthew 5:21-37

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 today, especially these words from Jesus, “You have heard it said.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ.   We all know the ten commandments.  We all had to learn them in confirmation.  You shall have no other Gods.  You shall not steal.  You shall not murder.  You shall not commit adultery etc.  And we all know that these are the basics of Christian behavior, the basics of what is right and wrong – so much so that they are even displayed in many courthouses across our country. 

And we like the ten commandments don’t we, because they make us feel good about ourselves?  What I mean is this, if someone asked us if we’ve murdered, we’ll answer cheerfully – “No!  I’ve never murdered, aren’t I good?”  or if asked if we’ve stolen, we’ll say, “No!  I’ve never robbed or stolen or anything like that.  I’m a good person.”  And we like it when people say, “Oh, yes, you’re such an honest person, you’re so truthful.” 

We like the Ten commandments because we feel like we can and have kept all of them.  And we feel like we can look down on those around us who we know have not kept them.  “Oh, yes, I remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy, but Jane down the street doesn’t!  Too bad for her.”

But Jesus cuts through all the false piety in our text today.  He says if you’ve been angry at your brother, you’ve murdered him – something all of us are guilty of – yes even you.  If you’ve looked at someone lustfully, whether they be walking down the street, or on your T.V. screen or anywhere else, you’re and adulterer.  We can apply this same principle to all of the ten commandments.  If you break them – even in the slightest bit, or the smallest point, you’re guilty of them all.  If you fail in one point, you’ve failed in them all. 

And so the truth is, if we take Jesus’ word as the truth, which it is, we aren’t holy.  We aren’t righteous.  We aren’t good.  We aren’t better than anyone else.  We are as the hymn says, chief of all sinners.  We are the worst of the worst.  We deserve punishment because we’ve broken God’s law time and again.  We deserve the judgment Jesus himself speaks of in our lesson, the judgment that he himself will one day dole out upon the sin of the world. 

And yet, we don’t receive that punishment.  Instead we receive grace.  Instead we receive blessings.  Why?  Because that punishment for sin has already been poured out upon a substitute.  There was one who was perfect in the places that you have failed.  There was one who succeeded where you fell short.  There was one who never looked at anyone with adulterous thoughts.  There was one who never stole, but always gave freely.  There was one who wanted to make all things new and right with those around him.  And this one is Jesus. 

To put it simply he traded you.  He was perfect, and you were not.  So he gave you his perfection and took your sin.  He gave you his life, and died your death.  He gave you his inheritance, and took all of the emptiness of hell that your sin deserved.  And so, since you and Jesus traded places, God the Father looks at you as his holy precious child, whom he loves.  He looks at you as one who cares for the weak and sick, and one who loves those who are lonely.  God sees in you all the good works that Jesus has done for others.  God gives you heaven, because that is what Jesus deserved. 

And what you deserved, Jesus suffered.  Stripped, beaten, bloodied, mocked and tortured on the cross.  He suffered hell for you.  He died for you.  He laid in your tomb.  All so that you would not have to.  The cross your guilt earned, Jesus suffered.

Dear friends.  It is truly the great exchange.  You are free, because of Christ.  Christ in you keeps the ten commandments, even as your sinful nature does not.  Christ in you is God’s child, even as your sinful nature fights against Him.  You are God’s child, and will be forever more.  In the name of Jesus.  Amen.  

Epiphany 5 - G - 2014 - The Salt of the Earth and the Light of the World

The Fifth Sunday after Epiphany

February 9, 2014 - Pastor Adam Moline

Isaiah 58:3-9a              1 Corinthians 2:1-16               Matthew 5:13-20

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God the Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today comes from the Gospel lesson just read, especially these words, “You are the salt of the earth.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ.  The words of today’s Gospel lesson are spoken by Jesus as a part of his famous sermon on the mount.  And in them today he tells us that we are the “Salt of the earth” and the “Light of the world.”  In other words, we as Christians fundamentally change the world at is core.  As salt, we season the earth, adding a flavor of love that was never present in this sinful world apart from Christ, a flavor of compassion and care for all people everywhere.  As light, we lessen the darkness of the world by caring for those who have no one else to care for them.  We shine light into all the dark recesses of this world that the true light of Jesus can shine on the people walking in darkness.    

We see this in our mission work, as we build orphan rescue centers in Africa, as we care for those who are suffering from Malaria and other diseases, as we preach the gospel and baptize those in all walks of life who have never heard about his death for them.    We, through our mission offerings, support schools and universities, hospitals, nursing homes, missions in China, Madagascar, and around the world.  In all of these things we are the Salt of the Earth, and we are the Light of the World, as Christ himself says in our text today. 

But yet, so often we lose our saltiness, don’t we?  We hide our Christian faith in our conversations with friends and family here in town.  So often we hide our light under a bushel, afraid what others might think of our Christian Confession, afraid that they might disagree, that they might criticize us for the hope that is within us.  And so, it is here, in our local community that it is most difficult for us to be salty, light-filled Christians. 

Instead, our most visible and egregious sins are shown forth as we deal with the people we care the most for in our local families and with friends.  We curse, swear, steal, gossip, and fight with the people we know best here.  We share information that was shared with us in private.  We judge others as “Not worthy of my concern.”  We ignore people who are truly hurting, saying, “They can take care of themselves for goodness sake.”  And as we do these sinful things, we trust in our own works to save us.  “I go to church every week, so I’m better than that person.  I know I don’t sin as much as John Doe down the street, so I know I’ll get into heaven before them!  Good for me!”

Dear friends in Christ.  We cannot view ourselves through these un-salty, un-light of the world eyes!  We cannot save ourselves.  We cannot do enough good, even in all the positive missions and work we do, to save ourselves!  All of these good works, all of these things done overseas cannot overcome the sin that we commit right here, in Hankinson, ND.  Jesus says we must have a righteousness that surpasses even the most “holy of people” – something we are unable to do.  We need something more salty.  We need a light to enlighten our lives as well. 

And dear friends, that’s exactly what Jesus Christ does for us.  He entered our world and showed compassion on all, being the light for all, even you and me.  He flavored to whole world with a forgiveness bought by his blood and suffering.  He made all things well in our life, by taking our sin on his own shoulder, and giving us his holiness in its place.  We are the salt of the world, not because of ourselves, but because he gives us his saltiness.  We are the light of the world because he shares his light with us.  We love others because he loves us first.  And dear friends we ought to care for our local community, because he first cared for us. 

He delivered this gift and love to us here in this building in water and the word, in body and blood consumed under bread and wine.  He delivered this gift to you in his Holy Precious Word, which we strive not to despise, but to read, learn and inwardly digest. 

And so, you are the light of the world, from Kenya to Fargo to Hankinson, not to earn from God, or to please him in any way at all, but instead because Jesus is your light and your salvation.  You are the salt of the earth, because Christ has flavored you with himself, and his own gifts and blessings.  You share with the world what Christ has first shared with you. You give what Christ first gave to you.  You are not righteous in yourself, but only in the death and resurrection of Jesus. 

You are the Salt of the Earth in Jesus, so be that salt to your neighbor.  You are the light of the world, because Christ shines forth in you, so you too shine on those around you – showing compassion, showing love, showing Jesus forth in your life, both here, and throughout all the world.  Amen.  

The OT Promise of Circumcision and the NT Promise of Baptism part 2

The OT Promise of Circumcision and the NT Promise of Baptism part 1

Epiphany 3 - G - 2014 - Fishers of Men

The Third Sunday after Epiphany

January 26, 2014 - Pastor Adam Moline

Isaiah 9:1-4                 1 Corinthians 1:10-18             Mathew 4:12-25

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, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”  Thus far our text for today.

Dear friends in Christ.  When I was in high school, and even up to a few years ago I guess, I had a t-shirt with a rephrase of today’s Gospel lesson on it.  Across the top it had a picture of a Northern Pike along with big letters that said, “Jesus said – Go fishing.”  And then underneath were these words, “He said nothing about fixing the sink, mowing the lawn, washing the car, weeding the garden or walking the dog.” 

But this text today really has nothing to do with fishing in the way that you and I think of.  Jesus was looking for fishers of men, not catchers of sardines or perch.  Jesus was looking for people to bring sinners into the fold of the church so that they might be forgiven forever inheriting eternal life.  Jesus was looking for men to cast the net he commanded they cast, so that   And for this type of “fishing,” there were no nets involved, no fishing poles, no ice houses or anything like that. 

Jesus has a different lure that he wishes these newly called disciples to use as fishers of men.  His holy Word.  It’s the same lure that Christ himself is using at the beginning of our text today, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 

To our ears, this message seems like one that could never catch the sinful people of this world.  How can you tell someone to repent?  To do so you’d have to tell them that what they are doing is sin!  They’d have to admit that they themselves are sinners!  How could that get people to join the church?  How could that net catch people? 

The answer is truly sobering isn’t it.  If people are honest, if you are honest, you are a sinner.  You are guilty.  You do need to repent.  Yes, each one of you here.  No, you aren’t holier than the other people here.  Each one of us has sinned in our thoughts words and deeds – as we confess each week.  And because of your sin, you haven’t pleased God.  You’ve broken not just one or two of the 10 commandments, but all of them time and time again.  Yes, dear friends, you need to repent.  You need to heed the preaching of Christ and his messengers in our text today.  Repent.  Turn from your sin. 

And the net of Christ’s Word offers more than just condemnation and a need to repent.  The message of Christ goes on.  “For the kingdom of God is near.”  The kingdom of God is coming to you, yes you.  In fact you belong to the kingdom of God, you baptized and forgiven sinners are citizens of heaven already now!  The kingdom of God is at hand, and is freely given here in this building, in this very room.  You have been caught in the net of Jesus Christ, you are the men and women to whom Christ’s call has won. 

The kingdom has caught you by call of its ruler.  He has called you to belong to him, purchasing and winning you not with God and silver as payment, but with his own precious blood and death.  Your king wears a crown that is made of thorns and draws blood for your forgiveness.  Your king rules from the throne of a cross, where he was nailed to forgive your sins.  Your king has made all well in God’s eyes, by his own suffering on your behalf. 

Dear friends, you have been caught by Christ, caught by his Word, by his call, and washed in his blood.  Your sins are forgiven by him, and for his sake.  In the name of Jesus.  Amen.  

Epiphany 2 - G - 2014 - Behold the Bloody Lamb of God

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany

January 19, 2014 - Pastor Adam Moline

Isaiah 49:1-7               1 Corinthians 1:1-9                 John 1:29-42a

Dear friends in Christ,  Mary had a little lamb, its fleece was white as snow.  This nursery rhyme is often what we think of first when we think of lambs and sheep.  It offers us such a cute little picture, of a rather unintelligent sheep being taken to school by a young girl, and running amuck there.  In it we see lambs being small loving creatures, following their master around.  The words to this nursery rhyme were actually based on an actual occurrence, where in 1830, a little girl named Mary brought a lamb to school, much to the chagrin of her teacher.  And now, almost 200 years later, that event shapes our understanding of what a lamb is, and what a lamb does. 

But 2000 years ago, people had a different understanding of what lambs were.  Even in our text, St. John has a different understanding of what a lamb is and does as he proclaims for all to hear, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”  John doesn’t see a small simpleminded creature following little girls to school.  Instead John sees

A BLOODY SACRIFICE TO GOD, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ATONING FOR YOUR SIN.

Dear friends, to understand what John is saying with his words, we must look at what sheep and lambs meant to people 2000, in ancient Israel.  The life of an ancient Israelite centered around the temple built in Jerusalem first by King Solomon, and then rebuilt by Herod the Great.  The temple at the time of John was a massive building, one of the largest built at that time.  It was 150 feet tall and 150 feet wide.  The temple was built to be the place where God lived among his people, his very presence.  And in order for sinful people like you and me to be in the presence of God, blood had to flow. 

Blood flowed from countless animals, as they were slaughtered as sacrifices for sin.  Gallons of blood poured out, everywhere, upon the people, and upon the priests.  The temple was a place where blood flowed for the forgiveness of the sins of the people.  Much of the blood that flowed at the temple for sacrifices, came from meek little lambs.  Little lambs and sheep had their throats cut and their blood collected and poured upon the altar.  Lambs blood was put upon the ear lobe of the one who was guilty, to forgive them their sins.  Little lambs were slaughtered over and over again.

 It is quite the gory picture isn’t it?  Why was this blood shed?  Why did so many cute and fluffy lambs have to die at the Temple?  Scripture is clear.  As we read in the book of Hebrews, “the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”  Blood must flow.  Lambs must be slain.  It is the only way.  And Jesus is the Lamb of God, meaning he is the one that God will slay whose blood will heal all sins, whose blood will take away all sin in all the world. 

But we don’t see Jesus that way, do we.  We love singing hymns about What a friend we have in Jesus.  I have even seen T-shirts that read, “Jesus is my homeboy”.  And yes, Jesus is our friend, the best friend that one could have.  Jesus is always there caring for us, Jesus is always providing for us.  We can talk to him at any time.  But Jesus is more than just a friend, and he himself says so, “No greater love is there than this, That one give up his life for his friends.”  IN a sense, that one shed his blood for his friends.  Listen to John calling, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

We hear in our world that Jesus is a good moral teacher.  That Jesus teaches us how to be a good person, what is right and wrong.  And it is true, Jesus does tell us what is right and wrong.  He does tell us we need to love our neighbor, and pray for those who persecute you.  But the fact of that matter is that if we look at the morals that Jesus teaches, and our own life, we fall short.  We don’t really love all our neighbors.  In fact, quite often we fight with them.  We struggle to even love all our own family members.  And we don’t always do what we know to be good.  Sometimes it is easier to do evil, sometimes it is easier to what we know is wrong.  And as we fall short, we hear John’s call for blood, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

Or maybe we Jesus as a snob, and a hypocrite, who is always looking down on what we do, always pointing out our weaknesses and our shortcomings.  Maybe you have heard, “You Christians, you always think you are so much better than everyone else.”  The fact of the matter is that Jesus only shows us our sin, so that we might realize what saving us cost.  So that we might realize why his blood must be shed.  Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, even yours. 

You see, despite all the different things that we hear that Jesus is, none of it matters, unless we see Jesus flogged by Roman Soldiers, and his blood beginning to flow.  We must see Jesus with his forehead ripped open by a crown of thorns, and his hands and feet pierced by nails as they are affixed to a wooden cross.  We must see blood and water pouring from his sides as a spear pierces his heart, assuring us that he is dead.  We must see Jesus first and foremost as a sacrifice for our doubt, for our disobedience, and for our sin.  “Behold, on the cross, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

The Lamb dies.  The Lamb sheds his blood, and your sin is atoned for.  That means that your sin is gone.  It is no longer yours to worry about.  It is no longer yours to be ashamed of.  Your sin has been washed away in blood, and now you are whiter than snow.  Scripture says it over and over again.  In Isaiah, “"Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”  In Revelation “These are they who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”  That is you.  Your sin is gone.  The sins you know, the sins you don’t know, here and now are gone in the blood of Jesus. 

And now in their place, you have peace.  Now in their place you have assurance.  You are forgiven.  Lamb of God Jesus has died for you.  You have received one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins.  All your lives are lived in the Lamb of God’s forgiveness that he earned for you on a dirty old rugged cross. 

In our text today, John the Baptist cries out, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away your sins, and the sins of the whole world.”  You are forgiven.  Blood has been shed for you.  Amen.

Epiphany - O - 2014 - Revealed to save

The Epiphany of Our Lord

January 5, 2014 - Pastor Adam Moline

Isaiah 60:1-6               Ephesians 3:1-12         Mathew 2:1-12

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God the Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today, for the celebration of the feast of Epiphany comes from the Old Testament lesson just read, especially these words, “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.”  Thus far our text for today.

Dear friends in Christ.  Its Epiphany.  Epiphany comes from the Greek word “Epifainoj” which means “To shine forth.”  And during this season in the church year, that’s exactly what we focus on, how the majesty and glory of God shines forth from the just born baby Jesus Christ.  And that is central message of our text today. 

Isaiah writes in it, “For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.  And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” 

Darkness covering the earth.  It’s a darkness that we know well – we know it intimately in fact.  It’s a darkness that covers the earth emanating from our own cold dark and sinful hearts.  The darkness of this world springs from your own guilt, dear friends.  You have sinned.  Consider the works of your hands, they are full of shame before God.  Your hand has stolen, taking what was your neighbor’s for the sole purpose of pleasing your own covetous heart.  Your hand has hurt others around you, fighting, striking, murdering, and failing to care for those who need your help.  Your hand has committed dreadfully sexual acts outside of marriage, in ways that perhaps are too terrible to mention from the pulpit. 

And this darkness spreads forth into the world around us.  Because of our sin, because of YOUR sin, there is sickness and hunger in our world.  Because of sin people die in this world, including loved ones and friends.  Because of sin…  you too will one day die. 

This darkness flows out from our hearts into the world, and yet, our text tells us that this darkness is not the final word in this world.  Isaiah says “Arise, Shine!  For your light has come! And the Glory of the Lord has risen upon you!”  He has been born in Bethlehem, he has been laid in a manger, wrapped in swaddling cloths.  He is Jesus Christ, the eternal all powerful God, enveloped in the flesh of a tiny little baby.  And His light shines in the darkness, and no darkness of this world can overcome it. Not even the darkness of your sin. 

No, his glory will shine forth upon you and all the world.  It will shine brighter than the earthly human glory of sinful King Herod, who’s feeble attempt to kill baby Jesus in the slaughter of the innocents of Bethlehem fails miserably.  It will shine brighter than the darkness of Satan and all his temptations of Christ.  It will shine brighter than all the criticisms aimed at Christ from sinful human beings during his life.  And His Glory, the glory of the everlasting Son of the Father shines most clearly and gloriously as Christ hung suffering, bleeding and dying for your sin on the cross. 

That’s right.  The revealed glory and light of Christ shines from the cross to cover your sin.  All of it.  Every last bit.  It’s darkness is overcome by Jesus, crucified and risen to taken away your sin. 

Its for this reason, the revelation of God’s salvation for the darkened hearts of sinners, that the magi came to see Jesus in our text.  Not to bring him their best – even though they do bring him Frankincense, Gold, and Myrrh.  Not to give him their best worship, even though they do kneel before him.  Not to crown him as king, or anything other than this:  To receive the light of Christ that overcomes the darkness of all their sin.  And so Christ gave those magi a gift more wonderful than anything that had to offer back to him. 

Dear friends.  That same gift is promised to you in baptismal waters.  Forgiveness.  Life.  Salvation.  It is all yours in Christ Jesus crucified.  His light shines into your lives, here and now, and that light covers all the darkness of your sin, guilt, and shame.  His word is a lamp to your feet, that you may avoid sin.  His word is the word of reconciliation that makes all right in your life.  He, and he alone, can shine forth – epifanoj – into your life, to take away your sin. 

In the name of Jesus.  Amen.  

January Newsletter Article - What is the Church?

Dear Friends,

What is “the church”?  A few weeks before the New Year, we began this conversation in Sunday morning Bible Study.  It is a good topic for us all to think about, because there are countless opinions and views that are all around us.  Some view the church one way, and some view it another way; which way is right? 

To answer this question, first I’d like to share some things that the church is not. 

First off, the church is not a business.  The church does not exist to make a profit, or to sell a product.  The church operates in the way of mercy, freely distributing the profit that Jesus already has earned.  God’s grace is given to those who seek it, (and often even when we in our sin don’t seek it).  Thus the normal business practices of the world do not apply to the church.

Going along with the first point, the church also then is not a fundraising organization.  Yes, we do fund raise for church projects and trips and things, but the church does not exist solely for that purpose.  Instead the church should always be giving more than fundraising.  When fundraisers do come about, it should be for the purpose of furthering the preaching of Jesus Christ and Him crucified (for example, fundraising for Project 24).

A few months ago, I wrote an article on stewardship related to that.  Don’t give to the church funds to earn something from God; instead give because God’s already given you more than you can fathom. 

Third, the church is not an entertainment center.  Don’t come to church to be entertained.  Come to be fed with God’s Word and Sacrament.  God doesn't really concern himself with whether we are “entertained” in day-to-day life.  He cares about us being forgiven, which is why He has created the church.  Yes sermons may last longer than usual sometimes, and some hymns have more than three or four verses, but they contain God’s Word of forgiveness, which feeds our faith and trust in God. 

Fourth, the church is not a place of judgment.  What I mean is this: don’t come to church to look down upon everyone else’s sin while ignoring your own.  Don’t put down others for giving less than you.  Don’t judge someone else to be less worthy or holy than you.  Don’t bring up another member’s sin over and over, holding it against them.  Every person in our congregation is a sinner.  If we knew all of the sins of everyone present, we’d blush.  If everyone in church knew all our most secret sins, we’d be more than embarrassed.  Instead, in church, we live in Christ’s forgiveness. 

Church is not a replacement for a therapist or a problem solver.  We do help with problems, we do counsel, but only so far as Scripture counsels.  As Pastor, I have some practical knowledge, but my area of expertise is not psychology but theology.  I am primarily here to proclaim God’s Word in regards to our relationship with Him.

Likewise, the church is not here to make you feel good about yourself.  In fact, often it seems to be the exact opposite.  When we hear God’s Word, we feel pretty terrible about ourselves.  And we should.  We sin.  Terribly.  Totally.  Repeatedly.  Part of the church’s job is to point that out to you, so that you are absolutely self-aware about your guilt in God’s eyes.  Yes, you, the one reading this newsletter, are a sinner who deserves God’s wrath and punishment.

It’s because of this sin in you that the church exists.  For you see, the church is to proclaim that the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the sole solution to our sin in God’s eyes.  We aren't going to be holy enough to eliminate our guilt.  We are totally bankrupt in righteousness.  The debt is bigger than we can possibly imagine, for we have not been “holy as the Lord God is holy.”  We need Jesus, and the place that we find Him is in the preaching and distribution of the Sacraments that is only found in the church. 

After all, that’s what “church” is.  It’s the place where terrible sinners, sinners like you and me gather together and receive the lavish forgiveness of sins given freely by Jesus Christ.  We are washed in water and His Word to become His children – holy and sin free.  In baptism, all our guilt and shame is covered over by the holiness of Christ.  It is as if we are wearing Christ, and when God looks at us, He sees Jesus.  “Baptism now saves us” from our sin.

He gives us also His own living and resurrected body and blood to eat and drink as well.  Our dead-in-sin bodies eat and drink the body and blood that shall never die – and in it we share in the life of Christ forever.  He sacrificed Himself on our behalf, and then invites us to eat of that sacrifice.  As we say in the catechism, it is “given and shed for the forgiveness of sins,” – our sins!

With both of these sacraments comes also God’s Word, spoken to us through the mouth of a lowly pastor.  His Word declares, “Your sins are forgiven.  Your guilt is atoned for.  You belong to God.”  It’s a contract prepared and fulfilled by God Himself.  It’s His name signed at the bottom – the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 

That’s what the church is:  A place for forgiveness and mercy – for you, for me, for that person down the pew no matter what they may have done or not done.  For forgiveness comes only from Christ – for all sinners.  Especially the big ones like you (and me).

This coming year, I invite you to come and revel in the lavish forgiveness of sins.  I invite you to partake in Word and Sacrament as often as possible, both on Sunday mornings, and in Bible studies.  Come.  Receive the gifts that God freely gives!  The gifts of forgiveness for all sinners, even you. 

(As a side note - I’d also invite you to spend some time reading the book of 1^st Corinthians this year.  The church of Corinth was a congregation struggling with what the question of what “church” was.  St. Paul addresses their issues very directly and succinctly.  Note also in the verse above, Paul, despite their sin, calls them “saints.”)

In Christ,

Pastor

New Years Eve - Circumcision of Jesus - 2013 - G - Marked with a Promise

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today is the text for the circumcision of Jesus, especially these words, “At the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ.  Tonight, many people will be out celebrating the end of one year and the beginning of another.  They will be making, but not necessarily keeping, their new year’s resolutions.  Some will drink champagne; some will celebrate with family and friends.  Some will watch football, and if you’re me, you’ll cheer for Nebraska tomorrow! 

But for the church, the focus is on something different, for the church already celebrated its new year with the beginning of advent.  Instead today the church celebrates that tomorrow is the eighth day since the birth of Jesus Christ.  And as our text says, at the end of eight days, Jesus was circumcised. 

Circumcision was the sign of the covenant between God and his people.  Every Jewish male was circumcised on the eighth day, as they were also given their name.  Circumcision began with Abraham, who was promised at that time, “From your loins will come the savior.”  And so Abraham’s loins were marked with a visible reminder of the promise – a circumcision.  The promise was passed on to Isaac, Abraham’s son, as he too was circumcised.  Jacob received the promise, stealing it form his brother Esau, and passed circumcision on to all of his descendants.  We hear of Circumcision being a sign of the promise in Moses’ day, and in Israel for all of its days, until the days of our text today. 

And in our text, finally, the promise is fulfilled.  A savior was born, and laid in a manger.  He comes to die, as we spoke about on Christmas day.  He comes to go to the cross, as we will speak about on Good Friday.  He comes to raise again on the third day.  He comes to set his people free from sin.  And so all people, from Abraham onward, who were circumcised received the fulfillment of God’s promise to them in Jesus Christ.  Thus the importance of this day.  For finally, the act and promise of circumcision meets the blood of Jesus Christ the savior.  For it is that blood, poured out by Jesus, that is truly what saves. 

But wait pastor, what about us?  Are we required to be circumcised, or to continue in the promise?  For if we don’t, how does that promise of Jesus come to us, here today?  How are we connected to the promise of a savior? 

Dear friends, you too need to be connected to the promise of God.  For you too have sinned.  Think over the last year – 2013.  How many times have you broken God’s law?  I bet its more times than you can remember, you’ve done wrong.  I bet more times than not, you’ve fallen short.  You’ve hated and stolen.  You’ve doubted and lied.  You’ve gossiped terribly, and you’ve probably acquired possessions in a less than honest and god pleasing way.  You’ve sinned. 

And in the face of that sin, the promise of circumcision comes to you.  No not with a knife, or scissors.  Instead the blood of circumcision comes to you with all the blood of Jesus poured out for sin, in the waters of Holy Baptism.  In baptism, the blood Jesus shed counts for you and your sin.  From the very first blood of Jesus at his circumcision, to the blood that poured from his side as he hung from the cross.  All of Christ’s blood covers you and your sin, fulfilling God’s promise of a savior for you. 

You see, in Baptismal waters, in the font, Jesus circumcision counted for you.  In Water and the Word, his holy eternal life became your life.  By washing here, you were reborn not of the will of flesh, or even by the hands of men, but instead by God, and his fulfilled promises to you.  You are saved, and are cleaned, by the blood of your savior, Jesus Christ, circumcised for you today, so that you might live forever more.  Amen.