Epiphany 3 - G - 2015 - Repent and Believe the Gospel

Divine Service Setting 2  |  Psalm 62  |  Jonah 3:1-5, 10  |  1 Corinthians 7:29-35  |  Mark 1:14-20

Hymns - 730  |  839  |  409

For Shutins

Epiphany 2 - G - 2015 - The Call of the World

1 Samuel 3:1-20          1 Corinthians 6:12-20                  John 1:43-51

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 and Gospel lessons, especially these words spoken by Jesus, “Follow me.” 

Dear friends in Christ.  We all believe and confess in the small catechism, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, but that he has called me by the gospel…”  Dear friends that’s what happens in both our Old Testament and our Gospel texts for today.  In the OT lesson, God calls Samuel to be his prophet as he slept in the courts of the temple.  In the Gospel lesson, Jesus calls Phillip to be a disciple, saying to him, “Follow me.”  And finally, in that same Gospel lesson, Jesus calls Nathanael in the same way that he calls you and me – through the preaching of His word.

This method of calling is consistent throughout all the pages of scripture.  Wherever God’s word is proclaimed in its truth and purity, it works faith, it brings people to God.  Every person in the pages of scripture comes to faith after having heard the word of God.  Take Abraham, who left his home of Haran to travel in faith to an unknown place, when God’s word told him, “I will make you a great nation.” (Genesis 12:2)  Jacob came to faith when God’s word came to him, “I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go.” (Genesis 28:15)  Noah built the ark in response to God’s Word, Moses went to Pharaoh having heard the bush, Joshua led Israel around the walls of Jericho because God’s Word told him to.  There is not one person in Scripture who came to faith apart from God’s word. 

And yet, dear friends, that’s not the way we act in our world today.  We have this idea that God is lost out there somewhere, and that we have to go and find him.  And once we find him we have this ridiculous idea that we have to ask him to come, and to live in our hearts and to be our God.  That we have to invite him to be our God. 

Yes at times, even we Lutherans are guilty of thinking this crazy “Find God” idea.  After all we are surrounded by it.  All the so called “Christian movies” and television shows have this idea built into them.  Even at the end of television sermons we hear the words, “Come up and invite Jesus to be your personal Lord and Savior.”  And so we sinfully believe that’s the way faith works.  And so we don’t bring our children to church to hear God’s word, instead we say “I’ll let them make their own decision about faith” as if their decision was more important than hearing God’s Word. 

And what’s more, we don’t’ believe that God’s word will do what it says it will – create faith.  We think we need to add to it, to make it to be something more than it is.  For example, there’s a Church in England that every year in February has a clown service – where the pastor and members dress up as clowns.  Or what about the churches here in the United States– plural churches – where the pastor rides up into the altar area on a motorcycle?  All of it predicated on the idea that we need something more than the call of God’s holy word.  Or any other sort of dog and pony show that we feel we need to have in church to make people Christians? 

Dear friends, Scripture is clear – the clear word of Jesus is sufficient.  As Paul says about the simpleness of his message, “We preach Christ crucified.”  Nothing more, nothing less.  Look at the call of Phillip – “Follow me” spoken by Jesus.  Or Abraham – “follow me”.  OR the preaching of Peter on Pentecost – “Jesus was crucified for you – believe and be baptized.”  Or the sermons of Paul “Jesus is the unkown God who is revealed upon the cross.” 

And that message is for you as well.  Your sins, even your sins of doubt in the power of his word are taken care of by Jesus crucified.  He died on your behalf, for every sin you’ve ever committed.  You are a forgiven child of God.  You were made that child when God’s word came to you in and with water in the words of God “You are baptized in the name of the  Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.  Those words come to you in the words of our liturgy – almost every one of which are taken directly from scripture.  That word comes to you in the preaching of your pastor.  It comes to you in bible study.  It comes to you in your reading of your bible.  It comes to you externally – as God calls you by the Gospel, sanctifies you with his gifts, and keeps you in the one true faith. 

There in all of those ways, the Word of God makes you Christians by pointing you to the grace earned by a bloody death on the cross, by Jesus Christ.  The word does it without your decision, he does it without your consent, he does it without your understanding, and he does it without your ridiculous add-ons.  God creates faith in his word, pointing you to Jesus Christ crucified.  In that word spoken, God has built his church throughout all time, from Abraham, to Samuel in our Old Testament lesson, and even in our Gospel lesson, calling the disciples.  And dear friends, the call is the same to you, trust God’s word, that Jesus died and rose again for your sins. 

In the name of Jesus.  Amen.  

Christmas 2 - G - 2015 - Obedient For You

1 Kings 3:4-15            Ephesians 1:3-14         Luke 2:40-52

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, “they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ.  It happens all the time. You misplace your kid. He wanders down an aisle at Toys-R-Us; she goes off on her own in the mall. Kids have a tendency to do that. But when the kid you misplace is the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the stakes go up considerable. When the Word becomes Flesh and dwells among us things are never quite “normal” again.

Mary and Joseph were required by Jewish law to go to Jerusalem 4 times a year, for different feasts and festivals.  And once Jesus was 12, and was confirmed, he needed to go to the feasts as well.  (Please note that when he was confirmed, i.e. a man, he went to more church, not less!)  So Mary, Joseph and Jesus head for Jerusalem for the Passover feast. 

Jerusalem at the time of the feast was packed.  The small town of 25,000 people swelled with some estimates putting over a million people in Jerusalem for the feast.  It is no wonder then that 12 year old Jesus gets separated from his mother and father, twelve year old boys don’t hang around with their mother’s especially when they’re in their father’s house. 

So on the way home, Mary and Joseph discover they don’t know where Jesus is.  Now, don’t think that Jesus has been disobedient, or that he has broke the 4^th commandment.  He hasn’t.  In fact, his staying in the temple was in obedience to his Father in heaven.  He listens there, in the courts to the teachers of the law – he hears gladly hears God’s word and keeps it.  He is the Wisdom of Solomon made flesh.  In fact he stays and begins teaching the teachers.  The student becomes the master; he is the one who understands God’s word clearly – and what’s more who obeys it perfectly.  And he boldly proclaims the truth of God’s Word, even at the young age of 12. 

But Jesus’ earthly mom and dad are still searching for him.  And when Joseph and Mary find him, they are frustrated.  Where have you been?  Why have you been disobedient?  But Jesus’ answer is true – I wasn’t disobedient.  I must be in my Father’s house.  I must obey God.  I must listen to the word of my heavenly father, and I must proclaim it, because that word is the most important things in my life.  I must do my heavenly father’s will, not my own.  It’s a truth that Jesus will fulfill 20 some years later, when he enters the temple for that great Passover of Good Friday. 

So what do we make of this text?  Why importance does it have for us?  Dear friends, the truth is, we are the opposite of Jesus.  We are not obedient of our heavenly father.  We don’t spend enough time in his house.  In fact, we run the other way as Jesus.  Instead of running away to God’s house, we run away from God’s house.  Instead of obeying God our Father’s word, we disobey. 

Think of yourself, and your attendance in church weekly, or even more so in bible studies.  Are you present as often as God’s word is proclaimed?  Or are there other “important” things to do, things like NFL playoffs, and holes in the ice to pull fish through.  Are there children to take care of and beauty sleep to accumulate?  Is it too hard to get out of your pajamas on Sunday morning?

And while those of us who are in church smile and nod about those we know who aren’t here each week, remember that we are that much more guilty.  Yes, each week we hear God’s word and yet still give in to our sinful nature each week.  We hear that we should not murder, but hate all the same.  We hear that we should not commit adultery, but still look at others with lust in our hearts.  We should know better!  We’re here after all, we are in our Father’s house.  But we still fall short in all ten commandments, we still fall short in our thoughts words and deeds.  We sin, just as much as the unchurched. 

And in our disobedience to God, and in our sin, we deserve eternal death and damnation.  We deserve the rod of punishment from our heavenly father.  Unless we are as obedient as Jesus, the eternal chastisement of hell waits.  It is eternal death.  It is the place where the worm does not die.  It is the place with weeping and gnashing of teeth.  And in our disobedience we deserve it. 

But what we deserve and what we receive are different.  For in our baptism, we switch places with Jesus.  What I mean is that his obedience became your obedience, and your disobedience became his disobedience.  He took your place in suffering and punishment, and you took his in the eternal reward of heaven. 

That’s why Jesus returns to Jerusalem – to the Passover – years later.  To go to the cross, and suffer, bleed and die, in your place and for your sake.  It was the ultimate obedience to God the Father.  To die to save you – the people whom God loves.  To take away your sins.  To make you holy and righteous for his names sake.  And since you belong to Jesus in baptism, you share that obedience. 

You have kept all of God’s law, not in yourself, but in Jesus.  You have been in God’s house hearing and believing God’s Word, not in yourself, but in Jesus.  You are holy and righteous in God’s Sight, not in yourself, but in Jesus. 

Dear friends in Christ.  In our text today, Jesus is obedient to God, and its all for you.  It’s the reason he’s come in Christmas to make you obedient to the Father, by his obedience.  And that obedience is seen in our text, and it is seen in his loving death for you on the cross.  You are saved, because of his obedience in your place.  In the name of Jesus.  Amen.  

Christmas 1 - G - 2014 - Names

Isaiah 61:10-62:3

Galatians 4:4-7

Luke 2:22-40

Grace, Mercy and Peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Our text today is from the Gospel lesson just read, especially these words, “On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he had been conceived.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ.  “What’s in a name?  That which we call a rose By any other name would still smell as sweet.”  We have all heard this line, spoken by Juliet to her star crossed lover Romeo, in that classic Shakespeare classic that so many of us had to read in our high school English classes.  Juliet speaks these words to Romeo to tell him that even though his last name is one which her family hates, that she will love him anyways, and even marry him.  For to her, the name doesn’t mean anything, it is the person who has the name that she loves.

So often in our world today, that is the way we view things.  Celebrities have named their kids ridiculous things – and yes these are real celebrity kids names.  Like Pilot Inspektor – with a k in Inspektor or Moon Unit Zappa, or even Moxy Crimefighter Gillette.  They have the idea that names don’t mean anything, so why not have some fun with them.  Anyways, their children can just change them later on in life to something more normal.  And so it seems that Shakespeare was write (ha ha ha) what is in a name?

But in our text today, we see the power of a name, the importance of a name in God’s eyes.  FOR TO GOD, NAMES REALLY MEAN SOMETHING.  When God gives a name, it is for a purpose, and He will see that name out. 

God uses names throughout the bible.  Adam was named after the dirt of the ground.  Abraham’s name means father of many peoples.  Israel’s name means struggles with God.  God changes people’s names left and right to tell us what they are going to do in their lives. That is why our text today is so important. 

We often read the words in all of the Gospels that say, “He was named Jesus” and don’t think about what that means.  But in ancient Israel, it was important.  And in our text today it is especially important, for the baby in the manger is named and circumcised all on the eighth day.  Three important things happening all in one sentence of scripture and all for your salvation. 

It is the eighth day, the day of eternity, the day of recreation.  The number eight stood for recreation for Ancient Israelites.  God created everything in seven days, and here on this day, the eighth day of his human life, God begins his work of recreating the world of sin. 

And how does God plan to recreate this world of sin?  We all know the answer, through the shedding of blood, by which he purchases and wins each of us from this world.  And so God made Flesh, Immanuel sheds his very first blood as he is circumcised.  Already, at only eight days old, the very blood of God is shed. 

It is only fitting then that he receives an important name.  He receives the name Jesus, the name that means, “The Lord Saves.”  For that is exactly what he is doing.  The Lord Saves his people.  And in our text today, we see a preview of why he has come, we see a beginning to the work for your salvation.  We see God’s plan.  We see your rescue. 

For you are in a difficult situation.  You are not able to save yourselves.  Scripture gives us horrible names that describe our sin.  God has his prophets give us the name “Lo Ammi” which means “not my people”, for we are not his people in our sin.  We receive the name “Lo Ruhamah, which means not pitied, for God has no sympathy for those in sin, they are sinners because of their fault, their own fault, their own most grevious fault.  Right after our Old Testament lesson today, we hear that because of our sin, we are called Desolate, and Deserted.  We are Foresaken.  We have these names and we deserve them because of our sin.  For we truly have sinned in throught word and deed. 

How good then, that God sends someone name, “The Lord Saves”  How wonderful that God sends Immaneul, God with us.  And that in our text today, he sheds his blood as he receives this name, all on the day of re-creation. 

Dear friends in Christ.  Jesus will save you.  He will give you a new name, a name that is not Desolate, for Jesus is come.  A name that is not Forsaken, for you have been saved.  A name that is not sinner, or pittied, or any other despicable thing.  But instead you have been renamed with a name that means something.  For Jesus has saved you from your sin.  He has shed his blood for you.  And he gives you a new name, Forgiven. 

He gave you that name, as you were baptized into the holy name of the Trinity, Father Son and Holy Spirit.  You received God’s name upon you, marking you as one belonging to him, as one receiving his benefits, as inseparable from him.  You receive God’s name and are rescued from you sin.  That is what our text is about a name that really means something.  The Lord Saves – Jesus – the name above all names.  The name of your savior, the name of your rescue from sin. 

Names mean something with God.  Jesus name means something, you are God’s now.  Amen. 

Advent 4 - O - 2014 - The Promise of a King

2 Samuel 7:1-11, 16    Romans 16:25-27        Luke 1:26-38

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 just read, especially these words, “And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.  Your throne shall be established forever.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ.  Forever is a long time.  We have all made light of this fact by saying “that car ride took forever,” “it took forever for the sequel of my favorite movie to come out,” or even, as we may admit, “that sermon took forever in church!”  We doubt forever could happen, and we use it as an excuse when things seem to fall apart in our lives.  Forever is a long time, so long in fact that we often say, “nothing lasts forever.” 

And yet, in our text today, God promises David forever.  “Your throne, David, will be established forever.”  In other words, there will always be a Davidic king ruling.  One of David’s children or grandchildren will always be a king.  It will be that way forever.  God has said so, David, he has made you a promise. 

What is David to do?  Should he doubt God’s word, should he tell God, “Well Lord, nothing lasts forever, so your promise must not be true.”  Nothing lasts forever, so don’t you have a different promise for me?  Nothing lasts forever, so will my throne really be established. 

If you look at the history recorded in scripture, it would seem that should this have been David’s view, if he had been a cynic, he would be right.  During the reign of David’s grandson, the kingdom of Israel divided into two different kingdoms, that began warring with one another.  These kings, some of whom were descended from David, turned from God and turned from faith before finally the kingdom of David was destroyed and taken into captivity by the Babylonians.  After all nothing lasts forever, right? 

So often we too have that same view.  For we too have a promise of “forever” in our lives.  God has promised that he will be with us “forever”, never leaving nor forsaking us.  God has promised that we shall live with him “forever,” and yet we see loved ones passing away.  God will love us forever, and yet, sometimes we don’t feel like it do we?  He will forgive us forever, and yet sometimes we still feel guilty for things we have done wrong (sometimes rightly by the way.   Is God really keeping his promises to us, or is forever just too good to be true? Is it true that nothing really lasts forever?

Dear friends in Christ, when God says something is forever, he means it, even if we cannot understand how or why, or even see the way it will all work out.  God told David, “I will establish your house forever,” and He meant it.  Hear again our Gospel text for today, “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.  And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’”

Even for David, when it seems that forever is gone, that there is no hope of it being fulfilled, God keeps his promise of forever.  900 years after David dies, a descendant of his is born.  900 years later, in the city of David, good tidings of great joy occur.  For God keeps his promise, and a new king is born.  Jesus, whose first throne is but a manger in a stable.  He is the king  descended from David.  He is the one who will reign in David’s place forever.  A king is born, lowly in a manger.

And dear friends, he reigns for you as well, keeping God’s promises of forever for you.  For the same King Jesus, descendant of David, enthroned in a manger will also be enthroned in a much more painful place.  He will wear a crown of thorns and a robe stained in his own blood, until stripped naked he is enthroned upon a wooden cross for all the world to see.  It is that King, who is enthroned forever.  It is that King who is both our God and our Lord.  It is that King who will keep all of God’s promises to you. 

You are forgiven, FOREVER, for the sins of the whole world were placed on your king, as he died in your place.  You need not continue to feel guilty for them.  They are no longer yours, but his.  You are free and forgiven for ever.  God has promised that you will live forever, and you know this to be true, for death cannot destroy your King Jesus.  Even when he lied dead in a tomb for three days, he returned to life, and so will you.  Your King is the very Resurrection and the Life, FOREVER, and he gives that life to you in the very waters of life in baptism. 

You are loved FOREVER, for your God promises you heaven, a place where you may stand before him, not in shame, not in sorrow, but in peace.  God has promised that his own hand, with the hole from a nail still in it, will wipe away all the hurt and pain of this world. 

God keeps his promises to us, especially the promise of forever.  And if we doubt it at times, all we need do is look at the baby in the manger, the one whose birth we celebrate next week, the babe, the son of Mary.  David’s throne is established forever, and God lives and reigns today – over you, over me, and his reign shall have no end.  He is your God, your redeemer, your savior, and he will be FOREVER.  Amen.  

Advent 3 - G - 2014 - Who are you?

Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11      1 Thess. 5:16-24          John 1:6-8, 19-28

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, “Who are you?”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ.  Who are you?  Such a foundational question for so many conversations and worldviews.  How would you describe yourself?  What words tell us what information we need to understand who you are as a person?  What is your identity? 

In our lesson for today, St. John the Baptist is preparing people for the coming of the Lord, and as he does so, Pharisees come to him and ask him that question.  “Who are you?”  They even give him some prompts, “Are you Elijah, or are you the Prophet?  Who are you?  We need to give answer to the ones who sent us.”  They even ask him, “Are you the Christ?”  And John does not hesitate in his answer and response.  Instead he gives a great confession.  “I am not Elijah or the Prophet, I am certainly not the Christ.”  And here’s where the words get interesting.  John goes on to say, “I’m not even worthy to untie the Christ’s sandals.” 

What bold words.  Yes, it is easy to say, “I’m not a prophet.”  Its even easier to say “I’m not the Christ.”  But those last words, “I’m not worthy of the Christ – not even to untie shoes from his dirty feet.”  John doesn’t even hesitate.  He stands before the crowds coming to him for baptism and boldly declares, I’m not worthy.  He tells the jewish officials, “I’m not worthy.” 

What words do you use about yourself.  Or even better what words do you think about yourself?  Smart?  Or not?  Successful?  Or not?  Pretty?  Handsome?  Rich?  Average?  Good?  Friendly?  Praiseworthy?  What title do you give yourself?  I’ll bet no matter what things you say about yourself, that the words, “Not worthy” aren’t used hardly at all. 

In fact, more often than not we think pretty highly of ourselves.  We praise ourselves more than we deserve.  We think other people owe us something, and even more so, that God owes us something.  That we are worthy of God.  That we’ve kept more of his rules than the people who are around us, and thus that we deserve something from him, that we ought to be rewarded.  You’ve thought that very thing, you’ve thought “Well if that person were more like me, they’d have known better.” 

Yet the reality is closer to what John says.  You aren’t worthy.  Unless you’ve kept every law that God ever put in place perfectly – you’re not worthy.  Unless you’ve never sinned, not once in your entire life – you’re not worthy.  Unless you’ve been perfect all the time and in all ways, you aren’t worthy. 

Its true.  Compare yourself to St. John the Baptist, cousin, and forerunner of Jesus who was sent by God himself to prepare the way of the Lord.  Are you more holy than he?  Are you more righteous?  Even than John, who was willing to be beheaded for confessing the truth of Jesus.  NO?  But even he claims to be unworthy!  And we who are no better than he, are unworthy as well. 

But dear friends, do you see the message of the unworthy John?  He prepares the way for the coming one.  The one who will be our savior.  The one who, while you were still unworthy and unclean and sinful, suffered, bled and died so that you might be forgiven.  He did not wait for you to become holy.  He didn’t wait for you to become righteous.  He took your unworthiness into his own hands, entered our world, to die on that old rugged cross. 

And so in Jesus you are worthy – because he is worthy.  He has made you worthy in your baptism.  There your sin was washed away with his blood.  There you are raised from unworthy relationship with God to a brotherly relationship with Jesus.  You are cleansed from all sin, from all guilt from all unworthiness and made holy in Jesus Christ, and in his great love and care.  

In the name of Jesus.  Amen.  

Kyle Irvin Nelson Prayer Service and Funeral

Prayer Service Homily

Job 19:21-27

Have mercy on me, have mercy on me, O you my friends, for the hand of God has touched me!  ²² Why do you, like God, pursue me? Why are you not satisfied with my flesh?

²³ “Oh that my words were written!  Oh that they were inscribed in a book!  ²⁴ Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever!
²⁵ For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.  ²⁶ And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in^[b] my flesh I shall see God, ²⁷ whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.  My heart faints within me!

2 Corinthians 4:13-18

 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, ¹⁴ knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. ¹⁵ For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

¹⁶ So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self^[a] is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ 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.

Hebrews 12:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ² looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

³ Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father, through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen. 

Dear friends in Christ.  What words can we say on such a day as this?  What can still the tears?  What can stop the weeping?  What could possibly fill the hole that we feel here tonight, when such a terrible tragedy has struck, and we feel so much pain and loss?  For a dear child, friend, and co-worker has been taken from us so suddenly, and we hurt so much because of it. 

He had such a bright future, and was still just a young man.  He had a home ready.  He hoped to begin taking over the family farm next year.  He had a lovely girlfriend, a family who loved him and so much ahead of him. 

We don’t know why he was taken from us so early.  We don’t know why his life was so short.  We don’t know why he was pinned under the truck instead of off to the side.  And dear friends, we’ll never know the answers to these questions or any of the others that swirl around in our minds on this day. 

But there is one thing we know.  And that is the words of our first reading this evening.  We know that Kyle’s redeemer lives – that our redeemer lives.  And that right now Kyle’s spirit rests with Jesus, even as we care for his body.  He sees God, face to face right now. 

We can be certain – absolutely certain – where Kyle is right now because of the work of Jesus Christ.  Who endured the cross, bleeding, suffering, and dying for all sin, and for all sinners.  He died for you, for me, and for Kyle.  And as that car spun out of control, Jesus was there with Kyle, providing for him, and taking him by the hand into peace and comfort everlasting. 

No, in Jesus, death is not our end – it cannot conquer us, no matter how difficult the situation.  Jesus laid in the grave on three days, and still conquered, being raised into life eternal.  And because Jesus rose, so too will Kyle one day.  As St. Paul writes, “He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us into his presence.”  That promise is Kyle’s in his baptism, that many years ago in water and the word he already inherited eternal life.  His body will be alive again on the last day of this world, and he shall forever be with Jesus. 

And so we don’t grow fainthearted.  We do not lose heart.  We endure, day by day, moment by moment, knowing that Kyle is in the care of God’s nail scarred hands.  And knowing, that Kyle’s redeemer is our redeemer as well.  And that in Christ, and in Christ alone, we too one day will be in the peace and joy that comes in his grace, mercy and forgiveness alone. 

Dear friends, we will never know why what happened has happened.  But we do not that because Jesus lives, so too will Kyle.  Because Jesus lives, so too will we.  And that promise gives us hope to face each and every day ahead. 

It will not be easy.  It will not be a quickly passing pain.  The hole will always be there in you lives.  The memories – both good and bad will always be there.  But so too is the promise of everlasting life in Jesus, and in Jesus alone. 

For our Redeemer lives, and in the last, we shall seem him with our own eyes, face to face, just as Kyle is now, and shall be forevermore. 

In the name of Jesus.  Amen. 

Funeral Service Sermon

Isaiah 25:6-9 - On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
    a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
    of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
⁷ And he will swallow up on this mountain
    the covering that is cast over all peoples,
    the veil that is spread over all nations.
⁸     He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
    and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
    for the Lord has spoken.
⁹ It will be said on that day,
    “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
    This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
    let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

I Corinthians 15:35-44, 51-57 - But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” ³⁶ You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. ³⁷ And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. ³⁸ But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. ³⁹ For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. ⁴⁰ There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. ⁴¹ There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

⁴² So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. ⁴³ It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. ⁴⁴ It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, andthe dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. ⁵³ For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
⁵⁵ “O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”

⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷ But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 11:25-30 - At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; ²⁶ yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.^[a] 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.²⁸ Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen. 

Dear friends in Christ, especially Yvonne, Jerry, Corey, April, friends, and family of Kyle.  I think I maybe met Kyle once or twice at most.  I never knew him as well as many of you here today.  So most of what I know about him I know from those of you with whom I’ve talked in the last few days.  And what I’ve heard is that Kyle was a young man who had a good sense of humor, knew where he wanted to go and what he wanted to do, and who loved farming. 

I’ve seen pictures of Kyle out on a combine bringing in the harvest.  I’ve seen his pictures of him sitting on tractors smiling, and wearing a greasy old Case IH hat.  I’ve heard the stories about how he was a farmer from day 1, and how he was planning to take over the family farm next year.  I imagine there was little that Kyle loved more in this world than running the chisel plow, breaking ground and planting and hoping for a good harvest that fall. 

That’s why its so hard today.  Kyle seemed to have so much going for him, and now he’s gone.  Death has taken a beloved person from us forever.  Now, we break ground to plant and bury the body of a beloved Son, brother, boyfriend, and friend.  And that’s the very imagery that St. Paul uses in our Epistle lesson for today.  He is talking about how we can be sure and certain of the resurrection of the dead because Jesus himself has been raised, and yes lives even to this day, sitting at the right hand of God the Father.  And since Jesus has been raised, so too will all of our loved ones who have died in the faith.  As Jesus himself says, “Whoever believes in me shall not die.” 

But there were some who doubted those words.  The loved ones they buried didn’t look alive.  They looked like they had left this world.  They no longer had hearts beating, or lungs breathing.  They no longer had the spark in their eyes.  They had died. 

And so St. Paul says, “Just as you plant the bare and dead looking kernel of corn or wheat, and up sprouts a living plant, that bears much fruit, so too is it with your loved ones.”  We bury them today, knowing that Jesus will raise them.  As St. Paul says “So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is planted is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.  It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.

And so in just a little while, we will plant the body of a dear friend in a box made of reclaimed barn wood, knowing that one day, it will be raised in power, in an imperishable body, and that Kyle will bodily live again, even as he now spiritually lives with Jesus.  He will be raised, the resurrection is the truth and hope in which we trust and believe today. 

In fact, it is a complete certainty for us, even in the face of loss, and tragedy.  It is a certainty that Kyle will live forever, because the God in whom Kyle trusted lives forever as well.  Yes, Jesus too was planted in a tomb.  His body lay dead for three days, having been brutally killed and tortured on a wooden cross.  He died to pay the price for sin.  For Kyle’s sin.  For your sin.  And having done all that was necessary for sin to be paid for, God the Father resurrected Jesus on that first Easter morning, promising the same for all who believe and are baptized into his holy name. 

So the saying is true, “’Death is swallowed up in victory.’  ‘O death, where is your victory?  O death, where is your sting?’  And in fact, we have victory through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and through him alone. 

So what of us.  We know where Kyle is – with Jesus.  We know he will be bodily raised by Jesus on the last day.  But what of us, day in and day out as we miss the jokes, the tales about how “Times are hard” and the help out on the farm?  For us, Kyle’s confirmation verse has something to say.  Jesus calls to us who are weary in this world of sin, struggle and death, especially this family who has faced so many losses in the past year.  “Come to me, you who are weary, and I will give you rest.” 

Hear the call and word of Christ – a word that brings forgiveness, life and salvation to you.  Hear the word of Jesus that says your sins are forgiven as well.  Hear the word of Jesus that speaks the truth, “There is eternal life for you, just as there is for Kyle, and that you too one day will see God, face to face in the joys of paradise.”  Heed the call of Jesus, who on the cross, has swallowed up death forever. 

Dear friends, Jesus has given Kyle life eternal.  Today we plant his body, just as he planted many a field, knowing that because of Christ he will raise again imperishable.  Christ has promised it in his blood.  It’s a promise for you, for me, and for Kyle. 

In the name of Jesus.  Amen.  

Proper 28 - G - 2014 - Parable of God's Treasure

The 23rd Sunday After Pentecost

November 16, 2014- Pastor Adam Moline

Zephaniah 1:7-16        1 Thessalonians 5:1-11            Matthew 25:14-30

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, “Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ, we are coming to the end of the church year, and as we get to the end of the church year we focus on the end of this world, and the promised second coming of Jesus.  And that’s what our text today is about as well – the coming of Jesus, and the judgment and reward he brings with him. 

And so today we focus on the parable of the talents.  Don’t think that the word talents here means “things you can do well,” such as “Gee, I can whistle real good.”  No the talents that our text mention are actually a unit of money which totaled approximately 130 lbs.  So if the talent of treasure was in gold, one talent would equal $2.2 million in today's money.  Imagine what you could do with that treasure, especially if you were the one receiving 10 talents.  $20 million!  How many times have you wanted such a glorious treasure in your bank account?  Oh that God would give you such a great treasure!

Well there’s the catch isn’t it?  You have a treasure even more valuable.  You have a gift even more blessed, one that does not rust or mildew, one that cannot be lost in the stock market or wasted away on foolish purchases.  You have the treasure of the kingdom of heaven.  Yes, It is the kingdom of heaven that is the treasure of talents in our parable.  It is more valuable than silver or gold.  It is the promise of forgiveness in the very holy precious blood, innocent suffering and death of Jesus Christ.  And it belongs to you in your baptism. 

The truth is God’s treasures in Jesus grow and grow because of God’s work, unless you neglect and bury it.  They are fed not by your works or prayers, but by the hearing of God’s Word, by the eating of Jesus’ body and blood.  The treasure God has given to you increases all the time through the precious means of grace. 

And that treasure is yours.  And the parable asks, what do you do with the gift God has given to you?  Do you cherish it, and love it, and use it to care for the people around you in a Christian fashion?  Or do you bury it?  Do you hide it away?  Do you complain about it?  Do you act like its not really that important? 

You know what I’m asking.  Do you go to bible study regularly?  Do you volunteer for church boards and activities that need help?  Do you do so without grumbling?  Do you attend church because you are excited about the gifts of forgiveness, life, and salvation? Or do you do so because your parents told you long ago that you have to.  Are you glad that Jesus has died for your sins, or are you fairly indifferent, because after all, you still have years to go before death looms?  What do you do with your treasure that god has given. 

The truth is, most of us are rather indifferent.  Most of us at work and school bury our faith.  In fact the real truth is, most of us, when we walk out the doors of this room, let alone the building, hide the Kingdom of Heaven within us away, for no one to ever see or to know.  That’s the way our sinful natures work, and its our fault this is the case.  And in that sin, on the last day, when Christ returns in judgment, he will say to us, “You wicked and lazy servant.” And we deserve to be cast into the outer darkness of hell as described in our text. 

Except that we do have the kingdom of heaven within us through our baptism.  God has given us a great treasure, and God feeds it with word and sacrament.  And all of these gifts connect us to Jesus Christ, hanging on the cross, and dying for all sin, guilt and shame – even yours.  And being connected to Jesus our great Judge and Lord, we need not fear him.  You have the treasure of heaven, worth more than all the gold and silver this world has to offer. You have the gift of kingdom of God, which lasts forever and ever without end.  You have the promise of forgiveness of Jesus, because you are washed in his blood and death. 

And so when Jesus does return, he will say to you, “Well done good and faithful servant, come and share your master's happiness!”  Not because of anything you’ve done, or not done, but only because in Jesus you’ve been given the treasure of great talents, the forgiveness that comes only through Jesus Christ our Lord.  In his name.  Amen.  

All Saints Day 2014 - 1 - 2014 - The Blessed Dead Are With Jesus

All Saints Day (Observed)

November 2, 2014- Pastor Adam Moline

Revelation 7:2-17        1 John 3:1-3    Matthew 5:1-12

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.  Our text today is from the epistle lesson just read, especially these words, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ.  Today we speak the names of our dead, those of our family and those of this parish who have died since last All Saints’ Day.  We name them here together before the Lord.  For some us there will be the names of people we knew but a little.  Or perhaps we will read the name of a person who was greatly loved and cared for by us.  There are names of people we remember in fondness, and others with dislike.  There are names that leave large holes in our hearts, even to this day.  Yes.  Today we remember the blessed dead, who have come out of the great tribulation of this sinful world. 

And as we read their name and remember them, we don’t do so in glowing and cleverly worded obituaries, or in eulogies that praise the virtue of the deceased.  We have no need to inflate the memories of our dead.  We won’t lie today saying, “So and so was always such a good person,” or “They were always so sweet.”  For the truth is, they weren’t always wonderful or perfect people.  They were in fact, poor miserable sinners, just like you and me.  And it is because of that sin that they are dead and gone from our world.  And be not fooled, dear friends, you have sinned as well, and it is because of your sin that you will one day join them as well. 

And as we read their names today, we don’t do so thinking that they are angels looking down on us now, for nowhere in scripture is that ridiculous idea found.  Our blessed dead members are still human in nature, even in death.  And we don’t read their names to ask them for special blessings, or to look down upon us, or to speak to God on our behalf.  They won’t hear our requests, or suffer to be bothered with them.  Truth be told this world is no longer their concern. 

The souls of the dead don’t hang around in our cemeteries, or in our homes haunting us.  They don’t need our garden lights or our offerings upon their graves.  And they won’t live on forever in our hearts either.  For if that were true, where would they live when our day of death comes? 

And our day is coming – every sinful moment of every sinful day brings our hearts ever closer to stopping, and our lungs closer to being stilled.  Yes, soon, much sooner than we care to imagine, we will die as well.  Our possessions will be passed on to our heirs, whether they will use them well or not.  Our stuff will become someone else’s to be used or thrown away until they too pass away.  Our bodies will decay, and memory of us will fade in this world. 

And yet today, we do read the names of dead.  And the reason we read these names is because they are just what scripture says, the blessed dead.  They have come out of the great tribulation, they have had their robes washed and made white in the blood of the lamb.  They are now before the throne of God, and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness.  And they await with Christ the last day, when they shall be bodily resurrected to live with Christ forever. 

This promise was made to the people whose names we read today in the waters of holy baptism.  There they were baptized into the death of Christ, so that their death was no longer their own but instead was Christ’s.  That meant their suffering was Christ’s suffering, their dying was Christ’s dying.  For they were connected directly the suffering and dying of Jesus, bloodied and naked upon the cross outside of Jerusalem.  And so now that they’ve died with Jesus, they will rise with Jesus.  Yes, as Christ rose, so too will every person whose name we read here today.  They are triumphant in the glorious resurrection of Jesus. 

And the promise is for you as well.  You wait to die – but when you die, you too will die with Jesus.  Yes, you may suffer for days, or weeks or years before that day comes, but as you wait and suffer, you do so with Jesus.  And when you die, you will die with Jesus.  And because you do so with Jesus in baptism, you will also rise with Jesus on the last day of this world.  And after you die, and leave this world behind, you will be in the heavenly Jerusalem awaiting that day of resurrection.  There will be no more hunger, or thirst, no more crying or pain, only the comfort that comes from being with God and in his love forever. 

This promise is for you, just as it is for those people whose names we read today.  Today we read the names of those who have already passed into life with Christ.  One day our name will be read.  Even so, we know on that one day we will all be in the church triumphant – alive forever because of the death and blood of Jesus.  Just as those are, whose name we read today. 

In the name Jesus.  

Proper 23 - G - 2014 - The Wedding Feast Invite

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost

October 12, 2014- Pastor Adam Moline
Isaiah 25:6-9      Philippians 4:4-13    Matthew 22:1-14

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, “Many are called, but few are elect.”  Thus far our text. 

Dear friends in Christ.  How many wedding invitations have you received this summer?  Each one promising a night of fun and partying, the best of foods that catering can offer, beer poured into you mug until the tap is dry, and dancing and partying until early in the morning.  In our Gospel lesson that’s what Jesus says the Kingdom of heaven is like.  God has invited you, called you, to attend the wedding feast of his Son Jesus and his bride the church.  The biggest shindig of all.  There, is promised the finest of all meats, the best of wines.  The fatted calf has been slaughtered, the dinner is set!  “Come to the wedding feast!”  Everything is ready!  Everything is done!  And your name is on the invitation list.  Jesus has invited you to the meal.  Come to the party!  Come, eat, drink and be merry. 

No?  No you say?  You refuse to come to the party.  You have work to do, farms to tend, businesses to take care of.  People to see and places to go.  Excuses, excuses, excuses.  Saying no to God?  Is that what you do?  I don’t want to be with you, I don’t care about you, I don’t want to go to the party.  I have no time for God. 

You’re just like the people in our parable today.  At times too many things that are more important than spending time in God’s presence – no matter what joy that presence might bring.  There’s football games to watch, fish to catch, malls to visit, friends to talk to, places and times to sleep in.  And most importantly, we have jobs and activities outside of the feast that are more important. 

So we throw away the invitation.  We reject it.  We count it as foolhardy and worthless.  Because of our sin it is easy to disregard the Lord’s invitation.  Truly it is very easy to disregard the invitation.  Don’t believe me?  Look at your own life.  How easy is it to find some other activity to do than bible study?  How easy is it to get bored in church, and to decide to sleep in instead.  How easy is it to find another place to spend your money or to give your time.  After all there are business and farms, football games and naps to take care of. 

Dear friends repent!  God will bring people into his wedding feast, he will bring people in both good and bad whether its you or not.  You have the call.  You have the invitation.  And you even have the right wedding outfit.  Its there in our text.  All the people at the wedding are wearing their very best wedding clothes.  And you have been given those clothes dear friends.

Where?  In the waters of holy baptism.  There your sin was washed away.  There you were clothed with a righteousness that is not from you, but instead is from Christ.  You’ve been washed white in the blood of the lamb, even though your sins were as scarlet.  You are dressed and ready for the wedding, because it is Christ that you wear. 

For you see, in the end, the wedding feast, the invitation, the whole kitten caboodle is really not about you, your acceptance, your works at all.  Its about Jesus.  It is his party.  It is his wedding.  It is the party to celebrate the victory over sin, death and the power of the grave that Jesus won on the cross for you, and for me. 

God sent his servants out into all the corners of the globe to bring you in to the feast.  He brought you in with the power of his Holy Precious Word, proclaimed and heard by your ears.  That word is that great invitation proclaimed by pastors all over the world, and recorded for us in Holy scripture.  It calls you, and the call itself makes you a part of the feast. 

And at the feast there is the best of meat – the very body of Jesus, and the finest of wines, the very blood of Jesus.  Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of all yours sins of doubt, of avoidance and boredom in the church.  It is that feast that will sustain you throughout all of eternity, without end.  Amen. 

Dear friends, the call has come – Come to the feast – it is ready and waiting for Jesus has died and risen again.  We have victory in his name.  In this feast the vale that covered all people will be taken away, and we will rejoice with our God, even forever more.  You have been brought in by God’s working, both in the Word proclaimed, and the Sacraments administered.  You are God’s child, clothed and ready, only through Jesus. 

In the name of Jesus.  Amen.