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SERMON:

This summer we’ve been working through the book of Romans. Today we take up our second look at chapter 8.

Last Sunday, we looked at Romans 8:14-25. There the apostle Paul said that even though we are Children of God through faith in Jesus, we will still suffer in this life before we reach heaven.

It’s not that we have to suffer in order to EARN our salvation, Jesus already did that for us. He completely won our forgiveness of sins and gave it to us free of charge. It’s just that after we come to faith in Christ, we’re still living in a sin-broken world. This is a place where evil rules and pain lives, and if God still has things for us to do here before he takes us home, we’re going to feel some pain.

But in our reading from last Sunday Paul also pointed out that we have comfort in our suffering. And this comfort comes from the hope of renewal.

In the Bible God promises that the universe itself will one day be restored to its former glory. And not only that, God promises that our own bodies will be restored, renewed, recreated as they were intended to be: Sinless, perfect and eternal. In the middle of suffering, this sure hope of renewal can lift our heads and our spirits.

But, sometimes our faith wavers, and our hope dims. The shadows of our problems seem to tower above what we know to be true in Christ.

So, Paul moves on in Romans 8, to explain that we have more than hope for the future to help us through our sufferings. We also have the Holy Spirit working on our behalf, right now.

Romans 8:26-27 (ESV)

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
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You ever “draw a blank”? Not know what to say? Forget someone’s name? Momentarily find yourself unable to recall the name of some very familiar place? Am I revealing to much about myself?

How often does this happen in our own prayers?

Maybe you’re like me. You move through your day coming across things to put on your prayer list. But your prayer list isn’t a piece of paper you keep in your pocket. It’s just a list in your head. So, when you settle in for the night and turn your thoughts to God and to prayer, all the sudden things that should be on your mental prayer list go missing.

Or maybe you start trying to think out a solution to those problems instead of praying them to God.

Or maybe you actually do remember the thing you wanted to pray about, but when crunch times comes you can’t find the words. You really don’t know what to ask God to do.

There are many ways that Paul’s words come true in our prayer life. When the time comes, “we do not know what to pray for as we ought” (verse 26).
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Here’s where the Holy Spirit steps in. Paul says that the “Spirit himself intercedes for us” (verse 26).

I think Paul says these words for a number of reasons. One is to simply call us back to prayer. To remind us to really use the gift of being able to text God our concerns.

But more than that, Paul wants to show us that in the middle of our sufferings, whatever they might be, the Holy Spirit is there. He loves us deeply, and so He does something for us. He prays for us when we fail to lift up the words which will bring God’s swift answer.

Paul wants his fellow Christians to be comforted in their sufferings because we know the Holy Spirit is helping us in ways we can’t even understand.
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In verse 6 Paul says that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us. The idea behind this word “intercede” is something like this. Imagine the Holy Spirit leaning over a figure stooped in prayer, whispering things to God the Father.

Paul says that the Holy Spirit intercedes with “groanings too deep for words” (verse 26).

Paul wants us to marvel at the ability of the Holy Spirit to communicate for us. The Holy Spirit talks to God for Christ followers on a level that we aren’t even capable of.

It’s like best friends who know each other so well that communication doesn’t even need words. All it takes is a look, or a sigh, or a subtle shift in body language – and they know. They know what their friend is saying, even though no word is spoken.

Paul wants us both to admire the ability of the Holy Spirit to communicate for us, and He also wants his fellow Christians to find comfort in this. We never suffer in silence. The deepest needs and desires of the Christian sufferer are being communicated to the Father by the Holy Spirit who lives in us by faith in Christ.

When we stumble over our words in prayer to God, maybe we need to just step back and remember the Holy Spirit. Maybe we need to just say, “I don’t know God. But the Holy Spirit does. Listen to Him. Forget my rambling and my stutter filled prayers. Just listen to the Spirit for me.”
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Look at verse 27 again. There Paul says…

“27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:27 ESV)

.Sometimes the thing that hinders our prayers, is the fact that we don’t have God’s will in mind. In the book of James, James rebukes his fellow Christians by saying…

“…You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:2-3 NIV).

When our prayers don’t match up with God’s will, He’s a good Father. He doesn’t give us what we ask. Let me say that again, when our prayers don’t match up with God’s GOOD and PERFECT will, He’s a good Father. He doesn’t give us what we ask. He holds out and gives us what is BEST for us.
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Sometimes we even think we’re asking for the right thing. The thing that matches up with God’s will, but even though it seems so right to us, it’s not what God has in mind.

In Second Corinthians, the apostle Paul wrote…

“…in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NIV).

Paul had some kind of physical problem. He called it his “thorn in the flesh”. He considered it to be Satan’s doing, and therefore, he pleaded with God to take it away.

But God’s response was, you’re praying for the wrong thing. I’m not going to take this away because it’s going to keep you humble. Instead, you ought to learn to lean more on ME, and less on your SELF. That’s when you’re strongest.

I think God wants us to learn to pray about things from every angle. When suffering comes, maybe we ought to pray for that suffering to be taken away. Or, maybe we ought to pray for the strength to bear up under the pain. Maybe we should ask to bear our pain gracefully that others may see that our faith does not diminish when things don’t go exactly to plan. Maybe we ought to pray that God would make us learn from our situation. Maybe we ought to pray that God would give us compassion for others in the same situation.

The point is, in the middle of suffering, we get tunnel vision. We think – ONE SOLUTION, take it away, when there are many more angles to aim our prayers. We need to learn to pray down these other angles. In doing so we may stumble over God’s true purpose in a given situation.
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Paul wants us to learn how to pray better. How to see things from a greater perspective. He wants us to grow better at seeing things from God’s perspective. But more than that, Paul wants us to be comforted by the Holy Spirit’s perfect connection with the Father’s will.

When often fail to see God’s purpose in painful situations. But the Holy Spirit ALWAYS sees what God the Father is up to. The Holy Spirit and the Father are on the same page. They are in perfect sync.
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The main point of this section of Romans is this, we fail in prayer, but we have an amazing communicator on our side who prays for us asking exactly what we need.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, when you suffer, find comfort in this – the Holy Spirit is praying for YOU. And what He prays is the perfect prayer for you.
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I once had an art class in which we did some pottery. I made a little beer stein as a gift for my dad. It was an ugly little mug that had Snoopy on it, but it was for dad.

Well, at the end of class one day, before the mug had been fired in the kiln, I dropped it. The dry and fragile clay shattered into what seemed like a million pieces. In disgust I threw the pieces in the junk-clay bucket by the sink. I couldn’t put the pieces back together. It was a lost cause.

But the next day, the mug was sitting at my spot. My art teacher, Mr. Pronzinski, had painstakingly puzzled the pieces back together, wetting each one and rejoining them with care.

That’s what the Holy Spirit does with our prayers. Sometimes we’re missing pieces. Sometimes we don’t have the skill to arrange the words. Sometimes we wander off dejected and sad on some prayer path far from God’s will.

But God the Spirit puts those pieces back together for us, and sends them off to the Father. And so often we don’t even realize it.
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Put this on your prayer list tonight. Thank the Holy Spirit for loving you that much. For being patience enough to speak up for sinners like us. For knowing the Father’s will perfectly, and patiently teaching us how to pray in step with Him. Amen.

And the Peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus.

Not Worth Comparing - Aug 21, 2011

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SERMON:

At the end of June we started studying the book of Romans during our sermon time. For the past few Sundays we’ve taken a break from that, and considered some other things. Today, we’re going to dive back into the book of Romans.

Now, Romans was written by the apostle Paul, but inspired by the Holy Spirit. It is God’s Word. And therefore, it really is like a river. Some of it is easy enough for children to splash through, while other parts are deep enough that even the wisest theologians can’t touch the bottom.

At times Romans is a heavy book, and it takes concentration to gather in and understand all that the Holy Spirit would teach us through it.
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One of the easiest teachings that comes up over and over in the first seven chapters of Romans is the teaching of “justification by faith”. Now, that sounds technical, but it’s easy to understand. Justification by faith simply means that sinners get to heaven through a simple trust in Jesus. That’s the only way. Sinners are forgiven because Jesus is the Son of God. He died in our place. Even the worst of sinners who trust in Him for forgiveness, are stamped “SINLESS” by God.

Paul talks about “justification by faith” in Romans 3, verse 20…

“…righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:22-24 NIV).

Jesus died for your sins. Through faith in Him, God considers you a saint. Sinless and perfect. Forgiven in full. If this were the only thing you remembered from Romans, Paul would be happy.
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Another teaching that comes out in the first seven chapters of Romans is the teaching that there is an inner war going on inside all followers of Christ.

We all know that you can’t change what’s in a bottle by simple putting a different label on it. When a sinner comes to faith in Jesus, God labels that person sinless. But sins still happen in that person’s life.

But God doesn’t JUST label us sinless when we come to faith, God ALSO gives His Holy Spirit into us to reform us. To teach us how to live God’s way. To lead us to confess our sins and receive forgiveness. To lead us to forgive others when they sin against us.

But the Holy Spirit has an enemy who also lives within us. Our old sinful nature. The old us wants to destroy our faith in Jesus. So he leads us to sin. To things that the Spirit of God doesn’t want us to do. Things that are damaging to us, and to our faith.

Paul talks about this inner war in Romans 6, verse 11…

“…Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:21-25a NIV).

This inner war isn’t going to end until heaven. But because of Jesus, we don’t have to be slaves to sin now. We have been forgiven, and the Holy Spirit lives within our hearts to lead us.
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Enough review. The text for our mediation this morning comes from Romans 8. In this chapter Paul talks about the suffering that followers of Christ will have to endure before we reach heaven.

Romans 8:14-25 (NIV)

14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.
18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. 19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God.
22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
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We believe that Jesus is the Son of God. We believe that because He suffered and died in our place, our sins have been forgiven. The Holy Spirit has convinced our hearts of this through the Bible, and through Christians who have brought this message to us personally.

Paul says that if this is true, if the Spirit of God has brought us to faith and is still with us, then we’re “Children of God” and heirs of God. Instead of hell and shame, our inheritance is Heaven and glory. Through faith in Christ, we have become Children of God.
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But then Paul starts talking about our “present sufferings”. Becoming a Child of God doesn’t mean that God is going to suddenly whisk us up into heaven. Very few Christians have had the joy of being taken to heaven shortly after coming to faith.

So why? Why does God leave the ones that He loves in this broken, painful, frustrating and exhausting world? Why does God leave His Children here?

Because He has more things for us to do here. Because there are young one to raise so that they know Christ. So that they are productive Christians, bringing glory to God and sinners to peace. There are friends to make and friends to support in hard times. There are fellow Christians to correct and encourage. There are a million different answers to that question, “Why does God leave His Children in this world”. I guess the simplest is that He has more things for us to do here.
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There will be pain in our lives. There will be suffering. Paul knew it. On one of the journeys Paul took to preach the Good News of Sins forgiven through Jesus, he ended up getting seriously injured. Paul’s enemies stirred up a crowd in the city of Iconium and got the people to stone Paul to death. Well, they thought He was dead anyway and then dragged him out of the city and left him.

But Paul wasn’t dead. He got up and moved on. Shortly after, in another city, Paul told a small group of Christians to remain strong and hold onto the faith because…

“…We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God…” (Acts 14:22b NIV).

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As we go through these hardships, Paul wants us to be encouraged. That’s why he reminds us that the race is already won. We aren’t going through hardships in order to earn heaven, Jesus has already earned and given us forgiveness, peace with God and heaven as our final inheritance. That work is already done.

Paul says, look to the future you have in Christ for encouragement when you’re feeling weighed down and worn out. Look at Paul’s words in verse 18…

“18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18 NIV).

Note that Paul doesn’t say, “Come on you wimps, I’ve suffered ten times what you have.” He doesn’t encourage us to get through our suffering by beating ourselves up for what we’re feeling. Instead He says, get your head up! Look at what’s coming. The glory that we’re going to experience in the presence of God is so much greater than anything we could suffer in this life, that it’s not even worth comparing.

In heaven we’re not going to sit around comparing scars and swapping stories about the terrible suffering we had to go through. The amazing glory of being with God, in a renewed body that doesn’t feel pain is going overshadow our past sufferings like Mount Rainier compared to a mole hill.
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Paul gives us a glimpse of the glory He’s talking about in verse 19…

“19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:19-21 NIV).

When we look around us, we see a world that is full of things God didn’t want in His Creation. God didn’t plan earthquakes and tidal waves that destroy cities, villages and kill thousands. God didn’t design animals to eat their own young, or predators who stalk the weak as their food source? But when Adam and Eve sinned, God let sin bleed right into the fabric of our universe.

God did this for two reasons. One, so that all humans would would know that this world is not it. This world is not what it should be. There is something wrong with this world, and that thing is sin. This is not our final home.

The second reason that God cursed the physical universe after Adam and Eve sinned, is what Paul talks about here. So that in the end, when the Children of God are revealed and renewed, the renewal of the universe will make that day all the more glorious. The broken universe is breathtaking now. Imagine what it will be when it all flows in harmony together, without the effects of sin and pain and death.

God talks about renewing the universe in other places in the Bible also. In Isaiah 11 it says…

6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear,
their young will lie down together,
and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy
on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:6-9 NIV).

And in Revelation 21 it says…

“1Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” m for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ u or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life” (Revelation 21:1-6 NIV).

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When we look forward to heaven, it’s natural to groan under the weight of our present pains. It’s natural to long for the time when we won’t just read about glory, but when we will see it with our own eyes. Look at verse 22…

“22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently” (Romans 8:22-25 NIV).

Groaning is okay. There’s a difference between groaning and grumbling. When we imagine what living with God will be like and we groan inwardly, we’re expressing our deep longing to be with God, and free from our present sufferings. And that’s just fine. It reminds us that this world isn’t all there is. And we shouldn’t live our lives like this world is all there is. Because of Christ, we have a future glory which outshines everything we now know.

I don’t know what you’re struggling through right now. Maybe it’s not much. Maybe it’s huge and heavy. Whatever it is, don’t hold it yourself. Let Jesus hold it up by praying it into His hands.

Our present sufferings may seem everlasting, but they’re not. They are temporary. God has made us His own Children through Christ. And He will bring us home at last. To a universe, renewed in glory. To our own bodies, renewed in glory. To a renewed and sinless self. To living face to face with God. To freedom from a broken and dying world. To final adoption into God’s House.
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To close our meditation today I’m going to read two verses. One spoken by Paul, and one written by him. Dear Christians, Children of God through faith in our Savior, let these verses stick with you in hard times.

“…We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God…” (Acts 14:22b NIV).

“18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18 NIV).

All praise and honor and glory be to Jesus, who makes the future of sinners like us, a future full of joy and glory.

Amen.

The Peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Give Your Soul a Vacation - Aug 14, 2011

This Sunday’s Sermon was written by Pastor Michael M. Eichstadt and provided through “Ministry by Mail”. To read it online go to “Ministry by Mail” by clicking here.

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In Service to Christ,
-Pastor Caleb Schaller

Living for the Day - July 31, 2011

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-Pastor Schaller

New Management - July 24, 2011

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Space Station Salvation - July 17, 2011

We apologize, no Audio is available for this service.

SERVICE INTRODUCTION:

Good morning. Upon entering today you might have noticed a few subtle alterations that have been made to our sanctuary. This past week was Vacation Bible School week.

The music portion of the VBS day was held here in the sanctuary, using music projected onto this screen. We’ve left the screen here today because we’re going to use it as we review the Bible stories that the kids had this week. We’re also going to give them a chance to share a couple of the songs they learned.

We begin our worship today in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Let’s pray. Father in Heaven, thank you for blessing our church this past week during VBS. Thank you for hard working teachers, eager students, and for the light of your word. Help us all to zero in on your word this worship day. Build our faith. Renew our joy in Christ. To Your Name be the glory. Amen.
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ALPHA ONE STAR INTRO

As you’ve noticed, our VBS had a space theme this year. It was called “Space Station Salvation”. In our opening devotion we talked about what salvation means. What it means to be rescued by God.

From that point on, each day the kids blasted off to a different star to learn about a different story in God’s Word. The first star they visited was…

ALPHA ONE STAR Genesis 1:1-5, 2:2-3 (NIV)

1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.
2:2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
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The main teaching point on day one of VBS was that God made the world with His power and words.

In the first two chapters of the Bible, God tells us about the very beginning of our universe. He describes for us the way in which He created everything.

This part of the Bible is strange and wonderful. God is so different from us, and the way that He created this universe is so different than we might imagine. Some of the details God gives us about how He created still cause us to screw up our faces and wonder, what exactly does that mean?

For example, what does it mean that God “separated the light from the darkness” (verse 4)? How does one do that? What did it all look like when light and darkness were all mixed up?

And here’s another thing. If you read on in Genesis one, you find that God created light on the first day, but he didn’t create the light bearing bodies like the sun and the other stars until the fourth day. What was it like for the daylight to come and go without the Sun, because the Sun was yet to be created?

If you read over Genesis one and two, you’ll find over and over that God is immensely powerful. He made the sky, separated the muck into water and land, created the plants, the birds, the fish, and the land animals - all by just speaking the command that they begin to be. And then, forming a human shape out of the dirt, God breathed life into the first human being.

Besides showing that God is powerful, the first two chapters from Genesis reveal that God is good. He created the universe as a gift for humans to enjoy and take care of. And in the beginning, God’s universe was perfect. There was no pain, or evil because man had not yet sinned.
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The second star the kids visited was…

BETA TWO STAR Genesis 12:1-5 (NIV)

12:1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.”
4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. 5 He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.
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The main teaching point on day two, was that God is faithful to His promises.

To begin with, the kids read about how suffering and death entered God’s perfect world. The first two human beings sinned.

People often blame God for the evil in our world. They say, look at all this suffering. God either doesn’t exist or He’s powerless. But really, the blame for the suffering in our world belongs to the first two human beings, Adam and Eve. They were the ones that disobeyed God and tainted His perfect creation with evil, suffering and death.

Even though it was their fault, God promise Adam and Eve that He would send them a Savior. Someone who would crush the devil’s power and sweep away the sins of the human race.

This is why God told Abraham “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you” (verse 3). The Savior of the world would be one of Abraham’s descendants!
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Now, in the picture we see here Abraham is gazing up into the starry sky. When Abraham was an old man, God promised him that he’d have so many descendants that counting them would be like trying to count the stars.

God kept that promise. Abraham’s children became the Nation of Israel.

When Abraham was about a hundred years old, God promised him that a son would be born to him within the year.

God kept that promise too, and Isaac was born to the hundred-year-old Abraham and his wife.
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Throughout his life, Abraham found that when God makes a promise, He keeps that promise. We can be confident of the promises God makes to us in the Bible as well. Most importantly, we are sure that our sins stand forgiven through Jesus. Because Jesus was the descendant of Abraham through whom the whole world is blessed.

Now we join in confessing our sins to God, and receiving His assurance of forgiveness. Please turn to page 4 of the bulletin.
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The third star the kids visited was…

GAMMA THREE STAR Luke 2:8-20 (NIV)

8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 9 An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
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On day three the kids reviewed the Christmas story. The main point was that Baby Jesus born at Christmas is the Savior and the light of the world.

The Bible tells us that God the Son has always existed with the Father and the Holy Spirit. They are the Triune God. The Bible tells us that God the Son was there in the beginning, and that all things were created through Him.

Though He was used to living in glory at the Father’s side, here we see God the Son born into a dirty stable, to a set of no-name Jewish commoners.

It has been suggested that the Savior was born in such humble circumstances to show that He came to save all people, not just kings and princes, not just the important people of the world, but ALL SINNERS.

And that’s exactly what we find the Angel telling the shepherds, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people” (verse 10).

If you’re a sinner, this Baby was born to save you. Think about that wonderful fact like Mary did, pondering it your heart. Holding onto it as treasure. And may Baby Jesus fill you with praise like He did the shepherds, who returned to their work glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
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The fourth star the kids visited was…

DELTA FOUR Mk 15:33-41, Mt 28:1-10 (NIV)

33 At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34 And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
35 When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”
36 Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.
37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.
38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
40 Some women were watching from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome. 41 In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.
28:1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
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Just as the Angel had said to the shepherds, the angel at the tomb told the women, “Do not be afraid”.

And when these women met the resurrected Jesus on their hurried way back to Jerusalem, He greeted them with those same words, “Do not be afraid”.

God wants us to mark these words well. DO NOT BE AFRAID. The God who made us, loves us. Even though our sins make us unworthy of being His people, through Jesus He has taken us to be His people all the same.

In the darkness on the cross, the just punishment for our sins, yours and mine, was poured out on the Son of God. There is no sin left to suffer for. They’ve all been washed away by Jesus.

In the darkness of the tomb, Jesus began to breathe after three days of lying stone cold and dead. Through His suffering and death, Jesus had done what the Father had asked, and now the Father would show the world that His Son was triumphant, that His sacrifice for all sinners had been accepted. The world had seen the Savior die, now the world would see Him rise.

Do not be afraid. He died for you, and now He lives.
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DELTA FIVE STAR Acts 8:4-8, 26-40 (NIV)

4 Those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went. 5 Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah there. 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.
26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”
30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.”
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.
36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. 40 Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
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On our last day of VBS we read about Philip, who shows us that believers shine like stars by living for the Lord, helping others, and sharing his saving word.

Jesus once said, “I am the light of the word”. What He meant was that He shows us the way to heaven, and the way to live this life with joy, peace and purpose.

Jesus is our guiding star, and as the light of His word shows us the way, it also begins to reflect off of us.

During His life, Jesus preached to the cities of Israel about God’s Savior, and how it was through Him that heaven is opened. So, Philip preached the same message. He reflected the message that he had received from Jesus like the moon reflects the light of the sun.

Philip wasn’t well known in the world. He was just an ordinary guy. But with the word of God, and the Holy Spirit’s direction, Philip made a big difference in the world.

Think about the man that Philip reached with the Good News on that road to Gaza. The Ethiopian man was an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Queen of Ethiopia! When he came home with the Good News in his heart, you can be sure that he reflected that message of love and forgiveness to the people of Ethiopia.

It starts this way. God loves people, so we love people. God wants people to know their Savior, so we tell them about their Savior.

And when we fail to live for the Lord, when we sin, then we can still live for the Lord. For when we trust in Him for forgiveness, we are living for the Lord also. When we come to Him, confessing our sins and expressing our confidence that in Christ we are forgiven, then we are living for the Lord.

Depth of Sin, Height of Grace - July 10, 2011

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SERMON:

We’ve all had to make hard decisions in life. Or if we haven’t yet, we will. When the time comes to choose what to do, or say in some hard situation, someone may offer us the following advice: follow your heart.

This little proverb sounds like good advice until you read what God says in the book of Jeremiah.

“The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? ‘I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds’” (Jeremiah 17:9-10 NASB).

We might be okay in a given situation if we follow our hearts. We just might stumble onto the right choice. The right words. But most likely, we won’t. The human heart is sick. And in it’s sickness it lies, even to itself.

If we want evidence of the sickness of the human heart, we don’t have to go far. Flip on the news and you’ll find a parade of atrocities committed by people following their hearts. Drive to your local library and borrow a book that details the dark careers of this century’s mass murderers, serial rapists and killers. Browse the psychology section and pick up a text book on how to treat one of the many obsessive and destructive behaviors that infect the human psyche.

The human creature is a complex creature. But through all of the complexity runs one common infection – sin. The inability to live God’s way. Sin is the sickness which cripples our ability to fully enjoy life. Sin is the sickness which ultimately leads to eternal separation from the holy God.

Simply put, human beings are buried in a watery grave of sin. And the depths of that sin are unfathomable. For with a single evil word or deed we are so far separated from the sinless God, that there is no hope for us to reach Him.

Picture it like this. The sinner is like a person paddling alone in the open ocean, over it’s deepest trench. Sin is a huge iron anchor chained to our leg. It drags us down to the bottom. Down to the inky black ocean floor. And even if we could somehow detach ourselves from it, we’d have no hope of reaching the surface.

But into this sad and hopeless picture, God sent His Son Jesus. Jesus plunged into the icy waters of our world. He became human so that He could be our rescuer.

Our sermon reading for today is from Romans 5. We begin with verse six. There Paul writes…

Romans 5:6-8 (NIV)

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
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You and I were born into this world sinful. Through our choices we have added sin after sin after sin to the anchor dragging us away from God. We have lived as His enemies, attacking His holiness with our sinful words and actions.

And yet, God still loves us. He cares for His enemies. For the ungodly.

This is completely unlike us. When we see someone on the news who has done some horrible crime, we want them punished. We want them to pay for what they’ve done. We wouldn’t take the place of a mass murderer on death row.
Like Paul says, even if we had the opportunity to change places with an innocent person we wouldn’t jump at that opportunity. Paul says “for a good person someone might possibly dare to die”.

But God is not like us. He demonstrates the purity of His love in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
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Now, there’s something awesome thing to remember from this little section of Romans. A thing to hold onto with all your heart and mind. It says, “Christ died for the ungodly”. Look at that verse again and mark it well. Verse six, “Christ died for the ungodly”.

When you feel as though your sins are unforgivable, ask yourself: Am I ungodly? You answer has to be “Yes, I am ungodly”.

And the Scripture’s response, God’s response to this confession? - “Then Christ died for you.”

Be at peace. Your sins stand forgiven through Christ. On the cross God’s Son took the anchor of your sins off your leg and He put it on Himself. He took your sin, and gave you His righteousness. He died your death, so you could receive His life.

And when you feel as though you can’t forgive someone else’s sins against you, remember that same question and answer. Is this person ungodly? Then Christ died for this person too. Maybe that person needs to hear that Christ died for them too. Maybe they need to hear that because of Christ, you also forgive them.

God demonstrated His unconditional, self-sacrificing love in this, He declared the ungodly to be righteous, through Jesus.
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In the first half of our sermon reading, Paul has talked about the depth of our sin, and how God’s love runs deeper. In the second half of our reading, Paul speaks of the future that we now have because we have been declared sinless through Christ’s sacrifice in our place.

Romans 5:9-11 (NIV)

9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
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Now, sometimes it’s hard for our modern minds to follow Paul’s train of thought. He was, after all, a Jewish Christian who lived 2,000 years ago. So, I’m going to back up now and take us through Paul’s thought process.

First, look again at verse nine. There Paul says “Since we have now been justified by his blood”. Paul’s thought process beings here. Because of Jesus we sinner have received a new title. Instead of “sinner”, our new label is “innocent one”. We’ve been declared righteous.

Imagine that you’re waiting in line to get into a concert. But the event has been overbooked, and the doors are closed. But then, you see the star of the concert moving through the main line, making his way to the front doors. On his way he bumps into you. You exchange a few excited words. What luck! You think, well, at least I got to meet the guy. But then he looks at the closed doors, at you, and then nods at one of the bodyguards following close behind. And the body guard takes your hand and stamps it “VIP”. That done, the star moves through the crowd and into the venue where the show will be held.

Now things have changed for you in two ways. All the frustrations and irritations of waiting in line are gone. You can move through the line at ease. The line no longer matters.

Also, when you get to the door, you’ll be ushered in with no questions asked. You’ve got the stamp of approval from the star himself!

This is the picture Paul lays out for his fellow Christians in Rome. Justified by Christ’s blood, we have the star’s stamp of approval. Now we can move through life in peace and security. Now we know when we reach the Judgment Day we’ll be swept into heaven, no questions asked.
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In verse ten, Paul says because of Christ, “we shall be saved through his life”. In other words, because Christ rose from the dead, He lives to guide us in our daily lives.

All the messed up ways of living we see on the news and in books and movies, we have been rescued from stumbling into those ways by Christ. Knowing that our sins are forgiven, we now follow Christ’s ways. And those ways lead to peace and confidence in this life. In this way, we are saved by the empty ways of human culture and the pain and destruction that we would stumble into if we followed the directions that our culture gives.

In another book the apostle Peter wrote…

“…you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18-19 NIV).

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In verse 9, Paul says that because we are stamped innocent by Christ’s blood, we will be “saved from God’s wrath” on the last day.

Now we have a future to look forward to. Even to brag about! We’ve been reconciled to God through the death of His Son. And since that Son has risen from the dead, we’re assured that He lives forever, and will one day take us to be with Him to live in the presence of the holy God forever!

And one of the best parts about bragging about our future is this, we can also tell others – CHRIST DIED FOR YOU TOO! Be at peace. Your sins stand forgiven through Christ. Through Christ, you too have a VIP pass through life, to heaven.

Some who hear this won’t want it. They’ll push the grace of God away in favor of holding onto the sinful ways handed down to them. We can’t do anything about this other than speak of the grace we’ve received from God through Christ. The Holy Spirit has to soften the refusing heart through the Good News of Christ. All we can do is live in that grace and express that grace that we have experienced, to the best of our ability.
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These are the blessings we have because of Christ - salvation for life and salvation for Judgment Day. As Jesus once said,

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24 NIV).

It doesn’t matter how deep, and sick and dark your sins are. God’s love is deeper and further reaching.

It doesn’t matter how low your heart has brought you, through the grace of God, earned and give through Christ, your are raised far above them. Like David wrote in Psalm 103,

“11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:11-12 NIV).

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We started this message today by remembering the world’s advice: Follow your heart. I’d close it by saying don’t follow your heart. Follow your Savior, through whom you, a sinner, have been washed clean and brought back to God.

Prayer: Father in heaven, the world offers that advice, follow your heart. But you have taught us a better way. To follow Your Son. Thank you for the free forgiveness that you have given us through Jesus. Help us to shower others with that same forgiveness, and to express your love to them so that they too may believe, and live this life in peace, and with a clear view of the sure future we have because of your love. Amen.

Abraham's Faith Credited as Righteousness - July 3, 2011

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SERMON:

Of the 27 books that we find in the New Testament, the apostle Paul wrote thirteen of them.

Now, the books that Paul wrote were actually letters sent to different Christians, with different problems and issues that they were dealing with. For this reason Paul didn’t write all his letters in the same way.

Paul did, however, begin a good number of his letters in the same way: by using the word “saints”. Paul was addressing these letters to his fellow Christians and he calls them “saints”.

“7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints:” (Romans 1:7a NKJV).

“2 To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints,” (1 Corinthians 1:2a NKJV).

“To the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia:” (2 Corinthians 1:1b NKJV).

“To the saints who are at Ephesus and who are faithful in Christ Jesus:” (Ephesians 1:1b NASB).

“To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:” (Philippians 1:1b NKJV).

“To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse:” (Colossians 1:2a NKJV).

Now, if you look up these passages in the New International Version, you’ll find the Greek word for “saints” translated as “holy people”. And that’s what the Greek word for “saints” actually means, “holy ones”.

Now here’s the question – how can Paul call these people holy? They were obviously sinners. All we have to do is read a little bit in these letters, and we find that these people were ordinary people like you and me. These people were sinful. They did bad things every day. They said bad things every day. And yet, Paul calls them holy. Why?

Simply put, these people trusted God. They believed what God said in the Bible and were confident in His promises. And the Bible says that when you trust in the true God, God counts that faith as righteousness.

That’s the main point of our sermon meditation today - trust in the LORD is credited by Him as righteousness. Or to put it even more simply – By faith sinners are considered sinless.
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Now, you may remember that last Sunday’s sermon reading was from Romans 3. This Sunday’s reading is from Romans 4. Throughout this summer we’re going to be working our way through Paul’s letter to the Romans. We won’t cover each and every verse, but we’ll move through the main thoughts of each chapter.

The congregation in Rome was made up of Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians. Some of the people had grown up knowing the God of the Bible, studying His message, going to His temple. Somewhere Along the way these Jews had come to believe that Jesus was God’s promised Savior. They had become Christ followers.

Other people in the Roman congregation had grown up not knowing the God of the Bible perhaps they had worshiped other gods in the pagan temples of Rome. Perhaps they had bowed down to images carved in wood or stone. But somewhere along the way they had come to believe that the true God was the God of the Bible, and that Jesus was His Son and the Savior of the world. They had become Christ followers too.

Now, these two groups within the Roman congregation were prone to judging each other. After all, they were sinners. But in his letter, Paul reminds them that it isn’t what nation or culture or family that you’re born into that makes you holy before God. It’s faith in Him.

Both Jews and Gentiles were on the same level before God - condemned sinners. And, both Jewish Christ followers, and Gentile Christ followes were on the same level before God - declared sinless through faith in God’s Son.
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In Romans, chapter 4, Paul addresses his thoughts to the Jewish Christians in Rome. They had great pride in their nation. They were proud to be the descendants of Abraham. Paul uses this national pride to remind them where their righteousness came from.

In the beginning of Romans 4, Paul says…

“What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? 2 If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. 3 What does Scripture say? ‘Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness’” (Romans 4:1-3 NIV).

Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness. This idea of faith being counted by God as complete righteousness is found over and over in this chapter. Eight different times, in this chapter alone, Paul talks about faith in God resulting in righteousness.

I’m not going to read all those references, but go ahead and do that on your own at home. Read through Romans 4 and see for yourself how many times Paul says that faith counts as righteousness before God.
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Paul goes on, in Romans 4, to prove that Abraham wasn’t holy because of the ritual of circumcision. His faith was counted as righteousness before he was circumcised.

Paul talks about how Abraham wasn’t righteous because he obeyed all God’s laws and never sinned. Ever since Adam and Eve humans have been breaking God’s law, not keeping it. Abraham was no exception. You can read about his life in Genesis and find that he too was a sinner.

Paul proves that Abraham was counted holy by God because Abraham heard God and believed Him.

Now, before we read what Paul wrote, let’s read the scripture that Paul based his writing on.

Genesis 15:1-6 (NIV)

15:1 After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward. ”
2 But Abram said, “Sovereign LORD, what can you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “You have given me no children; so a servant in my household will be my heir.”
4 Then the word of the LORD came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.” 5 He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”
6 Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.
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On this foundation, Paul then wrote to the Romans…

Romans 4:18-25 (NIV)

18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. 22 This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” 23 The words “it was credited to him” were written not for him alone, 24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25 He was delivered over to death for [because of] our sins and was raised to life for [because of] our justification.
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Again, Paul’s point to the Jewish Christians in Rome was this – what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. (Romans 4:3)

Paul’s words here are so important. It doesn’t matter what you’ve been taught, or what your personal opinion is – what does scripture say? What does God say? Sinners are declared righteous by faith, not by anything we have said or done, not by any nation or culture or family we’ve been born into, or anything else. It’s a faith thing.

It was a faith thing for Abraham, and it is a faith thing for us sinners today. We believe that God’s Son was crucified because of our sins, and He was raised from the dead because His sacrifice in our place was accepted. Through that sacrifice our sins were erased, and through faith all the blessings of his sacrifice become ours.

Romans 4:3 is a great passage to tuck away. Maybe you’ve got a Jewish friend you can use that passage with. Abraham was holy before God because of his faith. And we are holy before God for the same reason. God promised a Savior, sent that Savior, took our sins away, and gave us faith through that Savior’s message.

Tuck this passage away for yourselves too. And the next time your heart is weighed down with guilt over some sin you’ve done - remember, you aren’t a saint because of what you’ve done, but because of what God did for you.

Like Paul says in Ephesians…

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9 not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).

Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus.

Getting Back into the Garden - June 26, 2011

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SERMON:

Genesis 3, verse 8 is one of the most haunting passages in all of Scripture. It reads…

“8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:8 NIV).

This verse is haunting both because of what it implies, and because of what it reveals. It implies that God had done this before. He had walked in the garden of Eden in the cool of the day. He had gone to visit His two most beloved creations, man and woman. They KNEW that sound. They had recognized it before with joy.

How different it had been in the past when they heard this sound. “God is here” they must have thought with delight. Maybe they had called out to Him from through the leaves, “LORD, we’re over here. Come see what we’ve been working on”.

But now, now they did not want the LORD to see what they had been working at. They had stolen from the tree which was forbidden. They had sinned against God. And by their sin, they had released pain and confusion and hatred and death into God’s creation.

Not long after Genesis 3:8, the Bible records how Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden. This was an act of love on God’s part. He didn’t want them to eat from the Tree of Life and live forever in their sinful condition. But they were banished from that precious garden all the same.
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Ever since that day, mankind has been trying to get back into the Garden. Even those who don’t know the story of Adam and Eve know that something is missing. The world as it is, is in not the way it should be. We long for a connection with the divine. We long for communion with our Creator.

And that’s what Christianity is all about. Getting back into the Garden. Getting back into a relationship with God like that relationship which Adam and Eve had in the beginning.

Our sermon meditation for today comes from Romans, chapter 3. There the apostle Paul tells us what can never get us to back into the garden, and he also tells us what does.

Romans 3:19-25a, 27-28 (NIV)

19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.
21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, m through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith.
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27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law.
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The law of God shows us what sin is, and that we have done it. Through the law we become conscious of our own sin.

Romans 3:20 is one of my favorite passages in the Bible because it plainly says, “You can’t get into heaven by what you do”. The law of God isn’t a stairway to heaven that you build one good deed at a time. The law is a mirror which reveals all our ugly faults and failings. If it reveals anything it reveals that we have no hope of standing before the holy God when judgment day comes - not on the basis of our own words and actions anyway.

God’s law cannot save us from sin. That’s not what it was designed to do. The law can only show us that we are sinners who deserve hell. Sinners who need to be saved.

The law is like a metal detector. It beeps when metal is present, but it can’t do a thing to move that metal.

The law is like a thermometer. It can show us we have a fever, but it can’t do anything to reduce that fever or make our sickness go away.

The law is like that annoying car sound that tells us the door is ajar. It can beep all day long, but that sensor in the door, and that sound that’s coming out of the dash has no power to close the door.

The law simply can’t get us back into the garden. The law alerts us that we’re not worthy of setting foot in God’s garden. It alerts us to the fact that we’re filthy sinners.
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Before we move on, let’s set all the analogies aside and just look at the plain text itself one more time. Paul says…

“20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin” (Romans 3:20 NIV).

Who’s going to get into heaven by keeping the commandments? Nobody. Nobody.

In Galatians 5, verse 4 Paul goes even further. He says that if you think your own good behavior will in any way help get you into heaven, you’ve fallen from grace and will not make it to heaven. Galatians 5:4 reads…

“4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace” (Galatians 5:4 NIV).

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Now we know what WON’T get us back into the Garden. Let’s see what DOES. Look again at verse 21…

“21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, m through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith” (Romans 3:21-25a NIV).

Now, there are other places in the Bible that talk about a person being righteous where it means righteous in the sight of other people. Like you’ve got a good reputation. You’re a nice person in the eyes of your neighbors.

But HERE Paul talks about another kind of righteousness. A higher righteousness. God’s righteousness. Paul says that this righteousness of God that is GIVEN to sinners is mentioned by the Old Testament prophets. And that’s exactly what we find in the Old Testament.

“Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit” (Psalm 32:2 NIV).

“18 “Come now, let us settle the matter,”
says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18 NIV).

““For I will forgive their wickedness
and will remember their sins no more” (Jeremiah 31:34b).

There are just a few of the places where God says that He will take sinners, and not count their sins against them. And Isaiah 53:5-6 tell us why…

“…he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:5-6 NIV).

All have sinned and fall short of God’s standard. But through Christ, even the worst of the worst are forgiven completely, and freely.

I think Paul wants us to really understand that forgiveness is free. Look at the words he uses to emphasize this:

Verse 22, “given”. Paul says that God’s righteousness is given, not earned.

Verse 24, “justified”. To justify someone is to declare that they are “not guilty”. Today we usually use this word in a bad sense. You know, someone justifies their actions. They paint what they did as good, when it was actually bad. Well, this is exactly what God does for us. He looks at sinners and declares us “good” BECAUSE His Son Jesus died in our place, and suffered the punishment for our sins.

Paul adds the word “freely” to make sure we get it. This declaring sinners righteous is not done because of any payment WE have made. It is the free gift of God.

But Paul doesn’t stop there with the gift words. He also says that it is through God’s “grace” that we sinners are declared righteous. Grace means giving something you don’t have to give. Grace is the Holy Son of God suffering for our sins, and giving us His righteousness.

Paul adds another gift word, “redemption”. This word means to “buy back”. HE redeemed us, because there was no way for US to redeem ourselves. Like Paul wrote in First Timothy, chapter 1…

“He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus…” (1 Timothy 1:9 NIV).

There’s another gift word, “sacrifice”. A sacrifice is made on behalf of someone else. Through His suffering our punishment, Jesus gave us the gift of a restored relationship with God that will never end.

Our salvation was an act of utter charity. Through Christ we are given God’s righteousness as a free gift.
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And that’s why Paul says we can’t boast. Look at verse 27-28.

“27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (Romans 3:27-28 NIV).

We can’t boast about our righteousness. Like Paul said, it’s actually God’s righteousness GIVEN to us. How do you boast about something you didn’t have any part in making or purchasing? Our righteousness is a GIFT, not a REIMBURSEMENT.

If you ever get into a conversation with someone who thinks their actions have some part in getting them to heaven, ask them gently, “Does God owe you, or do you owe God? Is heaven what God owes you for all the good deeds you’ve done for Him, or is heaven the gift that God gives you through Christ, even though you do not deserve it?”

Do this gently, in love. If we think our own actions will earn heaven for us, what we’re really saying is God owes us because of the great way we’ve lived our lives. God save us from such arrogance.
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Now, there’s one last thing I’d like to talk about here. Look again at verse 22. There Paul says,

“…There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:22-24 NIV).

Paul puts Jews and Gentiles on the same level because there were both ethnic Jews and ethnic Gentiles in the congregation in Rome.

Before Jesus, the Jews had traditionally looked down on the Gentiles. In Rome, the Jewish Christians knew more about the Bible than the Gentile converts. The Jews had been taught about the Bible all their lives. The Gentiles had just begun. The Jewish Christians in Rome probably hadn’t participated in the same kinds of outward sinful acts that the Gentiles had. For these reasons, and probably plenty of others, the Jewish Christians in Rome would have seen themselves as better than the Gentile Christians.

And the Gentile Christians had their own reasons for considering themselves better than the Jewish Christians. After all, the Bible itself records how the Jews had pushed God away throughout their history. They rebelled against God over and over. And when the Savior finally came, it was the Jews who incited the Romans to crucify Him. In addition to this, many Gentiles had come to faith through the message of Christ, but for the most part the Jewish nation had rejected Him. For these reasons, and probably plenty of others, the Gentile Christians in Rome may have judged themselves better than the Jews.

So, Paul reminds them that all this ranking and classing people is not only nonsense, it’s hypocrisy. We have nothing to boast about because we didn’t earn our salvation…

“…a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (Romans 3:28b NIV).

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And this applies to us today. As we reach out to our community with the message of Christ’s free forgiveness, we’re going to bring in people that don’t know the Bible as well as we do. People who haven’t been raised in the church. People who don’t know the little do’s and don’ts of church things like we do. We dare not look down on these people as if we are better than them. We have all fallen short of the glory of God because of the choices we’ve made and the things we’ve done. We stand on the same ground with the child molester, with the murderer, and with the liar. Only through Christ are we declared righteous before God. Our righteousness is a GIFT, not a REIMBURSEMENT. Let’s let THAT mold our attitude toward others in every setting.
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Before we close, I’d like to take you back to where we started. That passage in Genesis 3, verse 8…

“8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden” (Genesis 3:8 NIV).

Adam and Eve hid because they weren’t holy anymore. They weren’t righteous and good, and they knew it. But through Christ, we no longer have to respond to God’s approach with that kind of fear. Through Christ we have been given “God’s righteousness”. Not just a good reputation. Not just a great reputation. We have been given THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD, through Christ Jesus.

Right now we are holy before God’s eyes. And when death arrives to collect us, we will go where mankind has been longing to return since the beginning. We will go to the Garden of God’s presence. Into intimate and perfect communion with our Holy Creator.

All praise and thanks be to Jesus.

Prayer: Father in heaven, thank you for restoring sinners like us through the bold and dear sacrifice that your Son offered in our place. Let us never view our own pitiful and stained words and actions as in any way helping to restore us to you. Instead let us hold tightly to the free gift of your own righteousness that you have given us in Christ. And help us to estimate our worth in relation to others properly. Let us always consider others better than ourselves, putting them first in true humility and love. To the growth of your kingdom, and the glory of your Name. Amen.

Fritz Peterson Memorial - June 22, 2011

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SERMON:

Luke 2:25–32 (ESV)

25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
30 for my eyes have seen your salvation
31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.”
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Grace and Peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We’ve talked a bit about Fritz Peterson today. About his birth. About his life. And now we direct our attention to another man. To a man named Simeon.

This section of Luke, which we’ve just read, contains the only information that we have about Simeon. Nowhere else in Scripture is anything mentioned about this man.

Luke tells us that Simeon lived in Jerusalem at the time when Jesus was born. In the eyes of his neighbors, Simeon was a good man. A righteous man. He was a devout follower of the Lord. Frequently coming to the temple to worship. Above all Simeon was waiting for the “consolation of Israel”. That is, he was waiting for the Savior whom God had promised would rescue sinners from eternal punishment in hell.

Luke also tells us that the Holy Spirit had made a very special promise to Simeon. Ever since the first two humans turned away from God by their sin, the world had been waiting for the Savior. The Holy Spirit promised Simeon that he would not die before he had laid eyes on that Savior.

There a number of characters in this story. But two stick out. This story is all about Simeon, and Jesus. In one sense, Simeon’s life was all about this one moment, the moment he saw salvation arrive.
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And so we see Simeon coming into the temple. There are many others bustling in the temple courts on this day. In the court of the Gentiles there are people selling animals for the temple sacrifices. There are money changers exchanging currency for the temple shekel. There are people from far away lands making pilgrimage to the house of their God. So many different people with different purposes.

But through the crowd Simeon moves with singular purpose. He is going where the Holy Spirit is leading him.

Two others move through this same crowd with purpose as well. Mary and Joseph have come to offer the customary sacrifices in behalf of their newborn child.

Simeon sees them. Two travel worn young people in simple dress. In no way sticking out from the rest on this day. But when Simeon’s eyes fall on the little child in Mary’s arms, it is clear to him that this is no common Child. Joy floods into his heart. Here is what he has been waiting for. This is the Child on whom all his hopes and dreams rest. On whom his very life rests. This is the Child who will reunite sinners with the Holy God by His self-less sacrifice in their place.

Approaching Mary and Joseph, he asks to hold the Child and, lifting Him up in his arms, Simeon praises God.
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When Christians grow old and frail, the question is sometimes asked: Why doesn’t God just take them home? Isn’t it time yet? But the times and dates of such things rest in the heart of God, far from our comprehension. God alone knows the purposes he has in letting us remain for long years.

Here we find one of God’s purposes for old Simeon. Joy and praise. He was to be one of the first to direct praise to God because of the Christ Child. He was to be one of the first to be filled with joy over what this Child was to do.

With Simeon’s newfound joy and praise also came peace. Holding his Savior in his arms, Simeon said,

“29 ‘Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation” (Luke 2:29-30 ESV).

Simeon had a good reputation. He had lived a long life. He had health and strength enough to make his way through the temple courts. But his peace was not to be found in these things. His peace was found in this – that all was right between him and God, because of what this Child would do in his place.

Through his own actions, Simeon had peace with his neighbors. But through Jesus Simeon had peace with his sinless Creator.

And here too, we find another one of God’s purposes for Simeon’s life. He was to experience this peace in this way before exiting this broken world for the shores of heaven.

If one thing flows through all Simeon’s words and actions here, it is this – readiness. He was ready to depart in peace. And Simeon would have us be ready also.

In the Christ Child Simeon saw the salvation that God had prepared for the whole world. In the Christ Child Simeon saw the savior of Jews and non-Jews alike.

God’s Word says that all people are born into this world sinful. Because of our sins we are destined to spend eternity apart from our Creator and all His goodness. We are sinners, unworthy of God’s love. But God’s Word also says that through Jesus the way back to God has been opened. In Romans 3, it says…

“21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:21-24 NIV).

Essentially Paul says here - even those with the best of reputations, fall short of God’s standards. But even the worst of the worst are redeemed through the blood of Christ.

This is the “light for the Gentiles” which Simeon saw in Christ. This is the “glory of Israel” which Simeon saw in Christ.

And this free salvation was the source of Fritz’s greatest joy in life. The source of his unshakable peace. This gift of free and full forgiveness given through Jesus was the reason he was ready to depart this life whenever the Lord saw fit to call him home.
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Earlier I said that this reading from Luke has two characters that stick out. It’s all about Simeon and Jesus. And the same is true about our service today. Our service today is about two people. It’s about Fritz, and his Savior.

There was purpose in Fritz’s long years, just as there there is purpose in this day. The purpose is this, that we would remember what made him joyful, at peace and ready to leave this world. And that we also would be ready to leave this world in peace – because in Christ we too have seen our salvation.

Prayer: Father in Heaven, on this day we remember Fritz Peterson. Thank you for showing him your salvation. Thank you for blessing him with strong faith in Jesus, and with dedication to your Word. Raise up more godly examples like Fritz so that the message of sins forgiven through your Son might be received by many. As we grieve Fritz’s passing, pour out a deep peace upon our hearts. For through your Son we have become your children. And as your children we do not grieve like the world which has no hope. We know the future that you have for all who cling to Christ. Amen.