Pentecost and the Holy Spirit - May 27, 2012

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THEMATIC INTRODUCTION:

Today is Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost is all about the Holy Spirit and what the Holy Spirit does.

SERMON:

In baseball there's sometimes two umpires on duty. One behind the plate to call balls and strikes and one out in the field to call runners out or safe on the bases.

Recently I got a chance to be a field umpire for a Little League game. Now, I've been playing baseball since I was little kid. But I had no idea where I was suppose to stand as a field umpire. I didn't know which calls I was supposed to make and which ones the head umpire behind the plate was supposed to make.

You see, when you play or watch baseball, you don't really pay attention to where the umpires are unless they get in the way. Your focus just isn't on the umps, even though they're important to the game.

Most umpires are more than okay with not being the focus of attention. They're happy to just float along in the background making sure the game runs smoothly. That's their job, and they like it.
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The Holy Spirit is like a field umpire. He doesn't need to have the spotlight. He's glad to float along in the background bringing sinful people to faith and forgiveness through the message of Christ's death and resurrection. He's more than happy to quietly educate strong and weak Christians alike using the Bible.

This is what the Holy Spirit does. He teaches. He communicates. Through the Bible He communicates both God's unbending law and His all-forgiving grace.
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Today we're going to talk about who the Holy Spirit is and what He does. We're also going to remember what the Holy Spirit did on the first Pentecost. Lastly, we'll talk about what we can expect from the Holy Spirit today.

But first, let's pray.

Holy Spirit, we know that you are here among us. We are gathered to praise and worship you beside the Father and the Son. Please strengthen our faith through your word. Help us form a correct picture of who you are in our minds. Erase misconceptions we might have about you and give us boldness to be your tools in this world. Speak through our actions, Holy Spirit, and more importantly - speak through your Word on our lips. Amen.
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So, what exactly do we know about the Holy Spirit? Well, the Bible says God is ONE God, but THREE persons. The Holy Spirit is one of these three persons. Jesus told His disciples to baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28:19).

If we turn back to the second verse of the Bible, found in Genesis, it tells us that the Holy Spirit was there at the beginning, hovering over the yet-to-be-ordered waters of creation. If we skip forward to the book of Luke, we find out that the Holy Spirit hovered over the virgin Mary also, "overshadowing" her when Jesus was miraculously conceived in her womb. Finally, the book of Acts tells us that the Holy Spirit was "poured out" on early Christians on the day of Pentecost. He caused miracles to be seen and enabled the disciples to speak in languages they had never learned.

Now, I said earlier that the Holy Spirit is content to work behind the scenes. But in one sense the Holy Spirit is prominent everywhere God is at work. He's in charge of heaven's public relations. He was in charge of getting God's word into print, and He's in also in charge of bringing people to faith through that word.

In Second Peter it says...

"...no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21 ESV).

In First Corinthians it says...

"13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Corinthians 2:13 NKJV).

In First Corinthians it also says...

"...no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit" (1 Corinthians 12:3 ESV).

So, the Bible teaches us that Holy Spirit is the author of the Bible. And not only that, the Holy Spirit is the only teacher who can explain the Bible's meaning correctly and the Holy Spirit is the only person who brings people to trust in the Savior revealed in the Bible.
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Essentially, the job of the Holy Spirit is COMMUNICATION. By communicating the message of man's sin and God's grace, the Holy Spirit does two things. He saves people, and then He changes people - in that order.

First, the Holy Spirit convinces us that we HAVE sinned against God and deserve the punishment of eternal hell because of our sins. But then the Holy Spirit pours God's GRACE onto us. He reveals that God's Son suffered and died in our place, for our sins. Through Jesus our sins now stand forgiven.

Once the Holy Spirit convinces a person that the Good News is true, that person is safe from hell. Then the Holy Spirit moves on to change that person inwardly. The change that the Holy Spirit brings about is not instantaneous. It comes about day by day through the Word of God being impressed on our hearts. The Holy Spirit cleans out our old bad habits and flawed ways of thinking, and replaces them with God's good habits and pure ways of thinking.

It's important to remember that the Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to make this change happen in people. He doesn't just recreate our hearts and minds like a mechanic replacing an engine. There's a lot of spiritualism floating around in religious circles today. Spiritualism that likes the idea of God working inside a person. But this modern spiritualism forgets that the Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to change people.

Even when the Holy Spirit has worked in outward and miraculous ways, His point is always to enhance the communication of the Good News of forgiveness through Christ.
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Look back at our Gospel History reading for today: John 14, verse 25. There Jesus told His disciples...

"25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:25-27 NKJV).

If you read through all the post-resurrection words of Jesus you'll find He's always emphasizing that His disciples are going to be witnesses to the world of His death and resurrection. That's the emphasis. Jesus doesn't hardly even mention the miracles they'll be doing because the miracles aren't the main point. The important thing was communicating the soul saving message of forgiveness through Christ's cross. If the people didn't believe it, they wouldn't get the benefits of it.
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Now, the first really big growth spurt in Christian church happened on Pentecost. It happened because the Holy Spirit enabled the disciples to communicate the Gospel to crowds of people. Our sermon reading for today tells us the story.

It's a big reading, so we'll need to work to stay focused. Watch closely in your mind's eye. There are miracles, but the miracles serve to frame the real power at work - the Holy Spirit communicating the Gospel to sinners.

Acts 2:1-39 (ESV)

2 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17 “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
18 even on my male servants and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.
19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;
20 the sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.
21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’
22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 For David says concerning him,
“ ‘I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
my flesh also will dwell in hope.
27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
or let your Holy One see corruption.
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
“ ‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
35 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’
36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
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Think about the miracles that happened on Pentecost. There was the sound of wind with no wind. There were flames of fire on the disciples that didn't burn them. They were enabled to speak the Good News in languages that they had never learned.

From the response of the crowds, apparently the only miracle that the public saw was the miraculous speaking of foreign languages. This miracle wasn't done just for the sake of doing a miracle. The Holy Spirit made this miracle happen in order to open up a door so that the disciples could COMMUNICATE THE GOSPEL to lots of people on that day!

And it worked. Three-thousand people came to faith on that day and were baptized.

Of course we understand why so many were converted on that day. These weren't Godless heathen people. These were converts to Judaism who had come to Jerusalem from across the world to worship at the temple of Jehovah. They knew the Old Testament and it's prophesies of a Savior. This tree was ripe for the picking! Just add Gospel and BAM! There was now a mega-church in Jerusalem.

But let's not forget that it was the Holy Spirit who did it. He had prepared these visitors through the Old Testament. He had taught the eleven disciples through Jesus' ministry. He, the Holy Spirit, had given them the miraculous gift to speak in unstudied foreign languages.

Just as the Holy Spirit had overshadowed Mary and caused Jesus to be conceived and born into the world, on Pentecost the Holy Spirit overshadowed the people of Jerusalem and caused the Christian church to be born - through the Word of God proclaimed clearly.
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So, this brings us to our last question. What can we expect from the Holy Spirit today?

Well, we can expect the Holy Spirit to continue creating faith and strengthening Christians through the Bible. Especially through the message about Christ's death and glorious resurrection.

We can expect the Holy Spirit to be at work among us when we gather to worship the Triune God.

We can expect the Holy Spirit to open doors for us to share the Gospel with others.
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But here's the thing, we need to remain in contact with the Word if we're going to be in contact with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit doesn't usually text, or Facebook or speak audibly from the sky. The Holy Spirit usually speaks through the Word of God.

So, if we want the Holy Spirit at work in our lives, we need to be in the Word of God as a habit. Like breathing or sleeping. We need to be in contact with the Word through which the Holy Spirit works.

We need to gather together with our fellow Christians to worship. To confess our sins. To receive the comfort of the Gospel. To study the Bible.

We need to look for the doors the Holy Spirit wants us to step through in service to Christ and the Gospel. And when we find those doors we need to step through them confidently, knowing that the SAME Spirit who empowered the early Christians to gather in that huge Pentecost harvest of rescued souls, is the same Spirit who powers our ministry today.
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This past week I read through the first five chapters of the book of Acts. One thing that is really noticeable is how the apostles keep coming back to the Gospel message.

There's a little sermon in Acts chapter 2, 3, 4, and 5. in each of these little sermons the apostle brings his message back to the simple fact that Jesus died and rose from the dead and through repentance and faith in Him the sinner has forgiveness. Go ahead and read those first five chapters. You'll see that the focus in on the Gospel message. (See Acts 2:22-24, 3:13-15, 4:7-12, 5:29-32)

Acts 5, verse 47 summarizes the ministry of the apostles in this way...

" 2 And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the Christ is Jesus" (Acts 5:47 ESV)

May the Holy Spirit move among us here at Redemption Church also, so that we may like these early Christians. Full of the Holy Spirit. Knowledgeable and continually learning from His Word. And always coming back to the simple message that the Savior is Jesus in our worship, and in our conversations with our neighbors. To the glory of Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Ascension Certainty - May 20, 2012

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SERMON:

Babies often get upset when mom or dad puts them in the crib for the night. Small children often have a hard time when their parents drop them off at daycare. They call this, separation anxiety.

Sometimes parents try to avoid upsetting their children by sneaking away. But this only makes things worse. Child psychologists say that when parents sneak away, it teaches kids that their parents could disappear at anytime. That's a pretty scary idea for a little one to learn.

Thankfully, parenting books say there is a better approach. Just say "goodbye" openly. There may be a few tears, but the mystery is gone. Mom is going to work. She'll be back later. Let's wave to her at the window. "Goodbye mommy! See you when you get back!"

With an open "goodbye" a child's anxiety melts away into confidence. He can see mommy going away. He knows where she is going. He knows she will come back.
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After Jesus died for our sins, He victoriously rose from the dead. Then He spent forty days meeting with His believers. He taught them about the forgiveness of sins that He had earned for them by the cross. He taught them that this forgiveness is God's free gift. He taught them that sinners receive this gift through faith in Jesus.

At the end of those forty days, Jesus said goodbye. Rising up into the sky in full view of His disciples, He took His visible presence away from them.

You might think this would be devastating to Jesus' followers. But the effect was exactly the opposite. They had no separation anxiety. Jesus' miraculous ascension gave His followers certainty. They were certain that all He had claimed in the past, was true. They were certain that His presence and power would remain with them as they began their ministries. And they were certain that Jesus would return one day, and they would ascend into the sky to meet Him.

We read Luke's account of Jesus' ascension in...

Acts 1:1-11 (ESV)

1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.
4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
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The ascension of Jesus Christ gave confidence to His believers. Jesus had performed many miracles throughout His ministry. He had cast out demons, healed the sick, walked on water, fed thousands with a little boy's lunch - He had even raised people from the dead. More recently, He Himself had stepped out of a tomb after being stone dead for three days. Each of these miracles was a sign. An arrow that pointed to Jesus and said, "This guy is from God. Listen to what He says".

While Christ's resurrection from the dead was the GREATEST miracle which proved He was the Savior, the ascension of Christ was the FINAL miracle which shouted this same message.

I have two study Bible's that I use. Both of them have charts which list Jesus' miracles. Oddly enough, they both leave Jesus' ascension off the list! Water to wine, oh yes that's a miracle. But being lifted up from the ground and into the sky until you disappear - that somehow doesn't make the list.

Why do we forget about the ascension? Instead we aught to hold this miraculous sign in our minds. It's unique in the list of miracles, and it's significant. Not only was Jesus showing one last miraculous sign, validating His identity as the Savior, He was also impressing the disciple's assignment on their hearts.
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We all know the great commission. At some point after His resurrection Jesus told His disciples...

"...All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV).

With Jesus disappearing up into the sky, that assignment really came home to His disciples. Dad can teach you how to throw the ball, but when coach sends you to the mound in the final inning - well, YOU'VE got to throw the pitches.

Jesus would remain with His disciples spiritually, speaking through His them and to them by the Gospel. But all the same, the disciples would now take on the responsibility of going and doing the Master's gracious will like they had never done before. Their task was to bring peace to those weighed down by guilt. Their task was to bring forgiveness to sinners who were lost and hopeless in sin - by sharing the Gospel message.
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By making His exit in such a public and visible way, Jesus also left His disciples with no doubt as to where He had gone. When the angels who announced Jesus' birth were done telling the shepherds where they'd find Him, the angels went back into heaven. Jesus had now done the same. He had left the earth, passed through the sky, and had disappeared into the presence of the Eternal Father. Our sermon text in Acts doesn't explain the complete significance of this action, but the rest of the New Testament does.

In Ephesians Paul wrote...

" [God] raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way" (Ephesians 1:20-23 NIV).

When Paul writes that Jesus was seated at the right hand of God, he doesn't want us to think of a place. He wants us to think of the power now restored to Christ.

During His ministry Jesus did not exercise full use of His powers as God the Son. Now, He does. As the supreme ruler of all things, Jesus now uses His power to further the Gospel message. He builds the faith of His followers through the Bible, and He builds up His Church by adding new believers to the kingdom of grace.

In Romans Paul wrote...

"Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?" (Romans 8:34-35 ESV).

The God-Man now hears our prayers as they float up to the Father's side. He hears them, and intercedes on our behalf. He continues to declare sinners like us right with God because of His sacrifice in our place.

While on this earth, Jesus also told His disciples that He was going to depart and prepare a place for them. In the book of John Jesus said...

" 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also" (John 14:1-3 ESV).

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Everything about Jesus' ascension gave confidence to His followers. Sure, they had work to do, but Jesus was still with them through the Gospel. His Gospel would bring souls to believe and be saved. Their failures or successes in service to Jesus would not effect their eternal destination. Their salvation was secure in Christ. He had opened the way to heaven through His suffering and death on the cross, and now He was preparing their eternal place in Heaven.
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Stop for a just a moment and imagine the scene on that first ascension day. Jesus has said His final words of blessing to His believers. He has risen up above their heads into the blue sky above. Higher and higher He rises. Down below, the crowd of followers who had encircled Him stand motionless, heads raised, all eyes on Jesus. Soon, the clouds will envelope Him and they will see Him no longer, but for now, all eyes are on Him.

This is one thing the ascension does, it focuses our attention on Christ, and on Christ alone. As our one Savior. As our great teacher. As the miracle worker. As God's own Son coming home.

But the greatest significance of the ascension is not that our eyes are on Him, it is that HIS eyes are on us. He now watches over us from the Father's side. From the place of power and authority second to none. We weren't there when He ascended, but that doesn't make a difference. We have His promises still.

Matthew 18, verse 20 says...

"... where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20 NKJV).

Mark 16, verse 20 tells us...

"...they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them" (Mark 16:20).

In Romans the apostle Paul, who also didn't witness the ascension wrote...

" ...I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, 'The just shall live by faith'" (Romans 1:16-17 NKJV).

Jesus' miraculous ascension still gives us confidence today. It assures us that Jesus is the Savior promised. It makes us certain that our sins have forgiven through Christ. It reminds us that He is the power source in the Christian's life and ministry. And as a final blessing, Christ's ascension serves as a preview of things to come.

In First Thessalonians Paul described what the final resurrection from the dead on Judgment Day would be like to His fellow believers. He wrote...

" ...the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NKJV).

On this ascension day, be filled with joy, for you are forgiven of all your sins through Christ. Be filled with the certainty of the ascension and all that it implies. And glow with anticipation of your own ascension to come, in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Joy Fully Realized - Apr 13, 2012

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SERMON:

When I was a kid, I used to day dream in church. Perhaps it was because I had heard my father's voice from the pulpit so much. Perhaps I just thought I knew it all and didn't need to listen. Whatever it was, I often found my thoughts wandering during the sermon.

Don't mistake my meaning, I wasn't daydreaming about important spiritual things. My daydreaming usually didn't have anything to do with the scripture readings or the sermon theme.

One of my reoccurring daydreams was a what-if scenario. What if (Twilight Zone) all the sudden everyone on the planet disappeared, and mysteriously only I was left to wander the earth. Where would I go? What would I do?

Usually, my planning for this contingency involved visiting all the coolest sporting goods stores for neat gear. And picking out the awesomest vehicle to travel the country in. I'd live off of abandoned supermarkets and convenience store food. Since no one else was around, everything would be mine, right? All those things I could never afford, or wasn't allowed to have - would be mine.

Now, I imagine that if this happened, a kid could be happy for a while. But eventually the novelty of this brand of freedom would wear off. Who would be impressed by all my cool stuff? There would be no one to share in my adventures. No one to talk to. No one to care about. No one to care about me.

Especially in consumer driven America we're led to believe that happiness comes from things we own. Or from experiences we can have, like fun vacation tours or a delicious gourmet meal. But the happiness that comes from these things is temporary. It fades with time. For happiness with a strongrt backbone, we have to look beyond things and experiences. We have to look outside ourselves.
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The Bible teaches that fully realized joy comes from reciprocal love. Love that is shared between beings.

Think back to the very beginning. After God had created the universe, in all its natural beauty and sinless perfection, then God created Man. Just one man to begin with. Adam. The world really was his oyster. It was all his to enjoy. God even put Adam into a special garden paradise and told him that he could eat from endless groves of delicious fruit. It was all his for the taking.

But then, God surveyed the whole panorama of creation and came to this conclusion...

"It is not good that the man should be alone" (Genesis 2:18 ESV).

And so God made a companion that Adam could share the world with. His wife, Eve. Fully realized joy comes from reciprocal love. Love that is shared between beings. Now, Man could experience fully realized joy. Man and woman would live in friendship with the Divine Creator, and in with each other.
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Of course, we know what happened. The Bible tells us that Mankind severed itself from God by sinning. Man pushed God's love away by sinful disobedience. And from that time on, fully realized joy has been hard to come by, and hard to stay in.

Our sins drive a wedge between us and God, and between us and other people. Like a wet blanket thrown on a fire, our sins dampen and snuff out lasting joy.

And that's where God's Son comes in. God the Son became human in order to remove the wedge of sin, and to introduce us to true joy once again.

Jesus Christ took the sins of Mankind on Himself. He suffered the punishment of our rightly deserved hell on the cross. Jesus now offers free forgiveness to all through His sacrifice.

This is the joy that we find in God's only Son. We are forgiven sinners through Him. Restored once again to a relationship of reciprocal love with our Creator.
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In our reading for today, Jesus tells His followers how to remain in this joyful condition. How to keep on experiencing this joy in increasing measure throughout this life, and into eternity.

The key to remaining in Christ, and experiencing lasting joy, is love. Love between Jesus and His follower, and love among Jesus' followers.

John 15:9-17 (ESV)

9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
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Obedience to Jesus is not the way to forgiveness. Forgiveness is a free gift from Jesus. It cannot be purchased by our words and actions. Like it says in John 3...

" God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him" (John 3:16-17 ESV).

Jesus does NOT say whoever believes AND OBEYS GOD PERFECTLY shall not perish. He just says whoever believes in Christ, whoever trusts in Him for forgiveness is safe.

But after saving faith is kindled in the heart of the sinner, dedication to following Christ's commands certainly plays a role in keeping us in faith. Jesus tells His followers to abide in His love. To remain in His love by following the teaching He has taught them.

You could call this the "attitude of faith". Since we have come to believe that Jesus truly cancelled out our every sin, we now seek to live according to His direction, not according to our old ways of sinful living. The world around us teaches that abandoning sinful ways of living leads to boredom. But Jesus says, "These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full". That's not boring.

Jesus had the joy of being the Father's perfect Son. No sin separated Him from the Father. The loving relationship between God the Father and God the Son was one of perfect, reciprocal love. Jesus loved to do his Father's will, and the Father loved to praise His Son for His faithfulness.

Jesus wants us to experience this joy also, and fully. First by knowing that all our sins are washed away, and we stand in a perfect relationship with the Father. Then, Jesus wants us to begin to experience on-going joy through doing the Father's will, just like He did. This on-going backbone of joy becomes ours as we learn to our lives in God's way.

There is a learning curve. That's for sure. As we try to live according to Jesus' every command, we fail at every turn. But at every failure, Jesus is there to pick us up, dust us off, and remind us that, yes, that sin was paid for also. The forgiving love of Christ, expressed on and given through the cross, then moves us to love Him in return. In real, tangible ways.
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Christ's love doesn't just move us to love HIM, it also moves us to love EACH OTHER. Let me read again what Jesus told His followers. Verse 12...

"12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another" (John 15:12-17 ESV).

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Fully realized joy comes from reciprocal love. But not only between Jesus and His follower. Fully realized joy also comes from reciprocal love AMONG Jesus' followers.

The love shared between the followers of Christ builds up the body of Christ, the church.

Faith is simply trust, wrapped up with love. You can see as much in the words of the thief on the cross. You remember his story right? When Jesus was crucified, there were two other men crucified beside Him. One of these men came to trust in Jesus as His Savior and said,

"Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (Luke 23:42 ESV).

Now, this man didn't say, "Jesus, I love you, remember me when you come into your kingdom", but we can read between the lines there and see that love for Jesus was all wrapped up in this man's faith. Faith is trust, wrapped up with love.

As we Christians continue to trust and love Jesus because of all that He endured in our place, we can then begin to trust each other, and love each other. We are friends of the King! And our King tells us to love each other to the same degree that HE loved US!

As we cultivate trust and love in our fellowship, that relationship can grow out and invite more sinners into Christ's family. Jesus told His followers,

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide..." (John 15:16 ESV).

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There are a lot of ways to show love to our neighbors, but the way that LASTS is to introduce them to our Savior, and theirs. That is fruit that doesn't fade away. That is fruit that lasts to eternity.

Now, loving Jesus by keeping His commands and loving others with the same dedication that He had to us is a tall order. But Jesus tells us that every time we fail, we have forgiveness to catch us.

In one of his letters, the apostle John told his fellow Christians,

"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:1-2 NIV).

And not only that, Jesus assured His followers that God the Father would supply whatever they needed as they moved forward in their faith lives, trying to share the Gospel message with the world. Jesus said, "...I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you..." (John 15:16 ESV).

That's the promise of a dedicated Father. Whatever you need, I'll provide it. I've chosen you for salvation, and I've chosen you for this ministry of grace. I WILL support your work in my Kingdom.
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Now, I'd like to share a little story with you. I heard a preacher use this story as a sermon illustration, and it's a good one. This preacher had a member in his congregation who did some work with Habitat for Humanity. Now, Habitat for Humanity builds houses for people who don't have them.

Now this member was a pretty important contributor to Habitat for Humanity, and so he was invited to an important fund raiser. At this fund raiser, he was seated next to Brad Pitt. Apparently Brad Pitt does work with Habitat for Humanity also. And it's not just a photo op for Pitt. He actually swings a hammer and helps to build houses.

So, this member was led to his seat, and the guy said, "Here, you'll be sitting next to Brad Pitt" and then he went away. So the member sits down next to Pitt and says, "So, you're an actor?".

Pitt replies, "Yep, I'm an actor"

"On broadway?"

"No, I make movies. Ask one of your grandchildren if they've seen a movie with Brad Pitt, they probably have".

This member had his own business to run, and didn't really pay much attention to movies and magazinea, so, he actually didn't know who Brad Pitt was.

Now, imagine if you went to work for Habitat for Humanity, and Brad Pitt was sent to work with YOU building a house. And Brad Pitt says, "Shoot, I don't have a hammer." What would you do?

Now, if you're fan of Brad Pitt, you'd get him a hammer. You might even give him yours! If he needed lunch, you'd go and get it for him - HE'S BRAD PITT!

The point of the illustration was this: Our service to someone is a function of our admiration of them. In other words, the more you admire someone, the more you are willing to do for them. Our service to someone is a function of our admiration of them.
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When it comes to our service to Jesus, we might not feel like we're doing a very good job. After all, we fail to follow Jesus' commands every day. When it comes to service to our fellow Christians, we might not feel like we're doing a good job either. How many times haven't we snapped at our brothers and sisters in Christ? How many times have we assumed the worst instead of putting the best construction on something they've said or done.

When we feel that our service to Christ and Christ's people is pathetic at best, that's when we need to go back to the foot of the cross. Our service to Christ is a function of our admiration for Him. We need to constantly go back to the foot of the cross to grow in our admiration for the Savior who gave everything He had to save us from hell. There at the cross we see just how He loved us first. There at the cross we see how free from sin we are because of Jesus. We are completely free. Forgiven once and forever. In the light of His love, ours will grow. And as it does, the cup of our joy will fill.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us first. Before we ever loved you, you loved us. Thank you. Help us to truly walk in your ways, and to experience true joy in this life, as we walk toward the eternal life in heaven that you have promised is ours by faith in You. Through your Gospel message, increase our admiration for you, and so increase the quality of our service to you, and to our fellow Christians. And help the reciprocal love between you and us, and between us and our fellow Christians to yield a joy which is full. Amen.

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

No Surprises in God's Vineyard - Apr 6, 2012

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This Sermon was written by Pastor Paul Naumann who serves our sister congregation in Tacoma, WA. It was used as a devotion this past week at Pacific Coast Pastoral Conference in Clarkston, WA.

SERMON:

To the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever, Amen. The text that we will consider today comes from the Gospel of St. John, chapter fifteen, beginning with verse one, as follows:

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” Thus far the holy Word.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, the Vine of our salvation and the source of every blessing, Dear Fellow Redeemed,

There is such a thing, of course, as a pleasant surprise. A surprise birthday party, a surprise phone call from a friend, or a surprise refund from the IRS. Many people like surprises in their lives and eagerly look forward to them. Pastors are different. Pastors, as a rule, don’t like surprises. Most of us would be happy if there were no surprises at all in our ministry. Because of course we’re all too familiar with the kind of surprises pastors usually get – the 3:00 a.m. phone call summoning us to the hospital. The whispered report about a member who has become involved in a sinful situation. A sudden and unexpected outpouring of criticism from a member whom you had no reason, previously, to think was unhappy. No. As far as most pastors are concerned, the fewer surprises the better.

If that’s the case, then there’s good news for you in our text for today. It’s a passage that describes the conditions in the vineyard of the Lord – the working environment of every believing Christian, and particularly every believing Christian pastor. You’ll be happy to learn that, when you go to work in the vineyard of the Lord, He tells you beforehand exactly what to expect. We are Easter Preachers, and for Easter preachers…

THERE ARE NO SURPRISES IN GOD’S VINEYARD

I. You can expect the pruning process.
II. You can expect no fruit without Christ.
III. You can expect much fruit with Christ.

At our Fall 2008 conference in Vernon BC, we visited the Mission Hills Winery in Kelowna. It was very interesting. What particularly fascinated me was how little has changed over the centuries in the cultivation of grapes. In modern terminology, a grape farmer – someone who takes care of a vineyard – is called a viticulturist. One of the chief jobs of a viticulturist is to prune the grapevine periodically. He does this for two reasons. Sometimes a branch isn’t bearing any fruit at all, in which case he severs it completely. Sometimes a branch is bearing fruit, but extraneous growth is robbing some of the nutrients, in which case he cleans it by removing the unhelpful growth. Vinedressers were doing it thousands of years ago, and they’re still doing it today. No surprises.

How reassuring to learn that THERE ARE NO SURPRISES IN GOD’S VINEYARD, either. Jesus makes clear, first of all, that you can expect the pruning process. That’s no surprise. He says, Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

There are two related words here, airo and kathairo, but they mean two totally different things. In English we might say it is the difference between “cut off” and “cut back”. Those branches that are completely unfruitful are the unbelievers, those who, though they may go by the name “Christian”, show by their lack of fruit that they have no connection at all to the Vine. These the vinedresser cuts off; they are destined for the oven. But what of those who are not nominal Christians, but real Christians? Those who are attached to Christ the Vine? These the vinedresser cuts back – He trims them and prunes them in order to make them more fruitful.

I was surprised one day when my wife asked for pruning shears for her birthday. That sounded like an underwhelming gift idea to me. I’d seen pruning shears hanging in the checkout line at Home Depot for a couple of bucks. But those weren’t the ones she wanted. They’re made in Taiwan. She wanted Felco pruning shears, which are made in Switzerland. Felco pruners, I quickly discovered, can cost up to $50 or more. Yet they’re very popular – why? For two reasons: they’re sharp, and they’re accurate. They make the cleanest possible cut in just the right place on a tree or a vine. That minimizes damage to the plant, lets it heal more quickly, and leads to greater fruit.

God in His love sometimes “cuts us back”. He prunes us, cleans away the extraneous material in our lives and trains us for our service to him. Sometimes this pruning and training is painful. But God knows what He’s doing. His pruning shears are sharp and very accurate. He makes the cleanest possible cut in just the right place to make you more fruitful in your life as a Christian, and your ministry as a Christian pastor. The writer to the Hebrews observes, Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. -- Hebrews 12:11.

Jesus has some wonderful words for His disciples in the middle of this message. Did you catch them, in verse three? You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. “You are already clean.” I mentioned yesterday that sheep can’t clean themselves. Well, neither can branches. They need the vinedresser. Jesus’ disciples had heard and believed the word of salvation spoken to them by their Master. Peter said, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. -- John 6:68.You too have received that saving, nutritious Gospel from Christ, your true Vine. And before you can apply that Gospel to the alarmed sinners in your parish, you should by all means appropriate its comforting message to yourself. Pastors have a lot to confess. So bring your sins and failures daily to your Lord Jesus. Confess them, forsake them, and seek your Savior’s forgiveness. Here too you will find no surprises. For as often as you ask, He will pardon. As often as you seek Him, he will bind up your hurts and pour balm into your wounds. The 103rd Psalm has perhaps the most beautiful description in the Bible of the infinite mercy of God toward sinners: He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor punished us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 As a father pities his children, So the LORD pities those who fear Him. -- Psalm 103:10-13.

THERE ARE NO SURPRISES IN GOD’S VINEYARD. The second thing that shouldn’t surprise anybody is that you can expect no fruit without Christ.Jesus says, 4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. …Without Me, you can do nothing.”

I said it shouldn’t come as a surprise that you can’t accomplish anything in the church without Christ. But it’s amazing how many church leaders how many church leaders keep losing sight of that fact. It’s amazing how many church leaders – even among confessional Lutherans – are drawn to social engineering and the methods of the so-called “Church Growth Movement.” They draw their inspiration not from the Word of God but from the fads of popular culture. They cater not to the real needs of souls lost in sin, but to the “felt needs” of people who don’t want to be confronted with their sin.

Jesus snaps us back to reality. Without Me, you can do nothing. “Ouden” means nothing at all – not the least little bit. That’s what you can accomplish without Christ. Without that life-giving connection to Christ the Vine, and to His efficacious Word, you can do absolutely nothing. Can a branch severed from the vine, lying dead and shriveled on the ground, bear a fine cluster of grapes? I doubt it. But it’s even less likely that you could ever accomplish anything worthwhile for the kingdom of God apart from your Lord Jesus Christ and His Word. Again, who are the Easter believers? Who are the true followers of the risen Christ? Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. -- John 8:31.

THERE ARE NO SURPRISES IN GOD’S VINEYARD. While it is undeniably true that you can expect no fruit without Christ,we can be truly joyful in the fact that the converse is also true: you can expect much fruit with Christ.I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit

Sometimes it is the old vines that are the most fruitful. In Hampton Court, near London, there is a grape vine that was planted in 1769, seven years before the Declaration of Independence. The Great Vine, as it is referred to , is now 12’ around at the base, and it’s longest branch is over 120’. As old as it is, it continues to bear abundant fruit, in one recent year yielding nearly half a ton of grapes. Asked the secret of its great fruitfulness, the head gardener at Hampton Court Palace attributed it to careful pruning over the years, as well as a healthy flow of nutrients from the the branches to the vine.

Precisely the same thing is true of Christians, of course, and that’s why Jesus used this crystal-clear metaphor. On our own we are nothing. If we should become detached from our True Vine, Jesus Christ, we cannot even live, much less flourish and bear fruit. But what happens when you maintain that attachment to Him, continually strengthening and cultivating your connection to Jesus Christ? What happens when you delve into God’s Word, read and study it daily and are constant in prayer for yourself and your members? What happens when you present this life-giving Word faithfully week by week from your pulpit? Then stand back, my brothers, and prepare for a bountiful harvest, for there will be abundant fruit! For the power to bear fruit comes not from you but from God. The Lord says, So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. -- Isaiah 55:11

This is what we expect, for this is what God has promised. THERE ARE NO SURPRISES IN GOD’S VINEYARD. But what a joy for cracked clay pots such as ourselves to bear this precious treasure of the Gospel! What a privilege for us actually to be branches connected to the true vine of Christ! Yes, flawed and imperfect branches that we are, and in constant need of pruning and correction, yet we are connected to the True Vine, the Fount of eternal Life. What a blessed privilege! I had this driven home to me recently when the Lord very deliberately pruned away an extraneous secular job that I had held onto for many years. I was surprised by the joy and freedom I experienced when I could finally give myself wholly to the Lord's work. I shouldn’t have been surprised, of course. What happens when you strengthen your connection to the vine? No surprise – you become more fruitful. It was many centuries ago that the Apostle Paul told the young pastor Timothy,Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. 16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you. -- 1 Timothy 4:15-16. Cultivate that all-important connection to the Vine, and you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

Hudson Taylor once said, “The branch of the vine does not worry, and toil, and rush here to seek for sunshine, and there to find rain. No; it rests in union and communion with the vine; At just the right time, and in the right way, there is the right fruit found on it. Let us so abide in the Lord Jesus.” Yes, as Easter Preachers let us abide in our True Vine and take advantage of the life-giving nutrients He offers us daily, in His Word. Here in God’s vineyard THERE ARE NO SURPRISES. We expect the painful but necessary pruning process. We certainly expect no fruit apart from Christ. But with Christ, as branches attached to His life-giving Vine, we expect and receive much fruit! God grant it, both in our lives and our ministries, AMEN.

-Pastor Paul G. Naumann

Flock and Shepherd - Apr 29, 2012

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SERVICE INTRO:

In the Bible, God describes His followers as a flock being led by a shepherd. Our Bible readings for today will deal with this image of God's people - either describing the flock, or the Good Shepherd who leads them.

SERMON BITES:

First Reading Acts 4:23-33 (NKJV)

23 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. 24 So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them, 25 who by the mouth of Your servant David have said:
‘Why did the nations rage,
And the people plot vain things?
26 The kings of the earth took their stand,
And the rulers were gathered together
Against the LORD and against His Christ.’
27 “For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”
31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.
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For this reading I'm going to focus in on the last two verses. I'll read them again.

"32 Now the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul; neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all" (Acts 4:32-33 NKJV).

There were some very different people in this group. Matthew, also known as Levi, was among them. He was a tax collector for the Roman government. Before he met Jesus, Matthew made extra money for himself by charging his countrymen more than the tax code required. Tax collectors were known for this, and so, Matthew's fellow Jews considered him a traitor. After joining up with Jesus, Matthew stopped robbing the people like this, but his reputation couldn't be rebuilt in a day.

Also among the followers of Jesus was Simon the Zealot. The Zealots were revolutionaries who worked against the Roman government every chance they got. If it was sabotage, great. If violence was needed, fine. They were the extreme patriots of the Jewish nation. The Bible doesn't tell us what kind of things this Simon did back when he was a Zealot, but the fact that he was known as "Simon the Zealot" tells us enough.

Matthew the tax collector and Simon the Zealot were about as different as it gets. And yet, when they became followers of Jesus, they were changed. United.

Our reading tells us that the early Christian church was so unified that they had "one heart and one soul". Their old lives were past, their new life in Christ had begun.
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In the Bible, God describes His people as a flock. A flock is a group of individuals united under the leadership of a shepherd. The flock of God's early followers was united by their faith in Jesus Christ, the promised Savior from sin.

Because they knew that in Christ their sins had been forgiven, they could forgive each other's sins. And they could work through differences in their own character and opinions.
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Now, I don't want you to misunderstand me. There are a lot of churches today that throw out teachings of Jesus for the sake of unity. That's not the kind of "working through differences of opinion" that I'm talking about. Unity under Christ doesn't come from changing what HE says, it comes from the Holy Spirit changing what we believe. Conforming our hearts and minds to Christ's Word.

The Christians of the early church compromised all the time. But not when it came to what Jesus taught. That wasn't on the table of compromise, because that was the source of their unity.

Acts 2:42 speaks of this dedication to Christ's Word when it says of the early church...

" 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer" (Acts 2:42 NIV).

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Because the unity of the early church was based on adherence to Christ's teachings, the early Christians were sure of what they were doing. They were enabled to be bold in the face of violent opposition from the ruthless religious leaders of Jerusalem because they knew they were teaching Christ's Message.

The Holy Spirit was working through the message of sins forgiven to such a degree that these young Christians were even overcoming their own selfish interests. They were putting each other first. They didn't look at the world from a ME first point of view anymore. They were in this together. They were a team under the coaching of Christ. They were a flock seeking to follow their Great Shepherd's leading, and His leading alone.
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Before Jesus was arrested and crucified, all the apostles had sworn that they would die rather than desert Him. But they hadn't lived up to this promise. But now, they really would have died rather than desert their Savior. And why? They seen the risen Christ. Our reading says,

"With great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all" (Acts 4:32-33 NKJV).

With their testimony the apostles, and all the other followers of Jesus, invited other sinners to join the unity. To be one in heart and soul with Christ. With this testimony, they offered peace with God to the sinners around them.

This is what we want to do as God's flock in Lynnwood, WA. Since we have received grace and forgiveness from our Savior, we pour it out on each other. We practice compromise when it comes to the things that aren't written in stone by God's Word, and we invite others to experience this unity with us.
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Psalm of the Day Psalm 23 (NKJV)

A Psalm of David.

P: The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
C: He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
P: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
C: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
P: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
C: And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever.
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King David knew all about tending sheep. He had been a shepherd since he was a boy. He had led the flocks to pasture. He had coaxed them down to drink from streams. He had fended off predators with rod and staff.

Before David faced the giant Philistine warrior named Goliath, King Saul tried to tell the boy that he really had no business meeting Goliath in battle. David replied,

“Your servant used to keep sheep for his father. And when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb from the flock, 35 I went after him and struck him and delivered it out of his mouth. And if he arose against me, I caught him by his beard and struck him and killed him. 36 Your servant has struck down both lions and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defied the armies of the living God” (1 Samuel 17:34-36 ESV).

David knew what shepherding was all about. And he saw a parallel between shepherding and the watchful care of the LORD.

When the LORD is leading you, you know that He has good things in store for you. In the green pastures and still waters of Psalm 23 we see a picture of the spiritual health and healing that God's people receive from His hand.

Of course, it isn't always green pastures and still waters. Sometimes there's dark valleys to walk through. Canyon lands with dark shadows and threatening caves. But when the Shepherd is leading, we can bear these times.
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And that brings up an important point in this poetic description. A shepherd LEADS his sheep. He doesn't drive them forward into the scary canyons. He goes first. He meets the predators who want to take us away from God, and into hell.

Our Jesus is a Shepherd, not a cheerleader. He doesn't just stand by our side to cheer us on. He went out alone to the cross and the grave. He was beaten and tortured for our sins. He died in our place. And then He rose to life. He led the way and cleared the path of our sins so that we can walk the easy road of forgiveness.
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That brings up another important point in this description. Without the Shepherd, the sheep don't wouldn't have a chance. But with the Shepherd, we can't lose.

David expresses this certainty when he writes...

"Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever" (Psalm 23:6 NKJV).
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NT Letter 1 John 3:1-2 (NIV)

3:1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.
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There is a certain intimacy in the picture of the LORD as our Shepherd. He leads us to food and water. He tends our wounds. He watches over our souls. But here, John offers an even more intimate picture. God calls us His own children.

It's one thing to belong to the King. It's another thing to be His sons and daughters. Through faith in Christ, we are children of God.

Like it says in Galatians...

"27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise" (Galatians 3:27-29 ESV).

Jesus explained what being a child of God ultimately means. If you're a child of the King, then you get to live in the palace. On the evening before Jesus was crucified, He told His disciples...

"1 Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going" (1 John 14:1-4 NIV).

Our reading from First John informs us through Christ we will not only have an amazing new place to live. When we live beside God, we will be remade to be like Christ was after His resurrection. Our bodies will be perfected. Ready to live forever.

Better than that, our very souls will be free from the sinful nature that hinders us in this life. We will no longer jump to stupid and false conclusions. We will no longer have sinful thoughts and emotions flare up on our minds. We will be LIKE HIM, for we shall see him as he is.

Being a child of God means that we will one day get to see God clearly. Just what will that be like? I don't have a clue. But I can't wait to find out.
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Gospel History John 10:11-18 (ESV)

11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
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In this last reading Jesus calls Himself the Good Shepherd and then describes how He would voluntarily die for the sins of His people.

The way that Jesus speaks here was prophetic. He returns again and again to the fact that He would soon lay down His life for the sheep. He would die on the cross to atone for their sins. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Jesus was not merely a great moral teacher. Here He claims to be the Savior, and the only Savior for sinners.
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When you read this section over and over, you begin to see many different characteristics of Jesus. These characteristics come out in that singular event that defines Him as the Savior; the fact that He died for others.

Let me explain what I mean. Jesus says that He isn't like the hired hand who watches the sheep for a paycheck. That guy sees the wolf approaching and makes a "business decision" and gets out of harm's way. The hired hand isn't paid enough to die for the sheep - so he abandons the sheep for his own safety.

This is what the false prophet does. He's only there for personal gain, so when the going gets tough, the false prophet abandons ship.

Not so with Jesus. He is no cowardly hired hand present only for personal gain. He is the owner of the sheep. He stands bravely against the wolf because these are HIS sheep to defend.
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And that brings out another trait of Christ. He is loyal to His own. He's not going to abandon them. He loves them. He will fight to the death for them.

Jesus says this is one of the reasons the Father loves Him. He is obedient to the Father. The Father sent Him to save the sheep, and so that's what He would do on the cross. Our Good Shepherd was obedient to the Father's gracious will to save sinners.

Though Jesus was obedient to the Father's will in going to the cross, there is yet another trait revealed in that obedience. Choice. Jesus chose to go to the cross for sinners. He laid down His life voluntarily, not grudgingly. It was hard to choose this path, but because it was the Father's will, and the only way to save sinners, Jesus chose it willingly. Our sins deserved Hell. So, Jesus suffered Hell.

Jesus says that He received the authority to lay down His life and to take it up again from the Father. It was His mission.
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This is the Good Shepherd who still watches over us today. A Good Shepherd who lived and died to save us from our own stupid and disgusting sins. And this is why we can have utter confidence in His care today, and forever. You have a protector who GAVE Himself for you. That protector can no longer die.

It's one thing to be confident because you have a bodyguard who you know will throw Himself in front of a bullet to save you. When you have a bodyguard who will do that, and yet cannot die - well, that leads to a whole other level of confidence.

Jesus suffered for your sins. He died to pay your debt of sin off. And then He rose from the dead victorious. If you die in Him, trusting in Him for forgiveness and life, He guarantees that you will rise again, just like Him. This is the promise that we have from the Father, in the Son.
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So, when the valleys get dark in your life, remember who is leading you down those valleys. He knows the way and will face the dangers ahead. When your sins seem heavy on your soul, remember who already took them on His shoulders. They may SEEM heavy, but they are already gone. Forgiven. And when you face the darkest valley, the valley of death, remember His feet have already been there. And at the end of that path eternal life and glory will dawn on you too, little sheep.
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I'd like to close our mediation on the Good Shepherd with a blessing found at the end of the book of Hebrews. There it says...

" 20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen" (Hebrews 13:20-21 NIV).

Amen.

A Real Relationship - Apr 22, 2012

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Doubting Thomas - Apr 15, 2012

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Lost and Found - Apr 8, 2012

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SERMON:

Many historical events have come down to us from a single source. One person who recorded what they witnessed. But the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is not founded on the testimony of any one person.

Crowds of people witnessed Jesus' crucifixion and death. Some were His friends. Some His enemies. Some merely Roman soldiers doing their job.

But, while there were many witnesses of Christ's death, there were even MORE witnesses of His resurrection. The apostle Paul wrote...

" 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me" (1 Corinthians 15:3-8 ESV).

When Paul wrote these words, you could actually go and interview these witnesses for yourself. They were still alive and could tell you what they had seen. And these witnesses WERE interviewed. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John contain information drawn from these witnesses.

This has led some historians to say that the death and resurrection of Jesus is the most testified to event in all of human history.
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For our meditation today we're going to hear from just one of the many witnesses of Christ's resurrection. One of the very first to see the risen Christ. Mary Magdalene.

Just who was this Mary? What was her relationship to Jesus? And what do we learn from her testimony? Today we find out. May the Holy Spirit bless our hearts and minds as we turn to the sure testimony of God's Word.

John 20:11-18 (NKJV)

11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”
She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!”
She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).
17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.
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When a witness testifies in a court of law, the court is mainly concerned with testimony connected to the case, not with knowing that person's whole life story.

In the same way, the Bible doesn't record the whole life story of Mary Magdalene. But it does give us some information concerning her life and character.

Mary came from the city of Magdala in Galilee. She had once been possessed by seven demons. But during His ministry in Galilee, Jesus had met Mary, and had cast these demons out of her. For this, Mary was ever grateful.

She showed her thankfulness to Jesus by following along with His disciples. She, and other women whom Jesus had helped, supported Him throughout His ministry. They even followed Jesus from Galilee to Jerusalem in the last week of His earthly life.

While Jesus' other friends abandoned Him when He was arrested, Mary and a handful of other women followed Him all the way to the cross. Mary Magdalene was there when Jesus was crucified. And after His death, she followed on, witnessing from a distance when His body was laid in the garden tomb.
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On that Friday afternoon when Jesus died, there wasn't much time to prepare His body for burial. At nightfall the Sabbath would begin, and working on the Sabbath was forbidden for a Jew. Mary knew the men who buried Jesus had worked quickly to finish their task before the Sabbath began. And so, she made up her mind up to go to His tomb the day after the Sabbath. She and the other women would make sure that the job had been done right. They would perform this one last act of kindness for the Teacher who had been so kind to them. For the friend they had come to love.
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But when Mary and the others approached the tomb early on the first Easter the morning, they found that it had already been opened, and the body of Jesus was missing.

This confused and distressed Mary. She had not expected this at all. Her preparations had been made with the assumption that she would find the Lord's body laying there, cold on the slab. But now, He was nowhere to be found.

She lingered there outside the tomb, not knowing what to do. Crying and struggling to make sense of it all. Or perhaps just struggling to stay afloat amid the flood of her emotions.

She was so distraught that when she stooped to look through the low doorway that led down into the tomb, she didn't even question the presence of two angels that sat there, looking like men dressed in white.

When they asked her why she was weeping, she didn't even bother to ask them why THEY were even there. She just numbly answered their question. Someone had taken her Lord away, and she didn't know where they had put Him.
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And it was then, that the risen Jesus stepped into the dark whirlwind of Mary's distress. She turned and saw Him, but didn't recognize this new visitor.

"Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Jesus said.

Here I can't help but imagine John's interview with Mary as he was gathering information for His Gospel. Mary says, "And you know what? When I saw Him, I thought He was the gardener! Of all people! And I told Him that if He was the one who had taken Jesus away that He should just tell me where He had put Him and I would take Him back!"

And then the moment of recognition came. The same powerful Savior who had cast out her demons so long before spoke another powerful word to her. Her own name. "Mary!" He said. And her eyes were opened. It was HIM. It was REALLY Him!

"Teacher!", she had cried as she rushed to hug Him. She had hoped to wrap His lifeless form with burial spices. She had even contemplated hefting His body away from whatever place He had been stolen away to. But NEVER had she held out the hope that she would hug His living, breathing form again.

Moments before she had been overwhelmed with sadness and confusion. Now, she was overwhelmed with wonder and with joy.

And then He spoke again. This time His words connected the physical reality of His resurrection to the spiritual significance of it. Jesus said, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, "I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God."

My Father and your Father. My God and your God.

Through His suffering and death in Mary's place, Jesus had once and for all wiped out the record of her sins. Through His sacrifice Mary Magdalene was made a daughter of the Heavenly Father. A sinner made saint through faith in God's Son.

Mary had come seeking the dead Jesus. But in the end it was the living Lord who had done the finding.
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And Jesus is still reenacting this scene today.

When Mary had first met Jesus she was in a hopeless condition. Possessed against her will by seven demons. But Jesus had cast out those demons with His mighty power.

Today, Jesus comes to sinners like us, through the Gospel message. And he declares us free from what we could never have escaped on our own. He declares our sins forgiven through His cross.
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When Mary stood outside the tomb on that first Easter Sunday, she felt confused and utterly alone. Jesus was nowhere to be found and she didn't know what to do.

Today, Jesus comes to His people in distress. When we feel weighed down by sin and guilt. When we feel confused and utterly alone. When we feel like God is nowhere to be found, then He comes to us in Word and sacrament and reminds us that He has not abandoned us. He died to save us from Hell, and He lives to guide us home to Heaven.
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When Mary first saw Her resurrected friend and Savior, she was overwhelmed and sought to hold onto Him. But with His words, Jesus directed her to the greater gift He had risen to give her. He wasn't just there to comfort a friend who was grieving a lost loved one. He was there to tell her that He was going to her future home. To the Father's side. Her Father by faith. To God's side. The God she trusted in, and was now connected to.
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There are many passages in the Bible that tell us that Jesus died to take away the sins of the world. But this little account of Mary's experience outside the empty tomb reminds us that Jesus died - for me, the individual. For you, the individual.

The message of sins forgiven through the sacrifice of God's son has brought masses of people to trust the God of the Bible. But Mary's account reminds us that God comes to each sinner personally. Because, foul sinners though we are, God somehow values us. Loves us. Wants to rescue us from our broken selves and from this broken world. HE seeks US. We stumble through life, seeking and grasping, sinning and searching. Looking for meaning and purpose, peace and happiness. Through this messy storm of our sinful lives - He comes to us. And the lost become found - in Christ Jesus.
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When we approach the tomb on Easter morning, we see what Mary saw. That we have been found.

Our sins erased. Born into God's family. Lost, but through the crucified and then risen Christ, FOUND.

Amen.

Seven Words from the Cross - Apr 6, 2012

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SERMON:

Throughout the season of Lent, we've been painting a portrait of our Suffering Savior. The colors and details of this portrait have been painted by number. One soul distressing in the garden of Gethsemane. Two unscrupulous priests planning Jesus' murder. Three shameful denials by Peter. Four ruthless soldiers gambling for Christ's clothing. Five flesh wounds. Six hours of grief and pain.

Tonight consider the last of our Lenten devotions. We meditate on the final things that Jesus said. Seven times He spoke from the cross. Tonight we consider those seven last words.

FATHER, FORGIVE THEM

"33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. 34 Then Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do'" (Luke 23:34 NKJV).
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In the last twenty-four hours Jesus had been through a lot. In the garden of Gethsemane He had felt deep anguish as he anticipated the suffering to come. As He prayed, Jesus' sweat had rained down like great drops of blood.

Then Judas had come leading a mob to arrest Him. But instead of open denunciation, Judas had betrayed Jesus with a common show of affection. He had kissed Jesus, thus identifying which man the mob should arrest.

Jesus' captors had then taken Him into custody and interrogated Him. With interrogation came beatings, spittings and mockings.
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In the early morning hours, Jesus was brought to the Roman governor for trial. There, Jesus was scourged, and again beaten and mocked. This time by Roman soldiers.

Here in the governor's palace Jesus felt the thorns of a makeshift crown pressed into His brow. Finally, even though pronounced innocent by the Roman governor, Jesus had been sentenced to death by crucifixion.

Preparations were made, and the procession began to wind its way through the city to the place of execution. Along the way, Jesus had fallen under the weight of His cross. A bystander was forced to carry it for Him.

Finally, they reached the hill called Calvary. The place of the Skull. Settling down to work, the Roman soldiers secured Jesus to His cross using large iron spikes and a hammer. First through His right hand, then His left. Lastly they pounded iron through His feet and lifted Him up.
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It was then that Jesus spoke the first of His seven words from the cross.

So far, Jesus had remained relatively quiet throughout this whole ordeal. But now He chose to pray for the soldiers who crucified Him.

Jesus saw the world through the eyes of these godless men, and pitied He them. They knew that they were crucifying a man. They had done it before. But they did not know that this Man was the very Son of God.

What terrible vengeance would come from the Father for such a crime? Jesus didn't want them to find out. So, He prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do".

Jesus did all sorts of kind and gracious things during His earthly life. But, I think this one prayer pegs His character pretty good. In the face of horrible pain, Jesus didn't let bad words slip out of His mouth. Instead, a prayer slipped out, that God might forgive even this evil.

This is grace. Undeserved and unexpected love.

And this is what you and I receive from Jesus too. He did not suffer and die for these soldiers only. He also suffered and died for our sins. The whole crucifixion was one long prayer that said, "Father, forgive them, they don't understand how evil their sins really are".
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WITH ME IN PARADISE

"39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:39-43 NIV).
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During His ministry, Jesus once called Himself "the Good Shepherd". In John 10, verse 27 He says...

"27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand" (John 10:27-28 ESV).

We don't know much about the robbers who hung to the left and right of Jesus. But by their own admission we know that they had committed crimes justly punished by crucifixion.

But in these final hours of their lives, one of them heard the voice of the Good shepherd. One of them saw the way that Jesus carried Himself. Heard the astoundingly selfless prayer that He prayed for His killers.

The robber to the side of Jesus was a violent criminal, yes. But he was no fool. He knew an innocent man when He saw one. And more than that, He could see that Jesus was the Messiah, the Christ, the anointed Savior King so long foretold.

This robber turned and humbly asked Jesus to remember him when Jesus ascended His throne of power and glory. And Jesus turned to this newest lamb of His flock and reassured Him that there was nothing to worry about anymore. Jesus said, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise".

There would be pain for this man before the day was over. Every hour, and minute and second would be pain. But now there was light at the end of the tunnel. He had heard the Good Shepherd's voice. And that voice had promised - TODAY! Today you will step through the gates and into the house of God. Today all pain will end. Today I will lead you to eternally green pastures and still waters.

Why would this filthy criminal be allowed into heaven? Jesus would open the gates by His suffering and death. And connected to Jesus by faith, this former robber would follow.

As Jesus said in John 10...

"14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep " (John 10:14-15 ESV).

What sins do you feel God cannot forgive you? Some harsh and unfeeling words? Sexual sins? Hatred in your inner heart? Blasphemous thoughts expressed toward God?

Remember the robber to the side of Christ. Because of Jesus, he was forgiven in full. Because of Christ, you are also.

That is not my promise. That promise comes from God, and from your Good Shepherd.
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LOVING AND OBEDIENT SON

"26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home." (John 19:26-27 ESV).
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With His first utterance from the cross, Jesus had said a prayer for the ignorant soldiers. With His second word, Jesus had comforted an infant Christian on his deathbed. With His third word from the cross Jesus turned to family matters.

Jesus' own mother had been brought to the foot of the cross. Apparently, the apostle John had rushed to tell others that Jesus was being crucified. Now they had come, not to stare and mock with the crowd, but simply to be there. What else could they do?

It appears that by this time, Jesus' stepfather Joseph had died. The last reference to him in any of the Gospels is found back when Jesus was only twelve. And although Jesus had brothers who could have taken care of Mary, He instead entrusted her to John. Perhaps Jesus did this because He knew that John would care for her physical AND spiritual needs. His brothers did not yet believe in Him.

We sometimes forget that although Jesus was the mighty God, He was also a human son. And a good son He was. Just as He had selflessly prayed for the soldiers, when He saw His mother, all He could think of was making sure she would be taken care of.

"Honor you father and mother", the commandment said. And Jesus did.
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In tending to the needs of His mother, Jesus was also honoring His Heavenly Father. Just as Jesus had kept all the other commandments, Jesus perfectly kept the fourth expression of His Father's will.

He had to do this if His sacrifice was going to cover all our failures to keep God's laws. Only a SINLESS sacrifice would be enough.
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How many different ways have you and I failed to honor our parents? Could we even count those failures? Yet, Jesus never failed. And because He kept this commandment perfectly and offered Himself in our place, our sins against the fourth commandment stand forgiven.
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ABANDONED SON

"34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Mark 15:34 NKJV).
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Perhaps you've seen Mel Gibson's "The Passion of Christ". It does a good job of depicting the physical suffering that Jesus experienced as He was scourged, beaten and crucified. But one place it falls short is showing what Jesus experienced here. In fact, I've never seen a movie that even got close to visually portraying the hell that Jesus felt.

On the cross, Jesus suffered much more than physical pain. He had to. The Bible clearly teaches that the punishment for sin is not just physical suffering and death. The full punishment for sinning against God is eternal separation from Him. At it's core, that's what hell is. Separation from God and all his goodness.

If you had a debt that I wanted to pay off for you, I couldn't just make a down payment. If I really want to let you off the hook I would have to pay every single penny. Only then will your debt be truly removed.

The agony of an eternity of separation from God was somehow condensed into these last hours of Jesus' life. Jesus expressed the agony of feeling this separation when He cried out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me".

This is the true penalty for sin. This the penalty He paid . This is what He rescued us from.
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Most of our services here at Redemption end with the worship leader pronouncing a blessing on the people. It's a blessing from the Old Testament that goes like this...

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26 ESV).

It is because Jesus was not blessed on the cross that we can be blessed. It was because the Father hid His face from the Son, that He can be gracious to us. It is because the LORD visited His wrath on Jesus that He can give peace to sinners like us.

As the song says, "I'm forgiven, because You were forsaken". Thank you Lord Jesus.
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FULFILLER OF PROPHECY

"28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth..." (John 19:28-29 NKJV).
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In Psalm 69 it says...

"21They also gave me gall for my food,
And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink" (Psalm 69:21 NKJV).

When the soldiers lifted up that sponge of soured wine to Jesus' lips, they unknowingly fulfilled prophecy. One more prophecy that cemented Jesus as the Messiah foretold.

This seemingly unimportant even of giving Jesus a drink of their soured wine reminds us that nothing is unimportant when it comes to the life of Christ. EVERY prophecy was be fulfilled. HAD to be fulfilled. If He really was the Savior that God had promised, all the prophecies associated with that Savior simply must be fulfilled.

And they were.

We don't have the time right now to go through all the prophesies He fulfilled. There were prophecies about where He would be born. How He would be born. There were prophecies describing His ministry. Prophesies describing His betrayal. Prophesies detailing His crucifixion and His death.

It's one thing when the vague prophesy from your Panda Express fortune cookie comes true. It's another thing altogether when dozens of specific prophesies from hundreds and even thousands of years ago come true.

Because those prophesies were fulfilled, we can be sure that the promise connected with them is true - our sins stand forgiven in Christ.

To emphasize this truth, Jesus Himself spoke from the cross a sixth time. He said...
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FINISHER OF HIS WORK

"'It is finished!" (John 19:30 NKJV).
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Jesus made this statement after receiving the sour wine offered by the soldiers below. But Jesus wasn't talking about the wine.

Jesus was talking about the cup His heavenly Father had given Him to drink. The cup of punishment which the sins of mankind had filled up.

Just hours before, in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus had prayed...

"Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done" (Luke 22:42 ESV).

Jesus was truly a Man. And the anticipation suffering Hell was horrible. Jesus had prayed that He might not have to drink this cup down to the bitter bottom. But it was not possible if sinners were to be saved from Hell. Someone had to suffer the consequences for sin.

Now, as Jesus hung on the cross just moments from His death, He knew that He had drained that cup to the very bottom. It was finished.

Think on those words when you feel unforgiven. The cup of your punishment is empty. Jesus drank it empty. Think on those words when some false teacher tries to tell you that you have to do something to save yourself from hell.

It - is - finished.

In Christ you stand forgiven.
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MIGHTY VICTOR

"44 It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last" (Luke 23:44-46 ESV).

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I've said this before when talking about crucifixion. Crucifixion was designed as a form of torturing execution that would last as long as human endurance made possible. Crucifixion was designed to make sure your last breath was one of weak, humiliated defeat. That a crucified man would die with a final triumphant cry was unexplainable.

It was so shocking to the Roman centurion who stood at the foot of the cross that He exclaimed...

"Certainly, this man was innocent" (Luke 23:47 NASB)"Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39 NASB).

This centurion had seen men die. He had seen men die on crosses. But He had never seen a spectacle like this. This man didn't surrender to fatigue. This man wasn't taken by death at all. This man took death as if to throttle it into submission.
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And for us today, it's not only the way in which Jesus said these final words that is significant. The very words He chose comfort us like none others can. Father into your hands I commit my spirit.

He could boldly choose death, because His work was finished. And it had all been done perfectly. His mission of paying the price to rescue sinners was complete. Having done what was asked of Him, He could return to the Father.

When you and I die, we can rest our own hearts and minds on these words. We can even say them like Christ if we have the bodily strength left to do so when our death comes. We can say, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit".

Why? Because HIS work in our place stands finished. Our sins erased in ledgers of God.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for preserving your seven words from the cross for us to meditate on tonight. Thank you for revealing the Father's love for us through your perfect life and voluntary death. Thank you for giving us what we could never obtain for ourselves. We ask one more thing from you this evening. Imprint on our hearts YOUR IMAGE, so that we always rest our hope for forgiveness in YOU and in nothing else.

Amen, Lord Jesus! Amen.