Science Proves Evolution True - July 22, 2012

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SERMON:

May grace and peace be yours today, from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

For the past few Sundays we've been using our sermon time to examine a few of the lies of Satan. Satan uses these lies in an effort to pry us away from our Savior kill our trust in Him. Today's lie is this: "Science has proven evolution is true."

May the Holy Spirit bless our hearts and minds as we study this lie, and see what the Bible says about it.
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One of our own young people was standing in a college hallway after class with some friends. They were discussing the theory of evolution and the evidence for and against it. A professor walking by happened to overhear their conversation and stopped to comment. In a disdainful way the professor explained that if you don't believe in evolution, you might as well not believe in the light of the sun. Not believing in evolution is like not believing in the air you breath. Evolution isn't a theory, he explained, it is an unshakable fact. Essentially, that professor was proclaiming Satan's lie that "Science has proven evolution is true."

Indeed, many people believe that science has done just that. But are they right? That is the question.
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In this discussion, let's begin by defining our terms. That's always a good place to start. That way we know that we're talking about the same things, and not just talking past each other.

Science, in it's simplest definition is the acquisition of knowledge. The word "science" comes from a root word meaning just that, "knowledge". But different branches of science have different methods for getting at knowledge. And not every method is as reliable as the next.

To ensure that we're clear about what kind of science we're talking about, some have found it helpful to divide science into two types. Here's a quote from an article I read called, "Science or the Bible?".

"1. Operation science uses the so-called “scientific method” to attempt to discover truth, performing observable, repeatable experiments in a controlled environment to find patterns of recurring behavior in the present physical universe. For example, we can test gravity, study the spread of disease, or observe speciation in the lab or in the wild. Both creationists and evolutionists use this kind of science, which has given rise to computers, space shuttles, and cures for diseases.

2. Origin science attempts to discover truth by examining reliable eyewitness testimony (if available); and circumstantial evidence, such as pottery, fossils, and canyons. Because the past cannot be observed directly, assumptions greatly affect how these scientists interpret what they see.

So, for example, how was the Grand Canyon formed? Was it formed gradually over long periods of time by a little bit of water, or was it formed rapidly by a lot of water? The first interpretation is based on secular assumptions of slow change over millions of years, while the second interpretation is based on biblical assumptions about rapid change during Noah’s Flood" (Science or the Bible? by Ken Ham and Terry Mortenson, Ph.D.).

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Keep that distinction in your mind; operation science and origin science.
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Next, we have to define "evolution". Evolution in it's simplest definition is "change or growth". We use this sense of the word when we speak of our relationships evolving, or our economy evolving. These things are changing, growing in one direction or another.

But when we talk about the theory of evolution, we're not just talking about ANY change and growth. When we speak of the theory of evolution we're talking about the idea that life arose from non-living things. In a phrase, we're talking about molecules-to-man evolution.
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Let me ask you this, when we're talking about molecules-to-man evolution, which type of science are we discussing? Is it operation science which can be tested and proven in the laboratory? Or is it origin science, which seeks to determine what happened in the past using eyewitness testimony and physical evidence? The promoters of evolution may use some lab experiments to support their claims, but molecules-to-man evolution falls squarely in the field of origin science.

This is an important observation to make, because you cannot use Bunsen burners and Erlenmeyer flasks to test the past. The past is the past, and cannot be revisited and tested by the scientific method. We can make educated guesses about the past, but we cannot scientifically prove what cannot be tested.
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One of the lies connected to the theory of evolution is that scientists have arrived at that theory by approaching fossils and other evidence with an open and scientific mind. They have come to the evidence, and the evidence has provided clear stepping stones which have led them to a theory which explains the existence of life.

But this just isn't the case. The theory of evolution doesn't offer a single, clear, flowing explanation of how life came to be. There are PLENTY of holes in the chronology of evolution. Holes that have no explanations. Some would argue that there are more holes than there is substance.

For example, proteins are the building blocks of life. You need proteins or you don't have living organisms. Proteins are made up of amino acids. But so far, amino acids don't appear to be naturally occurring in a lifeless world.

So, where did the first amino acids come from? The theory of evolution doesn't have an testable hypothesis to explain how amino acids could have been created on a pre-life earth.

And even if you could create an amino acid by chance in a dead world, you'd still be light years away from life. You'd have to have the right amino acids (and plenty of them) to create the right kinds of proteins, and then those proteins would have to be arranged correctly to create the cellular structures necessary for life to exist. By the way, the simplest living cell is composed of approximately 10,000 different parts.

One scientist has said that it would be impossible to accidentally form a living cell, and says he can prove it. He suggests that we try this experiment. Fill a sterile test tube with the perfect solution for a living cell to thrive in. Then put a living cell into that test tube. Then take a sterile needle and pop that cell so that all the inside parts of the cell leak out into the tube. Once the cell has been punctured, the scientist has all the parts he needs to make life. He doesn't just have a bunch of disorganized amino acids. He doesn't just have a mass of lifeless proteins. He's got all the super complex organic machinery that fills each and every living cell. But no scientist can make that cell alive again. He's got all the pieces, but you can't put humpty-dumpty back together again.

If we can't make a single living cell when we've got all the parts of that cell already constructed, what makes us think that random chance could make one? Without the parts, without the proteins, without the amino acids?

That leads to another major thing that the theory of evolution fails to explain. What is the difference between a living body and a dead one? What exactly is the spark of life which makes all the difference? Evolution has no answer.

Again, the point is, scientists have not arrived at the theory of evolution because they followed the evidence.
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If you compare the evolutionary literature from one decade to the evolutionary literature of the previous decade, there are huge differences in what is believed and taught. The theory of evolution itself is constantly evolving. What was considered certain and unshakable evidence explaining the process of evolution in one decade is cast away for more plausible explanations in the next.

But one part of the theory is never cast aside. One part that is fundamental to the heart of the theory of evolution: God can have no part in it. God does not exist. God did not create. God is a myth. That's what the theory of evolution is founded upon, not on real, testable science.

And if you think about it, it's not surprising. Apart from God, evolution is the only explanation for the existence of the universe or the existence of life. Think about it like this. I've got a watch in my hand. If it wasn't created by an intelligent being, how could it get here? What are the other options? There is only one other option. It got there by random chance. It's pieces were formed by accident and random chance put them together to form a functioning machine.

When you abandon the idea of a watch maker, random chance is all you have left . So it is with the universe, if you abandon the idea of a creating God, random chance is all you have left.
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So, what exactly does the Bible say about how our universe got here, and how life came to be? Well, you can read all about it in the first few chapters of Genesis. But our sermon reading for today summarizes those events in a single verse. We'll read Exodus 20, verse 8-11. But, verse 11 is the summary verse that I'm eluding to.

Exodus 20:8-11 (ESV)

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
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This is the third commandment in it's entirety. The main point of the verse is that the Israelite people were to take Saturday off to worship God and to rest. They were to model their work week after God's creation week. Six days of work, and rest on the seventh. "Sabbath" means "rest".

Just as a side note, have you ever noted that the ways that we measure time each have a corresponding natural phenomenon? A year is... the earth going around the sun. A month is... based on the cycles of the moon. A day is... the earth rotating on it's axis. But what about a week? There is no corresponding natural phenomenon. We have our week because God created in six days, and rested on the seventh.

Back to the point. The main thing that our sermon text does for our study today is confirm that the six days of creation mentioned in Genesis were indeed six ordinary days.

There are also other proofs of this in Genesis. First of all, when you read Genesis, the simplest understanding of the words is that God created the universe in six ordinary days. This is expressed grammatically when the days are numbered in sequence (first, second, third, etc.). With each successive day the phrase, "evening and morning" is used. And there was evening and morning, the first day. And there was evening and morning, the second day, etc. (the Jews considered evening the beginning of a new day).
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Now, some of you may be wondering, why does it even matter if some people believe that God used evolution to create life and other people believe that God just made living creatures by speaking them into being?

Some churches do indeed teach that the theory of evolution and the creation account of Genesis can co-exist. But this is false. The theory of evolution and the Biblical account of creation are fundamentally contradictory because they say opposite things.

For one example, turn to Romans 5, verse 12. There Paul writes...

"...sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—" (Romans 5:12 ESV).

The theory of evolution says that death existed for millions of years before man did. In fact, the theory of evolution says that we owe who we are today - to death. Because death weeded out the less fit to survive, we are here today.

But the Bible says the opposite. The Bible says that mankind existed before death. The Bible says that death is not a good thing at all! The Bible says death is the horrible consequence of man's sinful rebellion against God! It Mankind let death into the world by sinning against God!

Forget the chicken or the egg; which came first, death or man?! Evolution says one thing, the Bible another.

Is death good, or evil? Evolution says one thing, the Bible another.

These two different belief systems stand on different foundations, and cannot exist together. Given enough time, one will eventually swallow the other.
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When people try to combine evolution with the Genesis account of creation, things get all mixed up. And this is exactly what Satan wants. Here's his attack strategy: First, convince people that scientists have proven evolution is true. That means the Bible's account must be a figurative fairytale. Next, either lead people to combine evolutionary ideas with Genesis, or better yet, discard Genesis altogether.

If Satan can get us to discard Genesis, then we've discarded the book that explains where sin, death and evil came from. If Satan can get us to discard God's Word in Genesis, then we'll have discarded the book that contains God's first promise to send a Savior to take our sins away and restore us sinners to a right relationship with God. (See Genesis 3:15)

When evolution is accepted, it destroys the need for a Savior and makes God into a liar.
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This is why Satan uses this lie. The Bible clearly says God is the Creator of all things. The Bible clearly says that the first two humans sinned and brought death into the world. The theory of molecules-to-man evolution has no place in Bible history.

So... if evolution could be proved true, than the Bible would be proved false. And if the Bible is false, it's promise of life after this one is empty. If the Bible is false, it's insistence that sin is shameful, damaging and damning is not necessarily correct. If the Bible is false, than the idea of a sinless and holy and all-powerful God who threatens to punish sinners but offers forgiveness through His Son is nothing but a fairytale.

This is why Satan uses this lie. If he can get people to believe that science has proven evolution true, that's like dynamite in the foundation of faith.
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Now, one thing that I want to make clear is this. The same evidence exists for evolutionists and creationists to examine. But how we interpret this evidence will depend on what we already believe. We interpret information in line with our preconceived world view. There are only two possibilities, a Creator made this, or random chance did.

So what does the evidence point to? I believe that the evidence points to a Creator. Of course, I'm already a Christian, so I'm biased. But so is everyone else. But I'm not alone in my bias. Jesus is with me. When the Pharisees asked Jesus a question about marriage He responded by saying...

"4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ v 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”" (Matthew 19:1-6 NIV).

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Jesus considered Genesis authoritative when it came to answering the Pharisees' question about marriage. "Haven't you read", He said, It says it right there in the Bible. At the beginning the Creator made them male and female.
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Earlier I said that "origin science" attempts to discover truth by examining reliable eyewitness testimony and circumstantial evidence. When it comes to the origin of our universe and the origin of life, we have an eye-witness who has left us a transcript of what He saw. Jehovah God is that witness, and the Bible is His transcript. Let's hold tightly to HIS trustworthy testimony, and not to the ever changing imaginative opinions of mankind.
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We dare not forget what Satan has in his sights when he aims the lie of molecules-to-man evolution. He has the Gospel of forgiveness in his sights. By erasing the Creator, Satan wishes to begin the chain reaction that will erase passages like these...

" all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24 NIV).

"... the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23 NIV).

" 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life" (John 5:24 ESV).

If Satan can kick Genesis out from under us, than these passages will fall also. That is his purpose.

Let's not let Satan do this. Instead lets cling to the solid testimony of our Creator. That way we can be sure that in the last day when all eyes see the truth, our eyes will not be filled with terror, but with tears of joy because our final salvation is at hand.

On that final day of judgment, may we all stand in the righteousness of Christ. The righteousness that He offers us through His suffering and death in our place. The righteousness that covers over all our sins, and makes us clean in the sight of God. Forgiven and renewed.

On that final day, the fact that molecules-to-man evolution was a lie will be even more obvious than the rays of the sun, and more obvious than the air that we breath. Amen.

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

That's Just Your Interpretation - July 15, 2012

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Service Intro: Sometimes Satan doesn't speak his own lies. Sometimes they come to us clothed in more familiar voices. Perhaps you've heard the lie that we'll study today. It goes like this, "That's just YOUR interpretation."

Sermon Intro: Sometimes Satan doesn't speak his own lies. Sometimes they come to us clothed in more familiar voices. The voices of friends, co-workers, or even family. That's what happened to Jesus in today's Gospel reading.

Jesus had just told His followers that soon they would go with Him to the city of Jerusalem. There He would suffer at the hands of the religious authorities. There He would die. And on the third day He would be raised from the dead.

After Jesus told them these things, Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall NEVER happen to you."

Jesus turned to Peter and said,

"...Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man" (Matthew 16:23 ESV).

How nice it would have been for Jesus to believe what Peter said. That He wouldn't have to suffer and die to take away the sins of the world. But Jesus recognized the sound of Satan's lies when He heard them.

And we need to recognize them too. Especially when those lies are cloaked in the reasonable sounding words of people we know and love.
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Maybe you've been in a religious discussion before, with a friend, with a Christian whom you love and respect. And perhaps in this discussion you've heard the lie of Satan that we're going to focus on today, "That's just your interpretation".

Our sermon reading comes from...

2 Peter 1:20-21 (NASB)

20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,
21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
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The phrase, "That's just your interpretation", gets used for a lot of different reasons.

What I was going to college I worked at the Menards distribution center. I stood on a line packaging up pallets of stuff to be delivered to various home improvement stores across the country. One day the line was slow, and I got into a conversation with one of my supervisors. We were talking about marriage and living together as a couple when you're not actually married. When I told him that the Bible says it's wrong, he responded by saying, "That's just your interpretation". The implication was clear. I could have my own interpretation, but he didn't have to have the same interpretation of Bible. He could believe it said something different if he wanted to.

For once I had the right Bible passage in mind. I told him about our sermon reading, and how it says that NOTHING in the Bible is open to private interpretation. In the Bible God says what He means, and means what He says.

That made my supervisor pretty upset.

"That's just your interpretation" is such a handy phrase to use when you're feeling guilty. A good tool to use when dodging accountability. "Oh, that's just what you think. That's not how I see it. Your interpretation doesn't have to be mine. I can keep living my way, and that's just fine."

Other times, TJYI is used simply as an escape hatch to avoiding the spiritual exercise of real Bible study."Sure, pastor, what you say sounds like it's what the Bible teaches (especially those passages you just read out the Bible). But I'm sure the pastors from MY church could show me other passages that support our view."

Still other times, TJYI is used as a stiff-arm to guard personal beliefs from close examination and re-evaluation. "I don't really want to think about this right now, so I'm just going to say, 'That's just your interpretation' and cut the conversation short."
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Sadly, in our time it appears that many Christians hold to the false idea that multiple, contradicting interpretations of God's Word can be considered equally valid.

This treats the Bible like it isn't that important, and like it's not really all that clear. This attitude treats the Bible like it's an abstract painting. You know, one where the artist really doesn't want to tell you what he intended it to represent. Instead, he just wants everyone to look at it and interpret in their own way. To their own personal enjoyment and enlightenment.

That's fine if you're an artist and if it's your work being viewed. But God didn't inspire the Bible WORD BY WORD so that we can all just say it means whatever we want. God never intended His Holy Word to be open to individual interpretation. That's why the apostle Peter says...

"But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, " (2 Peter 1:20 NASB).

God seeks to communicate to the human race through His Word. He seeks to say specific things about specific situations. He seeks to tell us the truth in a world full of lies.

There are horrible consequences if we don't understand what God is trying to tell us in the Bible. That's why He uses clear and straight forward words.
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In the Bible God says that He created everything in the beginning. It was all perfect. God was not evil, so His creation had no evil in it either. Then a spirit being named Satan opposed God and became evil. He Satan tempted mankind into rebelling against God. This brought death and suffering into the world. But God promised to set things right for the human race by removing the punishment for their sins. God the Son would become human, would suffer the penalty for sin in mankind's place. He would die, and then rise again. All who hear this message and trust in God's promised Savior for their own forgiveness, are cleansed. They are released from the destiny of hell. They are forgiven. They are made children of God through faith in the Son of God and will one day enter God's presence to be with God forever because of the Son's sacrifice in their place.

These are straight forward concepts and ideas. The human race incurred a debt they couldn't pay off. So God paid the debt for us. Jesus is that payment. Through faith in Him we stand forgiven. Pretty simple.
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This is the MOST IMPORTANT message the Bible communicates. But, this isn't the ONLY thing the Bible teaches. So, some people say, "Sure, I believe Jesus is my Savior. Obviously the Bible teaches that. But all the rest of the teachings of the Bible are open to private interpretation".

No.

It's bizarre what people try to say in order to get around listening to what God says in the Bible (myself included). But words have meaning! You can't just assign whatever meaning you want to them.
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In high school we had a joke that the stop signs with white around the edge were optional. That's what we said at the mall when we kinda rolled through those parking lot stop signs, "Ha ha, the ones with the white edges are optional." But the courts of our country don't see it this way. The laws of the United States of America are not a matter of your own interpretation. "Stop" means stop.

It's not like there's no way to figure out what the Bible means. It's not written in code. Sometimes one English translation or another may seem like it, but really it's not.

When it comes to the Bible, we have to remember that the different books of the Bible were WRITTEN AT DIFFERENT TIMES in history. They were written in Greek and Hebrew, language that people understood BACK THEN. They were written in countries that were CULTURALLY DIFFERENT than ours. Of course there's going to be a time gap to bridge! Of course there's going to be a language gap to bridge! Of course there is going to be a culture gap to bridge! But if an English translation does a good job then we have God's Word translated into our own language. Into a language we can understand. Sure, studying about Biblical culture will help us to gain a richer understanding of what the Bible says, but we can still understand what the Bible says from just reading an up to date, faithful translation of the Bible.

Real Bible interpretation is about understanding the words used in the Bible. What they mean. How you can tell when they're figurative or not. It's about understanding grammar and how sentences work. It's about going back to the original Hebrew and Greek when you need too. Real interpretation is about allowing the Bible to explain itself, instead of approaching the Bible with our own beliefs and then holding onto passages that can be used to support our own private beliefs and discarding those passages that can't.
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You know, the same general rules that apply when interpreting the Bible apply when interpreting other writings. To understand an article in a Newspaper, you have to understand what the individual words mean. Then you have to understand how sentences work to transmit information. Then you have to consider the whole article and any other articles you've read by that same person. Then you'll probably have a pretty good idea of what is being said in a one particular article.

Let the words, the grammar and the rest of the person's work speak! If I told an evolutionist that Darwin's book, "The Origin of Species" was really an extended parable expressing Darwin's belief that one God created all life in six 24 hour days that person would scream, "That's not fair! You can't just read your own beliefs into someone else's work!" But that's exactly what humans do to God when they insist that the Bible can mean whatever they want it to mean.

By the way, that's what my seventh grade English teacher Mrs. Devries told me. She said that I surely must know that the Bible could be used to support whatever belief one had. Back then I said, "Sure." I realized that everyone CAN have their own opinions, and the Bible is a big book, so you can usually find something that SOUNDS like it supports your opinion, especially if you take it out of context. But you know... that's not really USING the Bible, that's ABUSING the Bible. Misquoting isn't fair and true interpreting. So, I guess today I'd say that no, you really CAN'T use the Bible to support whatever you believe, because when you let God's Word say what it says, God has very specific things to say. Things that are His own, not ours. We have no right to put our own thoughts in God's mouth.

That's what our sermon text says. Look at it again. It says...

"But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God"(2 Peter 1:20-21 NASB).

Since God wrote it, man has no right to explain it. Only God can explain what He wrote properly, and God does that by using the rest of the Bible.
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Now, there are some times when Christians can have differing interpretations about God's Word and it's actually okay. Let me explain. These exceptions are called "open questions". Where God's Word doesn't actually tell us the specifics about something, it's an open question. We have to let it be. We can't say, "I think it might mean this..." and then demand that this is what the Word of God says, because we dare not put words in God's mouth.

But you know, most of the time when people say, "That's just your interpretation" they're not talking about open questions. They're talking about obvious teachings of Scripture.

And here's where we see how dangerous Satan's lie really is. We know there are some things that the Bible doesn't tack down with passages. Those are open questions. We know there are other things that the Bible definitely speaks about. Those are the clear teachings of the Bible. What Satan does is this: he tries to puts the "open question" tag on things that God has spoken DIRECTLY about.

And why does Satan do this?

Because Satan knows, once you tag one thing "open" which really isn't according to God, then it's easier to tag the next thing "open". And eventually the message about sin and grace is swallowed up in open questions.

Did God really create everything in six days? Well, that's just your interpretation. Then what about the seventh day when Adam and Eve sinned? Was that real? If not, why is God's universe full of evil?

Does God really intend to keep people who love each other apart, like homosexual couples? Well, that's just your interpretation. Well then what about the passages that say that God's gift of sex is only pure within marriage, between a man and a woman?

Is there really only ONE Savior of the world? Well, that's just your interpretation. Then why does the Bible say...

"...Jesus is
“ ‘the stone you builders rejected,
which has become the cornerstone.’
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:11-12 NIV).

When Satan uses people to say "That's just your interpretation" often what he really wants us to hear is, "That's an open question".

But most of the time, it's not an open question. We must be on guard against Satan's lie. If we don't hold tightly to God's truth, then we will either swallowing someone else's agenda, or our own. And only God's agenda is safe. For He is our good Creator, our loving Savior and the God who promises to lead us by His Word. For in that Word it says,

"Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path" (Psalm 119:105 NIV).

And from Second Timothy, chapter 3...

"14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, 15 and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is God-breathed..." (2 Timothy 3:14-16 NIV).

Prayer: Father in heaven, we praise you for giving us the Bible. Through broken and sinful human beings you have caused your thoughts to be written down perfectly for our learning. Through your Holy Word we learn about sin and hell, and how you have rescued us from them. Through your Holy Spirit you unlock the meaning of the Scriptures with the Scriptures. Bless us Lord that we will always have wise people able to translate the Greek and Hebrew into our current language. And give us the desire to dive in and really know your Word. Help us hold onto your teachings in our hearts and minds. Don't let them be forgotten. Forgive us when we disrespect your Word and it's proclamation. Forgive us and renew us through your Son, Jesus Christ, and by your Holy Spirit and your Word, hold us in the faith until we reach your side in heaven. Amen.

You Can Always Get Forgiveness... Tomorrow - July 8, 2012

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Service Intro:

The Bible describes the Devil as a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. It also calls him the father of lies. Today we begin a sermon series designed to help us recognize Satan's lies.

Sermon Intro:

Jesus was required to become human because mankind messed up. That statement is accurate. Adam and Eve first sinned against God in the garden of Eden when they did what God had specifically told them not to do. When they ate the forbidden fruit, they made it necessary for God's Son to become human, and to die in our place so that we wouldn't have to spend eternity apart from God because of our sins.

But, to place all the blame on our first parents wouldn't really be fair. There was another character in the garden after all. One who played a major role in causing the fall into sin. One who slithered away from that first scene of temptation, satisfied that his lies had made quite a mess of things.

Jesus describes Satan in John 8. He says...

"...He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies" (John 8:44 NIV).

If we were really interested in assigning blame, we could make a pretty good argument that Jesus had to go to the cross because SATAN told a lie.

Lies are powerful things. Powerful to damage and destroy, never to build up and strengthen.

The apostle Peter describes Satan in 1 Peter 5. He says...

"8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world" (1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV).

Adversary. Lion. Devour. Peter isn't just being poetic here. He's warning us to watch out for the devil and his lies. Now, if we are to be on guard against this our greatest enemy, then we have to learn how to recognize the lies that he uses so successfully. That way, when we hear those lies we can reject them, and cling instead to the truth of the Bible.

Today, we're going to start a sermon series designed to help us recognize Satan's lies. It's called, "The Lies of Satan". The first lie we'll study is: "You can always get forgiveness... tomorrow." The text for this study is...

2 Corinthians 6:1-2 (NIV)

6:1 As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says,
“In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
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Out at Boeing field there's a old train turnstile. I'm not sure when Boeing bought it, but the turnstile itself is super old. It was actually relocated from Deadwood, SD. It's basically a big steel "Lazy Suzan". It's for putting train engines on different tracks. You drive the engine onto the circle, rotate the circle to the next set of tracks and drive the engine off.

Now, Boeing is pretty into using space age materials and technology, right? So why do they still use this ancient chunk of metal to turn engines around?

Because it works.
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And that's why Satan still uses lies. They work. And when Satan suggests that we should just go ahead and carry out that plan in our heart to do something that we know is sinful, he throws in the lie that we can always get forgiveness tomorrow.

When our sinner's heart hears this, it adds a few lies of it's own. Our heart says, "Yeah, I can get forgiveness tomorrow because I can just choose to be sorry about this sin then."

Actually, no, no you can't. Repentance is NOT an action you can choose to do. Repentance is a attitude of the heart that a person has to be moved into. We don't have some sort of "repentance" switch that we can flick up or down when we want to.

I can jump on command. (Jump, jump, jump). I can whistle on command. (Whistle, whistle, whistle). But I can't repent on command. We think about repentance like it's an action that we can do, but it's not. When we see something that shows a person is sorry about sin, that's not repentance, it's just the outward sign of the spiritual condition which has already changed inside that person. The point is, we can't repent on cue.
Think about it like this. What if I said that I was going to slap you across the face, but that right after that I was going to be genuinely sorry about it and ask for your forgiveness. Ready? Would you think that kind of "repentance" is real?

If other people wouldn't fall for this, why do we think God will? He knows our hearts better than we do. Even if we fool everyone else, God will know the truth of our impenitence.
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When Satan tells us that we can get forgiveness tomorrow, our own sinful heart adds yet another lie. Our heart says, "Yeah, I CAN get forgiveness tomorrow because Judgment Day certainly isn't coming anytime soon. I mean, I know pastor says it could, but come on now, Judgment Day isn't going to be for a long time."

Actually, all the signs that the Bible says have to come before Judgment Day, have happened. And even if Jesus' return doesn't happen for another two thousand years, any of our lives could end at any moment. Did you know that about 36,000 people die from the flu every year? Or that 1,000 people die every year from simply falling down the stairs? And then there are the cases were a brain aneurism, stroke or a heart attack takes someone unexpectedly. And what about car crashes. A friend of mine from college was killed in Wisconsin when another car came all the way across the median of a divided highway and hit his car head on. Sometimes it takes a lot to snuff out a human life. Other times, we get a glimpse of how fragile we really are.

The point is, Jesus could return to judge the world at any time. And any of us could check out at any time. And when we do, the next major scheduled event is our judgment before God's throne.

In 2 Corinthians 5, Paul says...

"...we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10 NIV).
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When Satan whispers that we can always get forgiveness tomorrow, our heart adds still one more lie. Our heart says, "Yeah, that's it! I can get forgiveness TOMORROW. I'll start tomorrow. Rome wasn't built in a day after all. What's the rush?"

Just before reaching for that second or third helping, a friend of mine likes to say, "I'm starting my diet tomorrow." After you hear it about twenty-five times you understand the key word in that phrase is TOMORROW. Because tomorrow is always tomorrow. Tomorrow never comes.

Spiritual procrastination is the most dangerous kind, because when we do it we're lying to ourselves. What makes us think that tomorrow we'll want to abandon the sins we've embraced today?
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Okay, let's review.

Satan says, "You can always get forgiveness tomorrow". Our sinner's heart replies, "Yeah, because 1) I can choose to be sorry later about this sinful thing I'm about to do now. 2) Surely Judgment Day isn't coming anytime soon. 3) I'll start being a Christ follower tomorrow."

God help us to resist this type of damning attitude. In our sermon reading Paul says...

"6:1 As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. 2 For he says,
“In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:1-2 NIV).

We know what God's grace is. Grace is a free gift. Something we don't deserve, can't earn, shouldn't get. But we get it anyway. And the grace that Paul is talking about when he says "God's grace" here is the free gift of forgiveness that we get from Jesus. Because He suffered hell on the cross, we don't have to. Because Jesus had all our sins heaped on Him, they're not on us anymore. And this gift of forgiveness is free!

But it's only a limited time offer. If you get it, it's blessings are eternal, but the offer has time constraints.

That's where we humans can get a little mixed up. We think that since God's grace is meant for everyone, and since it's good enough to cover everyone's sins, the offer has to be unlimited in time too. But that's not right. The Bible says NOW is the day, and if followers of Christ drop the gift of forgiveness in favor of sinful indulgence today, it could be that time's up tomorrow, or even later today.

God's grace is completely free, and it covers all sins, but it is available for a limited time. Don't drop that precious gift by embracing sin on purpose.
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Have you ever done this? Have you ever looked ahead and said in your heart of hearts, "I know I shouldn't do this", but then you did it anyway? You rushed knowingly into sin, thinking that you could beat yourself up later by feeling all guilty and bad, and then come to Jesus and tell Him you're sorry"?

I have. Let's be honest. If not with each other, then at least with God today. Because as amazing as it sounds, if we look back in our past and find open sins against God, even those can be forgiven if we are truly sorry. That's how great our Savior is. That's how big his grace truly is. But if our plan is to live our own way now, and ask forgiveness later. Well, Jesus knows your heart. And His warning is stern.

In Matthew 7, verse 21 Jesus says...

"21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’" (Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV).

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So, we've talked about the lie. But how do we overcome the lie that we can live in sin today and get forgiveness tomorrow?

Well, first of all, God helps to wake us up with some pretty harsh words in the Bible. Words about what hell will be like. Words about fire that doesn't go out. Worms that don't die, but continually feast. Words about suffering people who are furious at God, gnashing their teeth in anguish and anger forever.

The Godless world around us doesn't like to hear these things. A lot of times we Christians don't want to hear them either. But that doesn't stop God from telling us the truth. He's not trying to scare us into believing. He's just telling us the truth about what's coming. He's not manipulating, He's motivating. Waking us up.

Inside of us God has also given us a conscience that serves to help us overcome Satan's lie. Our conscience says, "This ain't right. You're all messed up. You've got stuff that needs to be made right. Sins that need to be paid for."

So, first of all, let's take those passages about hell to heart. And let's listen to our conscience when it says we need to have a heart to heart talk with Jesus.
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Secondly, to help us overcome the lie that we can get forgiveness tomorrow, we should think about the past. Did you know anyone way-back-when that you thought would never turn away from Christ? But they have? Paul did. In First Timothy 1 Paul says...

"... holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme" (1 Timothy 1:19-20 NIV).

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When Satan says, "You can make a change tomorrow" remember the way that Scripture describes hypocrisy. The Bible says that hypocrisy is like yeast. It grows and spreads. We can't expect hypocrisy to fade away if we voluntarily give it a place in our lives.

If your doctor said, "Oh, it's just a little infection. No need to do anything about it now", you'd find a new doctor. Don't treat spiritual infection as if it will fade away. Kill it by bringing that sin to Jesus and tucking it in His wounds.
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There's one more thing I haven't mentioned today. When people believe the lie that we can safely dabble in unrepentant sin today and get forgiveness tomorrow, they forget that sin is like acid. It's caustic and destructive. SOMETIMES sin leaves physical consequences, but it ALWAYS leaves spiritual damage.

But God's path is different than the path of sin. Instead of damage, God's path is a path of healing, blessing and enlightenment. Why risk damage for a little temporary joy when we can risk nothing and be guaranteed blessing? Why start tomorrow when we can be free, empowered, walking with God's Son today?

I tell you , now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.

PRAYER: Father in heaven, you know our inner hearts. You know the sins of our past, and the sins of our today. You know when we have done what we knew was wrong. Forgive us for this horrible insult to your majesty, and to your grace. Forgive us for each and every sinful thought, action and word that we have done. And by the blood of Christ not only cleanse us of the past, but give us courage and strength to live our futures according to you will. As your Word directs us. Lord Jesus, give us your Holy Spirit so that we do not receive your grace in vain. Help us to reject sin and unbelief and live in the joy of your gift of forgiveness. Amen.

Talks on Luther's Catechism - June 10, 2012

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SERVICE:

Before Jesus Christ ascended back into heaven, He told His disciples to go into the world and make disciples of all nations. He told them to baptize people in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and to teach these disciples to observe everything He had commanded. (Matthew 28:18-20)

Here at Redemption Church we wish to carry out Christ's command. So, we baptize and we teach our children what our Lord has taught us. That's what our confirmation classes are all about - teaching God's things.

The essential textbook for this task is the Bible. But we also use tools like Luther's Catechism.
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About four hundred and fifty years ago, Martin Luther toured the churches of Germany and found that the people who belonged to these churches knew little of Bible teaching. So, Luther wrote the Catechism. He intended the heads of each household to use this little book to instruct their families in the Word of God.

For the past three years our confirmands have been using Luther's Catechism to study God's Word. Today they will confirm their faith publicly and become members of Redemption Church. So, we take this opportunity to review the fundamental teachings of God's Word which our confirmands have studied.

"The Ten Commandments"

Luther's Catechism starts with the Ten Commandments. This is a good place to start, because all people are born with God's law written in our hearts. We instinctively know things like stealing and murder are wrong. God has given us a conscience which tells us when we have sinned and when we have done what is right.

But our conscience can't always be trusted. Sometimes it tells us something is right, when it is wrong. Sometimes it tells us something is wrong, when it is right.

God gave us a dependable summary of His will when He had the Ten Commandments written down in the Bible. Where our conscience goes astray, God's Word shows us the truth. In this way God's Law works as a guide.

But, God's law also works as a curb and a mirror.

People know that they will be punished if they do evil. So, they often refrain from sinning because they are afraid of being punished. In this way God's Law acts as a curb, causing people to shy away from unchecked sinning.

Also, when we compare our lives with what God's Law says, we find that we have not kept God's Law. We find that we are sinners who deserve punishment in this life, and hell in eternity because of our sins against God and man. In this way God's Law acts as a mirror, showing us that we are sinners who need a Savior.
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The first three commandments deal with how we are to act toward God. You shall have no other Gods. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

Commandments 4-8 deal with how we are to act toward the people around us. Honor those place in authority. Don't murder. Don't steal. Don't lie.

Commandments 9-10 also deal with how we are to act toward the people around us. But, these commandments also reveal that sin is committed first in the heart before it is shown outwardly by our words and actions. These commandments tell us not to covet. That is, not to desire in a sinful way that which God has not given to us.
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That sin is an internal problem is one of the greatest lesson God's Law can teach us. Outwardly we can guard the things we say and do. But we can't stop our hearts from sinning.

Think about it like this. I can change the oil in my car and polish the paint job, but if the problem is in the heart of the engine - I need a mechanic to fix that.

The Law of God is good, but it's power is limited. The Bible teaches us that the Law will not be able to help us when we stand before God on the Last Day. The Law can only show us that we are sinners who need a Savior.

Romans 3, verse 19 says...

"19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin" (Romans 3:19-20 NIV).

"The Apostles' Creed"

The second part of Luther's Catechism is the Apostles Creed. While the Law shows us our sin, the Apostles Creed speaks about our Savior.

The Gospel, also called the Good News, tells us how God solved our problem of sin. God sent His Son to become a human being. As a human being, Jesus was required to keep God's Law. Where we have failed, Jesus succeeded in obeying the Law perfectly. Then, God's Son offered Himself as an innocent sacrifice in our place. He suffered our hell on the cross. In this way, Jesus took our punishment away forever.
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The two most important teachings of the Bible are Law and Gospel. Romans 6:23 expresses these two teachings like this...

"23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23 NKJV).

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The Apostles Creed also echoes the Bible's teaching that that God is Triune, or "three-in-one". Though there is only one God, the Bible reveals that God has three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. That's why Jesus told his disciples to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

The Creed teaches us that God the Father is our both our creator and preserver. He made us and provides everything that we need and everything we enjoy in this life.

The Creed also teaches that God the Spirit is our sanctifier. Sanctification is not a word we hear everyday. Here's what it means.

Sanctification in the wide sense is everything that the Holy Spirit does to bring a sinner to faith in Christ and keep that sinner trusting in Christ for forgiveness. Sanctification in the narrow sense is everything that the Holy Spirit does to create fruits of faith in the life of a Christ follower. "Fruits of faith" are good words and actions that match God's will for our lives.

"Holy Baptism"

The third part of Luther's Catechism deals with Baptism. It's clear that Jesus commanded His followers to be baptized and to baptize others. But what is baptism all about?

God understands that people learn in different ways. Some people learn best from reading, others from hearing, still others from hands on experience. As a master communicator, the Lord expresses the Good News of Jesus in a number of different ways. One of these ways is found in Holy Baptism.

Baptism has been called, "the visible Gospel". Following our Lord's command we simply put water on a person and say, "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit".
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Some churches teach that Baptism is only a symbol, and that it has no real power to save. But the Word of God says otherwise in numerous places. That baptism saves is clear from passages like Acts 22:16. There Peter says...

"...why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’" (Acts 22:16 NKJV).

We know from the rest of the Bible that a sinner can only be saved through trust in the Savior, Jesus Christ. So, we teach that Holy Baptism creates and seals faith through the powerful Word of God.
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Some churches teach that only adults should be baptized, as if Baptism was something that we do for God and not the other way around. But the Bible teaches us that human beings are sinful from the point of conception, so children need salvation just as much as adults. Jesus told His followers to baptize "all nations", which certainly includes infants. Finally, we know that infants trust their parents who love them. Through the Bible we are taught that they can also trust in God who loves them more than any parent every could.

It's important to remember that Jesus told his followers to baptize AND teach. If we don't raise our baptized children to know the Gospel, their faith will die.

Think about it like this: Baptism is like planting a seed. Without continual watering, that seed cannot live and thrive. So, we follow the faith planting of Holy Baptism with the faith watering of instruction in God's Word - especially the saving message of sins forgiven through Jesus' cross.
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Before we move on, I'd like to share one more Bible passage about Baptism. This passage shows that Baptism creates an amazing connection between a person and Christ Jesus Himself. Romans 6, verse 3 says...

"...do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:3-4 NKJV).

Through the faith connection to Christ that Baptism creates, we get credit for all that Jesus did. Though we didn't feel the nails of the crucifixion, we were there. Though we didn't feel the cold tomb, we were buried with Him. And when Jesus was raised from death to life, we were spiritually raised with Him. In this new life we shun sin and embrace God's ways.

Galatians 3, verse 26 expresses the visible Gospel of Baptism like this...

"26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:26-27 NKJV).

"Keys and Confession"

Faith in God is a matter of the heart. Outward membership in a church does not connect a person to God. While there are many faithful believers in God in churches, there are also hypocrites. People who have strayed away from faith only retain the name "Christian".

Part of being a fellowship of believers is guarding each other from hypocrisy. To help us do this our Savior, Jesus Christ, has given His believers a gift called the "Office of the Keys".

The fourth part of Luther's Catechism deals with the Office of the Keys. It says...

"The Office of the Keys is the special power Christ gave to His Church on earth to forgive sins of penitent sinners and to retain the sins of the impenitent as long as they do not repent" (Sydow Catechism).

One of the places in the Bible where this teaching comes from is John 20, verse 22. There it says...

"[Jesus] breathed on them, and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained'" (John 20:22-23 NKJV).

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In connection with the Keys, it's important to note the distinction between "sins of weakness" and "unrepentant sin".

Sins of weakness are sins that a person does daily simply because we have an inner sinful nature. A Christian doesn't defend these sins, but rejects them as evil and looks to Jesus for forgiveness and for the power to avoid them in the future.

Unrepentant sins, on the other hand, are sins done by a person that they aren't sorry for. They dismiss these sins as "okay" or even defend them as right and good. Unrepentant sin is a sign of unbelief.
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Jesus instructs us to use the "loosing key" on sinners who are sorry for their sins and willing to change. In other words, we are commanded to reassure the repentant person that because of what Jesus did on the cross, their sins are forgiven and heaven is open to them.

Jesus instructs us to use the "locking key" on sinners who are not sorry for their sins and are not willing to change. In other words, we are commanded to tell them the sad truth that as long as they remain unrepentant, their sin separates them from Christ's forgiveness. Jesus wants us to do this in order to rattle the unrepentant sinner and lead them back to repentance and the salvation which is found in Christ Jesus.

First Timothy 2, verse 4 says...

"[God] desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4 NKJV).

Luther's Catechism says...

"A Christian congregation, with its pastor, uses the Keys according to Christ's command, either by forgiving those who repent of their sins and are willing to change, or by excluding those who are obviously impenitent from the Christian congregation. These actions are as valid and certain in heaven also as if Christ our dear Lord were dealing with us Himself" (Sydow Catechism).

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The portion of Luther's Catechism that teaches about the Keys, also talks about Confession. In the Bible God encourages us to confess our sins. In James 5, verse 16 we are told...

"...confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed..." (James 5:16 NASB).

To God we confess all our sins, even the ones we don't know we have done. In Psalm 19, verse 12 the Psalm writer prays...

"12 But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults" (Psalm 19:12 NIV).

To each other we confess the sins that we have done against one other. Also we can confess sins that weigh heavy on our conscience.

Luther's Catechism gives us these directions...

"Examine your place in life according to the Ten Commandments. Have you been faithful as a father, mother, son, daughter, employer or employee? Have you been disobedient, unfaithful, or lazy? Have you injured anyone by what you have said or done? Have you stolen anything, neglected your duty, been careless, or damaged anything?" (Sydow Catechism).

When a fellow Christian confesses their sins to us, Luther's Catechism instructs us to reply like this...

"According to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen" (Sydow Catechism).

Because of Jesus, whenever we confess our sins, we are assured that our sins stand forgiven. As it says in 1 John 1, verse 9...

"9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9 ESV).

"The Lord's Supper"

The fifth part of Luther's Catechism teaches us about the Lord's Supper, also called Holy Communion or the Sacrament of the Altar.

The word "sacrament" means "sacred act". In the Bible we find two such acts that (1) have been instituted by Christ Jesus Himself, (2) involve the use of earthly elements connected to God's Word, and (3) offer and seal the forgiveness of sins that Christ has won for us on the cross. Baptism is one such sacrament, the Lord's Supper is another.
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The Bible tells us about how Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper in a number of places. In our hymnal we combine these accounts to say...

"Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread. And when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to His disciples, saying, 'Take, eat. This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.'”

"In the same way He took the cup, after supper, gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, 'Drink of it, all of you. This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of Me.'”

Since our Lord Jesus says this is His body and blood, that is what we believe and teach. The bread and wine are not outwardly transformed, for we see no change. Even so, the body and blood of Christ are truly offered here in a real, though supernatural, way. We call this the "real presence".

Some churches teach that this is nonsense. They say that surely Christ's body and blood cannot be here since we cannot detect them. But we remember that before Jesus took His visible presence from this earth, He promised His disciples that He would be with them "even to the end of the age". We cannot see Him with us, but we trust His promise. It is the same thing with the real presence in the Lord's Supper.

Also, in First Corinthians 11 it says...

"...whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 11:27 NIV).

It does not say that person will be guilty of sinning against Christ, but specifically against the body and blood of Christ.

This is a great mystery and a matter of faith. But the purpose is clear. The Lord's Supper is a gracious way that our Savior comes to us to strengthen our trust in Him.
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The book of Corinthians also instructs us to examine our hearts before approaching the Lord's Supper so that we will be blessed and not harmed by taking the Lord's Supper. It's kinda like weight lifting. If you do it properly, it makes you stronger. If you don't, you can be seriously injured.

So, we ask: Just how is a person properly prepared to receive the Lord's Supper? Luther's Catechism says...

"Customs in connection with eating and drinking are indeed a fine preparation. However, a person is truly worthy and well prepared who has faith in these words, 'Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.' Whoever does not believe these words or doubts them is unworthy and unprepared. The words, 'for you,' require nothing but believing hearts" (Sydow Catechism).

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At Redemption Church we ask that only members of our church come forward to receive the Lord's Supper when we celebrate it. In this way we try to ensure that none receive the Lord's Supper to their harm.

Also, when we gather to share in this blessing, we are expressing our unity as a fellowship. Since this unity is based on the shared confession of faith that our members hold, we ask that people fully understand our teachings before partaking.

"The Lord's Prayer"

The sixth and final part of Luther's Catechism speaks about the Lord's Prayer. During Jesus' ministry, His disciples asked Him to teach them how to pray. Jesus responded by giving them what we call "The Lord's Prayer".

The Lord's Prayer is both a prayer that we can pray, and a template to use in constructing our own prayers.

First of all, this prayer is directed to God. No where in the Bible are we taught to pray to dead relatives, past Christians, angels, or anyone other than to the Triune God. Prayer is a heart to heart talk with God, and God only.

Jesus' prayer also teaches us to get to the point. It's just about impossible to condense the Lord's Prayer. It has no flowery church words, no rambling and empty phrases, it gets right to the point. This too is how we should endeavor to pray.

Jesus' prayer also teaches us to focus on spiritual things. Of the seven petitions found in the Lord's Prayer, only ONE of them is about physical things - "give us this day our daily bread". In this way Jesus reminds us that when we seek first the things of God's Kingdom, we can be sure that He will take care of all the smaller details that we humans so often fret and worry about. (see Matthew 6:25-34).

"Closing Thoughts"

We are grateful to Christians like Martin Luther whom the Lord has used to bring His Word into our lives. But more so, we are grateful to God Himself. Ultimately HE is the one who teaches us about the sin found in our hearts, and the grace and forgiveness found in Christ Jesus. Ultimately HE is the one who teaches us about all the different ways He comes to us to strengthen our trust in Christ. Ultimately HE is the one who teaches us how to guard against hypocrisy and how to pray to our heaven Father with confidence.

May the Lord bring us all to trust in Him more fully, as we await the return of Jesus, our great God and Savior, with peace and joy. Amen.

Children of God, Heirs of Heaven - Jun 3, 2012

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SERMON:

The Gospel message is the simplest of messages.

We were born sinful. Enemies of our Creator. Because we were born sinful, we were doomed to die, and to spend eternity apart from God. That's not the Gospel message. That's the law which tells the truth of our condition.

The Gospel message tells us that God has given us a new destiny. Because God's Son suffered our sin's punishment when He was crucified, we are now forgiven.

The first verses of Romans 8 tell us...

"There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death" (Romans 8:1-2 ESV).

This the comfort we have as Christ's believers. The is no condemnation left for us. Regardless of our past sins, regardless our daily sins, regardless of what sins may stain our years to come, in Christ, there is no condemnation left. In Him we stand forgiven.

This is the Gospel message. It is as simple as that.
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In his letters, the apostle Paul describes the Gospel in "family terms". It's like this, Paul says - we were born into the family of sin. A messed up and dysfunctional family. The pervading emotion of this family is fear. It's not a good place to be. The future of this family is dark. In the family of sin, all we are set to inherit is disappointment, guilt and eternal suffering.

But then along came God the Father, and changed all that. He sent His Son Jesus and opened the door to a new home. He sent His Holy Spirit into our hearts through the Gospel, and brought about our adoption, by faith in Christ.

By faith in Christ Jesus our Savior we are part of God's family. And this family is not dysfunctional. The pervading feeling of this family is peace. The future of this family is bright. In the family of God, we are set to inherit eternal life and glory in heaven.

Here's how Paul put it in Galatians 4...

"...when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God" (Galatians 4:4-7 ESV).

In our sermon reading for today, Paul revisits this way of expressing the Gospel. It is adoption into God's family. Paul does this for a number of reasons. First of all, it's true. Second, it's a truth that our sinful heart has a hard time accepting. We think it's too good to be true.

In our sermon reading for today, Paul comforts his fellow Christians in Rome by reminding them of this simple and powerful truth - In Christ, you are God's children, and heirs of heaven.

Romans 8:14-17 (ESV)

14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
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What's your comfort food? Chocolate? Pale ale? Chicken noodle soup? What do you curl up with on the couch after a long and stressful day?

The words that we just read from Paul's letter are like comfort food. Each verse another bite of soothing peace. There are different flavors there, but it's all comfort food.

Look at verse 14 again. Paul writes...

"14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God" (Romans 8:14 ESV).

Paul says, hey guys, fellow Christians, is the Holy Spirit leading you? I know He is. Your life isn't based on following the ways of the sinful world. You don't base your decisions on what the TV says. You don't define your morality on what society claims is right. Your life is based on what the Holy Spirit says in the Bible. Right? Yes. I know you mess up all the time, but I'm not talking about your stumbling, I'm talking about what road you're on. You're on God's road. And the Holy Spirit is guiding you by His Word. Right? Well, guess what. Those who are led by the Spirit of God, are sons of God. Be comforted.

The fact that the Holy Spirit leads us shows that we are the children of God.

Paul's not talking about some mystical leading by the Spirit. Some deep feeling that, I think... I really feel... that God... wants me too... fill in the blank _____________.

The Holy Spirit leads people with His concrete, readable, specific WORD. It's found in the Bible. The Bible is the same when our emotions are high, and when they are low. It is the same when our faith feels strong, and when it feels weak. The leading of the Spirit doesn't change because the Bible doesn't change.

Paul tells His fellow Christians that if the Bible is your one immovable guide in life, that means the Holy Spirit is your guide. And that means, you're a child of God.
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Paul then describes the change of emotional tone that comes to sinners adopted by God. Fear dissipates. It is replaced by peace. By acceptance. By forgiveness. By open communication with God the Father.

Look at verse 15 again. Paul says...

"15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!" (Romans 8:15 ESV).

When I was in seminary we had some special classes with a physiologist to help us understand different personalities and personality disorders that we might face in our ministries. One of the things that we learned about was dysfunctional families. Dysfunctional families follow rigid, destructive and predicable patterns.

A dysfunctional family is one in which conflict, bad behavior and abuse is commonplace. One member of the family has something wrong. Maybe alcohol addiction. Maybe drugs. Maybe some untreated mental illness. The other members of the family adapt and begin to fulfill very definite roles within the family's relational structure.

For example, dysfunctional families often have a "golden child" and a "scapegoat".

The golden child can do no wrong, even when the golden child does wrong. The family makes endless excuses for the bad behavior of the golden child.

The scapegoat on the other hand, can do no right, even when the child does something very honorable.

The counselor who was teaching us gave one famous example of a "scapegoat". Brett Favre. The former quarterback for the Green Bay Packers grew up in a dysfunctional family, and he was the scapegoat. His brother was constantly in trouble with the law, but it was "never" his fault.

On the other hand, when Brett called his dad to tell him that he had won most valuable player for the whole NFL, his father replied something like, "Well, it's about time." He didn't mean it in a good way.
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Apart from Christ, we sinners are like dysfunctional families. Messed up. Stuck in rigid relational systems which only cause more pain. Like a dysfunctional family, we might not even see how messed up we really are inside.

But through the Gospel God changes us. He puts us into HIS family. One that works. A family of forgiveness. He enables us to break free of our rigid sinful patterns, and embrace a life of peace instead of constant fear and conflict.

The Heavenly Father whom we pray to, pays attention to our prayers, and responds with loving care. He is not broken and need of fixing. He is the fixer. He is the healer. He is the perfect Father whom the best fathers of this world can only hope to resemble in part.

Paul reminds his fellow Christians that if we are sons of God, that means that God is our Father, and we don't need to be afraid anymore.
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Paul goes on to explain that our adoption into God's family has astounding implications for our future.

Look at verse 16 again. Paul says...

"16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ," (Romans 8:16 ESV).

In ancient Rome a childless man might adopt a son to carry on his name and rule over his estate. One of the most famous adoptions was done by Julius Caesar, after he died.

Julius Caesar had no apparent heir to carry on his name and take power over the Roman Empire when he was assassinated by the senate. You remember, the senate stabbed Julius Caesar to death in the senate floor itself. "Et tu, Brute" and all that.

But when Julius Caesar's final will and testament was read, it contained the clause that he was posthumously adopting his grand nephew Augustus as his own son. All the sudden Augustus was elevated to a place of wealth and power as the heir of Julius Caesar.
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Through faith in Christ, you and I have been adopted by God. Paul encourages is to connect the dots. If we're children of God, then we're heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ! Our inheritance - is heaven itself!

This is the frame of mind that the Holy Spirit wants us to see the world through. The Gospel of Christ is all about comfort.
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But Paul finishes our sermon reading with one final thought to chew on. Look at verse 17. It says...

"17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him" (Romans 8:17 ESV).

When you buy into some investment, you have to be ready for ups and downs. All the investors who buy some stock suffer and rejoice together as that stock rises and falls.

Or think of the human body. It's got lots of parts, but they're all part of the body. When one part suffers sickness, the whole thing feels it. When one part is healed, the whole part feels it.

Or think of a family. A family has different members, but they exist in a relational system. When one member experiences a painful situation, the others feel it. When one member has success, the others feel that too.

Our Savior, Jesus Christ, suffered in this world because this world is sinful and opposed to God. And as His brothers and sisters by faith, we too will suffer in this sinful world. As C.S. Lewis put it, we're living in enemy territory.

Jesus warned His followers that following Christ would lead to suffering in life. The night before Jesus was crucified, He told His disciples....

"20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you" (John 16:20-22 ESV).

As Christ's family, we will suffer in this world because of our faith. But our suffering will not last forever. And when Jesus returns to draw us to His side, NO ONE will be able to take that joy away.
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Dear Christians, this is the family you have been adopted into. Or as the Bible says, this is the family that you have been re-born into. The family of the three-in-one God. Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

So, rejoice in the Gospel message. Rejoice in the grace which has covered your sins with Christ's pure blood. Rejoice to suffer in this life because of your faith. With your new family. For the glory to come will FAR OUTSHINE the suffering we experience on this earth.

Amen.

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.