Midweek Message from the Mount - August 8, 2012

I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-6) 

I’ve heard it said that there can be union without unity.  If you want proof, just tie two cats together by their tails and throw them over a clothesline.  

God isn’t just looking for union in our church, he desires unity among us.

In the chapters preceding the verses from Ephesians above, Paul writes of God’s great love for us that has existed from eternity and has now been proven and showered upon us through Christ.  He writes above, that because you have received the call of being declared holy in his sight and a member of his eternal family through Christ, live like it.  Live like a child of God.   Live like someone who has been rescued from sin and death. Live like someone who has experienced the grace and mercy of the almighty God.  Live like a Christian. And a Christian lives a life of humbleness, gentleness, patience, love and peace, doing everything they possibly can to keep unity with their fellow Christians.

Is that the type of life you strive for? To live in love and unity with one another?

Have there been times when you have not lived a life worthy of the calling you have received?  Have there been times when you have not been completely humble and gentle, patient and loving?  Have there been times when you have actually caused division with fellow Christians rather than unity and peace?

If so, cling to Christ and know that he lived an innocent life in your place, being completely humble and gentle, patient and loving in thought, word and deed.  Cling to his cross where he paid the cost for every time you have failed to live as his child.  And be assured that he gives you the strength and the motivation to live in unity with others.

Satan wants nothing more for our church to be divided.  He wants nothing more than for there to be pride and arrogance, impatience and hatred among us.  But when the center of all we do is Christ, when he is the reason we are together, when we realize it’s in him that we are one together, Satan cannot win.  We are one, dear friends.  We are one in Christ.  May we, motivated by Christ’s love for us, make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Midweek Message from the Mount – August 1, 2012

Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.  (1 Corinthians 12:27)

A psychologist once did a study on how members of the various sections of eleven major symphony orchestras perceived each other. The perceptions that they found were that the percussionists were viewed as insensitive, unintelligent, and hard-of-hearing, yet fun-loving. String players were seen as arrogant, stuffy, and unathletic. The orchestra members overwhelmingly chose "loud" as the primary adjective to describe the brass players. Woodwind players seemed to be held in the highest esteem, described as quiet and meticulous, though a bit egotistical.  With such widely divergent personalities and perceptions, how could an orchestra ever come together to make such wonderful music? The answer is simple: regardless of how those musicians view each other, they subordinate their feelings and biases to the leadership of the conductor. Under his guidance, they play beautiful music.

You see, Christ is our conductor.  When we subordinate our feelings and our biases, we are able to play beautiful music together. 

Paul, in our lessons from Corinthians above, compares the church to a human body with Christ as the head.  It’s the same truth as with Christ as conductor of an orchestra.  Each one of us is a part of Christ’s body.  Some are hands, some are feet.  Some are the mouth, some are the little pinky fingers.  Regardless of what the part, each is vital for the health and the function of the body. Without each part doing its job, the body will suffer.

It doesn’t matter what part of the body you are.  You are important.  And when we subordinate our feelings and biases to the head who controls the body, then the body will function properly.  When we are willing to follow the head and to work together in sync with each other, the body can thrive and it can grow bigger and stronger.

I don’t think there’s a single one of us who does not want the body of Christ to thrive and grow.  So as a member of that body, what will you do to help promote its growth?  How will you do your part to make it thrive and flourish? 

Find forgiveness at the cross, find peace with God and peace with the other members of the body, and find ways to serve the rest of the body. And then watch the body thrive and grow as we work together.  We will grow stronger, more will come to know Christ, and God will be glorified.  May God bless our church and give us the wisdom and the strength to follow our head, Christ.

Midweek Message from the Mount - July 25, 2012

⁴² They (the believers in the early church) devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, ⁴⁷ praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

In our current sermon series and Sunday morning Bible study we are asking ourselves the question, “Why are we here?”  We are looking at what a church that has been made alive by the power of the Gospel is to look like and how they will act.  The verses above from the book of Acts about the early Christian church gives us great insight into what a healthy, growing, vibrant church that has been moved by the Gospel looks like.

The early Christians were devoted to God’s Word, the Lord’s Supper (breaking of bread), and to prayer.  They were hearing the Word every chance they got and they received it with great excitement.  “Every day they continued to meet in the temple courts.”   They craved God’s Word!  They regularly received Holy Communion to be assured that they lived as forgiven children of God and they had his power to live a life pleasing to him.  They spent time in prayer together as they praised God and prayed for others.

They were devoted to fellowship with each other.  They cared for one another.  They shared with those who were in need.  They were a family.  The love they had for their Lord was evident in their love for each other.

They praised God openly and others around them saw their faith was evident in their lives. It must have been said of them, “Those Christians really love each other!”  “Those Christians certainly know what they believe and they are committed to it!”  And simply by the way they conducted themselves and the message they were so eager to share, many people came to believe.  The early church knew what their purpose was and God blessed them significantly.

Why are we here?  For exactly the same reason the early church existed.  We devote ourselves to hearing God’s Word and receiving the Sacrament so that we can grow strong in faith.  We devote ourselves to prayer for God’ blessing.  We share with each other and care for one another, because we are a family.  And when people see we are committed to the Gospel and in our love for each other, we will gain the favor of outsiders.  We keep working and preaching and living faithfully, and we let God take care of results!

Midweek Message from the Mount -- July 18, 2012

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:14-17)

These are words of encouragement and instruction from the Apostle Paul to his friend and fellow pastor, Timothy. If it’s important enough for Paul to write to Timothy, a pastor, about being in the Scriptures and using the Scriptures, do you think it’s important for you as well?

Dear friends, continue in what you have learned and what you believe in because the Scriptures are the only way we are made wise for salvation.  It’s in those Scriptures that God reveals his unlimited love for you in Christ Jesus.  Continue in these Scriptures, which are given to us by God himself in order to teach and be taught, to rebuke and be rebuked, to correct and to be corrected, to train and to be trained in righteousness.  Knowing what these Scriptures mean for our life here and for our eternity, how can we not continue in them?  How can we not long for them, cling to them, and thirst for them?

An unknown writer said, "The Bible is the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding; its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's character. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed. Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. Follow its precepts and it will lead you to Calvary, to the empty tomb, to a resurrected life in Christ; yes, to glory itself, for eternity.”

May God work in you a desire for his Word and then fill you with what he desires to give you there.  Continue in what you have learned so that you may be equipped for every good work that God has prepared for you!

Midweek Message from the Mount -- July 12, 2012

The Lord had said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. “I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.  I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” (Genesis 12:1-3)

 Are you good at making excuses?  I know I am.

God says, “Be in my Word regularly.”

“But God, I’ve got a lot going on in my life right now.  I am just going to have to fit it in when I have time.”

He says, “Bring your concerns and troubles to me.”

“But God, I know what I’m doing.  I’ve got this under control.  I can handle this.”

He says, “Rely on me for your needs.”

“You know, God, just hoping that the bills will be paid or that there will magically be food in the cupboard just isn’t going to cut it.”

He says, “Tell that co-worker of yours about me.  Tell him what I have done for him.”

“Are you serious, God? He’s not going to listen to me.  He’ll just make fun of me.”

I’ve become pretty good at making excuses when God tells me to do something.  My guess is you’re not too bad at it either.

What about Abram? Do you think he was pretty good at making excuses like you and I are?

God tells him, “Abram, I want you to leave your country, your people, and your father’s household and I want you to head out to a land that I am going to tell you nothing about right now.”

You can imagine the list of excuses that Abram may have given.  “But God, my family is here, I can’t leave them behind.  You know, I am not so young anymore, God.  I just don’t know if I am up to all this traveling and living out of a tent.   I am not going to know anyone there, I’ll be considered a stranger.   God, why me? Why did you pick me for this?”

But the Lord immediately overwhelms the excuses that Abram may have spoken, or that he maybe was only thinking.  He gives him a perfect package of seven promises in order to strengthen his faith to do what he wanted him to do. And his final, most important and greatest promise in the list, the “Go out there and get ‘em” of his pep talk, is the promise of the Messiah who was to come from him.  This was enough for Abram, because immediately following this Messianic promise are the words, “so Abram left, as the LORD had told him.”

The Lord overwhelms all of our excuses with a perfect package of promises as well.

“You have too much going on in your life to find time to be in my Word regularly?  I promise that I will remain in you when you remain in me.”

“You think you have everything under control and you don’t need to bring your troubles to me?  I make the promise, come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I promise, I will give you rest.”

“Do you really think that your worrying about paying the bills or your fretting about food for the cupboards is going to provide for you?  Seek first my kingdom and my righteousness and I promise you, all these other things will be given to you as well.”

“So you are worried that co-worker is not going to listen to you?  I promise you, my word will not return to me empty, but it will accomplish what I desire.”

There is no reason to doubt the Lord will make good on these promises or any of the others he makes to us in His Word.  The Lord fulfilled all of his promises to Abram, most importantly, that of the Promised Savior.  And because of this Savior, the Lord promises that every single one of your sins of doubt and distrust are forgiven, and you have the assurance that all his promises to you will be accomplished.

There is no need for us to make excuses.  The Lord is faithful. So like Abram, we go, as the Lord has told us to.  Believing, and trusting in his promises.

Midweek Message from the Mount -- July 3, 2012

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:13,14)

Do you ever feel that freedom is misused and abused in this country?  That it’s used as an excuse to do whatever we want?  To say whatever we want?  To allow anything and everything to be permissible, because you know, you can’t tread on anyone’s rights and freedom.  What do you think Revolutionary soldiers who fought for our freedom would say of the state of our country today?  I am guessing they would be appalled at many of the things they saw on television and the internet, revolted at the words and actions of people as they appeal to their rights and freedom.  “This isn’t what I fought for at all!” they might exclaim.

And to, in our freedom as Christians, we are not free to go and do whatever we want and misuse and abuse the freedom Christ has won for us.  Our freedom is not a license for us to sin and live for ourselves.  The freedom from sin we have through Christ moves us to want to, with the Spirit’s power, fight sin and avoid it, so we don’t once again become enslaved by it. 

The Emancipation Proclamation declared that all slaves were free.  The Civil War resulted in that freedom, but yet the Jim Crow laws, the segregation laws in effect for nearly 90 years after the Civil War, literally enslaved them still.  Freedom had been declared, but awfully, they weren’t able to live in freedom.  And so we too, we have heard and believed that our freedom is declared and complete, so why would we continue to be harnessed by our sin, to live as if we were not free from that sinful flesh and the grips of Satan?

It’s only by the Spirit’s strength and counsel that we live in freedom, wanting to submit to God’s will, using his Word as a light for our path, to use the law as a guide for our daily living.  Paul writes that “the entire law is summed up in a single command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”   The freedom from sin we enjoy through Christ leads us to make ourselves servants of each other and to love one another, and in that way we show our love for God.  In your freedom, your life shows the fruits of the Spirit as Paul lists, in “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Gal. 5:22).  This is the fruit that God looks for in our life of freedom, this is the fruit that the Spirit produces.  As we daily drown our Old Man in the waters of our Baptism, and as we arise in our New Man, in our freedom to serve God and each other we seek to serve and glorify God.

We enjoy such wonderful blessings of God as citizens of the United States of America.  Blessings we cannot take for granted.  Blessings that have come with a huge price tag.  Blessings we should cherish. 

But the blessings of God that we have as citizens of Christ’s kingdom of grace are so much greater and so much more precious.  Redeemed and freed from the tyranny of the devil, sin, and our sinful flesh.  Freed and forgiven and declared holy in God’s sight.  Blessings we cannot take for granted.  Blessings that came with a huge price tag.  Blessings we should cherish. 

You are free, you are free indeed!  Let that freedom ring in your lives!

Jesus promises you:  “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31)

Midweek Message from the Mount – June 20, 2012

 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked. ³⁴ Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ³⁵ Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mark 3:33-35)

Have you ever thought about how amazing it is that Jesus calls us his brothers and sisters?  Have you considered how remarkable it is that we have been made the sons and daughters of the Heavenly Father? 

Through Jesus, God has taken us, bitter enemies of himself because of our choice of straying instead of obeying, and he has reconciled us to himself.  We were sons and daughters of the Father of Lies, but he has declared us to be the sons and daughters of himself, the Father of Life.  This is nothing we have earned or deserved.  There’s nothing we have done that God should look at us and think we were worth adopting.  But he did it because of his love.  How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1)  And because we are his children we find peace and security in his faithful promises, we find comfort in his loving and protecting arms, and we are happy to obey his commands and to do his will.

And have you ever considered how this relationship with our heavenly Father makes us brothers and sisters of each other?  Not by our blood, but by Jesus’ blood, are we family.  And that’s something that is stronger than any other relationship we have on this earth, because it lasts for eternity.  The brothers and sisters in faith that you have here will be your family forever.  So we care for one another.  We look out for one another.  We help each other when we are hurting.  We rejoice with one another when we have reason to rejoice.  And we love one another.  Not just in words, but in actions and in truth.  We love one another as Christ our brother first loved us.

Thank God that he has made us his family, and he has made us into a family!

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, We thank and praise you for making us your dear children through the merits of Jesus.  Lead us to place our trust in you as you supply us with all our needs. Strengthen us as we live together as a family of believers that we might exhibit our love for you in our relationships.  May we glorify you in all that we say and do together as a family in faith.  We pray in the name of Jesus, our brother.  Amen.