Sunday, November 28, 2010

Prepare for the Coming Savior (Matthew 24:37-44)

November 28, 2010

Dear friends in Christ.

How are your Christmas Preparations going? Have you completely finished them? Or are you just getting started? Personally, today is the day we are planning to get all our Christmas decorating done, not merely here at church, but also at home. In fact, I would be willing to bet that most people make the most of Thanksgiving break in order to get started on their Christmas decorations. That’s what our family used to do in those years when we stayed home for Thanksgiving. We never really participated in after Thanksgiving shopping. Instead, we would stay home and my sister and I would do our best to stay out of Dad’s way as he brought all the Christmas items down from the attic. We would watch as he unpacked everything, set up the Christmas tree, screwed in all the light bulbs, went outside to replace Christmas bulbs that had burned out the previous year, and then, follow him from room to room as he placed candles in all the windows. In short, when we stayed home over the Thanksgiving Holidays, Saturday afternoon was a flurry of Christmas preparation, preparing everything for the coming Savior. Though yesterday may not have been the flurry of Christmas preparation as it was in my house when I was growing up, I’m sure that each and every one of us will be making the most of our time in the next few weeks to prepare our homes, our families, even ourselves for the Coming of our Savior at Christmas time.

Yet, even as we prepare ourselves for the coming of our Savior at Christmas time, today, as we have gathered for worship, our Savior is calling on us to prepare ourselves not only for his coming at Christmas time, but to prepare ourselves for his return on the last day, as well. In fact, this is the very thing that Jesus is speaking about in our lesson today, in Matthew 24:37-44. I invite you to open your Bibles and turn with me to Matthew 24:37-44 and we’ll take a look together at what Jesus is telling us.

Now, when Jesus spoke these words, it was Tuesday of Holy Week. Jesus had spent the day in the Temple, teaching the people and answering all the challenges brought to him by the Pharisees, Sadducees and Teachers of the Law. Then, once the challenges came to a conclusion and no one dared to ask Jesus anymore questions, (Matthew 22:46) Jesus began speaking his condemnations of woe upon the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the Teachers of the Law (Matthew 23) because they simply refused to believe that Jesus was the Savior whom the Lord had promised to his people. After Jesus had completed speaking, he got up and left the temple for the last time (Matthew 23:37-24:3) and he and his disciples headed out from Jerusalem, to the Mount of Olives. It was there that the disciples spoke to Jesus privately, asking him about the signs of the end of the age and the time of his coming. Jesus spent the next couple of chapters answering their question (Matthew 24:4-25:45), but the section we want to focus on is found in Matthew 24:37, where Jesus says, “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:37–44, NIV)

In such a simple way Jesus tells us to keep watch and prepare ourselves for the coming of our Savior. As he says in vs. 42: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” (Matthew 24:42, NIV) And again in verse 44: “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:44, NIV)

But how is it that we are supposed to prepare? What do we need to do to be certain that we are prepared for the coming of our Savior? The answer to that question is simple. “Continue,” as Paul said, “to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,” (Philippians 2:12, NIV) In other words, dive into the Word of God and make a habit of swimming in it daily. Plumb its depths for treasure on a daily basis, and make certain that it is part of your faith exercise habit every day. Not only that, but make the most of every opportunity to gather to worship the Lord our God so that you might hear his Word yet again, be built up in faith, and strengthened in your preparation for our Savior’s reappearing. Take time to spend a few extra moments with the Lord in worship on those days when the feast of his flesh and blood is offered, for it is there, in that miraculous meal that we receive such tangible assurance that our sins have been forgiven. Pray to the Lord at all times and in every situation. Pray to the Lord for his blessings to be showered upon the family of believers wherever they may be, and pray to the Lord for his forgiveness, that through faith in him you may live your life according to his will.

In doing these things you will continue in your preparation, continuously prepared for the coming of your Savior. For in the same way that the angels suddenly appeared to the shepherds in the fields and announced the birth of the Savior; suddenly, when we least expect it we will hear the trumpet call of our God. In the same way that the people of Noah’s day were shocked by the rain, we too will be surprised by the sight of our Savior returning on the clouds of heaven. But unlike those who were unprepared because they ignored 120 years of Noah’s warnings about the coming flood and were swept away when the flood came upon them, we, who, through faith, are prepared for our Savior’s coming, will be taken to be with the Lord. This is the difference that Jesus describes in verse 37-41, where he says, “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.” (Matthew 24:37–41, NIV) Just as the only difference between Noah’s family in the ark and the millions of people outside the ark was the difference of faith, so also the difference between the two men and the two women who are taken is faith. Faith is the difference between the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25:31-46, and faith is the only difference between those who are prepared for our Savior’s coming and those who are not.

So with that in mind, you and I have an important task ahead of us. We have the task of proclaiming the message of salvation to those who do not yet know it! And what better time of year to take up that task! What better time to take up the task of telling people about their Savior so that they can be prepared for his coming, even as they prepare themselves for the Christmas Season! So as you go into the world, let us do just that! Let us share our faith through our words and actions—a smile to grumpy cashiers, a word of encouragement to tired shoppers, a message of Merry Christmas to whomever we meet, and a wary eye always looking for an opportunity to tell another about Jesus who came as the baby in Bethlehem and who will soon return as the King of Kings.

This is the very thing that you and I are prepared for through faith, though our homes may not be exactly prepared for the coming Christmas season, through faith we are prepared for the coming of our Savior. We are prepared for his birth in Bethlehem, and we are prepared for his coming on the Last Day.

Amen.

Pastor David M. Shilling
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church -Le Sueur, MN

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Give Thanks to the Lord for All Your Blessings (Luke 17:11-19)

November 24, 2010
Thanksgiving

Dear friends in Christ,

What is your favorite Thanksgiving memory? Mine favorite thanksgiving memory is Thanksgiving with Grandpa and Grandma in Viroqua, WI. On Wednesday afternoon we would jump in the car and travel the 5 hours from New Ulm to Viroqua. We would get up early for 9 AM Worship, my Grandpa was the Pastor, and then, after church we would come home to Grandma’s amazing Thanksgiving meal. Sometimes it was just our family, other times all three of the daughters would make it home so Debbie and I would spend time playing with our cousins and sitting at the kids table while all the adults sat around the dining room table for the meal. Sometimes Grandpa would say a special prayer before we ate, sometimes we would talk about why we were thankful and how it was so good to get together with family, most of the time the husbands would clear the table and do the dishes (Grandma did not have a dishwasher), and then we would always wind up watching Green Bay play whomever they were playing on Thanksgiving Day. Though it’s been more than 20 years since we last gathered like that and both Grandma and Grandpa have been called home to heaven, every time I remember those times, I cannot help but give thanks to the Lord for that great blessing.

What about you? What is your favorite memory of Thanksgiving? What kind of things does it involve? How do you take time to give thanks to the Lord for all his great blessings? If we took the time tonight to go around the room, I’m sure that we would all have different memories to share, different things that were special to us from our childhood, and different traditions that our families follow. Yet, I’m certain that one thing would be the same, in expressing those memories we would all, in one way or another, be giving thanks to the Lord our God for all the blessings that he has showered upon us in our lives. We would be giving thanks to the Lord our God for all the blessings he has showered upon us, because giving thanks is a natural fruit of faith. It is the most natural way that our faith in Jesus finds expression in our lives. In fact, this is the very thing that happened when the Samaritan came running back to Jesus in our lesson today. Let’s take a look at this section together. Turn with me, if you would, to our lesson from Luke 17:11-19.

Now, this section of Scripture is very familiar to all of us, because it is one of the Bible History Stories that we learn as little children. Often times this story is repeated on a yearly basis, because it is an account that teaches about Jesus power to heal along with the difference between a thankful heart and 9 unthankful hearts. Take a look at Luke 17, beginning with verse 11: “Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:11–19, NIV)

When these lepers saw Jesus, they knew and they believed that he was able to heal them. Even though they were forced to live away from people, separated from society because of their incurable disease, they had still heard about Jesus and what he was able to do. When they saw him passing through where they were, their hearts must have leaped with joy as cried out to Jesus asking for his mercy. Their hearts must have fluttered with hope, anticipation, and even a little worry as they asked Jesus for healing. Though they may have been a little fearful that Jesus might say no, Jesus blessed them with his healing. As verse 14 tells us, “When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” Though this was undoubtedly the very last thing that they expected to hear, they trusted that they would be healed and as the rest of verse 14 tells us, “As they went, they were cleansed.” (Luke 17:14)

In his great mercy and compassion, the Lord Jesus showered upon these 10 lepers the blessing of healing from an incurable disease. By healing them he restored them to society, he restored them to the assembly of Israelites who could go to the Temple and worship the Lord, he restored them to their wives and children, he gave them back the ability to work and provide once again for their families; in short with this great blessing, Jesus returned their lives! Now, if this had happened to you, if you had cried out to the Lord and he healed you from an incurable disease, how would you react? Would you simply go on with your day as if nothing happened? Or would you go running back to your Savior who healed you thanking and praising the one who had blessed you in such an amazing way by healing you? Sadly, only one of them came back to give thanks to the Lord Jesus for his great blessings, as verse 15 and following tell us, “One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:15–19, NIV)

Though there were ten lepers, nine of whom were undoubtedly Israelites who should have been the first to return to the Lord Jesus to give thanks for his blessings, it was only the Samaritan who returned. It was only the Samaritan whose faith in Jesus’ ability to heal him grew into saving faith when he saw that he was healed. It was that saving faith that moved him to stop where he was, turn around, and run back to his Savior as quickly as he could praising God in a loud voice, glorifying him and thanking him for the great blessing that Jesus had bestowed upon him in curing him form an incurable disease!

Well, in the same way that this leper returned to give thanks to the Lord Jesus for the great blessings of healing and salvation that Jesus had bestowed upon him, so also we have gathered to give our heartfelt thanks to the Lord for all the blessings the Lord has bestowed upon us today! Though there have been times when we have acted exactly like the thankless nine and simply gone on with our lives when the Lord has blessed us, today, as we take time to thank the Lord for all the blessings he has given us, we cannot help but be overwhelmed by our Lord’s love for us. We cannot help but be moved to live a life of thanks and praise! Take a moment, now, and just let your minds wander as you think about how the Lord your God has blessed you. Close your eyes, and visualize yourself standing in your kitchen and look around. What do you see? Do you see food cooking on the stove? Do you see dishes lined up on the counter, waiting to be washed? Do you see cupboards filled with seasonings, cups, saucers, plates, and bowls? Do you see drawers filled with silver ware, cooking utensils, dish towels? Do you see that drawer where you keep everything that doesn’t have a home? Do you see your cell phone charging on the counter? Do you see your kitchen light glowing brightly against the night? Do you hear your refrigerator running? Do you hear the water boiling on your stove? Do you feel the heat that your furnace is providing?

I could go on and on and have you walk through every room in your house, out to your garage, even to your workplace, and we could spend the rest of the night counting the many blessings the Lord has given us and giving him our praise and thanks. But even if we did that, our night would not be complete unless we took a look at the cross behind me and remembered the greatest blessing our Savior has given us! For it is from that cross we hear our Savior speaking to us and telling us: “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. (Isaiah 1:18, NIV)

Is there any greater blessing that the Lord could bestow upon us? Is there any greater reason for us to give thanks to the Lord God, our Savior? For just like the leper who came to faith in Jesus as his Savior when he was healed of leprosy, we have come to faith in the Lord Jesus who healed us from our sins by his death and resurrection from the dead! No matter what we may have done, it is forgiven! No matter what sins we may have committed, they are forgiven! No matter how far from the Lord we may have wandered, he has called us back to his side, washed us clean in his blood, and he calls us his children! Let us run together, with that Samaritan leper, who ran back to Jesus. Let us run to Jesus praising him, thanking him and glorifying him with our all our hearts for all the blessings that he has bestowed upon us. Let us run to Jesus praising him and thanking him for all our blessings. Amen.

Pastor David M. Shilling
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church -Le Sueur, MN

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Rejoice and Be Glad Because You Are Blessed! (Matthew 5:3-12)

November 21, 2010

Dear friends in Christ.

For the past seven weeks we’ve taken time to talk about Christ’s love for us and our calling to serve him. We’ve been amazed by our Savior’s love for us. We’ve talked about how important it is for us to seek time with our God, with our family, with our fellow believers, and even with our neighbors who may or may not yet know the Salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, as we come to the end of our stewardship emphasis on time, we take time to remind ourselves of all the reasons that we have to rejoice and be glad in the Lord, because the Lord our God has truly blessed us. We take time to remind ourselves that every since we have committed ourselves to Christ, through faith, no matter what we have faced in this life, we have been blessed by the Lord in one way, or another,

In fact, if we really stop to think about it, each and every one of us would have to admit that we had every reason to rejoice and be glad in the Lord our God, because we have been blessed in every way imaginable. Though we may not always feel blessed, or feel that we may not have been as blessed as this person or that person, we know that through faith in Jesus we can rejoice because we are truly blessed. Though we may not feel like the blessings of our Savior are flowing into our lives as freely or as quickly as we might expect, we can take comfort and rejoice, because we know that since we have committed ourselves to Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, he has blessed us and he will continue to bless us each and every day of our lives. In fact, I invite you to join me in taking a closer look at the blessings our Savior pronounces on us in our lesson today. Turn with me, if you would, to our Gospel Lesson, Matthew 5:3-12. Now, in Matthew 5:3-12 Jesus was at the high point of his earthly ministry. About 18 months had passed since Jesus had been baptized in the Jordan, beginning the public phase of his earthly ministry, and he had spent the last six months or so, preaching and teaching to the people of Galilee. Now as he sat on the side of that mountain, he had just recently named his 12 disciples, those men whom he would send out into the world as apostles about 18 months from this day. And now, as he sat before that group of disciples who had come to hear what he had to say, Jesus was giving them every reason to rejoice and be glad. For as Jesus spoke to them, he assured them that they truly had been blessed!

Take a look at what Jesus is say in beginning in Matthew 5:3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:3-12)

Could there be any greater words of encouragement and assurance for Jesus to give his disciples on that day! Though he did not assure them of the forgiveness of sins or the fact that eternal life in heaven was theirs through faith in him, he gave his disciples great comfort in the words he spoke. For as Jesus sat before this group of people, he knew that he was sitting before a group of his disciplespeople who had come to hear what Jesus had to say because they knew that Jesus was truly the Messiah. They knew that he was the Savior who had been promised for long generations. They knew that he was the one who had come to free them from their sins, and now as they had gathered on the side of the mountain to hear what Jesus had to say, he encouraged them and assured them that they could rejoice! He assured them that they could rejoice because no matter what situation they faced in their lives, they would, indeed, be blessed! Whether they enjoyed a simple, quiet life as Jesus disciples, or they faced persecution, heartache, troubles and pain, their Savior, promised that they would truly be blessed!

Well, Jesus is telling us the same thing today! For as we have heard these words spoken to us, it is as if we are on that very mountainside and Jesus is sitting before us assuring us that we have been blessed. It’s as if Jesus, himself, is sitting before us and telling us to rejoice and be glad because we can be confident that we will be blessed by our Lord no matter what situation we might face in our lives. For as we have sat here, this morning, listening to the words that Jesus has spoken, it is as if we are that group of disciples who followed him to the mountain side. It is as if we are the ones who have been waiting all our lives for the Savior to appear, and now that we’ve found him we have come to hear every word he has to say. Though we have not been reminded of our sins or specifically called on to repent in this sermon today, we were reminded of our every sin as we confessed them at the beginning of our worship today. Though we have not been specifically assured that our sins have been forgiven, we were assured of that fact as we heard the words of absolution and, very shortly, we will receive tangible assurance that Jesus has forgiven us as we receive his Body and Blood in the Sacrament.

But now, as we sit at Jesus’ feet, listening to the words he is speaking today, Jesus is speaking directly to our Christian Nature—our New Self. He is speaking directly to that part of us that only delights in God’s will and longs to obey his commandments. He is speaking to us as his disciples who trust in him and telling us, “When you are poor in spirit because you are sorrowing over your sins, do not be downcast, but be assured that the kingdom of heaven belongs to you! When you are in mourning because a loved one has died, when you are facing financial difficulties, when you have become bedridden, when you cannot venture out into the world because of the snow or ice, or you are facing the realities of a terminal disease, remain hopeful, because you will be comforted. I myself will comfort you with the comfort I received from my heavenly Father. I will comfort you and uphold you and strengthen you in your faith. When you hungering and thirsting for my righteousness, you will be filled. When you are ridiculed and mocked, insulted and persecuted for what you believe, take heart, because through faith in me, heaven is already yours!”

This is why we can rejoice and be glad today, because Jesus has assured us that we will be blessed in any and every situation in our lives. For he has told us that the meek, the humble, the unassuming, those who daily go about their work with no thought of recognition, they will inherit the earth. They will be recognized. They will be thanked. They will be rewarded. They will be blessed. He has told us that those who are merciful, who are kind and compassionate, they too will receive mercymercy both from their Father in heaven, as well as the people of the world. He has told us that those who are pure in heart through faith in Jesus Christ, they will see God. They will see him face to face. They will live with him forever in heaven, and they will know him in the same way that you and I know each other. He has told us that those who are the peace makersthose who are willing to be the first to make peace when an argument has broken out, those who seek to keep the unity of peace and of the Holy Spirit in the Church, in their families, and in their livesthey will be called the sons of God. They will be named as God’s children who look forward to the inheritance that their Father offerseternal life with him forever in heaven.

What greater assurance and encouragement could our Savior give us today! For with these words, we know that we have every reason to rejoice and be glad! From these words he has spoken today, we know that we will be blessed no matter what situation we might face in our lives. This is why we have gathered here, to rejoice and be glad! Though this may be the ending of seven weeks of emphasizing our need to be stewards of our time, I pray that you have been built up and strengthened through it. I pray that you have learned or even re-learned the importance of using our time to serve the Lord, sit at his feet, and grow in his Word. I pray that you have been reminded of just how important it is for us to spend time with our friends, family, neighbors, loved ones, and fellow believers, and I pray that you have been reminded of why you too can rejoice. For, as Christians, who have committed ourselves to Christ Jesus our Savior, we have every reason to rejoice and be glad, because we have indeed been blessed by the Lord our God in every way imaginable! He has given us everything that we have, he has forgiven our sins, and he has given us the gift of eternal life by his side forever. What greater joy could we take with us today that that!

Amen.

Pastor David M. Shilling
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church -Le Sueur, MN

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Make the Most of Your Time of Grace (Philippians 1:18-27)

November 14, 2010

Dear friends in Christ.

What would you want to do if you knew that you only had 6 more months to live? Now, I know, I asked you a very similar question about 3 weeks ago, and yet once again, this question here it is. What would you want to do if you knew you only had 6 months left to live? Would you want to travel and see sights that you had never seen before? Would you immerse yourself in projects and activities, volunteering your time and your energy to help others who were worse off than you? Would you wake up each and every morning thankful for one more day in which you could make the most of your remaining time, or would you simply roll over, pull the covers over your head, and wait for the end? I think it’s safe to say that if it every happened that we received the news of a severely limited life-span, each and every one of us would be moved to make the most of our remaining months on the earth. Well, in many ways, this is exactly what the Apostle Paul is calling on each and every one of us to do today. Though he may not be calling on us to make the most of our remaining time here on earth, he is clearly calling on us to make the most of our time of grace. In fact, I invite you to open your Bibles with me to Philippians 1:18. Now, when Paul wrote these verses in Philippians 1, he was sitting in prison. He was, as he said, in chains for the gospel, yet even as he wrote he expressed his great joy because he was making the most of his time of grace. He had invested his life in Jesus Christ his Savior, and through his witness, some of the guards who were guarding him had come to faith in Jesus as their Savior. Take a look at what Paul writes beginning with verse 18: “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. (Philippians 1:18–20, NIV)

Now, if there were ever a man who made the most of his time of grace here on earth, I would say that it would have to be the Apostle Paul. Even though he had started out as a Pharisee and a persecutor of the Church, when the Lord called him to faith, he made the most of his time of grace by investing everything he had into his life for Christ. Wherever he went, he preached the gospel and told about the Savior. Whenever he was whipped, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, arrested, imprisoned, and otherwise abused, he continued to tell others about Jesus, the Messiah, who had come into the world to free all people from their sins, by his death and resurrection from the dead. Even now, as Paul was preparing to stand before Caesar and his court, he was looking forward to giving glory and honor to Christ his Savior through his proclamation of the Gospel, even if it should end up that he was found guilty and condemned to death. In this way, Paul made the most of his time of grace, for as he invested his life in Jesus Christ his Savior, he was looking forward to the return on his investment, the reward, the profit, the gain of eternal life in heaven. Take a look again at what Paul write in verses 18-26: “But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.” (Philippians 1:18–26, NIV)

As Paul writes from prison, he is both looking forward to the reward of eternal life with his Savior, and looking back at how he has spent his time of grace investing his life in the service of preaching the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ his Savior. Though he longed cash in that investment and finally gain the return of eternal life, he knew that his time of grace had not yet come to an end. He knew that the Lord had more investments for him to make, more labor to perform, more time that needed to be spent in this life serving those brothers and sisters who had come to faith and seeking out those who still did not know their Savior. And now, as Paul closes this section of our text, he calls on you and me to do the same and make the most of our time of grace, as he writes in verse 27: “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel (Philippians 1:27, NIV)

In such a simple way, Paul calls on each and every one of us to follow his example, and make the most of the time of grace our Savior has given us. He calls on each and every one of us to put our faith into action, investing our lives in Christ our Savior, as we share our faith with friends, family, acquaintances, and strangers—people who already know Jesus as their Savior as well as people who do not yet know of what he did to free them from their sins. In short he is calling on us to preach Christ with our lives so that people may see those good deeds that naturally flow out of our faith and give praise and glory to God, our Father, in heaven.

But how do we do that? How do we make the most of our time of grace? How do we invest our lives in Christ our Savior and live in a way that is worthy of the Gospel? Simple, we become managers, Christian Stewards of the Gospel which the Lord has given us. We take the time, as so many of us have done, to read, to listen, and to study our Bibles so that our faith continues to grow stronger. We commit ourselves to gathering regularly for worship so that as we give glory to our God we are also built up in our knowledge and understanding of our Lord. We recognize the importance of bringing our children to Sunday school and using that opportunity to gather with fellow believers and study the Bible together, and in this way strengthen and build each other up as we contend as one for the faith of the gospel. Then, when we have filled ourselves with the gospel, we take it with us into the world. We take it with us as we open our mouths to tell others about the faith that we have. We take it with us, as we open our mouths to answer the questions that others ask about our faith and the hope of eternal life that we have. We take it with us and we bring glory to God as we take time to bow our heads and give thanks for the food we are about to eat, even in the midst of a crowded restaurant. We take it with us and show that we are God’s children by the words and the actions we use while working, playing, laughing or crying, and in this way we make the most of our time of grace here on earth as we bring glory to our Savior and our God.

It is in this way that we serve as Christian stewards, investing our lives in Christ, looking forward to the eternal rewards of heaven, and making the most of our time of grace here in this world. Yet, there are times in our lives, when things simply do not go as well as we would like. There are times when it seems that the economy of our lives changes from good to bad as troubles and hardships enter into the picture. But even though there may be times when we seem to face a down-turn in our investment as sickness and sufferings enter into the picture; these are nothing less than blessings God uses to draw us closer to him. Though there may be times when we feel we are receiving negative-returns as chronic illness, debilitating pain, or seemingly endless medical attention is needed, these are nothing less than the lenses our God uses to refocus our faith on him so that we might bring him glory and honor and praise through our life and even, if he should require it, through our death! This is why the Lord has allowed the most intelligent of his followers to succumb to Alzheimer’s. This is why the Lord has allowed the strongest of his people to face Arthritis, Cancer, Dementia, and Parkinson’s. This is why the Lord has suddenly taken the life of babies, young children, teens and even young adults. He does it to remind us that our time of grace on earth is short, and we need to make the most of it now, as we serve him. He does it so that the rest of his people might see the faith and the life of his followers as they endure these hardships, sufferings, and diseases, and be strengthened by the faith of those who have been afflicted. He does it to give us the opportunity to approach his throne of heavenly grace for our friends, our loved ones, and even ourselves when we face afflictions like these. He does it so that no matter what, his name will be glorified by our life or by our death. Just as Paul wrote in verse 21: “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21)

What greater comfort could there be than the comfort of knowing that if we should live, we would be living to glorify our Savior and if we should die it would be great gain as we gained eternal life! How comforting it is to know that no matter what we face, be it life or death, we will be the victors! So then, since it is true that we will be the victors whether we live or whether we die, let us make the most of our time of grace by serving the Lord our God. Let us be managers, Christian Stewards, of God’s gift of his Word. Let us go out from here and proclaim the message of salvation with all those around us so that they also might look forward to the great return on a life invested in Christ. Let us not grow weary or complacent, pulling the covers over our heads to wait for the end to come. But let us always be like those who make the most of every day they have left as we make the most of the time of grace our Lord has given us.

Amen.

Pastor David M. Shilling
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church -Le Sueur, MN

Sunday, November 7, 2010

We are the Fellowship of Believers (Acts 2:42-47)

November 7, 2010

Dear friends in Christ.

What were you doing on December 19, 2001? Were you one of the many people who were standing in long lines, waiting for their opportunity to buy a ticket to the first of the Lord of the Rings films? Were you one of the many people got a ticket for opening night and had the opportunity to sit down in a sold out theater with all the other fans you just had to see The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring on the first night? Or were you one, like me, who waited until all the excitement had begun to die down before you went to see The Fellowship of the Ring? For me, it was on the evening of December 25, 2001, when I first saw The Fellowship of the Ring. After Christmas Day Services and dinner at one of the member’s houses, Laura and I decided to make the 3 hour trip down to Rapid City (which was the closest place that the movie was playing). We made it to Rapid City just in time to purchase tickets for the last show of the evening, and though we had to wait in line for quite a while before we could go in and get our seats, we had a great time that evening.

Now, if you are not familiar with the movie, The Fellowship of the Ring, it is a story about a young hobbit, named Frodo Baggins, who through a strange twist of fate is give an ancient ring that had been lost for centuries. When it is discovered that this ring is the One Ring of the Dark Lord Sauron, Frodo begins his harrowing quest to the land of Mordor and the Cracks of Doom in order to destroy it. However, Frodo does not go alone. He is joined by nine companions who travel with him. These nine companions form the Fellowship of the Ring, and they travel together through mountains, through snow, darkness, forests, rivers, and plains facing evil and danger at every turn. Yet together they struggle on, fighting side by side, encouraging each other, and helping each other through tight scrapes. They work together because they know just how important it is for them to destroy that One Ring and end the reign of the Dark Lord Sauron. Thus is the purpose of the Fellowship of the Ring.

Now, if you think about it, in the same way that the Fellowship of the Ring traveled together on their important quest, so also we, the Fellowship of Believers, travel together on our important quest through this life. For, if you really think about it, this is what the Lord has called us to be. He has brought us together with a common faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. He has washed each and every one of us in the Water of his Word in Baptism, and given us the gift of the Holy Spirit who now lives in our hearts. He has made us brothers and sisters through faith and given us the opportunity to struggle on through this life together, fighting side by side, against our enemy, the devil, with the weapons of his Word, and he has given us to each other as companions in this life; companions who are able to comfort each other and build each other up even in the face of the most difficult times. Yes, he has brought us together as the Fellowship of Believers.

In fact, turn with me to Acts 2:42-47, and we’ll see an example of how the Lord has done this. Now in Acts 2:42-47 Luke records for us the results of Peter’s preaching to the people on Pentecost Sunday. As we heard, when we read this section as our first Lesson, when the people heard all that Peter had said, and how he convicted them of their sins, explained to them Christ’s purpose, and condemned them for rejecting Jesus as their Lord and Savior, the people who had gathered there were cut to the heart. They turned to Peter in repentance, asking how they could possibly be forgiven for what they had done, and Peter turned them to Jesus. Peter told 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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (Acts 2:38–39, NIV) And on that day, roughly 3,000 souls were added to the Fellowship of Believers in Jerusalem.

Now, as we take a look at verse 42, Luke shows us how that faith had so taken hold of the believer’s hearts that they showed themselves to be a Fellowship of Believers. Take a look at verse 42: “They 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, NIV)

How would you like to be part of a congregation like that? How would you like to find yourself as a member of a congregation that so freely shows its love and dedication to the Lord in everything that it does? How would you like to be part of a congregation that is so focused on serving the Lord and loving the Lord that they show their love for the Lord by their love and concern for their fellow brothers and sisters in the faith? How would you like to belong to a Fellowship of Believers that acts exactly like those Christians did in those days and months following Pentecost?

Well that is exactly what we have here, for we are the Fellowship of Believers who have dedicated ourselves to the Apostle’s teaching as we read and study the Word of God in Bible Study. We are the Fellowship of Believers who have dedicated ourselves to the Lord and his Word by bringing our children to Sunday School where they can learn the precious truths of salvation and be built up in their knowledge and love of Jesus Christ as their Savior. We are the Fellowship of Believers who have dedicated ourselves to the Lord by our constant presence here, where we can worship the Lord our God, where we can praise him, where we can thank him, and where we can hear him speaking to us through his Word. We are the Fellowship of Believers who have been comforted by the grace and the Love of our Lord Jesus Christ, and who comfort each other in our sorrows with the comfort we, ourselves have received from our God. We are the Fellowship of Believers who sit and listen to each other when times are difficult, who sit and cry with each other through illnesses, in hospital rooms, and especially at funerals. We are the ones who think about the struggles our friends are going through and who pray for them. We are the ones who pray for each other as members of this congregation. We are the ones who bring our prayers to the Lord for his blessing upon our church and our synod so that our efforts to proclaim our Savior might continue to go forward; and we are the ones who continue to pray for all Christians throughout the world that the Lord would strengthen them in their faith and help them through their difficulties. We are even the ones who spend time with each other inside church and outside. We enjoy each other’s company. We help and serve each other through church committees, by volunteering our time to help accomplish various projects through the year, even fellowshipping with each other through things like potlucks and supper clubs.

Does that mean that our church is perfect? Oh, my, no! We are by no means perfect because we, who make up this Fellowship of Believers, are sinners saved by grace. Each and every one of us still has some rough edges to be trimmed off. There are times when we have not been as welcoming as we could have been, and visitors, guests, and even some of our members have felt put off. There have been times when we have been frustrated because Worship has simply been too long, Pastor preached for too long, there were too many prayers, we sang too many stanzas of too many hymns, or something else caused us to be less than dedicated to the Lord on that particular day. There have been times hurting brothers and sisters have put on brave and smiling faces because they have felt that no one really cares about how they feel, or even has time to give them a word of comfort or encouragement. There have been times, especially recently, when our fellowship has allowed an issue to begin to fragment us and cause us to fight among ourselves rather than standing side by side fighting with each other. You see, because we have this great fellowship through faith in Jesus Christ, our Savior, our enemy, satan, will do everything he can to destroy our unity. For in the same way that the fellowship of the nine companions in the movie, The Fellowship of the Ring, began to fragment, so also, if we are not careful our fellowship as believers could also fragment.

So what is the solution? Simple! Take a look again at Acts 2:42, where Luke tells us exactly what the Fellowship of Believer in Jerusalem did. Luke tells us, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42, NIV) This, too, is our purpose. Because we are the Fellowship of Believers whom the Lord has brought together so that we might befriend, strengthen, and up lift one another as we seek to grow in the forgiveness that Jesus won for us and grow together in his Word, our purpose and mission is to dedicate ourselves to the Apostles teaching that has been handed down to us in the pages of the Scripture. Our purpose is to make the most of every opportunity we have to gather together with our fellow brothers and sisters in faith so that we might be strengthened in our faith through our worship together. Our purpose is to make the most of every opportunity we are given to gather together to examine what the Lord has to say to us as we study the Bible for a mere 45 minutes before worship even begins. Our purpose is to encourage each other to join with us on a regular basis so that we might worship the Lord together as his children. Our purpose is to encourage each other to make the most of every opportunity to feast on the body and blood of our Lord so that we might grow in his grace and strength. Our purpose is to comfort each other in our sorrows with the comfort we have received from the Word of God. Our purpose is to fight for each other and defend each other from rumors and lies. Our purpose is to stand shoulder to shoulder with each other, wielding the weapons our Savior has bestowed upon us through his Word, as we continue to do battle against our enemy the devil and all the temptations that he brings against us.

This is what we are together! We are sinners saved by Grace. We are the children of God through faith in Jesus Christ our Savior. We are the Fellowship of Believers. Though we may not have a fancy ring that we are carrying toward destruction, we are nevertheless joined together through faith. We are warriors together in battle against satan and his evil angels. We are the Fellowship of Believers whom the Lord has called together as companions who befriend each other, uplift each other, and strengthen each other as we seek to grow in the forgiveness that Jesus won for us, which he has revealed for us in his Word.

Amen.

Pastor David M. Shilling
Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church -Le Sueur, MN