Prepare Your Hearts

Prepare Your Hearts

Matthew 25:1-13

     Here we are in the second Sunday of November.  We survived the time change.  We made it through the elections and all of the campaign ads and phone calls.  In two and a half weeks it will be Thanksgiving.  I would guess that there are a number of you who are planning to visit family at that time and you will be travelling.  For some it may just be a day trip but for others you may be gone several days.  Imagine for a moment that you have the car all packed and you are ready to go.  As you pull out of the driveway and start down the street you go through the check list.  Did we forget anything?  Did we turn out the lights?  Did you remember your phone charger?  Did we remember those things that we wanted to show grandma and grandpa?  Everything checks out and you are on your way.  Then there is that one thing that you forgot.  Did you fill up the car with gas?  How easy it could be to forget one of the most important things in all the rush.  You need fuel to get where you want to go.

     In a way, that was like the situation in the parable that Jesus told about the last days.  This parable of the ten virgins was drawn from the experience of the people in order to teach them something about preparing their hearts for the end time.  You get to learn a little about wedding customs but the thing that you need to learn is that each of you needs to be ready for the Lord’s coming and when that time comes there will be no second chances.  You need to be ready when the Lord’s trumpet calls.  In all things you need to recognize how the Lord has blessed you so that you can be prepared for whatever He has planned for you. 

     As you heard, this parable puts us in the middle of a wedding during the time of Jesus.  Part of the typical wedding celebration of that day was a grand procession to the place where the wedding feast was to take place.  Young women were chosen to accompany this procession and especially if it were to happen after dark, they would carry lamps which would light the way and give everything a festive touch.  These lamps were probably more like torches carried on poles.  At the top would be rags soaked in olive oil which served as the fuel.  A good supply of oil would be needed to keep the torches burning throughout the time of waiting and the procession.  We are told that five of the young women were foolish and five were wise.  The foolish ones brought their lamps but not extra oil.  The wise ones had oil in jars that they brought along.  When the procession finally was ready the five who did not bring oil were caught in the embarrassing position of having their lamps go out.  They tried to borrow some oil from the others but that would then not leave enough for any of them to complete their task.  In the end they were left out of the wedding banquet. 

     In looking at any parable, it is important for us to pick up on the one main point that Jesus was trying to make.  As we hear this story it becomes pretty clear that Jesus wanted to show the importance of having your hearts prepared for His coming. The difference between the wise and the foolish virgins was the degree of their preparation.  You have to remember that Jesus was talking to His disciples here.  It was not one of those times when Jesus had to deal with the religious leaders of the people who were out to get Him.  This was told to the disciples.  That makes this even more important for you to listen very carefully to the lesson that Jesus wanted to teach.  All of the young women had lamps.  They all started with some oil.  They all slept as they waited for the bridegroom to come.  This would tell us that to start with they were all essentially the same.  This would tell us that many people start out in the faith and then carry on with the many ordinary activities of life.  But the difference comes in the preparedness for the long haul.  The wise ones had fuel enough for the whole evening.  The foolish ones thought they could get by on their original supply.  They didn’t make use of the fuel that would have been easily available to them beforehand.  When the bridegroom finally came, it was too late for them to get more oil and join the procession and come in to the wedding.

     It was not just a careless mistake on the part of the foolish ones.  There was no second chance at that point for them.  So it will be when Jesus comes again.  You need to be prepared for His coming.  That preparation amounts to simply having saving faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.  Those who believe in Him when He comes will be a part of the great procession to the heavenly banquet with Christ and His bride the Church.  Those who have allowed their faith to slip, those who have fallen away, those who have placed their trust in themselves and their own works or any other thing, will be shut out.  It will be too late at that time to run off and try to get the one thing needful that was offered so freely before.

     God has given us so many chances that those who reject that gift of grace can only be described by the word that Jesus Himself used, foolish.  Yet those who reject the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit are everywhere.  Again as we look closely at the parable you need to recognize that Jesus was saying that the foolish ones are even among us.  Even though some may be in line for the procession, their hearts may not be ready for the Lord’s return because they have continually rejected the source of power that is necessary for true faith to fill the heart.  That power comes from the Holy Spirit who works through the Means of Grace, the Word and the Sacraments, to fill your heart with the oil of faith that makes you ready to wait as long as it takes for the Savior to come.  That Spirit-endowed faith not only makes you ready to go when the Lord calls you but it also sustains you for the wait.

     Through that gift of the Holy Spirit, you are prepared to live your life for the Lord as you wait for His return.  That means that you are also ready to serve the Lord in ways that He has made clear in His Word.  A little later in this same chapter, Jesus spoke about the ways in which we serve Him by serving others.  Showing kindness and compassion to those in need, strengthening and building one another in the Lord, spreading the Gospel of salvation through Jesus Christ, praying for and supporting the work of the church are all part of the life of faith as you wait for the time when our Savior will come to judge the world and take His people to our eternal home.  The power to do all those things comes from God.  You need to recognize that great source of spiritual fuel and make use of it in your life.  If you don’t, you are like the foolish virgins who waited with no supply of fuel for their lamps.

      You may have every intention of being a wedding guest when the invitation goes out but without the faith that trusts in Jesus Christ alone, you will be like those who come late and find the doors shut. You may wonder what went wrong but the truth is that there was no oil for your lamp.  There was no real faith and trust in Christ alone.  That is why Jesus told a parable like this to His disciples.  We know that at least one of them did not believe.  Judas betrayed Him in the end.  Jesus’ warning was to all who are His followers.  Stay filled with the power of the Holy Spirit by making good use of the Word and the Sacraments so that your faith will remain strong.  Let that faith show itself in action as you serve the Lord by serving those around you.  Use the power of the Spirit to share the Gospel with others in the time that the Lord will give you.  Just like the young women in the parable, we don’t know when the Bridegroom with come.  We don’t know when Jesus will come again but He calls you to prepare your heart with the spiritual fuel that has been so freely provided.  Then you will be able to join the heavenly celebration of the marriage of Christ and His Bride, the Church, for all eternity.   Amen.

Rev. Gerald Matzke

Zion Lutheran Church

Painesville, Ohio

22nd Sunday after Pentecost       

Fragrant Sacrifices and Offerings

Fragrant Sacrifices and Offerings                              Ephesians 5:2

     As you may have noticed in the worship folder for today, the theme of the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League for this year is “Fragrant Offerings and Sacrifices.”  As we celebrate with the LWML this weekend and recognize their service to the church, may this theme text help us to see how we all by faith in the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ and enabled to be fragrant sacrifices and offerings to the Lord in His Kingdom.

     The letter the Ephesians is one of those letters that was written when Paul was in prison in Rome.  In spite of his own dire circumstances, he writes a word of joyful encouragement to the saints.  Paul was certainly one who could appreciate the difficulties that could be part of a life of faith.  Since his conversion on the road to Damascus, his life had changed dramatically.  In the Epistle lesson a couple of weeks ago, Paul described himself before his conversion.  Recall that he said, “circumcised on the eighth day; of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin; a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee, as to zeal, a persecutor of the church, as to righteousness under the law, blameless.” 

     But Paul had come to the realization that all the faithful in Christ have come to understand through the power of the Holy Spirit, namely that none of our labor is acceptable to God.  We understand that none of our earthly work is acceptable in God’s sight.  All our works are as filthy rags before God contrary to what many people think about their great achievements.  On our own, of our effort, none of our works rise to the Lord as fragrant offerings or are acceptable to our Father in heaven as pleasing sacrifices.  Our God sees all our work as filthy rags, not one worthy of earning any attention from Him.

     In a sermon on this text by Martin Luther, he said, “This expression Paul takes from the Old Testament.  There the temporal sacrifices are described as being a ‘sweet-smelling savor’ unto God: that is, they are acceptable and well-pleasing to him; but not, as the Jews imagined, because of the value of the work or of the sacrifices in themselves.  For such thought they were chastised by the prophets often enough.  They were acceptable on the ground of the true sacrifice which they foreshadowed and encircled.”  Dr. Luther had a good understanding that none of our works reach God as fragrant sacrifices and offerings.  Those kinds of offerings never did reach the Lord even in the Old Testament.

     He does continue though, “They (Israel’s sacrifices) were acceptable on the ground of the true sacrifice which they foreshowed and encircled.  Paul’s thought is this: The sacrifices of the Old Testament have passed.  Now all sacrifices are powerless but that of Christ himself.; he is the sweet-smelling savor.  This sacrifice is pleasing to God.  He gladly accepts it and would have us be confident it is an acceptable offering in our stead.”

     That means that you are faced with the reality of your fallen condition.  You reminded that you are at the same time righteous and a sinner.  You have the terrible stain of sin on you and at the same time have the wonderful promise of resurrection glory on you through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. This wonderful fragrant and gracious sacrifice on your behalf is the one that God receives as a fragrant offering and sacrifice.  This is the ultimate sacrificial offering but there are many others worked by our Lord Jesus in obedience to the Father.

     For example, in the beginning the Holy Spirit came to a virgin named Mary and a Son was born to her and Joseph who is named Jesus.  Prophecy had proclaimed the birth of this Child and angels sang about the birth of this child.  The shepherds and wise men rejoiced at the birth of the Child and our Father received this miraculous birth as a fragrant sacrifice and offering.  This Jesus at eight days old was dedicated back to His Father in the rite of circumcision, a fragrant offering to the Lord.  There was a wedding that was running short of wine and Jesus turned water into the best wine and the Father catches a scent of a fragrant offering.  Do you see what was happening?

     Blind people see, deaf people hear, lame people have the limbs restored, sick people are healed, lepers are cleansed, demons are cast out, mute people speak, the hungry are fed, demon possessed are  delivered, captives are set free, severed ears restored, and if that were not enough, resurrection and life become the new normal.  Our Father receives all these acts as fragrant sacrifices and offerings. All of this led up to the final sacrifice when Jesus’ blood was shed.  The perfect offering is so sweet and fragrant that it has the power to cover and remove the sin of the whole world for all time.

     That is the plan and design of God.  Jesus Christ, the perfect fragrant offering and sacrifice, the Lamb of God, was slain for all.  Not only are their names written in the book of the Lamb and in the heart of the Father but their works of faith, good works prepared beforehand that they would do, rise to throne of our Father as fragrant sacrifices and offerings.    

     It is important that you understand that when you, in obedience to the Great Commission in Matthew 28, “in your going, make disciples,” in other words, share the Gospel with someone in need of encouragement, the Father receives that as a fragrant sacrifice and offering.  When you, baptized, redeemed, Spirit-filled, consecrated brothers and sisters in Christ, particularly those who contribute your pennies, nickels, dimes quarters and dollars in the interest of missions, Our Father receives every single sacrificial mite as a fragrant sacrifice and offering.  When we all in faithful obedience, study the Word of God to show ourselves approved, when we dwell together in unity, when we faithfully hold the confession of the church in this perverse generation, when we speak faith, when we love one another, fragrant sacrifices and offerings rise up to our merciful, holy and gracious God and Father.

     Every act of obedience, every work of the saints of God, every act of faith, every word spoken in faith rises up to the Father as a sweet-smelling, sacrificial offering.  We have the awesome privilege of bringing joy to the heart of our heavenly Father by those acts of sacrificial love.  But that’s not all.  St. Paul says in Romans 12, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”  It’s not just the things that you do in faith that are that fragrant sacrifice and offering.  St. Paul talks about your body.  In other words, your whole self is that fragrant sacrifice and offering to God.  All that you are, all that you say, all that you do in faith in response to God’s great love rises to God as a sweet smelling offering of love.  This gives new meaning to our life in the Lord.  It eliminates the idea that I can switch on my religious life one day and switch it off when it is not convenient.  It also makes clear to me that what I do in my everyday life can also be a fragrant sacrifice and offering when it is done in faith and gives glory to God.  When I am serving the good of others in my job, taking care of the needs of my family and friends, or serving in the church, I am offering my whole self to the Lord as a fragrant sacrifice and offering.

     With that understanding, as saints of God, let us strive with all our Spirit-filled faith to infuse the heavens with fragrant sacrifices and offerings by not simply doing, but by being those sacrifices and offerings that rise up to our loving God and Father.  Amen.

Rev. Gerald Matzke

Zion Lutheran Church

Painesville, Ohio

Adapted from the Sermon for LWML Sunday

October 19, 2014

     

A People Producing Fruit

A People Producing Fruit

Matthew 21:33-46

    If you want to make people feel really uncomfortable, let them know, in a round-about way, that you know something that they did wrong.  The worse the offense, the more uncomfortable they will feel.  You confront them in such a way that you don’t exactly come out and accuse them, you let them feel the heat as they draw the conclusion that their little secret is out of the bag.  That’s what Jesus did in the Gospel lesson for today.  Among the people listening to Him in the temple area were the chief priests and elders of the people who were challenging His authority.  He responded to them by telling them a parable that, in the end, confronted them with the reality that they and their ancestors had been acting on their own human nature and not obeying the will of God.  As you heard in the Gospel reading, Jesus told the parable about the master who planted a vineyard and then leased the land to tenants who were then supposed to take care of the grapes and hand over the fruit when it was harvested.  In their greed, they killed the servants who were sent by the master until finally the master sent his own son and the wicked tenants killed the son.  He concluded by asking a question.  “What will he do to those tenants?”

The obvious answer was that the master would put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.  This is where the religious leaders of the people began to feel the heat.  They began to realize that they were the wicked tenants in the parable.  They were the ones who killed the servants, who were actually the prophets who called people to repentance and obedience.  They would be the ones who would take the responsibility for the death of the Son in just a few days.  They really felt the pressure of guilt when Jesus came right out and said that the Kingdom would be taken away from them and given to a people producing fruit. 

     Sadly, the reaction of the religious leaders was not repentance for their sins.  When they realized that this parable was really a condemnation of their idea of what it meant to be religious and how they were actually rejecting God’s mercy when they were rejecting Him as the Messiah, their reaction was not one of humble submission to God’s grace and a confession of their sins.  It was actually the opposite.  They were so entrenched in their ways that began to plot a way in which they could have Jesus arrested.  As they discussed their intentions, they also realized that the people would not support them because too many of them saw Jesus as a true prophet sent from God.  They would have to wait for another time.  Later in the week, their plan would come together when Judas conspired with them to arrest Jesus at night when there wouldn’t be as many people around. 

     Isn’t it interesting how people react when they find themselves caught in their sin?  Human nature and pride kick in and instead of honestly acknowledging sin, the reaction is to fight back.  We’ve got to stop this guy.  He’s hitting too close to home.  Things haven’t changed from the Biblical times.  When the prophets of the Old Testament called people to repentance, they were often abused and some were put to death.  Even John the Baptist lost his life when he confronted King Herod with his sin.  Now the Father in heaven has sent His own Son to confront sin and call people to repentance and what was the response of the religious leaders of the people?  Let’s have him arrested.  Let us find a way to silence this one who is challenging the good thing we’ve got going here.  It might not be exactly what God wants us to be doing but sure has been profitable for us.  We’ve got to stop this guy.

     People are just the same today though.  In our “feel good” society, no one wants to hear about sin.  No one wants to be called to repentance because that means that I have to admit that I have done something wrong.  “As I see it, I do everything the right way because it works for my advantage and therefore it must be right.  Don’t try to tell me I have sinned!”  When that kind of attitude dominates your thinking, there is no room for repentance.  When there is no room for repentance there is no need for a Savior.  If you see no reason for a Savior, you don’t see why Jesus had to come into the world and it becomes irrelevant.  That should help you to see why so many people in our world today see no use for the church.  God is seen as an on-call servant who is always ready to give you what you want to make your life more comfortable and that’s about it.  That kind of thinking changes God’s place in the parable from the Master to the servant.  The natural progression of that kind of thinking then is that if God doesn’t give me what I want then what good is He.  God becomes irrelevant and of course then the church becomes irrelevant.  People who get caught up in this kind of thinking start to drop out of the church and the result is that purely secular thinking becomes the dominant philosophy in society. 

     What the world needs to hear the most is what the world is trying to avoid.  You need to hear the Law and feel your guilt before you can feel the need for rescue from the punishment that you deserve for your sin.  It is only then that you ready to hear the good news that God loves you even though you don’t deserve it and He showed that love by sending His only Son to be your substitute.   He lived the perfect life that you could not live and then took your punishment to the cross and gave up His life.  He then rose again from the dead to show His victory over sin, death and the power of the devil.  His victory is your victory. 

     God wants to give the kingdom to a people who will produce fruit.  The kingdom was taken from those who were more concerned with building their own kingdom than producing fruit for the kingdom of God.  Just like the purpose of an apple tree is to produce fruit, more apples, so the purpose of the people of the kingdom of God is to produce more people for the kingdom.  We can carry the idea of planting apple trees a little bit farther.  Apple trees grow where apple seeds are planted.  In the same way, the seed must be planted in order for people to come in contact with the Holy Spirit who makes it possible for the seeds to grow.  In the case of the kingdom of God, the seed is the Word of God, either by hearing it or by receiving the power of the Holy Spirit through the blessings of Baptism where the washing with water is connected to the words and promises of God.  The seed is nourished and begins to grow into a plant that eventually will produce fruit. 

       As faithful fruit-bearers in God’s kingdom, it would make sense then to plant seeds.  Many people are surprised when they realize how many times each day you have an opportunity to plant a seed.  A kind word, a simple reference to God’s blessings, a cross placed in a highly visible spot in your home can all be a way in which you can plant a seed.  A greeting card with an appropriate Bible verse can plant a seed.  An unexpected kindness or gift can plant a seed.  Once seeds are planted, they need to be nourished.  An invitation to worship, an invitation to an event with a Christian theme, like our Boar’s Head Christmas Festival, can be a step toward nurturing the seedling that can then grow into a plant.  All along the way, the Holy Spirit continues to work through the sharing of the Word and fruit begins to grow.  The important thing to remember in this process is that fruit-bearing is for the kingdom of God.  It is not like those whom Jesus encountered who were more interested in building their own kingdom.  As good stewards of God’s blessings, you have the privilege of taking a small part in the building of His Kingdom.  You plant the seeds.  You nourish the plants with the Means of Grace and give the Holy Spirit the opportunity to make them grow.  You rejoice with the Church when fruit is produced because God’s Kingdom grows and like the fruit that produces more seed, the Kingdom will continue to grow.     

      Fresh apples are abundant at this time of the year.  Whenever you see one, remember that God has given you the privilege to produce fruit for His Kingdom.  Amen.

Rev. Gerald Matzke

Zion Lutheran Church

Painesville, Ohio

The 17th Sunday after Pentecost

A Life Worthy of the Gospel of Christ

Live a Life Worthy of the Gospel of Christ

Philippians 1:12-14, 19-30

     It seems that everyday when you hear the national and international news there is something being reported about radical terrorist groups that in one way or another try to send a message that they want to take over the world.  Some of this comes from a religious zeal to eliminate Christianity that goes back to the middle ages and before.  It shouldn’t be surprising to us that the Christian faith has been under attack because the devil would like nothing better than to persuade Christians to give up their faith in Jesus and turn instead to human ideas of finding eternal peace and happiness.  In that way, the devil will have control.  That same kind of opposition to the Gospel of Christ was active from the very beginning of the Christian faith.  Jesus faced that opposition and it led to His death on the cross.  The early Christians faced opposition from the Jews and later the Romans and others who saw Christianity as a challenge to their pagan beliefs.  Religious persecution is nothing new.  The issue for us today is how do we respond to opposition to our faith.  In our Epistle lesson for today, Paul calls the Philippian Christians and Christians of all time including us today to “Let your manner of life be worthy of the Gospel of Christ.”  As we think about what that means for our lives today, may we be strengthened and encouraged as we face increased opposition in a hostile world.

     When you are faced with opposition to what you believe and hold dear, there are a number of ways that you can respond.  Often your human nature will kick in and you rely only on the instinct to survive.  You might even panic and struggle with what you are going to do.  Sometimes you just live in fear.  You become afraid to do anything because you are afraid of what someone might say.  You are afraid that you might lose something if you stand up for your beliefs.  All of that fear simply indicates a lack of trust in the Lord to be with you.  As much as you hear how the Lord watches over you and will give His angels charge over you, when panic sets in, the first thing that your human nature does is try to figure out how you will get yourself out of this problem.  You forget God’s promises.

     Another coping mechanism that human nature encourages is to simply go along with the flow.  It’s the safe thing to do.  You see how others are prospering because they have adopted the ways of the world and it seems like the logical thing to go along as well.  This is probably one of the most common responses to opposition to the faith.  It happens all the time.  We have all fallen victim to this subtle trick of the devil.  In the end, this happens because of a lack of conviction.  You know the facts of the faith but you have a hard time putting your faith into action, especially in the face of opposition. 

     A third kind of strategy that flows from human thinking is to compromise.  After all, in our world today, compromise is seen as solution in many areas of life.  It’s what politics is all about.  Two opposing view points ultimately compromise to get anything accomplished in the government.  Compromise is necessary in order to come to some settlement on contract disputes.  Compromise even helps to bring peace in families.  Compromise is seen to be the best solution when there are opposing points of view.  But can you compromise the truth of God’s Word?  Can you compromise the truth of the Gospel of Christ?  Some churches have done that as they attempted to be more responsive to society.  But to compromise on the truth of God’s word shows a lack of trust in God’s wisdom.  When you believe and trust that God’s Word is the truth, there can be no compromise.

     For those sins of lack of trust in God’s promises, lack of conviction in what you claim to believe and teach, and lack of trust in God’s wisdom, you need to come often to God and confess your sins and seek His forgiveness in the name of Jesus.  If you are going to live in a manner that is worthy of the Gospel of Christ, you must begin with an acknowledgement of these sins and all the others that plague you daily.  That is one of the reasons that regular time for worship and personal devotion are so important for those who want to live a life worthy of the Gospel of Christ.  As you come in all humility, you are assured of the grace of God, His undeserved love for you, and the forgiveness that has been won for you by Jesus.  It is that forgiveness then that strengthens you for your daily walk. 

     When you stay close to your sources of spiritual strength, the Means of Grace, the Word and the Sacraments, you are reminded that you are committed to serve Christ.  You are not here simply to serve yourself and to try and make it through life without anything unpleasant ever happening to you.  A life that is worthy of the Gospel of Christ is a life that remembers that Jesus suffered and died for you.  Out of love for that great sacrifice, you want to respond with a life that is devoted to serving the One who gave His life so that you could be reconciled to God and be assured of spending eternity in heaven in His presence. 

     You serve the One who not only died for you but also rose again to demonstrate His victory over sin and death and the power of the devil, those same powers of evil that bring opposition and persecution into your life.  He has won the victory over them.  They can not defeat you.  Think of what a shot of courage it is to know that the war has already been won.  You may have to fight in the battles but the ultimate victory has been won by the One you serve.  The Gospel of Christ is victorious over the lies and tricks of the devil.

      The One you serve also has empowered you to stand firm in the face of persecution and suffering.  He has not simply sent you out on the battle field without armor and weapons.  He has placed you in His Church where you are prepared for battle by His Word and the Sacraments.  By the water of Holy Baptism you became a part of God’s family and you were given the blessings of the forgiveness of sins that frees you to live a life worthy of the Gospel of Christ.  You have the blessing of being able to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus in the Sacrament of the Altar for the forgiveness of sins and strength for your life.  You are encouraged by your brothers and sisters in Christ as you struggle together against the forces that would try to destroy you.  Together you can live a life that is worthy of the Gospel of Christ which Paul called a clear sign of the destruction of your enemies as well as a sign of your salvation. 

     Paul calls us to stand firm in one spirit, with one mind, striving for the faith of the Gospel.  A united stand for the Gospel sends a clear message to the world that we stand for the truth.  No fear, no giving in, no compromise of the truth.  The Gospel of Christ, that message of repentance and forgiveness through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, is more powerful than any other message that is out there. 

     Paul also wanted you to know that until the time when Jesus comes again for the final judgment, there will still be struggles.  We have seen down through history that the devil is still active and will try all kinds of evil tricks and subtle strategies to get God’s people to become discouraged and fall away.  Paul presents himself as an example of the kinds of opposition and persecution that can happen when you stand up for the truth, when your manner of life is worthy of the Gospel of Christ.  But that did not deter him.  He was writing to the Christians in Philippi from a prison in Rome.  Yet he was filled with encouragement for his fellow believers.  As Paul also said, “The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed to us.”  The glory of eternity in heaven far outweighs the momentary troubles of this life.  While we are still here, may you use all of the blessings that God provides for His people to be strengthened and encouraged to let your manner of life be worthy of the Gospel of Christ.  Amen.

Rev. Gerald Matzke

Zion Lutheran Church

Painesville, OH  

Pentecost 15  

Hope For The Sinner

Hope For The Sinner 

Matthew 18:1-20

     When you read the Gospel of Matthew, it seems that Jesus, at times, went on and on about one topic after another that really didn’t appear to be related at all.  He would speak a few words about one subject and then He would jump to something else.  That has led some Bible scholars to claim that Matthew’s Gospel wasn’t an exact recording of what really took place but rather a collection of Jesus’ sayings that may have occurred on several occasions.  I’m always skeptical when someone tries to make human sense out of divinely inspired Scripture by taking it apart and putting it back together again in a way that might make more sense to the human mind.  Instead, it would be better for us to simply take what Jesus said as it is presented and look for something that connects the various saying together.  One of my seminary professors called that the golden thread that runs through the reading.  What is the one main point that is being made in a particular reading.  Today’s Gospel lesson is a good example of a section that seems to contain several unrelated thoughts but after you look at it more closely, you begin to see that golden thread.  As we meditate on the Gospel lesson for today from Matthew 18, may we discover together that golden thread that shows us that there is hope for the sinner.

     This reading begins with a question that came from Jesus’ disciples.

“Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  That’s an interesting question.  Why do you suppose someone would ask that kind of question?  With football season getting started, many people are wondering which team will be the greatest this season.  Everyone hopes that their favorite team will be the greatest because then you can brag that your team is number one.  Our human nature feeds on the desire to be the greatest.  That might explain the question that the disciples asked.  Do you suppose that deep down they were hoping that Jesus would say that those who are his disciples are the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?  Isn’t that what we would like to hear?  Again, our sinful human nature would love to say, “We are better than you are.”  But Jesus didn’t say that.  In fact He surprised them by placing a young child in front of them and saying, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.  Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”  A humble child trusts completely.  A humble child isn’t out to impress others with acts of goodness intended to make points with God.  A humble child will admit the wrongs done and seek the Lord’s forgiveness.  Having the humility of a young child makes one great in the kingdom of God.  What a surprise!  How contrary to human thinking!  That gives hope to the sinner who realizes that there is nothing that you can do to make up for your sin.  There is nothing you can do to make yourself right with God.  You must stand before God in all humility and look to Jesus alone for the forgiveness of sins.  Jesus promised that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.  That fact gives the sinner hope.

     Next Jesus went a step farther and gives a serious warning to those who cause others to sin, especially those who are like the humble child.  This shows us God’s attitude toward sin and those who cause it.  Their punishment will be great.  That thought also gives hope to the humble sinner.  Often there are times when you feel like you are alone in a sinful world.  Things around you seem to be more and more corrupt all the time.  You feel the pull of temptations all around you and you find yourself more often than not giving in to those temptations.  It seems like you are in a giant downward spiral.  One sin leads to another.  There seems to be no hope.  Yet when you are reminded how God feels about sin and those who cause it, you can be hopeful.  He didn’t create you for sinfulness.  He created you to obey and serve Him.  He loves you and has given His only Son to rescue you from the punishment that you deserve because of your sin.  He hates sin and in His love, He wants you to be saved from the downward spiral.  He lifts you up because He wants you to be with Him forever in heaven.  That good news gives the sinner hope.

     The next point in this reading talks about how to keep from sinning.  Jesus uses some exaggeration to get across the idea that sin against God is serious.  He certainly does not want you to cut of your hands and feet but He does want you to use the spiritual tools that have been given to us to strengthen your resolve to do God’s will in your life.  In His mercy, God sent the Holy Spirit to work in your heart through the Means of Grace, the Word and the Sacrament.  When you hear the Word you are reminded of God’s will and the Holy Spirit strengthens you to do those things that God commands.  Through your Baptism you become a child of God and you live to please your heavenly Father.  The Holy Spirit works to bring you to saving faith and keeps you in that faith as you remember your Baptism daily.  Through the Lord’s Supper you receive the forgiveness of your sins and the strength to live a God-pleasing life.  You are certainly not left to your own strength when it comes to fighting against the devil, the world and your sinful nature.  That gives hope to the sinner. 

     Jesus then turns to a short parable about a shepherd and his sheep to help us to see how much he cares about his sheep, especially those who wander.  Have you ever felt like a sheep that has gone astray?  I would think that if you are honest with yourself, there have been times in your life when you wandered off, when you followed the enticements of the world and left the security of the flock and the shepherd.  During that time you may have felt for a time like this was what you always wanted but then reality set in and you felt lost.  In Jesus’ parable, the shepherd left the ninety-nine to search for the one that was lost.  This shows us the love of God for His own.  It is not His will that one of these should perish.  There is great rejoicing when that one is returned to the flock.  That also gives hope to the sinner. 

     The final example in this section about giving hope to the sinner talks about a process for reclaiming someone who has sinned against you.  First, go to that person, one on one.  If he repents, you have gained the brother.  If that doesn’t work, take someone with you.  If that doesn’t work, take it to the church.  The hope is that the person could be brought back into the body of Christ as a repentant and forgiven brother.  This process is often recommended when there are problems between people, especially in the church.  It is seen as the God-pleasing way to resolve problems that may arise between sinful people, and we are all sinful people.  Those things will happen.  We all have to deal with pride and selfishness because of our sinful nature and that can cause clashes when one person’s pride comes up against another person’s pride.  But there is more to this than simply a way to resolve differences.  This shows us once again that God’s will is that repentance overcomes pride and that there is hope for the sinner who lets pride get in the way of humble service to the Lord and His people.  There is hope because the Lord wants all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of His truth. 

      The last two verses of this reading make a strong point about where this hope can be found.  Jesus speaks about the gathering of His people together.  “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”  That is a very simple description of the Church.  People gathered in the name of Jesus will seek to do the Father’s will and will encourage others to do the same.  Gathering in the name of Jesus means that we seek to do everything that is connected with the life and teaching of Jesus.  That means proclaiming the Law and the Gospel in its truth and purity and administering the Sacraments according to God’s direction.  It is in the Church, among brothers and sisters in Christ, that the sinner can find real hope, hope for forgiveness, hope for reconciliation with God, and hope for eternity in heaven.  With that hope then come peace and joy that make a real difference in the way you live your life.  You will still struggle with temptation.  You will still sin, but you will also live with a sure and certain hope for your eternal future.  Amen.

Rev. Gerald Matzke

Zion Lutheran Church

Painesville, Ohio

Pentecost 13

One Body In Christ

One Body In Christ

Romans 11:33-12:8

     Whether you are new to the church or you have been a member of the church all your life, it’s good to, once in while, ask the question, “What is the church?”  We may think we know the answer to that question because we have certain preconceived ideas about what the church is but we also live under the influence of our sinful nature and the world around us and the devil who is trying to destroy the church.  It’s good to hear what Scripture has to say about the church and how it should function in the world.  As we look at Paul’s words to the church in Rome, may we be given the wisdom to apply his words to our life in the church today. 

     When your human nature tries to influence you, the strategy usually makes you turn inward.  You start asking the question, “What is in this for me?”  “How can I benefit the most from my association with the church.”  “Does this church fit into my concept of what the church should be?”  Sometimes you see churches marketing themselves as a place to make friends or a place where you can fit in.  While that may make you feel more welcome, is that really what the church is to be?  Sometimes you hear about a church that has a great youth program or a great music program.  Those things are great but is that the main function of a church?

       When you look at what St. Paul says in our Epistle lesson for today, you will begin to get a clearer picture of the real function of the church.  The reading starts at the end of chapter 11.  There we hear a great song of praise.  “Oh the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and how inscrutable his ways!  For who has known the mind of the Lord or who has been his counselor?  Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?  For from him and through him and to him are all things.  To him be glory forever.  Amen.”  This is a profound expression of praise to God.  When we consider how far beyond our human understanding God is, when we consider the depth of God’s love for us, when we acknowledge that we could never understand his ways completely, we are in awe of our wonderful God.  Therefore we praise Him and give Him the glory with our whole heart.  That, then is the first purpose of our life in the church, to give praise and honor to God.

     In His mercy, our God has revealed to us His goodness and love.  He has revealed to us through the sacred writers of the Scriptures that we are sinners who deserve nothing but punishment.  He also has revealed to us that He loves us so much that He sent His only Son into the world to do for us what we could never do for ourselves.  Jesus came into the world and lived a perfect life in our place.  He died on the cross to pay the price for our sins.  He rose again from the dead to win the victory for us over sin, death and the power of the devil.  He sent the Holy Spirit to bring us to faith and keep us in the faith through the Word and the Sacraments.  There we find the second important function of the church: to proclaim the message of salvation through the proclamation of the Law and the Gospel.  As people of God we need to hear that life-giving message often in order to overcome the temptations of the devil, the world and our sinful nature that would try and turn us away from the will of God and convince us that we are the ones responsible for our place in God’s kingdom. 

     The second part of our reading then helps us to understand a third purpose of our life in the church.  In verse one of chapter twelve we hear: “By the mercies of God, present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”  Along with the praise that I mentioned earlier and the hearing of the Word, you are to present yourself as a living sacrifice to God, holy and acceptable.  This is a part of your spiritual worship.  Think about some of the words that are used in this appeal.  Present your body.  That is not just talking about a good feeling.  He’s talking about the whole thing, mind, body, eyes, ears, hands, feet.  He is talking about action.  Another word that is significant is sacrifice.  A true sacrifice is not what is left over after you have done all you wanted to do.  A sacrifice that is holy and acceptable to God is one that recognizes God’s amazing love and responds with the best that you have.  Another word in this verse is worship.  Presenting yourself as a living sacrifice is a part of a life of worship.

     About this time, the human nature is ready to push back and say you’re asking too much of me.  I have a busy life and I don’t have time for anything else right now.  Maybe when things slow down I can try a few things.  That is the way our human minds usually work.  Paul had something to say about that as well.  In chapter 12, verse 2 we hear, “Do not be conformed to the this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”  Your human nature wants you to conform to the ways of the world.  It is a constant struggle that we all face.  Left to yourself, you tend toward the ways of the world because that is what is familiar.  That is what makes you feel comfortable.  You need a transformation.  That can only happen by the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit works through the Means of Grace, the Word and the Sacraments.  In Holy Baptism, the Spirit began His work in you and that work continues through the proclamation of Word, the Law and the Gospel.  The Law convicts you of your sin and brings you to repentance and the Gospel reminds you of God’s great love in Christ.  Your sins are forgiven and in Christ, you can be that living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. 

       That brings us back then to your life in the church.  There you have the opportunity to follow the example of Jesus and give your life in humble service to the Lord and to one another.  The church is compared to a body.  A body has many parts and each part has an important function.  In the same way we are one body in Christ.  Each individual in the body works for the good of the whole body which has Christ as its head.  In this passage from Romans 12 we are given several examples of the kinds of gifts that God gives to the parts of the body, the people in the church.  This is not a complete list of the gifts.  There are others mentioned in I Corinthians 12 and in other sections of Paul’s letters to churches.  Here he mentions the gift of prophecy, being able to speak for God.  Also mentioned are the gifts of service, teaching, exhorting, generosity, and acts of mercy.  You don’t have to think too hard before you see how these gifts are used all the time in the church.  Not everyone has every gift, but everyone has some gift to be used for the efficient functioning of the body. 

     It is then that we hear the key statement that expresses another purpose of the church.  In verse 6 we hear, “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us let us use them.”  The church is the place where we have the opportunity to use the unique gifts that God has given to each of us.  Those gifts then are used to carry out the primary purpose of the church which is to make disciples of all nations.  The church is to be a witness for Christ to the world around us beginning in our own community and then branching out eventually to the whole world.  It sounds like a big job and it is for one person or even a small group of people.  But we are one body in Christ, the whole body working together, each one using its own God-given gifts to do the work that God has given us to do. 

     When you look at a text like this you can see clearly that life in the church is not a spectator sport.  You don’t just buy your ticket and watch the show.  Life in the church is praise, hearing and studying the Word in order to be equipped for service, then using the gifts that God has given to each one to carry out the work of the one body in Christ. That is what we truly are.  We are one body in Christ, doing the work that He has planned ahead of time for us to do.  May God bless this One Body in Christ as we work together to further His kingdom.  Amen.

Rev. Gerald Matzke

Zion Lutheran Church

Painesville, Ohio

11th Sunday after Pentecost

Why Did You Doubt?

Why Did You Doubt?  

Matthew 14:22-33

      Do you ever worry?  That may sound like a strange question to ask.  Who doesn’t worry?  We all worry from time to time about a variety of things.  You worry about your health.  You worry about finances.  You worry about the weather.  You worry about your children.  Children worry about their parents, especially when the parents get older.  You worry about the government.  You worry about world affairs.  Did you ever wonder why you worry so much?  As we think about what happened in the Gospel lesson for today and we apply that to our own lives, I pray that you will be able to understand yourself a little bit better and that you will find that your faith and trust in the Triune God are just what you need in the times when you are tempted to doubt and worry.

     Our Gospel lesson from Matthew 14, tells us what happened to Jesus and His disciples after He had fed the large crowd near the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus sent the disciples off in boat as He sent the crowds on their way and He went off to a solitary place to pray.  Later on when the disciples were well on their way, Jesus came to them walking on the water.  This in itself was an amazing experience for the disciples.  At first they thought He was a ghost.  Fishermen on the Sea of Galilee knew about the superstitions that had been around for generations that said if you saw a phantom image out on the water that something bad was going to happen very soon.  That was their first thought.  This is a bad sign!  They did what most people would have done under the circumstances.  They screamed!  They were scared out of their wits. 

      But Jesus spoke to them and said, as He often did, “It is I.  Do not be afraid.”  His comforting words drove away their fear but at least for Peter, the fear was replaced by curiosity.  We can imagine what he was thinking.  “How does He do that?  I wonder if He would show me how He does it.”  His curiosity got the best of him and he said, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”  That was a pretty bold request but Jesus granted his request and said to Peter simply, “Come.”  At Jesus’ command, Peter got out of the boat and walked to Him on the water.  Imagine his surprise.  Imagine the shock and surprise of the other disciples who stayed in the boat.  We don’t often think about them and their response to all of this but they must have had many thoughts racing through their minds as they saw their companion walking on the water with Jesus.  “How could this be?  Do you suppose I could walk on the water too?”  When it was all over we are told that they worshiped Jesus and proclaimed, “Truly you are the Son of God.”  That is generally the outcome when Jesus did a miraculous sign.  That was actually one of the purposes of miraculous signs, to show people that Jesus was the Son of God and the fulfillment of the prophecies regarding the Messiah. 

     We need to go back to Peter though who actually walked on the water until he began to realize what he was actually doing.  He looked around at the waves and felt the wind and must have thought to himself, “What am I doing here?”  When that thought hit him, he began to sink and cried out to Jesus to save him.  Jesus reached out and took hold of him and helped him get back into the boat.  Jesus’ word’s to Peter exposed his lack of faith.  “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”  Why did Peter doubt?  Jesus described him as being of little faith.  Didn’t Peter believe in Jesus?  He was one of His strongest supporters.  Why did he doubt?  Think through what happened again.  Peter desired to do something. He asked Jesus to allow it to happen.  He did what he wanted to do.  He doubted.  He sank.  Jesus rescued him.  He believed that Jesus was the Messiah.  He had faith.  But when times got difficult, his trust in Jesus wavered.  The devil planted seeds of doubt in his mind and Peter’s human nature took over.  That sinful human nature relies too often on only human thinking that is limited to human experience and human reason.  It caused Peter to doubt and when he took his eyes off of Jesus and instead looked only at the waves and felt the wind, his trust in Jesus and His word disappeared and he began to sink into the water. 

     Before you shake your accusing finger at Peter and say, “How could you let that happen?” you have to think about how you react to the call of Jesus in your life.  When you are brought to faith through the working of the Holy Spirit, you are given the power to believe and trust in Jesus as your Lord and Savior.  You believe and trust that God made you and has promised to provide you all that you need in this life.  You believe what the Scriptures say about how the Holy Spirit has given you the gifts and talents to serve the Lord and His Church.  Like Peter, you see the Lord doing amazing things in your life and in the lives of others.  You have heard the Lord’s command to go and make disciples.  You have heard the Lord’s promise that He will be with you always.  You have heard the Lord’s command to grow in your faith.  Like Peter, you desire to do all that the Lord commands.

     On the day of your confirmation you promised to be a faithful disciple of the Lord.  You meant it with all your heart.  Like Peter, you prayed for the Lord’s will to be done in your life.  You were filled with the Spirit and you had every intention to live a Spirit- filled life of love and service to the Lord, His Church and to those in need.  Like Peter, you also may have stepped out of the boat, out of your comfort zone, and tried something you had never done before.  You did it.  Then like Peter, you began to doubt.  You became afraid of what might happen, what others might think, you became discouraged when some of your efforts failed.  You started to rely on your own reason instead of trusting in the Lord and, like Peter, you began to sink.  In your desperation you called to the Lord and He pulled you up and placed you in the safety of His church.  There you were assured of His love and forgiveness for your doubt and fear.  You were reminded of the grace of God for fallen sinners, those who gave in to the devil’s temptations.  There you are reminded through the Word and the Sacraments, the Means of Grace, that through the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross, you are restored.  You are strengthened so that when you hear that command of Jesus to step out of the boat, your comfort zone, and you will be ready and equipped to use your unique gifts and talents to serve. 

     As you think about what happened to Peter, you come to realize that this is actually a summary of God’s whole plan for our salvation.  God gives us His law, whether written on the tablets of stone like the Ten Commandments or that law that is written in our hearts.  Even though you know God’s will, you go your own way and fall short of what God expects.  Sin drags you down and finally you call to the Lord for help.  Your sorrow over your sin is the beginning of the process of repentance.  You call to Jesus for rescue and He pulls you up, not because of your good intentions but because of His grace, His undeserved love for you.  Your sins are forgiven and you are renewed and restored.  Like Peter, you are not allowed to sink but you have new life each time you are declared not guilty by the gracious hand of your loving God. 

     Like the disciples, you can stand in awe of the love and power of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  When you realize all that has been done to rescue you from the eternal punishment that you deserve because of your sin, you are moved to worship and proclaim Jesus as Lord and Savior for all to hear.  That is why we come together as people of God.  When we sink because of our sin, Jesus picks us up in spite of our little faith and our doubt.  Therefore we praise and thank Him as a church and as individuals all our days.  Amen.

Rev. Gerald Matzke

Zion Lutheran Church

Painesville, Ohio

9th Sunday after Pentecost