Sermon: Epiphany 3C (Psalm)

Saturday 2 February AD 2013

Title: The Sweet Word of the Lord (MP3 Audio)

Summary: True wealth stems from a right relationship with God. This isn’t something we can establish or maintain, for God’s Word tells us of our sin and warns of the consequences. Keeping the Law seems to promise salvation but we cannot keep all of its statutes, commandments, precepts, or rules. The only “fear” the Law engenders is absolute terror.

Thank the Lord that His honey-sweet, golden Gospel Word of forgiveness makes us right with God so we no longer fear His punishment but instead rejoice in His presence. Rather than being terrified by His condemnation, we pray that our words and thoughts would align with His that we might both receive His blessings and be His vessels in pouring out His riches to others.

Text: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.

In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19

Scripture quoted from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Audio: Click to hear the MP3 of The Sweet Word of the Lord, preached to the saints of God at Saint Matthew Lutheran Church, Ernestville, Missouri.

NB: For some reason, a few people have had problems trying to play the inline audio if Windows Media is their default MP3 player. If this occurs, you can either change to QuickTime or another default browser player, copy and paste the link directly into a selected player, or download it to your computer, where it seems to work regardless of which player. Several folks have suggested VLC Player from VideoLAN.

Other Readings: Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; Luke 4:16-30

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