Proper 15A Sermon: Gathered by God

Preached on Isaiah 56:1, 6–8
The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
16 August AD 2020

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of Gathered by God.

Audio: Alternatively, choose Gathered by God to hear the MP3.

Summary: The Lord speaks of “foreigners who join themselves to God.” He promises those who love and serve Him full access to Him on His “holy mountain” in his “house of prayer for all peoples.”

Because we cannot love and serve Him fully — as His Law demands — we wouldn’t be able to claim the promise. However, the Lord God who “gathers the outcasts of Israel” also gathers us, reaching out through Christ to forgive, reconcile, and kindle faith in people of every nation so that we might live, love, and serve in His holy presence.

Text: Thus says the Lord: “Keep justice, and do righteousness, for soon my salvation will come, and my righteousness be revealed.

“And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant — these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

The Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, declares, “I will gather yet others to him besides those already gathered.” Isaiah 56: 1, 6–8

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.

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of Gathered by God.

Audio: Alternatively, choose Gathered by God to hear the MP3.

Other Readings: Psalm 67; Romans 11:1–2a, 13–15, 28–32; Matthew 15:21–28

Proper 15A Sermon: Even the Dogs

Preached on Matthew 15:21–28
The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
16 August AD 2020

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of Even the Dogs.

Audio: Alternatively, choose Even the Dogs to hear the MP3.

Summary: As Jesus seemingly ignored, insulted, and rejected the Canaanite woman, she persisted. She held Jesus to the Scriptures’ promises. The Messiah came first to “the house of Israel” but she pleaded with the One who also came to save the Gentiles.

From today’s other readings, the Lord tells us that His saving power comes “among all nations (Psalm 67:2).” He gathers “others” and not only the “outcasts of Israel (Isaiah 56:8).” We Gentiles “now have received mercy (Romans 11:30)” because of Jesus’ suffering and death.

Text: And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon.

And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”

But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.”

He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.”

And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”

She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.”

Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. Matthew 15:21–28

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.

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of Even the Dogs.

Audio: Alternatively, choose Even the Dogs to hear the MP3.

Other Readings: Psalm 67; Isaiah 56: 1, 6–8; Romans 11:1–2a, 13–15, 28–32

Pentecost 11 Sermon: New Heavens, New Earth, New People

Preached on Isaiah 66:18–24
11th Sunday After Pentecost — Proper 16C
25 August AD 2019

Title: Click to hear the MP3 of New Heavens, New Earth, New People.

Summary: As his prophecies drew to a close, Isaiah spoke to God’s chosen people and proclaimed that the Lord’s grace extended beyond the borders of Judah. The Gentiles — even the nations that oppressed and carried Israel into captivity — would become His people.

In remaking Creation, as He creates the new heavens and the new earth, God will establish the new Jerusalem, the eternal city peopled by all believers. The multitude coming from east and west, from north and south, is the entirety of humankind who trust His promises of salvation in Christ Jesus.

No believer is exempt from this eternal reunion. There are no other qualifications for citizenship in the eternal kingdom. Paul reiterated this in his epistles. For example, he reminded the Colossians, “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. (3:11)”

Text: “For I know their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and shall see my glory, and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations.

“And they shall bring all your brothers from all the nations as an offering to the Lord, on horses and in chariots and in litters and on mules and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, just as the Israelites bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the Lord. And some of them also I will take for priests and for Levites, says the Lord.

“For as the new heavens and the new earth that I make shall remain before me, says the Lord, so shall your offspring and your name remain. From new moon to new moon, and from Sabbath to Sabbath, all flesh shall come to worship before me, declares the Lord.

“And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.” Isaiah 66:18-23

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 New Heavens, New Earth, New People.

NB: A few people have had problems trying to play the inline audio with Windows Media 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: Psalm 50:1-15; Hebrews 12:4-29; Luke 13:22-30

Pentecost 11 Sermon: Inside, Outside

Preached on Luke 13:22–30
11th Sunday After Pentecost — Proper 16C
25 August AD 2019

Title: Click to hear the MP3 of Inside, Outside.

Summary: Jesus reminds us that we enter Paradise only by gift. Being in church without being of the Church, saying prayers without praying, listening to the Gospel without believing in Christ as Savior — none of these will admit us to the eternal feast where we’ll “recline at table in the kingdom of God.” Only the Father’s grace and the power of His Holy Spirit bring us eternal life.

Text: [Jesus] went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?”

And he said to them, “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’

“Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out.

“And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” Luke 13:22-30

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 Inside, Outside.

NB: A few people have had problems trying to play the inline audio with Windows Media 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: Psalm 50:1-15; Isaiah 66:18-23; Hebrews 12:4-29

Pentecost 11 Sermon: True Treasure

Preached on Luke 12:13-21
The Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost — Proper 13C
31 July AD 2016

Title: True Treasure (MP3 Audio)

Summary: There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the material blessings that we receive from our loving God. Today’s reading from Ecclesiastes clearly tells us that a person can “eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil,” knowing that these are “from the hand of God. (2:24)” It’s how and why we use these gifts that makes all the difference.

Jesus warns against hoarding, of receiving divine gifts and clinging to them without a thankful response, of refusing to be “rich toward God.” Such shameful grasping is the spiritual equivalent of consistently overeating. For as gluttonous consumption gradually weighs us down and blocks easy blood flow throughout our bodies, so hoarded treasures drag us away from the Lord and impede the flow of His Word to our hearts.

God desires to be our Shepherd and lead us into the bliss of everlasting life. Meanwhile, as we sang in today’s Introit, those who engage in vain grasping have “foolish confidence.” They listen to a false leader and “death shall be their shepherd. (Psalm 49:13-14)”

Any earthly treasure is fool’s gold. God, however is rich toward us, granting the true and eternal wealth of forgiveness and life in Christ. We, in turn, are “rich toward God” when we respond in faith toward Him and in love toward our neighbor in need.

Text: Someone in the crowd said to [Jesus], “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”

But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?” And he said to them, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

And he told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”

“But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:13-21

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 True Treasure

Illustrations: Der Rych Man by Hans Holbein and lectionary art from Misioneros Del Sagrado Corazón en el Perú.

NB: A few people have had problems trying to play the inline audio with Windows Media 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: Psalm 100; Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14, 2:18-26; Colossians 3:1-11