Proper 8A Sermon: Amen! But...

Preached on Jeremiah 28:5–9
The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost
28 June AD 2020

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Summary: Jeremiah’s “Amen!” to Hananiah wasn’t because he agreed with the false prophet’s prediction but rather because he also earnestly desired peace. Peace between Judah and Babylon, of course, but more importantly, between God and Judah.

After apparently giving his seal of approval to Hananiah’s words, Jeremiah turned around and reminded his opponent how their prophetic predecessors “prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms.” The prophet reminds us that peace is a rare and precious gift and the one who accurately proclaims it is worthy of honor.

True peace comes only when sins are forgiven and we are right with God. Even when Satan and this sinful world resist the Church and “war, famine, and pestilence” are commonplace, Christians live in peace with God through the gift of the True and Greatest Prophet, Jesus Christ. This peace dwelling in us is God’s pledge of absolute and everlasting accord with Him and with all who believe in His Son when we are raise up to life without end.

Note that a few of of my comments during the sermon are directly addressed to the young people who would be confirmed later in the service.

Text: Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to Hananiah the prophet in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord, and the prophet Jeremiah said, “Amen! May the Lord do so; may the Lord make the words that you have prophesied come true, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the Lord, and all the exiles.

“Yet hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.” Jeremiah 28:5–9

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.

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Audio: Click Amen! But... to listen to the MP3.

Other Readings: Psalm 119:153–160; Romans 7:1–13; Matthew 10:34–42

Pentecost A Sermon: Eldad, Medad, and You

Preached on Numbers 11:24–30
The Feast of Pentecost
31 May AD 2020

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Summary: When Moses led Israel’s elders out to the Tabernacle, two of them chose, for whatever reason, to remain in the camp. When the Lord set His Spirit on the men around the tent, He also reached into the encampment for these two, choosing them also to prophecy in His name.

God reaches out to us as He did Eldad and Medad, ignoring boundaries and borders. He sets the Holy Spirit on us, creating and strengthening faith and leading us to believe, live, and love as His people in word and deed.

Text: So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent.

Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.

Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp.

And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.”

But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”

And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp. Numbers 11:24–30

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.

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of Eldad, Medad, and You.

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Other Readings: Psalm 25:1–15; Acts 2:1–21; John 7:37–39

Palm Sunday Series A Sermon: Self-Sacrificing Savior

Preached on Isaiah 50:4–9
The Sunday of the Passion
With Responsive Prayer 2 and Scripture Readings
5 April AD 2020

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of Self-Sacrificing Savior. Sermon begins at the 11:25 mark, following the Opening Versicles from Lutheran Service Book 285, Psalm, Scriptures, Kyrie, Creed, Lord’s Prayer, and Versicles. Service concludes with the Prayer of the Church, Morning Prayer, and Blessing.

Summary: Today’s text is the third of Isaiah’s four “Servant Songs.” In them, the Lord addresses His Servant and the Servant also speaks of Himself and His saving vocation. As the songs point toward the life and work of the coming Messiah, they grow progressively more intense, emphasizing ever more the coming suffering and death of the One who would redeem sinners.

Now that we know the story of the Christ, it becomes easy to see in these songs the suffering and death of our Savior. How could anyone familiar with Jesus’ arrest and trial not realize that here in Isaiah 50, the Servant speaks of His own ill treatment at the hands of the Jewish leaders and the Romans?

The Gospels record the fulfillment of the prophecies that the Servant would faithfully carry out God’s will. Jesus would continue onward to the end of His tasks. He allowed His back to be beaten, His beard pulled, His face spat upon.

And though the world looks at what happens as disgraceful and shameful, Jesus accepts His wounds as badges of glory bestowed by His Father. They are signs that our adversary Satan cannot accuse us. Death can’t claim us as guilty sinners and and the grave can’t keep us for all eternity. God won’t listen to the Accuser as he tries to point out our sins. God instead listens to His Son who calls us His own and presents us to His Father in our robes of righteousness that He won in His Passion and granted in our baptisms.

Text: The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary.

Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward.

I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.

But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near.

Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me.

Behold, the Lord God helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up. Isaiah 50:4–9

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 Self-Sacrificing Savior. Sermon begins at the 11:25 mark.

Other Readings: John 12:12–19 (Palm Sunday Procession); Psalm 118:19–29 or Psalm 31:9–16; Philippians 2:5–11; John 12:20–43 or Matthew 26:1–27:66 or Matthew 27:11–66

Pentecost 13 Sermon: The Witnesses Testify

Preached on Hebrews 11:17-12:3
The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost — Proper 15C
14 August AD 2016

Title: The Witnesses Testify (MP3 Audio)

Summary: While the faithful in Hebrews certainly provide good examples for following generations, the primary reason that their names and deeds are recorded is to provide witnesses. For salvation comes not from emulating their works but through the Object of their faith. As we also are, so were they saved by believing in Christ, even hundreds or thousands of years before Jesus’ birth.

Text: By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.

By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king's edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he left Egypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets — who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.

Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated — of whom the world was not worthy — wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. Hebrews 11:17-12:3

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 Witnesses Testify

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 119:81-88; Jeremiah 23:16-29; Luke 12:49-56