Proper 12A Sermon: Nothing and Everything

Preached on Romans 8:28–39
The Week of Pentecost Eight
28 July AD 2020

Video: Click to view the YouTube video of Nothing and Everything.

Audio: Alternatively, choose Nothing and Everything to hear the MP3.

Summary: God works everything together for the good of His children and nothing can separate us from His love in Christ Jesus our Lord. He didn’t abandon Job during his trials and He doesn’t abandon us. He stayed with Joseph through his captivity in Egypt and He stays with us now.

As Christ carried our sins, He also experienced the pain and suffering common to all. He carried our woe to cross and grave so that He might carry us to the peace and joy of the Resurrection.

Even in the worst of times, God works good for those who believe in Christ. He restored Job many-fold and lavished wealth and authority on Joseph. Finally, He will unmake all the sin that is a part of us and all the evils that have happened to us when He raises us to eternal life and will bless us with more than we can imagine.

Text: And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died — more than that, who was raised — who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:28–39

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 Nothing and Everything.

Audio: Click Nothing and Everything to listen to the MP3.

Other Readings: Psalm 125; Deuteronomy 7:6–9; Matthew 13:44–52

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

All Saints Sermon: What Kind of Love!

Preached on 1 John 3:1-3
All Saints Day
3 November AD 2019

Title: Click to hear the MP3 of What Kind of Love!.

Summary: Look! Behold! Pay attention!

Led by the Spirit and following those who came before him, John points clearly to Christ. Any good gifts, any true blessings flow through Jesus from the Father. Because He is the perfect Son who offered the perfect sacrifice, we are God’s children by faith. Because He lives, we live also — in time and throughout eternity.

Humankind can only define itself negatively before God. We are the rebels, Satan’s bastard children, heirs of wrath and judgment. Yet even the vilest sinner discovers by faith in Christ that no iniquity is greater than Jesus’ forgiveness. The most wayward and prodigal of sons still find the Father’s arms welcoming them as He redefines them by water and the Word as His dear children.

We don’t play guessing games, trying to figure out what eternal life will be like or what it means when Jesus returns and we are “like Him.” It is enough to know that we will be completely satisfied, absolutely joyful, and perfectly pure in heart and mind. No matter how exactly the New Creation resembles the various Scriptural images — green pastures and still waters, a never-ending banquet, or a city of gold and jewels — we know that it will be our home because it is where our Savior will lead us to dwell.

Text: See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.

The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 1 John 3:1-3

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 What Kind of Love!

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 149; Revelation 7:(2-8) 9-17; Matthew 5:1-12

Michaelmas Sermon: The Accuser Thrown Down

Preached on Revelation 12:7–12
Saint Michael and All Angels
29 September AD 2019

Title: Click to hear the MP3 of The Accuser Thrown Down.

Summary: The imagery of Revelation juxtaposes visions of past, present, and future. Today we have front-row seats to watch Satan, “the great dragon,” driven out of God’s presence and cast down. Similarly, Jesus says in Luke 10:18, “I saw Satan fall like lightning.”

Whether past tense or predictive, both accounts treat the devil’s downfall as a done deal. Christ’s suffering and death snap Satan’s hold on humankind. The Accuser can’t point his finger at us because Jesus removed our guilt.

In a classic “now/not yet” event of Scripture, the text celebrates the final battle and our ultimate victory even as the war between God and devil continues. The third stanza of A Mighty Fortress Is Our God says, “This world’s prince may still Scowl fierce as he will.” Satan still tries to move us away from God by intimidation or enticement. But the hymn continues: “He can harm us none. He’s judged; the deed is done; One little word can fell him.”

Text: Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.

“Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” Revelation 12:7-12

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 Accuser Thrown Down

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.

About the Art: War in Heaven by Wes Talbott

Other Readings: Psalm 91; Daniel 10:10-14; 12:1-3; Luke 10:17-20 or Matthew 18:1-10

Michaelmas Sermon: Do Not Rejoice ... Rejoice

Preached on Luke 10:17-20
Saint Michael and All Angels
29 September AD 2019

Title: Click to hear the MP3 of Do Not Rejoice ... Rejoice.

Summary: It’s good that Satan and his minions have no power over us, when demons are driven out and tormented people given peace. Yet however wonderful these are, they are only signs of our true source of joy: Jesus Christ died to save sinners and because of Him we are God’s children.

The Lord’s true glory isn’t revealed in the demons’ submission to Jesus but in the Son’s submission to His Father’s will in His suffering and death. By His sacrifice, Jesus effected our salvation.

Yes, Jesus “saw Satan fall like lightning.” But Jesus also saw you raised up from the baptismal waters, named by God and recorded in the Book of Life. In Baptism, our names are “engraved on the palms of [God’s] hands. (Isaiah 49:16; see also the sermon Engraved on God’s Palms)” They are “written in heaven” and no matter what befalls us on earth, we know that we’ll be raised up as eternal citizens of the new heavens and the new earth.

How can we not rejoice in this!

Text: The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”

And [Jesus] said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you.

“Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Luke 10:17-20

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 Do Not Rejoice ... Rejoice

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 91; Daniel 10:10-14; 12:1-3; Revelation 12:7-12; Matthew 18:1-10 (alternate Gospel)

Lent 1C Sermon: Tempted for Us

Preached on Luke 4:1-13
The First Sunday in Lent, Series C
14 February AD 2016

Title: Tempted for Us (MP3 Audio)

Summary: That we might be prepared “for every good work,” God inspired “all Scripture,” making it “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)” Yet if we stop with this, we might as well never start studying the Scriptures.

The Word has a higher purpose than instruction and inspiration. Jesus said, “The Scriptures” are the source of “eternal life” because “they bear witness about me. (John 5:39)” And not only do they talk about Him — they deliver Him to us. We not only learn that the Christ lived a sinless life and died a sacrificial death to save us but the Word actually gives us forgiveness, life, and salvation.

in today’s Gospel, we learn about the devil’s wiles and resisting temptation through God’s Word. But we truly profit when we believe that Jesus fasted and faced testing from Satan so that He might credit us with His own spotless obedience to the Law.

Certainly, Christ’s temptation is a cautionary tale and His ability to overcome it brings us cheer. We learn to trust the truth of the Word in the face of the Devil’s lies and his twisting of Scripture. Yet we only overcome temptation and conquer Satan when we believe that Jesus already vanquished him on our behalf. The story of His suffering is the story of our salvation.

Text: And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry.

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.”

And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’”

And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.”

And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’”

And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, ‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’”

And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. Luke 4:1-13

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 MP3 of Tempted for Us

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: Deuteronomy 26:1-11; Psalm 91:1-13; Romans 10:8b-13