Sermon 11302011 Mid-Week Advent 1

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight O Lord, our rock and our redeemer!!  AMEN!!

Let us pray!  As we hear the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy, may we understand our willful choice determines our eternal destination.  Yet the promise Jesus Christ made to the thief on the cross and to us like Daniels prophecy will be fulfilled.  May we hear and heed God’s call and during this Advent season, may our hearts be stirred up to understand the true role of the Prophet, Priest and King we call Jesus Christ.  For though these prophecies are from the Old Testament and find fulfillment in the New Testament, may we begin to see and understand them as applicable for us today here in Goodland, KS for all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

Recently, Mary our secretary caught me doing something.  Now don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t illegal or immoral, nor was it moving boxes or items in the church or office, it wasn’t shoveling snow, but to some it would have been just as loud and distracting.  You see, I was whistling.  When we were preparing for Shirley Boll’s funeral, one of the songs chosen, was “Shall We Gather at the River”.  And my love for whistling came out and I could not stop whistling “Shall We Gather at the River”.  The refrain for the song reads, “Yes, we’ll gather at the river, / The beautiful, the beautiful river; / Gather with the saints at the river / That flows by the throne of God.”  This gathering that will take place is reminiscent of the fulfillment of the prophecy that Daniel foretold which we heard about on Sunday, where the Son of Man will come in clouds where He will have power and dominion forever over His Kingdom.  And we have a choice to make, hence our free will.

And so from St. Matthew we find the fulfillment of the Daniel passage.  Hear again, the words of Matthew 24:

²⁹ “But immediately after the tribulation of those days THE SUN WILL BE DARKENED, AND THE MOON WILL NOT GIVE ITS LIGHT, AND THE STARS WILL FALL from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the SON OF MAN COMING ON THE CLOUDS OF THE SKY with power and great glory. ³¹ And He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.

There are some who would say, Daniel’s prophecy has not been fulfilled.  So how could you say it is fulfilled here in Matthew?  But the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy isn’t ‘normal’ per se.  This passage from Matthew reveals to us how God actually works and functions.  You see as humans on this earth we have been created by God who created all things including the heavens and the earth, the sun, moon and stars and God made all of these things subject to time.  But time is something which God is not limited to.  The Maker of all things is not ruled by something He created, so time to God does not exist.  This is why as we confess in our Catechism that God is first and foremost ‘eternal’ – without beginning and without end.  As Peter says, “one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.” (2 Peter 3:8)

Therefore, prophecies about God sometimes though yet to be fulfilled are written about, like in our case with Matthew reminding us of the prophecy of Daniel and the foretelling of Jesus “and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory”.

Thus, just as the people of Daniel’s time were given the opportunity and free will to chose life, we to are given this opportunity.  As we sit here tonight, Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Man, who came down from heaven in a lowly manger is calling us prepare our hearts, minds and spirits for His second coming.  In anticipation of the Great Second Coming, that will be fulfilled in its proper earthly time we prepare for this by remembering His first coming in the lowly manger.  For it was in the lowly manger that the wheels of our redemption were set in motion that led Jesus Christ to the cross of Calvary where He suffered and died for our sins and the sins of mankind.  Jesus redemptive act completed for all time and for all of humanity when He uttered the words, “It is finished”, signaled the completion of His earthly ministry of His first coming, and began the countdown for His second coming “on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.”

So what is your choice, will you choose eternal life with Your Savior in heaven, and enjoy the fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel in Matthew?  Or will you choose death and live life for today and willfully dread the fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel?

It is my prayer that you choose eternal life and the joyful journey Jesus Christ offers all of us for all eternity.  For He makes this offer to each of us because of what He has completed and fulfilled for each of us on the Cross of Calvary for all of us saints here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

Count down to Christmas

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Sermon 11272011 Advent 1

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight O Lord, our rock and our redeemer!!  AMEN!!

Let us pray!  As we embark upon our series of Prophets, their prophecies and their fulfillment during this Advent season, may our hearts be stirred up to understand the true role of the Prophet, Priest and King we call Jesus Christ.  For though these prophecies are from the Old Testament and find fulfillment in the New Testament, may we begin to see and understand them as applicable for us today here in Goodland, KS for all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

This morning we embark upon a journey.  Unlike any other journey, our destination is not a place, but an opportunity of preparation of our hearts for the coming Messiah.  This is the season of Advent, a time at the beginning of the church year where for four weeks we prepare for the coming Messiah.  Unlike at Wal-Mart where the Christmas decorations already have dust gathered around them from before Halloween, our four week preparation here in church will include both Sundays and Wednesdays.  On Sunday we will hear of the four different biblical prophets that will be main characters in this years Children’s Christmas Program.  Then on Wednesday night we will hear and learn how the prophecy introduced on Sunday is fulfilled in the New Testament. Thus, just as an artist paints with one color with each brush stroke, the sermons we hear will help paint clearly the picture on the canvas of the many prophecies the Old Testament prophets foretold.  And the complete picture will only be revealed with the coming of the Christ Child in the manger to His parents, Mary and Joseph as the beginning of the ultimate fulfillment found on the Cross of Gologotha.  So let us begin, with the Prophet Daniel.

Hear the prophetic words of Daniel 7:13-14:

¹³ “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a ^(A)Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. 
¹⁴ “And to Him was given ^(B)dominion, Glory and ^(C)a kingdom, ^(D)That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. ^(E)His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; 
^(F)And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.

Daniel the prophet is undeniably one of the most famous Old Testament characters who is known for his faith in God, even in the face of his persecutors who threw him in a den to face the hungry lions.  And the prophecy we have just heard is clear, “One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him.”  The prophecy is of the coming Messiah, the one who would set the people of Israel free.  Unlike what we call an inauguration of the President of the United States, the coronation of the King of England or any monarch, the prophecy that Daniel speaks of is of the “formal inauguration of the Messiah as King of His eternal kingdom”.  The King comes to take charge of His eternal Kingdom.  Not just a small piece of land or property, but the entirety of the Kingdom.  But what is the entirety of His Kingdom?  Simply it is the entire World which Father, Son and Holy Spirit created at the dawn of creation from nothing.

The Son of Man comes and Daniel is clear, “to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom”.  The Son of Man reigns supreme in Glory and majesty, dominion and power over His Kingdom.  And Daniel tells us that “all peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him.  His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed”.

Clearly, there is a choice that is to be made, hence our free will.  And this prophecy of Daniel is a warning for the people of the Old Testament time that the Son of Man was coming. Hence it is man’s free will to avoid believing the prophecy of Daniel and do so willfully.  Are we any different than the people of Daniel’s time?  Do we avoid the truth that Daniel tells in our own way?  Do we only look to God when someone we know and love is sick or on their death bed?  Do we only pray to God when we believe He is our last option?  Do we come to worship in God’s house only when it is convenient or at the major events like Christmas and Easter, funerals and weddings?  If we answered yes to any of these questions, we are no different than the people Daniel speaks to in his prophecy of the coming Son of Man.

For it is the coming Son of Man we know as Jesus Christ.  It was His life, death and resurrection that fulfills the law perfectly for each and every one of us.  For it was on the Cross at Golgotha, that Jesus died in order that we might live with Him in His Kingdom.  It is this Kingdom that Jesus is King of that will not pass away and which we as believers in Jesus Christ sacrificial death on the cross partake of and are ushered into when we enter eternal glory.  But the choice is ours, to ignore Daniel’s prophetic call or to listen and head Jesus Christ call which is for all mankind and especially for all of us Saints here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

As Advent begins this evening

http://weedon.blogspot.com/2011/11/advent-begins.html

Scripture Readings for the First Week of Advent - Catholic Scripture Readings for the First Week of Advent

http://catholicism.about.com/od/catholicliving/a/Adv_Readings_W1.htm

Get Ready for Christmas with Advent Reading Plans from YouVersion | YouVersion

The following web page has some great resources for those interested in learning more about Christmas and getting ready during Advent!

http://blog.youversion.com/2011/11/get-ready-for-christmas-with-advent-reading-plans-from-youversion/

Sermon 11232011 Thanksgiving

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight O Lord, our rock and our redeemer!!  AMEN!!

Let us pray!  Jesus Christ, we the body of Christ today gather together to give You thanks for all of the blessings You have showered upon us this year.  For the rain that nourished our winter wheat to the summer showers upon our corn, you have provided for us a bountiful harvest of both wheat and corn.  May we be reminded of our need to say thanks to You and offer our praise, for the gifts given us are a direct result of what Your Son and our Savior Jesus Christ did for us on the Cross of Calvary.  As we partake of Jesus Christ precious Body and Blood in our meal of Thanksgiving, may this be not only a foretaste of the feast to come, but a reminder of the joy You have in feeding us the precious gift of eternal life found in, with and under the bread and wine, which is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ for all of us Saints here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

As a Senior in high school I won the opportunity to represent the state of Virginia at the National Poultry Convention in Louisville, Kentucky.  My area of expertise wasn’t judging chickens like at the local fair, nor was it grading eggs, whether brown or white eggs.  I represented the State of Virginia in cooking Turkey.  Yes, that’s right, cooking turkey.  Since it is Thanksgiving and our national pastime of roasting a bird in an oven is the norm along with all the trimings, representing the state of Virginia, I didn’t have the luxury of an oven, being inside or even having the pleasure of killing, plucking or preparing for a Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings.  You see, I had the pleasure of cooking a turkey over top of an open charcoal grill, with not even a cover, but I did have a 30 mile per hour head wind and the temperature was about 30 degree’s outside.  Not much difference from being here in Western Kansas now that I think about it.

So what does this have to do with us today as we gather today here in Goodland, KS.  We gather not because there is turkey on the table, stuffing, gravy, cranberries and all the fixings, but because of our thankfulness for what Jesus Christ has done for all of us on the Cross of Calvary.  The meal we partake of around the altar of our Lord is a celebration and worship of our God Who gives us a foretaste of the feast to come. 

In our worship and celebration we remember the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and partake of a Thanksgiving meal each time we receive His precious Body and Blood.  For it is this meal of bread and wine in a mystical union in, with and under these elements that we receive the gift of Eternal Life.  As we receive this meal and believe in our hearts, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, broken and shed for you for the remission of sins, God gives us the greatest gift and blessing.  We do not, nor can we merit it, but it is by God’s divine Grace we receive this gift every time we partake of this Holy Meal, this Great Thanksgiving.

Thus as we gather tomorrow around our individual tables, where family, friends and loved ones not only share in the feast of turkey, ham, potatoes, cranberries, peas, stuffing and all the fixings may we be reminded that tonight and every time we gather together around the altar in the presence of God, we partake of the greatest feast offered for each of us.  For it is this Great Thanksgiving feast where we join with our family of all time and place and receive the greatest sacrificial gift given to us by Jesus Christ.  And we can prayerfully pray, the prayer our Lord taught us, specifically “give us this day our daily bread” for all of us Saints here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

Funeral Sermon for Mark Heckman

I had been asked about this funeral sermon, so I thought I would provide a permanent place for it.  This sermon was preached May 23, 2011 here at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Goodland, KS.

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight O Lord, our rock and our redeemer!!  AMEN!!

Let us pray!  Heavenly Father as we gather here to celebrate the life of our brother in Christ Mark.  May our hearts be enabled to hear Your Word spoken to our hearts today and comfort us as we mourn.  Though the veil of death separates us today from Mark, we are sure of the certain promise You made to us in our baptism that in being baptized into Your death we are certainly raised with You in Your resurrection.  Comfort us with this thought and let the salve of Your Gospel message surround us so we may hear clearly the Gospel message You proclaimed to Mark on the day of his baptism and which You proclaim here today in truth, purity and peace to Your saints, especially the saints of his family and those gathered here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

Nearly 67 years ago as the world waited for the largest military force to date to make the most important invasion in World War II on mainland occupied France, Supreme Allied Commanding General Dwight David Eisenhower was shown in a famous picture talking with the troops.  I can only imagine the conversation, but the expression of passion, firm conviction and trust by the soldiers and even Ike in the men who would make that beach assault is tangible.  Everyone knew that many of the soldiers would ultimately lose their lives that day, but the trust each of them had in their leader and the plan spoke volumes and clearly connects with us and our text this morning.

In our lesson, Jesus, had just clearly stated He was destined for Jerusalem to be glorified.  Gathered together, the disciples overcome by grief because of hearing, but not fully understanding the plan of salvation, that Jesus would be betrayed, suffer and die in Jerusalem, the disciples are caught up in their own emotions and turmoil.  Blinded by their grief, unsure of what was to come the disciples hear the further words of Jesus.  Like with the soldiers who were comforted by Ike’s presence and words of encouragement, Jesus most powerful statement is a promise that Mark heard and we hear clearly today.  The promise offered to the disciples, Mark and to us today by Jesus is clear, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me”.

This promise of Jesus we lay claim to today as we say good bye to Mark.  For this promise Jesus made to His disciples and He also made it to Mark and to all of us.  We lay claim to this promise when we remember that Mark not only was a career soldier in the United States Army, he was also a soldier in God’s Army.  For in his baptism in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, God called and claimed Mark as His own and opened the door to eternal life and fulfilled this great truth for him when Jesus called him home to heaven.

Mark clearly understood that Jesus Christ was the way in which all of us would come to the Father.  In his baptism Mark heard and heeded God’s call and remained faithful to spouse, country and church his entire life, modeling a faith active by sight and deed in his kindness and living a Christian life.  Mark modeled for his students at the Vo-Tech in the Diesel program, his fellow coffee drinkers at McDonald’s and others God’s continued activity in his life and his quiet faith.  For the promise Jesus made to the disciples, to Mark and to us today is that He, Jesus Christ has gone to prepare a place for us.  He has gone to prepare an eternal place, where we will in the loving arms of God bask in His eternal presence and dwell with Him for all of eternity.  This has been fulfilled for Mark today.

Yet, we like the disciples in the passage, while today we are walking in the valley in the shadow of death, mourning the loss of Mark, our brother in Christ, we sometimes question, have doubts and wonder how we can ‘get to the Father’?  As we can see from our lesson, we are no different than Philip and Thomas, but we have something they did not.  We have heard the complete story of the plan of salvation, celebrated the Lord’s Supper being established on Maundy Thursday, mourned like we do today Jesus death on Good Friday and boldly proclaimed Easter Sunday, “He is Risen!  He is Risen Indeed!  Alleluia!”  And in proclaiming this, Mark’s death that we mourn today no longer has dominion over us because Mark was signed, sealed and delivered from sin, death and the devil by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ through his baptism. 

With sure and certain hope we trust in God’s promise and see with the eyes of faith given to Mark and to us in our baptism, not only that Jesus is “the Way, the truth and the life”, but that today Mark now stands with the triumphant army of God.  He now rests from his service to country, church and to God.  And we trust our Lord and Savior and the promises He made to Mark in his baptism that God has prepared a place for him and now Mark “dwells in the house of the Lord forever.”  AMEN.

Now may the peace of God which surpasses all human understanding guard our hearts and minds and comfort us today, because of what Jesus Christ did in Mark’s life and ours!  AMEN!

Funeral Sermon for Shirley Boll

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight O Lord, our rock and our redeemer!!  AMEN!!

Let us pray!  Heavenly Father as we gather here to celebrate the life of our sister in Christ Shirley.  May our hearts be enabled to hear clearly Your Word spoken to our hearts and comfort us as we mourn.  Though the veil of death separates us today from Shirley, we are sure of the certain promise You made to us in our baptism that in being baptized into Your death we are certainly raised with You in Your resurrection.  Comfort us with this thought and let the salve of Your Gospel message surround us so we may hear clearly the Gospel message You proclaimed to Shirley on the day of her baptism and which You proclaim here today in truth, purity and peace to Your saints, especially the saints of her family and those gathered here.  AMEN.

When my wife Michele and I moved here to Western Kansas we had done all of our homework about the climate, the weather and the similarities in temperature for us having lived in Virginia.  There were two things that we didn’t take into account, one was the difference in how little moisture falls here on the high desert.  The other was the wind.  Now my daughter Sarah took to the wind like a duck to water, the first real windy Kansas days we were here she like a dog putting its head out the car window, just stuck her head up and opened her mouth and reveled in the wind blowing through her hair.  Michele and I on the other hand had to learn to adapt.  One of our first purchases for both of us was heavier jackets that would not be as easily penetrated by the cold icy wind of Northwest Kansas.

This morning as we remember Shirley and the life she had as wife, mother, employee and friend we can take solace and comfort in the words that Paul wrote to the people of Corinth about how they would be changed and clothed, not with a better winter jacket, but with the clothes of immortality.  Here again Paul’s words:

⁵¹ Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, ⁵² in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. ⁵⁵ O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?” ⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; ⁵⁷ but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is clear that Paul had a clear, distinct and complete understanding of death and how “we will be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.” 

Though we frail human creatures have been conceived in sin, connected to our first parents Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, we find in death the completion of the story told to Adam and Eve that they and we would surely die if and when they ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Sin and the result of it in death is so clearly manifest this morning and there is nothing that doctors, medical teams, modern medicine or even our society can do to prevent the turning of this page of our lives.  So we gather this morning to remember Shirley and the life she lived here on this earth as wife, mother, Wal-Mart employee and friend and say goodbye.

Please understand if death were the end of the story, we would have no hope.  But another Paul, we know as Paul Harvey coined a phrase that applies for Shirley and for us today.  Here is the rest of the story.

The Apostle Paul clearly connects with our situation today as he continues writing to the people at Corinth.  He tells them and us, “for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. ⁵³ For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.”  Today, the trumpet has sounded for Shirley and she now no longer is clothed in mortal things, but with immortality.  Her mortal attire has been forever changed and now “will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. ⁵⁵ O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?”

This morning we mourn the sting of death, for “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law”.  But this morning we celebrate in the life of Shirley the power of God through what His Son and our Savior Jesus Christ has done.  It is clear and the Apostle Paul tells us this eternal truth, “but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  All of this takes place for Shirley because of her baptism into Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection.  Shirley has been set free from the bonds of sin and the law, sickness and death and now has put on the immortal, the imperishable and has the victory over sin and death through the victory found in what Jesus Christ has done on the cross of Calvary for her and for all of us.  Jesus Christ was perfect and fulfilled the law for Shirley and for us and she now wears not an old coat of life, but her new coat of immortality that for all eternity protects, comforts and is imperishable.  This same coat God offers to each of us in the promise made to Shirley in her baptism and makes to us today when we believe God’s words of forgiveness.  That is the promise God made to Shirley and makes to us today and which we celebrate with the words, “God gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” for all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel to say goodbye.  AMEN.

Now may the peace of God which surpasses all human understanding guard our hearts and minds and comfort us today, because of what Jesus Christ did in Shirley’s life and ours!  AMEN!

Sermon 11132011

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight O Lord, our rock and our redeemer!!  AMEN!!

Let us pray!  Jesus Christ, we the body of Christ today have not been entrusted with money like in our lesson.  But You have entrusted us with the responsibility to use our individual gifts, talents and treasure to build Your Kingdom here in Emmanuel Lutheran Church.  Enable us to use what you have given us, whether our voices, hands, heads, treasure or talents and not bury them.  Continue to bless our ministry through the work of the Holy Spirit through each of us, so when You come to gather us into Your Eternal Kingdom, we will be welcomed and not thrown into the outer darkness separated from You where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.  For Your promise is clear to us, as good and faithful servants You have enabled us and given each of us the gift of Eternal life for all of us saints here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

There was once a famous football player who was a great quarterback.  He could throw the football with precision, accuracy and speed that would amaze commentators and linesmen and thread the needle so even the most closely covered receiver would be left shaking their head when the ball arrived in the exact right spot 60 yards down the field. Yet this great quarterback also had a young son who not only loved the game of football, but adored his father, would travel with the team to games, use the locker room and sidelines as playrooms and thoroughly enjoyed playing catch with his father after a game or on the front lawn of their house.

One day a reporter after seeing this father play catch with his son asked this quarterback, with all of the raw power you have with that throwing arm, how can you insure you will not throw the ball and potentially kill your son?  The quarterback thought long and hard for a moment and said, yes, I have the power, potential and am paid to throw that football with speed and accuracy to guys ten times his size, but with my son it is different.  I consciously choose not to use my ability when playing catch with my son.  With every throw I make to him, I choose not to throw as hard as I can, because I know what the results and ramifications could be to my son.

In this mornings Gospel, we hear about a rich landowner who has given a great sum of money to three slaves for while he is gone for them to take care of his property.  As we know each slave, whether given, five, three or one talent is expected to use it to the best of his ability.  Each of the slaves in turn chooses what to do with the money given them.  Something to note here, when I heard this story as a child, my understanding was that the talents were just coins, similar to what I would receive as allowance or from the tooth fairy.  Some of you may have this same perception, but an individual talent is actually a large sum of money.  An individual gold talent weighed about 75 lbs.  So in today’s money we are talking a little less than 2 million dollars.  Let me say that again, a little less than 2 million dollars.

So these slaves of their master are given a small fortune.  Just as the quarterback in playing catch with his son, chose to not use his talent and bring harm to his son, the last slave, chooses how he would use the money.  He chose to take the talent, the small fortune and bury it, so it could be returned to the master upon his return.  The judgment Jesus proclaims in the story seems harsh and uncaring.  Jesus says, “Take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents.  For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.”

Simply, with the talent given to this slave and which the Master saw in him, he chose not to even invest his master’s money.  Are we any different?  Is this slave a metaphor for us how we rationalize away the gifts, abilities and even the money God has entrusted to us, whether in our salary, bonuses or even the benefit of the wheat or corn harvest just finished this past week?  Do we hide it in the ground, spend it on simple ‘pleasures of the flesh’ or ‘worldly possessions’ and wait for the coming of our Master?

Clearly, the slave Jesus speaks of reaped what he buried in the ground.  For Jesus says, “As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”  The outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth is a metaphor for separation from the Master.  In one sense, this metaphor speaks of the eschatological aspect or end times that we are preparing for now.  You see next week is the end of the liturgical church year and the lessons we have heard for the last few weeks are in preparation for the end of the church year.  So today’s lesson about the talent given to the slave and the Master returning is for our benefit for us to ask ourselves, what have we done with what God has given us?  And are we prepared for how we will be judged with what we have done with God’s gifts to us?

This morning God has baptized Barrett Joseph Williams and all of us have been entrusted and promised as the body of Christ to lead, model and use our God given talents, treasure and  skills to help Kayla raise him.  We are called as the body of Christ to share in the priesthood of all believers with Barrett and use our collective talents for the Glory of God. 

Therefore, I ask you now to rededicate yourselves today to the building of God’s kingdom, the proclamation of His Gospel of forgiveness through Jesus Christ death on the Cross and daily walking with God.  In making this commitment the Holy Spirit will use  our individual God given gifts to not only build the Body of Christ we call the church, but enable all of us to model for Barrett and everyone we meet how God’s gifts given to us have not been buried waiting for our Master’s return.  Our commitment does not earn our ticket to heaven, but will yield gifts beyond measure and God will use each of us each and every day as and for all the Saints of Emmanuel Lutheran Church.  AMEN.

Sermon 11062011

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight O Lord, our rock and our redeemer!!  AMEN!!

Let us pray!  Jesus Christ, before you ‘opened Your mouth’ and taught the disciples overlooking the Sea of Galilee, You had seen the great crowds following You in search of the great truths.  So on a mountain, You sat and revealed to them the blessings that God had in store for them in the new heaven and the new earth.  As we hear today those same blessings, may our hearts burn within us to embrace our calling and hear Your clear message about the prophets spoken “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven”, for that is for all of us saints here at Emmanuel gathered here today and those who now reside in the church triumphant that we remember on this All Saints Sunday.  AMEN.

It is plainly clear if one looks at the spot where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, you can see in the near distance the Sea of Galilee.  Today, on that very spot a ‘shrine’ of sorts has been built where all of the sayings of Jesus from the Beatitudes are engraved on the walls of the building.  When I was there I not only enjoyed the building and the deep sense of being able to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, I also took note of the surrounding country.  Just North of the garden area and building holding all of the sayings of Jesus, was a field.  For some in our tour group it was just another field, but that field clearly connects for me today how similar Western Kansas is to Israel.  You see, the field directly to the North when I was there in 1999 was one of wheat.  And just as we harvest our winter wheat, so to in Israel, the place where Jesus preached the Sermon on the Mount, I find the most profound connection to not only Jesus Christ and beginning to understand His Words, but also how Blessed we are here in Western Kansas.

You see, Jesus in the Beatitudes is speaking clearly about relationship.  Some probably ask, why is relationship important?  But it is clear, here Jesus, at the beginning of His ministry wants everyone to know how important relationship is, not only with God, but with each other and how we as Christians will be treated.  In one sense this is a prophecy and a history lesson all rolled up into one. 

For the first four beatitudes speaks to our relationship with God.  When Jesus says, Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are those that mourn, blessed are the meek, blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, all that is received is from God.  For it is clear that Jesus promises them the kingdom of heaven, that they will be comforted, that they will inherit the earth and they shall be satisfied.  Only God could make this a reality and Jesus clearly knowing the past, present and future assures those listening that the relationship they have with their Savior will give them, not only eternal life, but blessings beyond their greatest dream or desire.

But Jesus doesn’t end there with the relationship we are to have with our God, He continues with the relationship we are to have with each other.  Blessed are the merciful, the pure in heart and the peacemakers.  For the blessings they receive and impart are of mercy to and for each other, seeing God and the boldest acclimation being called ‘Sons of God’.  These tangible blessings we are empowered by the Gospel of Jesus Christ to share in all of our relationships with each other.

And finally, Jesus prophesies about how we will be treated as His disciples.  Blessed are those who are persecuted, blessed are you when others revile you, but the key is that this is ‘on Jesus account’.  When we stand up for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and are reviled, persecuted and suffer great tragedy on Jesus account, Jesus is clear.  For He says, we will have the reward of the kingdom of heaven.  “For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”  And today as we celebrate All Saints Day, it is not only the saints who remained in the faith that have passed away in the last year, our celebration includes All of the Saints from all time and all place who stood firm in their faith and their conviction in the salvation found in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

You see today as we celebrate All Saints Day and come to the Lord’s Table and receive His precious Body and Blood, we join in the feast of Saints with all the Saints of all time and place.  We join with the church triumphant and have a foretaste of the feast to come.  Not only are our prayers joined with them, but on the other side of the Altar we all kneel at the Lord’s Table and receive His Precious Body and Blood.  For it is our receipt of His precious Body and Blood that promises us eternal life and enables us to not only see the Blessings God has given us, but to be a Blessing to all we encounter in our lives.  The Meal of Jesus Precious Body Broken for us and His innocent Blood Shed for us on the Cross of Calvary is the Food of Eternal Life that empowers us to not only believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but in all of our relationships to clearly encounter and model for others our Savior.  We are empowered by His Body and Blood to clearly live in relationship with one another and be the Blessing and encounter the Blessing He promises us in His Sermon on the Mount for all of us saints here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

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Places to Retire: Finding Serenity on the Plains in Kansas - WSJ.com

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