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Sunday, January 24, 2016

01242016 Septuagesima Sunday Emmanuel Lutheran Church

January 24, 2016
We are God’s Hired Laborers
Have you ever signed a contract?  Whether for a vehicle, combine, tract of land or even your house.  When you sign on the line, you agree to pay the agreed upon price.  It is a document that binds the signatory to pay the agreed upon amount.  When the document is signed, it is the legal binding of all parties involved.  No one can come back and grumble or complain that they should have been paid more.

This morning we have heard the Parable of the Vineyard that Jesus told about a vineyard owner who agreed to pay a denarius.  All the workers, whether hired at the beginning of the day or at the end of the day agree to be paid the same set wage of a denarius.

When the work day is over, the workers gather, the foreman for the vineyard is instructed to pay from the last hired to the first and begins his task paying a denarius as agreed.

However, as each man is paid, the men who have labored the longest and most become jealous.  Their pride for having done the greatest amount of work during the hottest part of the day spurns them to grumble because they feel they deserve more than those who only worked one hour. 

How many of us feel the same way?  Who among us looks at our friends whether at school, the local coffee shop, the John Deere or Case Implement dealership and doesn’t say, life isn’t fair that they drive a new combine, a new pickup, have a new house, vacation in neat places or even have more than I do.  All of us are guilty of this whether we verbalize it or not.

But Jesus tells this parable not to put us down, not to beat us up, not to make us feel bad.  Jesus tells this parable to make a simple point.  In our parable the vineyard owner is our God and Father and He wants you and me to know first, He loves us, second He cares for us, third, what He gives us is pure grace and finally, what He gives each of us is sufficient for us.

You see we are God’s hired laborers.  We have been washed clean by the blood of the lamb of God, Jesus Christ.  We are now because of Jesus Christ being the spotless lamb of God are enfolded into the kingdom of God through our baptism into Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection out of God’s great love for each and every one of us.

Second, God cares for us daily.  As we pray in the Lord’s Prayer to “give us our daily bread”, God will provide for each of us what we need, whether clothes, food, house, home or whatever else.  It may not be extravagant by earthly standard or compared to our friends and neighbors, but what God gives us is a gift of grace that sees beyond our selfish wants for money, fame or fortune and simply shows us that God fulfills our daily needs.

Third God is gracious to us.  With God giving us our needs, this is a fulfillment of grace beyond measure.  When God is gracious, the gift we receive comes because of God’s love and His personally caring for each and every one of us on a daily, hourly, and minute by minute basis.  We receive grace that overflows beyond what we need and this can allow us to share that grace with others.

Fourth, what God gives us is sufficient for the day we are in today.  Just as God gave the people of Israel the manna in the desert when they were on the 40 year journey from Egypt to the promise land.  The manna God gave would not last from one day to the next, because God was trying to teach the Israelite people to trust and rely upon God’s grace daily.  So to God’s grace that we receive is sufficient for us today and every day as well.  When we expect more, demand more and grumble, we then do not fully understand God’s gracious favor upon each and every one of us given to us through His grace which is sufficient for us and fulfills all of our needs.

In the parable this morning, the workers in the vineyard grumbled, some would say justifiably, but clearly, the grace of God cannot and should not be demanded.  God’s gift of grace is a free offering that we receive out of God’s love for us.

For we who gather here today are not just children of God through our baptism.  We are God’s hired laborers to do His work in His Kingdom.  We are God’s hands and feet on the ground in His Kingdom to do His bidding with what we have and what has been entrusted to each and every one of us.

The best explanation of this comes from the Third Article of the Apostle’s Creed.  Remember each article deals with a Person of the Holy Trinity.  The Third Article speaks clearly about the work of the Holy Spirit.  Listen to what Martin Luther wrote himself, “I believe I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith.  In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.

We as God’s hired laborers are called, gathered, enlightened, sanctified (made holy) and kept in the true faith.  God hired us to do His bidding in the Kingdom of God and today we gather, not only to hear the Gospel of God’s love for us, His grace freely given to and for each and every one of us, but today we gather to do the business of the church in our annual meeting.


May we as God’s hired laborers not only embrace God’s gift of grace, but be enabled to use His gifts given to us daily for His glory and in His service as His redeemed children.  For as God’s laborers our payment isn’t with gold or silver, but with our entrance into the Church Triumphant and the eternal reward prepared for us out of His love for us through the gift of grace through His Son Jesus Christ and His offer of grace from the Cross of Calvary for all of mankind, including each and every one of us gathered here to be the church of Jesus Christ.  AMEN.
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Sunday, January 17, 2016

01172016 Baptism of Jesus Christ Emmanuel Lutheran Goodland KS

January 17, 2016
Christ was Baptized for His Mission

In our Lutheranism 101 class that meets Tuesday nights, we have a good time laughing and joking, even sometimes at my own expense, but that is what makes it fun to laugh with others.  There are times when we come to a concept that is not only important, but has a clear connection with not only each of the members of the class, but with all of us Children of God.  For some of the members of the class, in a fun and playful way, I help them to remember with events from their lives or the lives of their kids.  Just as I sometimes do in the sermon with Sarah, my daughter and sharing her antics at home or school, I playfully and jokingly help members of the class connect their daily life with their faith using words like ‘relationship’ or faith is like a muscle.

This morning is no different, I won’t call names, nor will I call out anybody, because, my intent isn’t to ‘single anybody out’ nor do I want anyone to feel uncomfortable.  But here before us this morning and every Sunday is a piece of church furniture that is a connection of and for each of us with Jesus Christ.

Let’s think for a moment, in the last four weeks we have celebrated the Birth of Jesus Christ in the stable in Bethlehem, heard clearly that Jesus came to serve and last week understand that Who the wise men found in the Manger was “The Purpose”, the Savior of the World, God Who became Man.  And this week we come not to a stable, not following a star, but today we gather at the river.

As we sang in our opening hymn, today we gather at the river.  We gather where our Lord and Savior was baptized on the Jordan River.  When I was in Israel, there is a tourist place where people can gather and be baptized, reminded of their baptism or remember what God has done through baptism.  Historically the place is not accurately known, but to pause where the Sea of Galilee becomes the Jordan River as it flows to the Dead Sea is a very powerful place to be reminded of the connection with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  When you walked in this morning, on the new television screens in the Narthex and on the Sun Deck, I included pictures of my trip to Israel and when I remembered my baptism beside the Jordan River.  So to for each of us today, as we gather here at Emmanuel, we gather to remember that when Christ was Baptized, Christ was Baptized for His Mission.

You see the Mission of Jesus Christ was simple.  Jesus Christ came out of His great love for all of mankind to die on the Cross of Calvary so we might have eternal life.  Jesus Christ mission was to come in order that we might have life, eternal life and have it abundantly.  And this is the promise that God makes and fulfills for each and every one of us when we believe that Jesus Christ dies for you and for me.

No matter if you are Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist, Baptist, E-Free, Evangelical or even Lutheran, the tenet of faith we share is that Jesus Christ was born, lived on this earth and died in order to offer us eternal life.  This is what we share as a common core faith.  Jesus Christ mission was for all of mankind to be saved.  Jesus Christ was baptized in the Jordan River to fulfill righteousness.

As we have heard from our Gospel reading, John the Baptist, didn’t feel qualified to baptize Jesus.  But Jesus Christ knew John had to Baptize Him in order to fulfill God’s plan of salvation.  The plan was clear, be born, escape to Egypt, return to Nazereth and show up on the Jordan River and have John the Baptist, His own cousin Baptize Jesus.  But that wasn’t the end, it was just the beginning.  This was the conclusion of Jesus anonymity here on earth.  From that moment on, Jesus was clearly, firmly and emphatically committed to the mission of going to the Cross of Calvary.

But of what importance is that for us today here in Western Kansas?  Why should that matter, pouring of simple water over the head of a Man Who was born in a stable in Bethlehem?  Simply it should matter because with that simple act of Water intimately connected with Word, God in Human form stood among the people gathered at the Jordan and saw with their own eyes, the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus head and heard clearly God the Father’s voice that said, “This is my beloved Son, with Him I am well pleased.”  This was the clearest demonstration, not only of the Trinity, but each person, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Clearly God had a plan and God’s seal of approval was stamped on Jesus Baptism in the Jordan River in order to fulfill all righteousness.

This week has been extremely hard for our family, Michele, Sarah and I.  One of our close family friends walked a sorrowful and painful path that touches Michele, Sarah and I very deeply and closely.  They lost via miscarriage their son in the last week.  For some of you sitting here in the church today, you have also walked this path of loss.  It is not easy and each of our journeys is painful, but also unique.  Michele and I have experienced this same loss, but we were unable to have the same closure as our friends.  Yet, what helped Michele and I through this is that in spite of the loss of life, we have faith in a God Who loves us unconditionally and walked on this earth and was baptized in the Jordan River in order to fulfill all righteousness.  All of this is in order for all of mankind, born, stillborn and all of life no matter the size to be enfolded and personally touched by the love of God.  So with all the saints we lay claim to God’s love today in our remembering today Jesus Christ embarking today with His Baptism on His mission in order to go to the Cross of Calvary so that all of mankind might have eternal life, including you and me.


May each of us every day when we wash our face, hear water running to irrigate our crops or even when we look into the eyes of fellow parishoners, our loved ones, whether child, spouse, parents, in pictures or in person, see Jesus Christ and His love for each of us.  For when we see Jesus Christ and look with eyes of faith we understand our encounter is with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ came to fulfill all righteousness in His Baptism and His mission to the Cross of Calvary for you and for me out of His great love for all of mankind, but especially including each and every one of us gathered here this morning who remember our Baptism into Jesus Christ life, death, but especially His resurrection.  AMEN.

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Monday, January 11, 2016

01102016 Epiphany Sunday (Moved) Emmanuel Lutheran Church Goodland KS

January 10, 2016
The Wisemen Found The Purpose

 

There is a story that Michele and I have in our story book collection which I nearly read last Sunday as the sermon.  It is the story of Artaban, originally written by Henry Van Dyke.  It relates the story of "The Other Wise Man".  Unlike the three best known, Balthazar, Caspar and Melchior, whom we sang about as our opening hymn, there are stories of a fourth wiseman, named Artaban, who was waylaid.  Artaban's lack of inclusion was not for lack of trying, but simply as a result of the tenderness of his heart.  Artaban wanted to give a treasure that came from his selling all of his possessions including his household.  The treasure Artaban wanted to present to the new born King was three jewels, but because of circumstances beyond his control, he was delayed, not once, nor twice, but three times.  Each time he encountered a need.  In each case, because of the compassion of his heart, Artaban, sacrificed his time and the jewels he was to give the king in order to protect the innocent and give comfort to those in need, whether the hungry, the sick or those in prison.


After searching for thirty three years having not found the King, Artaban embarked with his final jewel upon one last journey to Jerusalem to find the greatest treasure on earth, the King.  But alas at the gates, he encountered a young girl who was being dragged to be sold into slavery and in a deed of love and sacrifice, gave the final jewel, a pearl to settle her debt.  Suddenly the sky darkened and the ground shook.  Artaban fell to the ground and a large piece of tile roof that had shaken loose tragically fell upon Artaban.


You see Artaban had been on a journey to find the King of Kings and Lord of Lords foretold in sacred story.  What his friends, the Three Wise Men found was not a treasure that man could cash in at a bank.  The Three Wise Men found The Purpose in the Manger.


The Purpose the Three Wise Men found in the manger was God becoming Man.  God taking on Human flesh and humbling Himself in a way that we who gather here today live daily.  When Jesus entered into the world, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, He did not enter a castle or a Kingdom, but in true humility was born in a lowly stable in Bethlehem.  Jesus wasn't heralded by man, but by the angels.  Last week we sang, "Angels we have heard on high!"  This triumphant song was of the birth of the Savior of the World.  The angels personally understood what the Wise Men would find and what we celebrate today, the entrance of the Three Wise Men, Three Earthly Kings coming on bended knee and offering their gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.  Each gift given for a particular part and aspect of the next 33 years of Jesus Journey from the manger to the Cross.


But the question remains, what do you find in the manger?  Is this just a child, looked down upon like our children who make to much noise, friends or companions who may have a differing view than ours, or do you embrace the King of Kings and Lord of Lords in the manger?  Our individual and collective answer doesn't just show our individual or collective beliefs, but rests simply on the Purpose we can find in the manger.  For the purpose we find isn't only the soft cooing of a child as pleasant and cute as that may be, but the purpose that the Child laid in the manger not only was of God's great love for all of mankind, including you and me, but the purpose of God the Son, becoming Man for you and for me. God loved and loves us so much that His Son, Jesus Christ came to fulfill the purpose of being the Savior of the World.


Jesus Christ, the Child in the manger comes with great purpose to offer us life and salvation and His earthly journey begins with His entrance in the manger.  For when the Wise Men on bended knee offer the Gold for the journey ahead, the Frankincense since Jesus is the High Priest and the Myrrh as a prophecy of His death on Calvary, Jesus path and purpose is clearly set out.  Jesus comes to die in order that we might live.


What are we to do?  Let's return to Artaban.  As he lay their on the ground, crushed by the roof tile, having not gotten to see the King of Kings and Lord of Lords during his 33 year journey, not only was his body crushed beyond repair even for modern medicine, but his very spirit was crushed.  In the darkness that surrounded him, Artaban heard a voice.  "Artaban, you have been a good and faithful servant.  I was hungry and you fed me.  I was naked and you brought me clothes.  I was in prison and you visited me.  Come now to the rest I have prepared for you."  Thinking he was imagining, Artaban responded, "Not so, Lord, when did I do all these things for You?"


The voice simply responded, "Whenever you helped one of my people in need you helped Me."  Finally, the true peace of understanding fell upon Artaban's soul.  He truly understood and his journey on earth was complete.  His treasures were accepted.  He had found the King.


Today we have found the King of Kings and Lord of Lord's in the manger as well.  Today we find His purpose was to come and save us out of His great love for us.  You see the treasure that God finds today from the manger is we who gather here today.  We are God's greatest treasure and in Him we find the King of King and Lord of Lords.  May we believe we are His greatest treasure and understand it is His love for each and every one of us that points to His purpose here on earth when God became Man to save us.  AMEN.


--
Rev. Darian L. Hybl

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Monday, January 4, 2016

01032016 Second Sunday After Christmas Sermon

January 3, 2016
Christ Came to Serve!

Our culture today has completed the holidays quickly, as usual in record time.  Most decorations are put up, put away and hardly a trace can be found of any festivities.  But we who gather here today need to remember a simple message that comes after Christmas.

We still have the Christ in the manger, the tree is still lit, the decorations still adorn some of our homes.  But the child we find here in the manger, Jesus Christ has one thing He will do and do well here on earth.  Jesus Christ came to serve!

Simply, like a laborer for a farmer, a cashier at Wal-Mart or a service man at John Deere, Jesus Christ came to serve you and me.  Jesus Christ came to serve us in a way that no One else could ever complete.  Jesus Christ came to serve us as our Savior.

The shepherds heard the Angels proclaim the greatness of God and ventured from outside the city into Bethlehem and found in the manger the Christ Child.  Just as the shepherds insured the safety of their sheep the Child they came on bended knee and found would insure in His lifetime their eternal safety.  And not only their eternal safety, but ours as well.

We have gathered as a family to worship on Christmas Eve, ate meals throughout the holidays, celebrated the ringing in of the New Year and enjoyed each other's company.  Yet, now, we gather with a reality that Jesus Christ came to serve us, not just in a lowly manger, but as the Christ child foretold in sacred story.

We come to not only celebrate The First Noel, but as well sing with the angels "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing".  For in the stable, in a manger, wrapped in swaddling cloths is a Child.  A Holy Child, Jesus Christ, Who though He looks weak, frail and unable to do nothing but nurse, comes with a Holy message.  A message we receive not only at the foot of the manger, but that we receive from the Altar this morning.

Jesus Christ came to serve us.  Jesus Christ came to offer us His precious Body and Blood for the forgiveness of sins.  Jesus Christ came to go to the Cross in order to remind us of how our sins through our baptism into His life, death and resurrection are washed away and forgiven with the declaration of the Forgiveness of Sins.  Jesus Christ came to offer us life and salvation and when we come to the Altar this morning, we receive, not simply Bread and Wine, we receive the gift of grace that offers us eternal life of Jesus Christ True Body and Blood.

There is no greater gift than one can serve another.  Whether as a service mechanic, a stock boy, a teacher or especially in the military of giving one's life in service to our country.  Service is exactly why Jesus Christ came into human history and why we come to celebrate Him and His gift of grace and sacrifice.  May His gift, found first in the manger, then in His life, death and resurrection remind us of God's grace that God freely offers in service to us today as we come and proclaim with all the angels, "Glory to the newborn King!"  AMEN.

--
Rev. Darian L. Hybl
Please visit our blogs and comment!
Pastor's Blog 
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//trial script