06012014 Sunday After Ascension

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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.

Christ has ascended!  He has ascended indeed!  Alleluia!

If you look closely this morning, I have offering plates as our focus this morning.  I can just imagine the conversations that would occur, if I were to preach on money.  But this morning I am not preaching on money, but what these vessels used in God’s house and service really mean and how they apply for us in new and various way.

Let’s pull out our bulletin insert and pray together Luther’s Evening Prayer.  Luther’s Evening Prayer – I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night.  For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things.  Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me.  AMEN.  Let’s ask God for this to be true for each of us today and every night as we lay our heads on our pillows to sleep.

Gracious Lord, these vessels and our bodies have been dedicated to Your service both here in Your house and in the world created by Your hands.  Enable us to fill these plates with the gifts You have given us, not of money but from our hearts with Your Word of promise of forgiveness for all the saints gathered here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

For Lent we use a modified service of Evening Prayer that begins, “Let my prayer rise before You as incense, the lifting up of our hands as the evening sacrifice.”  In this opening versicle it clearly captures Luther’s Evening Prayer and even what these offering plates signify.  For some, these plates denote the gain of money by the church.  Some see these plates as the only way they can get into heaven by giving to the church in a tangible way, by money.  Others fret over money so much they make it an idol, when there is plenty they squirrel it away like the squirrels do the nuts in preparation for winter.  When money is tight, every single thought turns into how to control and regulate.  We as a congregation were here a few years ago before I arrived.  Where we had to decide which bill to pay and which to put off till the money had come in.  And ironically it was all collected in these plates.

But these plates are not about money, they are not about nor do they represent plenty or not enough money.  These plates should have a far deeper and profound meaning for us today.  These plates should represent our trust of God and the 90 plus year history we have here in Goodland, KS.

When our congregation was formed, people came together in the sod church for a sole purpose, the spread of the Gospel message.  A message with a sole purpose of the spread of the Gospel message of Jesus Christ and what He did on Calvary.  From the time the cornerstone of this building was laid, through the building of a bell tower to ring when we gather for worship, remembering Jesus lashes and even the toll of the bell in remembrance of those who have died.  To the sanctuary where we have the eternal light to remember the Holy Spirit and its descent at Pentecost, that we will celebrate next week.  To the educational wing built so we could teach the stories of God to the children of God baptized in the font.  It all began with an idea, an inspiration and an intention of the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

So how do offering plates intersect this?  These offering plates are simply used here in the chancel to take out to you the people of God and to return to God in honor and glory to God of what He has first given us.  Not money, not time, not the riches we cash from the co-op from a bountiful harvest of wheat or corn.  What God is asking from us to offer symbolically in these plates is ourselves.  Simply offer ourselves into His service in His Kingdom here in His house built by our brother’s and sisters in Christ.  

This past Christmas Eve, instead of using these plates to take the offering, we used the manger.  The symbolism was clear then and continues to be clear and appropriate for us here today.  We need to continue as we have in the past of offering ourselves for God’s service and worship each and every day.  By offering and entrusting ourselves as we have, just as we do in Luther’s Evening Prayer, we place ourselves in God’s hands not only when we lay our heads down to sleep.  But also by offering ourselves as God’s instruments for service to the fallen world that we live in.  May we tonight and each and every night be willing to offer ourselves into God’s Holy Hands, for there we find not only Holy rest, but also our Savior Who cares for all of the world, but especially including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel who pray Luther’s Evening prayer as our offering and sacrifice when we lay our heads down to sleep.  AMEN.

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051120104 3rd Sunday After Easter Mother's Day

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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.

Christ is risen!  He is Risen Indeed!  Alleluia!

If you look around this morning, you can see our connection with the past.  In churches that were built in the middle ages, the acoustics were purposefully built so that sound would not only travel, but you could clearly hear chanting, the lessons, sermons and especially the liturgy which all pointed to Jesus Christ from any seat in the church.  The highpoint for all services was the celebration of Holy Communion, which was celebrated as Jesus intended, on every day the church gathered for worship.  But to hear the words of institution not only reminded people of Jesus entrance into the world, but His sacrifice for all of mankind.

This morning before us, I have a microphone and its holder.  It is meant to be a reminder, not only that we need to hear, but more specifically what we need to hear.  Let’s pull out our bulletin insert this morning and answer the question, How can bodily eating and drinking do such great things?  The Sacrament of the Altar How can bodily eating and drinking do such great things?  Certainly not just eating and drinking do these things, but the words written here: “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”  These words, along with the bodily eating and drinking, are the main thing in the Sacrament.  Whoever believes these words has exactly what they say: “Forgiveness of sins.””  Let’s ask God to help us believe His promise made to us today.

Heavenly Father, the Word we hear spoken in the Words of institution tell of the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation.  Enable us to believe these promises You make to us today, for all of the saints of Emmanuel gathered here today.  AMEN.

Clearly every Sunday we use the technology that was developed in the last millennia to hear the Word of God clearly spoken here at Emmanuel.  Whether it is the pulpit mike to hear me preach, the lectern mike to hear the lector read the lessons of the day or even the wireless mike I have around my ear that enables me to be heard even from my office over the PA system.  We have technology that helps us hear the Word of God.  But what we are hearing is only part of the equation.  Like any good mathematician, they always want an equal sign.  Because on the right side of the equal sign, there is a result.

In our celebrating the Holy Supper this morning we have a clear result, and that is what we hear when we understand clearly the answer to ‘How can bodily eating and drinking do such great things?’.  What we receive in this meal is clear, it is the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation.  When we gather around the altar, come up and receive the Body and Blood of Jesus whether around the altar or continuously, we receive the greatest gift of grace from Jesus Christ of His Body and Blood.

But it is not just receipt, but our hearing the grace offered and provided for us in the meal that we receive God’s greatest gift of grace.  This is why I have a microphone and stand up here.  When we clearly hear God’s gift and offer for us, we understand more fully what God is offering us through the sacrament.  Not only His precious Body and Blood, but life and salvation and the ‘forgiveness of sins’.

In the words, ‘Given and Shed for you for the forgiveness of sins’, God is clearly offering us the greatest free gift of life and salvation.  Last week we heard how around the bed of Marty Spomer, his family received this gift and shared one last meal together as a family of faith.

Today, I want to tell you about Margaret.  She was a special lady.  Known in the community as a woman who gave to the local arts council, served on the hospital auxiliary and was active in the VFW woman’s auxiliary, because John her husband had served in both World War 2 and Korea.  In the church she was constantly active.  Not only in bible studies, small-groups, but also in the altar guild.  Margaret always served with Vickie her lifelong friend, confidant and buddy after John had passed away.

One Sunday after cleaning up from communion, she had been thinking and made one request of Vickie, her lifelong friend.  She said, “When I die, would you do me a favor?”  Vickie said, “Sure.”  Thinking it was something like put flowers on her grave or make sure they used the pall for the funeral.  But Margaret said, “Would you make sure that they put a fork in my hand when I am buried?”  Taken a back, Vickie, said, “Why do you want to be buried with a fork in your hand?”  Margaret said, “Because when I get to heaven, I know I am entering the greatest feast ever made as Pastor told us this morning.  But I also want to be prepared to eat right away and not have to wait for someone to hand me a fork.”

In that one statement, Margaret stated clearly and emphatically, the truth of what we receive in the Feast God is preparing for us.  It is not just a meal that will be finer than any other meal made with human hands.  It is not just a meal to feed our bodies.  It is a meal that we need to prepare for here on earth.  It is a meal with spiritual dimension and divine results, in essence the other side of the equal sign.  We need to prepare for our receipt of God’s gift to us of life and salvation each and every day here on earth.  Just as the farmers prepare the soil with watering it before planting, fertilizing it in order to give the corn the best chance of a great harvest and insuring the water continues to shower it by the irrigation wells running through the summer, both night and day.  We need to prepare for our entrance into heaven and our receipt of God’s feast offering us eternal life, salvation and grace and every blessing.

We can prepare today by hearing clearly God’s call of each of us here this morning to have a better relationship with Him.  Not only in heeding the call to prepare for the sacrament, but also in preparing our hearts just as we do the soil and our homes for guests as well as like Margaret with the fork a her burial.  For when we prepare for God to bestow upon us the gift of grace offered to us in the sacrament and in His Word, we receive not only grace upon grace, but the greatest blessing of eternal life.  We will clearly hear His call and can heed His desire for us to receive His blessings that He offers.  For it was on the Cross of Calvary that He not only offered Himself, but Jesus Christ offered Himself in order for all of mankind to be in His kingdom.  And this especially includes all of the saints of Emmanuel gathered here to hear His Word through a microphone that sits on a stand like we have this morning and to receive the blessing that He offers us in Word, but especially the sacrament for all who have heard the Word of God in the forgiveness of sins.  AMEN.

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05042014 Second Sunday After Easter

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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.

Christ is risen!  He is Risen Indeed!  Alleluia!

When someone we know and love has entered the Church Triumphant, we mourn in ways that sometimes defy reason or logic.  In Jesus day, the women would moan and wale loudly, they even did this when Jesus came and told the parents of the little girl that she was not dead.  For us today, whether it was our parents who lived a long life, a friend that we grew up with from grade school, or someone we got to know through work or our serving in the military who became closer to us than even our own siblings.  When someone close to us dies, we begin to grieve almost immediately.  For some the stages of grief are a jumbled mess, they hit all five and sometimes even go back to steps they have previously experienced.  For others grief is a life-long obsession, because they can’t, don’t want to or refuse to let go.  But clearly, grief is not something that ends when we close the casket and lay our loved one in the ground.

Even for the disciples, their grief was clearly manifest in the weeks that followed Jesus crucifixion and death.  Last week in the Gospel we heard how Thomas wouldn’t believe until he had seen, touched and personally encountered the resurrected Jesus Christ.  Thomas best known for his doubting was probably a story that was well heard not only from his day, but by other disciples and apostles, including Paul and has been passed down to we their spiritual children and disciples who gather here today.

Here at Emmanuel when I meet with a family after someone has passed away, I try not only to comfort them, but assure them of the truth that we find and believe in through Jesus Christ and His resurrection.  One of the most comforting passages, I use comes from Paul in Romans 8.  Paul writes, “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, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” (Rom. 8:31-32)  Not only does or can this be an assurance for us when we face death, but it also is even more appropriate for us as we celebrate life and what God offers us in the Sacrament of the Altar that we again celebrate today.

Let’s pull out our bulletin insert and answer the question, What is the benefit of this eating and drinking?  The Sacrament of the Altar, What is the benefit of this eating and drinking?  These words, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins,” show us that in the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given us through these words.  For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.  Let’s seek these promises as we go to God in prayer.

Gracious and Resurrected Lord, we believe Your word of forgiveness that we find in the Sacrament of the Altar that gives us Your precious Body and Blood.  Enable us in our receiving Your Body and Blood to understand we receive the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation, not by our own work, but by believing in Your Word.  For it is through Your life, death and resurrection for all of mankind that we receive grace upon grace and will one day enter into Your Kingdom by Your call.  This is most certainly true for all of mankind, but especially including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this morning.  AMEN.

Last week we had a chalice and paten presented to me at my ordination.  This morning we again have a chalice and paten, but it is not any ordinary altar ware, it is special and significant for us here at Emmanuel, because it came as a result of one of our sister’s entering the Church Triumphant.  One of the traditions here at Emmanuel is that when someone enters eternal glory, the family can designate the memorial money to be given to the church and then designate what the money could be used for.  This also is the opportunity for any gift given to the church in honor and memory of a family member as well as any anonymous gift.  Matter of fact this has happened not only from money being given for the Eternal Light over the Altar, by Carol Jarrett’s mother’s memorial money, to the building of the handicapped bathroom in the cry room from the church money from Colorado, to the doors both on the sun deck and east end of the educational wing from an anonymous donor to the hymn board as a confirmation project to the gifts given for the replacement of the organ blower system from the memorial from a sweet generous member of the congregation.  Our church has members who have been generous, even to the purchase of the new fridge.  But the fact is this chalice and paten we have before us this morning are not just altar adornments, but instruments for our receipt of the gifts and grace of God.

What we receive from their use is life and salvation.  As we heard from our reading the bulletin insert, we are offered in, with and under the bread and wine, that is the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, “life and salvation”.  When we use this chalice and this paten, we receive God’s gifts of grace and mercy manifest in the breaking of bread and offering us the forgiveness of sins.  It is not based upon our merit, but solely a gift from God for all of us who gather here and believe in the forgiveness of sins.

But of what importance is that for us today?  Why should we not only lay claim to, but remember clearly what is offered here on the paten and in the chalice?

Simply it is something that we have already heard, sung and proclaimed a few minutes ago.  When we rose in preparation for hearing the Holy Gospel, we sang a ‘liturgical verse’, known as the Alleluia Verse.  We sang, “Alleluia, Lord to whom shall we go you have the words of eternal life.”  These same words of eternal life we hear in the Gospel are given to us in the breaking of bread in the Sacrament of the Altar.  They give us eternal life and prepare us for our entrance into the church triumphant.

The Last Sunday in March, was a prime example of the importance and sharing of Holy Communion with one of our own who was preparing to enter the church triumphant.  When Marty Spomer was in Hays, I had the extreme pleasure to bring and offer Holy Communion to his family as we surrounded him not only with our love, thoughts and prayers, but in the sharing of the most intimate meal of Jesus Christ precious Body and Blood.  As we shared not only the Word of Truth of Eternal Life, heard the hymns of grace that we weekly sing, but also the gift of grace offered in sharing Jesus Christ precious Body and Blood we partook of the most sacred meal of the Lord’s Supper.  This meal that we shared around his hospital bed was a clear reminder of Jesus Christ being offered for each and every one of us and His offer to us and especially to Marty of Eternal life.

As you know less than a week later we buried Marty, but clearly the reminder that we needed that day surrounded by the machines and tubes that helped him breathe, the doctors and medical teams that ministered unto him and all of his family who surrounded him with love was the Holy Supper God offers us.  For in that meal of Jesus precious Body and Blood, just as is offered on the paten and in the chalice this morning, we receive in the Sacrament of the Altar the greatest gift of eternal life for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this morning.  AMEN.

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04272014 Confirmation Sunday and 1st Sunday After Easter

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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.

Christ is risen!  He is Risen Indeed!  Alleluia!

These words were spoken numerous times while I was in Israel in 1999.  Going with a large group of people we visited many of the most holy sites while “In the Footsteps of Jesus”!  When we gathered in the historic site of the Garden Tomb, with the stone rolled away, hearing the words, “He is Risen Indeed”, brought a collective air of not only fulfillment, but also joy to know that our Savior, Jesus Christ had risen from the Dead.  Jesus Christ had conquered death and death no longer would have dominion.

Yet, the sacrifice that was made by Jesus Christ seems minimal to some.  In our day and age what Jesus Christ accomplished for some is more myth and legend.  Consider those who go to the movies they see movies like Thor that talk of a Norse God, great entertainment.  Please understand, I love these movies and enjoy the opportunity to immerse myself in this for a few hours.  Another place where Jesus sacrifice is questioned is in colleges that say the Bible is only literature or that faith is not a valid concept or something to be believed in.  A perfect example is the movie, “God is Not Dead” that will be at our theater in the coming weeks.  The premise is that God is Dead.  Ironically this was true Good Friday, Jesus Christ, God’s Son was dead.  But now after Easter Sunday, Jesus Christ is not dead, He is alive, risen from the dead and we today celebrate this accomplishment that was for all of mankind, but especially for each and every one of us gathered here at Emmanuel.

Jesus Christ sacrifice we remember today, especially when we partake of the Sacrament of the Altar.  In and by our partaking of Jesus Christ precious Body and Blood we celebrate, not death, but the sacrifice and life He offers us in this Holy Meal.  As you can see before us I have a chalice and paten.  These are special to me and for all of us for two reasons.  But first, let’s pull out our bulletin insert and respond to the simple question, What is Sacrament of the Altar?  The Sacrament of the Altar What is Sacrament of the Altar?  It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself for us Christians to eat and drink.  Let’s ask God to empower and enrich us with His Body and Blood in prayer.

Gracious Heavenly Father, in our Easter celebration, we know we receive Your true Body and Blood sacrificed for us that strengthens us in our pilgrimage here on earth.  Enable us to not only embrace what we receive from Your Holy Hands, but that it will enable us to understand more fully the forgiveness You offer to all of mankind in Your Holy Supper.  For this is for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here this morning for Confirmation Sunday at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

The chalice and paten before us this morning I bought when I was in Israel.  While on that trip, I saw myself in the future in ministry in a congregation offering the Lord’s Supper with this Paten and with this Chalice.  Where the gifts of God would be offered with the words, “Given and Shed for you for the forgiveness of sins”.  This promise by God fulfilled in the Garden Tomb with the clear expression of “He is Risen”, is a clear reminder of God’s promises made for all of mankind, but especially for each and every one of us gathered here this morning.

It is not only clear with a simple Chalice and Paten bought in Israel, but made manifest for we as God’s Children here this morning, because this same Chalice and Paten was used at my ordination here at Emmanuel.  When I laid on the floor, giving my life into the ministry as your shepherd, God in a clear way entered my life in a much deeper form and fashion.  But I was not becoming a god like Thor, I couldn’t and wouldn’t be equal to God like Jesus Christ.  However, when that Chalice and Paten were handed to me as a symbol of the sacrament that would be celebrated from the Altar of God, it was to be a reminder of the grace God would offer to each of us in the Words, “Given and Shed for you for the forgiveness of sins”.

You see it is the firm belief that no matter who holds the office of pastor, the worthiness of the pastor is not what is important.  Because I am sinful, just as anyone else.  What we receive in the Sacrament of the Altar is the gift of pure grace from God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ.  This is God’s gift to and for all of mankind, but especially all of us who believe the words, “Given and Shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”  But it is even more appropriate for us here today.

This morning we as a church will confirm three individuals, Autumn, Peyton and Powell.  Today these three children of our congregation will take the responsibility of their faith upon their own shoulders this morning.  No longer will they in the eyes of the church be seen, understood, nor should they act nor be treated as children by anyone in the congregation.  Today, they take the vows of responsibility of their individual faiths upon themselves.  We have provided Sunday School to teach them the stories of the bible.  We have given them the Holy Scriptures in their hands in order that they read it themselves and understand their faith.  We have as a congregation provided them with the Small and Large Catechism and instructed them in Luther’s explanation of what God offers them not only in Holy Baptism, which they have been baptized into, but also in the Lord’s Supper which they received at First Communion.  Today, Autumn, Peyton and Powell stand before we their fellow heirs of eternal life and take their place as God’s baptized and soon to be confirmed members in the Body of Christ.

But it is more significant than that, today, the church celebrates with them their entrance into the ranks of the people of God as not only fellow heirs of eternal life, fellow partakers of the food they already receive around the altar of our Lord, but especially their entrance as adults around the table of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Yes, they have previously partaken of this heavenly meal, but today, Autumn, Peyton and Powell partake, knowing they now have ultimate responsibility of their faith, in their preparation, further instruction, discernment and nurturing their own personal growth in their relationship with Jesus Christ.  It is my prayer that in their lives that this meal that we receive today and in the future will strengthen them on their journey and pilgrimage and continue to nourish them to be God’s instrument in the spread of the Gospel message.  For God’s message of salvation of what Jesus Christ did on Calvary and offers us today in this Holy Supper with pure grace and mercy is for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel to celebrate Autumn, Peyton and Powell’s Confirmation.  AMEN.

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04202014 Easter Sunday

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May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Risen Rock and our Redeemer.  AMEN.

Christ is arisen!  He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

This morning we come to celebrate the mountaintop experience for Christians everywhere.  Jesus Christ is alive.  Jesus Christ Who was crucified on Good Friday, laid in the tomb, left for dead by His disciples and followers, has risen from the dead!!  Jesus Christ has burst the three day prison!  Jesus Christ overcame sin, death and the devil and offers us eternal life with Him in His Kingdom!

This is the essence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that Jesus Christ offers us the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation!  We cannot merit it, but God out of His great love for us proclaims this for you and for me.  This is in essence the Office of the Keys.  If you were to read the insert for this morning, Martin Luther states plainly that this is the “authority which Christ has given to His church”.  Further “when the called ministers of Christ [meaning the pastor and by my office] deal with us by His [God’s] divine command, [to bind or loose sins, forgive or absolve sins]…this is just as valid and certain, even in heaven, as if Christ our dear Lord dealt with us Himself.”

What we need to hear and take away from our mountaintop experience this Easter morning is that Jesus Christ came and lived among His disciples.  Was baptized in the river Jordan, healed, fed and ministered to countless men, women and children.  Instituted the Lord’s Supper, suffered at the hands of His captors, was nailed to a cross on Golgotha, laid in a tomb and left for dead.  Then on the Third Day He rose from the dead.  With Jesus Christ rising, He conquered death and offers You and me eternal life.

But, there is something we have that God needs.  And that is why I need your help this morning.  I would like for all of you to take out the keys you have in your pockets.  Whether it is keys to the car, truck or SUV you drove here this morning, keys to the house you share with your family, or keys to the locks that protect all of your worldly possessions.  Please hold them and be ready to do something.

You see this morning our emphasis is upon the Office of the Keys given to the Church, to either bind or loose the sins of individuals.  This responsibility is given to the church.  But it is more intimate than that.  I would like for you to shake the keys for just a moment. [SHAKE].  The keys you hold in your hands are a perfect metaphor of the key you hold not to the stuff you have accumulated or inherited or been given.  The keys you have in your hands represent the key to your heart.

Today on Easter Sunday, we have the greatest opportunity to clearly and expressly give the keys to our collective hearts to Jesus Christ.  When we hear the Gospel message today we have the opportunity to give to Jesus Christ the Key that opens our hearts and everything we have and give it to Jesus Christ in true worship, discipleship and devotion.  For Jesus Christ offers us this morning the Keys to the Kingdom of Heaven with our believing in the Resurrection from the Dead of Jesus Christ.  It is by our sharing the Key to our heart with Jesus Christ when we offer ourselves to Him that we have the greatest opportunity to receive not only grace upon grace, but the Greatest Gift ever Given to all of Mankind.  And that gift is the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

When the tomb was found to be empty early that Sunday morning, it was shown that nothing could bind Jesus Christ.  And with the keys to our hearts, when we offer them to Jesus Christ we afford ourselves the greatest opportunity to receive this gift of forgiveness that is directly offered to us from Jesus Christ for all of mankind including each and every one of us.

Tragically we personally know individuals who may never have heard the Gospel, or ever experienced this the mountaintop experience, because they are dealing with tragedy.  One such person I know of was Trevor, right before coming to hear and celebrate on Easter Sunday, he received a phone call from his best friends parents.  You see, Trevor’s best friend, Jack, whom he had grown up with from having the same baby sitter, the same little league coach, the same swim coach, the same teachers all through elementary school committed suicide Saturday, the night before Easter.  Trevor had talked with Jack Saturday afternoon and everything seemed fine, he was relaxed and just wanted to have some fun, they had played X-Box and rode around the neighborhood.  But this morning, his best friend was gone.

Jack with his taking his life was caught in the darkness of Holy Saturday, not being able to see the light of Easter morning.  Never being able to hear what Jesus Christ accomplished for all of mankind.  Jack had never been asked, nor given the opportunity to give the ‘key’ to his heart to Jesus Christ.  There were many times Trevor and Jack would have a sleep over, but never did Trevor ask Jack, nor his family to come to church to hear the Gospel and what Jesus Christ accomplished on Easter and what He offers to us today.

To this day, Trevor wears a brand, purposefully burned into the skin of his arm with Jack’s initials as a clear and concrete reminder of the missed opportunity of spreading the Gospel.  But today, and every day for us, when we hold the keys to our house, car, truck and our very possessions, may we be reminded this is the symbolic key that we can offer to Jesus Christ to set us free.  For with the key to our heart, Jesus Christ Who purposefully wears the scars of the holes from the nails in His hands and feet, and the puncture of the spear to His side and the prick of the thorns from the Crown of thorns on His brow, can open our hearts and offer us the Greatest Gift of life and salvation for all of mankind.  Especially including all of us saints willing to offer Jesus Christ the key to our heart by which He willingly offers us eternal life for all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this Easter morning.  AMEN.

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04182014 Good Friday

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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.

Last night we stripped the altar bare.  This symbolized Jesus Christ nakedness on the Cross and the shame, humiliation and public ridicule he endured for all of mankind.  Just as the saying goes, ‘naked we came into the world and naked we go out’, it is more appropriate for consideration on this Good Friday.  Last night, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper for forgiveness of sins.  Tonight we mourn, Jesus death.  Last night, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, tonight, Jesus disciples watch in disbelief their leader, teacher and friend being nailed to a Cross in Crucifixion.  Last night, Jesus said to His disciples, stay awake, watch and pray and yet, He found them weak in body and asleep.  Last night, Jesus prayed, ‘if this cup could be taken away’, but Jesus ended His private time saying ‘God’s will be done’.  Tonight is the low point on our Lenten Journey, for tonight is the night that we proclaim, Jesus Christ as dead.

As has been the case in the last six weeks since Lent began we have had a number of funerals.  Each has cut close to many families in our church clan, but all have had one thing in common other than death.  At every funeral we have used the pall to make all of who have entered the church triumphant equal.  The pall is used in the funeral as a covering for the casket.  It is symbolic of the intimate connection we have with our relationship with Jesus Christ through our Baptism.  Though death is symbolized by most in our culture and society with dark colors, even wearing black as a sign of mourning, the pall is a stark contrast symbolizing life.  It is the polar opposite for a distinct reason.  The pall in symbolizing life also is to be the great equalizer of all mankind in the eyes of God and man.  No matter the money we have here on this earth, the cars we drive, the house we live in, the land we own or farm, the amount of money in our banking account, we are all equal before God as symbolized by the pall being draped over the casket.

We are equal simply because of our baptism into Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection.  When the Water and Word washes us clean and makes us children of God, we no longer are understood to be sinners.  We are now redeemed children of our heavenly Father.  Yes we still sin, but God has redeemed us.  The symbol of the pall is to remind us we are equal in God’s eyes.  Yes we are dead, just as Jesus Christ died on the Cross of Calvary that we mourn tonight.  But with our spreading the pall over the casket we point not to mourning, not to loss, not to sadness, not to death, we point instead to the light of the World into Whose life we have been baptized into and that gives us life.  We point to Jesus Christ Who chose death on Calvary to Glorify His Father in heaven.  We point to the Cross not in defeat, but in triumph.  We point to the Cross of Christ and our being covered by the pall as a reminder of Christ’s sacrifice for all of mankind.

Tonight we gather and see and feel the pall that covers our hearts, it covers Christ’s nakedness and ours and makes us equal in God’s eyes and is the reminder for all of what Jesus Christ did on Calvary on Good Friday.  With this simple covering of the pall we are reminded of our baptism into Jesus Christ and claim this especially tonight.  For tonight Good Friday we mourn Jesus death, we cover our hearts that are filled with sadness, but we know that Jesus Christ offers forgiveness for all of mankind.  It is the forgiveness of sins through His death that compels us to not look to the Cross in the same way, for unlike the disciples who felt there was no hope, we know that we have to mourn on Good Friday, just as we do when we use the pall.  For in our baptism we put on Christ and do so with our use of the pall.  But just as we use the pall, we look to and believe that Sunday is coming, for all of mankind, but especially for all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this Good Friday night.  AMEN.

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04172014 Maundy Thursday

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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.

For those of you who remember back at Christmas Eve the early service.  The church moved something.  It wasn’t the Advent wreath that helped us count down the weeks til Christmas.  It wasn’t the Crucifix that is very seldom used.  It wasn’t the offering plates or vases for flowers or the missal stand on the altar.  What moved was the Christ Candle.  For part of the year from Ascension Sunday until Christmas Eve, the Christ Candle is at the Right Hand of the Altar.  This is the symbol of our remembering what we confess in the Apostle’s Creed that “Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father.”  On Christmas Eve the Christ Candle moves to the floor of the church proper to signify Christ coming down from heaven, just as this is also the beginning of making the sign of the Cross with one’s hand going from the head to the chest signifying Jesus coming from heaven to earth.

These collective actions, of moving the Christ Candle and making the sign of the Cross connect perfectly with Holy Baptism.  This is why in Holy Baptism after the individual is baptized, whether, infant, child or adult they are given a small Baptismal Candle.  The candle is lit from the Christ Candle or even from the Altar and signifies and is a remembrance of our connection to Jesus Christ and our baptism into His life, death and resurrection.

The Baptismal and Christ Candle represent three things for us this evening, a celebration, a remembrance and the hope that is found in our celebrating the Baptismal rite.  It is a celebration, because in the waters of Holy Baptism with this Candle we celebrate God’s being the light of the World and His entrance into the life of the individual and the eternal impact God makes upon their life.  God reaches down from heaven and offers in Holy Baptism, life and salvation through the Water connected with the Word of God.  In this Holy Sacrament ordained and instituted by God we find our connection not only to God but the link that God offers for all of mankind freely and without requirement on our part.

Not only is this a celebration, it is a remembrance of Jesus Christ being baptized in the Jordan River.  We remember this connection and make it to, for and with ourselves.  When I was in Israel, one of the ladies I went to Israel with gave me after our return one of the most precious gifts, it was an ornate bottle that contained water from the Jordan River as a reminder for me of our trip and to be used during my future ministry to connect the baptism of the person with Jesus Christ baptism in the Jordan.  That remembrance still to this day connects me clearly with God’s gifts offered for all of mankind through Water and Word.

For not only do we celebrate the Gift given and remember Who the giver is, but as we gather tonight the meal we partake in is a reminder of the hope God gives each of us.  Tonight as we celebrate the institution of the Lord’s Supper it is a meal of hope.  The hope is incomplete, because we still need Good Friday in order to have Easter Sunday.  But in the Holy Supper we share tonight from the altar of our Lord, God is offering us the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation that is the hope for all mankind.  It is a hope that connects not only we who gather here around this altar, but with all believers of all time and place, including those who now rest in their Lord and Savior’s arms. 

The Lord’s Supper is a meal that God connects to each of us today.  This is why when we have this meal, we light the two candles on the Altar as a reminder of the specialness and sacredness of the meal.  This is why we also light the Christ Candle for our reminder of Christ being in our hearts and His Holy Baptism and our connection to it and the Holy Supper He instituted.  And why we give a small candle at Holy Baptism for it to be used yearly at our baptismal anniversary as a celebration of God’s gift of forgiveness in baptism, a remembrance that it is God’s gift for us and it points to the hope we share in the promises of God through Water and Word.  For God offers Holy Baptism and this meal of the Lord’s Supper for all of mankind, for the forgiveness of sins because of His great love for each of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this Maundy Thursday.  AMEN.

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04132014 Palm Sunday

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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.

Recently the church world was rocked.  It wasn’t a scandal, it wasn’t someone giving a bad name to the church.  What happened was a break from tradition.  And what was more surprising was it was with the Roman Catholic Church breaking from tradition.  For numerous years, the Pope would hear confession from the common people who came to St. Peter’s to ‘confess’ their sins.  This is a tradition that many Popes had fulfilled in preparation for Easter Mass.  But this year Pope Francis, humble patriarch of the Roman Catholic Church broke the tradition.  Instead of only hearing confession, Pope Francis, in a public show first went to Public Confession himself.  Pope Francis in a clear and tangible way showed he was a humble servant, who like everyone else was in need of Confessing his sins.  For Catholics, this not only was a change, but a dramatic shift in the belief in the infallibility of the Pope and ironically lessens the divide between the Roman Catholic Church and we as Lutherans and both of our understandings of Confession.

In order to more fully understand what we believe about Confession, let’s pull out our bulletin insert and respond to the questions, “What is Confession?”, “What sins should we confess?” and “Which are these?”.  Confession, What is confession?  Confession has two parts.  First, we confess our sins, and second, that we receive absolution, that is forgiveness, from the pastor as from God Himself, not doubting, but firmly believing that by it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven.  What sins should we confess?  Before God we should plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of, as we do in the Lord’s Prayer; but before the pastor we should confess only those sins which we know and feel in our hearts.  Which are these?  Consider your place in life according to the Ten Commandments: Are you a father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife or worker?  Have you been disobedient, unfaithful, or lazy?  Have you been hot-tempered rude or quarrelsome?  Have you hurt someone by your words or deeds?  Have you stolen, been negligent, wasted anything, or done any harm?  Let’s go to God in prayer understanding we are to confess what we have done in thought, word and deed.

Gracious God, You know and watch what we do in our lives, how we break the 10 Commandments and how we turn away from You.  Enable us to come and confess what is in our hearts and hear the proclamation of the Gospel of the forgiveness of sins that only comes through what Your Son Jesus Christ has done on Calvary.  For these promises are given and revealed for all of mankind, but especially for all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this morning.  AMEN.

When Pope Francis humbled himself by first confessing his sins and receiving absolution this sent the clearest message to the Roman Catholic Church and to any and all churches that would listen or pay heed.  The only perfect person that has walked this earth was Jesus Christ, not the pope, not the president and definitely not me your pastor.

Today as we celebrate Palm Sunday, Jesus in His entrance into the Holy City of Jerusalem changed the playing field, more drastically than Pope Francis with his private confession.  People expected Jesus to be made King, ironically He already was, but His exalted identity and ability and what He would fulfill was still a week away.  But truly what Jesus wanted to occur was to reveal Himself, confess as He had for the last three years Who He truly was and help anyone who would listen to know and understand that He had to die in order to save mankind and specifically them.

But just as in private confession, one reveals things that may hurt, not only relationship, but also the future reality, Jesus had one purpose.  It was so God’s Glory could be revealed in raising His Son, Jesus Christ from the dead.  When we come and confess our sins, we open ourselves up to God and He through the church offers us the forgiveness of sins.

Some have said from their responses to the recent survey here at Emmanuel, that they believe I as your pastor, ‘make myself out to be God’, or ‘our preacher thinks he is God and can judge people’.  By these statements, responses and beliefs, I understand more clearly and fully that I am not perfect and that, ‘I am a sinful man’.  If that is what people believe or hear when I talk, that isn’t what I believe, nor what Christ expects from me.  I do act on Jesus Christ behalf as the called shepherd of Emmanuel to declare the grace and mercy offered by Jesus Christ, but I am not, nor ever desire to be thought of as equal to God.  I therefore need to Confess, publically ‘I have sinned, and fallen short of the glory of God.’  My desire is for you to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ on a daily basis. What we need to hear is Jesus Christ came to die for you and for me and set us free from sin, death and the devil.  We cannot save ourselves and are in desperate need of what Jesus Christ offers us through His life, death and resurrection.

And today as we celebrate Palm Sunday, Jesus Christ shows us what He was willing to do.  Jesus Christ was willing to be carried into Jerusalem, heralded as a ‘king’ and in four days, be betrayed by His own disciples, not just Judas Iscariot, but even Peter.  Jesus was willing to go to Jerusalem in order to be crucified for the sin of mankind.  For without Jesus Christ willingness to suffer and die, we would not have eternal life and the free salvation His death freely offers us.

For us today, as we enter Jerusalem and Holy Week with the institution of the Lord’s Supper and as we mourn Jesus death on Good Friday, may we remember we become partakers of this through our confession.  Hence, I have before us this morning a kneeler that is used at communion.  May this be a reminder of our confession of our sins and the grace that God offers to each of us through Jesus Christ innocent death for all of mankind.  For our confession is not just of our sins, but of our not being equal to God, because only God in Jesus Christ could offer Himself to set us free for all eternity.  And we ask God to grant each of us the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation because of Jesus Christ death for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this morning.  AMEN.

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04092014 Wednesday of Lent 5

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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.

It was once said, professional sports teams do the best jobs branding themselves and gaining a loyal fan base.  Everybody has a favorite sport and their favorite team.  In baseball it is either the Royals or Rockies, in football it’s the Bronco’s or the Chiefs and we won’t even get started on college sports here in Kansas. No matter what the sport, everyone has a favorite team and we show our support.  By the clothes we wear that have the team logo, to the colors and even vows to make it to at least one game during the year.  We actively participate in order to show our support.

In a similar way, when we baptize in the church we actively participate through our promises and vows that we make.  When we baptize not only do we use oil to make the sign of the Cross over the child or adults head and heart, we as a congregation are active participants.  Unlike going to the movie where we are always receivers of the entertainment or at the football, baseball, basketball or wrestling matches, where we sit in the stands and only ‘watch’ the action.  In Holy Baptism, we take an active role.

Our active role has three elements.  They are the promises we make, the vows we take and the greeting we offer.  The promises we make include our responsibility as a church to offer Sunday School, Confirmation, Bible Study and even other opportunities to learn about Jesus Christ.  We promise we will find a pastor, find teachers, provide supplies and even teach the kids what the Gospel is all about.  We actively take this on as our responsibility.

We also take the vow that if anything happens to the parents, we will insure the child is brought up in the Christian faith.  In one sense this vow is a throwback to years gone by when the average life expectancy was only 40-50 and accidents were more commonplace.  The vow is and was meant to insure the safety and Christian upbringing of the child and originally was taken by the Sponsors at Holy Baptism, but now the church and specifically the congregation has taken this responsibility as an active participant in the baptism of individuals.

At the end of the service, the congregation as a whole, ‘welcomes’ the child into the Family of God as a fellow heir of the Kingdom of God that they are now baptized into.  In greeting the child it is not only in word, but even by the connection with the vows and promises previously made.  But why is this so important?  Of what consequence is our active participation?

Ironically this stems back to Cain and Abel and after the one brother kills the other.  The question was asked of God, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”  And since that time and connected to Holy Baptism, we have to respond in the affirmative, we are responsible for each other.  That is what community is all about, that is what the Body of Christ, known as the church has as our responsibility.  We are actively responsible for the faith of our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Just as neighbors out on the farm help one another when they are in need, whether at harvest or when tragedy strikes, we in the church are the support that each other needs and it is our active participation and responsibility of, for and in the body of Christ.

And this all begins with our making promises, taking vows and greeting the newly baptized.  For now they are not only co-heirs within the kingdom of God, they are fellow partakers in the grace offered through Jesus Christ and His innocent death for all of mankind.  Including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this evening who are baptized into Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection.  AMEN.

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040620014 Fifth Sunday in Lent (Lent 5)

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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.

Growing up in rural Southside Virginia was not that different than living in Goodland, KS.  In order for us to get to a mall we had to drive, either to Richmond or Lynchburg.  To find another Lutheran church we had to drive as well, so living here on the prairies of Western Kansas is not that much of a stretch.  However, in one town that was nearby named Danville, it was over an hour drive by car and a church there had a gem that we only visited at Christmas time.  This place was special, because it was the home and humble beginnings of what is known today as Chrismons.  Matter of fact, even here at Emmanuel like many churches across the continent, we have a tradition to hang Chrismons on our Christmas tree.

Just as Esther Splattstosser and her husband and countless others in the past and even now labored to create the beautiful ornaments, one specific one not only connects with us today, but reminds us what we will be experiencing in the coming weeks.  The one ornament that is so special is the Butterfly.  In order to more fully understand our Baptism and its connection with the Butterfly, let’s pull out our bulletin insert and delve deeper into the Sacrament of Baptism.  Let’s read responsively the answers to “What does such baptizing with water indicate?” and “Where is this written?”.  The Sacrament of Holy Baptism, What does such baptizing with water indicate?  It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.  Where is this written?  St. Paul writes in Romans chapter six:  “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”  In order to more fully understand our baptism, let us ask God to help us emerge in righteousness and purity.

Gracious God, through our baptism into Your life, death and resurrection, when we emerge from being washed clean, we are forever changed.  As we come closer to the celebration of Your resurrection, may we be reminded that in our baptism we emerge as well as new creatures redeemed by the blood of the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.  For these promises are made for all of mankind, but especially all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel who emerged because of what You have done for each of us on the Cross.  AMEN.

Before us we have a butterfly to remind us, not only of the beauty of God’s creation, but the connection of the grace offered when we emerge from the Water connected to the Word in Holy Baptism.  We emerge as new creatures redeemed by the blood of the lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.  Countless times in scripture when Jesus Christ either heals someone from sickness, removes a demon or evil spirit, the person emerges whole, unhindered and changed.  This is the beauty of God impacting our lives and touching us and changing us.

In nature if you have ever seen a chrysalis and watched as a butterfly emerges there is great struggle that is occurring.  And this is part of nature and God’s good order.  Yet the reality is without the struggle the butterfly would die.  Why you might ask?  Because the struggle of releasing itself builds muscles that are necessary for the butterfly to fly and get nectar and survive.

So to in the Christian life we need to exercise our muscle of faith given to us in our baptism and there are times where we need to struggle, like the butterfly. Just as when we get out of a shower or bath or even a pool of water this summer the first thing we do is wrap a towel around us to stay warm.  When we emerge our bodies have changed from its original state.  So to in the Christian life, when we emerge from baptism, like the butterfly we are a new creature, a new creation.  God in a clear way has reached down into our lives and made us new and imparted unto us the gift of the Holy Spirit in our baptism.

And today as we come and gather around the altar and receive His precious Body and Blood we receive the gifts of grace offered for each and every one of us.  We exercise the muscle of faith given in baptism and know that this was for each and every one of us.  Jesus own words are extremely clear, given and shed for us for the forgiveness of sins.  As we partake of the gift around the altar we receive life, salvation and the promises God made to us with Water and Word in our Holy Baptism.

The story is told when Lauren was a young girl that she had been baptized, but she couldn’t remember the event.  Like so many people, she was baptized as an infant and raised in the church, gone through confirmation and had become a ‘full member of the church’.  But something was missing.  She couldn’t put her finger on it, because she had been a good Lutheran all of her life, involved in youth group, even volunteered for Vacation Bible School and even went on mission trips to foreign countries and attended youth retreats and outings.  Yet, something was missing.  Finally on one particular mission trip, when the children she had played with during the week and taught the lessons of Jesus and how He was the Savior of the world finally took on a concreteness.

One little girl, simply known to her as Consuela, looked her in the eye and said, “I want what you have.”  Taken back by the simple statement, Lauren said, “And what is that?”  Consuela said, in her broken English and clear accent “I want to be baptized.  I want to be God’s child.”  Lauren knowing this was a big decision agreed and they went and found the Pastor and proceeded to have Consuela baptized.  It was not just the relationship that had emerged between the two, but the trust that God had built between them that allowed the Gospel of Jesus Christ to be shared and for Consuela to hear the Gospel and desire to be baptized.

With that one experience, Lauren more fully understood and experienced how for Consuela she emerged from the waters of Holy Baptism changed, made new and now was a child of God.  Even though she was surrounded by poverty, Consuela had imparted to Lauren a greater understanding of the greatest gift of faith with her baptism and the shared experience for Lauren and the impact it had upon Consuela.  And Lauren finally understood that though baptized as an infant, her muscle of faith was still active and God was using it clearly and unmistakably to have an eternal impact.

This is what we are fed here today around the altar to do.  We are fed to spread the Gospel in our relationships.  Not just be fed, but be transformed and be reminded that we emerged with our baptism as changed children of our heavenly Father.  We like the butterfly emerge from the chrysalis to thrive and survive and can spread our wings of faith and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  This is the opportunity we have and which God wants us to share with others for the eternal impact upon all of mankind, because of His promise made to us in our baptism into His life, death and resurrection.  Let’s emerge, spread our faith wings and share the Gospel with all of mankind and begin with each and every saint gathered here at Emmanuel this morning.  AMEN.

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04022014 Wednesday of Lent 4

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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.

Standing in front of the congregation on a weekly basis I look upon the faces of you the people of God.  During this time I watch how a lot of you act and react in worship.  Some who sit in the pew go through the motions, stand up and sit down at the proper time and follow along in the worship and songs.  Some not only sing the songs, they confess clearly their faith and model for others their love of God.  And still others, do something more special, intimate and a true confession of their faith, they make the sign of the cross.

For some in our midst that were raised in the Catholic church, it was taught to them and drilled into them from their CCD classes and the nuns, for others it was taught by their pastor and clearly expresses their faith.  Martin Luther in his catechism says, “In the morning, when you get up, make the sign of the holy cross and say: In the name of X the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.  AMEN.”  This simple invocation is a clear reminder of the simple truth that not only are you honoring God, you are also remembering and confessing the truth of what Jesus Christ did.

Consider if you will there are many ways to remember what making the sign of the cross means, but it simply is telling a story of Jesus Christ.  Making the sign of the cross begins with Jesus Christ in heaven, this is why you start at the head.  Jesus Christ came down from heaven or descended from heaven, entered into the world in a lowly manger and became truly human.  Then in our baptism Jesus Christ entered into our heart.  This is why the movement of the hand goes from right shoulder to left shoulder to denote and remember Jesus entering our heart in Holy Baptism.

Now if you notice or those who have seen Catholics make the sign of the cross, they go from left shoulder to right shoulder.  Honestly the direction matters not, making the sign of the cross is more about the heart of the person or the intent of the person than the way the action is made.  Simply making the sign of the cross is to remind us of what God has done in our lives and for us by His action of coming down from heaven and how in Holy Baptism, God enters our heart and changes us.  So the end point of our hand matters not, it is more important to remember the importance of what God has done and completed for us.  God in entering our heart in baptism reminds us and wants us to remember what He has done in this action.  And we can do this when we make the sign of the cross as our remembrance of His journey.  For the sign of the cross not only is to be used at the beginning of the day as Luther reminds us, but at the beginning of worship, and when we are blessed at the end of the service, when we receive the Lord’s Supper and even when we hear the Holy Gospel. 

The sign of the Cross is simply the reminder that God came into the world in order to save the world.  And through our baptism, we are not only offered life and salvation, but God offers us eternal life through the Gospel we hear and are baptized into.  And our making the sign of the cross is not only a reminder, but a remembrance of the grace God offers for us upon the Cross of Calvary for all of mankind.  For when Jesus Christ stretched out His arms and was nailed to the Cross, it was the complete fulfillment of salvation for all of mankind.  But especially for all of us gathered here at Emmanuel who remember our baptism and Jesus Christ descending to earth and entering our heart in baptism, when we make the sign of the Cross.  AMEN.

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03302014 Fourth Sunday in Lent (Lent 4)

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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.

This Spring farmers will perform a task that involves Faith.  If one was not raised on a farm, lived in a farming community, or grew up having experienced growing one’s own garden, you might not understand.  Yet, when a farmer plants a seed they not only use the muscle of faith in the potential within the seed, but trust that their planting will yield a harvest.  Whether it is of corn as is planted in the Spring, winter wheat in the fall that needs winter to give a good harvest or barley or sunflowers.  The action of planting a seed is the clearest expression of faith that we have here on the plains of Northwestern Kansas in what God will do.  But our planting of seeds is a perfect Segway for us to understand our having “Faith in God’s Promises” as well.

Let’s pull out our bulletin insert for this morning and continue in our learning about the Sacrament of Holy Baptism by reading the response to the question, “How can water do such great things?”  The Sacrament of Holy Baptism, How can water do such great things?  Certainly not just water, but the Word of God in and with the water does these things, along with the faith which trusts this Word of God in the water.  For without God’s Word the water is just plain water and no baptism.  But with the Word of God it is a Baptism, that is, a life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit, as St. Paul says in Titus, chapter three: “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, Whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.  This is a trustworthy saying.”  Let’s ask God to help us understand the seed planted in our own baptism as we go to Him in prayer.

Gracious God, Your Word combined with Water offers us eternal life and salvation.  May we understand that Your planting the seed of faith in us is because You can see the fruit that will be harvested from our lives and Your Work through us.  Enable us to be not only planters, but harvesters, for the harvest is plentiful of Your gifts given to all of mankind, but especially all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this morning.  AMEN.

The destructive nature of water is not unknown, just as the constructive nature of water for farmers here in Northwestern Kansas is clearly documented.  Some among us know all to well the difference in having an irrigation pivot running during the peak growth time of corn.  It can either add to the weight and quality or adversely impact its growth and the harvest in the fall.  If you doubt, just drive around some fields this summer and see the outer rings of corn that don’t receive the moisture, but are exposed to the wind.  But a bountiful harvest only occurs because of the faith of the farmer who planted the seed in the first place.

Without the seed being planted by the farmer, no corn would emerge, no crop would grow and farms here around Goodland would cease to exist.  In a clear and unmistakable way the farmer in planting the seed initiates the greatest testament to faith.  But faith in what?  Simply a faith that the seed will germinate and grow and have a harvest.

In the same way when we baptize an individual, whether an adult or especially a child or infant.  We as a congregation are part of planting a seed of faith in their lives.  Hence, I have before us this morning, not only seeds from wheat, but also corn and milo.  It is for us a reminder that we as a congregation are planting the seeds of faith in the lives of the children that are baptized in this very font.

When we plant the seed, it is in response to what God has already planted in our lives by someone else seeing it as important to pass down their faith.  Passing down the faith is something that is extremely imperative and we need reminded of what God offers us in our faith and by our baptism.  When we baptize it is in the promises of life and salvation that are intimately connected with Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection.  These are the promises that we receive.  With the number of funerals we have had recently, I have had the opportunity to continuously remind the families of God’s promises made in baptism as the seeds that were sown so long ago.  And what is ironic is that what we experience is not the seed when we mourn the passing of someone, but of something more important and faithful.

We see the harvest when mourn at the passing of someone we know and love.  The harvest in their death is now complete, the promise made with our sowing the seed at baptism, where Water and Word intimately connected was planted has now come to full maturity.  The harvest is complete.  The person that we will lay to rest has in most cases lived a full life, providing for family, teaching the difference between right and wrong, imparting the faith to their children and having heard clearly and consistently the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Not only have they heard it, but they also shared it and insured their children and the children of the entire congregation have heard the Word of God that tells of the promises of God.  And now they can rest from their labor and now are the ‘harvest’ from the seeds that were sown.

But it was the planting of the seed of faith in Holy Baptism that God initiated in those baptized and us the greatest gift of grace the world has ever seen.  In this gift of grace that tells of Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection, the Gospel message is planted and God makes it grow.  We are fed by God’s Word, His Sacraments of the Lord’s Supper and the blessings we receive as this seed of faith is nourished and grows from its planting in Holy Baptism.  For clearly God knows what will occur when the seed of faith is planted, thus all we need to do is plant this seed and trust God to bring it to the harvest.  And our trust in God is clear when we plant the seed, for it is for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel who daily plant the seed of faith of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  AMEN.

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