05072017 - 3rd Sunday After Easter - “Do what is right and suffer for it…this finds favor with God (1 Peter 2:20)”

May 7, 2017
“Do what is right and suffer for it…this finds favor with God (1 Peter 2:20)”

Audio

If you were to study Taoist/Daoist philosophy there is the ying and the yang represented by a “Black and White” symbol.  There is equality and there is ‘balance’ according to not only the symbols, but also the belief structure.  Accordingly there is no grey area, yet, for some in our current culture, they do not believe there is grey, nor do they want to see, nor engage in this grey area.  Sadly, this temperament of ‘no grey’ does not allow any flexibility, whether in decisions, life, or especially in relationships.

For Christians, it is agreed, God’s laws are clear, given in the 10 Commandments.  But, what some Christians refuse to believe and understand is that God’s Grace, God’s Mercy, God’s Love and God’s Gospel are in the ‘grey area’ and God can and does overcome even the ‘black and white’ of the 10 Commandments.  Because only the ‘creator’ can rule over that which they created.  If we Christians are rigid and put the 10 Commandments on the pedestal, we will fall and we will fail.  For we have failed and this is a result of Adam and Eve biting the forbidden fruit.  We had and have no control over this, but we have to deal with this reality daily and God knows this clearly.  For the rigidity of the law we live with will always be the pitfall for each of us and it is even more difficult for God’s Glory to be revealed for all of mankind.

However, this morning Peter in his epistle clearly states, “Do what is right and suffer for it…this finds favor with God”.  Peter is looking clearly not at the law, but at the past and to the future.  In the past, Peter looks directly at and through the grace that God lovingly and freely provides specifically in what Jesus Christ did on the Cross of Calvary for all of mankind.  For Jesus Christ overcomes not only the white and the black of the ying and the yang, Jesus Christ overcomes the grey of our world with the truth that what He has done and was willing to die for us on the Cross and His sacrifice found great favor with God.  Jesus Christ willingness to suffer and die for all of mankind looks not with earthly eyes, but with eternal eyes.

This is the future Peter looks with and to, the eternity that Jesus Christ out of His love for us was willing to suffer to bring us to, looks not with the glasses of the here and now, the latest toys or the latest gadgets.  Not with desire for control, nor manipulation, but only with the forgiveness that only Jesus Christ can and does freely offer.  It is a forgiveness that doesn’t hide come from compulsion, but true change in each and every one of our lives.  It is a change that looks with God’s greatest honor and glory in mind.  This is why we bring children, like Lakyn a few weeks ago, for the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.  In order that God’s Glory will be revealed and we might understand that God’s grace is forward looking and offered to each of us through our baptism into Jesus Christ life, death, but especially His resurrection.  For in our Baptism, God lovingly picks us up as the broken creatures we are and takes us into His loving arms in order for each and every one of us to receive the greatest gift of love we could receive, eternal life.

These 40 days between our celebrating Jesus resurrection and Jesus Christ Ascension into heaven are an opportunity for us to point to Jesus Christ and His willingness to suffer and His finding favor with God.  For Jesus Christ willingness to go to the Cross of Calvary and suffer for us, sets each and every one of us free through our Baptism and today we not only celebrate what Jesus Christ did, but how now today we celebrate with the graduates, Simon Bassett, Adison Avelar, Kasey Stramel, Kate Zelfer and Kanami Sojima, but also here in a few minutes, Olivia Bassett will shoulder for herself the responsibility of her faith and her future growth in Jesus Christ in her own life.

Today, Olivia with her confirmation will shoulder the mantle of accountability and responsibility, not as a child, but as an adult in the eyes of the church.  Olivia has ‘done what is right’ learning from the Small Catechism, the 10 Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, the Apostle’s Creed and how the Bible connects clearly with our Confessional teachings.  This is how we as a church have fulfilled our promise made at her baptism, just as we did for Lakyn a few weeks ago.  Yet it is not just the promises we make, but it is also how we will and should now treat Olivia and each of our Brothers and Sisters in Christ as equals in the Body of Christ.  If we treat her or others as children or discount her or others individuality, this is not the Christian witness Jesus Christ died for on the Cross of Calvary.  If we want to ‘find favor with God’ not only should we point to Jesus Christ, we are called to treat each other as if they were Jesus Christ.

The best witness of this I have seen and experienced was last year when we, Olivia and the other confirmation kids went up to Sky Ranch for Confirmation Camp.  It was an experience that had as its core the desire to spiritually enrich Olivia and each of us who went ‘up the mountain’.  Olivia enjoyed living in community, whether eating brownies with her counselors and cabin mates, enjoying the beauty of the wilderness created by God on day hikes, but also in worshiping God in the meadow, where we encountered and were embraced by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  It was during these times, whether in the meadow, on the mountain or in community with one another that God was present and during which a simple, but profound question was consistently asked.  “What will you do once you are ‘down the mountain’?”  We were asked this question, not for the leaders to provide a ‘pat answer’, but in order to encourage Olivia and others to change our collective perspective and remind each of us who personally encountered Jesus Christ of His willingness to bear our sins on the Cross of Calvary and heal us. 

Truly the offer of grace we are baptized into and now Olivia will shoulder of the responsibility for her faith and life, isn’t based upon her abilities nor strength.  The grace we receive solely comes from Jesus Christ offer of forgiveness for mankind, but especially for each and every one of us gathered here embracing Him and the opportunity and ability to trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and His offer of grace for each of us.  For in, through and by the Water and Word of Holy Baptism and now today with Olivia’s Confirmation we remember and realize that we are grafted into the tree of life Jesus Christ.  And this offer of grace is freely given, because of God’s love for each of us.  For as we gather today God sees us through the lens of Jesus Christ each and every one of us and we who gather to celebrate Olivia’s Confirmation, find favor in the sight of God because of Jesus Christ and His love for each and every one of us.  AMEN.

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04232017 - 1st Sunday After Easter - "We can believe in God's testimony!"

April 23, 2017
“We can believe in God's testimony!”

Audio

What joy to behold as last Sunday we heard and proclaimed the triumphant proclamation, “He is Risen!  He is Risen Indeed!  Alleluia!”  Here at Emmanuel we had 171 people joining us in our proclamation of the Easter message.  Many people near and far have personally commented to me about how great that was for our church.  After church the kids engaged in the annual, joyful and energetic Easter Egg Tradition, with the joyful squeals of the children and the adults reconnecting with one another and sharing and making memories with one another.  All of this comes simply because one Man was willing to die in order that we might live and have eternal life.  This is the fulfilled promise of God that we have heard clearly from Holy Scripture.  This truth we can hold dearly simply because, “We can believe in God's testimony!”

Holy Scripture, the Bible, we here at Emmanuel give to our children as part of our promise and responsibility when they are baptized.  Holy Scripture we as individuals affirm at our Confirmation and we as a congregation reaffirmed our belief in the Promise of the Gospel at my ordination.  And we Emmanuel Lutheran read and hear from Holy Scripture and the Gospel weekly in worship.  Holy Scripture points us to the simple fact that “We can believe in God's testimony!”  For God is not a liar and God does not mislead us, for God’s testimony is true, because God’s testimony in Holy Scripture points to God’s Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ and His Sacrifice on Golgotha is the centrality of the Gospel message and is the one event looked for from the Garden of Eden and that we look back to even today.

With our pointing to Jesus Christ, His life, death and resurrection, Jesus Christ clearly not only sacrificed Himself, but we remember yearly, monthly, weekly and should daily think upon and thank God for His Son’s payment on the Cross of Calvary for the sin of all of mankind.  This is why ‘God’s testimony’ not only is central, but treasured, solely, because it is with an eternal perspective in mind.  Our being with God for all eternity.  And we are promised our entrance into eternity, simply because of Jesus Christ willingness to go to the Cross of Calvary and die so we can live eternally.  And this reality becomes ours because “We can believe in God's testimony!”

In and of ourselves we are incapable of belief in the promises of God, but by grace and through the work of the Holy Spirit as Martin Luther reminds us in the Explanation of the Third Article, God ‘calls, gathers, enlightens, sanctifies and keeps us in the one true faith’.  This work that the Holy Spirit does for us is a direct result of the grace that God offers us freely and without our own merit from Jesus going to the Cross for us.  These reminders for us are in order that we can as one of our themes from Pre-School VBS a few years ago reminds us, we can ‘Fully Rely On God’!  And “We can believe in God's testimony!”

In the latest installment of the Marvel movies of the Avengers arc, “Captain America: Civil War” Steve Rogers, Captain America is reminded clearly what truth really means and what and why he was willing as a young man during World War II to fight for his country and his God.  At the funeral of Peggy Carter, his first love of his life, Peggy’s niece reminisced with the following advice she was given from her aunt.  “Compromise where you can. Where you can't, don’t. Even if everyone is telling you that something wrong is something right. Even if the whole world is telling you to move, it is your duty to plant yourself like a tree, look them in the eye, and say, 'No. You move.” 

We to as children of our heavenly Father through our Baptism into Jesus Christ, life, death, but especially His resurrection are similarly called to plant ourselves ‘like a tree’.  For just as the tree on Calvary was planted and Jesus refused to be removed, but was willing to die to set us free.  We to are called, to be planted like a tree and refuse to allow the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Grace to be soiled because of self-interest and self-serving goals.  This is why Jesus Christ died for truth to set us free from bondage.

Since “We can believe in God's testimony” as truth and God is faithful, we are empowered to stand and be faithful to what God’s testimony is and has been from Creation to today.  We look back to the truth of Jesus willingness to die on the Cross of Calvary and we are emboldened to be the Church and stand up and testify of God’s faithfulness on the Cross and His death to set mankind free from sin, death and especially the devil.  These are the promises of God for us and clearly, firmly and faithfully we, Emmanuel Lutheran Church are called as the Body of Christ, gathered as a community of faith and enabled to be the Church of Jesus Christ, by the grace of God so “We can believe in God's testimony!”  AMEN.

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05032015 - 4th Sunday After Easter - We need a guide...the Holy Spirit

Sermon Audio

May 3, 2015

We need a guide!

This afternoon, the ladies will be celebrating another year of their Spring Tea.  It is not only a festal time, but one where mother, daughter, granddaughter, aunt and cousins and all the ladies can enjoy conversation and cordiality as ladies need.

One of the advantages that women have is that they are not afraid to stop and ask for directions.  Most men if lost will drive either until they break down or run out of gas.  Women on the other hand do not have a problem stopping and asking for directions.  They are easily guided and even seek out a guide.  This trait is one of the reasons women are so well loved in the church.

In our Gospel this morning Jesus after allaying the fears of the disciples and foretelling that their grief will be turned into joy, now transitions and tells them, “One is coming to be our guide”!  The One Jesus is talking about is none other than the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit.  With the promise of the Holy Spirit, Jesus wants us to understand three things.

First, we cannot do life alone, we need a guide.  Unlike the machoism that the disciples probably had of going it alone, Jesus is clearly telling the disciples, they need a guide.  They need someone to help and to guide them along their journey.  So to we who gather here today need this same guidance.  We need a guide.  We like the disciples need the Holy Spirit to poke and prod us to be the Children of God He has made us to be.  Just as we need parents to be born, we need the Holy Spirit to birth within each of us the desire to serve God.  For we cannot do it alone.  Left to our own devices, we do and will find reasons to pull away, whether from family, friends and even the church.  But the Holy Spirit as our Great Guide is there to fulfill His role to as Martin Luther said, to “Call, gather and enlighten” each of us and “keep us in the Christian faith”.

Guides are great, but even with a guide, we need to understand a guide is only as good as the one following the guides directions.  Whether the guidance farmers get from the USDA office or the crop consultant, they are a guide for our economic future.  But we need a spiritual guide as well.  In essence, we need to do what our spiritual Guide says.  Since God sent the Holy Spirit to guide us, we need to follow the directions, poking’s and prodding’s of the Holy Spirit.  It would be like when spraying in our fields, gardens or yards and we read the directions on the chemical of how to mix the spray.  But when it comes down to it, we want the expensive chemical to last longer so we only put in half the required amount of concentrate.  Then two weeks later when the weeds come back and we either have to go back and respray or even when we do spray again, the weeds don’t die, because they have become resistant, we wonder why.  It is because we have not listened nor followed the directions of the manufacturer.

So to in our lives, God is our manufacturer and God sends His Holy Spirit to give us the directions we need.  We aren’t called to doubt the Holy Spirit, because we ‘know better’, or explain away someone’s action, because ‘they are that way’.  God is calling us to follow and do His bidding to reach the world, impact our community and lead our church as His Children by doing what He is calling us to do as His followers and be guided by the Holy Spirit to do what is right.

Not only do we need a guide and we need to follow what our Guide says, but most importantly, we need to trust the Holy Spirit.  Trust for some is very difficult.  Whether it is because it has been violated by our family or friends or even by the Shepherd God sent to lead the church.  Trust is a commodity that some will only give, if it is a last resort, like when we are dealing with cancer and the medical community is the last hope for us.  Or when we take our tractor, combine, planter or vehicle we drive daily to the dealership, we have to trust the mechanics to replace the parts needed to keep it running so we can make the land payment, pay off the note after harvest and even insure we can make it to town for groceries.

So to we don’t have to, but we need to trust the Holy Spirit in our daily lives.  God sends the Holy Spirit to rebuild our trust and heal the trust that has been violated.  For the Holy Spirit will not violate our trust.  For when we trust Jesus Christ Words from our Gospel and we receive the Holy Spirit and trust the Holy Spirit to guide us, we will be changed.  The change we will experience will be from the inside out.

For when we trust the Holy Spirit, God will change us and the Holy Spirit will help us to pray for things that are not even on our radar.  A question we all need to ask and answer for ourselves is what kind of legacy do we want to leave?  What is most important in our lives?  What will we be remembered for?  Is it having the most land that we farm in Sherman, Cheyenne, Wallace or Rollins County?  Is it the best farmstead?  Or is our legacy to be a follower of Jesus Christ that follows God’s Word, listens to the Holy Spirit and trusts God with everything we hold dear?

God has a simple goal in mind, our being with Him in heaven for eternity.  We can get there if we remember we can’t do it alone, we need a guide, the Holy Spirit.  We can’t get there if we don’t do what our guide the Holy Spirit says.  And finally we won’t get to heaven, if we don’t trust in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit as our guide.  For Jesus Christ came to die on the Cross of Calvary in order to set us all free.  This is God’s offer of Grace and a demonstration of His love for each and every one of us.  When we trust God and His Grace and His Holy Spirit we then will be changed from the inside out and made new creatures that have been redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.  This is what Jesus Christ is offering each and every one of us who gather here today and believe.  This is God’s gift for all of mankind, but especially all of us saints gathered here this morning who trust in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit as our guide for each of us today.  AMEN.

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04262015 Third Sunday After Easter - The Big Reveal

Sermon Audio

April 26, 2015

The Big Reveal

Last weekend we hosted the wedding of Andrea and Garrett here at Emmanuel.  Saturday morning, before the wedding on the ramp to the front door they had the ‘Big Reveal’.  Simply it was where Andrea and Garrett would see one another for the first time on their wedding day.  These “Big Reveal’s” for the couples are always special and a memory they will treasure for their entire marriage.

Another reveal for families is when a newborn is shared with family and friends for the first time after birth.  Recently a couple shared their reveal with the world in a video that went viral.  What caused the video to go viral was not the parents, nor showing the newborn, but their friend’s reaction to what they saw for the first time.  The couple told their friends they were pregnant, but only shared that one piece of information, not the sex of the baby nor anything else.  Throughout the video people are shown behind a curtain and when it is pulled back the reaction of individuals is priceless.  Some come from behind the curtain and are excited and then what they see their reaction turns into instant disbelief.  It isn’t because what they see is bad, it is because they are expecting one baby.  Unknown to all their friends the couple was having twins and the reaction by most reveals how only after being confronted with the tangible of twins did their friends truly understand what occurred for the family.

So to this morning, we hear from Jesus in the Gospel lesson.  Behind the emblematic curtain before Jesus crucifixion, Jesus is telling the disciples w

hat will occur in the future.  In one sense the disciples are ‘blinded’ to the truth, just like the friends of the couple who were having the baby.  The disciples probably didn’t understand what would be required of their teacher and friend Jesus Christ.  Jesus was telling the disciples about the events on the horizon because He knew the future that was in store for Him and Jesus disciples wouldn’t fully comprehend those events until after Jesus resurrection.

Jesus knew what He was telling them sailed quickly over their heads.  But Jesus also knew the disciples grief would be turned into joy.  From the vantage point of the disciples it was a mystery what Jesus was telling them about the future.  But on the other hand for we gathered here today 2000 years later, we are looking back with the full picture in mind.  It is like looking through a peep hole that has a painting on the other side.  When looking through a peep hole, one only sees a very limited view of the full canvas, whether a picture of a person, landscape or even something each of us may know very well, whether the header on a combine, a seed box for planting wheat or corn or even the head of a sprinkler.  In looking through the peep hole we hone in on the detail, whether of a painting or a part.  For the disciples who are listening to Jesus, they cannot fully understand the future events that Jesus is telling them because they are blinded to the truth, the rest of the canvas of plan of salvation, Jesus death on Calvary.

The reason for Jesus telling His disciples that their grief will be turned into joy is that Jesus sees the other side of the mountain.  The disciples are blinded, because Jesus is looking in the future to Calvary, where He will sacrifice Himself.  Jesus is also looking to the day where the disciples will gather in fear, and Jesus will appear in the upper room and turn their fear and grief into joy.  Jesus is looking to the time we are in today in the church of After Easter.  Jesus is looking not only at the disciples who will run, but beyond His disciples in front of him who will have great grief to us today who gather here at Emmanuel in joy.  Jesus is looking to and at all of us gathered here at Emmanuel today because of two young adults.  Jesus is talking to we the church who baptized Austin and Peri and today in great joy will celebrate their confirmation. 

When we gathered on June 2, 2002 to baptize Peri and May 3, 2009 to baptize Austin we as a congregation celebrated and took responsibility with their parents and sponsors for their spiritual lives.  Today like the disciples joy being fully realized on the other side of Calvary with Jesus in the upper room, we celebrate and have great joy with Austin and Peri.  In our sight in a few minutes, they will shoulder the burden of responsibility as Confirmed members of Emmanuel Lutheran Church. 

But how does this relate to the joy found in the Gospel for us today?  The connection is simple, today we confirm Austin and Peri not with grief, but joy.  For today God Who created Austin and Peri, baptized them with Water and Word in this very font, now kneeling at the altar rail, God confirms them here in our sight.  Today Austin and Peri and all of us look not from the side of the disciples in grief or doubt that this day will ever come.  Today we look in faith with all of us gathered here today in celebration of the victory of Jesus, looking from this side of Calvary at God’s redeemed children Austin and Peri who are taking responsibility for their faith life.

Today we celebrate with Austin and Peri their confirmation of the faith they have been baptized into.  Today Austin and Peri take responsibility upon their own shoulders in joy.  Like countless generations that we celebrate with pictures downstairs of previous confirmation classes, Austin and Peri today step forward and in great joy shoulder their faith.  We celebrate because like Jesus says, “no one will take your joy away from you.”  We celebrate today with great joy because God fulfills His promise we laid claim to on Austin and Peri’s baptism and now we gather to for the confirmation of those promises on their shoulders.

For God’s promises made to Austin and Peri and each of us in our baptism were clear of Jesus Christ love for us and His offer for each of us of eternal life.  Jesus Christ went to the Cross of Calvary freely and offers us life and salvation freely out of His great love for us.  And this is a free gift from God for all of mankind, but especially all of us saints gathered here who celebrate today with Austin and Peri the promise of eternal life for all of us on this their confirmation day.  AMEN.

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04122015 1st Sunday After Easter - "Proof in the pudding!"

Sermon Audio

April 12, 2015

We need proof!

Have you ever heard the saying, “Proof is in the pudding!”  This saying dates back to the 14^th Century, but for we who gather here this morning in the 21^st Century the First Sunday After Easter we daily search for proof.  For some of us we search for proof that God still loves us, for others proof that God still cares about us, but today just like the disciples from our Gospel, we desperately search for and need proof that Jesus Christ rose from the dead.  For without proof of the resurrection, why are we even here?

In our Gospel this morning Jesus Christ offers the greatest proof for His disciples that He rose from the dead.  Just as our society and world watches lots of television shows and movies on the ‘paranormal’, in the time of the disciples, they believed in spirits and the supernatural.  Remember when Jesus was walking on the water on the Sea of Galilee, they thought they saw a spirit, and it was Jesus.  So the disciples after the events of the crucifixion clearly needed proof that this person Who had walked through a locked door, Whom they could see and hear wasn’t a figment of their imagination.  The disciples needed proof.

What is the first thing, Jesus said, “Peace be with you.”  Not only is this a greeting, but Jesus was offering them full forgiveness for falling away or in their case, running away in the Garden.  Jesus is also trying to dispel their collective fears that He was not a ghost or a figment of their imagination.  Most ghosts or spirits don’t want you to touch or make any contact, because they are not ‘physically there’.  But Jesus was different.  Jesus then “showed them both His Hands and His Side”.  Why show Hands with holes and His pierced Side?  It was to dispel their doubt, fears and human nature of doubt.  Can you imagine, Jesus motioning them to come over and touch Him.  Jesus was first and foremost teaching the disciples a lesson.

Jesus was teaching the disciples the lesson that Adam and Eve had missed in the Garden of Eden.  “Don’t doubt God”.  It’s alright to question God, but again, “the proof is in the pudding”.  Jesus standing in their midst with Hands that they would have seen many times before now with Holes where the nails had been.  And His side, where the spear had pierced Him was the proof that He Who stood before them was He Whom had walked with them, talked with them and fed them with His Word and Wisdom.  Jesus was showing the proof that the disciples needed that He was not dead and was alive.  Jesus was giving proof that He was risen from the grave and had overcome death.

For most, the proof of bodily presence is enough, but we who gather here today like the disciples need not only the ‘proof’, but we have doubts because we weren’t there.  We didn’t experience those three days and we are not able like the disciples to ‘touch Jesus’ and hear His comforting Words.  Enter Thomas the most famous disciple because of His doubt.  Thomas words are clear, “Unless I see His Hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His Side, I will not believe.” 

We desperately want and need this proof as well.  Every time the weather comes on the television and the rain is North, South, East or West of our fields that so desperately need the moisture.  When the wheat crop fails because of frost or hail, the corn or wheat price plummets because of the market forces that are beyond our control.  The price of chemicals rises and we are expected to live when we daily wonder if we need to sell land or liquidate in order to get the bank off of our backs or stop them from calling us every day.  Or personally our relationship with our spouse, kids or family has hit a rough patch because either we aren’t as close as we were years ago or they gossiped about what we were doing or what we said.  We immediately doubt whether God is among us or walking with us and whether He is there for us now.  We search for God’s presence in our lives and ‘give God an ultimatum’!  Either show up, or I’m gone, from the relationship with our spouse or family, were gone from worship because of who is sitting in the next pew, we refuse to witness, teach or contribute to the church, because we’ve done our time and we even doubt the willingness to believe that God loves me.

But the truth is God doesn’t work that way.  And here is the proof.  Even after Thomas one of Jesus own chosen disciples gave the ‘ultimatum’ about proof and needing to put his finger in the holes and his hand in Jesus side, Jesus Christ waited eight days to ‘show up’.  Is the number of days important?  I don’t believe so, what is important is that Jesus Christ proof for Thomas had a more divine and profound application.

God’s application was for all of us gathered here today.  After Thomas had seen Jesus and touched His Hands and Side, Jesus tells Thomas the greatest reason for the Proof in the pudding.  Jesus says, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed?  Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

Jesus is talking to all of us gathered here April 12, 2015.  We who gather and believe are not just the spiritual descendants of Thomas, but with our belief, we are the proof of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ is living in and through each and every one of us gathered here this morning.  We live in not only the fulfillment of the hope of the resurrection, but the sure proof shown to the disciples, including Thomas and one day each and every one of us.

We need to ask ourselves, do we show up here for worship to ‘check a box’?  Or do we show up to learn how to live the proof of the resurrection in our daily lives?  God is calling each of us to live the proof of the resurrection and be enabled to share the proof we believe with others.

Last week we gave the Salvation Bracelets not only as a gift, but a tool.  Some took the bracelet to be nice, others took one out of curiosity.  And still others took one to wear it and use it as the opportunity that God has given us to give the ‘proof of the resurrection’ as a witness for others.  For the salvation bracelet is a tool for each of us to use to declare the ‘proof’ of the resurrection.  For we did not see like the disciples or Thomas, but we are the spiritual descendants that Jesus speaks of who can believe.

Ed Setzer wrote an article entitled, “Don’t Waste Your Spike: Easter Attendance, Effective Follow Up, and Your Church”.  It makes some very poignant and valid points.  Specifically, the attendance of Easter will increase, just as ours did last week of 186.  But no matter how many people were here, coming, whether only on Easter or Christmas, doesn’t make one a Christian.  The proof of our being a Christian is our trusting in the mission and message of Jesus Christ and following up with those who came.  For God’s mission is clear, Jesus Christ came and died so we might live and have eternal life.  And this is what God offers all of mankind through Jesus Christ, life, death and resurrection and the proof isn’t by our putting our fingers in Jesus Christ Side or Hands, but by believing.  For the proof is in God’s Word that we have heard today and believe of His love for all of mankind found in our resurrected Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  AMEN.

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051120104 3rd Sunday After Easter Mother's Day

Sermon Audio

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

Sermon Audio

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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05052013 Sermon 5th Sunday After Easter

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!  Lord Jesus Christ, Your prophecies before Your crucifixion were meant to reveal the truth not to harm us, but help us understand Who You were.  Enable us to understand that though we are scattered, You unite us with the truth of the Gospel of salvation for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this morning.  AMEN.

As a child growing up we used to take trips to some of the lakes and ponds around our home in Keysville.  My Dad loved to fish and us kids loved the experience of getting out in the fresh air.  One of our great past-times as all kids was to find rocks and toss them into the pond or lake to see who could make the biggest splash.  It wasn’t hard to find pebbles and rocks and even easier to toss them into the water.  Like most parents they would scold us because we were scaring the fish or the peaceful serenity of the moment.  But what is strange is what we saw when the rock would enter the water.  Yes it would make a big kurplunk and splash, but more so it would also send out ripples, ever moving circles out from where our rock had entered the water.  The bigger the rock, the bigger the ripples and the further they would go.  What is interesting is that never would we as kids think about the ripples returning to the center, but only being scattered.

From our Gospel this morning, Jesus message is clear for His disciples, “You will be scattered, but I will unite you.”  This passage is again before Jesus betrayal and crucifixion and is Jesus prophecy not only of His ascension into heaven, but also the entrance of the Holy Spirit into the lives of the disciples in a most powerful way on the day of Pentecost.  But Jesus is telling the disciples that He knows the disciples will all fall away from Him and be scattered when the Passion begins.

The disciples scattering is a reality of their humanity and fear for their own lives.  Just as we do when we encounter people, forces or events that scare us, we either ‘fight or flight’.  The disciples when faced with their own mortality would as Jesus said, ‘be scattered’.  They would not come to Jesus aid, nor would they desire to be around.  Though they had witnessed the raising of the dead, the feeding of the 5000, the miracles of healing and prophecy fulfilled, they would run away and leave Jesus to the devices of the Romans and temple guard who had taken Him in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus would suffer the brutal beatings of the guards, the late night questioning by the Synagogue officials, the trial the next morning, being beaten before being led to the Cross and ultimately His being nailed and hung as a public spectacle on Golgotha.  And the disciples all had scattered.

But after Easter morning, the disciples had come back together and in the Upper Room were united and re-united with Jesus Christ.  For the promise that Jesus Christ made to the disciples that we have heard this morning has come true.  “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”  With this phrase Jesus Christ revealed to the disciples and us today our unity in overcoming the world through Him.

This morning as we celebrate the baptism of Aspen, we lay claim to this unity of the faith with her baptism and the reminder of our baptism into Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection.  We are set free from the bonds of sin, death and the devil by the Water connected with the Word of God.  God has united all of us as His children under His banner of freedom found in Jesus Christ.  We are not scattered, but united for His work here in His Kingdom.

Yes we live scattered lives and sometimes are dragged away from God by our sinful desires, but the promises we find in Jesus Christ gift of Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper unite us as the Body of Jesus Christ.  In this union we are reminded that God has not only promised us life and salvation, but offers us the forgiveness of sins and daily a renewal of His promises of forgiveness for all of mankind.  This offer, is not exclusive, but inclusive for all of mankind including all of us saints that are gathered here at Emmanuel who celebrate another union of a scattered soul, in this case Aspen, into the Body of Christ we know as the church.  Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ Who unites all of us who have been scattered, but now are united in, with and under the grace offered by Jesus Christ.  AMEN.

Sermon 04282013 4th Sunday After Easter

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!  God of Heaven and earth, You sent Your Son Jesus Christ to set we captives free from our sin.  But we need You to now send Your Holy Spirit to make known our sins and remind us of Jesus righteousness won for us on the Cross of Calvary.  Enable us to embrace Your Holy Spirit and understand this is part of the needed plan of salvation and the Holy Spirit now makes You known to us daily and continuously reminds us of Your love for all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this morning.  AMEN.

In one sense we are in no mans land this morning.  Just as we are between the seasons with Winter and the snow fall of this past week and Spring with the warm temperatures this weekend.  We are also in between two great festivals in the middle of the church year.  Easter has come and gone and Pentecost is on the horizon.  Just as if we are travelling to Colby, Hays or Manhattan on I-70 early in the morning and the sun is rising in the East, we are at a point in the church year that looks forward to the completion of the festival portion of the church year and the beginning of the season after Pentecost which is also known as the Season After Trinity.

But this morning our Gospel lesson speaks to us of what is needed in order to make known the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.  Just as when we travel we need to know where we are headed in order to get there as well as what roads and highways we will take, Jesus is telling the disciples what will occur and what the path is going to be for them and for us today.  In a nutshell this is Jesus message to His disciples and for us today.  “Jesus needs to go so the Holy Spirit could come and make known our sin and Jesus righteousness and to guide us in how to Glorify God.”  Let me repeat it a little bit slower so we can clearly understand the path that we will follow this morning.  “Jesus needs to go so the Holy Spirit could come and make known our sin and Jesus righteousness and to guide us in how to Glorify God.”

Jesus will have accomplished His mission and tasks of living among the people here on earth, healing them of their earthly maladies and going to the cross and dying for our sins.  Jesus has completed the plan of salvation.  Jesus has completed what He was supposed to do here on earth.  Just as those who have served in the military on a tour of duty or even those of us remember being at school and being called to the old chalk board and now the ‘dry erase board’ to complete a math problem or fill in a blank on a sentence, once the task was completed we return to our seat.  Jesus in the same way is to return to the Father in heaven after having completed the salvation of all of mankind.  Jesus actually needs to return to the Father in heaven.

Because if Jesus does not return, then the Third person of the Holy Trinity cannot come and complete His part in the plan of salvation.  If Jesus does not return to the Father, the Holy Spirit will not come.  The Holy Spirit has to come here among us.  If we think about the Apostle’s Creed that we will confess in a few minutes, the Father has the role as Creator, the Son has the role as Redeemer and the Holy Spirit has a role, the Holy Spirit is the Sanctifier or the one that keeps us in the one true faith.

Simply the role of the Holy Spirit is three fold, the Holy Spirit is to make known our sin, point out Jesus Christ righteousness for all mankind and to guide us how to Glorify God.  Without the Holy Spirit we would be like a tractor without a farmer driving it down the road, like a basketball that sits at center court waiting to be bounced and even an organ that has a place of honor in a church without someone to play the music for the prelude, liturgy or hymns.  Without the Holy Spirit, the plan of salvation is incomplete for all of mankind after Jesus ascends into heaven.

We need the Holy Spirit to make our sins known.  This doesn’t sound good to our holier than thou ears, but we need to have the Holy Spirit reveal the parts of our lives that are the dirtiest, darkest and most detestable parts of us.  Those secrets that nobody knows about that we need not just reminded of them, but exposed.  Whether it is how we treated our spouse when nobody was looking or could see us, whether it is how we treat our kids when they have done something wrong, or how we sit back in the pew and expect the young people to do all the work of the church and just give the excuse that I have served my time.  The Holy Spirit comes after Jesus has ascended to convict us of our sins, root them out and remind us that we are not worthy, we are sinful creatures in thought, word and deed.

Once we embrace our sinfulness the Holy Spirit can then enable us to embrace the truth that Jesus Christ came into this world for each of us.  Jesus came to die for our sins, the ones we clearly remember and the ones we do not remember.  Jesus came in order to offer us forgiveness and the Holy Spirit’s job is to remind us of Jesus righteousness.  We cannot save ourselves.  If we believe that we can save ourselves, we mock God and therefore believe we do not need Jesus Christ and His innocent death on Calvary.  This is farthest from the truth.  We need Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection because we cannot purchase or buy our way out of any of our sins.  Our lives are full of sins and the Holy Spirit is called to not only point out our sins, but point us directly to our Savior and His righteousness for all of mankind.

When we understand Jesus righteousness for all of mankind and embrace His calling of and for us and how the Holy Spirit as Luther says, “calls, gathers and enlightens us”, we then can enter into a new relationship.  This relationship is meant for the Holy Spirit to guide us in how to glorify God.  When we glorify God it is not only attending Sunday services regularly, not using bad language, treating someone kindly face to face and even when they are not present, giving money to the projects and programs of the church or community.  It is living out the Gospel message in our daily lives in community with one another.  When we come to glorify God on Sunday the church is like a gas station.  We come to get filled up with the Word of God and sent to do the Work of God in community with one another.  The Holy Spirit calls us to use our gifts, talents, treasures and all that we have to give God the glory.  Whether it is helping someone cross the street, holding the door for someone when they have their hands full, reaching out with a hug of support when someone we know has received bad news or is in need of a hug.  We can glorify God everyday whether in church, school, on the tractor, in the place of business, on the phone, in Wal-Mart, driving along the interstate or even cutting their lawn or trimming their hedges or giving them a ride to school, work or even to church or visiting them when we get off of work.

So you see, “Jesus needed to go so the Holy Spirit could come and make known our sin and Jesus righteousness and to guide us in how to Glorify God.”  There was a purpose for Jesus and the Holy Spirit and now even for each of us gathered here this morning.  We are “called, gathered, enlightened, sanctified” and sent by the Holy Spirit into our community this morning to glorify God.  When we embrace this mission and ministry, God will bless not only the lives of the people we serve, but also our own lives and use each of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel for His ministry of the spread of the Gospel of Salvation for all of mankind, especially including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this morning to Glorify God.  AMEN.

Sermon 04212013 3rd Sunday After Easter

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!  O God, our maker and redeemer, You have made us new creatures and enabled us to see and experience the resurrection of Your Son for all of mankind. Yet, some still question and doubt Your Words and the Witness of the scriptures.  Enable us to see not with fairy tale eyes, but with eyes of faith and be able to discern that this is not mystery or magic, but the clear manifestation of the salvation of all of mankind including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this morning.  AMEN.

With the bombings in Boston and the manhunt to find the perpetrators this last week uncertainty in our world is clearly and definitely manifest daily, whether in a major city like Boston during the running of the best known Marathon in the world or even in a small farming community like Goodland, KS.  We daily encounter uncertainty especially as we are exiting winter the slowest, coldest and dreariest part of the year.  When we look to the fields as we drive by we wonder if the winter wheat that in the Fall didn’t germinate will this Spring.  We ask God and ourselves, did we get enough moisture during the winter and will the corn that we plant whether dry land, irrigated circles or sunflowers will get hailed out, have a pest that our sprays can’t combat or a wind storm that lays everything down.  All of this is uncertainty manifest in our lives right now.  We wonder and worry about things that we do not have any control over.

Uncertainty is a daily occurrence for us today and even for the disciples of Jesus day.  It is a daily battle everybody faces.  Consider if you will our passage this morning is from before Jesus was betrayed, crucified, died, buried and resurrected from the dead.  For Jesus to know the future and speak directly to the uncertainty of what would occur should be a comfort for us today.  Jesus knew what He would encounter, knew what He would endure and knew that we would hear about it today with the uncertainty of our spring and summer crops.  But why should we not be uncomfortable, but comfortable with uncertainty?

Mark Batterson in his book, “In A Pit With A Lion On a Snowy Day” speaks clearly about uncertainty and how we could relate to it today.  He says:

p. 89 – “[We should] Embrace relational uncertainty.  It is called romance.  [We should] Embrace spiritual uncertainty.  It is called mystery.  [We should] Embrace occupational uncertainty.  It is called destiny.  [We should] Embrace emotional uncertainty. It is called joy.  [We should] Embrace intellectual uncertainty.  It is called revelation.”

Uncertainty is not our enemy, but our opportunity.  With Jesus disciples from our text the uncertainty of what would occur led them through three distinct stages and reactions that our text delineates.  The disciples questioned, they grieved and they rejoiced.  Each of these three stages are natural and we do them as well.

When the disciples heard Jesus words, “A little while, and you will no longer see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.”  The disciples were just like the kids with a magic trick, always trying to figure out what and how the trick occurred.  The disciple like all of us begin with a list of questions trying to figure out what it means or how it was done.  We cannot let the ‘magic trick’ have any mystery or uncertainty.  Hence the disciples asked questions of Jesus both to clarify what He meant and for it to make more sense for them in their present circumstances.

But Jesus knowing their questions will not be fully answered until they experience and in this case ‘lose’ Him tells them what their next stage will be.  He said, “you [that is the disciples] will weep and lament…you will grieve” because you have lost that which you knew, that is me, Jesus Christ in the flesh.  Just as a family grieves for a family member that loses the battle with cancer or any disease that takes them from them, or a family loses all their possessions in a house fire, or a farmer loses all the wheat that was ready to be harvested because of a freak thunderstorm, tornado or wind storm.  Or a husband or wife experiences the sudden loss of a job, a friend or family member moving because there is no more work in the community or their parents employer is transferring them, when we lose something that has become a part of our genetic makeup we lose a part of ourselves.  We grieve in the deepest way because what we have lost we felt was almost an extension of ourselves.  It was so tangible because of our experiences that nothing will be able to fill the gap that was left.

Jesus knew His disciples would experience this in the most horrific way when they saw Jesus crucified on the Cross.  When Jesus endured the pain and torture of the whips, the spitting of the guards and the despising by the crowds, Jesus knew the disciples would turn and run and then grieve after the fact that they didn’t do anything to prevent it, make His pain less bearable or intercede on His behalf.  Yet the reality is that there was nothing that anybody could do.  Jesus Christ had to suffer the pain, torture and turning of His disciples and even His own Father in order to pay for our sins.

For in Jesus experiencing this, His suffering and death yielded the greatest gift given to mankind, our salvation through His resurrection on the third day.  Because of His fulfilling the plan of salvation our questions turned into grief would be transformed into our rejoicing after His resurrection.  It was through Jesus Christ resurrection that the disciples “grief will be turned into joy.”  The question to understand transformed into grief then into rejoicing, because the plan of salvation from the beginning of time was for Jesus to pay the ultimate price.  Thus, just as Jesus reminds His disciple, even women who have experienced labor do not remember the pain, we just as well do not remember the questions or grief, but only the rejoicing of the salvation of mankind.

We are set free and no longer bound in uncertainty, but set free by the Cross of Christ and His innocent blood on Calvary for all of mankind.  We rejoice because of the grief that Jesus experienced and do not remember that which occurred, but only why it occurred, because of Jesus Christ great love for all of mankind.  This gift of salvation offered to and for each of us is the greatest gift that we could have.  This is God’s gift through His Son Jesus Christ offered for all of mankind.  We are recipients of God’s gift of salvation, nothing else on this earth should matter.  For this gift and transformation that allows us to embrace uncertainty and transforms us from questioning to grieving to rejoicing is God’s gift for all of mankind, including all of us saints that are gathered here at Emmanuel this morning through salvation that  Jesus Christ offers to and for each and every one of us.  AMEN.