04032015 Good Friday - "Father, into Your Hands I commend my Spirit!" - Jesus Christ Perfect Trust!!

Sermon Audio

April 3, 2015

Jesus Christ Perfect Trust!

Merciful Savior, Jesus Christ, You clearly trust Your Father.  Enable each of us to gain our trust in You.  For Your gift of grace displayed for us that we celebrate today was not without cost.  But because of Your Love for us, You were willing to die in order to set us free.  Thank You for this gift of grace and display of Your love for us.  AMEN.

When my family would go on vacation during the summer to Virginia Beach and the Outer Banks we would always camp.  In most campgrounds the sites that were not far from the ocean and the sandy beaches were surrounded by the low scrub bushes and tree’s that had weathered the hurricanes.  Needless to say the short trees had low branches and us kids always could be found climbing and having fun when we had time before dinner.  One time my Father, Chuck, whom a lot of you have met said to me when I was up on the branch about 5 feet off of the ground.  “Darian, turn around and fall backwards”.  At first, when he said it I refused, because I was afraid of falling and getting hurt.  But finally, I relented and learned a lesson that Jesus teaches us tonight.

We conclude our series tonight of the Words from the Cross of Jesus, with the most touching statement of Jesus trust of His Father.  Jesus said, “Father, into Your Hands I commend My Spirit!”  Encapsulated in these eight words is Jesus Christ Perfect Trust!

Jesus Christ hanging from the Cross of Calvary shows we who gather here tonight on Good Friday Jesus Christ Perfect Trust of His Father in Heaven.  Jesus willingness to go to the Cross of Calvary was a clear demonstration not only of His love for all of mankind, but especially Jesus Christ Perfect Trust that He displayed for all to see.  From the soldiers that had only hours before scourged Him, to the women who wailed and journeyed with Him from the heart of Jerusalem to Golgotha to His own mother who looked on in helplessness at her Son, Whom she had nursed and cuddled.  Jesus Christ as He hung there in this statement “Father, into Your Hands I commend My Spirit” demonstrates a truth so profound.  Jesus Christ Perfect Trust in His Father in heaven.

When I stood on the branch of the scrub trees and turned and fell backwards, my Father caught me in his protective and loving arms.  My earthly Father demonstrated His love for me by catching me and not letting me get hurt.  In a more perfect demonstration, God our Heavenly Father is entrusted by His Son Jesus Christ with His Spirit.  And in loving fashion, the relationship between Father and Son clearly demonstrates for we who gather here tonight, not only their connection, but the love and Jesus Christ Perfect Trust of His Father in heaven.

For when Jesus Christ uttered the Words, “Father, into Your Hands I commend My Spirit” Jesus Christ demonstrates the trust we should have for our Father in Heaven as well.  Not only when we pray the Lord’s Prayer, but in our daily lives we should commend ourselves to His Holy Hands and Holy Care.  For God our Father will not let us fall.  And no clearer demonstration of this comes than Jesus Christ Perfect Trust in His Father from the Cross with the words, “Father, into Your Hands I commend My Spirit”.  May we trust as Jesus Trust and feel the love God had for His Son Jesus Christ as we look to the Cross on Calvary, where Jesus demonstrated His love for all of mankind, including each of us who see and believe in Jesus Christ Perfect Trust.  AMEN.

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03292015 - Palm Sunday - Sixth Sunday in Lent - "It is finished!!" - "Calvary Answers for me!"

Palm Sunday Gospel Audio
Sermon Audio

March 29, 2015

Jesus work is done!

Gracious Lord!  With the words, “It is finished!” it was not about a painting, planting or harvesting, but that Your time on earth was complete.  In those words Your Son Jesus Christ finished the work of salvation.  Not just simple salvation, but the offer of grace for all of mankind that radically changed life as we know it for all of us.  For in those words, Jesus signaled the end of His earthly humiliated life, but in three days the beginning of His life of triumph that we receive with our entrance into His Kingdom.  May we look at Palm Sunday as one more point on and step in the journey to the Cross that emphasizes the offer of eternal life for all of mankind, but especially all of us gathered here this morning who have heard and believed, “Calvary Answers for Me!”  AMEN.

When the choir came together and began practicing many weeks ago, we all had a deep sense of purpose and desire to allow our collective voices proclaim the Easter message.  Then the song, “Calvary Answers for Me!” was introduced by Marla and Scott and all of us were deeply moved and touched, not only by the lyrics, but the message.  Once it was decided we would sing the song, it became a question of when?  It is very appropriate for after Easter, but for we who gather today on Palm Sunday it is even more appropriate to not only hear, but proclaim as we look to this Holy Week, “Calvary Answers for Me!”.

On our journey during the season of Lent we have been listening to the Word’s of Jesus from the Cross of Calvary.  And today after celebrating Jesus entrance into Jerusalem as the “King of King and Lord of Lords” we now with the chorus from the choir ringing in our ears of “Calvary Answers for Me!” hear Jesus words, “It is finished!”  We look from this side of Good Friday and see the pain and clear anguish that Jesus feels on the Cross of Calvary.  With a blood soaked back from the lashes and beatings, a brow that is pierced by the thorns from the crown of thorns pushed on His head by the soldiers.  To the now pierced hands and feet that are nailed to the Cross.  Jesus Christ having endured in the last 18 hours more torture and pain than most could utters these three words “It is finished!” that have divine implications.

“It is finished!” could mean, that Jesus is about ready to tear Himself down from the Cross.  But if Jesus came down from the Cross on His own, then why would He have allowed Himself to be crucified in the first place?  This does not make sense.

“It is finished!” could mean that Jesus is giving up.  He has lost all hope.  When nothing that anybody could do could have an impact upon Him or His circumstances.  But this would have the eternal implication that Satan has won the eternal battle and Jesus Christ is not God!  This is definitely not true!

Or “It is finished!” could mean, death is eminent for Jesus Christ Who is nailed to the Cross.  This meaning in fact is what is spot-on.  Jesus is about to breath His last, but “It is finished!” has a much deeper meaning for us here today.  When Jesus Christ uttered those three words, the implication was that Jesus had fully completed His Work that He came to accomplish.  Jesus Christ had not only fully and completely done the job He was sent by His Father in Heaven to accomplish.  The job Jesus Christ came to accomplish had divine implication.  Jesus Christ came to suffer in order to set each and every one of us free from sin, death and the devil.  Jesus work is done!

But even though Jesus work is done, Jesus words, “It is finished!” is to remind us that Jesus work has divine implication for we who gather here today.  The divine implication is that Jesus with “It is finished!” has made it so our baptism and celebration of Holy Communion impart the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation to each and every one of us.  When Jesus uttered those words from the Cross, the message was not only about His eminent death on the Cross, but the gift of grace, mercy and salvation He was offering all who believe and receive these sacramental gifts from Him.

For it is through our receipt of the gift of grace in Holy Baptism and Jesus Christ Precious Body and Blood in the Lord’s Supper that we are surrounded by the love of God and intimately connected to the gift of divine grace offered for each and every one of us.  And these three words, “It is finished!” are the icing on the cake, the cherry on top of the sundae, the exclamation point of Jesus life.  When Jesus uttered these words, “It is finished!” Jesus was on the mountain top proclaiming “Salvation has come for all of mankind!”

In the movie, “To End All Wars” there is a scene that depicts something similar to these final moments of Jesus life on the Cross.  From a prisoner of war camp, Japanese soldiers have declared Major Campbell one of their captives’ guilty and deserving death for having a Bible, a picture of Jesus and teaching others about his faith.  When the sentence was read for his execution, one of the men from the group who had been learning about Jesus stepped forward to volunteer to take the leaders place.  Dusty, a mere infant in the faith after having heard what Jesus Christ did on Calvary was attempting to emulate his Hero, Jesus Christ Who spoke the simple words with divine implication, “It is finished!”

Today, our Lenten journey is coming to a close with our celebration of Palm Sunday, looking forward to Maundy Thursday and the institution of the Lord’s Supper and culmination on Good Friday with Jesus final words we have heard today, “It is finished!”  Jesus journey is nearly complete but His offer for all of mankind of salvation will never end.  For the offer of salvation, Jesus taking our place is what Jesus came to complete and fulfill for all of mankind.  And this includes each and every one of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel who hear and believe “Calvary Answers for Me!” with Jesus final words “It is finished!”  AMEN.

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03222015 Judica - Fifth Sunday in Lent - "I Thirst"!

Sermon Audio

March 22, 2015

God satisfies our thirst!

Gracious Father!  In the desert when Your people had left Egypt and wandered on their forty year journey to the Promise Land, they were thirsty for water, You not only commanded the water to flow, but You provide for us today the Water of Eternal Life.  This comes through Your Son Jesus Christ who said, “I thirst!”  May our thirst today be fulfilled by Jesus Christ and may we understand that You have satisfied our thirst, not only of our mouths, but of our hearts, souls and spirits through the gift of grace from Jesus Christ.  For this gift of grace is freely given because of Your love for each of us as shown by Your Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.  AMEN.

Clearly here in Northwest Kansas, we don’t need any explanation of what it means to be without water.  Our being in a severe drought clearly qualifies us for understanding what Jesus Words from the Cross when He says, “I thirst”.  But Jesus thirst has a greater meaning, connection and implication for us today.

The first and best connection is that Jesus specifically alluded to a passage from the Book of Psalms.  The Psalms that we have today in the Old Testament and that we use in worship, even this morning, were what were considered to be the prayer guide for any Jew.  From a young age, the Psalms were taught to Jewish children since they were a gift given by David, their King to his people.  David, not only was King and ruler of Israel, but Jesus own ancestor and a prolific author, specifically the Psalms.  David wrote Psalms of praise, adoration, humility and prophecy.  And our Word from the Cross was specifically a Psalm of Prophecy that was being fulfilled with Jesus words from the Cross of “I thirst”.

In Psalm 69 that Jesus make reference to in His Words from the Cross of “I thirst”, David had previously penned a Psalm of Distress, which clearly epitomizes Jesus current predicament on the Cross of Calvary.  David’s first words in this Psalm, “Save me, O God” clearly show the need David feels to be saved from what he is experiencing.  On the other hand, Jesus Christ went to the Cross willingly praying that His Father’s Will be fulfilled.  And this is the difference, David was trying to not only tell of what was happening in his own life, but it was a prophecy and connection for David of what would happen to his ancestor, Jesus Christ.  So when David wrote, “Reproach has broken my heart and I am so sick.  And I looked for sympathy, but there was none, And for comforters, but I found none.”  This was not only what David was living, but what Jesus would experience and would be fulfilled by Jesus Christ on the Cross.  But the key for us here today is Jesus simple words from the Cross of “I thirst” and how David foretold of Jesus personal experience when David wrote, “They also gave me gall for food and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.”  This was one clear way that David was linked to Jesus, not just by the ancestry, but clearly by David’s foretelling Jesus thirst and what Jesus would be given, vinegar.  But the implication for Jesus was more profound, because a drink of vinegar in Jesus day was a hostile drink.

When vinegar was used in Jesus time, it was not refreshing.  In Jesus day vinegar was very different than what we use today for salad’s, cleansing and even as a ‘healthy drink’.  Vinegar was bitter, musty, cloudy and really it was the spoiled wine of the day that was no longer good to drink by even the common man.  It was an insult to whoever would use or be given vinegar as a drink.  So Jesus Who was being crucified did not deserve fresh clean water, but only what was ready to be thrown out, the vinegar.  Hence why it was sitting in a bucket at the foot of the cross for those whose death was certain and didn’t deserve anything better.

The connection we can make between the bitterness of vinegar and Jesus experience on the cross as bitter is very clear.  But Jesus experience that He was enduring had a purpose.  For those who watched from the foot of the Cross, the purpose of this bitter experience of Jesus was uncertain, but Jesus had been telling them, in essence like David’s prophecy of what He would experience in Jerusalem.  And Jesus prophecy was not only His bitter death, being given vinegar because of His words, “I thirst”, but three days later the fulfillment of the resurrection from the grave as proof of the victory Jesus Christ won for all of mankind.

In our Creeds that we not only believe in, but confess weekly we claim this victory over death by Jesus and the prophecy of Jesus resurrection from the dead.  When we say, “I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.  He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.  He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.  He descended into hell.  On the third day he rose again.”  Our confession is certain of Jesus resurrection from the dead.  For if we do not believe in Jesus life, His death and especially His resurrection, our faith is in vain.

But there is something more certain and clear, when Jesus said the words, “I thirst” He showed His true humanity.  Jesus Christ showed He not only was conceived, but He could feel the same things we can.  This window cracked open with the phrase, “I thirst” clearly connects each of us with Him today.  For Jesus not only was thirsty for His parched throat.  Jesus was thirsty for a relationship with each and every one of us gathered here.

Jesus with the words, “I thirst” wants each and every one of us to enter into a personal relationship with Him.  Jesus wants us to be connected with Him and for it to have as a connection point the Cross of Calvary.  For on the Cross of Calvary, Jesus Christ offers all of mankind, but especially each of us gathered here this morning the opportunity to have a personal relationship with Him.  And we can have this personal relationship with our resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ.  The reality is, Jesus knew there would be times where our personal relationship with Him would have some brokenness and bitterness, but what Jesus offers us today overcomes the bitterness we feel in our daily lives with the sweetness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and binds our brokenness with His healing of us.

For the Gospel of Jesus Christ can and does overcome that which separates us from Jesus Christ.  For in the words, “I thirst” we can be reminded that Jesus thirsts for this relationship with us.  And not only a relationship, but our accepting the gift of grace that He offers us by His being on the Cross of Calvary.  For when Jesus hung from the Cross of Calvary and uttered the words, “I thirst” His desire was not only to fulfill the prophecy of David, but His desire to have a personal relationship with each of us.  And that relationship is built upon the love He has for us. 

Jesus Christ love was so powerful and overwhelming that it is the greatest gift offered all of mankind.  And it is offered freely, without cost in order to take away the bitterness and brokenness that separates us from God and to bind us to Jesus Christ.  We then can be caught up in His love for us, His life, death, but especially His resurrection that we look forward to celebrating in a few weeks.  For this offer from Jesus Christ is for all of mankind, but especially all of us saints gathered here who hear Jesus words from the Cross of “I thirst” and understand it is an offer of divine grace of relationship with Him for all of mankind.  Especially including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel who are thirsty for the personal relationship with Jesus Christ who uttered in true love for us, “I thirst”.  AMEN.

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03152015 Laetare - Fourth Sunday in Lent - "My God, My God, Why have You Forsaken Me!"

Gospel Audio
Sermon Audio

March 15, 2015

God forsook Jesus for us!

God, it is clear from Jesus being nailed to the Cross of Calvary, His being spit upon and mocked by the soldiers and bystanders.  And giving away His responsibility of His Mother Mary to His beloved disciple, in His Humanity Jesus Christ felt no hope.  But the words, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" have a further sting that cuts deeper than any knife of Jesus feeling of being alone and Your deserting Him.  Reveal to each of us this was not abandonment without a divine purpose.  The purpose was our forgiveness and the fulfillment of the promise of salvation for each of us.  For this message is a clear demonstration of Your love for each of us gathered here to hear about the Gospel of Salvation and believe in Your Love of us in these Words from the Cross.  AMEN.

Simple words cannot begin to explain or describe the emotion of these 9 words of Jesus from the Cross.  “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?”  Posed in the form of a question, full of emotion and Jesus feeling the weight of the World upon His shoulders.  This statement is not only a question, but even a plea from Jesus to His Father in heaven seeking an answer.

Jesus was clearly worn down both physically and emotionally by the events of the last 24 hours.  Having watched His disciples whom He had called, lived and journeyed with for the last three years running away in fear of being captured and suffering the same fate.  Now Jesus hanging upon the Cross that He had carried from inside the walls of Jerusalem outside of the city, because it was more palatable to nail someone to the cross outside of the walls.  Jesus in anguish was feeling the fullness of what His humiliation would entail when He came down from heaven.  Jesus felt alone and forsaken hanging on the Cross on Golgotha.

Even though Jesus felt alone and forsaken, there was a purpose.  The divine purpose was to show God’s love.  Love you say, how could being forsaken, show love?  Simply, Jesus being forsaken by God the Father, having God the Father turn His back on His Son, allowing the full weight of the sins of the world to rest upon His Son’s shoulders was because of God’s love for you and for me.

God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit loved us so much that in order to save mankind, God not only sent His Son, Jesus Christ, but allowed Him, Jesus Christ to feel forsaken.  Jesus words, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” capture clearly the feeling Jesus in His Humanity had of not being connected with His Father in heaven.  Jesus Christ, Who had daily gone out to pray to continue the connection with His Father, now felt the clear and radical break in that most intimate divine connection.

We as Christians at times also feel a break in connection.  Whether with spouse, family, loved ones, child or even and especially our Father in heaven.  When our world seems to be spiraling out of control, like a car on ice without traction, a tractor that has lost its steering capability or even a plane that no longer has lift under its wings.  When we are out of control, we feel lost, alone and we cannot connect.  This is what Jesus was feeling on the Cross of Calvary and how we who gather here today can feel comforted that even Jesus, God’s own Son, felt out of control and clearly felt a clear sense of disconnection from His Father in heaven.

But this is why Jesus came down from heaven.  To bridge the gap, fill and reconnect the lost connection between God and man.  Jesus Christ came to offer Himself as the perfect sacrifice, connection and bridge for each of us, because of His love for us.  Jesus Christ came to live the ‘broken’ experience that we feel, speak the words, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” and bridge the gap for all of mankind because of His compassion and great love for each and every one of us, His children.

When Jesus spoke these words 9 from the Cross of Calvary, in the moment Jesus felt isolated and alone.  But Jesus being alone was only a stepping stone on the journey towards the free offer of grace to all of mankind of salvation.  For it was through Jesus being there on the Cross of Calvary that we are offered eternal life and salvation.  Jesus Christ desperate questioning cry from the Cross points to both aloneness and desperation as seen from the side of Good Friday and the clear sense of loss.  But we have a God Who came and offered Himself to each and every one of us to set us free and that message came Easter Sunday with His resurrection.  We are freed because of God’s love for each and every one of us.  Our freedom is found, because we have a Savior willing to experience our lowest point of desperation and set us free from our feeling forsaken through His resurrection and overcoming death in order to set us free.

God, through His Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven, was nailed to the Cross of Calvary out of His love for mankind and reconnects each and every one of us to His Father in Heaven through Jesus Christ offer of forgiveness.  We are set free from isolation and aloneness and reconnected with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Jesus Christ in uttering these words looked not at that which bound Him to the Cross, or the feeling of being forsaken, but beyond to the freedom He would offer us on Easter with His resurrection.  We have a God Who saw through Good Friday to Easter where His Son Jesus Christ proclaimed our freedom from all that would bind us.  God is offering us this same gift today to see through our feeling of being forsaken to be embraced by His gift of love and salvation for all of mankind.

Jesus Christ looks through “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” and bridges the gap for all eternity of freedom, life and salvation that is the greatest offer mankind could ever be given.  This is the gift that Jesus Christ is offering to each and every one of us today from the Cross and Jesus does this out of His love for all of mankind.  Including each and every one of us gathered here this morning who feel forsaken.  For God has not forsaken us, He sent His Son for all of mankind and offers each and every one of us gathered here this morning at Emmanuel life and salvation from a Cross where Jesus Christ fulfilled the plan of salvation for each and every one of us when He uttered, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?".  AMEN.

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03082015 - Oculi - Third Sunday in Lent - "Woman, this is your son."

Sermon Audio

March 8, 2015

Jesus gives responsibility away…

Gracious Lord, it is clear we are responsible for many things in our lives, first our relationship with You and secondly our family.  It is clear You thought, not of Yourself while hanging on the Cross, but of Your Mother.  Enable each of us to understand our responsibility is not dictated by our desire, but what gives You the greatest glory.  For our responsibility is not to earthly things, but to heavenly things, especially You and the spread of Your Love and the Gospel of our Salvation.  AMEN.

Each of us gathered here today have been in situations that are stressful.  Whether it is worrying about the sprinkler that is down that will change our weight of corn during the peak growing season.  Sitting on the combine ready to go out in the field to pick the winter wheat and waiting and watching a Summer thunderstorm bearing down on you with large hail being shown on the radar.  Or even sitting in the FSA office discussing how through the drought you are going to continue to make the farm work.  These are the stress filled lives that we live on a yearly basis.  We feel the responsibility of the world on our shoulders and in some cases feel like we have to act and act now in order to prevent our going over the edge or doing something that may be catastrophic to our current way of life.

This morning in our Series of the Words from the Cross, Jesus Christ is in an extremely stressful situation.  Hanging on the Cross having endured the torture of the soldiers, the excruciating pain of being scourged, carrying His Cross to Golgotha outside the city walls of Jerusalem and being nailed to the beam, Jesus feels the weight of the world on His shoulders.  It is a weight that we can only imagine, but one that Jesus came into the world to carry.  Yet, Jesus is not trying to avoid or distance Himself from His present circumstances.  Jesus is looking out not for Himself, but for the future of a woman standing at the foot of the Cross He is nailed to.  The future Jesus is looking out for is that His mother  that she will have to endure.  A future without Him.  Hence, “Jesus said to His mother: “Woman, this is your son.”  Then He said to the disciple:  “This is your mother.” (John 19:26-27)

Mary, Jesus mother, who had been promised Jesus conception and birth by the Angel, experienced the shepherds coming and worshiping in a small stable in Bethlehem, because there was no room in the inn.  Received the gifts of the Magi on the day we celebrate Epiphany.  Cuddled Jesus in her arms as a newborn baby when He was small.  Searched for Jesus when He went missing on the big trip into Jerusalem.  Watched Him perform miracles of Water into Wine, healing countless people and teaching about His Father in heaven.  Now stood at the foot of the Cross of Calvary and had watched Him be nailed to the Cross, struggle to breath and heard these words.  They were not just words, but had a deep concern and compassion from Jesus for His mother Mary.

Jesus knew what the future would be of His death very shortly.  And Jesus knew He would not be able to care for His Mother.  So, Jesus took the responsibility He had of the care of His mother and gave it away.  Jesus gave that responsibility to John.  The responsibility John undertook at this moment isn’t just in name, but John according to Jewish custom was not only adopting Mary, but being adopted by her.  Their lives would be connected and intertwined from that moment on.  The responsibility that Jesus had for Mary was given away because Jesus wanted to insure Mary was cared for in the way she needed and deserved and as was the custom of a good Jewish son.

Today we have responsibilities as well, not only to God, but our families and even our calling, whether farmer, teacher, husband, wife or child.  Jesus here clearly demonstrates and models for us the need to take responsibility seriously, give it away when necessary and give it to the right person for the job.  When “Jesus said to His mother: “Woman, this is your son.”  Then He said to the disciple:  “This is your mother.”  Scripture captures for us the importance of taking responsibility and our daily need to do this as Christians.

But why, for what reason or what is the ‘end game’ of Jesus statement for us today that we hear from the Cross of Calvary?  Of what consequence is responsibility for us today as Christians?  Simply responsibility has eternal consequences.  And Jesus is not just the God of the here and now, Jesus is the Son of God for all eternity.  We have the opportunity to have an eternal impact when we rightfully take our responsibility seriously, give it away when necessary and find the right person for the job.  Jesus knew John, the disciple He loved would take care of His mother and knew she would be safe in his care.  So Jesus gave the responsibility to John.  So to the church understands responsibility clearly because we get to share the love of God for each and every one of us through the Gospel of Jesus Christ here at Emmanuel.  We can share that love in word, deed and action with everyone we meet.

That message of what Jesus Christ did on the Cross of Calvary we can give away to all that we meet.  When we give that message of salvation away, we share not only the love of God, but our love for one another.  I have the opportunity from the pulpit to preach, proclaim and purposefully declare my love for you the people of God, but also and more so the love of Jesus Christ for each and every one of us.  I am not perfect, but God is and His love is perfect and He has given us the responsibility to give this gift of love away.  And this is exactly what Jesus modeled on the Cross of Calvary when “Jesus said to His mother: “Woman, this is your son.”  Then He said to the disciple:  “This is your mother.”

May we give away the Gospel message of salvation to all mankind, knowing God will insure it does not return without accomplishing its mission.  And may we understand that Gospel message of God’s love is not for a select few, but it is our opportunity and responsibility to give it away and believe it is for all of mankind, including all of us saints here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

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03012015 - Reminiscere - Second Sunday in Lent (Lent 2) - "Today you will be with me in Paradise"

Gospel Audio
Sermon Audio

March 1, 2015

Today in paradise…

Heavenly Father, Your Son’s Words from the Cross clearly paint a picture that is after our hearts desire of paradise.  Yet, paradise is not a beach somewhere, warm weather, nor with a drink in one hand and our toes in the sand, but paradise is to be in Your Holy presence.  Enable us to hear Your offer to each of us as one full of grace that helps us to call on You in our most desperate need and builds us up for Your Glory and purpose among all the people here in Goodland.  In Your Holy name we pray.  AMEN.

With the last week of cold temperatures and snow to blanket the winter wheat, there are many who need to imagine the warmth found in paradise.  For some, paradise is a warm beach somewhere, with a cold drink surrounded by surf, sand and sea air.  Others paradise would be a tall stand of wheat ready for the combine and still others paradise would be a warm fire place snuggled up in a warm blanket with their sweetheart cuddled next to them.  No matter what our idea of paradise may be, the truth we find from today’s segment of the Word from the Cross is that Jesus is offering us this option and opportunity today.

Hear Jesus words for us today, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”  When Jesus spoke these words while on the Cross, He was hanging next to two of the most despicable criminals in Jerusalem at that time.  Scripture does not clearly identify their crimes, but for what these two men had done, they had been tried and deserved death on the cross.  But Jesus unlike these two criminals had not done anything to deserve death, yet shared their fate of hanging from the Cross.

One of Jesus companions clearly looked upon Jesus as a fellow criminal and deserving the same fate as he was enduring.  But the other knew that Jesus had not done anything to deserve death.  And he pleaded with Jesus to remember him when he came into His kingdom.  Evidently, this criminal had heard some of what Jesus had taught and believed what Jesus had spoken about.  Jesus even under the duress and pain inflicted by the soldiers, now hanging on the cross spoke these simple 13 words that were full of promise, forgiveness and the paradise of the future offered to him and to each of us gathered here this morning.

Jesus promise to this man with the words, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” was of something that was beyond the criminals grasp.  This man who was nailed to a cross beside Jesus, was suffering justly for his life, but was given the greatest promise by Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ was offering him entrance into paradise.  A promise that would be fulfilled with Jesus very death there on the Cross beside him.  It was a promise that only the Son of God could offer to him.  The promise would only be fulfilled and occur because of and by Jesus innocent death on Calvary.  For this is the same promise we have made to each of us as well in our baptism.

Not only were Jesus words of promise, these 13 words, were a declaration of the forgiveness of sins.  Jesus Christ when He said, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” was declaring this criminal ‘not guilty’, not in the eyes of man, but in the eyes of God.  Every Jew properly understood that only God could offer forgiveness and this was in fact what Jesus was offering this criminal.  Jesus was offering him, life and salvation for all eternity.  The free gift of grace Jesus offered while hanging from the Cross takes on new meaning. 

The grace given by Jesus would impart the forgiveness this man needed not only for his earthly mistakes, but especially for the broken relationship of the vertical, between him and God.  Jesus Christ with this promise of forgiveness conveyed the very gift of grace that was not deserved, but clearly received by this criminal.  But it was not just the fulfillment of the promise nor a simple declaration of grace, it took on new meaning with Jesus words, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

For the promise and the forgiveness offered was not only a gift of grace, but also the promise of being in paradise.  Unlike our mistaken understanding of paradise that we think of here on earth, what Jesus is offering the man on the cross beside him is entrance into the perfect redeemed world to be with God for eternity.  This offer is beyond the understanding of even those who are watching this unfold from the foot of the cross.  What Jesus is offering is plain and simply paradise, beyond their fallen human understanding.  A paradise that would not have pain or torture, but being with God in His Holy Kingdom for all eternity.

What we sometimes fail to understand is that Jesus Christ with these 13 words is offering this criminal a future where he thought he had no future when he was nailed to the cross.  Jesus Christ is clearly giving and offering the greatest gift of grace.  And this same gift of grace God through His Son, Jesus Christ is offering to each and every one of us here today.  When we hear these simple 13 words, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”  God is offering us not only forgiveness, but life and salvation for each and every one of us no matter what we have done.  Just as the criminal didn’t deserve it, we do not earn it or deserve it either.  But God, out of His divine favor and love offers us eternal life and to be with Him in paradise.  We are offered entrance into paradise and eternity because God loves us.

That is exactly what the salvation story is all about.  It is God showing His love for all of mankind through His Son Jesus Christ.  And when we come and hear this story, partake of His meal and believe this story and understand these 13 words are meant for each of us, God changes our hearts.  For these 13 words are full of promise and forgiveness of the paradise God has prepared for all of mankind, especially including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel who hear and believe Jesus words from the Cross for us this Second Sunday in Lent, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”  AMEN.

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02222015 Invocavit - First Sunday in Lent (Lent 1)

Sermon Audio

February 22, 2015

All about words…

Holy God, ruler of all, we come before you during this Lenten season to not only learn more about Jesus last words from the Cross, but speak them ourselves.  For Jesus clearly spoke out of love for You.  And His task was to fulfill Your plan for all of mankind.  Enable us to embrace Jesus Words and emulate them in our daily life as we demonstrate for others our commitment to Your plan of salvation.  AMEN.

“Sticks and stones, may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”  In schools across our nation many children have been taught this phrase when bullies and kids who are just plain mean hurl insults, not only at the kids sitting in the same seats, but also at the teachers and others in authority.  As we journey through Lent this year we will be hearing Words and phrases from Jesus Christ.  Unlike the bullies, Jesus Words that we will be hearing are the “Words from the Cross”.  Jesus words are a fulfillment of prophecy and for our spiritual edification during Lent.  Jesus words are simply to teach us to what degree, Jesus was willing to sacrifice Himself in order for us to be with Him in His Kingdom.  The first phrase we will ponder today is from Luke 23:34, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” 

Clearly this phrase in 11 simple words clearly articulates what Jesus wanted for all of mankind, including the soldiers who had in the last 24 hours beaten Him, scourged Him, mocked Him and ultimately had nailed Him to the Cross.  Jesus was declaring what they in fact didn’t deserve, but what He was willing to give them.  Why would Jesus ask His Father to forgive them?  These men who had humiliated Him, stripped Him of all human decency and clearly made His life a living Hell.  Were those men acting on their own?  Or were those men merely puppets and pawns?

Jesus own words reveal what Jesus was willing to do, ‘forgive them’, even in the face of evil.  These men were instruments of evil.  Their actions were the most heinous, but in all actuality had a divine purpose not only in mind, but fulfilled in Jesus being nailed to the Cross.  The purpose was in order that Jesus would suffer the worse fate of any man, ask God to forgive them and all of mankind and to die for all of mankind, including you and me.

The fate Jesus endured was what we deserve.  But Jesus Christ was willing to endure the torture, pain and humiliation for you and for me because of His love for us.  In these 11 words, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”, we hear Jesus Christ plea, not just for the men who inflicted the pain upon Jesus, but for the pain we inflict upon Jesus daily when we sin.  Jesus suffered and was nailed to the cross not just by the men who drove the nails, beat Him and mocked Him, but by each and every one of us who gather here today.  What keeps Jesus on the Cross of Calvary is not the mere mortal nails driven into the wood, but our sins that hold Jesus to the Cross.  Our daily transgressions, our words that inflict the pain of broken relationships and show sin in our lives, whether to our friends, family or even here in the church by our attitude or feelings of superiority or self-indulgent righteousness.

But Jesus Christ through these words, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”, that we hear from the Cross of Calvary offers each and every one of us gathered here today true forgiveness.  Jesus Christ in the most powerful way offers us the forgiveness of sins, by His simple declaration.  It is a declaration first proclaimed in the hearing of and for the men who nailed Him to the Cross, and today it is proclaimed for each of us gathered here who hear those simple 11 words.

Jesus Christ in true humility and service, declares all of mankind, including each and every one of us gathered here today, “Not Guilty”.  We are forgiven for our sins.  God through the life of Jesus Christ endured the worst of mankind, in order to offer us the forgiveness that only Jesus Christ could offer with His life.  We who gather here today who hear Jesus Words of forgiveness are offered the greatest gift of life and salvation by Jesus simple declaration of forgiveness.  Jesus Christ came and offers us today the true forgiveness of sins and life and salvation for all of mankind, including each and every one of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel on this first Sunday in Lent who hear, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”  AMEN.

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