Sermon 03312013 Easter Sunday

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, You gave Your only begotten Son Jesus Christ to suffer at the hands of man and be nailed to the Cross for our redemption, but today we find the tomb empty where His body had been laid.  By His resurrection You have delivered us from our sins and overcome the power of death for us.  May we die every day to sin so we may live with You forever in Your Kingdom in the great joy of the resurrection and proudly answer doubter’s question of ‘So What?’  For Your resurrection was to free all of mankind from our sins, but especially including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel who proclaim, “Jesus Christ as Lord”.  AMEN.

Jesus Christ is risen from the dead!  He is risen indeed!!!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!

This truth so accurately spoken as we celebrate this morning is doubted.  The doubt manifests itself in very strange and out of the ordinary ways.  This morning we come together as the Body of Christ to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ on this Easter Sunday.  On Maundy Thursday we celebrated the institution of the Lord’s Supper, Good Friday we mourned His being nailed to the Cross, His death and His being placed in the tomb and this morning we look to the empty tomb and say, ‘So What?’

This Lent we have journeyed and heard about different people and places of Lent.  For those of you who have not been with us at our Mid-Week and Sunday services during this Lent we have seen the Cross journey from entrance to the church, the rear of the church to the front to the chancel and now to the pulpit.  We probably ask the question, ‘So What?’, but the significance is not in its mere presence, but for us this morning it is a reminder that the answer to the question, “So What?” is that it is upon the Cross that Jesus Christ set us free from sin, death, the devil, hell and damnation.

But there are still doubters here among us this morning.  Our doubt is manifest clearly by our not being here for the entire journey.  We come on Easter in our new clothes, fed with the great breakfast put on by the men and attending Easter Sunday, the one service that promises the greatest gift of mercy by our Lord and Savior Who no longer is in the grave.  And we expect that our taking one hour out of our busy life schedule is enough to ‘satisfy’ God or our parents, our peers or even our pastor that we were here to celebrate Easter.

But I again pose the question, ‘So What?’  For what reason do we believe that this one hour overcomes all of our sleeping in on Sunday morning, or going to the lake or mountains or Hays or Denver to shop, not being involved in the worship or ministry of the church or seeking to understand the entire plan of salvation by daily praying the Lord’s Prayer, daily reading the Holy Scriptures or daily seeking God’s will in our lives?

The answer to the question, ‘So What?’ isn’t our assuaging our conscience with our sitting in the pew for one Sunday, even if it is Easter or Christmas.  The answer to the question is that no matter what we do or have done, it is not what we do that matters.  What really matters is what God has done for us!

God has answered this question, “So What” so clearly for us today with His Son Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection.  Our actions and inactions are inconsequential.  We bring sin and death into the relationship with Jesus Christ through our sins of both omissions where we do not do the things we should and commission where we do what we know we should not do.  Our roles in this life have become to bring death because we were born and conceived in sin and are by nature an enemy against God.  But Jesus Christ in His life, death and especially His resurrection offers us eternal life freely and without question by and through our baptism.

So when the question is asked ‘So What’, we are imperfect creatures and cannot answer, but God has answered this question for each and every one of us.  By Jesus Christ offering Himself on the Cross of Calvary for you and for me God answers the question, “So What” with grace, mercy and forgiveness that is found and made manifest in our baptism into the promise of forgiveness found in Jesus Christ.  God reveals the greatest love for all of mankind with the empty tomb and now His Son, Jesus Christ risen from the dead offers all of us life and salvation and the forgiveness of sins by His innocent death on Calvary for you and for me.

But even though God has answered the question, ‘So What’, what is our response?  How do we respond to the question, ‘So What’?  Has this offer of life and salvation that we cannot earn or merit on our own with our actions and life bind us to indifference and no response?  Will you who sit in the pew today respond as you have in the past by only attending Christmas and Easter services?  Or has a miracle occurred?  Has God penetrated our hard hearts with His Gospel message?  Will you who sit in the pew this morning in honor of God’s greatest sacrifice of His Son, offer yourselves in His service for His message of salvation to be spread to the ends of the earth?  Will all of us no longer make our attendance and involvement be about us or who may see us or which person feels they have the power of control, whether over worship, the business of the church, the money the church spends or the impact we as Emmanuel Lutheran Church has in Goodland, KS?  Are you willing to stand before the judgment seat and say God’s gift of His Son, Jesus Christ was given for me and I am here to serve for Him and not myself?

These are the questions that strike nerves within us.  They cause us to respond with ‘how dare you pastor’ preach like you don’t know my life and the things I struggle with?  How dare you today of all days, on Easter Sunday question my motives, my commitment to God or my life?  But you see, I understand and I do sympathize with you.  As Pastor, I am the mouth piece of God to speak His Word in its truth and purity in all of our lives, but the message of salvation that I proclaim today of Jesus Christ for you and for me has come at a deep cost.  The cost of our salvation was Jesus Christ death on Calvary where on His journey to the Cross He suffered in body, soul and spirit.  The guards beat Him, they spit on Him, they scourged Him with metal whips, they tortured Him to such an extreme that when portrayed in the movie, “The Passion of the Christ”, even some of us out in the pews cringe and cannot and even refuse to watch.  We don’t want to admit that His suffering was as a result of our sins, what we do and even what we do not do.  But this is the depth and the amount of love God has for each and every one of us.

God suffered all of this in order to offer us eternal life.  Yet what is or has been our response?  One young lady named Morgan Doppelheuer heard all of the stories, attended church when she was younger, knew the Bible songs and considered herself a Christian.  When she was older she professed being a Christian, but lived a life and talked a language not of loving like Christ, but lying.  It was not until someone confronted her as the mouthpiece of God with the truth of her lies and lifeless Christianity that God broke her heart and enabled her to understand His love for her and rebuild the relationship God had with her and had promised her in her baptism.  This new found relationship wasn’t built on lies, but was built on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ and His death on Calvary for her.

This same relationship God is calling us to have this morning.  God clearly with His resurrection is offering us the opportunity to have the greatest relationship with Him and with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ here at Emmanuel.  God’s greatest desire is for us to respond in faith and not only believe in the resurrection, but respond to the doubters and those who are lost that we encounter who ask the question, ‘So What’ with the firm belief in God’s plan of salvation.  A truer statement has never been said, ‘Today is and can be the first day of the rest of your life.’  How are you going to respond to God’s gift of salvation through Jesus Christ offered for all of mankind including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this Easter morning?  We can change our lives and show our love for God by how we answer the question, ‘So What’ with our lives as a living sacrifice in honor of God’s sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ for you and for me that we celebrate with all of us saints here at Emmanuel this Easter Morning.  AMEN.

Sermon 03292013 Good Friday

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!  Almighty God, Your Son Jesus Christ graciously suffered and died on the Cross of Calvary for we His family through our baptism into His life and death.  Enable us to see the Cross not as an end, but the ultimate sacrifice for our sins and the sins of all of mankind, for Jesus offered Himself freely and was watched by the Centurion in order for the plan of salvation to be complete.  Enable us to embrace the Cross of Christ as the ultimate payment for our sins and the sins of all mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this Good Friday.  AMEN.

There is an old hymn which asks a poignant question as we gather here this Good Friday evening.  Matter of fact it was the last hymn yesterday and one of the preludes that Marla played earlier.  It asks a simple question, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?”  As an African American Spiritual the words as simple as they are clearly ask a question that all of us have to respond with ‘No’, but tonight we will hear about the Centurion in our series of People and Places of Lent that can respond, “Yes, I was there.”

Hear the story of the Centurion from Matthew 27 (Matthew 27:48-54)

⁴⁸ Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. ⁴⁹ But the rest of them said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.” ⁵⁰ And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. ⁵¹ And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. ⁵² The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;⁵³ and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. ⁵⁴ Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

It is clear from our vantage point two thousand years after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ that this Centurion and his friends were one moment doubters and the next moment, the Centurion showed mercy to Jesus Christ as He hung on the Cross by trying to quench His thirst.  And the next moment the Centurion spoke the most profound words of the entire Passion narrative.  The Centurion confessed, “Truly this was the Son of God!”  The Centurion had probably heard the stories about Jesus, seen with His own eyes His suffering at the hands of his comrades and possibly even his own blows or spit, but then after witnessing His final gasps for air, provided the most profound witness of confession in all the Passion Narratives.

Was it the Centurions fortune to be on duty that day?  Or was it God’s plan?  With Jesus Christ breathing His last and yielding His Spirit, the events of the last 16 hours were quite dramatic and traumatic and had taken their toll on Jesus.  Not only had Jesus eaten with His disciples in the Upper Room, He had prayed into the late hours of the night, been captured in the Garden, tried by the Jewish High Council, brought before Pilate and Herod, condemned, beaten and scourged to the brink of death and had hung on a cross during the noon day.  And now after all the torture, Jesus Christ was thirsty and this Centurion moved with compassion brought sour wine to quench His thirst.

Once Jesus breathed His last and yielded His Spirit the plan of salvation was now complete.  Jesus Christ had died on the Cross of Golgotha, bearing the sins of the entire World.  The ransom for all of mankind had been paid.  In the eyes of Satan, the victory was his, he was doing a victory dance.  Jesus Christ was dead.

But is the story complete?  For Satan it is, for the Centurion with Jesus life, death and Jesus story as he knew and understood it was complete, for the disciples who witnessed His suffering and death, it appears the story is complete, but for we who sit here tonight/today it isn’t complete.  The story has only begun.  With Jesus Christ being nailed to the Cross, suffering and dying for our sins the story is incomplete.

For from the Old Testament prophets and even Jesus own words, the story is not complete, because the story ends not with death, but with eternal life.  Jesus Christ promised His disciples and we who gather here today eternal life.  And we find eternal life through His death on the Cross for all of mankind.  We also find eternal life when we confess like the Centurion the truth that “Truly this was the Son of God”.  We find eternal life when we look to the Cross of Christ and understand that we are not only baptized into Jesus Christ life, but also His death for us and ultimately the completion of the story of salvation.  But the rest of the story is still three days away.  Tonight/today we with the Centurion confess the truth of Jesus divinity and await the rest of the Gospel story of salvation that will be revealed in three days for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel to mourn Jesus death on Calvary this Good Friday.  AMEN.

Sermon 03282013 Maundy Thursday

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 Lord, through this Sacrament of Your precious Body and Blood You have left us with a clear remembrance of Your Passion.  For it was in the upper room where You instituted this Holy Meal full of great mystery and redemption for all of mankind, but without the owner of the house offering his house we would not fully understand the great gift You offer.  May this gift of Your Body and Blood made manifest for us tonight/today remind us of Your sacrifice for each of us that we receive in, with and under the Bread and Wine of Your Body and Blood for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here around the Lord’s Supper tonight.  AMEN.

For our 21^st Century Culture we understand clearly and easily the concept of ‘ownership’.  Whether it is kids and their favorite toys or games, the cars, trucks and tractors we adults drive, the houses we build and live in, the land that we own and farm or the livestock we raise for food and a living, we clearly understand this concept of ownership.  When Jesus disciples were preparing for the Passover feast, the place that was chosen was owned by a ‘certain man’.  Let’s hear again this account for this morning/evenings installment of the series of People and Places of Lent.  Hear the story from Matthew 26 (Matthew 26:17-19)

¹⁷ Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” ¹⁸ And He said, “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, “My time is near; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.”’” ¹⁹ The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.

If you have ever held or attended a party, whether it was birthday, anniversary or card party, there was a certain amount of preparation that is required of both the food for those attending as well as the preparation of the house.  As the owner of the house this probably made preparation easier, because you knew what you had and what you needed to get from the store.  From our Gospel we have heard that a ‘certain man’, owner of the house where the Lord’s Supper was instituted is not identified, nor is any indication that he has any further preparations to make to get ready for the Passover, the disciples on the other hand have to do a lot of gathering.

Yet, this meal is of extreme importance for the Jews.  The Passover meal remembers the people of Israel living in Egypt living through the night when the Angel of Death came through the land and took the first born son of the family if blood of the lamb was not on the doorpost of the house.  This was prior to their departure from Egypt to return to the land of Promise and was the last of the signs sent by God to Pharaoh to set His people free.

But why would this Passover feast be important for Jesus Christ?  Why would the Upper Room be of importance?  Why does this owner of the house have the most important role for us tonight/today?

You see, on this day over two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ on the journey to fulfill the plan of salvation instituted the meal we know as the Lord’s Supper.  Without this Upper Room to provide the safety, security and solemnity the plan of salvation would have been incomplete.  On this night Jesus not only instituted the Meal that provides us life and salvation today, Jesus Christ also washed the disciples feet, prophesied about His betrayal and death, but heralded in the fullness of God being Glorified through His sacrificial actions.  All of this occurs in the Upper Room of the house ‘owned by a certain man’.

Without the owner of the house having the room prepared, having the place prepared for the foot washing, the breaking of bread and the mutual consolation of the brethren, the fulfillment of the scriptures would be incomplete.  The owner of the house, like the owner of the colt and the other people and places of Lent we have heard about would only be considered bystanders in this journey to the Cross.  But the message and its meaning is clear, without each of these people and places of Lent, our journey would be mired and bogged down, but each of these people and places of Lent are stepping stones to the fulfillment of the plan of salvation.

For the plan of salvation has one goal, Jesus Christ death on Calvary in order to pay for the sins of mankind.  Jesus Christ in His instituting the Lord’s Supper is one step closer and offers mankind the greatest mystery, His Body and Blood for the salvation of all mankind, in, with and under this simple Bread and Wine.  As we receive His sacrifice tonight/today, may we be reminded that without the owner of the house, scripture would not have been fulfilled and mankind would not be offered life and salvation through Jesus Christ.  Nor would all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel understand completely, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins” as the fulfillment of the promise of Jesus Christ for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here this Maundy Thursday night.  AMEN.

Sermon for Cancelled Palm Sunday 03242013

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!  Redeemer of the world, You rode into Jerusalem on a colt and the people expected You to be King.  Yet, by the end of the week, You hung on the Cross.  Enable us who hear this to understand that You came to set us free from sin, death and the devil and it required Your life to wipe the slate clean of the stain of our sin.  But You freely did this out of the greatest love for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

With great pomp and circumstance as the music began the crowd jumped to their feet, turned to the entrance and saw a sight unseen before.  For some this event occurs every time a bride enters a church for the final walk down the aisle as a single person, escorted usually by her father.  This imagery of the bride and bridegroom is quite appropriate for us this morning.  As we begin Passion Week we will be considering Jesus entrance into the Holy City of Jerusalem.

Hear Matthew’s account in our series of People and Places of Lent of Jesus as He enters into Jerusalem as told in Matthew 21 (Matthew 21:8-11)

⁸ Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road. ⁹ The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting,

“Hosanna to the Son of David;
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord;
Hosanna in the highest!”

¹⁰ When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” ¹¹ And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.”

While Jesus entered the city sitting upon a colt, the referenced acclamation, “Hosanna to the Son of David” clearly reminds us that this is no ordinary person Who rides the colt, but none other than the bridegroom, Jesus Christ, Second Person of the Holy Trinity.  His entrance into Jerusalem fulfills the Old Testament as we have heard and now begins the longest week of events that culminates on Golgotha.

The entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem is thought to be a game changer.  Jesus entering on the colt, the foal of a donkey is primed and destined for Him to be King.  The one who rides is not only acclaimed to be the Messiah, the long foretold Savior of the World, but clearly there arises a group who do not have the same belief and see and are trying to work for Jesus destiny to be death in order to protect their ‘vested interests’.  Jesus opponents, the Chief Priest, Pharisees and Saducees look with disdain on Jesus Christ and are working behind the scenes, but this procession of Jesus entrance into Jerusalem is like adding gasoline to the fire for excitement of the crowds.  Their Messiah is here, Jesus is heralded and honored as He enters Jerusalem.

With the phrase, “Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest!” Jesus entrance into the city reveals the devotion of the people to Jesus, His teachings and His impact upon their lives, their acclamation of Him as Lord and His lineage to King David former ruler, King and the truth of Jesus direct lineage.

Yet, why should these simple words, Jesus entrance into Jerusalem and the disdain of the religious leaders be important for us today?  Why should a man sitting on a colt, entering the Holy City and headed to the Temple be a voice of victory for us today?  Why should our procession, our confession and our receipt of Jesus Christ precious Body and Blood around the altar change us today?

Simply, with Jesus entrance into the Holy City, our remembering this historic event in the life of Jesus connects each of us to the plan of salvation and reminds us of the most intimate connection each of us have with Jesus Christ.  This morning we not only celebrate Jesus riding on the colt, with the baptism of Kari Snethen, we are reminded of our connection to the life and events of Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection for each of us today, but especially for Kari.  When Kari was brought forward and washed with the Water and Word in Holy Baptism she was made a child of God and made a partaker of Jesus entrance into the Holy City which ultimately led to Jesus Christ innocent death on Calvary.  Jesus Christ entrance into the Holy City began the sequence of events that led to His being scourged for our sins, sentenced to death and suffering on the Cross for the sins of mankind.  But what is more important is that Kari like many before her has now been baptized into Jesus Christ life and His death on the Cross of Calvary. 

Kari with all the saints of all time and place, with her baptism not only is baptized into Jesus Christ life and death, she is also baptized into His resurrection.  For when the Water and Word intimately connected washed her clean of her sins, this is where she is for all eternity connected with Jesus Christ and given life and salvation.  And as we celebrate Jesus entrance into the Holy City of Jerusalem on the colt the foal of a donkey, saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David”, Kari along with all of us saints are reminded of our connection to Jesus Christ.  But it is not only connection, it is also our remembering that this is part of the plan of salvation, Jesus entrance into Jerusalem and ultimately Jesus death on Calvary for all of mankind.

For in Jesus death, we are offered eternal life.  We who are born and conceived in sin are offered eternal life through our baptism like we have done today of Kari, and are forever connected to the Jesus Christ and celebrate not that He died, but because He died our receipt of eternal life.  This is the gift of salvation that we celebrate, not only for Kari, but for all of us saints that wave our palm branches and remember Jesus entrance into the Holy City which leads to Golgotha and our being set free through His death on Calvary for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel as we begin Holy Week.  AMEN.

Palm Sunday Services Cancelled

Due to the weather conditions and the anticipated cold, services for Emmanuel Lutheran Goodland, KS are cancelled for Palm Sunday 2013.

We look forward to seeing you at Films of Faith at 1:30PM at the Sherman Theater.

Sermon 03202013 Wednesday of Lent 5

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!  Creator of the universe, You formed the land we walk upon, the trees that we use for shade and even the animals used for work.  Enable us to understand all of this is Yours and it is here to serve You, but especially as we come closer to Your passion, it will be used to herald You for Your greatest mission, our salvation.  For Your entrance into Jerusalem on a colt begins the final journey to Golgotha where You die in order that all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel might live.  May we lay claim to this truth for it is for all of mankind, but especially all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel during the final weeks of our Lenten pilgrimage.  AMEN.

Looking across the Kidron Valley in Jerusalem, Jesus would have seen the temple mount and the places where He would go to suffer and die.  But what is ironic as He looked across prior to His entrance into the Holy City was He knew that a man had a colt tied outside of his house and the owner would let him use this beast of burden to carry Jesus into the city.

From today’s installment of the series of People and Places of Lent we hear about the owner of the colt.  Hear the story from Matthew 21 (Matthew 21:1-7)

21 When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, ² saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. ³ If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” ⁴ This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

⁵ “Say to the daughter of Zion,
‘Behold your King is coming to you,
Gentle, and mounted on a donkey,
Even on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’”

⁶ The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, ⁷ and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their coats on them; and He sat on the coats.

As a child I remember going to the movies and seeing Star Wars on the big screen at the drive in and seeing the great Jedi warrior, Obi Wan Kanobi convincing the Imperial storm troopers that ‘these are not the droids you are looking for’.  This scene although not that similar reminds me of this story around the colt for the disciples and the owner of the colt.

Jesus disciples who had been with Him for His entire ministry had seen Jesus cast demons out, spit in the dirt and restore the sight of the blind and made the lame walk, now simply told His disciples to simply say to the owner of the colt, “The Lord has need of them”.  Encapsulated in these words is not a mind trick like was shown in Star Wars, but a message to the owner of the colt.  Your colt, tied up outside of your house that provides you transportation, work in the field when needed and is your beast of burden is needed.  It isn’t simply needed by the Government, but it is needed by the Lord of the Universe, Jesus Christ Who had sent His disciples to retrieve the colt.  Jesus Christ Who is about to fulfill the plan of salvation is in need of the colt to ride into the Holy City of Jerusalem.

Knowing the future, Jesus Christ knew what the outcome would be, but in telling the disciples, “and immediately he [that is the owner of the colt] will send them” Jesus reveals to His disciples His most intimate fore knowledge of all the plans of this world.  The man who was owner of the colt is not identified by name, but this whole story is a fulfillment of the prophesies of the Old Testament.  Both Isaiah and especially Zechariah tell of the coming of the King.  Jesus Christ not only is fulfilling the Old Testament scripture of entering the city mounted “on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden”, Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the plan of salvation for all of mankind including you and me and for all time and all place.

This story is just one more instance of how Jesus Christ not only fulfilled the Old Testament in making complete satisfaction for the Law, but this story of the Colt epitomizes how Jesus Christ is not only prophet, but high priest and King.  As such Jesus Christ fulfilled for His disciples, for the owner of the colt and for us today the plan of salvation with His riding on the colt into Jerusalem.

But of what consequence is the owner of the colt, the fulfillment of the plan of salvation and Jesus entrance in the Holy City of Jerusalem?  For without the owner of the colt, having the animal tied to the outside of his house, without the colt being born, without the owner being in the City on that particular day instead of out working his fields and making a living, the prophecy would not have come true.  The owner of the colt was one more ‘stepping stone’ that Jesus not only prophesied about, but fulfilled on His way to the Cross of Calvary.  Jesus entrance into Jerusalem was not to make Him King, because He already was King.  This fulfillment of the story of salvation history was so the prophecies could be fulfilled and this colt born with a higher destiny would carry Jesus Christ into Jerusalem so the rest of the plan of salvation could be fulfilled.

For the fulfillment of the plan of salvation needed this colt, needed this owner and needed a Savior, Jesus Christ.  In His coming into the world and into Jerusalem, Jesus Christ would continue to fulfill the Old Testament that told of His coming, His living and His dying for all of mankind.  Jesus Christ riding this colt owned by the unnamed owner, would enter Jerusalem with great herald, but then ultimately die between two criminals spit upon, beaten and finally pierced for our transgressions.  Jesus Christ became the ultimate sacrifice so we who gather here during this Lenten Season might have eternal life.  Jesus Christ prophesied about this owner of the colt and his freely giving it for Jesus use in order to go to the Cross of Calvary and freely die for the sins of all of mankind, including all of us saints that are gathered here at Emmanuel this morning/evening.  AMEN.

Sermon 03172013 Sunday in Lent 5

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!  Almighty God we gather here to worship, praise and honor You, not unlike the synagogue where the Chief Priests and Pharisees gathered to plot against You.  May You gather us together not to plot, but to plead for the promises found in Jesus Christ and His death on Calvary, for it was through His sacrifice that we are set free from sin, death and the devil and can come here to worship Father, Son and Holy Spirit as the Body of Christ known as the saints redeemed by Your blood for all of mankind, but especially all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel during our Lenten pilgrimage.  AMEN.

It is not uncommon during this time of year that people gather to watch what is known as “March Madness”, or better known the NCAA ‘Road to the Final Four’.  Whether it is the Jayhawks, K-State or even Wichita State, everyone enjoys gathering around the television or even in the arena to see the match ups, root for our favorite teams and even try and figure out what the outcome will be.  What is ironic is that before the teams meet on the hardwood, a group of individuals meet to determine who will be a part of the class of teams this year.  So to this morning we hear about another group of people meeting in a special place, but for an extremely different purpose.

From today’s installment of the series of People and Places of Lent we venture into a holy place, but one that also held a meeting of a group of men discerning the fate of Jesus Christ, today we learn more about the Synagogue.

Hear about the synagogue from John 11 (John 11:47-57)

John 11:47-57

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁴⁷ Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council, and were saying, “What are we doing? For this man is performing many signs. ⁴⁸ If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” ⁴⁹ But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all,⁵⁰ nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.” ⁵¹ Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, ⁵² and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. ⁵³ So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.

⁵⁴ Therefore Jesus no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the country near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples.

⁵⁵ Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover to purify themselves. ⁵⁶ So they were seeking for Jesus, and were saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?” ⁵⁷ Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might seize Him.

To have both the chief priests and the Pharisees convene a council clearly indicates the magnitude of the meeting and situation.  These two groups are not the ‘best of friends’.  For them to join forces united behind one idea or outcome is something that is not common.  Their fear is not the change of religion, but what the impact will be upon them personally and as a country.  Hear it again, “If we let Him [that is Jesus] go on like this, all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.”  They feared not Jesus, but the outcome that would be as a result of the Romans if they allowed Jesus to continue His teaching, preaching and healing that was bringing more and more people closer to the kingdom of God.

But “Caiaphas, who was high priest that year” had a plan.  Remember that the high priest was an appointed individual who served one year.  Jesus own Uncle was high priest, remember John the Baptist, it was his father, Zacharias.  He had seen the vision while serving in the temple of his own son being born.  Well, Caiaphas another Chief Priest had a divinely inspired plan.  “You know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.”

Thus in the Synagogue where these two groups gathered together, Caiaphas revealed the divinely inspired plan that would herald the fulfillment of the plan of salvation.  In the eyes of these two groups it was taking care of the problem, Jesus Christ.  But in reality, God in the synagogue inspired Caiaphas to prophesy, not only how “Jesus was going to die for the nations”, but that Jesus Christ would be the ultimate sacrifice for mankind.  In the synagogue the plan was hatched that would fulfill the plan of salvation for all of mankind.

But, why should this surprise us today?  It shouldn’t, because the plan of salvation had been begun in the Garden of Eden, the law given on Mount Sinai and now in the Synagogue the final swipes of the pen upon the plan of salvation were made.  With ‘one man to die for the people’ this would be the fulfillment of the plan that gives us eternal life.

Yet, why should the synagogue be of interest for us today?  You see where we sit, worship, sing our hymns, hear the readings and join together feasting on the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ is the descendent of the Synagogue.  Where we as the Body of Christ, the congregation, discerned to extend the call to me as your pastor, is the descendent of the synagogue.  We are sitting in a Holy place where God reaches down from heaven and speaks to us today to understand we are connected to Him, not only through the synagogue used by the chief priest and Pharisees for their council, but this is the place where we hear the fulfillment of the plan of salvation.  We hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ clearly proclaimed and we now lay claim to this as we journey to Golgotha.

For the plan of salvation is clear, Jesus Christ came into this world, not to condemn the world, but to save the world for all of mankind with His innocent death on Calvary.  This was the outcome of Caiaphas plan.    By His, Jesus Christ, shedding His innocent blood we are set free from our sins and no longer are bound by sin, death, the devil, hell or damnation.  We are heirs of eternal life offered to us through Jesus Christ for all of mankind, but especially for all of us saints gathered here in our ‘synagogue’ as we journey together on our Lenten pilgrimage.  AMEN. 

Great Approach to Church

This is a great approach to church by Andy Stanley at North Point!!!

http://vimeo.com/60688281

Watch this video and let me know what you think!!!

New Book Coming Out

There is a new book coming out that looks like it will synthesize a lot of GREAT information from the CATALYST Leadership Conferences of the last number of years.

http://www.bradlomenick.com/2013/03/06/i-need-your-help-be-part-of-the-launch-team-for-the-catalyst-leader-book/

I am hoping to be a part of the Launch Team for the new book.

Keep Looking for my review.

YIC,
Pastor Darian L. Hybl

Sermon 03132013 Wednesday in Lent 4

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, You stood in front of Pilate and answered his questions with the truth of Who You are, who would hear Your voice and Pilate tried to free You.  But in order for the plan of salvation to be fulfilled Barabbas was set free.  For in Your innocent death all of mankind is set free from sin, death and the devil, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel on our Lenten Pilgrimage to the Cross.  AMEN.

In the hands of one man the fate of a nation hung.  It isn’t the ‘normal’ story that we are apt to hear about, but when the Cuban Missile Crisis was at the verge of war between Fidel Castro and President John F. Kennedy, one man made the choice to avert the destruction of mankind, and it wasn’t either of the leaders.  You see, a Fleet Admiral who was patrolling the waters off of the Florida and Cuba coasts had a nuclear tipped missile that was to be used against the United States Navy that was circling over-head.  During this escalation this Admiral made the faithful decision that changed the course of history and prevented World War 3.  Without his clear thinking, understanding the ramifications of his actions and thinking of the bigger picture, our world today would not be what we have.

So to this morning/evening, in our series of People and Places of Lent we heard about Pilate, whose sole intention was to set Jesus Christ free.  In Pilate’s hands it appeared that the fate of the salvation of mankind rested. 

[Hear again from John 18 (John 18:28-40)

²⁸ Then they *led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.²⁹ Therefore Pilate went out to them and *said, “What accusation do you bring against this Man?”³⁰ They answered and said to him, “If this Man were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him to you.” ³¹ So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death,” ³² to fulfill the word of Jesus which He spoke, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die.

³³ Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” ³⁴ Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?” ³⁵ Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?” ³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” ³⁷ Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” ³⁸ Pilate *said to Him, “What is truth?”

And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and *said to them, “I find no guilt in Him.³⁹ But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover; do you wish then that I release for you the King of the Jews?” ⁴⁰ So they cried out again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a robber.]

This question and answer between Jesus and Pilate is not your classic interrogation that we think of from our 21^st Century Media culture or police dramas.  Instead Jesus is dialoging with Pilate for three goals. To test him, teach him and leverage the truth of the outcome for all of mankind.

Jesus first tests Pilate to help Pilate understand Who he is dealing with.  Knowing the answer to the question, before asking, Jesus is trying to help Pilate discover that He, Jesus Christ is not some common criminal that stands before him, but one Who was turned over because of an agenda by the Pharisees and Saducees.  Truly the stories had circulated throughout the kingdom, even to Pilate’s ears of His miracles, ministry and acts of mercy.  Yet, Pilate clearly did not understand the real reason for Jesus being handed over to him, for the salvation of all mankind.

Hence, Jesus response to Pilate’s second question, “what have you done?” was an attempt to teach Pilate the reality that He, Jesus Christ is King.  For Jesus Kingdom is not of this world.  For Jesus Christ as creator, could call down His servants to fight for Him, but the reality is that in order for the plan of salvation to be fulfilled, Jesus had to suffer what was about to occur and even Pilate could not change the fate or destiny of Jesus Christ.

For Jesus Christ knew the truth that He would suffer and die, just as He had told His disciples throughout His earthly ministry.  Jesus Christ knew that He had been born into this role and for this He came into the world in order to set the world free from the sins of all of mankind.  This was Jesus destination, the Cross of Calvary and Pilate, who questioned Him, was only one stop in the journey to Golgotha.  The truth was even Pilate could not change Jesus Christ destiny, for Jesus destiny and destination had been known from the Garden of Eden to Mount Sinai where the Law was given to the Praetorium and the Synagogue where Jesus had stood trial.  The truth is that Jesus Christ came to live, to die to fulfill the Law given on Mount Sinai and to rise again so we who hear the Gospel message today are be set free from our sins.  Even Pilate could not change the destiny of the Savior to die for the sins of all of mankind.  Pilate could not change Jesus destiny and Pilate cannot change the destiny we fulfill this morning/evening of hearing the Gospel message.

For the Gospel is clear, Jesus Christ came into this world, lived, walked among us and calls us by name to set us free from the bonds of sin and death that began in the Garden of Eden with His death on Calvary.  Jesus Christ walked and taught His disciples the complete plan of salvation and today/tonight we hear how Pilate entered into the Gospel drama.  We heard the questions, but the reality is even Pilate, leader who sat upon a throne could not change the destiny of Jesus Christ to die on Calvary for mankind.  But hearing Pilate’s conversation enables us to understand more fully that Jesus Christ came for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel during our Lenten Pilgrimage.  AMEN.

Sermon 03102013 Sunday in Lent 4

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!  Gracious and compassionate God, it is very clear that You loved Lazarus.  May we clearly see and understand that his death was so Your glory could be revealed at the site of his burial in the cave in Bethany.  For today the places where we lay our relatives to rest is holy ground because they await Your return as King of Glory for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here on our Lenten Pilgrimage. AMEN.

When professionals seek out a new job, they begin by crafting a resume that highlights clearly their skills, abilities and experiences that make them a perfect fit for the job they are applying for.  However there are some experiences that aren’t the best ‘resume boosters’.  For clergy this is very true as well, some would claim an increase in attendance, multiple baptisms or new members as a ‘bonus’ but there is one accolade that really isn’t a plus on the resume.  This would be I am an expert at funerals.  On the contrary, if one could put, “I have raised someone from the dead” like Jesus could for Lazarus, that is something that headhunters and most people take clear notice of quickly and try and ‘snatch the person up’.

This morning in our series of People and Place of Lent, we continue the story of Lazarus and his death and how Jesus Christ turns apparent tragedy into triumph.  Hear from John 11: (John 11:38-46)

³⁸ So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, *came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. ³⁹ Jesus *said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, *said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.” ⁴⁰ Jesus *said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” ⁴¹ So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. ⁴² I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.” ⁴³ When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth.” ⁴⁴ The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus *said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

⁴⁵ Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.⁴⁶ But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.

Jesus in this passage of scripture turns the worlds perception of death upside down.  The people believed that Lazarus who had to their eyes died and was laid in the tomb and would remain was raised from the dead by Jesus Christ.  Jesus very clearly said in prayer, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.  I knew that You always her Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent me.”  Jesus is plainly giving the proof that He came from the Father, but the purpose for His coming was two sentences earlier, where He said,  “If you believe, you will see the glory of God.”  Jesus Christ is clearly saying, today you will behold the glory of the Father and the Son and experience the greatest miracle of raising someone from the dead.

Jesus command, “Lazarus, come forth” isn’t a request it is Jesus command clearly spoken and heard by the people and even us today.  In the tomb, made for him and for his final resting place, Lazarus had been laid, but Jesus Christ Master over the very tomb that held Lazarus and even of death outside of the cave that had only moments before had a stone covering it, now bid Lazarus to arise.  Jesus radically changed the paradigm and the place of rest, now became a place of resurrection.

The tomb where Lazarus laid in Bethany became the sight of the greatest miracle in Jesus ministry.  Changing water into wine at the wedding feast in Cana, feeding the 5000, walking on water, for some of us today is only idle talk and has little proof, but what occurred at the Cave where Lazarus was laid to rest is a test of our faith.  If we listen to the sound of common man, we have lost the opportunity to use the muscle of faith given to us in our baptism and no longer understand nor will experience the radical change that occurred outside of the cave that Lazarus was laid.

We are called to clearly lay claim to the Holy Scriptures and look to this cave, not as a place of death, but where Jesus Christ offered life in order for His glory to be revealed.  By the words, “Lazarus, come forth” the bonds of death were released from Lazarus and we today have the opportunity to use our muscle of faith to glorify Jesus Christ for this miracle of faith.  For this miracle was one more point on the journey that Jesus walked to Golgotha and moved the Pharisees to seek His death.  But Jesus allowed this in order for a greater plan to be fulfilled, the plan of salvation.  Jesus plan was clear, come into this world and live a sinless life in order for all of mankind to be saved through His innocent death on Calvary for all of mankind, including all of us saints that are gathered here at Emmanuel ‘glorifying God’ during our Lenten pilgrimage.  AMEN.

Sermon 03062013 Wed. of Lent 3

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!  Glorious Heavenly Father, we come before You this morning/evening to learn and lean upon You.  Through Lazarus, Your servant, his death would not bring simple change, but radical revolution of Your Glory being revealed.  May we look for how Your love and our lives may be changed and reveal for us the greatest mystery of Your Glory being revealed in Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection for all of mankind, but especially for all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel during our Lenten pilgrimage.  AMEN.

In our countries history there are many great men, such as George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan.  History remembers these men because of their heroism, determination and zeal to do what was right in the face of opposition.  Yet, what is more revealing is not what they each individually or collectively did for our country, but a greater fact is that each of them had a role to play in the a greater plan of salvation that continues to unfold even to this very day.

This morning/evening we hear the story of a man named Lazarus in our series of People and Places of Lent.  Listen to the Apostle John as he tells the beginning of Lazarus story: (John 11:1-4)

11 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. ² It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. ³ So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” ⁴ But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”

It is very clear from what we heard that there is a greater purpose for Lazarus sickness and even his eventual death.  Yes it seems a little strange to hear Jesus say, “This sickness is not to end in death”, when after staying where he was, Lazarus in fact died.  But the reality is Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, Who helped form and shape the earth from its creation is Lord and Master even over death.

The greater significance is that the purpose for this sequence of events in the life of Lazarus is for a sole purpose, “so that the Son of God may be glorified.”  Our culture today has one notion and understanding of glory, it is of accolades in the newspaper or on television, medals hung around a persons neck, banners hung in the rafters of the Max Jones field house, fields being named in their honor and history books or memoirs being written in their honor after they have entered their eternal rest.  But the reality is that Lazarus sole purpose here on earth, his sole purpose in being sick and his death is in order that Jesus Christ, the Son of God may be glorified.

How could Jesus be glorified?  This is pointing directly to Golgotha.  This sequence of events in the life of Lazarus, who had two sisters, Mary and Martha that we know a lot about is a sequence of events that is to reveal the Glory of God.  It isn’t that Jesus Christ ruler over death will raise Lazarus from the dead, for He will do that.  It isn’t that Jesus waited to go see Lazarus, which He in fact did.  It isn’t that the disciples needed yet another miracle that was beyond their understanding.  This sequence of events with the sickness and death of Lazarus was meant to begin our journey to the Cross of Calvary and the eventual fulfillment of the plan of salvation.

The plan of salvation is simply that Jesus Christ came into this world to live, lead and die on the Cross of Calvary for the entirety of the sins of mankind.  Jesus Christ offers all who believe life and salvation because of His great love for each of us.  This love was manifest clearly in Jesus emotions over Lazarus, not because of His death, but because Jesus knew that when He raised Lazarus from the dead the wheels of destiny would continue to be set in motion that He would sacrifice Himself on the Cross of Calvary for all of mankind.  And in His sacrifice He would suffer for each and every one of our sins.  But in Jesus Christ suffering, He would be Glorified and thus fulfill the truth revealed to and for each of us from our text, that “the Son of Man would be glorfied.”  May we as we continue to journey through Lent begin to see and more fully understand the story of salvation offered for all of mankind, but especially for all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel ‘glorifying Jesus Christ’ on our Lenten pilgrimage.  AMEN.

Sermon 03032013 Sunday in Lent 3

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!  Merciful Father, we go to places that are said to have magical abilities to heal our ailments, but the truth is these places are only a focal point for us.  For You are the true healer of our souls.  Enable us to in faith call upon You for our needs and trust in the forgiveness offered by Jesus Christ for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel during this Lenten season.  AMEN.

It was not uncommon for wagons to enter towns out on the plains that had grown up as a result of the railroads.  To poor to travel via the horseless railways, the vendors that used wagons peddled tonics, trinkets, lotions and potions that claimed they could cure anything from athlete’s foot, to bad backs to heat rash to whooping cough.  Each salesman would enter town with signs and sales pitches that would convince people to give their last dollar in order to cure them of their malady.  Then as fast as the tonic was sold out, the people determined that they still had the disease or trouble, the vendor would slip out of town in the middle of the night.

Not unlike the vendors selling their tonics, today we will consider not a tonic, but a place, which appeared to have ‘magical abilities’.  Our place for consideration this morning in our series of People and Places of Lent is the Pool of Siloam.  Here from John 9: (John 9:1-12)

9 As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. ² And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” ³ Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him. ⁴ We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.” ⁶ When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes, ⁷ and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went away and washed, and came back seeing. ⁸ Therefore the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is not this the one who used to sit and beg?” ⁹ Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the one.” ¹⁰ So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?” ¹¹ He answered, “The man who is called Jesus made clay, and anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.” ¹² They said to him, “Where is He?” He *said, “I do not know.”

In our lesson this morning it is not that Jesus took dirt, spit on it and applied it to the blind man’s eyes.  The key is what he asked the man to do, “Go to Siloam and wash”.  Jesus knew what the outcome would be, but the man only had Jesus actions and instructions.

The man who was blind acted out of complete faith and followed Jesus instructions.  It is this, his having faith in Jesus Christ that healed the man, not his washing in Siloam, but his firm belief that if he did what Jesus said, he would be healed.

The Pool of Siloam simply was a place to get water.  Literally translated ‘Pool of the Sent’, Jesus Christ the Son of God, Sent from the Father is sending this man to wash in the ‘Pool of the Sent’.  But remember it is not the pool that is of importance, it is the command of Jesus for this man to go and wash that shows the faith of the man in Jesus.

Notice what happens afterwards the people begin to doubt and think he is not the man who was blind.  They doubted because they could not and did not see with eyes of faith, but this man used the muscle of faith we take for granted and exercised it by following Jesus command and thus received his sight.

We today are not unlike the people of little faith who question the man who received his sight.  When a genuine miracle occurs we try to explain things away, doubt that it could have really happened and question at every twist and turn in the road.  But what this man models for us today is that God is calling us to have faith in Him and His continuous action in our lives.  It isn’t about the Pool of Siloam, a well that we use to irrigate our crops, nor a snow storm that gives us some moisture.  We are called to have faith in God and His promises.

God is calling us to use the muscle of faith given in our baptism to rely and trust solely in Him for His divine providence.  When Jesus spit on the dirt and put the clay over the mans eyes, he didn’t step back and question what Jesus was doing, but in true trust and faith relied upon God.  We are called to do the same thing.  We are called to seek God, ask for what we need and then trust God will provide for us.

When we face the challenges of this life, there is but one way to handle them, fighting the temptation to handle them our way and in faith deciding to handle them God’s Way.  God is calling us to have faith in Him and trust Him to provide for us.  The blind man trusted Jesus Christ, went to the Pool of Siloam, washed and regained his sight.  He exercised his muscle of faith and handled things God’s way.  May we exercise our muscle of faith and rely solely upon God as we continue on our journey of the people and places of Lent that remind us of Jesus Christ coming to save all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel on our Lenten Pilgrimage.  AMEN.