12172014 Wednesday of Advent 3

No Sermon Audio - Due to Cancelled Service

December 17, 2014

What spices your life?

May the offering of our time to be in the presence of our Lord be a blessing not only for our lives, but also our souls as we prepare our hearts for the celebration of the entrance of the King of Kings!  AMEN.

One of the most cherished items I have as a Pastor here at Emmanuel, I received, not at my ordination, nor on an anniversary or milestone event in my life.  It isn’t something that takes up a lot of room.  But the significance of it brings full circle the last three weeks of our Advent Series.

We began talking about Gold and how we should offer, not materialistic things, but our very selves to God.  Last week we asked, what do you smell?  When frankincense was offered to Jesus Christ, it was a prophecy of His future as our High Priest.  And finally this evening we come to Myrrh.

For me as a Pastor, my most prized possession that I carry to minister to the saints of Emmanuel is the oil of anointing I have in a communion set bought for the church.  Anointing with oil is an ancient practice in the church that even the Apostles alluded to after Jesus return to heaven.  The Apostles would send the elders of the church to sick members to read scripture, but also make the sign of the Cross over their foreheads and hearts.  It was a clear reminder for the people that they were the redeemed children of God.

Not only were they redeemed, but the sick would have read to them from the Gospels, Psalms and sung hymns to remind them of their baptism into Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection.  This reminder is where the people of God are clearly connected, not only to the Apostles, but to the last gift given to Jesus Christ by the Magi.

For the Magi’s gifts, all three, Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh are important, but this last gift takes on special significance.  Myrrh was not only used as a means to make people’s clothes smell better, for they did not like our current culture take showers or baths every morning or evening.  But Myrrh was used by families specifically at a time of an individual’s life that was at the exact opposite of birth.  Myrrh was one of the spices used for embalming.

The Magi in inspiration from God brought the gift of Myrrh as a further prophecy of Jesus death.  Not only was this a foretelling of Jesus death, but for Jesus it was meant to be a clear reminder of His life as a sacrifice.  Jesus coming down from heaven was a clear sacrifice of epic proportions.  Jesus Christ chose to come to the earth, be born of a virgin, live in poverty, be baptized by John the Baptist, heal the sick and minister to the poor.  In Jesus Christ coming down from heaven He fulfilled the plan of salvation for all of mankind.  For in Jesus Christ being born in a manger and receiving the gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh, He received not only the gifts, but chose to die in order that we might live.

For this gift of Myrrh given by the Magi points clearly to His death over 30 years later.  And this gift was given not only as a reminder for them, but for us as well.  One day we will die.  But for we who have been baptized into Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection, death no longer has dominion over us.  Because of Jesus Christ, death no longer has sway over us, we are set free and this gift of Myrrh is the reminder for us of this fact as we gather here this last Wednesday night of Advent.

Recently, I visited one individual who certainly needs not only our prayer, but also the reminder of their baptism into Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection.  You see death is very close for them and my visits are the opportunity not only to remind them of God’s promises, but to retell why Jesus Christ came into this world in a lowly manger.  When I visit them there is one song that clearly reminds them of this fact and reality and I share it every time.  “Jesus loves me this I know”.  This song not only reminds them of Jesus love for them, but also of Jesus willingness to come in a lowly manger and receive the three gifts of the Magi of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh.

May we as we prepare for our celebration of Jesus birth, be reminded and comforted with the reality that we are only sojourners on this earth and the Gifts of the Magi are but reminders of another sojourner, Jesus Christ.  For He came to sacrifice Himself for us in order that we might have eternal life with Him in His kingdom.  And His gift to us of Himself was for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel on this last Wednesday of Advent in 2014.  AMEN.

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12182013 Advent 3 Wednesday Service

Sermon Audio

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

Let us pray, Lord Jesus Christ in Your taking on humanity, You chose to take human flesh and become man.  Because of Your choice our salvation comes in a lowly manger.  Enable us to embrace our humanity, but see our baptism into Your life, death and resurrection for all of mankind for our salvation for all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this Advent evening.  AMEN.

The hardest part for some is to become something we are not.  For Jesus Christ in His coming down from heaven, He took on our human likeness in a state of humiliation.  Previously He was King, Second Person of the Holy Trinity, helping to form and shape the world that we call home.  But in one moment Jesus Christ chose to enter into time in Human form and begin life as a baby in a manger.

But being wrapped in swaddling cloths was not the end, it was the beginning of the work of salvation that offers all of mankind including all of us gathered here tonight, life.  Simply it is not a life of ease, but more importantly it is a life that when we look to the Cross of Jesus Christ is of promise and ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ.  We find ourselves tonight only one week from our celebration of Jesus entrance into the world, but we are a lifetime away from when it actually occurred.  If we look through the eyes of an adult we rationalize what salvation means.  But if we look with the eyes of faith that a child has we know Christmas as wonder and majesty, full of excitement and anticipation.

The salvation that Jesus Christ offers us because of His coming in the manger is a work that isn’t like doing homework in math or English, driving a tractor planting or harvesting a crop, tearing a ceiling down here in the church, turning a wrench in a shop, shoveling out a grain bin, building or remodeling a house, working on books in an accountants office or the farm books, it is about the work of Jesus Christ coming to save mankind.  Jesus Christ comes to offer us eternal life by His humiliation.  Jesus Christ endured everything in His life here on earth as part of the work of salvation so we can be with Him in His Kingdom.  Jesus Christ endured this so we can have eternal life.  This is the salvation that is offered to each of us by Jesus Christ for all of mankind.

Jesus Christ offers us this gift of salvation, because He loves us and wants to share with us what He has prepared for us in His Kingdom in heaven.  In John’s Gospel, Jesus says something very profound that applies tonight for our salvation, (15:13)“¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”  This is the offer and work of salvation that Jesus Christ offers us with His entrance in the manger.  May we always remember this not for only a few, but for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this Advent evening.  AMEN.

12112013 Advent 2 Wednesday Service

Sermon Audio

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

Let us pray, Jesus Christ, Your office of Prophet, Priest and King helps us to understand why You came to save us.  Enable us to more fully understand it is not a position of authority, but a reality that You chose to come and set us free from sin, death and the devil.  May we be set free because of the promise of the Gospel You lived for each of us that we have been baptized into.  For this occurs not only for all of mankind, but for each of us gathered here at Emmanuel this Advent evening.  AMEN.

When I was a kid and was called to the office in school, my pulse quickened, my palms began to sweat and I was worried that I was in trouble for something I had done, said or been seen doing.  And I knew that my fear was not only for who I would meet in the office, which was usually the principal, but also for the punishment to be levied, and also when I would get home and honestly tell my parents I had been called to the office and gotten in trouble.  But as Christians, we tonight are gathered in a kind of office, not like the principals, but still an office we know as the church.  Yet, in this office we meet not a secretary to usher us to meet the principal and receive punishment, but we meet Jesus Christ in His Church to receive grace.

We gather this evening to hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ and what He has done for us on the Cross of Calvary.  God in His infinite wisdom has sent His Son to suffer for us and pay for our sins by His innocent death on Calvary.  Jesus Christ came to fulfill the three fold office of Prophet, Priest and King.  Not only did He prophecy about His own death, He offers us the forgiveness of sins as the Great High Priest and now reigns as King of the World seated at the Right Hand of God the Father.  Hence we look to the altar and see the Christ Candle as our reminder of not only where God is currently, but our preparing and looking forward to celebrating Jesus entrance in the manger and fulfillment of His offices.

Jesus Christ threefold office He holds is to fulfill the promises from the beginning of Genesis through Revelation.  But it also is for us to understand we hold an office as well as His children in His Kingdom.  Our office in and of itself is not royalty, but a true reminder that we are baptized into the Kingdom of God and now are partakers not only of the mysteries He reveals in His prophecy, but also partakers of the forgiveness of sins offered in Word and Sacrament and fulfilled with His being seated on the throne as King.  Our office is as Jesus Christ called children waiting for His promises to be fulfilled.  And our waiting is not only for His appearance in the manger, but our baptism into His life, death and resurrection.

The reality for us tonight is that though Jesus Christ held each of these offices, He came down from heaven and offered Himself in order that we might live with Him in His Kingdom.  This sacrifice is not only what we celebrate, but what God offers to us through Jesus Christ.  May we as we prepare for His Advent, truly understand God’s call is not only to fulfill the three fold office, but to die for all of mankind to set us free in our baptismal office to be with Him in His Kingdom.  This is the grace He offers all of mankind, but especially for all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this Advent night.  AMEN.

Sermon 02272013 Wed. of Lent 2

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!  Heavenly Father, You are Healer of our infirmities.  Enable us to understand that You heal our infirmities in order for Your Glory to be revealed.  For we are blind to the reasons for our infirmities, but You reveal Your Glory in order for us to rely solely upon You.  For You sent Your Son Jesus Christ to die in order to set us free from our sins for all of mankind, but especially all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel during our Lenten pilgrimage.  AMEN.

Here in Western Kansas one of the greatest challenges for an Easterner to grasp is that you can see 5, 10 and even 15 miles away.   Whether it is seeing Goodland from the Southern border of Sherman County, to being able to see, Edson, Ruleton or Kanorado, by just turning, the distances are measurable, but it is unbelievable to see that far.  For in the east where I grew up, you were lucky to see two blocks away for all the trees.

As we continue our series of the people and places of Lent, hear the story of Bartimaeus:

Mark 10:46-52 ⁴⁶ Then they *came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road. ⁴⁷ When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁸ Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” ⁴⁹ And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they *called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.” ⁵⁰ Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. ⁵¹ And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!” ⁵² And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.

 

For Bartimeaus, all he wanted to do was to “regain my sight!”  For an undisclosed period of time, Bartimaeus could only sit along the side of the road and beg.  He couldn’t work, he couldn’t earn a living, the only thing he could do was rely upon the generosity of strangers for food, handouts and the ability to survive.

But evidently, the stories had been told him that there was one who could give him more than just food, clothing or a warm place to stay.  And His name was Jesus Christ.  When Jesus who was leaving Jericho and probably had healed many people in the city of their infirmities and diseases was going by this blind beggar who could not see, of what possible benefit would or could Bartimaeus have in his calling out for Jesus Christ.

With eyes of faith that could not see to work, Bartimaeus called out to the only person he knew could help him.  Bartimaeus called out and the people tried to hush him, but he called all the louder, because he had heard that Jesus was the one Who could do something for him.  And Jesus question for him was simple, “What do you want Me to do for you?”  And his response is not to ask for riches or treasure, but simply, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!”  Bartimaeus didn’t say, only if You are able, in true faith, he believed that Jesus Christ could give back his sight.  Jesus responded, “Go, you faith has made you well.”  In this one moment, Bartimaeus didn’t receive his sight because of what he had done, but simply by his belief, his faith in what Jesus Christ was able to do for him.

We are no different today.  We are blinded by the ways of man and do not see nor exercise the gift of faith given to us in our baptism.  Bartimaeus exercised his muscle of faith in what Jesus Christ could do and modeled for us the use of our muscle of faith.  In our world today we have sickness that taxes our bodies, cancer, diabetes, arthritis, pneumonia, influenza and many other diseases as well as sickness of our souls like doubt, fear, anger or other emotions that make us toxic.  But God, through Jesus Christ heals us of all of these diseases, not in healing us like Bartimaeus, which was while here on earth, but Jesus heals us for all eternity.

In, through and by our baptism into Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection we are healed for eternity.  We are enabled to see and understand God is looking out for us and giving us the greatest gift of eternal life.  The gift of eternal life is not for the here and now, but promises us eternal life and our being with Jesus Christ in His kingdom for eternity.  As we journey through Lent, we continue to encounter people and places that point simply to what Jesus Christ can and does do for us.  Jesus Christ came into this world with one goal in mind, go to Calvary.  For on Calvary, He fulfills the plan of salvation that offers us eternal life.  That is the gift given and offered for us that we only see with the eyes of faith, like what Bartimaeus modeled for us in asking for his sight.  May we look with eyes of faith and on our Lenten pilgrimage call on God for the things that matter for eternity, for Jesus came not for a select few, but to offer life and salvation for all of mankind, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel on our Lenten pilgrimage.  AMEN.

Sermon 12052012 Advent 2 Mid-Week

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 Heavenly Father, You sent Your angel to proclaim the fulfillment of Elizabeth and Zacharias heartfelt desire for a child, but our human condition of doubt entered into the equation.  May we not doubt Your promises, but believe, for You are unchangeable in Your divine will to set us free from our sins by sending our Savior, Your Son, Jesus Christ.  May our hearts continue to be prepared for Jesus coming as foretold by John the Baptist, the son of Elizabeth and Zacharias for all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

In years past if someone were given the moniker “Pious”, it was usually greatly misunderstood.  If you were to use it in church circles, people considered that this person was ‘better’ than everyone else, even ‘closer to God’.  Yet tonight we encounter Elizabeth and Zacharias who were well known for their piety and devotion early in the New Testament.  Zacharias was devoted as a priest in the temple and Elizabeth was a good wife of her husband, both of them were good Jews.  Not unlike some couples today, Elizabeth and Zacharias wanted children and for years were not blessed with children’s pitter patter of little feet around the house.  They doubted they would ever have children.

Enter the angel of the Lord.  As we heard last week the angel while Zacharias was performing his priestly duties in the Temple saw the angel of the Lord.  And Zacharias was told of a child to be born to him and Elizabeth.  How does Zacharias respond, not with “Alleluia’s”, but with clear doubt saying, “How will I know this for certain?”  It is clear that Zacharias has human doubts and these cloud even the vision of an angel standing in front of him in God’s house around His altar.  Since Zacharias doubts even the angel of God, known as Gabriel, there are clear consequences that he will endure, he will be silent, unable to speak, but God though He could have, does not withdraw His promise through Gabriel of a son to be born to Elizabeth and Zacharias after such a long period of being childless.

We are no different today.  We have clear promises from God to us through His Word of the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Even when we doubt, God can and does accomplish His plans through us.  God still fulfills and reveals His glory to and for each of us today.  But there is a cost for our doubt, just as Zacharias found out in doubting the angel Gabriel and the plans of God.  We today sometimes doubt God’s potential provision, action and involvement here at Emmanuel, whether it was funding a Pastor full-time, getting enough money to make the church more energy efficient or even expanding the work of the church in the community, we honestly doubt God’s action and what can be done.  We pay the price for it, but in walking out in faith and not fear God will bless us and come in a most wonderful way.

For Elizabeth and Zacharias it would be the birth of their son, John the Baptist, who would herald the Savior by ‘preparing the royal highway’.  God still fulfilled His plan through these two pious servants for all of us today.  And God will fulfill His plan in the life of Emmanuel as well. 

We as God’s people are enabled by God to understand His divine will more fully as we tell and retell these stories of God’s action in the life of people like Elizabeth and Zacharias.  For we tonight continue to prepare our hearts, souls and spirits for the coming of the Savior Jesus Christ for all of mankind, not doubting God, but understanding that all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel are included in the preparation of our lives for the fulfillment of the promises of God of His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.  AMEN.

Sermon 11282012 Mid-Week Advent 1

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 our Heavenly Father, as we enter the Advent season, prepare our hearts for the entrance of Your Son and our Savior Jesus Christ.  The prophets foretold of His coming and we have heard the stories, but let our receipt of the story this year overcome us and grip us so we may embrace not only the story, but our Savior with new found passion and expectation.  We ask this trusting in the grace offered to all the characters of Advent, but especially Zacharias who speaks to us tonight for all of us saints here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

Recently we were in Colorado Springs visiting my brother and his family. My niece Abigail and her brother Ethan are great cousins, because they play with Sarah and treat her not only like part of the family, but as a big kid.  Well, Abigail’s room is on the top floor and I wanted to go and see what Sarah, Abigail and Ethan were getting into.  From the other side of the door, I could hear Sarah talking, so I quietly snuck up to the door and began to open it.  As soon as I had started pushing the door Sarah heard it and came to see what was happening with the door.  No sooner had I started to open it then she popped her head around it and I said, ‘boo’.  From the look in her eyes I could tell, she was not only startled, but gripped, not by fear, because she recognized me, but that innocent joy that children have.

This evening, unlike Sarah, we hear of a man named Zacharias.  He was not just a priest, but a man who would hear a promise made to him and his wife.  While completing his priestly duties around the altar of the Lord, “an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense.”  In Zacharias day and age, it was uncommon for angels to appear unless they had a specific purpose to fulfill given to them by God.  So at this time, “¹² Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him.”  Not like Sarah who knew her father by sight, Zacharias was fearful, because he did not recognize the angel of the Lord.

The angel spoke clearly and directly to the fear Zacharias felt saying, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John.”  This is the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation of mankind.  God through His holy angel is telling Zacharias that not only has God heard his petition, God is fulfilling His prayerful desire for his wife Elizabeth and him.

John, his son, who will be born to him and Elizabeth, “will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb. ¹⁶ And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God.”  This promise of John’s birth is not just a fulfillment of a promise, but has a purpose ordained by God.  The angel continues about John, “¹⁷ It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.””  John has his work cut out for him, John will come before the promised Messiah to turn the heart of man and prepare the people for the Lord.  That is his job, his calling and his purpose.

But of what consequence is that for us today this Advent 2012?  You see Zacharias for some is an inconsequential character, but for us today he models clearly that God can, does and will answer our prayers.  When our desires and prayers are for God’s glory, God reveals to us not only His foreknowledge of what would occur, but how God reveals and makes happen the plans for all of humanity of what His Son and our Savior Jesus Christ would fulfill with His birth in Bethlehem.  John was not only a ‘forerunner’, but a ‘banner bearer’ of Jesus Christ.  John’s birth was to come before Jesus and prepare the people for the message of salvation that they would hear, see and experience in Jesus Christ.  Just as farmers prepare the soil for planting the winter wheat, spring corn or any crop, John came to prepare the soil of our hearts for the coming of the Savior.  And here and now Zacharias was the recipient of the promise made to him by the angel of the Lord.  Hence we tonight, who have heard this message again, can begin to break the dry dusty ground of our hearts and prepare our hearts, souls and spirits for the coming of the Messiah for all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this evening, just as  Zacharias heart was opened to the fulfillment of his petition.  This is the promise through Zacharias that we are a part of because of our baptism into Jesus Christ birth for all of us saints gathered here this evening.  AMEN.

Sermon 04062012 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, Lord Jesus Christ, just as our altar is stripped and bare, You hang naked on the Cross in order to bear our sins.  May we bear our souls and feel Your love surround us as we look to the Cross.  For You bore our sins and died this Good Friday in order to set all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel free from our sins.  Thank You for this gift of eternal life through Your death.  AMEN.

From our text this evening, we hear how Jesus Christ our suffering servant bears the sins of many.  Here from Isaiah:

¹² Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors;
Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.

Tonight we gather around an altar that is bare.  Tonight we see the black of the cloth draped on the Cross.  Tonight we mourn because we know what happened on Good Friday.  Jesus Christ in the last 24 hours has been stripped of all humanity.  He was taken by force from the Garden, beaten in the Jewish courts and now as He hung on the Cross at Golgotha, He is naked for all to see.  Jesus Christ humanity is revealed for all to see.  People revile Jesus Christ, taunt Him and He is there to bear every insult every burden everything and anything anyone can dish out upon Him.

For Jesus Christ was nailed to the Cross.  Jesus Christ endured the nails through His hands and feet.  The Roman soldiers not known for being gentle forced the nails through His flesh with blow after blow.  Jesus Christ blood flowed from the wounds of the nails.  And now the full weight of Jesus Christ body hung from the nails through His flesh.  But it was more than just Jesus Christ weight.  Jesus Christ in being nailed to the Cross was held there by the sins we commit.  Jesus Christ chose to stay on the Cross, pinned by our sins and the sins of the entire world.  Jesus Christ chose this for a divine purpose.

Jesus Christ fulfilled the divine purpose of setting us free from our sins.  For Jesus Christ bore our sins and died for all of mankind.  Jesus Christ fulfilled the divine plan of salvation in His death on the Cross for You and for me.  Tonight is difficult for us, unlike the disciples who saw their teacher hang from the Cross, dead and never expected to see again, we know a different truth.  We know Jesus Christ has fulfilled the plan of salvation.  We have been grafted into the promise of forgiveness and eternal life through Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection.  For the plan of our salvation began its fulfillment in the Garden of Eden, was seen in the betrayal in the Garden of Gethsemane and now is fulfilled on Golgotha for You and for me and all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this evening.  AMEN.

Sermon 03282012 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, Lord Jesus Christ, You were led to be crucified between two thieves on Golgotha.  You had led a sinless life, but for our iniquities You suffered and died to set us free from sin, death and the devil.  May we understand Your sacrifice fulfilled the plan of salvation and freed we Your sinful children from the wickedness of the devil.  For You chose death in order to free all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel from our sins.  AMEN.

The prophet Ezekiel provides for us a clear understanding how we should approach our meditation this evening.  With the understanding that the book of Ezekiel was “to explain why God’s glory departed from Israel and how His glory would return”, Ezekiel in prophecy, but also truth says that God “does not have pleasure in the death of the wicked”.  Yet tonight our text from Isaiah clearly says that Jesus Christ was among the wicked.

Hear from Isaiah how Jesus Christ, our suffering servant is numbered among the wicked.

⁹ His grave was assigned with wicked men, Yet He was with a rich man in His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth.

It is clear that Jesus Christ was crucified with the wicked.  Sentences of death for criminals was more common in Biblical times and the two thiefs on the cross on Jesus right and left had apparently been sentenced for their crimes.  They were wicked men.  And Jesus Christ though innocent of any sin, became sin and took our wickedness upon Himself and suffered for each of us.  For Jesus “had done no violence” that deserved death, Jesus Christ had not broken any law, but chose to take upon Himself our sin and be numbered among the wicked.

For Jesus Christ had done no sin in the eyes of man nor in the eyes of God.  Being completely sinless, Jesus Christ innocence was irrefutable.  Jesus Christ had not broken any of the 10 Commandments that Moses had brought down from God.  Jesus Christ intent was to preach and proclaim the ultimate fulfillment of the law of God.  As Ezekiel had told, God’s Glory would be revealed through His innocent death on the Cross of Calvary for the sins, not of Israel alone, but for the entirety of mankind of all time and all place.  Jesus Christ would bear the burden of mankind on the Cross and pay the full ransom of all by His death on Calvary by His perfect life of committing no sin.

And Jesus suffered on the Cross of Calvary for you and for me.  He bled innocent blood from the wounds of His hands and feet, side and back for you and for me.  Jesus Christ endured the shame of being cast among the wicked, jeered by the crowds, spit upon as He carried His Cross for you and for me.  Jesus Christ could have called down legions of angels to protect Him, but in humility and a life of grace suffered a painful death, for you and for me.

For this was the plan of salvation complete in the simple, yet profound act of the Word of God incarnate in the flesh of Jesus Christ.  Jesus Christ taken on this journey between rulers  and the Cross kept silent and bore our grief’s and cares, though He was marred, despised, forsaken and afflicted was questioned, but endured scourging, bruising, piercing and having our iniquity and sin fall upon Him.  But in true servant fashion, Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world, but by being cast among the wicked, saved us from our wickedness and through His death on the Cross of Calvary for the entire world, offers all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel eternal life.  AMEN.

Sermon 03212012 Wednesday of 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, just as the lamb is silent before its shearers, You suffered the entirety of our sins silently without utterance.  You modeled for us the true nature of a suffering servant, innocent and enduring for the atonement of our sins for all of us gathered here at Emmanuel this evening.  AMEN.

King Solomon, great Old Testament character and author offered the world and the church some great gems of wisdom in the book of Ecclesiastes.  Some of these gems have been used for funerals, times of triumph and times of tragedy about human life and how sometimes we quote ourselves, “vanity of vanities, all is vanity” when we have been disillusioned about our experiences in life.  One set of statements included in Ecclesiastes concerns God’s plan for the world, but how God’s plan is not fully revealed to us.  Solomon wrote the ‘time statements’, one of the most appropriate for us to consider tonight.  It reads, “A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak” (Ecc. 3:7).  This simple statement reveals to us what the Character of Jesus Christ our suffering servant was as He endured from His capture to the brutal end on the Cross of Calvary.

Hear our text for this evening from Isaiah who writes:

 ⁷ He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth.

Jesus Christ was silent throughout His trial and did not open His mouth.  Jesus Christ could have easily turned the words of His accusers and refuted their claims, but “He did not open His mouth”.  Jesus Christ was quiet and did not utter a single word to refute, but endured the pain of the wounds, the torture of the soldiers, the hurled insults of the crowd, the ridicule of the masses.  Jesus Christ endured our sins, what we deserved to be crucified on the Cross for, because of His great love for you and for me.

Jesus Christ is the innocent lamb.  “Like a lamb that is led to slaughter”, Jesus Christ fulfilled the acclamation of John the Baptist who called Him the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”  Jesus Christ chose to feel the lashes of the whips, the nails being driven through His hands and feet and the mocking of the people in order to model for each of us what Solomon said, “a time to keep silence”, for this was His calling, His divine purpose and His love made manifest on the Cross of Calvary for you and for me.

For in Jesus Christ fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy of being afflicted for our sins, not opening His mouth, being led like a lamb led to the slaughter and not opening His mouth, Jesus Christ atones for our sins and the sins of the entire world.  Perfect Man Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, both God and Man endured and atoned for the entire world.  In Confirmation we talk about this word, “Atonement”, we break it apart and understand it to mean, Jesus Christ through His silent suffering makes us “At – ONE – Ment” with God the Father.  Jesus Christ reconciled us with the Father and through our baptism into Jesus Christ life and death; we are also grafted into His resurrection.  Death no longer has dominion over us and Satan no longer has dominion over us.  We have been set free as Children of our Heavenly Father, redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ.

Hence, Jesus Christ Who was silent as our lamb, was marred, despised and forsaken, bore our griefs and cares and was afflicted in order to quiet the Kings who asked the question, ‘Who has believed’, even endured scourging, bruising piercing having our iniquity and sin fall upon Him on the cross in order to offer to all of us gathered here at Emmanuel today eternal life.  For Jesus did not come to condemn the world, but in silence saved the world through His death on the Cross of Calvary for the entire world, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this morning.  AMEN.

Sermon 03142012 Wednesday 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, Lord Jesus Christ, on the way to the cross Your body was scourged, our sins crushed You and Your body was pierced to fulfill scripture.  Yet, Your aim was the fulfillment of scripture and the plan of salvation being fulfilled through Your innocent death on the Cross.  Without Your sacrifice, our sins would still bind us, but You have set all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel free from the bonds of sin, death and the devil through Your death on Calvary for each and every one of us.  AMEN.

With the advent of television and with the advances in the theater where we enjoy cinematic masterpieces in vibrant color and surround sound, another industry has grown.  Using CGI and special effects one recent movie, sacrificed a character’s actual physique in order to show his transformation.  In the movie Captain America, when the main character, Steve Rogers is introduced, he is a ‘scrawny’ asthmatic kid that is all of 98lbs soaking wet.  After being transformed he is muscular, athletic and taller due to the effects of the medicine.  During the final scenes during World War II, Captain America models what sacrifice really means.  After overtaking “Hydra” and the airplane destined for the United States with weapons of mass destruction, the only way to protect and defend his homeland is to ditch the airplane in the cold arctic.  Thus as the epitome of the soldier he was created to be, Steve sacrifices himself in order to defend the land that he loves and protect the woman he has fallen in love with.

In tonight’s reading from Isaiah, we hear how in real life our suffering servant Jesus Christ sacrifices Himself and endures a painful journey from the hands of the Jews to the Cross on Calvary.  Our text reads:

⁵ But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed.

Unlike today, torture during Bible times defied our present definition and understanding of torture.  Jesus Christ was scourged.  Scourging would occur by tying a person to a stand and then taking a rod or cord of leather that might include sharp metal tips and lashing the person.  According to scripture, the legal number of ‘scourges’ that was not considered a death sentence was 39, 16 on the front and 23 on the back, but Jesus Christ endured one more, for a total of forty of these blows as part of His sentence on the way to being crucified on the cross.

Not only did Jesus endure the scourging, He was crushed for our sins.  In and through His suffering on the cross, Jesus Christ over His entire body suffered at the hands of the Romans and all of the bystanders who wanted to hit Him on His journey to the cross.  Remember the Roman cohort, blindfolded Him and hit Him and asked Him to prophesy who it was that was hitting Him.  The soldiers were legally allowed to take out their aggression and hatred for being away from their families on the Person Who was being crucified.  But what they did not realize and we only realize because of the prophets like Isaiah is that Jesus Christ endured this in order that our sins, our daily turning our face away from God would be borne by the innocent God made Man, Jesus Christ.  It was His suffering, being bruised and crushed for our sins that would give you and me eternal life.

And yet, it did not stop with Jesus body being scourged, or His appearance being marred, but even after Jesus had died on the cross, His very body and soul was pierced.  Since Jesus had already given up His Spirit with the words, “It is finished”, and died, the soldiers fulfilled scripture by not breaking a bone in His body.  They instead took a lance and pierced His side to insure Jesus Christ was dead.  And immediately, blood and water flowed from His side, symbolizing for us both of the Sacraments, Holy Baptism, which we celebrated tonight, and the Sacrament of the Altar, where we receive His Precious Body and Blood.  Thus, Jesus Christ was pierced for our transgressions.   Jesus Christ innocent Man Who was God died in order to set us free from our sins.

The message of salvation offered to us through Jesus Christ innocent death on the Cross for you and for me, frees us from our sins.  Jesus Christ Who was marred, despised and forsaken, bore our griefs and cares and was afflicted in order to quiet the Kings who asked the question, ‘Who has believed’?  Jesus Christ even endured scourging, bruising and ultimately being pierced after death in order to offer to all of us gathered here at Emmanuel tonight eternal life.  For Jesus did not come to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him and His death on the Cross of Calvary for the entire world, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this evening.  AMEN.

Sermon 03072012 Wednesday of Lent 2

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 were despised by the Pharisee’s and Saducee’s for revealing the true message of salvation found through You.  The disciples Whom God had placed in Your hand forsook You in the Garden and cowered behind closed doors.  Yet, the plan of salvation was completed in and through Your life, death and resurrection for all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel this evening.  AMEN.

In the movie “Despicable Me”, Gru, the criminal mastermind whom every criminal wants to be, is portrayed at the beginning of the film as a person that no one likes.  For myself, I didn’t want to see this movie.  I despised the sinister characterization of criminals and felt it was a waste of my time, our family’s money and was not worth letting my daughter see this movie.  Truthfully, I thought the title said it all, “Despicable Me”.  And you know what, my ignorant attitude is what was despicable, not the movie.

For us tonight we encounter Isaiah’s reading of the suffering servant, Jesus Christ, as despised and forsaken.  Isaiah wrote:  ³ He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Isaiah in this the fourth servant song clearly prophesies that Jesus Christ will be despised and forsaken.  When Jesus Christ is arrested, the arresting officers and company of soldiers treat Him with ridicule and derision.  Jesus own disciples forsake Him in the Garden and run away in great fear of being caught up in the ‘mess’ that is about to occur.  Yet this is exactly what Jesus told them would happen and what Isaiah prophesied approximately 750 years prior to the events in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Isaiah through the Work of the Holy Spirit clearly understood that Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, True God and True Man would be despised and forsaken.  Jesus Christ would walk the path to His own crucifixion alone.

Not only would Jesus walk this path alone, but He would feel fully the grief and pains we experience today on a daily basis.  Jesus Christ alone in the Praetorium would not open His mouth to defend Himself.  Jesus Christ would not call down the legions of Angels sworn to serve Him, because He understood He had to suffer at the hands of the rulers and feel the human emotion of grief, because of His Humanity in order to suffer for all of us.  Jesus Christ in feeling the pains of grief that we have reconciles us with His Father in Heaven for the entirety of the sins of mankind, including me and you.  Jesus Christ became Human, experienced grief of epic proportions in order that we may be set free and given the gift of eternal life.  Jesus Christ chose this life for each and every one of us because of His great love for mankind.

Jesus Christ endured the inhumanity of His crucifixion and also endured our turning our face away from Him.  Just as the disciples forsook Jesus in the Garden, we today forsake Jesus enduring as the suffering servant when we say, we are sinless and perfect and do no wrong.  When we treat people shamefully and see no wrong in how we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ our actions turn us away from Jesus Christ the suffering servant and we no longer face the Cross of Calvary.  Our turning away from Jesus and not facing Him and our need of a Savior, says that His death is not necessary to save us. 

But the truth is we need Jesus Christ, because He was innocent and He chose to endure Hell here on earth to save us from our sins.  Jesus Christ chose the Cross of Calvary for the entire world, especially for each and every one of us gathered here at Emmanuel this evening because of His great love, for you and for me.  Jesus Christ chose to come down from heaven, be lifted upon the cross, be marred in appearance, to quiet kings, inspire belief in the message of salvation and be despised and forsaken in order for all of us saints here at Emmanuel to be saved.  That is the Gospel message that the suffering Servant Jesus Christ was despised and forsaken for the entire world and for all of us saints here at Emmanuel this evening.  AMEN.

Sermon 02292012 Wednesday of Lent 1

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, at Your name every knee will bow and every tongue confess Your are Lord.  The Gospel message of Your coming into this World and dying for our sins is clear, but the impact Your message has on Kings and Rulers baffles the mind.  May we be equally affected and clearly hear that the Gospel is for each and every one of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

Reality shows have been around since television began.  When I was a child, I remember seeing a court show entitled, “The People’s Court” with Judge Wampner.  Yes, today we have “Judge Judy” and others that try and resolve issues outside of the ‘courts’, but as public entertainment.  If you have watched any shows like this, you have seen when some defendants or plaintiffs come and are very disrespectful and will not be quiet, even talking back to the judge.  But what always occurs is that the judge has both the power and authority to force the person to be quiet.

In tonight’s text from Isaiah we hear of the power and authority of the suffering servant, Jesus Christ.  Hear Isaiah’s words: “¹⁵ Thus He will sprinkle many nations, Kings will shut their mouths on account of Him; For what had not been told them they will see, And what they had not heard they will understand.”

Isaiah prophesied this about Jesus Christ the suffering servant.  The text reads ‘sprinkle’ and I have also heard ‘startled’, both have the indication that Jesus Christ has the power and the authority to silence Kings and anyone in authority and they will understand.  This power is derived from Jesus Christ being God, Second Person of the Trinity and King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  Jesus Christ in startling or sprinkling the nations takes His role as King clearly and with unmatched and unquestionable power and authority over all nations.

Jesus Christ message has no equal.  The message Jesus Christ brings is of salvation for all of mankind.  Jesus Christ came down from heaven to earth to be born in a stable, grow up the son of a carpenter, be driven into the wilderness and tempted and tested by Satan, to perform miracles of healing, casting demons out, feeding the thousands and making people whole.  Jesus Christ came to suffer the torment of our sins at the hands of the Jewish leaders and the Roman soldiers and to be hung on a cross in the greatest humiliation for you and for me.  Jesus Christ came to die on the Cross of Calvary, be buried and on the third day, rise from the dead.  For this was the plan of salvation and the great message of Jesus Christ for all of mankind.

The truth is that the message of Salvation Jesus Christ brings for each of us sets us free.  We having been baptized into His life, death and resurrection are set free from the bonds of sin that bind us daily.  Jesus Christ sets us free since we are His children.  Jesus Christ signed, sealed and delivered us the promise of salvation as the suffering servant, not only as the sacrifice for our sins, but He chose this to quiet the Kings and Rulers of our day who believe they are god.

Jesus Christ is the real God Who did this because of His great love for us.  Jesus Christ is the suffering servant Who was exalted, marred and quiets all of the doubters of our world.  For Jesus Christ the suffering servant came into this world not to condemn the world, but that the entire world through His life, death and resurrection would be saved, including all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

Sermon 02222012 Ash Wednesday

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 as God’s only Son, You came to serve Him and bring salvation unto us all.  As we remember Your life here on earth, may we understand that without Your being lifted up and exalted, the plan of Salvation would not have been fulfilled.  But through Your sacrifice, we are grafted into the promise of eternal life for all of the Saints gathered here at Emmanuel.  AMEN.

Tonight, Ash Wednesday, as we embark upon our journey through the season of Lent Isaiah the great prophet of the Old Testament will be our guide and he will help us understand, explore and learn more  how Jesus Christ is seen and understood to be the suffering servant. 

Raising a daughter that likes Alvin and the Chipmunks can be challenging.  With the addition of the Chipettes now there are both guy and girl Chipmunks.  In the second movie, entitled, “The Squeakuel” Alvin, joins the football team as the ‘secret weapon’.  On the very last play of an away game, Alvin is used to score the winning touchdown that ‘wins’ the game for the Eagles.  As they carry him off the field, he is placed on top of a football and Alvin’s comment is that he is ‘king of the world’, being exalted as the one who won the game for Eastman High.  Tonight’s passage is taken from Isaiah 52:13, “Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.”  Unlike Alvin who was lifted upon the football and exalted as the one who won the game, Jesus Christ is God’s Son and servant Who will be exalted when He is lifted up on the Cross of Calvary for you and for me.

First, Jesus Christ is God’s Son.  We confess this in the Apostle’s, Nicene and Athanasian Creed’s.  Our confession is clear, Jesus Christ is the only Son of the Father and came down from heaven to earth with one purpose in mind, to fulfill the plan of salvation for all of mankind.

Second, Jesus Christ came to fulfill the plan of salvation by serving at God the Father’s pleasure.  As the second person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ came as Romans 13:4 says, as “God’s servant for our [your] good.”  Jesus Christ came to fulfill all righteousness and serve at God’s the Father’s pleasure.

Lastly, what was required?  That Jesus Christ innocent Man, Who is God and God’s only Son, will be exalted.  In going to the Cross of Calvary to make atonement for our sins, Jesus Christ humbles Himself and as Jesus reminds us in both Matthew and Luke, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted”.  And Jesus exaltation requires His suffering as a humble servant and enduring the humiliation and dying an innocent death on Calvary for the sins of mankind.  For Jesus Christ is the suffering servant Whom Isaiah prophesied about and our Lenten messages will look deeper at how Jesus Christ is exalted for all of us saints gathered here at Emmanuel during this Lenten season as our suffering servant.  AMEN.