Sermon for Pentecost 4: "Calming the Storms" (Mark 4:35-41)

 

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen! Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[Intro]

As a ship is nearing a coast, or just entering a harbor, oftentimes a maritime pilot is ready if that ship’s captain is in need of assistance. Although ship captains have a lot of sea experience, they don’t always know the local hazards just off a coast or in a harbor when a sudden storm emerges.

In the event of a sudden storm, a maritime pilot comes on board via a small boat or is lowered from a helicopter and takes over the ship with the captain’s permission. What makes these pilots so skilled is that they know the immense details of the local waterways, such as the depth, the currents, the hazards, as well as the expertise in handling ships of all types and sizes.

They know what to do to get the ship to safe harbor when the weather suddenly changes.

Today on this Fourth Sunday after Pentecost, Jesus and His disciples find themselves aboard a boat during a great windstorm with waves breaking into the boat as it begins to fill with water. But by His powerful Word, Jesus calms not just the storm brought on by the sea, but also the storm in the disciples’ hearts.

[God Rested]

“On that day, when evening had come, [Jesus] said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side’ (of the Sea of Galilee). And leaving the crowd (as He continued to teach), (the disciples) took Him with them in the boat” (Mark 4:35).

Now, this day was a long day for Jesus. Jesus was exhausted. Earlier in the day, He healed a leper, He healed a centurion’s servant, He healed Peter’s mother-in-law, He cured demon-possessed people, and He healed many from various diseases and illnesses (Matthew 8:1-22).  Although Jesus is fully God, He is still fully human, and He needed His rest.

This tired condition is what caused Jesus to say: “Let us go across to the other side (of the sea)” (Mark 4:35). In time, Jesus began to rest and He soon fell asleep on a cushion.

Now, Jesus was familiar to rest. You see, even before He took upon Himself our human flesh, He rested. He rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:1-3) after He – with the Father and the Holy Spirit – had created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them: the waters, the dry land, the plants, the stars, the angels, the water creatures, the land creatures (Genesis 1:1-31).

In fact, in our Old Testament reading, this is what the triune God spoke to Job about. You see, when Job was experiencing his personal storm – his doubts – as he questioned the Creator of the heavens and the earth, God comforted him and said to Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Who determined its measurements – surely you know! Who laid its cornerstone? Who shut in the sea with doors when it burst out from the womb, when I made the clouds its garment? Who prescribed limits for it and said, ‘Thus far you come, and no farther’?” (Job 38:1-11)

Like Job, we fail to understand the known and unknown, the seen and unseen, but God is always there to comfort us in our good times and bad times as we turn to His Word as revealed in the Scriptures and in the Sacrament.

[The Storm]

For the disciples, this boat trip upon the Sea of Galilee was about to go from calm to stormy.

Suddenly, “a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling” (Mark 4:37).

Now, storms are entirely in keeping with the topography. Since the Sea of Galilee is about 700 feet below sea level and lies between high hills, so sudden squalls would often come roaring through and would churn up waves to a height like those in much larger bodies of water. But some may wonder, could there be something more going on here? After all, Jesus is resting from a long day of healings. So, this might indicate that the storm and the raging seas constitute an attack by spiritual forces opposed to God. We don’t know this for a fact, but it may cause us to wonder: is there something more going on here?

As the storm was raging, Jesus was fast asleep. So, in this hour of danger the disciples woke Him saying, “Save us, Lord!” (Matthew 8:25b) “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38c)

Some questions may arise: Weren’t some of these disciples expert fishermen who must have gone through similar furious storms on the lake? And: wasn’t Jesus inexperienced in handling a boat? Why, then, did they come to Jesus?

Though their faith was not perfect, they did reveal faith in this hour. They do seem to think that Jesus is special and that He can help. Although at this time, they do not fully understand who He is, what He is truly like, and what He is all about, but they turn to Jesus and rely on His power to help.

Immediately, Jesus arose from His cushion and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “‘Peace! Be still!’ And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm” (Mark 4:39). Just as it was in this morning’s Introit from Psalm 107, as those men were crying to the Lord, Jesus delivered them by calming the storm and the waves. As was declared by the Psalmist and as He spoke to Job, it is only God who is able to control nature, including the wind and the sea. It is the Lord Himself, Jesus Christ, who has the power to command the wind and calm the waves.

You see, God’s spoken Word is performative, that is, when God speaks, things happen. Just as it was in the beginning, when God spoke, “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3), there was light. It was through the power of His voice that God created the heavens and the earth. And, when Christ said, “Follow Me” to His future apostles, they never thought about it, they each immediately dropped everything and followed Him. So, when God speaks, things happen.

Now, some people these days have the idea that they have the power to control the wind and the sea. They say, “If we only change this or that” in our lives, the climate would improve. The thing is, only God has this power. By saying they have power to control the future of climate, they are really claiming God’s authority. Now, we should care for our environment, as God said to our first parents, “Subdue (the earth), and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:28), but we only have the authority to preserve the earth. We don’t have the authority to save the earth. We don’t have the authority to control the weather. Only God has this power. This is why the disciples asked, “Who is this, that even wind and sea obey Him?” (Mark 4:41)

After Jesus calmed the sea, He spoke to His disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:40) Now, they had enough faith to wake up Jesus, but their faith was far from perfect. Yes, they woke Him up, but they do not have a faith that rests confidently in Jesus. You see, the disciples still worry very much about their welfare as they said, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38), even though their Lord is present with them.

Now, what if Jesus did not wake up? Or, what if Jesus had not been in the boat with them when the windstorm arrived? Would the disciples have had a right to be terrified? Remember, Jesus had taught them – as He teaches us the same – “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34). So, no matter what, Jesus teaches us that by grace through faith in Him alone, we always stand in the Father’s constant, loving care, so that we have no need to fear or to worry.

Yet, we do fear and worry. We worry as Job worried. We worry as the disciples worried. We worry about the unknown. We worry about the unseen. It seems like we are catechized and trained to worry. Causing worry is big business for some. Turn on the evening news. Read the headlines in today’s newspaper. We are catechized each and every day to worry.

But even if the disciples had drowned in that stormy water, they still would have had no cause to fear. So even in the hour of death, God the Father would not forsake them. So, with that promise comes the assurance that there is no cause for fear since we have eternal life. In Christ, we all have this same promise and assurance!

[The Calm]

As the sinful world around us tosses us all around, God the Father comes to us to brings us back to safety. This is what He accomplished for us by sending His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to bear our sins and be our Savior as He willingly suffered and died for our sins upon the cross. He did this to save us from the power of sin, eternal death, and Satan. He did this so we would receive – by grace through faith in Christ alone – forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation!

This is the meaning of Christ calming the storm. He calmed to storm to establish Himself as the ruler of the wind and sea. He is truly the only divine Savior, who has unlimited grace and power to save lost sinners.

By Jesus calming the storm that day may have another meaning. We may think of the church as a boat, the disciples as believers as they are navigating the sea of life, the wind and the waves as the storms of life, the pleas of the disciples as the prayers of believers for help, and Jesus as the Lord of both the church and the world. The meaning being that the Lord of the Church, though seemingly to be asleep and uncaring about what His people are enduring, will arise in due time to bring them salvation.

This is what happens here in the Divine Service! He comes to us to calm our hearts as He speaks to us His sure and certain Word and gives us forgiveness and strength for our weak faith through His Means of Grace – in Word and Sacrament.

Christ speaks to us today with the same power He spoke creation into being. He speaks to us today with the same power He calmed the stormy sea. He speaks to us today saying, “Your sins are forgiven.” He speaks to us today saying, “Take, eat. This is My body, which is given for you. Take, drink. This cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” This is Christ speaking. He is speaking to us as He calms our personal storms.

It has been said that Jesus calmed two storms that day: the one in the disciples’ hearts and the other raging in nature. Jesus reproved the winds and the waves saying, “Peace! Be still!” (Mark 4:39b) Here we see Jesus exercising the same power with which He created the world and the same power with which He also saved the world. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T

Funeral Sermon: "The Lord Provides" (Psalm 23, John 10: 7-16)

 

Michelle, family and friends of Rosalie:

Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

[Intro]

Jesus said: “I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know Me, just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay my life for the sheep” (John 10:14-15).

Rosalie was a caregiver. As a nurse, she cared for many people at Litchfield Hospital and at Glencoe Hospital. In her later years, she continued her care as she worked in the housekeeping department at Glencoe Hospital. And, most importantly, she was a caregiver to her parents.

All that while, Rosalie was being cared for by the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and He continues to care for her to this day. In fact, he cares for each one of us today and every day of our life, in this life and in the heavenly life to come!

A couple of the most recognizable portions of God’s Word are Psalm 23 and John 10. These words from our Lord are known by both Christians and non-Christians alike. Another portion of God’s Word that is as recognizable as our texts this morning is the Gospel in a nutshell, John 3:16.

So, why is this?

Well, Psalm 23 and John 10 are full of comfort and assurance. In a world that is full of distress and doubt, these words from our Lord give us hope in that He leads us, in that He is always present, and that He provides forever.

[The Lord Leads]

“The Lord is my shepherd;
   I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
   He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
   He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:1-3).

In the first three verses of Psalm 23, we hear how the Good Shepherd leads us. The Good Shepherd cares for all the needs of His flock. In doing so, He cares for every human need: physical, emotional, and spiritual.

Under the care of the Good Shepherd, we shall not want. Now, this doesn’t mean that we will never have any desires. Rather, all of our needs are met. The Good Shepherd supplies the basics through His daily bread: food, drink, and protection.

Each day of our life and in the life to come God provides for us abundantly. He leads us to “lie down in green pastures” (Psalm 23:2a). These green pastures are His Means of Grace – Word and Sacrament – where He provides us pasture and sustenance, so that we may be refreshed and strengthened so that we get stronger and stronger in the one true Christian faith.

The Good Shepherd also “restores [our] soul” (Psalm 23:3a). Christ tells us: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). You see, He restores our soul as He sacrifices His life for His sheep – you and me.

The Good Shepherd also leads us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. This path of righteousness is “the right path.” You see, Jesus will never lead us to a place of slaughter. He leads us to eternal life and salvation. Along the way, He leads us along safe paths to heaven through His Word. He leads us to heaven, for the Good Shepherd is the only Way (John 14:6) to travel the righteous path.

[The Lord is Present]

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
   Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

Even in the most frightening situation in our life, the Good Shepherd is present. So, we can always be confident of God’s guiding presence.

Even in “the valley of the shadow of death,” the Good Shepherd is with us. He is always present with us. The Good Shepherd never sends His sheep into places He will not go. He is always with us in our lives today and in the life to come!

For Rosalie, the Good Shepherd first came to her in the waters of Holy Baptism on January 9, 1944. As soon as she heard the words of her pastor, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” the Holy Spirit gave her the ability to believe in Jesus as her Lord and Savior and Good Shepherd.

Although, the Good Shepherd was always present with her, it was here that the Good Shepherd announced His presence to her.

[The Lord Provides Forever]

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
   Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
   and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:5-6).

These verses tell how the Good Shepherd always provides for His sheep.

He prepares a table before us. This shows how the Good Shepherd is hospitable to His sheep. The Good Shepherd not only gives us our daily bread – all the needs of our body, such as food, clothing and shelter – but He also gives us the gift of His very Body and very Blood in the Lord’s Supper for the forgiveness of our sins and to strengthen our weak faith.

The “cup runneth over” is the grace that we have received by faith in Jesus Christ. For although we were dead in sin, He took on the death we deserve upon the cross, so that we would be made righteous by grace through faith in Him. For although we sin much in thought, word and deed, God’s grace is the cup that is always runneth over. So, when we repent and confess our sins, we are forgiven.

The Good Shepherd gives all who believe in Him this goodness and mercy all their lives.

[Dwelling in the House of the Lord Forever]

For everyone who dies in Christ, they experience the ending of Psalm 23: “And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6b).

As soon as those who know the Good Shepherd enter heaven, they are no longer sinners, but only saints. So, while they are in the presence of the Good Shepherd, they “hunger no more, neither thirst anymore” (Revelation 7:16a). While in heaven, the Good Shepherd continues to provide.

Yes, for us here this morning, we are experiencing sorrow. We grieve because death is not our friend. Death is in fact our enemy! But, we don’t grieve like others do who have no hope, because Jesus has conquered the power of death on our behalf!

As the Apostle Paul says, “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

“For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is always with us! He leads us and He provides forever! Amen.

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T

Rosalie Hemerick's obituary: https://hantge.com/obituaries/rosalie-jean-hemerick/

Sermon for Trinity 2: "Supper is Ready!" (Luke 14:15-24)

 

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[Intro]

As the title figure in the movie Father of the Bride, Steve Martin does everything he can do to cut the cost of his daughter’s upcoming wedding. He tries on his old tuxedo that he has outgrown. He offers to be the backyard chef at the outdoor reception. He even slashes the guest list down to a minimum.

But, when the man in today’s parable sends out his invitations to a great banquet, he doesn’t even think of cutting the cost. Instead, he invites everyone! He says no expense will be spared! He says no guests will be crossed off His list! This is a great banquet that no one would want to miss, and this certain man says, “Come, for all things are now ready” The question for us is this: are we ready? Are we ready to come to the great banquet?

[The Parable of the Great Banquet]

Today on this Second Sunday after Trinity, we see Jesus dining at a Pharisee’s house. Then came an interruption that must have surprised everyone when one of those at the table said to Jesus: “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!” (Luke 14:15, NKJV).

Jesus took this man’s words seriously. As Jesus knows everything, He knew what this man and the other like-minded guests needed to hear. So, Jesus taught them – as He continues to teach us the same – the Parable of the Great Banquet.

Through His parable, Jesus brings this truth to His hearers: God wants all people to share in His great banquet prepared here on earth. If they become guests at His table here, they will dine with all the saints in heaven.

This morning, Jesus teaches us the Parable of the Great Banquet that has been prepared and we are all invited to come and partake of this gracious feast. He teaches us saying, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready’” (Luke 14:16-17).

Now, this banquet has been prepared for a long time. In fact, way back through the times of the Old Testament, God was making ready this feast. The focus of this parable is on the time when the banquet was ready and the guests were invited.

This banquet prepared by the man in the parable is in fact God the Father, who is offering the full and free salvation that He has prepared for all people. The rich foods served at this supper are all the blessings of Christ’s salvation. In fact, Jesus Christ, is the servant whom God the Father sent into the world to bring His gracious invitation to sinners. So, every time Jesus preached and taught, He was inviting the Jews, saying: “Come, for all things are now ready! For the blessings of salvation are yours for the taking, and all by faith.”

In today’s world, we send out “Save the Date” notices. This is what this certain man has done by sending his servant to call those who were invited to the Great Banquet. Here, the man is alerting his guests that this big event is ready!

The date is set! The hall is ready! The supper of rich food and well-aged wine has been prepared! (Isaiah 25:6) This supper will be lavish! Everything is ready!

“But they all with one accord began to make excuses” (Luke 14:18a).

Where are the invited guests? All that hard work and not a single person shows up! This is plain rude. I’m sure we can all sense this man’s frustration. He felt much like modern parents do when sending out wedding invitations and the guests don’t show courtesy to at least RSVP!

The supper is ready, and no one wants to come. Instead, they make excuses:

• The first pleaded necessity by saying, “I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused” (Luke 14:18b).
• The second pleaded inconvenience by saying, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused” (Luke 14:19).
• The third was not even polite enough to ask to be excused. Instead, he pleaded, “I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come” (Luke 14:20). This man wanted to taste the pleasures of marriage, rather than attend the banquet.

“So that servant came and reported these things to his master” (Luke 14:21a).

Instead of rejoicing at being invited to the great banquet, the guests just find excuses not to go.

I’m sure none of you have ever made excuses about missing the Divine Service on Sunday mornings. But, in fact, from time to time, we all make excuses on why we can’t be at church each Sunday morning.

As sinful human beings, we are experts at coming up with excuses for anything. “It’s too cold. It’s too hot. It’s raining. It’s snowing.”

We make excuses all the time, just like those who refused to come to the Great Banquet. We plead necessity. We plead inconvenience. We plead pleasure. We too, would rather be excused to test out a new vehicle or machinery, watch Sunday television shows, play video games, attend a sporting event, or frankly, just sleep. We can think of thousands of other things to do besides being here in the Divine Service this morning.

How often do we fail at keeping the Sabbath day holy? Do we always fear and love God above all things so that we do not despise preaching and His Word by keeping it sacred by gladly hearing and learning it?

We all must repent of our sin of not trusting God and instead placing our trust in false idols.

But the point of the excuses in our parable is that each excuse was dishonest. The real reason they declined the invitation was that in their hearts they had a low opinion of the inviting host. Their excuses were a cover-up for their contrary minds. They simply refused the invitation because they were determined not to show honor to the host inviting them. These first guests were the Jews who willfully rejected the gospel invitation Jesus had issued those many, many times as He walked among them.

They had no good excuse, no valid reason for not coming. They were poor sinners who needed the rich, nourishing foods on God’s banquet table: forgiveness of sins, blessedness as God’s sons and daughters now, and eternal joy and bliss in heaven hereafter. Any excuse is actually their refusal to dine at God’s Great Banquet of grace and their real reason was that they “were not willing” (Luke 13:34).

Rightfully so, the inviting master becomes angry. Remember, the master is God the Father, and so this anger represents the wrath of God against all those who spurn His grace, the salvation He offers freely and unconditionally. So, when anyone rejects the crucified, risen, and ascended Christ, they reject the salvation that He has won. They are really saying, “Who cares? Who really needs a Savior?”

But what does God the Father do when millions despise His offer of free salvation through Christ? Does He just give up and say, “It is of no use”? No!      He invites others! So, just as Paul and Barnabas did at Antioch when the Jews opposed Paul, Paul and Barnabas said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles” (Acts 13:46).

Despite the excuses, and his own anger, the man shows his patience as he continues to say: “Come, for all things are now ready!”

This time, this man invites even more people. He says to his servant, “Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind” (Luke 14:21b).

And guess what? These invited guests actually do come! After they come, the servant says to his master, “Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room” (Luke 14:22).

This parable portrays Jesus as having gone out into the world of Gentiles through His apostles and all the gospel messengers who followed them, including you and me. Many have been won to faith in the Savior. But this puts no strain on the capacity of God’s kingdom to receive them. God’s banquet hall is big enough for all sinners.

This master then says to his servant, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled” (Luke 14:23).

Now, the word “compel” of which Christ speaks is purely the compelling power of God’s grace. This word has nothing to do with high-pressure tactics. This word has everything to do with the gospel.

Although many will reject the invitation, God’s grace continues to work unceasingly to bring many more to taste and enjoy all the blessings Jesus won upon the cross for all sinful people – including you and me.

But for those who reject the invitation, the master says: “For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper” (Luke 14:24). By saying, “I tell you,” Jesus puts the seal of divine authority on this truth that those who spurned the invitation in unbelief will not have a share in the salvation Christ has won for them and of which God the Father with all His heart wanted them to have.

[Are We Ready for the Great Banquet?]

The question for us this morning is this: how do we know we are ready for the great banquet?

Well, we cannot become ready on our own. We cannot become ready by going about our lives alone. We can only become ready through the merit and work of Jesus Christ alone! He keeps us ready by strengthening our weak faith and forgiving our sins through hearing His Word and partaking of His Sacrament here in the Divine Service.

Whenever we partake of the Lord’s Supper, we receive a glimpse of this heavenly feast to come! With these very words, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins,” this shows us that in this Sacrament, we receive forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation through these words. For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation!

With these words, Jesus invites and urges everyone who is united with Him in doctrine and faith to partake of the Sacrament frequently.  For if we are guests at His table here, we will dine with all the saints in heaven! We all need the comfort and strength of Christ’s forgiveness for living our new life – our justified and sanctified life – while we are assaulted by the devil and struggle with our sinful nature. You see, in the Lord’s Supper, we receive Christ’s very body and blood that forgives our sins and strengthens our weak faith.

However, the opposite is true for those who choose to remain far from the Lord’s Supper as their faith is weakened. Picture it this way, if you are hungry, you eat. If you do not eat when you are hungry, you will eventually die from starvation.

Or, if you are ill or physically injured, you seek medical help. If you don’t seek help, your illness or injury will get worse. The same goes with faith. If we are not receiving strength for our faith, our faith becomes weaker. So, do not starve yourself of the Sacrament of the very body and blood of Christ! Because of this, the Lord says, “Come!” He urges us to come and be nourished in the foretaste of this heavenly feast!

You see, through the very suffering and death of Jesus upon the cross, He has invited you and all people to the great supper in the kingdom of heaven!

Now, some will ignore this invitation. They will find excuses. But in His grace and mercy, God the Father continues to extend the invitation, saying: “Come, supper is ready!” Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

T SOLI DEO GLORIA T

Preached at St. John's Lutheran Church, Plato, Minnesota.

Pride: The Great Sin

 

Today is June 1st. This happens to be Melissa and I’s 8th wedding anniversary. But besides God’s gift of marriage that we enjoy, the secular culture tends to focus on one word this month of June. This word is pride.

 

Now, this word shows up during other months. We hear about school pride, Panther Pride, Black Pride. We hear others and maybe even ourselves say, “I am proud of my child for this or that. I am proud of myself. I am proud of my team.”

 

But, this month, we hear that word “pride” each time we turn on the television set as we watch the news or even during the commercial breaks, we see this word printed on the headlines of our newspapers, we read this word on the covers of news magazines.

 

As big business, the government, and the culture at large promote pride, God, in fact, warns His people against pride. God says to us:

 

“The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate” (Proverbs 8:13), “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2), “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18), “For all that is in the world — the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions — is not from the Father but is from the world” (1 John 2:16), and if God had not said enough, Jesus includes pride among the list of sins that are evil things that defile a person (Mark 7:14-23).

 

C.S. Lewis picks up on this as he wrote in Mere Christianity that pride is “the great sin.” He wrote, “Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are more fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.”

 

Pride is, in fact, against God. Pride means enmity — it is hostility. And not only hostility between man and man, but hostility to God. Lewis writes, “Pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense.”

 

Pride promotes the attitude that “I am better than you,” and “I know more than you.” Pride separates us from each other. Pride separates us from God.

 

Now, admiration for one’s good deed is not pride. For, “the child who is patted on the back for doing a lesson well, the woman whose beauty is praised by her boyfriend or husband, the saved soul to whom Christ says, ‘Well done,’ are pleased and ought to be. So, as Christians, we are to take pleasure in those times.

 

For us in Christ, we are not to be prideful, but we can be pleased.

 

When it comes to sin, we are all guilty. We are all poor, filthy, sinful beings. We all deserve temporal and eternal punishment for not loving God and our neighbor as we ought. But we are not doomed to eternal punishment due to our loving God. Even in our dreaded sinful state, God the Father sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to bear our sin and be our Savior as Christ willingly suffered and died for our sins. And Christ did not remain dead and lifeless in the tomb, for He rose for us and our justification!

 

Since Christ has died and rose for all of creation, for everyone in Christ, we are a new creation. We are no longer dead to sin, but alive to God as slaves of righteousness.

 

In doing so, we all bear the light of Christ in this dark world as we love God and love our neighbor and we speak the truth in love, for Christ is “the Way, and the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6).

 

Let us pray:

 

Almighty God and Father, although You accomplished everything for our salvation, we often look inward to ourselves, help us to turn away from pride and turn to You, for in You we have true peace, for You live and reign with the Son, and the Holy Spirit as one God, now and forever. Amen.

God's Warning About Pride

 

God has nothing positive to say about pride. All throughout His written and revealed Word, the Holy Spirit inspires the prophets, evangelists, and apostles to warn God's people against pride.

In America – and the really the world – pride has become a part of the nation’s fabric. We are told to take pride in our school: school pride – insert “mascot” followed by “pride” to get “Panther Pride,” “Tiger Pride,” etc. We are told to take pride in our children: “I am proud of my child’s grades.” We are told to take pride in each person’s skin color: “Asian Pride,” “Black Pride,” “White Pride,” etc. And all the more lately, the big business and many governments are promoting “Pride Month” to celebrate the sin of sexual immorality, in particular homosexuality and transgenderism, promoted by the gay agenda.

As the culture around us promotes “Pride” everywhere. God warns us against pride. Below are just a handful of times, for more open your Bible:

§ The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil.
Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
  and perverted speech I hate. (Proverbs 8:13)

§ When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
  but with the humble is wisdom. (Proverbs 11:2)

§ Pride goes before destruction,
  and a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)

§ [Jesus] called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” (Mark 7:14-23)

§ This is a faithful saying: If a man desires the position of a bishop, he desires a good work. ² A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach; ³ not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous; ⁴ one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence ⁵ (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?); ⁶ not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil. ⁷ Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. (1 Timothy 3:1-7, NKJV)

§ For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. (1 John 2:16)

In C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity, Lewis devotes an entire chapter to pride. Rightly, Lewis calls pride “the great sin.” He writes, “Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind.”

Pride is, in fact, against God. Pride began when Satan thought he was equal to the triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). It was through pride that Satan first convinced Adam and Eve to turn against God in the Garden. The sin of pride is what initially separated Adam and Eve from God. Pride is evil and all it does is separate people from each other, and ultimately pride separates us from God.

Throughout Book Three, Chapter Eight of Mere Christianity, Lewis lays out that pride is the great sin and that all sin stems from pride:

§ “It is the comparison that makes you proud: the pleasure of being above the rest.”

§ “Nearly all those evils in the world which people put down to greed or selfishness are really fare more the result of Pride.”

§ “Pride is competitive by its very nature: that is why it goes on and on.”

§ “The Christians are right: it is Pride which as been the chief cause of misery in every nation and every family since the world began. Other vices may sometimes bring people together: you may find good fellowship and jokes and friendliness among drunken people or unchaste people. But pride always means enmity – it is enmity. And not only enmity between man and man, but enmity to God.”

§ “As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”

§ "How is it that people who are quite obviously eaten up with Pride can say that they believe in God and appear to themselves very religious? I am afraid it means they are worshipping an imagery God.”

§ “For Pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense.”

Pride promotes that attitude that “I am better than you” and “I know more than you.” Pride is enmity. Among the sin of transgenderism, this is clearly seen as those who undergo genital mutilation and sex change who claim that they know themselves better than God created them. In reality, God creates everyone perfectly and in His image. God makes no mistakes. Again, the issue is pride: “I know myself better than anyone else, including God.” The Psalmist proclaims God’s miracle of creating humanity in His image with no mistakes:

For you formed my inward parts;
   you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
   my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
   intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
   the days that were formed for me,
   when as yet there were none of them (Psalm 139:13-16).

As the word “pride” has so infected the English language, Lewis offers us some substitutes to this great sinful word. Instead of saying “pride,” say “I am pleased.” For, “the child who is patted on the back for doing a lesson well, the woman whose beauty is praised by her lover, the saved soul to whom Christ says, ‘Well done,’ are pleased and ought to be.”

As Christians, we should not be falling into Satan’s trap in promoting the sinful word known as “pride.” Sadly, many Christians have fallen into Satan’s scheme as many “Christian” denominations are actively promoting “pride” in so many ways. As Lewis notes, when it comes to admiration, Christians are to take pleasure in those times, but we should not become full of pride, or promote pride.

Lewis concludes his chapter on “the great sin” as he writes: “If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realise that one is proud. And a biggest step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed.”

As the common phrase says, “Whoever controls the language, controls the culture.” This is completely true. Today, Satan has his grips on the culture. It is time for Christians to be Christians and actually follow Jesus. We are all guilty. We are all poor, filthy, sinful beings. We all deserve temporal and eternal punishment for our sins. But even when in our sinful state, God the Father sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to bear our sin and be our Savior as Christ willingly suffered and died for our sins. And Christ did not remain dead in the tomb, for He rose for us and our justification.

Since Christ has died and rose for all of creation, for everyone in Christ, we are a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17). Since we are in Christ, we are to be dead to sin and alive to God as slaves of righteousness.

The Apostle Paul writes:

    “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

   “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. …

   “What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

   “When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:1-5, 15-23).

So, let us all be Christ’s light in this dark world. We are not alone. As Christians, we have the Truth, for Christ is “the Way, and the Truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Yes, we have a long way to go. But remember, Satan is judged, and we know our salvation is certain in Christ Jesus. Let us all – in our various vocations – tell of Christ’s saving work in order to save some of them in enlarging God’s Kingdom.

Spiritual Warfare: The Constant Battle of the Christian

 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

 

Jesus teaches His followers that we are always to be prepared when Satan comes at us with his accusations. Due to Christ’s suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension, Satan is indeed judged and he has no power over Christ’s followers. However, just because Satan is judged, this doesn’t mean that he will just give up. Satan never gives up.

 

I have heard it said, “If there is a hell, it is empty.” This could not be more untrue and this is not Biblical. This is what Satan wants us to believe. Satan enjoys when we overlook him. But, there he is lurking in the shadows, as he convinces our sinful flesh to do what is wrong by turning away from God. There he is as he convinces the world to follow his will, instead of God’s will.

 

The Apostle Peter informs us to “be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced” (1 Peter 5:8-9). Now, Satan isn’t always noticeable, after all he is the prince of darkness. Satan does his best work lurking in the shadows. 

 

Jesus often begins His teachings with “Truly, truly, I say to you.” This means His Word is truth and everything God speaks is truth (Psalm 119:160; John 17:17). Satan, on the other hand, is all about confusion and doubt as he constantly asks, “Did God actually say?” (Genesis 3:1). Satan has never relented from his lies, despite his eternal judgment. 

 

In my lifetime, I have never seen so much doubt as I see now. Truth has been replaced by “my truth,” which is actually personal opinion. We have people announcing their pronouns, as if they are a better judge than God who created them. We have people doubting their own very being. This is spiritual warfare. This is Satan working on our consciences as he lurks in the shadows.

 

Beginning on Sunday, June 6, for Adult Bible Class, we will begin a Bible Study on spiritual warfare with the aid of C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters. All ages are welcome! This fictional novel provides unique insight into the battles that we are all facing in the spiritual world. This book is told through a collection of letters from Screwtape, an undersecretary of hell, to his nephew, Wormwood, who is a junior devil. Wormwood’s duty is to lead his first human, a young man, to hell.

 

For all of us who believe in Christ and have been Baptized into His death and resurrection, we have a bullseye on us. Satan wants us back from the triune God, since he is not satisfied with only the current unbelievers and unrepentant sinners in his camp. So, we must always be ready. We must always be prepared for Satan’s lies.

 

So, as the Apostle Paul has said, we must “put on the whole armor of God, that [we] may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:11-12).

 

For everyone in Christ, we have the victory by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. We are saved from the powers of sin, death, and Satan. Martin Luther was very familiar with spiritual warfare as Satan constantly tormented him. But Luther always proclaimed that no matter Satan’s attack, our victory in Christ has been won through Jesus Christ. In A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, Luther proclaimed:

And take they our life, 

Goods, fame, child and wife, 

Though these all be gone, 

Our victory has been won; 

The Kingdom ours remaineth.

 

In Christ,

Pastor Adelsen