Second Sunday in Lent
John 3:1-17
"The crib and the Cross were both made of Wood"
3:1* ¶ Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2* This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”
3* Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4* Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5* Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6* That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’
8* The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know whence it comes or whither it goes; so it is with every one who is born of the Spirit.”
9* Nicodemus said to him, “How can this be?”
10* Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand this?
11* Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony.
12* If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?
13* No one has ascended into heaven but he who descended from heaven, the Son of man.
14* And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up,
15* that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
16* For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17* For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
Our gospel lesson this morning is the well known story of Nicodemus and being born again. It is a passage of scripture that has been troubling many for years. What does it mean to be born again?
But today we are going to side step that question of being born again and concentrate on the last 4 verse of this gospel lesson where the text says: 14* And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up,
15* that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.”
16* For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
17* For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.
These verses are the gospel of Jesus Christ in a nutshell. It speaks about the cross and the resurrection. As we are in the Lenten season it is fitting that we focus our attention this morning on the cross of Christ.
Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness to protect the nation of Israel, so Jesus will be lifted up on a cross to bring salvation to the world.
I would like to tell you the story about three trees and how God used them to bring salvation to the world.
The Legend of the Three Trees
Once there were three trees on a hill in the woods. They were discussing their hopes and dreams when the first tree said, "Someday I hope to be a treasure chest. I could be filled with gold, silver and precious gems. I could be decorated with intricate carving and everyone would see the beauty."
Then the second tree said, "Someday I will be a mighty ship. I will take kings and queens across the waters and sail to the corners of the world. Everyone w ill feel safe in me because of the strength of my hull."
Finally the third tree said, "I want to grow to be the tallest and straightest tree in the forest. People will see me on top of the hill and look up to my branches, and think of the heavens and God and how close to them I am reaching. I will be the greatest tree of all time and people will always remember me."
After a few years of praying that their dreams would come true, a group of woodsmen came upon the trees. When one came to the first tree he said, "This looks like a strong tree, I think I should be able to sell the wood to a carpenter" and he began cutting it down. The tree was happy, because he knew that the carpenter would make him into a treasure chest.
At the second tree a woodsman said, "This looks like a strong tree, I should be able to sell it to the shipyard." The second tree was happy because he knew he was on his way to becoming a mighty ship.
When the woodsmen came upon the third tree, the tree was frightened because he knew that if they cut him down his dreams would not come true. One of the woodsmen said, "I don't need anything special from my tree so I'll take this one", and he cut it down."
When the first tree arrived at the carpenters, he was made into a feed box for animals. He was then placed in a barn and filled with hay. This was not at all what he had prayed for.
The second tree was cut and made into a small fishing boat. His dreams of being a mighty ship and carrying kings had come to an end. The third tree was cut into large pieces and left alone in the dark. The years went by, and the trees forgot about their dreams.
Then one day, a man and woman came to the barn. She gave birth and they placed the baby in the hay in the feed box that was made from the first tree. The man wished that he could have made a crib for the baby, but this manger would have to do. The tree could feel the importance of this event and knew that it had held the greatest treasure of all time.
Years later, a group of men got in the fishing boat made from the second tree. One of them was tired and went to sleep. While they were out on the water, a great storm arose and the tree didn't think it was strong enough to keep the men safe. The men woke the sleeping man, and he stood and said "Peace" and the storm stopped. At this time, the tree knew that it had carried the King of Kings in its boat.
Finally, someone came and got the third tree. It was carried through the streets as the people mocked the man who was carrying it. When they came to a stop, the man was nailed to the tree and raised in the air to die at the top of a hill.
But on Sunday morning, when the sun rose and the earth trembled with joy beneath her, the third tree knew that God's love had
changed everything. It had made the third tree strong.
And every time people thought of the third tree, they would think of God. That was better than being the tallest tree in the world.
God used three trees to bring his salvation into this world. The tree of the manger, the tree of the boat, and the tree of the cross.The tree of the manger was proud that the birth of the king of kings was with him and the new born baby laid in his manger. The tree of the boat knew that Jesus was the king of kings when he calmed the waters even if the disciples did not know who Jesus actually was. And the third tree was the cross where Jesus hung to bring salvation into the world.
God used wood for his purposes. At the Conference Convention in Exiria, a banner hung from the church ceiling which caught my eye, it said, "The crib and the Cross both were made of wood," God gave through a tree both times, a tree was used to make the manger to bring the Christ child into this world, and a cross from a tree was made to take this Christ, this messiah from the world. The tree of God was also a giving tree. It gave life through the manger to the Son of God, and the Cross, the tree of death brought life life through the body and blood of Jesus, shed and given for our live, for our salvation, our eternal glory.
The Son of God was lifted up as Moses lifted the serpent in the wilderness to give life to those who had been bitten. The cross, the symbol of death, came to be a symbol of life, the symbol of giving, the symbol of sacrifice, the symbol of true and gracious love. As you gaze at the cross before you today, do you see it as a symbol of life for you? Do you see it as the only way to your salvation? Do you see it as your cross, your only way to gain the salvation which is ours as God's children?
The crib and the cross were both made of wood is an apt phrase for us to dwell on today. The crib gave us Jesus the babe and the cross gave us Jesus the crucified and risen Lord. The wood of these two thing, the crib and the cross gave us God plan for salvation.
God was the great architect who designed the bridge for our freedom, but he not only designed it, he built it, and he built it out of materials that no one would of thought of, he built it out of a cross and the body and blood of his son He didn't ask anyone else to do the work, he kept it in the family, and then he shared the completed work with all people who would believe that he did the work, he shared it with all who would believe that the work was done for them. Yes, God used the cross of Calvary, the old rugged cross to build a bridge between himself and us.
As John says, '"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son." Gave his only son. God was willing to sacrifice part of himself, he was willing to give up his son to death, so that you and I could be liberated from the chains of death, so that you and I wouldn't be prisoners of death any longer, but we might be free people who have the freedom of God's love.
The crib and the cross were both made of wood reminds us of God's plan for salvation. God gave us his only son through the crib as he loved us enough to do that, but at the same time He used the wood of the cross to bring victory out of death. For Jesus hung on that cross for your and mine salvation.
Through the crib and the cross God gave salvation to us. He gave then and he continues to give now to use each time we repent and believe in the salvation which is ours through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God gave and continues to give.
I would like to close with a story about a tree that gave and gave as it reminds of the the giving tree of the cross.
From Shel Silverstein comes the following:
"The tree gives the little boy her apples to pick and her branches to climb. The boy and the tree love each other and are happy in their life together. As the boy grows older, however, his interest in the tree becomes less. The tree is very lonely until one day the boy returns as a young man. The tree offers her apples and branches, but the boy claims that he is too old to climb and play. He is more interested in money.
'Can't you give me some money?' he asks the tree.
The tree has not money, but she does have apples. Why doesn't the boy pick the apples and sell them then he will be happy. The boy picks the apples and sells them, then he will be happy. The boy does this and the tree is happy. But then the boy stays away an even longer time and the tree is sad.
Years later the boy returns. The tree is overwhelmed with joy as she invite the boy to swing from her branches. But the boy is too busy to play. What he really wants is his own family and a house to keep him warm.
Can the tree give him a house? No, but the boy can cut her branches and build a house with them, suggests the tree; then he will be happy. The boy does this and the tree is happy.
Many years pass before the boy, now middle-aged returns. The tree, overjoyed, invites the boy to play. But now the boy is too old to play. all he wants is a boat which will take him far away. 'Can you give me a boat?' the tree invites the boy to cut down her trunk and make a boat so he can be happy. The boy does this, and the tree is happy--but not really, for now only a bare stump remains.
When, years late, the boy returns, he is hunched-over, old man. The tree apologizes for having nothing to offer any longer, no more apples to eat or branches to climb, only an old stump.
But the old man says his teeth are too weak for apples, and he is too old to climb. All he needs is a quiet place to sit and rest for he is very tired.
'Well,' says the tree, straightening herself up as much as she can, 'an old stump is good for sitting and resting. Come, boy sit down, sit down and rest.' And the boy does. The tree is very happy."
The tree gave and gave as the crib and the cross of Christ gives and gives today.
The crib and the cross were both made of wood.
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale February 11, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
1 Lent Sermon
1st Sunday in Lent
Matthew 4:1-11
"To be tempted"
"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took him to the holy city, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will give his angels charge of you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'" Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan! for it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'" Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him." Matthew 4:1-11, RSV.
Grace and Peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the tempted Christ. Amen
A little boy was once forbidden by his mother to go swimming, but she permitted him to go out for a walk. When he came back, it was quite evident that he had disobeyed her and had gone in the water. When asked why, the little fellow answered,
"Well, Mother, I happened to have my swimming trunks with me, so I decided to go in."
As you can guess our gospel lesson this morning is about the temptation of Jesus. We are going to look at this word temptation this morning.
In our story at the beginning of the sermon, the boy planned to be tempted by the water as he had his swimming trunks with him. So it was easy to give in to temptation as he found himself by the swimming hole. There he was standing by the water, trunks i hand. What was he going to do? He gave in and went swimming even though his mother told him not to.
We are all like that little boy. Sometimes we plan to be tempted, sometimes it just happens.
Guess who wrote the following about temptation:
"I often find I have the will to do good, but not the power. That is, I don't accomplish the good things that I set out to do, and the evil things that I don't want to do, I find I'm always doing. Yet, if I do the things that I don't really want to do, then it is not I, repeat, it is not I that do them, but it is my own nature in which I am a slave to sin and death. It's an agonizing situation, a constant conflicts and who on earth can free me from the clutches of my own sinful nature?" That was St. Paul writing to the Romans about his own struggle with sin.
Paul says it best. We are tempted to do sin or tempted not to do something. For sin is doing something wrong and as well as not doing something we should be doing. In our order of confession at the beginning of the service we say those things we have left undone to acknowledge those thing we should have done, but didn't do.
I think Paul said it best, sin is something that affects a person's whole being. It is not something that can be brushed off very easily. It doesn't work that way. You know it and I know it. Everyone of us labors under the terrible weight of guilt and sin. We feel guilty about the wrongs we have done, the hurts we have caused others, and at the same time, we feel guilty about those things we should have done, but didn't do. For example, maybe we needed to apologize to someone, but were too proud. Or, maybe, we couldn't express forgiveness to another, because of the hatred that filled our heart. Or maybe, it was the hurt we said to a loved one and after realizing what we had done, we couldn't or wouldn't say we were sorry. Or maybe we are guilty of not including the stranger, the new person to town in our circle of friends.
Temptation and sin are all around us. And temptations also has consequences for our lives.
A mother wrote:
When my daughter, Danna, was about three years old, she became fascinated with electrical outlets. One of her favorite activities was working the childproof cover off of the outlet and sticking various objects in it. I was not thrilled with this little game of hers, repeatedly taking her to the outlet and firmly warning, "No! No! It will hurt you!"
She would then look up at me with her beautiful brown eyes and dimpled smile. After several trips to the outlet I thought, "She's got it!" She did - for two whole days.
I was putting groceries away when I heard her scream from the family room. By the time I reached her, I found a sobbing toddler holding up a tiny burned finger for me to kiss and make better. Even at her young age, Danna had acquired a nugget of wisdom and has never touched an outlet again.
When we give in to temptation the result is always sin. Attached to that sin is the price tag of consequences. Every choice we make - every action that we take has consequences. We can learn from those consequences, hear the message God assigned to them and gain the wisdom that they hold(.1)
As we look at the temptations that Jesus faced we can see what the consequences were for him and us.
After Jesus had fasted for 40 days, the devil comes to him and says: "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread."
The devil was hitting Jesus were it hurt. Jesus had just fasted for 40 days and was bound to be hungry. So the devil tells him to make these stones into bread.
That does not sound so evil. Making bread to eat. Making bread not just for himself, but for all the hungry of the world. That is not so bad is it?
The devil wanted to Jesus to upset the order of the creation. Sure Jesus did that when he healed people, or when he feed the 5000 with a loaf of bread and 2 fish, but this was not a necessary thing to do. the devil was tempting Jesus to take the easy road, to work outside the natural order of things, to become a hero to all the starving people of the world.
But Jesus said no to that, He said "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
Jesus is saying that there is more to live than this simple miracle. We are to live by the word of God. And that words says to each of us that we are to reach out an help our neighbor. We are to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to visit those in prison to bring a measure of grade into the brokenness of this world.
The consequences to the first temptation was for Jesus to do something outside the natural order of life. Don't plant seeds so they grow into wheat which can be made into flour which then can be baked into bread. No don't do that just change the stones into bread. And don't just make enough for you to eat Jesus, but for the whole world. The devil was asking Jesus to work outside of the natural order, the natural law that God set in motion when he created this world. If Jesus had given in the natural order of creation would have suffered.
The second temptation was for Jesus to jump off the temple and let the angels of God catch him.
The text says: "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will give his angels charge of you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'
A pastor wrote explaining this second temptation like this:
"The second temptation is the temptation to be irresponsible and let God pick up the pieces from our dumb decisions. I can jump off the temple roof and God will catch me. The world is full of well-meaning Christian folks who jump off roofs and then complain to God that they are paralyzed for life. At this level we are tempted to become the spoiled children of God, expecting that God will pick up all our messes, even if we spend the whole day watching TV. "(2)
The consequences of this temptation are to live life in a reckless manner hoping and praying that God will deliver us.
This temptation wants to put the burden of life on God and not on us. If things don't work out, it God's fault, if things do work out then I did something right.
God is not a puppet master controlling our lives, but as Luther says we have free will to follow the words of grace we read and hear to make our live full and meaningful. But the consequences of this temptation for Jesus was to mock God's power, to play games with God. God does not want us to play games with him, but to allow him to be in control of our lives.
And the final temptation is as the text says: Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."
The devil wanted Jesus to worship him and then all the kingdoms of the earth would be Jesus'. But Jesus says we are to worship only God.
The consequences for Jesus in this temptation was to acknowledge that Satan was the master of His life and not God.
I don't know too many people who worship the devil now a days. But I do know many people who get their priorities mixed up. They worship things, or wealth, or status, or self pride, or so many of things and not God first through His son Jesus Christ. The consequences for our life is that we tend to worship other things God. We place a priority on other things than our worship of God.
It is easy for us to toy with the devil with this temptation. We like to be in control of our lives so we allow the devil room to come close to us.
It is like the fox in the following:
It is easy to be come comfortable with Satan. At first, the believer fears Satan because he knows the nature of Satan opposes the children of God; but if believer toys close to Satan, he becomes comfortable and lets his guard down. Aesop's Fable “The Fox and the Lion” is a good illustration of becoming comfortable with danger.
When first the Fox saw the Lion he was terribly frightened, and ran away and hid himself in the wood.
Next time however he came near the King of Beasts he stopped at a safe distance and watched him pass by. The third time they came near one another the Fox went straight up to the Lion and passed the time of day with him, asking him how his family were, and when he should have the pleasure of seeing him again; then turning his tail, he parted from the Lion without much ceremony.
The fable ends at this point but most understand that one day the fox will turn his back and the lion will bounce on him because lions are lions and foxes are foxes. Playing with Satan can also be deadly. (3)
These temptations of Jesus remind us that as we face temptations in life, there are consequences to all these temptations.
May we with the power of God in our lives resist temptation and live for God and others.
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale February 4, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1) Author: Gladys M. Hunt
(2) Mike DuBose SermonCentral
(3) Source: Net 153 Publications, Pastor Jim
"You can't always beat what is difficult in your life. Sometimes you have to let it win and shout hallelujah anyhow."
Bebe More Campbell
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Matthew 4:1-11
"To be tempted"
"Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" Then the devil took him to the holy city, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will give his angels charge of you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'" Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Begone, Satan! for it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'" Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and ministered to him." Matthew 4:1-11, RSV.
Grace and Peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the tempted Christ. Amen
A little boy was once forbidden by his mother to go swimming, but she permitted him to go out for a walk. When he came back, it was quite evident that he had disobeyed her and had gone in the water. When asked why, the little fellow answered,
"Well, Mother, I happened to have my swimming trunks with me, so I decided to go in."
As you can guess our gospel lesson this morning is about the temptation of Jesus. We are going to look at this word temptation this morning.
In our story at the beginning of the sermon, the boy planned to be tempted by the water as he had his swimming trunks with him. So it was easy to give in to temptation as he found himself by the swimming hole. There he was standing by the water, trunks i hand. What was he going to do? He gave in and went swimming even though his mother told him not to.
We are all like that little boy. Sometimes we plan to be tempted, sometimes it just happens.
Guess who wrote the following about temptation:
"I often find I have the will to do good, but not the power. That is, I don't accomplish the good things that I set out to do, and the evil things that I don't want to do, I find I'm always doing. Yet, if I do the things that I don't really want to do, then it is not I, repeat, it is not I that do them, but it is my own nature in which I am a slave to sin and death. It's an agonizing situation, a constant conflicts and who on earth can free me from the clutches of my own sinful nature?" That was St. Paul writing to the Romans about his own struggle with sin.
Paul says it best. We are tempted to do sin or tempted not to do something. For sin is doing something wrong and as well as not doing something we should be doing. In our order of confession at the beginning of the service we say those things we have left undone to acknowledge those thing we should have done, but didn't do.
I think Paul said it best, sin is something that affects a person's whole being. It is not something that can be brushed off very easily. It doesn't work that way. You know it and I know it. Everyone of us labors under the terrible weight of guilt and sin. We feel guilty about the wrongs we have done, the hurts we have caused others, and at the same time, we feel guilty about those things we should have done, but didn't do. For example, maybe we needed to apologize to someone, but were too proud. Or, maybe, we couldn't express forgiveness to another, because of the hatred that filled our heart. Or maybe, it was the hurt we said to a loved one and after realizing what we had done, we couldn't or wouldn't say we were sorry. Or maybe we are guilty of not including the stranger, the new person to town in our circle of friends.
Temptation and sin are all around us. And temptations also has consequences for our lives.
A mother wrote:
When my daughter, Danna, was about three years old, she became fascinated with electrical outlets. One of her favorite activities was working the childproof cover off of the outlet and sticking various objects in it. I was not thrilled with this little game of hers, repeatedly taking her to the outlet and firmly warning, "No! No! It will hurt you!"
She would then look up at me with her beautiful brown eyes and dimpled smile. After several trips to the outlet I thought, "She's got it!" She did - for two whole days.
I was putting groceries away when I heard her scream from the family room. By the time I reached her, I found a sobbing toddler holding up a tiny burned finger for me to kiss and make better. Even at her young age, Danna had acquired a nugget of wisdom and has never touched an outlet again.
When we give in to temptation the result is always sin. Attached to that sin is the price tag of consequences. Every choice we make - every action that we take has consequences. We can learn from those consequences, hear the message God assigned to them and gain the wisdom that they hold(.1)
As we look at the temptations that Jesus faced we can see what the consequences were for him and us.
After Jesus had fasted for 40 days, the devil comes to him and says: "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread."
The devil was hitting Jesus were it hurt. Jesus had just fasted for 40 days and was bound to be hungry. So the devil tells him to make these stones into bread.
That does not sound so evil. Making bread to eat. Making bread not just for himself, but for all the hungry of the world. That is not so bad is it?
The devil wanted to Jesus to upset the order of the creation. Sure Jesus did that when he healed people, or when he feed the 5000 with a loaf of bread and 2 fish, but this was not a necessary thing to do. the devil was tempting Jesus to take the easy road, to work outside the natural order of things, to become a hero to all the starving people of the world.
But Jesus said no to that, He said "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."
Jesus is saying that there is more to live than this simple miracle. We are to live by the word of God. And that words says to each of us that we are to reach out an help our neighbor. We are to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to visit those in prison to bring a measure of grade into the brokenness of this world.
The consequences to the first temptation was for Jesus to do something outside the natural order of life. Don't plant seeds so they grow into wheat which can be made into flour which then can be baked into bread. No don't do that just change the stones into bread. And don't just make enough for you to eat Jesus, but for the whole world. The devil was asking Jesus to work outside of the natural order, the natural law that God set in motion when he created this world. If Jesus had given in the natural order of creation would have suffered.
The second temptation was for Jesus to jump off the temple and let the angels of God catch him.
The text says: "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written, 'He will give his angels charge of you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'
A pastor wrote explaining this second temptation like this:
"The second temptation is the temptation to be irresponsible and let God pick up the pieces from our dumb decisions. I can jump off the temple roof and God will catch me. The world is full of well-meaning Christian folks who jump off roofs and then complain to God that they are paralyzed for life. At this level we are tempted to become the spoiled children of God, expecting that God will pick up all our messes, even if we spend the whole day watching TV. "(2)
The consequences of this temptation are to live life in a reckless manner hoping and praying that God will deliver us.
This temptation wants to put the burden of life on God and not on us. If things don't work out, it God's fault, if things do work out then I did something right.
God is not a puppet master controlling our lives, but as Luther says we have free will to follow the words of grace we read and hear to make our live full and meaningful. But the consequences of this temptation for Jesus was to mock God's power, to play games with God. God does not want us to play games with him, but to allow him to be in control of our lives.
And the final temptation is as the text says: Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me."
The devil wanted Jesus to worship him and then all the kingdoms of the earth would be Jesus'. But Jesus says we are to worship only God.
The consequences for Jesus in this temptation was to acknowledge that Satan was the master of His life and not God.
I don't know too many people who worship the devil now a days. But I do know many people who get their priorities mixed up. They worship things, or wealth, or status, or self pride, or so many of things and not God first through His son Jesus Christ. The consequences for our life is that we tend to worship other things God. We place a priority on other things than our worship of God.
It is easy for us to toy with the devil with this temptation. We like to be in control of our lives so we allow the devil room to come close to us.
It is like the fox in the following:
It is easy to be come comfortable with Satan. At first, the believer fears Satan because he knows the nature of Satan opposes the children of God; but if believer toys close to Satan, he becomes comfortable and lets his guard down. Aesop's Fable “The Fox and the Lion” is a good illustration of becoming comfortable with danger.
When first the Fox saw the Lion he was terribly frightened, and ran away and hid himself in the wood.
Next time however he came near the King of Beasts he stopped at a safe distance and watched him pass by. The third time they came near one another the Fox went straight up to the Lion and passed the time of day with him, asking him how his family were, and when he should have the pleasure of seeing him again; then turning his tail, he parted from the Lion without much ceremony.
The fable ends at this point but most understand that one day the fox will turn his back and the lion will bounce on him because lions are lions and foxes are foxes. Playing with Satan can also be deadly. (3)
These temptations of Jesus remind us that as we face temptations in life, there are consequences to all these temptations.
May we with the power of God in our lives resist temptation and live for God and others.
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale February 4, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1) Author: Gladys M. Hunt
(2) Mike DuBose SermonCentral
(3) Source: Net 153 Publications, Pastor Jim
"You can't always beat what is difficult in your life. Sometimes you have to let it win and shout hallelujah anyhow."
Bebe More Campbell
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Monday, January 14, 2008
Sermon for the Second Sunday afer Epiphany
2nd Sunday after the Epiphany
I Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1: 29-42
"Concern your calling"
1:1* ¶ Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,
2* To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
3* Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4* I give thanks to God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,
5* that in every way you were enriched in him with all speech and all knowledge--
6* even as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you--
7* so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ;
8* who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9* God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
29* The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.’
31* I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32* And John bore witness, “I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him.
33* I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
35* The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples;
36* and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
37* The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
38* Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”
39* He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.
40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41* He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).
42* He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
,
"When I have a poor case," said an attorney,"I prepare an eloquent speech, when I have a good case, I simply call the witnesses."
The gospel of Jesus Christ simply needs to call its witnesses.
Our gospel lesson and our second lesson about people being called by Christ. Peter, James and John were called to be disciples in our gospel lesson. In the lesson from 1 Corinthians, Peter speaks about his calling.
Peter was called to 'be an apostle, called to change his life, called to serve the Lord Jesus w as a witness to God"s grace in his life. Paul's watchword became, 'Not I, but Christ. His only concern was to be sensitive to the voice of God who had called him.
As members of the body of Christ, we have been called by God to be his people, called to be saints, called to be his church, called to be the ones who bring God's grace into this world. We think of God coming to us in his means of Grace, his word and the sacraments of baptism and holy communion. But the other means which we often ignore is ourselves. We are called by God to be his means of grace in this world. We are called by God to be sacramental, to be a means by which his love, his forgiveness is brought into this world. Have you ever thought of yourself as a sacrament of God?? You are, you are a holy temple, a means by which God comes to those who are hurting, a means by which God comes to those who need to be forgiven, a means by which those who need love are loved. God works through people, we see that every Sunday morning as he works through the brokenness of this person to bring his grace to you. God uses me to bring his forgiveness to you at the beginning of the service when I.declare that your sins are forgiven, it is my words, my body, my arm in the air, but it is God's action working through these things that makes you not guilty, that forgives you of your sins.
I have been called by God to be an apostle, as one sent forth, just as all of you are called by God to be sent; forth into this world, just as Paul says in our first verse from I Corinthians that he was called by the will of God to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. We are sent, we are not kept safe in these four walls, we are not kept safe in our homes, at our jobs,but we are called to be sent out into the world to be with those who do not know the love of God in their lives, to be with those who. are hurting, to be with those who need forgiveness, to be with those as they are in their everyday lives, as they struggle with all the brokenness of this world.
As we see in these two lessons, the church is not these four walls, but the people inside who are called by God through Christ and his spirit to be the church.
"A little boy had fallen asleep in the nursery and as the pastor was shaking hand at the doorway, an usher brought him out of the nursery into the church. It seemed like his parents had forgotten about him. As the lad woke up in the church, he looked around and saw that the church was empty and he said, where did the church go.
Where did the church go is an apt phrase as this little boy knew it was the people inside the church's four walls that made up the church. He knew that the church was people, people called by God through Christ and the Holy Spirit to be followers of Jesus. This little boy understood what the church was all about and I wonder why do adults see the church only as a building, or as the pastor or as a location? I wonder.
Our lesson from I Corinthians tells us we have also been called to be saints, called to be believers in God, called to be ones who believe the promises of God are true for our lives. We know that the covenant we have with God is a covenant between a greater party and a lesser party, God being the greater and we-being the lesser. God has called us to live in his covenant, called us to be his people because he wills it for our lives. We don't seek God, He seeks us. God claims us to be his because he wills it for us who are inferior to him. Why?? That is the unanswerable question of time. Why would God call people who reject him, who would rather believe in their own selves, in their worth, in their own pride? Why would God call people who have only selfish motives in life, people who cannot see beyond themselves, why God calls that kind of people to be his we will never know. But he has, that is the amazing grace in which we live. God bas called us to be his, called us to believe in the promises he has made for us, called us to be his children. He calls us not when we can respond, but as Ryan will find out this morning in the Baptismal service, he calls us as babies, as those who have no choice, as ones who do not even understand what is happening. God calls us to be his, to believe in his promise for our lives.
Paul says further that the promises we are called to believe in enrich our lives with every spiritual gift. Paul says that the grace of God gives direction, gives purpose, gives meaning, gives vocation to ones life. We are called by God to give honor and glory to him in all areas of life. All of us have been given gifts by God with which we support our families, take care of our homes, or learn knowledge for future use.What ever we do, we have been granted that skill, that ability by God in our lives. With that gift comes a responsibility, to use these gifts to a worthwhile end, to use those gifts for the honor and glory of God and in service to our neighbor.
Finally Paul says we are called into fellowship by the grace of God. We are called into the church, we are called into this place so that we might receive support, encouragement, forgiveness, love and respect one another. It is within the church that we are to care for one another. It is a feeling that needs to be kept alive in our church. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our selves, that we cannot see the hurt, the frustration, the loneliness, the sorrow, the pain, the despair, or the anger in the heart of our brother or sister in Christ.
But the Christian community is a place, should be a place, where brothers and sisters can come and share their brokenness, where they can come and gain peace and comfort from a brother and sister, where one can tell to another the pain of live and know there will be support, concern and compassion. The church in its beginning was a very compassionate entity, but I wonder if we have lost some of that compassion through out the centuries. I wonder if the members of the church have turned more inward, more concerned about themselves than about their brother or sister in Christ?
Paul says we are called by God to be sent forth to be witnesses in this world for the grace of God. He says we are called to believe, to be saints, to trust in the promises of God for our lives. He says further that we are called into a fellowship, called into the church, called into the body of Christ to care for one another. We are called to be compassionate, to be loving people to our brother and sister in Christ. We are called to reach out to others in this world who need to feel the grace of God through us.
What we are talking about this morning can be summed up in one word, discipleship. We are called to be disciples, or followers of Jesus as members of the body of Christ.
Discipleship isn't what you do. Being a disciple is who you are-it changes everything. Being a disciple of Christ changes you from the inside out.
A closing story sums this all up for us as we contemplate what it means to be a disciple of God.
Let’s imagine that you want to learn to dance. Being the rational, cerebral person you are, you go to a bookstore and buy a book on dancing. You take the book home and get to work.
Finally, you think you’ve got it, and you invite your wife to come in and watch. You hold the book open and follow the instructions step by step. You even read the words aloud so she’ll know that you’ve done your homework. “Lean with your right shoulder,” and so you lean. “Now step with your right foot,” and so you step. “Turn slowly to the left,” and so you do.
You continue to read, then dance, read, then dance, until the dance is completed. You plop exhausted on the couch, look at your wife, and proclaim, “I executed it perfectly.”
“You executed it, all right,” she sighs. “You killed it.”
“What?”
“You forgot the most important part. Where is the music?”
Music?
You never thought about music. You remembered the book. You learned the rules. You laid out the pattern. But you forgot the music.
“Do it again,” she says, putting in a CD. “This time don’t worry about the steps; just follow the music.”
She extends her hand and the music begins. The next thing you know, you are dancing-and you don’t even have the book.
We Christians are prone to follow the book while ignoring the music. We master the doctrine, outline the chapters, memorize the dispensations, debate the rules, and stiffly step down the dance floor of life with no music in our hearts. We measure each step, calibrate each turn, and flop into bed each night exhausted from another day of dancing by the book.
Dancing with no music is tough stuff.
“Let God have you, and let God love you-and don’t be surprised if your heart begins to hear music you’ve never heard and your feet learn to dance as never before.”(1)
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale January 14, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1) as seen in Max Lucado’s weekly email devotional. From “A Gentle Thunder: Hearing God Through the Storm,” © 1995, Max Lucado
from firstIMPRESSIONS
by Senior Pastor Timothy Satryan
I Corinthians 1:1-9
John 1: 29-42
"Concern your calling"
1:1* ¶ Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,
2* To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:
3* Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4* I give thanks to God always for you because of the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,
5* that in every way you were enriched in him with all speech and all knowledge--
6* even as the testimony to Christ was confirmed among you--
7* so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ;
8* who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9* God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
29* The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, for he was before me.’
31* I myself did not know him; but for this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
32* And John bore witness, “I saw the Spirit descend as a dove from heaven, and it remained on him.
33* I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
35* The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples;
36* and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”
37* The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
38* Jesus turned, and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?”
39* He said to them, “Come and see.” They came and saw where he was staying; and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.
40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.
41* He first found his brother Simon, and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ).
42* He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him, and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
,
"When I have a poor case," said an attorney,"I prepare an eloquent speech, when I have a good case, I simply call the witnesses."
The gospel of Jesus Christ simply needs to call its witnesses.
Our gospel lesson and our second lesson about people being called by Christ. Peter, James and John were called to be disciples in our gospel lesson. In the lesson from 1 Corinthians, Peter speaks about his calling.
Peter was called to 'be an apostle, called to change his life, called to serve the Lord Jesus w as a witness to God"s grace in his life. Paul's watchword became, 'Not I, but Christ. His only concern was to be sensitive to the voice of God who had called him.
As members of the body of Christ, we have been called by God to be his people, called to be saints, called to be his church, called to be the ones who bring God's grace into this world. We think of God coming to us in his means of Grace, his word and the sacraments of baptism and holy communion. But the other means which we often ignore is ourselves. We are called by God to be his means of grace in this world. We are called by God to be sacramental, to be a means by which his love, his forgiveness is brought into this world. Have you ever thought of yourself as a sacrament of God?? You are, you are a holy temple, a means by which God comes to those who are hurting, a means by which God comes to those who need to be forgiven, a means by which those who need love are loved. God works through people, we see that every Sunday morning as he works through the brokenness of this person to bring his grace to you. God uses me to bring his forgiveness to you at the beginning of the service when I.declare that your sins are forgiven, it is my words, my body, my arm in the air, but it is God's action working through these things that makes you not guilty, that forgives you of your sins.
I have been called by God to be an apostle, as one sent forth, just as all of you are called by God to be sent; forth into this world, just as Paul says in our first verse from I Corinthians that he was called by the will of God to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. We are sent, we are not kept safe in these four walls, we are not kept safe in our homes, at our jobs,but we are called to be sent out into the world to be with those who do not know the love of God in their lives, to be with those who. are hurting, to be with those who need forgiveness, to be with those as they are in their everyday lives, as they struggle with all the brokenness of this world.
As we see in these two lessons, the church is not these four walls, but the people inside who are called by God through Christ and his spirit to be the church.
"A little boy had fallen asleep in the nursery and as the pastor was shaking hand at the doorway, an usher brought him out of the nursery into the church. It seemed like his parents had forgotten about him. As the lad woke up in the church, he looked around and saw that the church was empty and he said, where did the church go.
Where did the church go is an apt phrase as this little boy knew it was the people inside the church's four walls that made up the church. He knew that the church was people, people called by God through Christ and the Holy Spirit to be followers of Jesus. This little boy understood what the church was all about and I wonder why do adults see the church only as a building, or as the pastor or as a location? I wonder.
Our lesson from I Corinthians tells us we have also been called to be saints, called to be believers in God, called to be ones who believe the promises of God are true for our lives. We know that the covenant we have with God is a covenant between a greater party and a lesser party, God being the greater and we-being the lesser. God has called us to live in his covenant, called us to be his people because he wills it for our lives. We don't seek God, He seeks us. God claims us to be his because he wills it for us who are inferior to him. Why?? That is the unanswerable question of time. Why would God call people who reject him, who would rather believe in their own selves, in their worth, in their own pride? Why would God call people who have only selfish motives in life, people who cannot see beyond themselves, why God calls that kind of people to be his we will never know. But he has, that is the amazing grace in which we live. God bas called us to be his, called us to believe in the promises he has made for us, called us to be his children. He calls us not when we can respond, but as Ryan will find out this morning in the Baptismal service, he calls us as babies, as those who have no choice, as ones who do not even understand what is happening. God calls us to be his, to believe in his promise for our lives.
Paul says further that the promises we are called to believe in enrich our lives with every spiritual gift. Paul says that the grace of God gives direction, gives purpose, gives meaning, gives vocation to ones life. We are called by God to give honor and glory to him in all areas of life. All of us have been given gifts by God with which we support our families, take care of our homes, or learn knowledge for future use.What ever we do, we have been granted that skill, that ability by God in our lives. With that gift comes a responsibility, to use these gifts to a worthwhile end, to use those gifts for the honor and glory of God and in service to our neighbor.
Finally Paul says we are called into fellowship by the grace of God. We are called into the church, we are called into this place so that we might receive support, encouragement, forgiveness, love and respect one another. It is within the church that we are to care for one another. It is a feeling that needs to be kept alive in our church. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our selves, that we cannot see the hurt, the frustration, the loneliness, the sorrow, the pain, the despair, or the anger in the heart of our brother or sister in Christ.
But the Christian community is a place, should be a place, where brothers and sisters can come and share their brokenness, where they can come and gain peace and comfort from a brother and sister, where one can tell to another the pain of live and know there will be support, concern and compassion. The church in its beginning was a very compassionate entity, but I wonder if we have lost some of that compassion through out the centuries. I wonder if the members of the church have turned more inward, more concerned about themselves than about their brother or sister in Christ?
Paul says we are called by God to be sent forth to be witnesses in this world for the grace of God. He says we are called to believe, to be saints, to trust in the promises of God for our lives. He says further that we are called into a fellowship, called into the church, called into the body of Christ to care for one another. We are called to be compassionate, to be loving people to our brother and sister in Christ. We are called to reach out to others in this world who need to feel the grace of God through us.
What we are talking about this morning can be summed up in one word, discipleship. We are called to be disciples, or followers of Jesus as members of the body of Christ.
Discipleship isn't what you do. Being a disciple is who you are-it changes everything. Being a disciple of Christ changes you from the inside out.
A closing story sums this all up for us as we contemplate what it means to be a disciple of God.
Let’s imagine that you want to learn to dance. Being the rational, cerebral person you are, you go to a bookstore and buy a book on dancing. You take the book home and get to work.
Finally, you think you’ve got it, and you invite your wife to come in and watch. You hold the book open and follow the instructions step by step. You even read the words aloud so she’ll know that you’ve done your homework. “Lean with your right shoulder,” and so you lean. “Now step with your right foot,” and so you step. “Turn slowly to the left,” and so you do.
You continue to read, then dance, read, then dance, until the dance is completed. You plop exhausted on the couch, look at your wife, and proclaim, “I executed it perfectly.”
“You executed it, all right,” she sighs. “You killed it.”
“What?”
“You forgot the most important part. Where is the music?”
Music?
You never thought about music. You remembered the book. You learned the rules. You laid out the pattern. But you forgot the music.
“Do it again,” she says, putting in a CD. “This time don’t worry about the steps; just follow the music.”
She extends her hand and the music begins. The next thing you know, you are dancing-and you don’t even have the book.
We Christians are prone to follow the book while ignoring the music. We master the doctrine, outline the chapters, memorize the dispensations, debate the rules, and stiffly step down the dance floor of life with no music in our hearts. We measure each step, calibrate each turn, and flop into bed each night exhausted from another day of dancing by the book.
Dancing with no music is tough stuff.
“Let God have you, and let God love you-and don’t be surprised if your heart begins to hear music you’ve never heard and your feet learn to dance as never before.”(1)
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale January 14, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1) as seen in Max Lucado’s weekly email devotional. From “A Gentle Thunder: Hearing God Through the Storm,” © 1995, Max Lucado
from firstIMPRESSIONS
by Senior Pastor Timothy Satryan
Monday, January 7, 2008
Baptism of Jesus Sermon
First Sunday after the Epiphany
Baptism of Jesus Sermon
Matthew 3:13-17
"Baptism as Life"
"Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."" Matthew 3:13-17, RSV.
Grace and Peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
The following is from a sermon by Richard Jensen: "The call sounded urgent. It was Pam Weatherby. "Pastor Washington," she said breathlessly, "you've got to come to the hospital right away. Nathan just had a heart attack."
Pastor Washington rushed to the hospital. He met Pam in the hall on the way to Nathan's room in intensive care. "This is all so sudden," Pam said. "I don't know what to think." Pastor Washington tried to comfort her the the best way he could.
Soon they were ushered into Nathan's room. Nathan didn't look good at all. He was terribly pale and looked very tired. Pam and Pastor Washington stepped to his bedside. No one said a word. They could see that Nathan wanted to say something. Finally he blurted it out. "I don't want to die," he said in desperation. "I want to live. I want life."
It was always on Tuesday afternoons that Harriet Mead got her hair fixed at the beauty parlor. She looked forward to it. It was one of the few pleasures she had left in life. Life had been hard on Harriet Mead. Her husband had left her a few years back; left her to raise the three kids. Now the kids were causing her all kinds of problems. But here, in the beauty parlor, she could sit back, relax and enjoy being cared for.
Harriet always had the same woman fix her hair. Sheila Stone had been doing her hair now for several years. Harriet and Sheila had become quite good friends over the years. "Things will turn out right yet," Sheila said to Harriet, "just you wait and see. Life has a way of correcting these things."
"Ha," Harriet replied. "What life? You call what I'm living life? This is no life, I tell you. This is not living at all."
The teenagers gathered in silence. Most of them had never even been to a funeral before. Now one of their classmates was dead; dead at 16. He had taken his own life. Mourning draped itself over their gathering. No one really knew what to do or what to say. They just followed along with the service. Soon the pastor spoke. He read from a note that their classmate had left behind. "I can take life no longer," the note began, "I choose death over life."
"I want to live. I want life," Nathan Weatherby said.
"This is no life I tell you. This is not living at all," said Harriet Mead.
"I can take life no longer. I choose death," the teenager's suicide note declared.
Each of these people made statements about life. Life is tough. Life is difficult. Life is in jeopardy. Life is not worth living. What do you say about life? Most of us, I think, do experience many difficulties in life. Life can be hard. Life can be tough. We long for a better life. Would that it could be!"
Life can be tough. Life can be difficult. But in that toughness, there is a bright spot. That spot is knowing and believing that we are children of God through our baptism. Baptism reminds us "whose" we are. We are Christ's children. Baptism reminds us of who we are, children of God.
Our lesson this morning is the Baptism of Jesus. Jesus was baptized by John in the river Jordan not because he needed his sins forgiven, but because he needed to know that he was God's special child.
In Jesus' Baptism, this was a sign for Jesus as well as John that God had indeed chosen Jesus to be his incarnate presence in this world. Jesus' Baptism was an Epiphany event, or a manifestation, or a light, or a revelation of God's presence in this world.
Jesus as he grew up in his father's carpenter shop must have been looking for a sign from God to tell him when he was to go about his public ministry. John's preaching, John's baptism was just that sign. Jesus came to John not because he needed to be forgiven of his sins, but as a sign, a revelation to all people and a revelation to himself that he was to begin his public ministry. He received conformation in a physical way what he knew in his heart to be his task. God's voice, the coming of the spirit on him all confirmed for Jesus he was indeed God's chosen one, the one who would bring the good news to all people.
In Baptism, we too become God's chosen ones. In the pouring of the water and in the saying of the words, we become God's children in Baptism. We are chosen by God. He acts, he comes to us through the water and the word to make us his. A baby might be either sleep or cry during Baptism, but that is all it will do. The baby will have no active part, that is because God is the one who acts. God comes to the baby and claims it for his own. God does all the action in Baptism. God claims it's life for eternity.
"Let us turn our eyes back to our own baptisms, and recognize that it was God's act, not ours or the church's,We can do nothing outside of the Grace of God to affect our own salvation. Our Baptismal birth into the family of God is a gift FROM God.
Reverend Dr. Gregory S. Neal" (1)
This gift from God enables us to life with all the brokenness of life. Through that gift we have the Spirit of God walking with us through life.
As we experience the "toughness" of life, remember that there is a bright spot, you are a child of God. As a child of God, you have his presence with you as you face life. He will walk besides you, or carry you through the rough spot of life.
Luther knew and lived for and in that "bright spot" of life. Luther lived in his Baptism and wants us to do the same.
"Martin Luther lived in his baptism. When confronted by the devil, he did not try to turn him away with words or reject him by his own power. When we are faced by temptation, we usually claim our own strength, "I can avoid this" or "I can make it go away." No, Luther knew he had no power over sin by his own will. He answered the temptation with "I am baptized." He knew that it was only by the power of the Holy Spirit, by the mercy of God, that the devil could be turned away. The devil has no power over us when we are covered by the grace of God.
Luther lived in his baptism by remembering it daily. Luther taught that all Christians should wake to the remembrance of that moment when they became children of God and that we should go to sleep with that same thought. In his small catechism, Luther writes that as soon as we get out of bed in the morning we should make the sign of the cross and say, "Under the care of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen." We should do the same in the evening before we go to bed. Living under such a remembrance helps us to realize that God is with us daily, walking with us" (2)
We must learn to wake to the realization that we are a child of God and fall to sleep in the peace and comfort that we are a child of God. And as we live each waking moment, we can have the assurance and peace that God through the Spirit is with us. It is that spirit of God that we received at Baptism that allows us to fight off the devil, to bring our cares to God through Christ, to find hope and peace in this life.
We must remember that we are a child of God and thus being that child, we have direction and purpose in life.
A closing story speaks about which way we must go as we follow Christ in this life.
"During one of the busiest times at Houston's Hobby Airport, a flight was delayed due to a mechanical problem. Since they needed the gate for another flight, the aircraft was backed away from the gate while the maintenance crew worked on it. The passengers were then told the new gate number, which was some distance away. Everyone moved to the new gate, only to find that a third gate had been designated. After some further shuffling, everyone got on board. As they were settling in, the flight attendant made the standard announcement, "We apologize for the inconvenience of this last-minute gate change. This flight is going to Washington, D.C. If your destination is not Washington, D.C., then you should 'deplane' at this time."
A very confused-looking and red-faced pilot emerged from the cockpit, carrying his bags. "Sorry," he said, "wrong plane." What happens when the pilot does not know where he is headed?
There are people today who are very confused because they have looked to the wrong persons to help them find the meaning they seek. There are hundreds of Religions in today's world. New ones are born every year. Many people are blindly accepting strange theologies --- theologies that will not help them find the life that Jesus offers to you and me ."
Do you have life where you know where you are going and who you are going with? Do you have such a life through your Baptism?
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale January 7, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1)from SermonNuggets
(2) from Midweek Oasis Peggy Hoppes
(3)Author Unknown -- the Living Bread of God. 93
Baptism of Jesus Sermon
Matthew 3:13-17
"Baptism as Life"
"Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."" Matthew 3:13-17, RSV.
Grace and Peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen
The following is from a sermon by Richard Jensen: "The call sounded urgent. It was Pam Weatherby. "Pastor Washington," she said breathlessly, "you've got to come to the hospital right away. Nathan just had a heart attack."
Pastor Washington rushed to the hospital. He met Pam in the hall on the way to Nathan's room in intensive care. "This is all so sudden," Pam said. "I don't know what to think." Pastor Washington tried to comfort her the the best way he could.
Soon they were ushered into Nathan's room. Nathan didn't look good at all. He was terribly pale and looked very tired. Pam and Pastor Washington stepped to his bedside. No one said a word. They could see that Nathan wanted to say something. Finally he blurted it out. "I don't want to die," he said in desperation. "I want to live. I want life."
It was always on Tuesday afternoons that Harriet Mead got her hair fixed at the beauty parlor. She looked forward to it. It was one of the few pleasures she had left in life. Life had been hard on Harriet Mead. Her husband had left her a few years back; left her to raise the three kids. Now the kids were causing her all kinds of problems. But here, in the beauty parlor, she could sit back, relax and enjoy being cared for.
Harriet always had the same woman fix her hair. Sheila Stone had been doing her hair now for several years. Harriet and Sheila had become quite good friends over the years. "Things will turn out right yet," Sheila said to Harriet, "just you wait and see. Life has a way of correcting these things."
"Ha," Harriet replied. "What life? You call what I'm living life? This is no life, I tell you. This is not living at all."
The teenagers gathered in silence. Most of them had never even been to a funeral before. Now one of their classmates was dead; dead at 16. He had taken his own life. Mourning draped itself over their gathering. No one really knew what to do or what to say. They just followed along with the service. Soon the pastor spoke. He read from a note that their classmate had left behind. "I can take life no longer," the note began, "I choose death over life."
"I want to live. I want life," Nathan Weatherby said.
"This is no life I tell you. This is not living at all," said Harriet Mead.
"I can take life no longer. I choose death," the teenager's suicide note declared.
Each of these people made statements about life. Life is tough. Life is difficult. Life is in jeopardy. Life is not worth living. What do you say about life? Most of us, I think, do experience many difficulties in life. Life can be hard. Life can be tough. We long for a better life. Would that it could be!"
Life can be tough. Life can be difficult. But in that toughness, there is a bright spot. That spot is knowing and believing that we are children of God through our baptism. Baptism reminds us "whose" we are. We are Christ's children. Baptism reminds us of who we are, children of God.
Our lesson this morning is the Baptism of Jesus. Jesus was baptized by John in the river Jordan not because he needed his sins forgiven, but because he needed to know that he was God's special child.
In Jesus' Baptism, this was a sign for Jesus as well as John that God had indeed chosen Jesus to be his incarnate presence in this world. Jesus' Baptism was an Epiphany event, or a manifestation, or a light, or a revelation of God's presence in this world.
Jesus as he grew up in his father's carpenter shop must have been looking for a sign from God to tell him when he was to go about his public ministry. John's preaching, John's baptism was just that sign. Jesus came to John not because he needed to be forgiven of his sins, but as a sign, a revelation to all people and a revelation to himself that he was to begin his public ministry. He received conformation in a physical way what he knew in his heart to be his task. God's voice, the coming of the spirit on him all confirmed for Jesus he was indeed God's chosen one, the one who would bring the good news to all people.
In Baptism, we too become God's chosen ones. In the pouring of the water and in the saying of the words, we become God's children in Baptism. We are chosen by God. He acts, he comes to us through the water and the word to make us his. A baby might be either sleep or cry during Baptism, but that is all it will do. The baby will have no active part, that is because God is the one who acts. God comes to the baby and claims it for his own. God does all the action in Baptism. God claims it's life for eternity.
"Let us turn our eyes back to our own baptisms, and recognize that it was God's act, not ours or the church's,We can do nothing outside of the Grace of God to affect our own salvation. Our Baptismal birth into the family of God is a gift FROM God.
Reverend Dr. Gregory S. Neal" (1)
This gift from God enables us to life with all the brokenness of life. Through that gift we have the Spirit of God walking with us through life.
As we experience the "toughness" of life, remember that there is a bright spot, you are a child of God. As a child of God, you have his presence with you as you face life. He will walk besides you, or carry you through the rough spot of life.
Luther knew and lived for and in that "bright spot" of life. Luther lived in his Baptism and wants us to do the same.
"Martin Luther lived in his baptism. When confronted by the devil, he did not try to turn him away with words or reject him by his own power. When we are faced by temptation, we usually claim our own strength, "I can avoid this" or "I can make it go away." No, Luther knew he had no power over sin by his own will. He answered the temptation with "I am baptized." He knew that it was only by the power of the Holy Spirit, by the mercy of God, that the devil could be turned away. The devil has no power over us when we are covered by the grace of God.
Luther lived in his baptism by remembering it daily. Luther taught that all Christians should wake to the remembrance of that moment when they became children of God and that we should go to sleep with that same thought. In his small catechism, Luther writes that as soon as we get out of bed in the morning we should make the sign of the cross and say, "Under the care of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen." We should do the same in the evening before we go to bed. Living under such a remembrance helps us to realize that God is with us daily, walking with us" (2)
We must learn to wake to the realization that we are a child of God and fall to sleep in the peace and comfort that we are a child of God. And as we live each waking moment, we can have the assurance and peace that God through the Spirit is with us. It is that spirit of God that we received at Baptism that allows us to fight off the devil, to bring our cares to God through Christ, to find hope and peace in this life.
We must remember that we are a child of God and thus being that child, we have direction and purpose in life.
A closing story speaks about which way we must go as we follow Christ in this life.
"During one of the busiest times at Houston's Hobby Airport, a flight was delayed due to a mechanical problem. Since they needed the gate for another flight, the aircraft was backed away from the gate while the maintenance crew worked on it. The passengers were then told the new gate number, which was some distance away. Everyone moved to the new gate, only to find that a third gate had been designated. After some further shuffling, everyone got on board. As they were settling in, the flight attendant made the standard announcement, "We apologize for the inconvenience of this last-minute gate change. This flight is going to Washington, D.C. If your destination is not Washington, D.C., then you should 'deplane' at this time."
A very confused-looking and red-faced pilot emerged from the cockpit, carrying his bags. "Sorry," he said, "wrong plane." What happens when the pilot does not know where he is headed?
There are people today who are very confused because they have looked to the wrong persons to help them find the meaning they seek. There are hundreds of Religions in today's world. New ones are born every year. Many people are blindly accepting strange theologies --- theologies that will not help them find the life that Jesus offers to you and me ."
Do you have life where you know where you are going and who you are going with? Do you have such a life through your Baptism?
Amen
Written by Pastor Tim Zingale January 7, 2008
You may freely use this but please give credit. Not for commercial use.
(1)from SermonNuggets
(2) from Midweek Oasis Peggy Hoppes
(3)Author Unknown -- the Living Bread of God. 93
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