Sermon in Phoenix 26.04.2015

May the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the love of God our Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and forever. Amen.

Let us quieten this morning in opening prayer and thanksgiving. Holy and righteous God, our beloved Heavenly Father, we have awakened to a beautiful new day of grace, mindful of the protection and the blessing that you've afforded unto us as your children. Today we have awakened with that kind of joy in our hearts, recognizing that today we have been protected yet as your children.

Father, you have called us into your kingdom to dwell and travel toward our final and our eternal destination, the glory of heaven. And on this new day, dear Father, when we see the sun illuminating all of that which you've created, we are humbled when we consider how majestic and powerful, how wonderful are your works, and all of these that have been provided for us as your children.

When we look around, we see the beauty of your creation. Even to the smallest detail, you have perfected all things. But also on this day, dear Father, we thank you for the abundant gifts and blessings that you've given to us. You have provided so perfectly for our temporal needs, our homes, our food, our clothing. You have provided so perfectly for our living. You have provided loved ones, those believing friends, families, and escorts that you know we need as we journey home.

You have also revealed unto us your kingdom where we today can dwell. In this place of refuge, in this dark and sinful world, there is this oasis where we can come to gather around your holy and precious word. And as we gather this morning, dear Father, we gather, each one of us with prayerful hearts, that you who knows all things, you who know our needs, our concerns, our worries, and our doubts, we pray, dear Father, that you would, with your word, comfort us as only you can.

This morning, dear Father, we also remember loved ones who are not here with us. There are those who are struggling with the difficulties of life. There are those who have been, who are facing health challenges, even wondering what is your will in these things. We ask, dear Father, this morning that you would give them acceptance, courage, to accept that which is according to your holy and righteous will. What is your plan? Because your plan for all of us is perfect. And we need, dear Father, that kind of assurance that you do know and recognize us as your children and also know what is best for each of us.

So we remember those, not only those who are sick and infirmed, those elder ones who are unable to gather because of difficulties that come through age. Also those who might struggle in many other ways, not being able to come into the hearing of your word. Comfort them as well. All of this we ask in Jesus' name.

And we yet pray as he has taught when we say, Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Before reading a text for our mutual study this morning, I bring to you, brothers and sisters here, many loving greetings. I know I haven't seen some of you since we returned from Finland. It was already over a month ago, I believe, or around a month ago. Many from there asked that their greetings were sent. We had good meetings there and discussions around the work of God's kingdom.

We were also a few weeks ago at the LLC board meeting, excuse me, at Stoney Lake. There gathered were the LLC board members, the LLC office staff, and their spouses for a camp that was first of its kind here in the U.S. There we were able to share in the work and explain to one another what the work is that we face as servants in God's kingdom.

And then also, more recently, last weekend, I was in Prescott for services, Bible class on Wednesday, and congregation evening on Saturday, and services on Sunday. And there, brothers and sisters also asked that their greetings would be sent here.

And then lastly, yesterday at the LLC workshop for the board members, LLC board members workshop held in Minneapolis, there was about 120, 130 board members from around the U.S. In addition to that, board members joined online. And there we also discussed around the work that is before us in the day that we're living.

And we felt like in these meetings and these opportunities that we've had to spend together, how God has so wonderfully been able to help, to instruct, to uplift, and even to bring those kinds of words of caution, of warning, of the day that we're living. We live in a relative time of peace. But we also have experienced that in our day that we're living, there are those kinds of storm clouds on the horizon where the enemy is approaching.

And we know that this time of work is important. That we would be first faithful in our own place of watching. And then, in addition to that, that we would also work and serve in the congregations to warn and to encourage about those challenges that we face in our time.

Yesterday, as we spoke of those clouds on the horizon in a spiritual sense, I thought how in the desert here of Arizona, Phoenix area, it's also such a vivid picture for me when the monsoons first approach June and July. We can see those storm clouds over the mountains. And it isn't until some weeks or even sometimes months later before those storm clouds are actually able to penetrate into the city where we then also experience monsoons.

This is how it's felt in our day where the storm clouds of the spiritual battle are there on the horizon and we ask that God would somehow protect each of us and that he would also give vigilance and watchfulness on each of our parts so that none of us would fall prey to that which the enemy of souls would want to bring as a stumbling block for us as God's children.

We have also experienced how God has protected us and cared for us so perfectly and we can trust even today that he will also in the days ahead protect us as we journey homeward.

Today on the church calendar, third Sunday after Easter, the theme is the child of God longs for hope. I will read one of the texts that has been assigned for this day found in the 11th chapter of Hebrews verse 2 and then verse 13 through 19. The words are as follows in Jesus' name:

"For by it the elders obtained a good report. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth; for they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly. Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said that in Isaac shall thy seed be called; accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure." Amen.

If I were today to offer you children a special gift, what kind of gift would you little children like to have? In fact, you could tell me what that gift might be. When I think back to my own childhood as a little boy, I know of those kinds of treasures as a little boy that I sought for. What might they be for you?

If I was to ask of you little bit older children what is and what would be a great treasure, a great gift that I might give you, and has it changed from what it was a few years ago? As a little boy or as a little girl, you would have hopes for one kind of a treasure, and as we grow a little older, a different kind of treasure comes to mind.

If I was to ask you teenage boys, how many of you would like if I purchased for you a brand new 2015 Corvette for your graduation present? How many of you would say I don't want that kind of a gift? Or you newly married individuals who have recently gotten married and are making plans for your life and maybe even wondering how will you be able to survive in your life? If I was to offer you a new home along with that car and all of the necessities for your married life, I'm sure you wouldn't say no, I have no need of such things.

And as we've gotten older, if I was able to gift you older ones with a gift of health where you wouldn't need to be concerned over any health-related issues for the rest of your life, I'm sure none of you would turn down that kind of a gift.

These are the kinds of things that we as people can very easily understand or attach to because we are those kinds of people that are temporal. We are carnal and our minds only can attach to those things that we see and touch.

But if I was to ask even today for you brothers and sisters if you took all of those things in your life that you've prayed for or you've asked for and wished for and then included in that was for you to sit and think in your older age of those kinds of days where there was maybe a perfect or an idyllic day, it might be for some of you sitting in the mountains with a cool breeze blowing, some of you sitting by a trout stream, some of you men sitting on a lake fishing, some of you mothers having that kind of a day where everything felt to be perfect, maybe it's that kind of a vacation that we've had where we were able to sit and enjoy nature there in Hawaii or some remote island in the world.

If we take all of that and include that into our thoughts and think where did all of this come from, and of course we know as God's children that God has blessed us in this life. We've prayed for his blessings and he's blessed us. He's given us that which we need and even more than that, even the best day, the most treasured gift that we might have received in this life still pales by comparison to those things that are unseen.

The apostle Paul writes about those things that are seen and unseen. We know those things that are seen, they're familiar to us, but those things that are unseen are even to be treasured more greatly, and mostly this gift of faith.

This gift of faith leads us to a destination, and before we can reach that destination, we are here in the time that we've been given to live. Each of us has been given an allotted time in life, a certain number of days, as Job has written, that the days are determined. God has ordained and given us the days in which we are to live, and there's a boundary that no man can pass.

So with these thoughts and minds, the apostle asks, what kind of man ought we to be? It's an important question for us, what kind of man ought we to be today?

When we read from God's word and when we read from this 11th chapter of Hebrews, that chapter in the Bible can take literally days to read because it refers to those former saints who have gone before us and it speaks of their lives that they've lived and how they traveled towards heaven.

When you go home today or at some point when you get a few free moments, read that 11th chapter of Hebrews and read and consider the lives of all of those former believers who have been recorded there and what was their life like.

And it speaks in that chapter of how they endeavored by faith, and each of them endeavored with God's help. None of them could do it on their own.

And in this text that we read, it says, "For it the elders obtained a good report." What is the it? The previous verse it says, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

So it is this faith where the elders were able to receive a good report.

Elsewhere in the book of Hebrews it says that without faith it is impossible to please God no matter what we might do as people. It is impossible to please God without faith.

Faith is that which enables us to see afar way off. It serves as a telescope. When you look through a telescope, those images that are unable to be seen with the natural eye come into view.

And this is how faith works. When we look through the eyes of faith, we can see a long, long ways off, all the way to the glory of heaven, and that's our destination, brothers and sisters, the glory of heaven.

What is heaven like? I don't know, but someday I hope to find out, and I'm sure it is your desire as well.

God's word gives us some clue and some hints, some foretaste if you will, of what heaven would be.

Luther says a clean conscience is a foretaste of heaven. Have you experienced with me how this is also true when we can walk void of offense before man and God? There's nothing that convicts us.

And we can in those moments when we are so sure, when the gospel has been preached, when we've been in the gathering of God's children, we've been able to speak of those difficulties of the journey and the gospel has been preached, we say as many of the former saints have said that now I would be ready to go home.

So it is that peace of conscience that is a foretaste of heaven, and this faith in the gospel is that which these elders have obtained a good report, meaning those that have died before us.

When we go to a funeral, for example, isn't it a wonderful testimony when we can say of that one that is laying there in the casket that that departed one endeavored as a grace beggar in God's kingdom? They have left a good testimony that they recognized that they were a sinner and needed to be cared for and comforted around God's word.

Would there be a better testimony? I wouldn't really care today when I passed from this life whether anybody knew at all what car I drove, what house I lived in. None of that is important, what kind of treasures I was able to accrue in this life.

But if that brother that serves there at my funeral, if there could be this kind of testimony that there was a grace beggar in God's kingdom, that would be the kind of report that we also here read in this 11th chapter of those former saints, of those who traveled despite their own weakness and their own shortcomings, gathering the blood drops of Jesus.

And when we read in this portion of God's word, when we began again in the 13th verse, it says, "These all died in faith." Who was it speaking to prior to this verse? It said, "By faith Abel offered a more perfect sacrifice; by faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death," and you remember Enoch was that one that was taken before he died into the glory of heaven.

And by faith Noah, being warned of God of things that were not yet seen, he moved with fear. He prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.

Abraham, and also by faith Abraham, when he was called to go out of a place which he should have to receive for an inheritance, he obeyed by faith. He journeyed in that land of promise in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob.

Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a child when she was past age because she judged him faithful who had promised.

This is of whom the author of the book of Hebrews is writing. These all died in faith, not yet having received the promises, but having seen them afar off and were persuaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

I find it interesting the wording "who were persuaded of them." This persuasion, it happens when someone tells us to do something or asks us to do something, or sometimes children are persuaded to go to school, sometimes you're persuaded to do your chores at home, and sometimes especially for teenagers it takes a bit of persuading to get them to do that which mom and dad would want.

And sometimes we need to discuss things from many different perspectives to persuade someone of something.

So when I think of this, I think of those Old Testament travelers that they were persuaded and they were like, we are, they were those kinds of individuals who needed to hear the assurances of God and the assurances of God's word.

And through God's word, then through the promises of God's word, they were persuaded that the endeavor of faith was worthwhile.

That's why it's important for us, I think, to come into the hearing of God's word and to be in the fellowship of God's children.

The book of Hebrews also, the author also writes that gather together all the more as you see the day approaching, and the day that is approaching, what he writes is that day of difficulty or the end times.

And he says gather together all the more, brothers and sisters.

I have been so fortunate in these recent weeks, and I thought many times in recent weeks when I was sitting in the SRK offices in Olu, Finland, there visiting with dear brothers and sisters in faith, sharing around what it is to be a child of God.

I remember walking one morning there with dear brother Yuor Uncle. We, on that journey, that walk, we discussed matters that were very close and dear to us, a believing father who would raise and raises his family there just as I, as a believing father, have raised and raised my family here.

To share as we walked on that cold wintry morning, I thought of that road to Emmaus when the disciples walked and Jesus appeared with them, and Jesus expounded onto them the scripture and spoke of them, of the way, and Jesus reminded them of God's word and the richness of his word and the promises of God's word.

And at the end of that, the disciples after the discussion was over and they had broke bread together, they said, "Did not our heart burn when Jesus walked with us by the way?"

I experienced the same with that dear brother when we were able to visit around most important matters, that how do we believe, how will we make it to heaven.

And there the gospel preached, and I thought how fortunate I have been to be able to be in that place.

I visited with many of those kinds of travel friends there in Finland, dear brothers and sisters who gather around the same simple message of the gospel, gathering blood drops through Jesus.

We were at a youth discussion in Olu. Some estimated there was four or five hundred youth there, and as I looked around that crowd of youth and I heard from their mouths the testimony of what it is to be a child of God, I closed my eyes and I thought I could be easily at home as I am here in Olu, Finland.

God's kingdom and the children of God are the same no matter where they live in this world.

Those kinds of meetings that we've kept in recent weeks and I've been so fortunate to be there with the brothers and sisters, it's strengthening for a person's faith.

So when we hear those words that we would gather together all the more, do you think those former saints? How do you think Noah who preached for 120 years was able to endure? Surely Noah had doubts.

Surely Abraham, when he was walking up Mount Moriah with his son Isaac, God had instructed him to sacrifice him, and as he walked hand in hand with his son Isaac, Isaac asked this question that we have: the wood, we have everything that is required, but where is the animal for that sacrifice?

What kind of words could father Abraham have told his son? He didn't have a very clear answer.

What he told Isaac was that God would provide.

That's faith in our lives also in this strange and foreign land. God will provide.

And what is required of us is simple childlike faith.

And in the day that we're living, this simple childlike faith is at a premium.

The wisdom of man, I would say, is at an all-time high in the course of history. Man's wisdom today is higher and mightier than it's ever been.

And it's not difficult then for us to understand why with this kind of wisdom all around us, while this simple childlike faith would be tested, it's being tested, it's being tried.

We spoke there in Finland of the situation that they faced there of how there are those there and also here who have it tired in the endeavor, who have it tired in that endeavor of living faith, choosing rather to go an easier way, that easier way that the mind of man would direct.

We have experienced it in our day.

But when we consider even in this 11th chapter, and as you read them, you can think of, for example, Moses' life.

Moses being born there in Egypt, raised in the house of the Pharaoh, Moses would have had everything that was necessary for this life in abundance.

He would have had surely as a resident of Pharaoh's house all the wealth that he would need. He would have had those kinds of luxuries that would have been very comfortable for this life.

But in the 11th chapter it says that Moses rather suffered the affliction, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.

Those pleasures of sin are all around us. It's no different today than it was during the time of Moses.

You know with me what those pleasures of sin are. The enemy has used in so many different ways tools and situations in life and temptations for us that are very pleasurable for our flesh, even in such small ways, well maybe big ways.

But even in our own appearance as a young boy, it was very, it wasn't easy for me to confess my faith.

And in those days when I grew up, it was the days that followed the 60s and the hippie generation. Long hair was rampant in the day that I lived.

And oh, it was so difficult as a young lad to sit there in that barber chair and my dad cutting my hair short. I didn't fit in very well any longer when I had that kind of a well-kept look.

My flesh didn't enjoy that for a moment. Neither has my flesh enjoyed for a moment the ridicule that I needed to face as a believing father.

And I'm sure Moses neither liked the ridicule that he faced as a believing man.

But the common thread for all of these former saints is this: that they endeavored to put sin away, that they endeavored to remain walking as a child of God because they knew that there was a greater reward in the glory of heaven, a greater reward than all of the riches of Egypt.

Moses was able to see.

So now back up a bit, and as a boy he wondered, as a little girl he wondered about those treasures of this life.

As a young man, as a young lady, we gather and we want to gain those treasures that are so dear to our flesh.

But what is all of that worth when we consider what would you give in exchange for eternal life?

That most perfect day with a cool breeze blowing when you're sitting there and the waves lapping on a beach in Hawaii pales by comparison to what the glory of heaven would be.

But how can we see or how do we know what heaven is? It is only through faith.

And if this faith, if we lose this faith, then all of a sudden we lose the hope of eternal life. We lose sight of our destination.

And then what becomes important is all of that which is of this time, of this life.

Think how shallow the songwriter asked that, what would you give in exchange for your soul? It's a fair question that, how much would you give?

Love, it's in our day that kind of teaching, that kind of instruction, that we would even as here in God's word tells us that these all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them far off and were persuaded of them, they embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

If you don't feel that this is your permanent home, that is a good feeling.

If you don't feel like you're accepted by the world, it's a good thing.

If you feel as if your understanding is weak and even strange in the wisdom of this world, it's a good thing because you are one of those children of God who cannot rely on yourself but needs to rely and trust in God's goodness for you.

This speaks to young children, it speaks to teenagers, young adults, it speaks to mom and dads, it speaks to grandma and grandpas as you're waiting for that call to come home.

What's important? This is simple message of living faith.

And for they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

But now they desire a better country, that is, in heavenly.

Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city.

Jesus in his farewell sermon, oh such comforting words for the child of God.

Jesus had taken his disciples the last night in which he lived. He took them close. I would have loved to have been in that setting with Jesus.

Yoko and I yesterday were visiting. We have to do a Bible camp this fall at Stony Lake, trying to figure out what kind of topics to discuss at that Bible camp.

And he said, why don't we take those parts of scriptures that are most special and precious to us and teach them.

And I thought such an idea. What portions of scriptures are dear to you, dear travel friend?

This 14th chapter of John has been one of those such chapters for me, and I would expect that it would remain dear.

But it was Jesus' farewell sermon and his prayer for his loved ones.

And he told his disciples, "Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also."

These words, when they came from Jesus talking specifically to his disciples, his children, those doubting ones, those fearful ones, those ones that oh so many times needed to be in the tutelage of God's word and the love of Jesus, how often they needed to be fed by that Lord of lords and King of kings, how many times they needed to be taught.

And then Jesus had those kinds of words that I'm going to come again and I will take you with myself there to the glory of heaven.

Dear tired and weary traveler, that is the promise of God's word.

The glory of heaven waits. It waits for the child of God endeavoring by faith.

Remain today believing exactly where you find yourself.

Mothers doubting those kinds of fears of accepting another child, will God protect me and my health?

Fathers doubting, can you possibly care for those children? Can you possibly teach them correctly?

The doubts that come from an older traveler as they're nearing the end of their life, that how is it possible that I can make it home?

By faith trusting in God's goodness for you.

Remain today believing the latest sins and doubts forgiven in Jesus' name and precious atoning blood.

That's how the Old Testament travelers journeyed and that's how we journey.

It's not difficult when we can remember those words of Jesus where he said, "Cast all of your cares upon me and I will give you rest."

We have such a good future, brothers and sisters, when we can travel in the same way traveling towards heaven.

Don't put away faith but rather put away sin.

Today I also find myself with my own doubts and my own sinfulness, which is abundant, and ask that can I also hear that same gospel?

I want to believe with each of you, brothers and sisters, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Let us close our services in prayer and benediction.

Holy and righteous God, beloved Heavenly Father, we thank you this morning for your word and we pray that this word would bear fruit, that it would give us strength to take another step and one day then, dear Father, you would carry us all the way to the glory of heaven.

Keep us today and always as your children, and we have to say the Lord bless us and keep us; the Lord make his face to shine upon us and be gracious unto us; the Lord lift up his countenance upon us and give us peace in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

Thank you to the Lord well doing but that and well and should have a time to use anything.