Sermon in Phoenix 23.06.2013

I have a wedding announcement this morning to read. Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Kumpala request the honor of your presence at the marriage of their children, Caitlin Ann and Christopher Daniel, on Saturday, July 13, 2013, at 4 o'clock in the afternoon at the Stadi Lutheran Church of Monaga, Minnesota.

Let us pray. Holy and righteous God, as these two are about to be joined together in holy matrimony, make their home a Christian home. Amen.

Let us join together this morning in opening prayer and thanksgiving. Holy and righteous God, our beloved Heavenly Father, as we have awakened to a beautiful new day of grace, we thank you, dear Father, for the abundant blessings and gifts that you've granted unto us, your children. You have protected us through the night, and we have awakened mindful of the measure of grace and mercy that you've bestowed upon us when we've been called to be your children. Through the merit work of your Son, we are journeying towards heaven.

And as we gather around your holy and precious word this morning, we pray, dear Father, for your service blessing. Father, you who know the hearts of each one of your children, you who know the hearts of those listening, wherever they may be, we pray, dear Father, that you would comfort us with your word. But not only comfort us, but teach us, instruct us, guide us with your word that allows us to be able to believe and have faith in our hearts. And where one day our faith is changed to see in the glory of heaven.

This morning we remember loved ones not with us. Would you watch them in their place of watching? Comfort them and strengthen them. Even those ones who are away from the hearing of your word because of circumstances or health, protect and guide them as well.

We know, dear Father, that all gifts and blessings come from your hand. So, therefore, on this day, we thank you, dear Father, and pray for your continued blessings. And into that unspoken prayer, or unspoken... Into that prayer that your Son taught, we include all of our unspoken thoughts and concerns, where 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. Amen. Amen.

Before reading a portion of God's word for our study this morning, I bring you, brothers and sisters, many loving greetings from both Camp Kippa, where we were throughout the last week and a half for our youth camps. There at those camps we experienced the measure of love and grace of our Heavenly Father. We are now seeing the reward of the work that you brothers and sisters here so diligently did in preparing the camp for its use. Those countless hours of labor that went into the reconstruction and outfitting of the camp now are coming to fruition. We have been able to hear the voices of God's children with hearts of thanksgiving and praise unto the heart of the Heavenly Father there resound from those walls of that camp. There the gospel has been preached. And we pray that God would give increase to that word that has been sown into the hearts of those little ones.

But also loving greetings from Prescott. I was there last Sunday and the previous Wednesday. And they also wanted that their greetings would be sent to you, brothers and sisters here.

We find that we are living in a kingdom that is rich. It is abundant with God's love and grace. And we are especially mindful of the day that we live and how God has cared for us so well in this day.

I will read from the gospel text that is assigned for this Sunday. The theme of the day is of mercy. We know, brothers and sisters, that the Heavenly Father is a merciful Father. He has granted unto us an abundance of grace and mercy. But it is also an important teaching that we also, as God's children, also love one another in the same way.

Be ye therefore merciful as your Father also is merciful. Judge not, ye shall not be judged. Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned. Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven. Give, and it shall be given unto you. Good measure, pressed down and shaken together and running over, shall men give into your own bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete with all, it shall be measured to you again.

And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? Shall they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master, but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? How canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. Amen.

This portion of God's word has been recorded also by other of the apostles, other of the evangelists, and it speaks about the love and mercy of the Heavenly Father. It also speaks of the responsibility that God's children have one to another.

God's mercy and forgiveness is endless. There is no shortage of forgiveness. The apostle writes, God's word teaches, where there is sin, grace abounds.

It has been so important that as God's children we understand and believe how forgiving and merciful the Father in Heaven is. Because each one of us recognizes our own sinfulness and we also know the need for forgiveness. We feel ourselves, as the apostle also felt, to be the most sinful of all.

Yet, when we comprehend and understand at least to some degree—I don't believe that we completely understand how sinful we are—we know we're sinful, but we are corrupt through and through. But for the merit work of Christ, none of us would be able to merit or gain salvation.

So when Jesus teaches in this portion of God's word, it follows the teaching that Jesus spoke when he also in Matthew records the Beatitudes where he says in those ways, "Blessed be the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now, for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now, for ye shall laugh."

And this list of Beatitudes that he uses, he speaks to his disciples and he explains to them of that which they've been given, of that which they can expect, and that which they can also hope for.

And then later on he goes on to explain about those and he says woe unto those and he speaks of those who are on the outside of God's kingdom. And there is woe for them.

And then he continues where he speaks of those who are on the outside of God's kingdom, that we would love them. Love your enemies, do good unto them that hate you.

All of these teachings speak of that love that Jesus has for us, his children, and how merciful God is to those whom he shows mercy.

And so in our text, it speaks to this, that be therefore merciful as your Father is also merciful.

Faithful, it feels that this is important, that we consider this teaching of Jesus. We also, during these days at camp, considered even these words in different ways. We talked a lot about the golden rule, which is similar to this teaching, when God's word, Jesus says, and you know those very simple words, you children even know them, to be nice to those, and to treat others as you would also like to be treated.

It is such a simple and basic teaching, but I think there is an important message and an important lesson in this, because it's not easy to love your enemies, it's not easy to be kind to those that hate you, it's not easy to be kind to those that do things that are wrong to you.

Yet, God's word teaches us that we would love our enemies. And the apostle says that if we do good to those that hate us, it's like heaping coals of fire upon their head.

The psalmist and the writer of the Proverbs also says, and it speaks in this way, that a soft answer turns away the wrath of anger.

God's kingdom. So it gives us direction as God's children to be merciful and kind, not only to our brethren, to our brothers and sisters in faith, but also to those on the outside of God's kingdom.

We don't know what the effect of our kindness might be to those on the outside of God's kingdom.

On the other hand, there have been those who have recognized that God's kingdom is there amongst those to whom love joins together.

When there is a heart of love and forgiveness, the world sees, the world recognizes that there is something different in the heart of that child, that person, that individual.

And we know, according to God's word, that the first fruit of faith is love. Love is that which joins all of God's children together. It knits our hearts together in perfection.

And this love then constrains us. As Jesus says, be therefore merciful as your Father is also merciful.

And then Jesus also continues and he says, judge not and ye shall not be judged. Condemn not and ye shall not be condemned. Forgive and ye shall be forgiven.

What is this judgment of which Jesus is here speaking? And what is this condemnation?

It is so. And there is a saying that we cannot judge a book by its cover. We cannot possibly see into the heart of man. God sees the heart of man.

For we as people, we cannot see into the inner heart of any individual. On the other hand, our flesh is that kind that would very easily begin to judge others.

Sometimes it is fair and sometimes it is unfair.

For example, there are those times when we see someone who has a very difficult outward appearance to behold. We can look at that individual and wonder what is the content of the individual's heart.

There is a tendency for all of us to look at someone and quickly judge and say that this person must be like this or like that. I am as guilty as the next guy.

One of the brothers that was in West Africa on one of his speaking trips, he made mention of this when he was there in the meeting or in services of God's children.

And there was a group of unbelieving men that came to the gathering. And in his mind he quickly identified those that he thought would be hearers and those that he thought would be with closed ears, those that might believe and those that wouldn't believe.

And as the conversation went and the discussion went, it became very evident that the one that he had pinned or labeled as being unhearing or unable to believe was asking questions that were very evident that he was speaking and searching God's kingdom.

In the end, this one whom he labeled and said that it was impossible for him to believe was the one that was granted the grace of repentance.

He said it made him mindful of how corrupt we are, how unable to see the hearts of individuals, how it is that we can so quickly judge those things with our own mind and reason.

There are also those times even in God's kingdom where we might see those who start to look or act differently or even in wrong ways.

When we start to see some of the behaviors of our young people, it may be a young individual who is struggling in faith and starting to accept and start to live in some of the ways of the world where the world starts to attach to that individual.

It's very easy to shun or to shy away from that individual.

Maybe we're that one who would sit on the outside of the services of God's children. Maybe that one who would raise some questions about what is the teaching of God's kingdom.

Maybe even in his outward appearance he starts to grow long hair and shabby clothing or take on the appearance of the ungodly.

It's very easy for us to write that individual off and say, oh, it's hopeless for that individual to remain believing.

But what is it that we as God's children suffer?

It may be that in the heart of that individual is a struggling one, one who needs to hear that invitation also of the gospel.

That we wouldn't walk even as that terrible good Samaritan teaches how there was both that Levite and that priest that took a wide berth around that one who was left for dead there on the road leading to Jericho.

That the good Samaritan came and took care of that individual and poured in oil and wine, brought that person to the inn and there where he was cared for by that innkeeper.

God's kingdom is a kingdom of sinners. It is a kingdom of forgiven sinners.

And may we with the compassion and heart of Christ, even when we see those ones who are struggling outwardly, or we hear of those things that are going on in the lives of an individual, rather than leave them there, may God give us strength and courage to speak to them, to encourage them to remain traveling as a child of God.

One of the youngsters at this last camp, last night we had a discussion that young people had asked questions.

And one of his students put not so much a question, but a statement in the question box.

And it was along those lines that you encourage us to speak about matters of conscience and matters of faith.

That sometimes it feels like in God's kingdom there are those that are judgmental and those that are unloving and unforgiving.

I'm not sure, nobody was exactly sure of the context or the reason for this comment, but those surely would be and possibly true that if an individual would speak of those things that are troubling, the enemy of souls, on one hand, would like to tell that individual that it's impossible to speak of those things that are of conscience.

But then the other sermon also that comes from the devil, that in God's kingdom or in that group of believers, there isn't forgiveness, and there are only those that judge you, but these are sermons of the enemy.

On the other hand, brothers and sisters, may it be that we are approachable as mothers and fathers, may it be that we're approachable as brothers and sisters in faith, for those that have need of the gospel, that we'll be ready and willing to preach that gospel to those, especially to those, that are struggling.

If we think of this, that if there are two or three gathered together in a meeting, and there is the one that is being cared for, and there are those that are doing the caring, whose side do you think Jesus would be on? The side of the sinner, or the side of the ones that are caring for them?

Jesus loves the sinner. And he came to call the sinner onto repentance.

So may it be that God gives us this kind of heart, that we'll be able to look past that kind of outward judgment and realize that each one of us is traveling towards heaven, we are faulty and sinful, and that we need the help of one another to get there, to heaven.

This teaching of Jesus is important, but also to the opposite of this. It's also important that we rebuke one another of sin.

There are those sometimes who say that you can't judge me, that I can live my life as I want to live.

This is neither according to God's word.

Jesus said in his farewell sermon and the high priestly prayer to his loved ones, he told them that he's come into this world, and he gives to his children his word, and the spirit of truth that dwells in the hearts of his children is that which judges in all things.

We need to be open books, we need to be hearers also of God's word, we need to heed the teaching of God's kingdom.

Wisdom. It's arrogance, or it's a certain air of, it's not humility, where a person would say that I can live my life, or I can believe what I want to, and you can't judge me.

It's not according to God's word.

God's word very clearly says that we are open epistles.

What did David say after he had been corrected for his and been rebuked by Nathan? And he understood his sinfulness. He understood the need to be naked before God.

He said, Search me, try me, and see if there be any evil or wicked way in me.

As a child of God, we want to be open, we want to be known, we want to be read by the other believers.

Isn't it your desire? It is mine for sure, that I want the congregation to know what is in my heart. I want the believers to know how I believe, and I want to be carried as one of God's own.

Those who use this defense that you can't judge me, it is because there is sin in that person's heart.

If there is no sin in our heart, we simply say, I am here, God, see me, or before the congregation we can simply say, Here I am, try me, and see if there be any evil or wicked way in me.

But when there is sin that is burdening and troubling the conscience, we can then go to those places, even as Adam and Eve did, they went and hid in the garden of Eden. They tried to hide themselves from God.

Was it possible? It wasn't. God knew where they were exactly in the garden. And when God asked them that why are you naked, they were surprised that God knew that they were naked.

We need to be naked before the eyes of the Heavenly Father. We need to be known and read as God's own children.

Those who claim or say that God's kingdom is that kind of a kingdom that is judgmental, and that kind of a group of people that doesn't forgive, have you experienced so, brothers and sisters?

Has it been that when you've had matters of conscience, and you've been troubled, and you've gone to a brother or sister in faith, has there ever been a time where when you've gone with this kind of heart that I want my sins forgiven, has there ever been a time when the gospel hasn't been freely preached?

God's kingdom is this kind of a kingdom that speaks about sin, that reminds about sin, but also is ready and willing and so wanting to forgive the sinner.

So there are both sides to this, that on one side we wouldn't judge with our own mind and our own wisdom, with our own human understanding, but we would pray that the spirit would lead and guide in these things.

And then on the other hand neither would we stand in some kind of a defense that we are all-knowing and don't need the care of the congregation.

And then Jesus spoke this parable where he said, Can the blind lead the blind? Shall they not both fall into the ditch? The disciple is not above his master, but everyone that is perfect shall be as his master.

And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

There are those times, surely in our lives, where we have seen those travel friends, those escorts, and we have heard of something. Maybe word has come that, oh, this individual here is living this kind of a life or struggling with this.

And there are those times that we think, because we are sinful flesh, that how could a person do that kind of a sin?

Do you think this kind of question was asked of King David?

Do you think that when King David was given everything that he needed, and God said if there was more that he would have needed, he would have given it?

But David was tempted with sin, both adultery, he fell into sin, and then also he was guilty of murder.

There have been those, surely, who have wondered and thought that how could David, who was given all of this, be and do such a thing?

It's not far from us to have this kind of a judgmental mind, and even when we hear these kinds of things, even in our own congregation that might be going on in our families, it's very easy for us to start to think that that one is much more sinful than I am.

But is it true? Is it so that some are more sinful than you or me? Or is it so, brothers and sisters, that all of us find ourselves in the face of God's word as sinners?

Is there any righteous? The psalmist says there's not one good, no, not one.

The apostle also reiterates that when he quotes the psalmist. There is none good, is there?

There is not one here in the house of God that is without sin.

That reduces it then, brothers and sisters, to this, that we're all sinners. We're all needful of grace and forgiveness. We're no better. We're no different. We're really no different than any who walks on the outside of God's kingdom.

Has there ever been this kind of a self-righteous thought when you've traveled through some difficult parts of town and seen some person staggering in a drunken stupor on the street corner thinking that, oh, what kind of corruption.

On one hand, we're repulsed by the sin and corruption that is around us, but are we not also sinners?

May God give us a heart of compassion. May God give us a heart that is ready and willing to forgive sinners. May God give us understanding of how much we've also been forgiven. May God give us the power to believe that our sins are all forgiven.

May God keep us as a little child. A little child is unjudgmental. A child loves unconditionally. A child even loves that parent that has been impatient, that has been angry, that hasn't shown that love of Christ all the time.

This is a little child. This is the nature of God's kingdom. This is the heart of a child of God, ready and willing and wanting to forgive those who find themselves to be sinners.

May God today keep us as his own. May God give us wisdom. May God give us grace. May God keep us always as a grace beggar in his kingdom, needful and mindful of that measure of grace that is given to us.

God didn't require, he didn't measure, he only gave of his Son. He didn't ask whether or not we deserved it.

One of the children yesterday asked also this question around this thought that why is it that there are so many in the world who don't have a chance to become believers.

In their little mind they only could see that there are so few that have been called into the kingdom.

In this child's mind they were wondering why don't more hear or believe.

Do we have answers for those questions? Those are left for God to decide.

God calls on the other hand, and one of those students answered this question in this way, that if a person seeks for God and if they want to find God's kingdom, God will allow it to be.

This coming from a little sixth or seventh grade. They knew that this measure of grace was given to them by God's will and by his grace.

We can today so richly and graciously believe that God has called us to be his own, that our sins are forgiven, and we are on our way towards heaven.

Remain today, brothers and sisters, even now believing all of your own sins, doubts forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood.

But before God's word, I find myself to be so poor and so sinful. Can I also hear the gospel? I want to believe with each one of you, brothers and sisters.

In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen.