Sermon in Phoenix 24.06.2012

We will continue our services yet for a few moments this morning with that continuing prayer of heart that God would yet feed us with those necessary words of instruction and feeding.

And I also thought of, as our brother has already spoken, the life of John the Baptist, seeing as how St. John's weekend, and I thought I would read from the 11th chapter of Matthew, the first six verses. And the words are as follows in Jesus' name.

And it came to pass when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said unto them, or said unto him, Art thou he that should come? Or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and show John again those things which ye do see and hear. The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, and the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me. Amen.

Before studying this word, I also with joy bring greetings. Also from Prescott, I was there last weekend. But even more than this, it was greetings from youth camps that were held beginning last Thursday and ended yesterday at Camp Kippa. It was a joy for all of us to be able to be there, both the children, of course, but then also the staff and those that went there to teach. It was a time of great joy.

The little ones are beginning their traditions and their lives there at this camp that God has blessed us with. Not only do the children enjoy the time there, but also we experience God's blessings where He was able to again sow the seed of His word into the hearts of those little ones. And we today pray that God would give increase to that teaching. We surely experience with those little ones the innocence of faith and the desire in their hearts to be taught and to be instructed around God's word.

We have already heard through our brother this morning of the birth of John the Baptist. How he was born to an older mother and father who would even question whether or not they would have a child. But of course God in His infinite wisdom knows all things. And He knew of the place in which John would be born and to that place wherein he would be serving.

As we heard, he is and was the forerunner to Christ. And he was that one as the book of Isaiah, the prophet Isaiah, writes of how he would be sent as the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness preparing the way for Christ. And how every valley should be made, how every valley shall be exalted and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight and the rougher places plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

So here in a very beautiful way the prophet writes that the job of John the Baptist was to allow the valleys to be exalted, the hills to be brought low, the rougher places plain, and in this way paving the way and preparing the way for the Lord and Savior.

We know during that time when John the Baptist spoke, before Jesus began his public ministry, it was a great time of change. Going from the Old Testament sacrificial work now to the fulfillment of that promise. And Jesus, the one who was sent to take away the sins of the whole world, would preach the forgiveness of sins.

And this message that John the Baptist spoke is the same message that is heard today yet in God's kingdom. And when we still preach that sermon of repentance, and we still preach that God's kingdom, we have a normal nature. It's the secret we sit and meditate on and want to keep secret so the art of God's correction and acting align with the militant relationship of the church and the world.

It's a time when things could have been heard in person and we hear that sermon. We get to hear it by a tongue, and we get to hear it on earth. And it's a time when you hear the voice and the sermon of God's Kingdom, hardens not your heart.

We know that his preaching and his sermons were kept. We know that John the Baptist as Jesus and as we also are can be ridiculed by the world around us. And this John the Baptist although he was a cousin of Jesus still in his last days carried the corrupt portion of his flesh because it says that when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ he sent two of his disciples and the question that he had was are you the one or do we seek another.

This I've always found to be interesting that John the Baptist, surely he grew up with Jesus. It says that they were close family. It doesn't say in Scriptures, however, of exactly the relationship that was there between John and Jesus. But their mothers were very close friends.

We remember when they met after both of them had been visited by the angel Gabriel. And how when they met, the baby left in the womb of Elizabeth when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary that she was with child.

And so this relationship, surely between these sisters, would have been one, similar to that which you, dear sisters, also experience when you're sharing the news with each other that you will be having a child, that God has blessed you with another one.

And that discussion that the mothers have in preparation for new birth is discussion that is often with joy, but also there are those times of doubts and worry. Both of these, dear sisters, also would have had similar experiences, both joy, but also doubts.

But after these boys, after these babies were born, and they would have lived their life in close proximity, you would have think that John would have surely recognized that Jesus was truly the Lord of the world.

And that's what we're going to talk about in this text, the Son of God. And through the miracles that he performed, and through the teaching and the understanding that he gave and spoke, you would think that surely John would have been without any doubts.

But here in this text, we see John is doubting there in prison. When he sent those disciples to Jesus to ask, and again the answer that we heard that Jesus gave is also a typical answer that Jesus would give.

You know, if I would have been asked, as Jesus was asked by the disciples, and if someone would come to me with that kind of question, that is it really so? Is it true? I would, I'm sure, knowing my own impatience, I would have probably made some, well, I should probably say, I would perhaps have made some smart aleck comment or some kind of disparaging comment that surely you would know. Haven't you seen? Haven't you witnessed?

I have felt the same kind of impatience at times with my own children in raising them. And even generation after generation teaching them about the same matters.

And it is also similar in the work of the kingdom from generation to generation. They were preparing at the last camp an evening for candlelight discussion. And there were questions that had come in the question box. And those questions that they had in that question box, I thought, we've answered these probably a million times.

Many of the questions that the girls brought were the same kind of questions that have been asked from generation to generation. What about makeup? What about nail hardener? What about curling eyelashes? And these kinds of questions that are asked by our dear sisters from generation to generation.

The boys will ask questions that, what about competitive sports? Why is it wrong? Why is country music wrong? And there is a part of me that is impatient with these kinds of questions. That why is it that it seems like we've spoken of these things and talked about these things from generation to generation many times over.

But we also find, do we not, that we are just the same as John the Baptist. Just the same as any other brother or sister in living faith. We come with doubt. The enemy of souls tempts us from generation to generation with those same kinds of things. Those same temptations that our flesh is attracted to.

The vanity of man, the vanity of each one of us is that kind that would always seek for beauty in this world. And as we were visiting over this course, the question of makeup and earrings and nail polish and these things, again, it shows the vanity of man.

And how we as people aren't satisfied very easily with how God has created us. That God has created us. If we read from the 139th Psalm, how perfectly God has created us. When we were in the womb of our mother, God knew us. And He created us exactly as we are.

And the beauty of each one of us is in how God has created us. In the creation, we see God's work being manifested. He's created each of us according to His will and during His time and for His purpose.

We know that not always are babies born with perfect health. We know that at times little ones are born with difficulties and complications. This is also according to God's holy and righteous plan. And who are we then to question how God has created us? And in what way God has created us?

And so not only in our lives has God created us in His image, but also according to His will, according to His plan, even with our own personalities He's created us.

And so it also was for this dear brother John, John the Baptist. He was created in His way. And it wasn't either pleasing for many as to how John was created.

We remember from Scripture, how this John the Baptist was a rough sort of man. He lived in the wilderness. It says in Scripture that he wore a camel hair coat. He ate grasshoppers and honey for his food.

And many around him, and I suppose he wouldn't have been that kind of one that was so appealing to the eyes and flesh of man. Perhaps he wasn't that one that man would have gravitated to and held in high honor or esteem.

As there even is in our day, there are those kinds of men and people who people gravitate towards because of their place of honor. But John was not this kind of man at all. But he was a servant. He was a worker in God's kingdom.

And God gave to him that kind of responsibility and made him a man. And he was a man. And he was a man. And he was a man. And he was a man. And he was a man.

And it was namely this that he would speak and preach the Sermon of Repentance and pave the way for the upcoming Lord and Savior.

So how is it for us today, brothers and sisters? May God give to all of us also the same patience that I'm sure John the Baptist would have asked for in doing the work of the kingdom.

May God give us patience, long suffering to do that which God would desire of us. As parents would we patiently speak and teach our children. As ministers, as board members, as workers that have been entrusted into places of work in the kingdom, may God also give us that kind of patience that would with patience preach and speak and instruct and teach about the way that leads towards heaven.

Mindful of this that each one of us today are sinners and each one of us need to be cared for with love and grace.

And so when John requested that his disciples go to Jesus, and ask that is it so, is it true, that you are the one, or do we wait for another? What was the answer that Jesus gave? Go and show John again. Those things which you do hear and see.

And it's what Jesus says, go and show John again. John had seen, of course, and we also know, we also know, that Jesus said, John had seen, of course, and we also know, we also know, John had seen, of course, John had seen, of course, we also have seen the way. We have also heard about the way. We have also heard the teaching of the way.

But we have also found ourselves to be so faulty and weak travelers.

So what was it that Jesus told his disciples, John's disciples? Go back and tell him that the blind receive the sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

These are that which Jesus had been sent to do. This also, brothers and sisters, remains the work and the teaching of each one of us today as children of God in this kingdom.

When we look at God's kingdom, for those on the outside of God's kingdom, God's kingdom is not a very beautiful place, but neither was the ark that saved Noah and his family.

That saving ark for those eight souls in the Old Testament, saving from the destruction of that first world, was that kind of ark that was built with gopher wood pitched on the inside and outside, but yet it was a saving vessel.

So also today is God's kingdom. God's kingdom is not viewed by the world as being a very beautiful place.

Yet for the child of God, God's kingdom is a beautiful place where the blind receive their sight, the lame are given to walk, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and most of all, here it says, and the gospel is preached to the poor.

This is the very essence of God's kingdom. The preaching of the gospel. This, for the child of God, is that which is most important. That we can have our own sins forgiven. That we can be reassured time and time again that it is true that God is gracious, that God is loving, that God is faithful. God is patient with the sinner.

And that gospel is offered to the poor. But yet those who are righteous in themselves do not need to hear that gospel.

I think of that parable which Jesus preached. The parable of the lost sheep. When he spoke to the Pharisees and the scribes, when they were questioning why Jesus always ate and entertained publicans and sinners, the Pharisees are those kind that are very, as Jesus said, they are those without need of a physician.

And Jesus said that he's come to heal the sick. Those that are without need, that are well, do not need a physician.

And so, when he was ridiculed and mocked, made fun of or even questioned, that why do you spend so much time with those publicans and sinners? Jesus spoke the parable of that man having a hundred sheep.

And if he would lose one of them, doth he not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness and go after that one which is lost? And so he found it.

Those ninety-nine whom he left were those ones who were without need of a shepherd. But that one who was stray, who did not even know he was stray, needed the shepherd.

And that shepherd then went to find that one. Those well and those ones that weren't sick, they didn't recognize any need for that shepherd.

But brothers and sisters, we also as God's children can be like that one who strays. We can begin to wander away from the teaching of God's kingdom.

And it can happen in a very subtle way. It can happen as it would for one of these children at camp who questioned that what is wrong with and the list of questions that might come from their flesh.

That why and what is wrong with enjoying of this kind of sin or that kind of sin. Although they don't recognize it to be sin. In their own mind, they think it is something that would be pleasurable.

And this is how the enemy of souls makes it. He would like to make sin very pleasurable so that we wouldn't recognize it to be sin.

He would like us to live our life in total unbelief. And so he paints a very beautiful picture of sin. Just like he as the enemy paints himself to be a very nice person.

As he approached Eve in a way that Eve was able to converse with him. He didn't show himself in his true colors. But rather he appeared to Eve in a very subtle way.

The enemy has also approached us in a very subtle way. And there are times then that we begin to think and begin to listen to the sermon of the enemy.

And we start to stray away from the teaching of God's word and the teaching of God's kingdom. And there are times when we don't recognize and even know that we are leaving or going astray.

So then Jesus as the good shepherd, he will seek to find that one at his stray. And may we always, brothers and sisters, recognize the voice of the good shepherd as the shepherd calls us back to return to the flock.

That we would be obedient to the voice of the good shepherd. And may it be that we also would believe as John also was given to believe.

Up until the very end of his life, that it was so that Jesus was the Lord. And Jesus was the good shepherd. And Jesus was the one that led his kingdom here upon earth.

But do we also not find ourselves similar to John? Doubting and fearful. We even wonder at times that is it so that God's kingdom is so small? Is it so that God's kingdom is so few? Is it so that the teaching that we hear in God's kingdom, is it the correct teaching that leads us towards heaven?

But these are those questions that come from our own flesh. When do we know so well? And when do we understand it so well that this is God's kingdom?

It is when we hear the voice of the good shepherd. And when we can hear that the gospel of forgiveness of sins is preached. And we are then assured again that our footsteps and our feet are on the way that leads towards everlasting life in heaven.

And Jesus, after he had told his disciples that the blind receive their sight and the gospel is preached to the poor, he said, And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me.

There were many during the time of the Lord's kingdom and the time of Jesus who were offended because of the teaching that Jesus gave. His was such a lowly teaching. His was such a simple teaching.

Those Pharisees could not stand to hear the simplicity of that word. They knew in their hearts that there needed to be some kind of work, something that they needed to do to merit salvation.

How could it be so simple that through the preaching of the gospel souls are saved? They were offended by this teaching. They were offended even that Jesus would eat and drink with sinners.

They were also offended by the clear instruction of God's word. They were also offended by that sermon of repentance.

We also today, brothers and sisters, have experienced in our day as well that there have been those who have been offended by the teaching of God's kingdom. About the simplicity of the teaching.

How there have been those who have ridiculed God's children for being wicked, one of those kind of sheep that follow after, blindly follow after the teaching of God's kingdom.

There are those who would bring man's reason into the forefront to question the teaching of God's kingdom and want to raise doubts and arguments against that simple preaching of the gospel.

That's the reason why I'm here today. I'm here to preach to you.

But how is it for you, brothers and sisters today? Have you not experienced and felt in your heart comfort when you heard that same message that comes from God's kingdom from day to day, from generation to generation?

The same word that Jesus sent to John. That in God's kingdom the blind receive their sight. And how the lame walk. And most of all, the gospel is preached to the poor.

Haven't you found comfort with me that we have this kind of sure foundation, that we can simply place all of our cares and trust upon that good shepherd, upon the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ himself, where we don't need to, with our own wisdom or our own understanding, seek for a better way that leads to heaven.

But that we can cast all of our cares upon him, that Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who came for us, that he redeemed man from sin, and that through all things we can trust in his goodness.

When we look back, brothers and sisters, we can see how God has guided and led the kingdom of God here upon earth. We have seen how we have been protected from generation to generation. And God has revealed unto us the goodness of his grace.

And that we can not look inwardly to find some goodness in ourselves, but rather we can look to the middle cross of Golgotha, where we can look to our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ.

And we can simply, with childlike faith, believe that we are journeying towards heaven. And that our sins have been forgiven.

This was that message that was so simply sent to our brother John, there in prison. And in the midst of those doubts and the heaviness of prison, the gospel was again heard.

You dear brothers and sisters, even on this day, who may feel yourselves to be also in some kind of prison, bound because of sin and doubt, you can also freely believe today that your sins are forgiven in the name and precious blood of Jesus.

Do not doubt the goodness of the Heavenly Father. Do not doubt the teaching that comes from God's kingdom. But place your trust, your worries, your concerns unto that God who has promised to carry us all the way to the end of our journey and remain believing now.

Sins are forgiven in the name and precious blood of Jesus.

Our brother John the Baptist died with faith in his heart. Although he was a sinner, as we are, he was forgiven those sins and those doubts as we.

We have a good future ahead of us. Not only as children of God in this kingdom, but even a greater blessing there in the glory of Heaven.

It waits for us when we simply, with childlike faith, believe and put our trust and care in the goodness of our Father.

But I've also come today feeling my own temptations and my own doubts. Can I also hear that gospel? I want to believe what each one of you, brothers and sisters.

In Jesus' name, Amen. Amen.

Let us close with prayer and benediction.

Holy and righteous God, beloved Heavenly Father, we again, dear Father, thank you for giving us your word. We thank you for the blessings of this day.

And we again, with humility ask that you would protect us, lead us, and guide us all the way to the glory of Heaven.

And we yet ask the Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make his face 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.