Sermon in Phoenix 21.02.2016

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 thank you for this beautiful new day of grace where we see and feel the warmth of that sun that shines and illuminates your beauty and creation, shining in our midst and also warming. We also see and recognize your Father through your grace. Through faith, the Son of Grace, the light of your dear Son, shining in this dark world, leading and guiding your children home.

Dear Father, this morning as we have awakened, we have awakened with that knowledge and joy in our hearts that we were protected through the night as your children and given again an opportunity to gather around your holy and precious word. Dear Father, we pray today for the blessings of this day. As you have blessed us until now, we trust and believe that you will also bless us on this day.

We thank you also, dear Father, for not only the blessings and gifts of this life, but also the blessings and gifts of your kingdom. We as your children have been placed into this secure place where we can travel as grace beggars, where we can hear the word that is sprinkled into our hearts that gives hope. We can also hear that word that gives instruction, teaching. We are those kinds of faulty and weak travelers that need your guiding hand in all things. So we humbly thank you, dear Father, for the blessings and gifts that you've given us.

But this morning we also remember as we gather before your word those loved ones not with us. Wherever they may be gathered, protect them in their place of watching. We also remember those prodigal sons and daughters, those ones who have been enticed away from your kingdom. Would it be, dear Father, that you would allow them to return to your precious kingdom while there is yet day.

We also, now as we gather before your word, pray for your service blessing. May it be that you would open unto us your word so that your children might be nourished and fed again around that word that gives hope of eternal life. All of this we ask in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus. And yet 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. Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. 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 portion of God's word for our study this morning, I would bring loving greetings to brothers and sisters from our new home in Rockford. We are now members of the congregation there in Rockford. And of course, many knew we were coming and wished us well and asked that their greetings would be sent here. But it's such a joy for us now, Maggie and I, to be able to come and share in these days together. Been here a few days already. I came Wednesday evening. And I've tried to enjoy every moment that I've been here. It's loving memories and wonderful memories. Dear friends, we're able to come back and see so many loved ones.

Also, greetings from the LLC office. Many will be able to come for services, but there are also many who will be staying home, but their greetings, nonetheless, they wanted to be sent here to you brothers and sisters. We felt God's protection and His care when we moved north there and the work has gone well. God has blessed it. But mostly this, that God has been able to protect us and keep us as His own. Loving greetings.

Today is the second Sunday in Lent. The Lenten season leads up to Easter. It's a time of reflection. We sing in the... um... one of those Easter songs, Lenten songs. Let us go up to Jerusalem and ponder and still reflection. We think about the events that Easter brings. And so this time of Lent, we prepare ourselves with prayer and we think about all of that which Jesus accomplished on our behalf.

Today, the theme of the... um... Sunday is on faith and prayer. The psalmist's text for today is the first seven verses of the 25th Psalm. It's a Psalm of David. And I will read the first seven verses in Jesus' name.

Unto Thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in Thee. Let me not be ashamed. Let not mine enemies triumph over me. Yea, let none that wait on Thee be ashamed. Let them be ashamed which transgress without cause. Show me Thy ways, O Lord. Teach me Thy paths. Lead me in Thy truth and teach me. For Thou art the God of my salvation. On Thee do I wait all the day. Remember, O Lord, Thy tender mercies and Thy lovingkindnesses, for they have been ever of old. Remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions. According to Thy mercy, remember Thou me for Thy goodness' sake, O Lord. Amen. Amen.

This psalm was written by David. David was that kind of a boy and young man and also king that experienced the life of a child of God. He was born into a believing home. His father's name was Jesse. David was the youngest boy. He had many older brothers. It doesn't say so much in the Bible about David's life as a boy. It does say a lot about David's life as a boy, but it doesn't say so much about his life in his family. It doesn't say whether David ever fought with his brothers. Maybe he did. I would guess he did. It doesn't say whether or not David fought with his brothers. It doesn't say whether or not David always did his chores as a little boy. I would guess he's probably like us that did our chores sometimes and maybe wasn't so willing to do them all the time. But we remember David also as that kind of a boy that God loved. And God had a special place for David. And David, David also experienced God's care and his protection.

You know, David was a little shepherd boy. His father had sheep. And so David's job as a boy was to take care of his father's sheep. And it was an important job to be a shepherd. He needed to protect his father's sheep from those beasts of prey, the ones that would come to seek to kill or to take away. To take the sheep from his flock. So David's job was to care for them. David would have spent many, many hours, days and weeks in the fields taking care of his father's sheep. God helped him.

So much so that you remember when David, as a young man, young boy, his brothers, some of his older brothers, were in battle against the Philistines. And there was this giant named Goliath who bragged that nobody could beat him. He was the biggest and strongest man. But he said that if anybody was able to beat him in a battle, they would become servants of the victor. David went to bring his brothers some food one day. And they went out into the field where they were camped. And he heard the voice of Goliath. And David thought, well, someone should challenge Goliath. But everyone was fearful. But David said, I will go.

And you remember he went to his father and also to King Saul. And they said, you can't go, David. You're a little boy. You're a young man. But David said, God has spared me and protected me. Remember how he had killed a lion and also a bear. And how God had given him strength in those battles. This is what God had done for David as a boy. And you remember also that David was victorious against Goliath. But David, when he speaks of those, he didn't talk about his own strength, did he? He talked about the strength that God gave him and how God kept him and protected him.

We also think back of God's protection. We also think back about how God has protected us in our journey here in this life, don't we? As David grew, we also remember how David struggled as a believing man. He was tempted, wasn't he? He was tempted with some very grievous sins and he fell. He fell into the sin of adultery and then also murder. Even though he fell into sin and fell away from faith, God restored him and preserved him as one of his own. And there's this kind of testimony of David where God said, this is a man after my own heart.

So when we consider this life of David and when we ponder how God protected him, don't we also experience and haven't we also experienced God's protection in our lives? Mostly this, that in our walk of faith, God has cared for us. First, God has given us this gift of faith. It's a gift, it's a blessing from Him. John writes that no man can come unto the Father except He draw him. So God has called those whom He's called. And if today God has called you to be one of His children, it's the greatest blessing that we can possibly own.

We heard this weekend at seniors camp, it was a wonderful few days, we spent together there, here at the church. And if any of you want to come to an enjoyable camp or a camp that you see more smiles than anywhere, come to seniors camp. It's the happiest group of people, even happier than you single, or you children when you go to youth camp, these seniors are. And they talked and they visited about how God has protected them also. Even though they're old, they've remembered, how God protected them all the days of their life. They remembered, I'm sure, their own childhood growing up in bleeding homes or those who were called later in life to be a child of God through the grace of repentance.

But we heard there how God is this kind of a God who has given us such a great blessing. And He's given us an inheritance. An inheritance that's really impossible to understand. We have such a rich Father in Heaven that He's given us the greatest possible inheritance. And that's eternal life in Heaven one day. Think about that.

Today, we are blessed as His children. We can be a part of this kingdom. We can travel with these kinds of dear friends, escorts, those ones who love our undying souls so much that they want to forgive us. They want to preach the gospel to us. They want to encourage us. They want that we would also make it to that same destination that they are traveling towards. Your brothers and sisters in faith travel in the same way you do. We want each other to make it there, don't we? We don't want anybody to fall prey to the enemy. We would all want that we would be able to make it to that glorious place of Heaven.

But there's one common matter that is between us as God's children. When we have faith in our heart, we are tried. No believer has been without trials. Something that joins in commonality every child of God, that we are tried. Our faith is tried. Peter writes of this trial of faith. And those trials, when they come, they make that gold even brighter. It makes that gold, that treasure, shine ever brighter with those trials. Because those trials are so that it would take away and peel away our own goodness, our own strength. Those trials are allowed so that we would rely only on God's goodness and His care, and His protection. Because none of us can make it to the glory of Heaven on our own. And God knows this. David also knew this.

And in this 25th Psalm, it's a prayer for guidance and for pardon. It's also a prayer for protection. And David, he began in this Psalm that unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. And we can imagine David again as a young shepherd boy. And there, taking care of his father's sheep. And when he writes in the 23rd Psalm those familiar words, the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. And then he says that He maketh me to lie down in the green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. In that shepherd's Psalm, we feel so closely how David was able to ponder the blessings that God gave.

This morning, as we pause around God's Word, as we pause here at services, let us think of how God has blessed us. Let us ponder how God, through His blessing hands, has kept us as His own. How He's given us this kingdom in which we can dwell. And as David says, unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. That soul that David has that is an eternal soul. The soul that is in us. That will remain in eternity. This soul is carried as a part of us when we're alive. But at the time of death, our soul departs from this body. When the body is laid into the ground, the soul departs. God's Word says so. And so, David says, unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. This is that eternal part of us that we would want to give to God. And allow God to take care of it for us.

But we also have responsibilities in caring for that soul. God's Word reminds us. The disciples asked the question, that what must we do to work the works? What must we do as believers? How do we live? How do we travel? What is our job? How do we make it to heaven? And Jesus said, believe. Believe on me. Believe on Him whom God has sent. That's all. Believe. We say that's all. But it's not so easy, is it? When we think of faith, of which today the theme is prayer and faith. That's it. They go together so perfectly. Faith, when we have been given faith, we also, with prayer, ask that would God protect us? That faith that He's given to us.

We feel so closely the corruption of the enemy of souls. We feel so closely the world and how it entices us. It is a daily battle that the child of God faces to make it one day to the glory of heaven. We need to travel by faith. And we ask God for His strength. And today we can even give and offer to God that kind of prayer. Dear Father, would you help me make it to that place? And when we ask of God this request, this is what God wants us to ask of Him. God wants us to ask of Him that He would help us. He wants us to be as those kind of children, children that ask of their father and their mother their needs and worries and concerns.

You children ask your parents for help, don't you? I did. In fact, I still do sometimes ask my mom and dad even though I'm now becoming an older man. We ask mom and dad for help and when the parent hears the request of a child, he wants to help that child. He would do everything in his power to help that child.

And I think those of you parents who today who have those kinds of unbelieving children, those prodigal sons and daughters, I think many of you would say that you would give anything to have that child return to the kingdom. You miss that child. You ache for that child. But think, no matter how much you love that child, and your heart aches for that child, think of how much God also loves you and me.

And when someone asks of God, even in that prayer, when we say, our Father who art in heaven, and when we go and remember that perfect prayer that Jesus taught, we ask God for many, many things. And God has promised, to hear us. James writes, when we pray, to pray without doubting. I've thought of this, that I'm not such a good prayer. In fact, I'm a poor and a weak prayer. Because so often when I pray, I pray, but yet so quickly, we doubt. I pray that God would keep me as his own. But quickly, I doubt that it's not possible. I pray that I would one day make it to heaven. And how quickly I doubt and worry and fear that it's not possible.

Perhaps you're similar in your weak prayers, but James has encouraged us. Not to doubt, but to pray fervently. The fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. And God hears those prayers. And this prayer that David has unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in thee. We trust God. We trust God. We trust in God. I don't doubt. I don't doubt God's power. I don't doubt that God has created all things. That God has given life. He restores life. We see evidence of that today. All around us, how God has created things. Done it so perfectly. We see in our brothers and sisters in faith. That kind of creation that we enjoy. We see how God orchestrates and guides and leads nations of people and so on.

Neither do I doubt Jesus' work. Jesus' perfection. He was perfect. He was God's son. He was sent by God into this sinful world. He was God's work. I don't doubt the merit work of Christ. When he shed his innocent blood on Golgotha, it was for the sins of mankind. I don't doubt that. I don't doubt that he was capable of this. But why do we doubt? We doubt because of our own corruption. We doubt because we are so faulty travelers, don't we? But God knows this also. For this reason, he gave his son. And he wants us to believe and trust in him. And David says, I trust in God.

David was given many things in his life to experience. You know, as we mentioned, we've already spoken of some of those things. But when David, later on in his life, he spoke of what he witnessed. And he said that I have been young and now am old. Yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken. Nor his seed begging bread.

David was able to see that. He was a young man. He said, now he's old. I haven't seen the righteous forsaken. Have you, brothers and sisters? Sometimes I've needed to remind myself that when I have those kinds of doubts that will I make it to the end or will God provide even those temporal needs for this life? Have you ever seen a believing man, a believing person go to the grave in need? I haven't. I've seen how God has been able to take care of those matters perfectly in His way. So why should we doubt? He is merciful and lendeth and His seed is blessed.

This is David's testimony of this same God. And he also asked why is he so blessed? Why is he so blessed? Why does he ask that let not my enemies triumph over me? Of course, there are those in the world today that the enemy of souls uses to try to draw us away from God's kingdom. You know the devil, he has one purpose and one purpose only and that's to steal us away from God. He has so many tricks.

You know, the devil was in heaven once, but he was an angel there. But God threw him out of heaven. And Jesus saw him as a fallen angel fall to the earth. That was a long time ago that the devil was cast out of heaven. Where has he been since? The devil has been honing his skills for thousands of years. Even if we were to ask the oldest one here, maybe his 80s or perhaps even 90. How has it been in your life that you've been able to learn things? And of course, those of you that have worked for many years at a specific trade, a carpenter or a painter or in some kind of a professional endeavor. Those of you that do taxing. I'm sure your very first tax return was cumbersome compared to what now it is after 20 or 30 years of experience. So you learn tricks, the trade we call it. Craftsmen become much more skilled at their trade. But so also has the devil. He's had hundreds and thousands of years to work. And he's got his trade mastered. And his sole purpose is to lead one away from God's kingdom.

Brothers and sisters, if we recognize how cunning and evil the enemy is, we would flee from him. We would run as quickly and as fast from him as we could. If we were able to see his true colors. But the devil never shows us his true colors. But he clouds himself with all kinds of tricks. He makes himself appear just like he did to Eve. If Eve really knew how corrupt and evil. If she knew that that was the devil. The serpent. She would have never started a conversation with him. But somehow the devil drew her into that conversation where she started to talk with him. And that was her first mistake.

He's done it to us to this day. And he uses many different tools. And he can use the enemies around us. Our enemies. In the unbelieving world. He uses those kinds of tools to draw us away from his kingdom. So the enemy works. He himself doesn't necessarily come. But he puts himself into one of his own, into one of those unbelieving persons or enemies. And he uses them to draw us away from God's kingdom.

You know with me how he's done that. How cunningly and how slyly he's come. And this is what David prays. Let not mine enemies triumph over me.

And it would be well for us that we would pray that God would give us knowledge of sin. That what is sin. And how does sin affect. And what is the purpose of sin. It's to draw us away from God's kingdom. And David knew that. He surely would have recognized after the fact how the enemy worked.

When he was tempted with Bathsheba. He was on the palace of his home or on the roof of his palace. Or on the roof of his palace. And he looked down into the courtyard. And there he saw the nakedness of Bathsheba. And his flesh was tempted. That's how the enemy what he used as an enticement for David.

David in the 51st Psalm he speaks of that time when he had fallen so into such grievous sins. God was gracious and forgiving for David. We also need that same gracious and grace and forgiveness, don't we? That David also experienced.

None of us have been perfect. None of us have been able to withstand so perfectly against the temptations of the enemy. And he uses, he comes to our own address and tempts us. But greater than this, brothers and sisters, is this that God also he comes also to our own address. And this is where David was looking. He was looking to God for his help. And he asked these questions, this in this prayer that show me thy ways, Oh Lord. Teach me thy paths.

There is one pathway that leads to heaven. And it's a narrow pathway according to God's word. There is a broad and sinful way. And the Bible says many there will be that walk therein on that broad way. But narrow is the way that leads towards heaven. It's narrow, brothers and sisters, but not so narrow that we have to walk it alone. We can have our escorts. Brothers and sisters in faith. They're with us. Arm in arm. We can have our Lord Savior Jesus Christ with us also on that narrow road.

God doesn't want us to perish. But he knows that we are tempted and tried. David knew that he was tempted and tried. Show me thy paths, Oh Lord. Show me thy ways, Oh Lord. Teach me thy paths. It's a good prayer, isn't it? Show me thy ways. It's such a place of comfort when we can as a child of God reside in God's kingdom.

In God's kingdom, we have this place of rest. As we sing in the songs of Zion, 84th Psalm also speaks of this. How the bird has found a nest for herself where she may lay her young. How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts. God's kingdom is this kind of a place where we are with security traveling as a grace beggar.

In God's kingdom, this is the path. This is the place and the area and the way that leads towards God's eternal home and the glory of heaven. Lead me in thy paths. Show me the old ways. As the prophet has written. What are those old ways? Those old ways are those ways that the former saints have traveled long before us. Book of Hebrews writes of those many former saints. And when we read them, we find dear brothers and sisters in faith doubting for sure but also trusting and believing in God's goodness.

Lead me in the truth and teach me. For thou art the God of my salvation. On thee do I wait all the day. Old English. But what it means is on thee do we consider and contemplate all the day.

When the world rages as it does in our day and it's becoming more evil, it's worrisome. I've seen how there's these recent laws been enacted that same sex marriage and homosexuality is so readily adopted today. Accepted in the world around us. We see where some states have legalized marijuana. We see how those laws that have been passed have been very contrary to the teaching of God's word.

I wonder where will all of this end. We know God's word says all of these things must come to pass. But despite this, God has given us his kingdom. God has given us this place where we can rest, where we can find comfort, where we can be in the hearing of his word, where we can find a way.

Restlessness of this world. How often have you felt with me how easy it is to believe here in the midst of God's children when we're in the fellowship of God's kingdom. It's much easier to believe here, isn't it? Than it is when we're at school for you children, when we're in the workplace around those unbelieving people.

We feel the influences of the world around us. We see in our daily life the world and all the attractions that come. Many nights we go to bed just tired and exhausted from the battle to come into God's kingdom to be a part of God's kingdom where we can find rest for our souls. This is God's kingdom. This is what David wanted.

Lead me in thy truth and teach me. Teach me what? Teach me the ways of salvation. For thou art the God of my salvation and on thee do I wait all the day. Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses for they have been ever of old.

Those tender mercies have you ever, have you ever, your brother and sister, been denied? Is the treasure of a child of God. Treasure such that when sins are forgiven, there's nothing that can convict us. When we have a conscience that is free from sin, there's nothing or nobody, not even the enemy of souls can convict us and say, you'll never make it to heaven.

But as Luther says, a clean conscience is a foretaste of heaven. This is God's kingdom, and this is where, as the prophet says, we have this river flowing in God's kingdom that cares for those sick ones, those weak ones, rivers of mercy, bowels of mercy, bowels of forgiveness. It's abundant in God's kingdom.

And why is it so? Because we as God's children have also recognized from the youngest to the oldest that we need forgiveness. None of us have been able to endeavor without sin. We've felt so closely the effect of sin, not only from the world, the enemy of souls, but it dwells right in us. Sin and corruption is here. And so we need that forgiveness that comes from God's kingdom. And that's what David here is speaking of.

Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies. It is a tender, forgiving love that God has. It's not harsh. Haven't you felt when that gospel is preached how tender that is? When you're, as David in one of his psalms says, when he kept silence, when he had sin on his conscience, inside of his heart there was this raging and turmoil that goes on. And when he kept silence, the dew turned to the drought of summer.

But yet when God gives grace, opportunity for us to speak of those especially close burdens and sins, how then, those tender mercies, we can feel God's hand touching us in such a tender way. I have seen even in a beautiful picture sometimes those old grandpas and grandmas with those kinds of withered hands from years of toil, touching and carefully caring for those hands.

And I think that's a great thing. I think that's a great thing. Little grandbabies that God has given them. And how they so gently guide those little ones. But more perfectly, how God has so gently and lovingly and tenderly cared for us, His children. He hasn't driven us away at all. But rather He has called us into this beautiful place called heaven.

Called God's kingdom where there is mercy and forgiveness. Brothers and sisters today, believe. God is good. He wants that you would make it to the glory of heaven. He wants nothing else. That's His greatest desire. Is that you would make it to that place. He's done everything for us that we might make it there. He even gave us His Son. His only Son. That perfect Son.

So that we needn't rely on any of our own goodness or our own strength. But rather we can rely on Him to whom God is sent. Remain today believing that your sins are all right. That your sins are all forgiven in Jesus' name and precious atoning blood. And when you believe, there's nothing that separates you either from the glory of heaven.

David concludes this portion that we read. Remember not the sins of my youth nor my transgressions according to thy mercy. Remember thou me for thy goodness sake. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

It's good, brothers and sisters, that we look back and see what God has done for us. How God has protected us even yesterday. How He allowed us to remain a believer until this day. It's good that we do that to remember how gracious and loving God has been. But don't allow the enemy of souls to allow us to allow us to allow us to allow us to allow us to allow us to allow us to allow us to allow us to allow you to look back to those failures. That's the enemy's trick as well.

And I think this is the reason why David asks in this prayer that remember not the sins of my youth. Have there been sins there? Surely there have been. I can speak and I could speak of many such failures. But I can speak even more and more perfectly of those victories that God has given. Victory over sin. When we have been able to believe the psalmist says there's nothing there's not anything that can take those sins that have been buried in the sea of grace and that's the thing that has been said that there's not a dipper hand long enough to be able to dip those sins that have been buried. They're gone. They're forgotten.

Today is a new day of grace. And this is how the child of God endeavors day by day. And one day we're able to leave this life for a home in the glory of heaven. All of this plus that. All of this where we have these loving escorts believing friends dear friends a place of rest a place of comfort a place of security in the midst of this raging world all of this God has given.

But even more than this He's given us a home. Waiting waiting waiting old waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting waiting I wonder that can I also be reassured of that gospel. Can I believe my sins forgiven? I want to believe with you as you do because I know if I believe as you do, I will also make it one day to the glory of heaven. In Jesus' name, amen.

Let us close these services with the Lord's benediction saying, 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, the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, amen.