Sermon in Rockford 12.06.2015

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. Again, mindful, dear Father, of the abundant blessings and gifts that you've given to us, your children. Through the night, you've protected us and have given us a new day of grace. A new day in which we can live.

And on this new day, dear Father, we see around us the beauty of your creation. We see all of that which you've created with your word. And it reminds us of your goodness and your power. And also the promise that you gave us. We believe through your word that here we have only a temporary place of dwelling, but we seek an eternal place there in the glory of heaven.

On this day, dear Father, we thank you for our families and our loved ones' temporal needs and blessings. We also thank you for your kingdom. We ask that you give us a place of dwelling where we can dwell as your children. This place of refuge, this place of comfort, this place of forgiveness, where we can travel with our hearts far away there in the glory of heaven, but yet our feet firmly planted here in the soils of this earth.

This kingdom, dear Father, is that kind of place where we have our children, where we have our believing escorts, those loved ones who help us. This kingdom also teaches us through your word of those mysteries that lead us to that final place of rest. But most of all, dear Father, we thank you this day for your Son that you sent to save sinners like us. We thank you for the grace of your Son who shed his innocent blood on the middle cross of Golgotha, victorious over death and hell, and today resides there on your right hand, preparing that place for us in heaven.

We ask you, Father, and pray for your blessings of this day, whatever you see necessary and perfect. We ask that we would be able to accept that which is according to your will. And we yet pray as your Son has taught us, and 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.

Dear brothers and sisters, this morning my mind has turned so much to the work of God's kingdom. There is the delegate report that will be held here after this short service, where the delegates will identify areas of work and plans that are being made for the future in God's kingdom.

When thinking about the work, thinking about the day that we're living, words of Jesus came to my mind that were recorded and are recorded for us in the 13th chapter of Mark. It was part of Jesus' sermon of watchfulness about the end times. But I will read just one verse, the 34th verse from that 13th chapter, where Jesus says, "For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch." Amen.

Amen.

I don't know how many of you have pondered this that I have, but I've thought often more recently. My life. Of so many of the blessings that come through believing. I've thought so much of the blessings that come through traveling as one of God's children in his kingdom here upon earth. I've thought of the work that has been entrusted to us. I've marveled because God has left his work to his children. God has left the work of his kingdom to us. He's entrusted that to us.

I've thought how much, even in regards to this, that as a father, and I've watched my own children grow. Of course, when they're little, they need all of the care of the parents. Little babies need the sincere milk of the mother. They need to be nursed and fed in very tender ways. Those children grow in grace. We teach them. We watch them grow. And at some point then, the parent takes a step back and trusts that the teaching, that the teaching that the parent or the child has received is sufficient. Not that the parent's teaching is ever finished. The parent's care is there all the time. It doesn't matter how old the children get. I still receive loving instructions from my own parents and my own in-laws. That doesn't end, it seems like, no matter how old we get, as long as our parents are still believing.

And I'm not going to say that. But I also remember as my children grew, and the oldest ones were graduating from high school, getting driver's license, some weddings and marriages, I wondered how will they be able to move forward in life. It felt like the teaching of the parent has been weak. But nonetheless we trust that this is the course of life and pray that God would give them strength and direction to continue.

When I think of God's kingdom, on the other hand, God has allowed his work to go forward. And I've wondered how has God looked at the workers and the servants. Has he had reasons to doubt? As the parent would have doubts. I would like to say that I've never had a doubt at all about my own children's life. In fact, sometimes when my children have made plans to get married, it feels like we've had those kinds of times and important visits for my son or my daughter to understand their role in the work that's before them in marriage and family. And I worry and doubt sometimes that will God give them strength, wisdom, understanding to serve like they need to.

But how has God viewed the work of his kingdom? He's entrusted the work of his kingdom to you and I, dear brothers and sisters. God has trusted that work to us. And it's humbling when I think of this. That God isn't here in person. God finished his work at the time of creation. He created all things with his word. He sent his son into this world in the form of his son, the savior, to continue the work and to fulfill that work of redemption for us. And redemption work was required because of the sinfulness of mankind. Jesus finished his work and he returned it to his father. But the work continues today. The work continues in the weak servants and the weak children of God, but yet powerful because God has given strength and understanding and knowledge to do this work.

And so when Jesus in this text he says, "For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey." Jesus left and he went far away. I've pondered that. That where did Jesus go? The Bible says he went to heaven and he sits on the right hand of God.

My little children pondered that after our little baby died. That where is Stephanie? I pondered the same thing. Where is heaven? It seems like it's such a hard thing to grasp a hold of with our immortal minds. And of course it is impossible for us with our own understanding. But the eyes of faith allow us to see what heaven is. It's a better place. We believe that. And this is where Jesus is with his father there.

And in his farewell sermon he says, "I'm going to heaven. I'm going to heaven. I'm going to heaven. I'm going to heaven. I'm going to heaven. I'm going to heaven." And in his farewell sermon he says I'm going to go to my father and I will return again someday. But he promised in his farewell sermon that he would give that which was necessary for his children to continue the work. And that was the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. That Comforter that would teach you in all things.

So now God and his Son dwell with us in our midst through the power of the Holy Spirit. That Spirit enlightens us. The Spirit enlightens and calls and gathers as Luther is taught. God promised this for His children. And that's what leads now the work of God's kingdom.

So Jesus has left and He's entrusted His work to His children. Have you thought of that, brothers and sisters? Perhaps you've kind of just let that go over the top of your head as I often have. But when we stop to think that Jesus has entrusted the work of His Father to His own, it's a humbling thing.

What is that work? And of course, there were many instructions of that work that Jesus had given throughout His teaching, through His time. But primarily, primarily, the work is this, that we are calling sinners unto repentance. All of the work forms of God's kingdom are for this purpose, that we would allow God's word to go into this world and to call sinners unto repentance. That's the primary work of God's kingdom.

Jesus said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost." And He says, "And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." Jesus has promised to be with us, guiding and leading in the work.

So now when we ponder the work that's before us, brothers and sisters, it's the work of God's kingdom. It's an important work. It's an important work.

What has God's kingdom been for you? It would be a good essay question. So some of you students that just got out of school are nice and ready to continue your writing skills and to write those essay papers that you, some of you I'm sure, fought to get through at the final exams and so on. Take this as a, at least to ponder this, that what does God's kingdom mean to you? How have you viewed God's kingdom? How have you viewed God's kingdom?

Is it as Paul wrote, "God's kingdom is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit." Have you found God's kingdom to be that kind of a place? Where you personally can believe and you can be reassured of the gospel that my sins are forgiven.

This has been that kind of a place God's kingdom has been for me from the time that I was a little boy. Being able to gather with God's children, to be able to hear the gospel, to be taught and instructed, to be able to hear the voice of God, to be able to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd as John has written, as we've also sang in those songs in the beginning. The child of God hears the voice of the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd is found in God's kingdom. It is a voice of comfort. It is a voice of peace. It is a voice of forgiveness. This is what I've heard. What have you heard?

Jesus saw it. It's so important that he said, "Seek first. Seek ye first the kingdom of God and its righteousness and all else will be added unto you." That is the first thing we ought to seek for is God's kingdom.

When we find God's kingdom, it is as Jesus said, it's like a man who's found a treasure hidden in a field. He sells everything. He gives up everything to buy that field. This is the treasure that the child of God has found. Then it is this treasure that we also speak of and work towards.

In all work forms of God's kingdom now and as we discuss this, all of them are designed with that hope that one, the child of God would find a place of comfort. Comfort and rest. As the psalmist says, a place where we can lay our young. Where we as parents can send our children to camps with that assurance of faith knowing that God is wanting to teach those little ones the mysteries of living faith. That they can become rooted and grounded in faith and be refreshed around their walk as we've needed to be refreshed.

We've said, we've sent missionaries into those far away lands to seek those lost sheep of Israel. It takes resources. When I returned from my very first trip to Ecuador many years ago, I had lost my job. When I left for Ecuador, I had a job and when I got back, my job was gone.

If that would have happened at any other point in my life, except that time, it would have caused so much fear and worry. But when I came back, I realized that even in poorness and even in poor, a person can believe. And that's most important, isn't it? That we can believe.

But there are those who live in those foreign places who do not have opportunity to work as we have. Do not have opportunity to gather in the same types of buildings that God has blessed us with. Do not have the same wealth that we have been blessed with.

Is it something that we can share that which God has blessed us with? Is it something, brothers and sisters, that you can find in your heart to share that which God gave you in the first place? Have you been so perfect and good a believer that you've been able to think about it? Have you been able to work well enough and be so obedient in your faith life that God should reward you for your goodness?

I think it's been this way that God has rewarded us despite our sinfulness and our weakness. God has gifted us with everything that we have because of His goodness. Can we share? Not only financially, but can we also share of our time? Traveling in those faraway countries and those people come to the hearing of God's Word to be comforted, to be strengthened, to be forgiven for their sins.

This is the work of God's kingdom. This is that which He's entrusted us with. This is that which God wants us to serve with. May we be able to share. May it be, brothers and sisters, as we consider the work of the future, pray for God's blessings. May it be that God would give us a willing heart to serve, to share that which we've been given.

But, brothers and sisters, most of all, may He also give us a heart and a mind of thankfulness and also watchfulness.

In this text, Jesus says, the Son of Man is a man that is as a man taking a far journey. Jesus has left, and He's left to work for us. But part of this text also says that He's going to return. And when Jesus returns, He's not going to return as He came the first time. He came as a little baby. He was born in a manger in Bethlehem. He's going to return in His Father's glory. And with Him, He's bringing the reward of glory. And He's going to gather His children for Himself in eternity.

When Jesus was living here, and He saw the evilness of man, the corruption of man, and He asked this question, when He returns, will He find faith? When He returns. It's a fair question, brothers and sisters, for each of us. And part of this then is this sermon of watchfulness that Jesus also wanted to give.

So the Son of Man is this man taking a far journey who left His house, gave authority to His servants, that's you and I, brothers and sisters, and to every man His work. And commanded the porter to watch.

It's also important that we watch and are watchful. First of all, for our own personal walk of faith. I cannot believe for anyone other than myself. I wished I could. Oh, how there's been times that I wished I could believe for my children when I've watched them, and I've been struggling. But I've also been reminded that I barely have enough strength for my own. God's promised me just enough for myself and not for others. But He's promised to give strength to others as well. So we can pray on their behalf. And that's what we have often been resolved to do, but simply pray.

And I've prayed on behalf of loved ones that they would be able to remain along with me. That we would be watchful in faith and put sin away as it comes. But there's also this second element of this watchfulness, and that is the watchfulness for God's kingdom.

In Scriptures, it also teaches and gives those kinds of instructions. As the Apostle writes in the 12th chapter of Corinthians, he says that God has set some into His kingdom here, there is an administration. As he said, there are teachers, there are preachers, and he lists many in that administration. Each one of us, brothers and sisters, are given a certain spot in the administration. Not for our own glory, but for the glory of God.

His work is so perfect in that He gives each gift as it's required in the work. Many years ago, I had this kind of fear when I was watching those older brothers who had served for years, one by one, pass away. And I thought, what's going to happen to the future of God's kingdom when those who have been, in some ways, the pillars of God's kingdom are passing on?

But then it's been spoken, and it's occurred to me many times, that God hasn't taken those gifts, but rather He's divided them among the people, among His kingdom. This is the marvel that I've experienced. The beauty of God's kingdom. That each of those gifts have been divided among you, dear brothers and sisters, to make a whole. And each gift is vital and is important.

Paul writes of this when he looks, and he compares spiritual gifts, and we are that way too. We think that, oh, this is greater than this one. But Jesus took a child. Remember when He took a child and the disciples were arguing among themselves, who's the greatest? It's not far from us. Jesus took a child in His arms and He said, this is the greatest. Those children have faith and trust in God's goodness. It's for us to also learn.

But it's also important that we be willing to take and lay those gifts that we have been given on the exchange table for the work of God's kingdom. It's a tendency, I know it's my own tendency, to hide that gift and minimize that gift and say, you have nothing to offer. Let those others serve who have much greater gifts. This isn't God's desire. But rather, He wants His gifts that He's entrusted to His children to be placed on the exchange table to be used for the work of His kingdom.

May God not give to each of us willing hearts to serve. It's our day of work. May we work while there is yet time. Jesus says the time will come when no man can work. Both in a bigger sense when God's kingdom, the work of God's kingdom is completed and the world ends. Those then are called to the glory of righteousness.

But there's also a time of visitation, a time of work in each of our lives as individuals. Parents serve their children, raise their children. Children work for the benefit of the home and families. Grandparents support the work. All of this is done by sinful believers.

Imagine, brothers and sisters, that God has entrusted all of this to sinners. Hard to imagine that He's actually entrusted the work of His kingdom to such as sinners. But God's kingdom is that kind of a kingdom where sinners take care of sinners. Makes no sense to the human rationale. But this is God's kingdom.

So this morning, dear brothers and sisters, first of all, in your own place of watching, remain steadfast in faith, putting away sin as it comes, and oh, it comes so easily and quickly. And I only speak from my own experience. The enemy of souls uses my own corruption for his will. He comes right into my own mind and my own heart and uses my sinfulness and tempts me away from God's kingdom. Have you also experienced that? I think so. I don't think any child of God has been able to escape that which the enemy has tempted.

So first of all, battle and endeavor personally in faith. But then also, may God give to each of us that heart to serve. And to serve and to make His kingdom known to those around us. So that those who are seeking God's kingdom might one day find it.

Dear brothers and sisters, on this day, we pray for your grace. Remain believing all of your sins and doubts forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood. Especially for those of you who find yourself to be the weakest. And I know you brothers and sisters who have been entrusted to serve even in this congregation have felt your own shortcomings in the work. Not always being so willing and able workers. Not always so patiently. Not always so serving in the work.

But remain believing despite your own faults and poorness that God can bless even to those sinners. Remain believing sins forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood.

This morning I also ask feeling my own corruption, my own sinfulness that is so close, that can I also believe with you? I want to believe and trust that God will and does bless the work of His kingdom. And He will also bless our lives so much so that we will one day make it to the glory of heaven.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Let's close these services joining together in the Lord's benediction. 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.