Sermon in Toronto 19.11.2016

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Amen. Let us begin our service in opening prayer of thanksgiving.

Holy and righteous Father, we thank You for this day of grace. That Thou hast allowed us to pause together around Thy holy and precious Word. We pray, dear Father, that Thou would yet bless our gathering. That Thou would yet give words unto Thy servants, so that Thy will would be made known.

And we, dear Father, are thankful for the blessings that we have received on this journey. We pray, even this, for our everyday life: our food, our shelter, our places of work, our schooling, our family, our friends.

We pray, also, dear Father, on behalf of our country and its leaders, that Thy will would be done. Give them strength to do that which is good in Thy sight.

We, also, dear Father, remember to pray for those many loved ones who are not able to come to services due to sickness or affliction or earthly calling. We pray, dear Father, that Thou would keep them in Thy care. Comfort them, uplift them, lead and guide. Grant them a time of refreshment so that they would remain on this narrow way.

We, also, dear Father, pray that Thou would gift the gift of living faith. But, above all, dear Father, we thank Thee for sending Thy only Son, that through Him we have the hope of eternal life in Heaven.

And we pray that prayer that Thy, dear Son, has taught us. 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, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

For our study this evening, we shall read a portion of God's Word, which is found in 2 Peter, beginning with the second chapter, the first verse, verses 1-9. The words there follow in Jesus' name.

"But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you, whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into the chains of darkness to be reserved unto judgment; and spared not the old world, but saved Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them with an overthrow, making them an example unto those that should live ungodly; and delivered just Lot, vexed with the conversation of the wicked.

For that righteous man dwelling among them, and seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds.

The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished." Amen.

Before beginning, I want to relate the greetings of love and God's peace from the children back home, children of God back home at a small congregation in northeast Illinois. And also likewise, I had talked with Mike Holpas last night, and he also asked that greetings of love and God's peace would be brought here to you, brothers and sisters of faith.

It really warms the heart when we are remembered by our brothers and sisters in faith in many different parts of the world. God has given these escorts here on this journey so that we could walk keeping faith in a good conscience. God allowed His kingdom to be. It is the pillar or foundation of truth here on this earth.

Tomorrow on the church calendar is Judgment Sunday, and as I was looking at the text, this text when I saw it, it is a reminder here to all of God's children, but not only to God's children but to the people in this world. The kingdom of God is here to preach repentance unto all the world. God does not wish that any would perish.

When we think of how the first world ended, many of you boys and girls and you older children remember how long Noah preached. God allowed him to preach for 120 years to repent, to walk in His kingdom.

And we remember the sins that were prevalent at that time. Man was eating, drinking, and giving in marriage, enjoying the pleasures of this life for a short season. Man seeing Noah building that ark. God told Noah to build that ark. Noah was obedient. Noah was a child of God and he built that ark. He received scorn and ridicule from the people, and we can just imagine here you're building this ark in the middle of nowhere, this big ship or boat.

But God is a patient God. His ways are not our ways, and Noah preached. And yet here we heard in this verse he was the eighth person that was saved. He was a preacher of righteousness. He saw the recompense of the reward. He knew there was no continuing city here, and God destroyed this world because of sin and the evil that was prevalent.

And we can imagine when Noah and his family went into the ark and God Himself closed the door, and then the balls of the earth opened and the rain came forty days and forty nights. There would have probably been many that wanted to repent. The day of grace is over.

When we think of the time which we are living, we would have to say it's probably as evil a time as there has ever been: the violence, also the shootings, the murders, all the crime that takes place that we just know bits and pieces of. Man has done all kinds of things that are against God's word.

Yet God in His great love is still calling people into His kingdom. Jesus says, "Other sheep I have that are not of the sheepfold, and he must call them." And God is still doing this work here in His kingdom.

We gather our services to hear the beautiful words that are found in the Bible, even this Bible which we take much comfort in and can be uplifted.

How the world has turned its back on God, we do not know how long God will allow this to take place, but we pray that He would yet keep His kingdom here in this world and yet call those lost sheep, perhaps family members, brothers, sisters who have been deceived by sin, or children or parents, aunts and uncles. We hope and pray that God would yet awaken them.

That is the reason God's kingdom is here yet preaching: it is to call and gather those lost sheep and to strengthen the children of God here on this journey.

When we think of our journey, we would have to say we stumble and fall many times. Paul himself said how the good he would do, he finds himself not doing, and that which he would not do, that he finds himself doing. He had this battle with the flesh, and this battle will be until we take that last breath.

God will not give us more than we can bear, but He has promised to wash away our sins in the blood of the Lamb. He sent His Son not to condemn the world but to save the world.

We know that we'll be living in that time of Advent pretty soon, where we remember the big celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior. All this was promised already in the Garden of Eden that He would send that one to come in and to save, and we know this is true. It did happen.

But we also know that Jesus had to die on that middle cross for your sins and my sins. That is the only thing that was acceptable to the Heavenly Father. He did this so we could live.

And when we think of the time of the last heresy, which was a little over forty years ago, the bells had took place. They were difficult times, but yet God preserved His flock. He strengthened His children. He preserved us in faith, not because of anything of our own or our own strength, but by and through the preached word of hearing the gospel of the forgiveness of sins in the name and blood of Jesus.

This is the power of salvation to those who believe. It is found in that gospel, this gospel which the world cannot understand and does not understand because they do not have eyes of faith.

We remember again how Saul Tarsus was putting believers before judges and magistrates and having them jailed, and then he received the grace of repentance and he saw the kingdom of God for the first time when he heard the gospel preached to him. He said it was as scales fell from his eyes.

Without faith it is impossible to please God.

And when we remember that time of that last heresy, many who became lenient spoke evil of believers left behind, that they were law-minded. But God's word is such that Paul said, "Preach the word in season, out of season; rebuke, reprove, with all long suffering."

God's word either heals our offense, it heals the broken-hearted, the one that is a grace beggar, one that is poor, but to the self-righteous it is an offense.

Jesus said when John the Baptist had been in prison because he told the king who had taken his brother's wife to be his own that it was unlawful, and he was put in prison.

We remember how John the Baptist was there. He saw the Spirit of God descend on Jesus in the form of a dove, but he was doubting in prison. "Is He the one who is to come, or do we wait for another?"

And Jesus reminded those brothers of John the Baptist, "Go and tell John this: the sinfulness can be assured that your sins are forgiven in the name and blood of Jesus."

This is how the child of God travels. We need to hear this gospel daily because the enemy of the soul goes about like a roaring lion.

We remember even how Luther spoke of the threefold enemy: the world, the devil, the enemy of the soul, and his own flesh and blood, and he said he fears his own flesh and blood the worst in him.

He knew that he was fortunate to be a child of God.

And even myself coming here this evening with many shortcomings and doubts, I ask even at this evening if I can hear that gospel and believe my own sins forgiven. I want to remain believing with you.

This is how we live. This is how we receive strength on this journey: by this preached word, this preached word which is all we become heaven acceptable by believing the gospel, believing our last doubt and sin forgiven in the name and blood of Jesus.

We then also heard about the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. They were so corrupt. We know a lot lived there. Perhaps your Sunday school children remember all. If there would have been even ten that were believing, God would have spared the city, but this did not happen.

Lot lived with his wife and his daughters, and God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of their sinfulness, and that's why He destroyed that first world because of sin.

And when we look at this ninth verse, it is comforting and reassuring to us. It says, "The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations."

Many times we may feel like we are surrounded by wickedness, by sin, yet God has promised to be with us every day until the end of our journey. He has helped the Old Testament traveler. He has helped those who were New Testament travelers up until this very day. He has promised to be with us, and we can take comfort in this.

Even though we know that the world around us is evil, we know we have a place where we can take refuge, where we can hear the gospel.

When we have sins that fall upon the heart and conscience, we can go to our brothers and sisters of faith, our parents, our children, who can preach that gospel to each other.

This is how all the Old Testament travelers, all the New Testament travelers made it to heaven. They have nothing of their own to offer, nothing.

And even Peter, we remember when Peter was boasting how he would never leave Jesus. This was a huge obstacle to those that went in that heresy. They felt that Peter did not deny his faith, that Peter didn't need to repent.

But it says so clearly Jesus said, "Before it all, he has denied me thrice." The cock will crow.

Peter wept when he heard that cock crow, and Peter was able to receive the grace of forgiveness, and Peter again was restored.

And even when Jesus met him when they were fishing, He asked them, "Peter, lovest thou me?"

Peter did not have anything to offer for himself. He knew he was a sinner. He was a pardoned sinner.

All of God's children are pardoned sinners. We are heaven acceptable when our sins are forgiven in the name and blood of Jesus. Our names are written in the book of life in heaven.

This is how the traveler makes it.

There are many in this world that think that one can travel on their own, can read the Bible, but this is not acceptable. This is not how the Bible tells or teaches.

Jesus, when He began His ministry, He said, "The kingdom of God has drawn nigh; repent and believe the gospel."

And He relates to this many times when those that were sick, He said, "Thy sins be forgiven thee."

We remember even the thief on the cross who in the eleventh hour knew he was worthy of death, and yet Jesus still offered grace and forgiveness to him.

That thief said to Jesus, "Remember me when thou comest."

Jesus knew his heart, and He said, "Today thou shalt be with me in paradise."

Isn't it wonderful, dear brother and sister, when we can hear those beautiful words, especially to our undying soul, that son and daughter, be of good cheer, your sins are forgiven in the name and blood of Jesus.

This gospel is such a beautiful thing when we think of it. It is our life, our hope. It is all the child of God seeks to heaven.

So even this evening we have a good and gracious God. We know He did not allow those angels that rebelled against Him, but He cast them down.

God is merciful to those who are looking for forgiveness, are feeling or are such that they know that they are not heaven acceptable.

I remember visiting with my uncle who was in the hospital, and my cousin and I went to visit him, and he was able to receive the grace of repentance. There were such tears of joy for him.

We likewise also rejoice that one has been able to be translated into the kingdom of God from the kingdom of this world, and it happens in the twinkling of an eye.

And how he was able to die in faith. He was near the end of his journey, but he was able to die in faith.

This is the most important matter.

We came into this world with nothing. We will leave with nothing. We have no continuing city here, but we look for that new heaven where we'll be able to see our Savior face to face and be able to sing those highest praises unto Him.

It pays to remain believing.

In Jesus' name, Amen.