Sermon in Cokato 02.10.2011

In Jesus' name, we will continue these services with that prayer that God, the Heavenly Father, would continue to open His Word.

Reading from the third chapter of Ephesians, beginning from the eighth verse to the end of the chapter. We hear these words in Jesus' name:

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him.

Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

At these services, we've heard how God has a purpose to all things. Sometimes it is easier to see, and sometimes it is not. I don't understand the purpose why the first brother at these services took my text. I don't understand the reason why brother after brother has taken all my thoughts. And I don't understand the purpose why I've been brought here empty and fearful. Can I hear the Gospel?

These days have caused my mind to think about things from so many perspectives that, in some sense, I find confusing. Because first, there's this joy that we have another place to meet. Second, there are those normal doubts of service. But yet, at occasions like this, especially for those of us who have connections to the congregation, it brings back so many memories.

I was in eighth grade when we moved to this congregation from Minneapolis, and I grew to adulthood here, was called to serve here. And those all have been swirling in my mind this weekend, of the things which have gone by. Seems like it's been such a short time since 1984. I still think I'm young, and imagine the years that have gone by. A lot of water has gone under the bridge—good things and, uh, things that cause us to stop.

But yet, uh, as I thought of these, it seems like there's some things which change and some things which don't change.

Things do change in this sense: we are in a new building. And as we see in our program, it's not the first building of this congregation, but yet it is a new building. For those who perhaps are only five years of age, or younger, here at these services, this may be the only building they know as the Cokato church.

I don't recall ever going to the church just to the east of here. I was two to three years old when the heresy occurred. My first memories were in that little church, hiding behind the posts, scared of the voice of the servants that served at that time.

But, you know, those things are so, uh, temporal. They're such details which, as people, we so quickly, uh, set our minds to. It's what causes us to stop so many times, is the details.

This part of God's Word, for instance, told us about the height and the breadth and the width.

Just an example of these details: I remember coming into this building. The walls were just up. There was no roof yet—open holes where the windows and doors are. I stood there in the back and I looked and said, "This is too small." And I was looking at what I thought were the details.

When I looked in the front, I saw these openings here in the front, and from back there, it looked like it was just a single door opening. And then someone told me that it's a double door with a window above it.

We, as people, are so carnal. We immediately stop to look at the details in so many ways, and it's not always, uh, fruitful. And in fact, if we stop to consider it, those details aren't always true. We think they're the truth, but when we really stop to consider it, we didn't know really what the truth was.

So when I, this weekend, have thought that there are things which change and things that don't change: there truly are things that change, and they change for good—not forever, I mean, but for the better, as in these new buildings for the service of God's children.

From the beginning of these services, we've heard in the opening text about the Sermon on the Mount. And if you recall this, the first few verses of that chapter, it tells us about, uh, a service event and what happened. It wasn't just by happenstance where they met there, as it wasn't happenstance that we meet here today.

It says in this way: "And seeing the multitudes, He," meaning Jesus, "went up into a mountain: and when He was set, His disciples came unto Him." So there was a reason why Jesus went into the mountain to preach. He saw the multitudes. And for that reason, He went to a place where they could all hear.

Isn't it good that God gives us these places where we can gather, and we can all hear His Word?

But yet there are things which will not change. We think that all is new when we move to a new building, but there are so many things which will not change. For instance, we bring our own sinful flesh, yet again, to the hearing of God's Word. The same servants with their doubts and their lackings come before you.

As the apostle here says, in the beginning of our text, talking about himself, that he was less than the least of all saints. It's a familiar thing, and it will not change because that is how God has ordained it. He has said that we must decrease, and He must increase.

So we say today that if, dear brother, dear sister, you see that changing, there is reason to pause and to discuss those things which you see and things which you hear.

Along with these events that happen, I still recall things which, uh, remind me of this because they won't change.

For instance, we already recalled our dear brother who has gone to rest, and when I read this, I thought of him right away because at home I had this tape put out by the SRK from the summer services there, where he kept a service. And it struck me, because the first time I heard it, I was not long in this office of service, and it made me stop to think that that's how it ought to be—or not how it ought to be, but that's how it explains the thoughts that were in my mind, is what I'm trying to say.

At the beginning of that service, he said—he told the congregation that, uh, he didn't sleep well the night before, and it was, as I recall, very typical of his style. He said that the enemy was preaching sermons. He first told him this, that there's lots of people here: take your favorite text and keep a good sermon. And then he came to the service tent and found that someone had taken his text. And then he lamented that he couldn't find a text, and the brothers told him that the Bible is filled with texts.

It won't change because we are human, and all that come before you are human. We serve with those gifts which God gives us. But yet, what is core, what is central to the whole thing is, as we already said, that we must decrease and He must increase.

I said already that from this congregation I was asked to serve, and was supported so well and guided not only by the prayers, but with brave elders, so many that I see here today.

I'll never forget our dear brother who has gone to rest. I did a lot with him, played many a game of horseshoes with him—Elmer Simonson.

It was a few—maybe a year or so after—he came up to me and he says, "You know, Rick, we didn't ask you to be a better person. We asked you to humble yourself to serve." I see the same elders here, the very same understanding of faith. I know that because discussions have been wonderful that were held at that old church. They'll be remembered for a long time. Hopefully, we never forget some of those moments, because the truth is what we need to hear and need to cling to.

I was thinking about one discussion, which I was quite young, perhaps shortly after we moved to Cokato, and it involved matters which I'd—I tell you that I don't understand the history behind them today and may never fully understand them.

But I recall that there were, uh, moments of soul-searching and guiding, and wondering: where does the truth lie? It seemed as if the result of the meeting was this, that everyone felt themselves to be sinful and erring.

But I'll never forget because at the end, one brother summed it up so well, and it still pertains to us here today, and it's one of those things that will not change. He told us there that evening that your brothers and sisters were so looking at our own sinfulness and our own errings, thinking that there's nothing good that dwells in us. But pause to consider that the congregation is still that golden candlestick. It's been brought here. We can feel it through the Spirit, can't we?

Buildings change, but when God's candlestick moves from building to building, we know it and feel its presence. It's here. The guidance of the Heavenly Father has guided us to a place where we can hear better, where more of us can hear at one time, where His Word is preached.

But from these same servants, these same, uh, doubts, is a message which I haven't paused to consider before, because I so many times, again, put myself into those same details: what is my text, and why have I been asked, and these things.

But the apostle says that, "Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." Grace has been given to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. They're beyond our knowledge.

We'll never know the height and the width and the depth of Christ's love. These temporal details we can see, we can measure those.

But I ask you to consider even today, as you perhaps already have, when you look around at your own dear brothers and sisters in faith, dear friends in faith who have come from far away: have you paused to back away from the details of perhaps setting up for these services, or paused to back away from those details of sin which burdens your conscience, to, for a moment, consider what it really is—the height and the breadth and the length and the depth of Christ's love?

It is the unsearchable riches of Christ. There's nothing that we can, with our earthly tongues, explain what really that means. But with little words, we can sometimes.

I remember sitting at a small house in Ecuador with a dear brother who is here today, in a discussion with ones who had left faith and one who was translating for us, and we spoke about, or tried to reveal, what these unsearchable riches of Christ are. It seemed to no avail, and the translator took a turn to speak, and he said it in this way. He says, "I don't understand these matters. I really don't. But this I know, that my sins are forgiven, and I want to follow after the Lord Jesus."

Isn't that what we have to finally admit? That those riches of Christ are so great that what we have to simply focus on then is this: that Christ has paid our sin debt.

He is the core, the only reason why we can sit here today with the name of a child of God. There is only one name of a believer, and it's the name of a child of God.

We've heard that spoken of often at these services. It's never spoken at services about Laestadians or Lutherans or Christians. We speak to the children of God. Those are outward names, which perhaps may help the world see who we are and what we are.

But because of the works of Christ, as this text tells us, we're of a family of heaven and earth, named of Him. The whole family in heaven and earth is named after Christ. We are the children of God.

And it is for this reason, though, that as Paul here continues, that He would grant us, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man.

So after all is said and done, when we speak of those things which change, those pass away. They certainly are nice, and we understand them to be blessings of God, even these buildings which we dedicate.

But yet it is this inner gift which God gives. That has not changed. We still hold that gift of faith. It is strengthened with His Spirit, and it is this: that He would dwell in our hearts by faith, and that we would be rooted and grounded in love.

Isn't that what the purpose for a building like this is? It is to gather children of God together and to root them and ground them in God's Word, in love.

It doesn't here speak to us about, uh, law. It speaks to us about love. Christ is the end of the law. We are not rooted and grounded in law. We are rooted and grounded in love.

It's a thing which is so easily distorted. We've heard about that already at these services, how, for instance, those around us, uh, will immediately think about what they believe are a list of do's and don'ts. That's the law, a list of do's and don'ts.

The law of love is this, and that which we are rooted and grounded in is this: that we wish to avoid those things which would rob us of peace, avoid those things which would dim the hope of heaven, avoid those things which burden us. We don't need anything, any list, to tell us what those things are, do we?

But yet, as faulty and erring brothers and sisters in the faith, I'm sure you'll have to admit, as I have to, that at times we need the loving arms of an elder or brother or sister or parents who come and say that the way is erring, the footsteps are slipping. It's not with a whip, but it is the loving arms to gather closer, to lift up.

Isn't it that which we, uh, know will occur here when we trust in God and His grace promises? That His will will be done here, and that as a result of it, we will be rooted and grounded in love.

And then we—it says, the apostle says—"We may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God."

We may be able. Faith is not in feelings, and it's not in knowledge. Faith is a gift of God. It is what He has implanted in our hearts. It's not what any man has planted.

Oh, how many times the mission worker in foreign countries has had to see that: that our own works did not cause faith. God had opened the hearts. We simply preached those unsearchable riches of Christ, and what God has opened, no man can close.

They were accepted and believed. They were able to experience, at least for a time, as we know, the feelings of grace and love. They were able to comprehend what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height.

This afternoon hour, dear brothers and sisters, dear friends, perhaps who have come for the first time to the hearing of God's Word, it is a good time to pause, to consider that—to consider what God has blessed us with.

Dear child of God, you know full well how God has given you a hope which cannot be taken away if you live by faith.

Dear friend, who perhaps walk in this life without hope of heaven, perhaps you can see the joy which radiates from the listener here, who perhaps have come to these services for decades, and you wonder what that is, what has caused it?

You see, perhaps with your outward eyes, even a glimpse of the depth, and the width, and the height of God's love. You see a radiating from a believer the knowledge of this: that sins are forgiven. There is peace with God.

It is a peace which can come into your heart as well, even this afternoon, through the Gospel.

You can believe, along with all of us, the same simple message, the simple proclamation of the Gospel of forgiveness of sins: that Jesus has paid your sin debt. And in His name and in His blood, your unbelief and sin can be washed away into the sea of grace.

Times when God has, uh, prompted us to wake up the others: you're not a true believer. The enemy has been successful.

Even at the end of these services, dear brother, if God has not been able to reveal to you the true dimensions of His love, you can experience it in the Gospel. It is the only thing that a servant of the Word can offer that can reveal that to you.

There's nothing that I personally have of myself to offer you that can change your burdened conscience into a mind of peace and hope. The only thing that we can offer is something which we have received as a gift. And as a gift, we offer to each who wish to believe the same gift, the same forgiveness and grace.

At this moment, dear brothers and sisters, no matter how you find yourself, even at the end of these services, you can uplift your hearts to believe the simple message of the Gospel. Believe all of your sins forgiven, even the last doubts and fears forgiven, in Jesus' name and precious atonement blood. Drive away those doubts. Remove fear. Believe freely. The way has been prepared for us, and we have no reason to fear.

At the end of this text, it says: "Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end." God does things which, uh, we don't understand. We think we understand it, don't we?

Even today, servants of the Word have come here and said the same message, which I wish to say, of the purpose for these buildings. We think we understand that God's work is done here and His Word is preached, and so it is.

But yet there are so many things which happen in life which cause us to stop and say, "We really don't understand." God does His own things.

We make our plans, and we believe that God guides them and blesses them, but God has mysterious ways. They're above all that we think and know.

Perhaps our dear brother won't mind if I relate a story he told us a few weeks ago.

He returned from Togo, and it amazes me, and it shows so almost dramatically how our plans are simply our plans, and they are led by God, but God does His own things.

They were there in Togo, and they had their day set up. They had times planned to go to these villages to hold services, and for some reason, things didn't happen as they were supposed to. And perhaps you can, uh, at a later time, ask Randy to explain deeper. It's a wonderful example of God's guidance and the mystery of His love.

The plans were made, and it didn't go as planned. Things were delayed. They re-entered this one city, and instead of approaching the believers, for circumstances that they couldn't control, they were now in front of the chieftains of the village, and they had their message there that they spoke to them.

The plans had changed, the times had changed, and that caused other events to change further in the day because they are now late.

And on the way to the next city, they still paused to nourish their natural bodies. They had to stop for a little break, and they stopped by a building, seemingly vacant, and there they sat to eat.

And while they're there, this vehicle showed up. A man got out and went into the building. They went to speak to him of what was actually happening in that building, to pass the time, and they had a conversation with him. And then he asked them why they were there.

In a simple reply, when he asked why they were there, the brothers then began to tell him why they were there for services, and so on and so forth. And the man said, for months he has prayed that God would show him the way. And He brought angels.

Beyond the plans of men, God accomplishes His own, gathers His own together. There's no way that could have been planned beforehand, but God, in His miraculous ways, does things above all that we ask or think.

So this weekend, it is good that we pause to thank God and to pray for His blessings. But is it beyond us to stop and consider that God will bless? Past experience has been that He blesses beyond our comprehension, beyond what we know to ask for. Or are there those that doubt God's guidance and wisdom?

At the end of these services, dear brothers and sisters, we can trust in His guidance and wisdom, and we can give Him glory. Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages.

We were given those times in previous buildings to thank God, and it will continue in the church, not only in the universal church, but in this church. Thanks will be offered to God, though they be in great weakness, but thanks nevertheless.

He will bless as He has promised, and whether we believe that or not, dear brothers and sisters, He blesses beyond our comprehension. There are so many things which happen that we don't even know to think of.

But nevertheless, this afternoon, dear brothers and sisters, with thankful hearts, we can leave here knowing first and foremost this: that even this afternoon, we have the opportunity to remove burdens and renew peace and hope in our minds and thoughts.

So, dear brothers and sisters, again, lift up your hearts to believe all of your sins forgiven in Jesus' name and blood, and be of good cheer.

In Jesus' name, Amen.