Sermon in Cokato 19.05.2013

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, let us quieten our hearts and minds this evening in thanksgiving and prayer. Holy and righteous God, our dear Heavenly Father, we, thy children, come to you this evening, dear Father, wishing to thank you for this day you have granted unto us. We want to thank you, dear Father, for the many blessings that you have given unto us in this temporal life, for our homes and our families, our work that you have provided, all that we have for this daily bread. And we also wish to thank you, dear Father, for those precious escorts that you have given unto us to help us along this pathway that one day leads us to heaven's glory. But above all, dear Father, we wish to thank you for your dear Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, whom you saw it good, dear Father, to send into this world to save the sinner. Dear Father, we ask that you would continue to give us strength to battle on so that we could one day be there united together with you in heaven. Dear Father, remember those who are battling difficulties of this life. You know each and every one of us, dear Father. And we hold on to that promise that you will continue to be with us till our days are ended here. Dear Father, effect in the hearts of those who have lost this precious gift, this gift of faith. Call them back into this precious kingdom. And we humbly ask this evening, dear Father, that you would continue to bless this day and give unto us as you see good and necessary at this time of service. And we pray as your 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.

Our brother Steve was on the schedule this night, and he had texted me wondering if I could serve for him as him and his wife went to Toronto for his wife's aunt's funeral. So I bring you his greetings to you, and also I reminded him that he is being remembered, him and his wife. I thought for this evening we would read from the prophet Ezekiel. It's 36th chapter, and we will read verses 24 through 28. These are also words that are set aside on the church calendar for this day. And we pray to God that he will give us words to speak and ears to hear and hearts to believe. The words are as follows in Jesus' name. For I will take you from among the heathen and gather you out of all countries and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean. From all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments and do them. And you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. Amen.

We already heard this morning of this Sunday being Pentecost, and we heard of that miraculous event there in Jerusalem, where there were many, many on the outside of God's kingdom that received the grace of repentance. When we pause and think about that happening there on First Pentecost, we can only marvel at the power of God and the wisdom of God. When I read that portion there in Acts, we were visiting the other night about it, us and our kids, and how it was truly a miraculous event where those apostles of Jesus were there in Jerusalem. And when Peter began that sermon, when the Holy Ghost fell upon them, there were many, many different ethnic backgrounds there, many, many different languages. Those disciples that were there had never, ever spoken some of those languages. And God gave unto them that tongue to allow those different ethnic backgrounds to hear in their own tongue the message of God's Word. I was telling my kids that it would be like me all of a sudden bursting out and speaking Finn fluently. But that's how powerful our God is, dear brother and sister. All things are possible with God. And it was at that time of Pentecost that that word was spread to the Gentile people. And that is also you and I, dear brother and sister.

This portion that we read this evening is from the prophet Ezekiel. He was a prophet of that time there in the time of Judah where there was all manner of sin going on. And Ezekiel, with the gifts that God gave unto him, spoke unto the people of their wrongdoing, rebuked them of their false worship of false gods, whatever it was at that time. But Ezekiel also spoke of that great hope that they had at that time and that we have, dear brother and sister. This portion that we read was certainly a message of hope, reminding them of this time when the Holy Ghost would fall upon sinful man and begin to lead and guide. For Jesus had promised this, hadn't he? Jesus had promised that he would send a comforter. A comforter that would teach, a comforter that would lead us and guide us. A comforter that would forgive us. And it is that Holy Spirit that descended there.

When we think about this, dear brother and sister, oh how important it is that we teach our children of this comforter, this Holy Spirit that dwells in them, that dwells in us who believe. This Holy Spirit inside is a voice that speaks to us about right and wrong. It wants to lead us according to what God's Word teaches. Because what is this Holy Spirit, dear brother and sister? It is God's Spirit that Jesus sent from heaven so that we could have this living hope. For this is how Jesus continues His work on this earth now in God's kingdom. Oh how important it is that we as believers, that we want to and desire to live our lives according to how we believe. And I ask you that why is this important? Dear brother and sister, we are a light unto the world, and this is how that light of Christ continues to shine. This day is by and through you who are believing. Believing your sins forgiven. The time of grace is still. The doors of grace are yet open, and it is a time of work. God's Word teaches us that we should, as believers, always be ready to give an answer. And we oftentimes come to those times in our life, in our workplace, or maybe visiting with those in unbelief, that they begin to question about the way we believe. And has it not been your prayer also that when those times come that that sigh goes to the Heavenly Father, that He would give of His knowledge, and He would give us words to speak of that most precious matter that is on our heart. This is how God's work is done this day, dear brother and sister, through pardoned sinners, those who own the Holy Spirit in their heart.

But the prophet Ezekiel here spoke of that time when they would be gathered there. He prophesied so perfectly of that time when there would be many that would hear and believe the message of the gospel. And he starts out here, "For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean." What is he speaking of here, this clean water, dear brother and sister? It is this water of life, the blood of Christ, that living water that sustains us for one reason, and that is so we can get to heaven. We remember Jesus reminding that Samaritan woman at the well about this same living water. And what did he tell her? That if she drinks of this living water, she will never thirst. Meaning that if she will drink of this water and believe her sins forgiven, then one day she will inherit that eternal reward there in heaven. And there will be no more suffering, no more trials, no more sin, no more doubts, but it will be eternal joy and happiness.

Dear brother and sister, I ask, does it pay to believe? Oh, how it pays to believe. That reward that awaits us is a miraculous reward. Come what may come in this life, it doesn't matter. Hold on to that precious gift that God has given unto you, this gift of faith. Put those sins away when they beset, as it seems so oftentimes they do. But yet, God's grace continues to call us that believe your sins forgiven. Oh, how the enemy, he is a powerful enemy, isn't he? But dear brother and sister, God is much more powerful. And God wants each one of us to get to heaven. His love for us, dear brother and sister, was so great that He sent His only Son to suffer and die on that middle cross. He sent His only Son into the depths of hell so that we would not need to go there. And He raised His only Son from those depths of hell. Oh, how we have reason to rejoice and thank God. What a precious kingdom we dwell in, dear brother and sister, where we can hear that gospel message, where we can go to a dear brother or sister and speak of those difficulties that are weighing us down. And when we are able to do this, we certainly feel the love of God, don't we? Oh, those dear escorts that God has given us, they listen so patiently. They understand because they own that Spirit of God. It is God that works within us, dear brother and sister. It was a miraculous event there at the time of Pentecost. But isn't it also a miracle even today each time that gospel is preached? Where sin can be lifted off the conscience, where God remembers it no more. We are perfect before God when we believe that precious gospel message. Dear brother and sister, it pays to believe. And even now, I wish to encourage each one of you. You can uplift your hearts and believe all of your sins and doubts of the journey forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood. We have a good God, a God that wants us to get to heaven, a God that continues to remind us of the right path before us.

And oh, how important it is that we listen to that voice. We gathered here the other night for that Sunday school commencement, where those dear confirmation students are going to be going to confirmation this summer. And how they were so preciously reminded there of this great gift of faith that they have been gifted. And how they were reminded there to listen to that voice of the Spirit within them that will lead them down the right path. Oh, how oftentimes we do come to those places where our flesh wants to tear us this way, and the Spirit wants to guide us. Dear brother and sister, it is a battle. The Spirit battles against the flesh. Let us continue to pray to God that He would continue to lead us to that promised land there in heaven. Faith is so personal, isn't it? That it is a personal endeavor, personal conscience. Oftentimes we as parents, we pray earnestly on our children's behalf that they would be able to keep their faith. Oftentimes we feel like it would be good if we could believe for them. But isn't it so how it's so difficult to believe for yourself? But nevertheless, God gives us power. For if it was our own power, we would have been lost long ago. But it is only through the power of the gospel that we are able to continue to battle to that destination. And it is this Spirit that descended from the heavens at the time of Pentecost, and it is this same Spirit that leads and guides us today. It is one Spirit, God's holy and precious Spirit.

"Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean. From all your filthiness and from your idols will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my judgments and do them." Here, God's Word speaks here of that change of heart when one believes their sins forgiven. It certainly changes the heart of those in unbelief, doesn't it? When they believe that their sin of unbelief is forgiven. They no longer want to walk those former footsteps that they were walking before. But it is the Spirit of God that enters into them and leads them. And I ask you, is it any different for us, dear brother and sister? When sin has fallen upon us, and there's sorrow over that sin. And when we are able to put that sin away and believe it forgiven, how there is that change of heart, isn't there? There's that new desire to battle against those temptations that are before us. It's important that there is that change in us when we hear and believe the gospel message. That we just don't hear the gospel message and continue what we were doing before. This is not according to God's Word. But rather when we believe it, there's that change in us that I don't want to go down that road again. Oftentimes, we find ourselves so weak and poor and stumbling that we do go down that road again, don't we? But dear brother and sister, it's important that we battle. We battle against sin and against the enemy of souls. Because God's Word said that there's power in the gospel. And it says that the gospel is the power of God unto salvation for everyone that believeth. This gospel gives us new power and strength each time we hear it. And those visions of heaven become clearer again, don't they? What a miraculous matter this is, dear brother and sister.

And this last verse continues, "And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God." What a comforting message this is, isn't it? Dear brother and sister, we have an almighty God that leads and guides us, and that has promised to do so. And He will continue to lead us to that destination there in heaven. This is why that work is so important in our homes, that we teach our children of God's ways. We teach them of this great grace that God has for sin-fallen mankind. And this word passes from generation to generation. I remember a few years back thinking about there were those, we could say those ones that were on the front lines, and as God was calling them home, you wondered, "Now, what's going to happen? What's going to happen to God's kingdom? Are we going to be able to remain in faith?" These were some of my worries when those former ones were passing on. But God has promised, dear brother and sister, that He will continue to be with us. And we have seen this from the beginning of scriptures, how this faith passes on from generation to generation, and it is an unchanging faith. Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And it's not discomforting. But this is why it is so important that we do our duty in our homes, and that we bring our children to Sunday school and services so that they could be rooted and grounded with the Word of God. And the work passes on to those younger ones coming up. And as we get older, and we pass on, it just goes from generation to generation, doesn't it? But this is how God does His work in His kingdom. And He does it through pardoned sinners.

Oh, how we have good reason, great reason to thank God this evening that He has preserved us to this moment, that we are found believing at this moment. And dear brother and sister, that is all that matters, that we are found believing now. We don't need to look ahead many years down the road, but keep faith for this moment. It doesn't matter what's behind us. God, we've washed those sins away. But it is faith for this moment. Dear brother and sister, it pays to believe. Uplift your hearts and believe all of your sins and doubts forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood. We are on a road that leads us to heaven's glory, and it is such a great reward that awaits us. This Spirit of God that was sent reminds us of this, that it pays to believe. It pays to hold on to that precious gift and take care of it. And dear brother and sister, this is the message I want to hear this evening, that can I have my sins and doubts forgiven? My desire is to believe with you. In Jesus' name, and always blessed name. Amen. Let us quieten this evening in Lord's benediction. 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 the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.