Sermon in Cokato 03.04.2016

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, let us quieten our hearts this morning in thanksgiving and prayer.

Holy and righteous God, our dear Heavenly Father, as we have come here this morning to gather around Your holy and precious Word, dear Father, we come desiring to thank You for the many blessings that You have bestowed upon us. We thank You for our homes and our families. We thank You for all the gifts that You have given unto us temporally. We thank You for the work that You have provided for us and all that is included in this daily bread.

But above all these temporal gifts, dear Father, we desire to thank You for this greatest gift that man can own: this gift of living faith that You have gifted unto each one of us by and through that merit work of Your dear Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, whom You saw it good, dear Father, to send into this world to fulfill that condemning law, to go into those depths of hell, but being raised victorious on that third day.

Dear Father, we give our humble thanks this morning. And we ask that You would continue to lead and guide us. Continue to give us strength to battle against that threefold enemy. Dear Father, we ask for Your presence this morning. Wherever Your Word is spoken, give words to speak. Give ears to hear. Give us hearts to believe Your holy and precious Word.

Remember those, dear Father, who are battling difficulties in this life. Whatever those trials may be, we ask, dear Father, give strength to battle. We know, dear Father, that this strength comes from Your hand and we hold on to these promises that You will not forsake us, but rather continue to carry us to that destination there in heaven.

And we enclose all our thoughts and prayers in that perfect prayer that Your dear Son 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.

It feels like I've been gone so much lately and haven't been here with you, dear brothers and sisters. But I wish to bring you many greetings of love and God's peace. First of all, from those brothers and sisters in faith there in Rockford, where I was a couple weekends ago for Mary's Day services. They wish to be remembered by all of us here as they remember us. And then also from last weekend where I was in Longview for Easter services. Many greetings from them all there. Some very personal greetings from those who have family there—you know those greetings that I am speaking of.

We had a very nice time. It was uplifting and refreshing for me in my life of faith to be able to be with them there.

I thought for today we would read God's holy and precious Word from the Gospel according to St. Luke in its 24th chapter. And we will read verses 36 through 53. And we read these words again with that prayer to our Heavenly Father that He would open His Word as He sees good at this time. The words are in Jesus' name.

"And as they thus spake, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them and said unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And He said unto them, Why are ye troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see. For a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see Me have."

And when He had thus spoken, He showed them His hands and His feet. And while they yet believed not for joy and wondered, He said unto them, "Have ye here any meat?" And they gave Him a piece of broiled fish and of a honeycomb. And He took it and did eat before them.

And He said unto them, "These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and in the prophets and in the Psalms concerning Me."

Then opened He their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures. And said unto them, "Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you. But tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high."

And He led them out as far as to Bethany. And He lifted up His hands and blessed them. And it came to pass while He blessed them, He was parted from them and carried up to heaven. And they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.

We have recently celebrated that time of Easter. Easter is a special time. But it's also an interesting time where we have those feelings of great sorrow, I suppose you could say, when we study the events of Good Friday—the torture and misery that our Lord and Savior had to go through. He carried that sin debt on behalf of all of us.

But then we experienced such great joy on that early Easter morning where our Lord and Savior was resurrected from the dead. From hell. He was victorious over death so that you and I, dear brother and sister, would not have to experience that kind of torment.

This portion that we have before us speaks to us of that time when Jesus appeared after He was resurrected from the dead. He appeared unto His own.

It's interesting when we read the Scriptures, dear brother and sister, how our Lord and Savior, Jesus, at that time, only appeared unto those who believed before He ascended up into heaven. When we think about this, it's amazing. It continues to happen today. Today, He only appears to those who believe. Then we see Him truly through the eyes of faith as our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

It's quite miraculous that this kind of gift has been given to each one of us. Dear brother and sister, take care of this gift. Hold it special.

When we read this portion of God's Word, if we were to read before this red text that we have today, it speaks to us of those two that were on the way to Emmaus. And they were visiting about what was taking place. I suppose you could say they were quite perplexed and wondering what happened.

And it's comforting. It's a comforting portion of Scripture when we read it. For we see how Jesus does not leave us in our doubts and in our fears, but rather, He comes to us and He assures us, comforts us through those precious escorts that we could even call angels who are dwelling with us, sharing that common goal, that living hope of Heaven.

How often we forget about the things that we have learned. Just as those disciples there—Oh, how they forgot. And Oh, how they doubted.

These ones on the way to Emmaus were assured. Jesus said unto them, "O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and enter into His glory?"

And then it says, "Beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself."

So there He comforted those two on the way to Emmaus.

This portion that we have before us then was right at that time when those two that were on the way to Emmaus then met up with the disciples. And they were telling them of their experience. And as they were speaking to them, who appeared before them? Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ appeared before them.

And as we see in this Scripture that we read, He was there as flesh and blood. It says, "And as they thus spake, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them and saith unto them, Peace be unto you."

What is this peace that Jesus was speaking of here to them? It is this same peace that Jesus speaks to us of in His precious Kingdom. This glorious Gospel message that you can believe all of your sins and doubts forgiven in Jesus' name and blood.

If we were to read in another portion in John, when Jesus appeared before them, there were only the eleven there. I spoke to the Sunday school class about this this morning. One was not there when Jesus appeared. It was Thomas.

Thomas, after Jesus had appeared to those eleven, then came. Jesus was gone. And those disciples, of course, were excited, very joyful, and told Thomas of Jesus' return, that Jesus was before them.

Did Thomas believe them? No, he didn't. Thomas was in heavy doubts. And he even told those disciples, "Except I see the nails, nail prints in His hands, and that I thrust my hand in His side, I will not believe."

There again, it's such a comforting portion of Scripture. Because Jesus did not leave Thomas in his doubts, but rather came to Thomas personally and reassured him.

How often has Jesus approached us personally, dear brother and sister? Each time we go to those grace altars, each time we ask that we can have our sins forgiven, there Jesus is, that third person in the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, their presence.

The theme for this Sunday speaks to us of this: witnesses of the resurrected. Those disciples there and those who believed that Jesus appeared to witness Jesus personally there.

But we remember what Jesus told Thomas. I'm going to read that portion in John chapter 20, starting from verse 26.

"And after eight days again His disciples were within. Here it speaks about when Jesus then returned eight days later. He had already appeared to those eleven disciples. After eight days again His disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith He to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into My side; and be not faithless, but believing."

And Thomas answered and said unto Him, "My Lord and my God."

Jesus saith unto him, "Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed."

Dear brother and sister, our Lord and Savior Jesus speaking of you and I here, it is this faith that we have.

What is faith? The Bible speaks and tells us what faith is. It says, "Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

That is what faith is.

So what are we hoping for, dear brother and sister? We are hoping to get to heaven.

Have we seen heaven? No, we haven't seen heaven. That's why it's faith.

But through the eyes of faith, we then comprehend the beauty of heaven, don't we? This is that spirit that God has placed in each one who believes, and it leads us and it guides us to the destination there in heaven.

So then how do we—how are we able to keep the spirit of God in us? Simply by putting sin away when it besets; then that spirit will remain in us, dear brother and sister.

And you can be assured this morning that that spirit will lead and guide to the destination.

So I ask, does it pay to put sins away when they beset? Oh yes, it does.

Do not be ashamed of the gospel, dear brother and sister, but use it every day so that we can be refreshed.

The Bible says it is the power of God unto salvation unto everyone that believes.

This portion of God's word speaks to us of that, I suppose you could say, that mission command.

When I was in Longview, we had that discussion there on Saturday night. No, we had a precious discussion, but the topic was that same topic that we spoke of there at summer services where the topic was, "Be not unequally yoked together with those in unbelief."

Much of the discussion was around being a light unto this world and how that light shines forth by and through our actions.

Of course, oftentimes we do get into discussions there with those on the outside of God's kingdom, and we pray then that God would give us words to confess that faith that has been gifted unto us.

This was that mission command of Christ that we go into all the world and preach the gospel.

This is why Jesus left that Comforter, that Holy Spirit, unto His own to free sin-fallen mankind from sin.

This is how God does His work in His precious kingdom today: by and through that third person in the Godhead, the Holy Spirit.

Man is not able to do this— forgive sins—but it is God who forgives sins by and through the Spirit that He has placed in man.

This is a stumbling block for those on the outside of God's kingdom that man would be given this kind of power.

It isn't man's power; it is God's power.

I have had those discussions with those on the outside of God's kingdom. I'm sure I have related them here before where one even told me that it would be pretty presumptuous of him to think that he could forgive sins.

I told him, "You can't forgive sins; it is God that forgives sins by and through the Holy Spirit, and that Holy Spirit enters when one believes their sins forgiven."

It's miraculous, isn't it? But this is how Jesus appears unto His own even today.

It says here, "Then opened He their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things."

And then He continues, "And behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high."

This was that command to those disciples where that gospel work began in that New Testament.

If we were to read in the Acts of the Apostles there, we see how that mission work began. Oh, great miracles happened. Many people received the forgiveness of sins. There were many repentances.

We remember that time that Peter healed that impotent man, and people were looking at Peter like he had done some miraculous thing.

And Peter told them, "Why marvel ye at this?" and he reminded them that it is God; he is just a man.

And that's how it is through that Holy Spirit—it is God that does the work.

But when we read those happenings in the Acts of the Apostles, we see how when one receives the grace of repentance, there is always at least two there.

Jesus Himself said, "Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in your midst."

There has to be one present there that holds that Spirit of God in their heart because this is the power of God to forgive sins.

Dear brother and sister, hold on to this precious gift. This gift of faith will one day lead us to heaven's glory.

And when we keep that conscience soft and tender, as that songwriter writes, it will lead us and it will guide us the way to heaven remains bright when the conscience is cleansed.

How quickly, when sin besets, do we see how quickly that vision of heaven begins to become dimmer and dimmer. It doesn't look so special.

This is the work of the enemy. The enemy of souls wants that goal of heaven not to look special, and he knows it won't look special if we don't put sin away.

Dear brother and sister, put sins away when they beset even now, just as you find yourself maybe under heavy doubts and fears.

Our Lord and Savior wishes to comfort you, uplift your hearts, and believe all of your sins and doubts forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood.

This is that gospel message, dear brother and sister.

You, dear precious youth, will carry us to the destination. It pays to believe. The reward that awaits us is so great.

Hold on to this gift of faith that God has gifted unto you. Put sins away when they beset.

We have heard many times it is a battle. It's a battle against the threefold enemy.

May we pray to God that it will remain to be a battle. It's a battle against sin.

And oftentimes we need to go to those grace altars, don't we?

When we read these last verses of this portion, it must have been a miraculous sight to behold.

It says, "And He led them out as far as to Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them."

Hear those disciples there that were with Jesus. They were reassured once again by our Lord and Savior Jesus that they can believe their sins and doubts forgiven.

It is through this power that they were able to travel. Nothing has changed.

It says, "And it came to pass while He blessed them, He was parted from them and carried up into heaven."

And then it continues, "And they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God."

Oh, how we want to have this same hunger for God's word that we want to continually come to the hearing of God's precious gospel.

This is a reminder unto us in this portion also that we want that to remain special.

We want to be continually in the temple praising and blessing God, praising and thanking Him for the great gift that we have been given.

Dear brother and sister, even now as we come to the Lord's table for communion, taking part of His body and His blood, dear brother and sister, come believing, believing all of your sins and doubts forgiven in Jesus' name and blood and remembering that suffering and death and resurrection that our Lord and Savior Jesus did on yours and my behalf.

It pays to believe.

And I too, coming here before you, dear brother and sister, wish to hear that precious gospel message for my own part that I can have my sins and doubts forgiven.

My desire is to continue to believe with you.

We are on a good road, a road which leads us to heaven's glory in Jesus' name and always blessed name. Amen.

Let us quieten our hearts and closing 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 of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.