Winter Services/Sermon in Monticello 07.02.2020

Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and from His Son our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Let us continue our services this evening with that prayer in our heart: that God would yet open His word unto us, that He would feed us, that He would guide us, and that He would help us on this journey that leads to the eternal shores in heaven.

Our prayer even again this evening is that one day our weak faith would change to sing that we would be there in heaven with God our Father, with His Son our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and with all those saints who have attained the rest of the righteous through their faith.

Before I begin our closing service, again, it is with joy that I bring greetings of love and God's peace to all of you brothers and sisters here in the Monticello congregation. We remember so many of you so often, having traveled together with you there in our home congregation in Rockford until that time when God saw fit to establish another congregation, which was established here in Monticello. And my heart rejoices to see how richly God has blessed you, brothers and sisters here in this congregation, to see so many of you, to see so many young, to see the beautiful buildings and property which God has given to you. We can see the hand of God. We marvel at His richness and His blessings in our life.

And most of all, in our personal endeavor of faith. Think about this, brothers and sisters: here you are this evening gathered for these winter services, owning the name of a child of God. It is no small miracle that we are here this evening. I think it is probably no different for you, brothers and sisters, than it is for me. There's a daily battle that so easily attaches, and that the enemy of souls so quickly comes to say that you won't make it to heaven, that God will get tired of you coming with your matters, coming to plead of your own weaknesses and failings.

But it's not so. It is true we have weaknesses and failings, but we have something much better. We have God, God on our side. He is our Father and He wants us to make it to heaven. He has sent His only begotten Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, as we heard through our brother, to suffer and die for us on that middle cross of Golgotha, shed all His blood so that we could freely gather those blood drops as often as we have need of it to wash away our sins and drown them in the sea of grace and mercy where God no longer sees our sins or our failings.

It is such a good place to be, in the House of God. Our theme, as we heard in the opening service for this winter service day, says, "Be still and know that I am God." I thought about this theme, and as we heard it as a direct quote from the Psalm from the word of God. But I have thought even of this portion in one other way, and that would be that to know that I am your God. He is our God, brothers and sisters.

He is the living God. There are many gods in this world that the people worship and hold as idols. This is nothing new, for there have been those kinds of false idols in the world throughout time. We remember how even on the wilderness journey, while Moses was there on Mount Sinai receiving, loved their undying soul.

And loved their undying soul and gave that law to awaken them to their condition. Gave a servant of the word such as Moses to preach to them, and their sins were forgiven and washed away and drowned in the sea of grace. Our dear brother, in his previous service here now, he left us there at the feet of Jesus. We heard God's word that to gather at the feet of Jesus and to gather up His blood drops. Did it bring joy to your heart as it brought to mind to again hear that proclamation of the gospel that my sins are forgiven, washed away.

So you're great, so are yours. To each one who heard this word and believed. And the text that I thought I would speak for a short moment about is one that you all probably know by heart, which is found in the Psalms, that twenty-third Psalm. Its words are in Jesus' name as follows. The Lord is my shepherd.

I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Amen. So we heard through our service model that loving call from our Heavenly Father to be still. Brothers and sisters, I don't know how your lives are these days. I know when I was in the workforce, certainly, it was very busy. And now God has allowed me to be retired for a while.

I don't know how it is with the retirees, but I'm finding that there isn't enough day to get all my chores done. It seems I'm so busy. Or is it that I have slowed down so much it takes me much longer? I haven't figured that out yet, but I do know that life sure seems busy. And I think of you in the workforce, and I think of you dear mothers there in your homes with those little children, those precious gifts that God has blessed you with.

How that life can be so busy and hectic. I think of you starting out life full of ambition and dreams. And certainly, I think that it's no different for you than it was for me many decades ago now. Our life was busy then too. But here in the midst of a busy life, God invites us to be still.

He calls us to the hearing of his word. He has brought us together this evening to sit at the feet of Jesus and then to hear that precious teaching instruction from God's word as opened by the Holy Spirit. And here in that stillness, we can pray that even those daily worries and cares would for a short time flee from us. That we could sit and listen at the feet of Jesus. And how good it is to be here and to be thankful that God has allowed this. And we can even give thanks for the blessings of our time that God has given that kind of technology.

That even though there may be some who have not been able to make it here this evening or maybe some that are far away are able to tune in over the Internet even in faraway countries to for a moment be still and gather at the feet of Jesus and pray even that prayer to the Heavenly Father that God would give the words that I need for this moment in my life, that I could remain on the narrow way that leads to eternal life in heaven. And David writes in the beginning, he says that the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spoke these words in the sixth chapter, in the eighth verse. He said that blessed are the poor in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.

Here we see how those that are pure in heart see God. They, through eyes of faith as we have heard already this evening, they see Jesus here in our midst. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the voice of God answers to our spirit and it says, Amen. As my spirit said to these previous turns of speaking from our brothers already this evening, we have no need of anything more when we are in the House of God, when we are at the feet of Jesus. He provides everything we need.

He is that kind of a good shepherd that he sees into our hearts. Many times I have to say I've experienced that way that I didn't even myself see into my heart. But when I've been at the services and God has allowed me to hear His word, I have realized, yes, I have needed to be here. My heart has been so cold and hard. My feelings, my bones feel so dry that when we hear God's word, it melts the frost in our hearts.

It reminds us and teaches us how the cares of everyday life have caused us to forget the most important matters. Even to doubt that God would provide for us all those things that we need in this body and in this life. He sees everything we need. And so even at this time at these services, we have already experienced this. Haven't we brothers and sisters that we have been able to lie down in those green pastures.

We have been able to be beside the still waters. What are those green pastures? And what are those still waters? Isn't it the food that we need for our undying souls? The Bible uses that picture of the good shepherd and we as the sheep.

And, we are like those sheep that we are weak travelers. We need a shepherd to guide us in our life. We need a shepherd to bring us to those green pastures where we can feed on that food which God has provided. Isn't that even in itself amazing brothers and sisters? We have done nothing to prepare that food.

Yet it is the best food. It is no different, I think, than we studied in our recent Bible class when Jesus did his first miracle, and he turned the water into wine. And we know how the master of the wedding was amazed that why was it that the best wine was saved for the last. Usually, it's first, and then it gets poor towards the end. But that which Jesus did was the best wine at that wedding there in Cana.

That food which we eat in those pastures, that grass is the greenest. It is the moistest. It is the most nourishing. We don't have to be like cattle when they are put to pasture that they think that the better grass is on the other side of the fence. Well, that's what the enemy of souls would want to say to us even that go over there, look at that grass over on the other side of the fence, wouldn't that be something new, something different.

You have just been eating this same grass over and over again, the same food, but do not go there. Do not be like the cattle that break through the fence, that break out into the neighbor's fields and pastures, but be like those sheep that want to stay close to the shepherd and that want to stay so close that if they would begin to stray, that shepherd could take his staff and hook onto us and pull us back into the center of the plot. This is how God takes care of us. When we begin to look over that way, when we begin to take steps that way, through the brothers and sisters in faith, those who have this gift of the Holy Spirit. God awakens them to come and to help to use that staff of Jesus, the good shepherd, to draw one back into the center of the flock.

There at the feet of Jesus. And there is that gospel preached. That you believe sins forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood. Our minds and our reason so often they go the other way. We seem to think that when we can settle out and reason matters through our own minds, then everything will be squared away.

And then we can eat of this food and drink of Jesus' blood. But it doesn't work that way in God's kingdom. It works in fact the opposite. As God said and Jesus said that your ways are not God's ways. God's ways are opposite to man so often to our thinking.

And so it is this way, that first we care for our matters, put our own sins away, and then we can continue the discussion on matters of faith. What do you say, brothers and sisters? Is that how it has happened in your homes when there have been disagreements and strife? You mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, I remember from many years ago, a year presentation we had at a parents' evening one time there when we were living. So this is how long ago we were living in Kokedo and we were probably new members of the congregation then even though we lived there twenty-one years total.

But that message in that introduction was so powerful for me from that mother and I haven't forgotten it, but I'll tell you in the heat of the moment I have forgotten it and have had to be reminded. But the presenter said it this way: take care of your own matters first. Whether it's with your spouse or whether it's with your child. Oh, we are so quick to try to correct their matters. We're so quick to try to tell them how they disappointed us or offended us in some way.

But this instruction was opposite to that. Take care of your own matters. And the question was asked, is it that you don't have matters to care for? They used the example of a mother waiting for a child coming home late, a youth coming home late from house. When that youth showed up at the door, that parent could have been just like me.

Just begin lecturing: why are you late? What's going on? What's happening in your life? But rather the parent went this way: I'm glad to see you home.

I need to hear the gospel. Could you forgive me for my sin? And it stops that child, that youth, preach the gospel. Like I said, why do you need the gospel? The parent answered, because I have been upset.

Because I have been worried about you, because I have gone in the flesh here in my mind over and over and over again as I have waited for the sounds of the tires on the gravel on the driveway and you coming through the door. Oh, the youth went in to hear the gospel too. The heart was touched. I'm sorry that I'm late. And I think maybe even there was a good reason, but the gospel was preached.

And I think this is so powerful of a way that we would care for matters in our life. That we would begin from below. We are weak and faulty travelers. We need this gospel. And when we can preach the gospel to each other, forgive one another in Jesus' name and blood, where are we standing then for the rest of our discussion?

We are standing on that cornerstone of Zion, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior himself. Isn't that a good foundation to be standing on when we are discussing matters of God's kingdom? And so it is that Jesus, even then when we don't have power or strength of our own, He is that good shepherd and He brings us there to lie down in those green pastures to hear of His word, of God's word. That word that Jesus said is my Father's word, which I bring to you. The Holy Spirit brings that same word today.

It is an unchanging word, the same yesterday, today, and forever. It has carried those saints of old to the shores of heaven and will continue to carry all those who preciously believe in the same way to the same destination. Here in the care of the Good Shepherd, in the care of the gospel of the forgiveness of sins, it says here that He restoreth my soul. Things are washed away, drowned in the sea of grace. We are again like a newborn babe, traveling there as a small child in God's kingdom.

We are all small children. It is a level-headed block as we heard even through our brother already that it is the same simple understanding that brings us to the shore of glory. That we don't need much knowledge. We don't need much study of God's word except to know that Jesus is our Savior and we are sinners. And that God hates sin, but He loves the sinners.

And this is why he sent his Son. And here then, God can lead us on the path of righteousness for His name's sake. Not self-righteousness, but God's righteousness. That righteousness that teaches us right from wrong. And that moved us even as Philip was moved to go and speak to the Ethiopian eunuch.

So also that Spirit moves us to go to speak to a brother or sister when they are struggling in matters of faith. With that open prayer that God would open words, give words to speak. We don't know what we're going to say. We tremble in fear. We go in emptiness.

And God gives words. Mothers and fathers, youth, I'm sure have experienced that. Perhaps youth have experienced that. When you have needed to visit about matters with your children, you've wondered what will I say? How will I approach this matter?

Prayers go to the Heavenly Father that He would open His word. And when God opens His word, we rejoice in it, that it is God who is doing this work and not us. It is His righteousness that is not ours. And yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For thou art with me, and thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.

When we leave from services and we go back into our everyday life, we certainly feel like we are walking in the valley of the shadow of death. There are so many temptations around us in so many ways. And we are battling our own flesh, our own thoughts, our own fears. And we are battling also the temptations there in the world. But remember this, brothers and sisters, when we come to the hearing of God's word and when we believe our sins forgiven in Jesus' name and blood, we leave from here with God's armor.

That kind of armor that protects us. We have a shield of faith. We have the sword of the Spirit. Our feet are prepared with the gospel of forgiveness of sins. And God is with us, and He will help us in those battles.

He will give us escorts when we need those escorts to help and to uplift us. Isn't this what we have experienced over and over and over again in our lives? And we see how God's word, the rod and the gospel, they comfort us. God's word is the truth. The staff is that gospel of the forgiveness of sins that we so often lean on.

And we know that God's kingdom is this kind of a kingdom, that it is of grace and it is of truth. Those two are inseparable. Grace comes first and then truth. We cannot have grace without truth. We cannot have truth without grace.

But we need both in our journey of faith. And this is what God has provided for us here in His Kingdom. And Jesus has prepared that table in the presence of our enemies as we heard that just as Jesus had provided the meat there for the disciples on the shore of the Tiberian Sea. Jesus still today provides that meat for you and me. He has prepared a table even in the presence of the enemies around us.

It is amazing even how that happens, dear brothers and sisters. We have seen and experienced that in our lives when we have been there in places, perhaps in discussions when there have been many unbelievers around. Yet there has been one seeking and searching soul. And what has happened? There in the midst, in the presence of the enemies, God has prepared the table and one has been able to receive the grace of repentance to believe all their sins, their unbelief forgiven in Jesus' name and blood.

And that this message still sounds forth from God's kingdom today. That if there would be one here who is seeking and searching for God's kingdom or if there would be one who is listening there over the Internet, whether you're in the neighborhood or whether you are far away in another country. God knows when you are seeking and searching. He has led you here to the hearing of His word this evening. And unto you, dear searcher, has offered this simple message of the gospel that uplift your heart, believe all of your sins forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood.

All sins are washed away and drowned in the sea of grace. Whatever it is that you have done, you can believe it forgiven now. And thank the Heavenly Father that He has answered your prayers and that He has given you peace and joy in your heart and love for those who, as poor and weak servants, preach this gospel of forgiveness to you. I'll anoint just my head with oil and my cup runneth over. This is how I have seen it in the services in my youth and in my life.

I grew up in a remote area, a small congregation there in Canada and Saskatchewan. There wasn't a servant of the word present living there. There wasn't even technology so readily available as even a reel-to-reel tape recorder. I know you young children have no clue what that is. Some of us who are older, we know.

But they didn't even have it there yet in those days. So they went days, weeks, months without services there in their small church. Yes, they gathered, they read the Bible, they sang songs, they preached the gospel to each other. But I remember so often when the services came, there were services in the mid-afternoon, then some coffee, and then services, and then supper, and then services again for several days in a row. And I remember as those services so often were coming to a close, how I was struck by the elders when they began to rejoice one by one to praise and to thank God openly for this blessing.

That as their head now I understood was anointed with oil in such a way that was dripping down as it speaks even of Aaron how it ran down his beard and onto his robes. Such as it is when we hear the word of God over and over again, it touches our heart and that oil of the Holy Spirit anoints our head and our cup runneth over. Our heart is overfilled with joy and thanksgiving for what God has done for us. And it is even at that moment, as we heard how it was for the apostle Peter, how his cup runneth over with joy, and we feel the same way as this closing of this Psalm where David writes that surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. That we are so joyful and thankful for these services.

Our heart is overflowing and it seems so easy to believe and our faith is strengthened. But yet we find that we still carry this thin corrupt portion. And we will need to come again and again to the hearing of God's word. We can be thankful that we have believers living in our homes that we can over and over again preach this same living gospel: son and daughter, mother and father, brother and sister, uplift your heart and believe all your sins forgiven in Jesus' name and precious atoning blood. This is where our strength is on our journey of faith.

It is not in us, but it is a gift of God which He offers freely to all those who desire to believe upon His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And I too, coming here this evening, have need of this same forgiveness in my life. Even though we have heard it preached already from the dear brothers who have come to serve, those doubts have come again into my heart and into my mind and fear and trembling as I have come here for my speaking turn. Can I believe my sins and all my doubts forgiven? And I want to believe with you, dear brothers and sisters.

May God bless your journey to heaven and keep you always in His care. Do not let the enemy of souls preach his lies unto you to break the love between God's children when they are in your homes or they are in your families or there with your friends. Brothers and sisters in faith, battle the threefold enemy. Help one another to the shores of glory. We have needed this help ourselves.

I know for myself, I have needed those dear elders and brothers and sisters in faith. I think back in my youth that I would have remained in faith if it was not for those dear elders who so lovingly spoke to me to put sin away. We need one another, brothers and sisters. So we want to help one another as we have been helped ourselves. May God richly bless your lives and preserve you on that narrow way that leads to eternal life in heaven.

In Jesus' name, amen. Let us unite our hearts in the 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 of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.