Services/Sermon in LLC Minneapolis Summer Services 03.07.2010 10.30 am UTC

May the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the love of God our Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with each and every one of us, now and always. Let us join in opening this day's services with prayer and thanksgiving.

Dear Heavenly Father, Holy, Righteous, All-Powerful, All-Knowing God, humbly we draw an eye on you in prayer. We ask for your blessing for this day's services. Bless each and every one of us. Bless the word that is spoken for the honor and glory of your name and the edification of your congregation. You, Father, alone know our needs, cares, trials, temptations, and failings. And you alone are able to divide unto us from your word that which we have need of.

We desire to remember all those who are not able to be with us at this time. We ask that you would strengthen all of them and give them power to believe and to continue taking one more step on the narrow way of life. We especially desire to remember those who are serving our nation in its armed forces, often in dangerous situations. Comfort and strengthen them also, Father. Allow them to feel your presence.

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.

I shall read for our mutual study from the book of the prophet Zechariah, fourth chapter, the first seven verses. We hear these words in Jesus' name as follows:

And the angel that talked with me came again and waked me as a man that is waken out of his sleep and said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold and a bowl upon the top of it. And the seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps which are upon the top thereof, and two olive trees by it, one on the right side of the bowl, and the other on the left side thereof.

So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my Lord? Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my Lord.

Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain, and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings crying, Grace, grace, unto it. Amen.

As one of the Minneapolis congregation members responsible for participating and getting these services arranged and organized for all of our enjoyment, I have to say, dear brothers and sisters, that it was with great joy and heartfelt thanks to God that I watched, participated, as so many, many brothers and sisters, not only from Minneapolis, but from the local area and elsewhere, put in so much time and effort in getting these services arranged. God certainly gave them a heart and a mind to do the work.

And that's why I'm here today, because I know that God is a great God.

When he asked for the people of Israel to donate for that tabernacle, he notes that soon they had so much material that they had to ask the people to stop bringing. People brought gold and silk and materials for the building of the tabernacle. So God blesses the work of his congregation and of each and every one of his children.

But this portion of the word of God came to my mind because I feel that the experiences of Zechariah, as he records here, are not distant, but they are very familiar. I think they are familiar to each and every one of us in our own little home congregation. They are familiar to us on our own place of watching on the walls of Zion. They are common for every child of God because the enemy is a diligent, vigilant adversary. And he goes about, as Peter notes, as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.

And when the children of Israel had returned from that Babylonian captivity to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and the temple, it was not an easy task. They had very many difficulties. And the people of the local area were resisting even to battling against them, locally and even politically in the kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar, the kingdom of Babylon. But God blessed their work.

And so even though it was difficult and exhausting, so exhausting that they were working with the weapons of warfare in one hand, spear in one hand, and the tools of building the wall in the other. So also is our battle. So is your battle. The enemy attacks. And we need to be building Zion at the same time we are defending Zion, trying to defeat the power of the enemy with a weapon, with the weaponry of the spirit of God.

The prophet Nehemiah notes that they didn't take their clothes off by day or by night, for they had to be ready at any moment to respond to the attacks of the enemy. And then he notes that the only time they took their clothes off was to bathe, to refresh. And then he notes how God blessed that work of rebuilding the wall. He said in fifty-two days that wall was complete. And their enemies with great dismay noted how God had blessed that work of rebuilding.

I think something similar has actually happened. Nehemiah says, since the schisms of past times, when people have left, they have attempted to destroy the work of God. But when they see how the kingdom of God has been blessed by God, how it has grown and prospered, instead of admitting and recognizing, they have become more and bitter. So sad is the state of such a one.

But what happened to prophet Zechariah? He first of all notes that the angel that talked with me came again. Have you seen, dear brothers and sisters, an angel? We know, of course, that the scripture uses this term angel to describe the angel that came, different spiritual beings. And Jesus uses it in talking about you boys and girls when he says that their angel always beholds the face of my Father which is in heaven.

It's rather remarkable to note that even though each and every child of God has such a guardian angel, Jesus is not. He made this comment only about the guardian angels for children. Dear boys and girls, he says, your angel keeps such close watch over you that he has instant and constant communication with God our heavenly Father in heaven.

Sometimes, little children may note that they actually see such angels. I have never seen such an angel. But little children who are presented to us by our Lord is the example that we should be as believers can sometimes see angels.

But in the other sense, as the scripture uses, and as our Lord uses the term, I see before me this morning many, many angels. Why? Because you are my fellow escorts, brothers and sisters in faith, traveling on the earth, traveling on this way. And Jesus noted in writing, asking John to write those letters to the churches in Asia Minor that unto the angel of the church of Sardis, and so on, write.

So, Zechariah's experience in saying that this angel that talked with me came again is a familiar experience, dear brothers and sisters. We have such heavenly escorts around us who love us, care for us, and desire to make sure that we are also able to endeavor in faith and make it to the destination.

What does Zechariah note about his own condition? He said, this angel waked me as one that is woken out of his sleep.

As I noted, it was such a difficult place of watching that Zechariah was called to be at. Very exhausting, extremely draining, and demanding. And because Zechariah used these words, as if one woken out of his sleep, he is as if saying, I had fallen asleep, spiritually. He might have been physically awake, but he had begun to wonder and despair about the progress of the work and the progress of the gospel and the ability of God to perform that which he said that he would do.

So this angel, the prophet Haggai, with whom the prophet Zechariah had just been, as he records in the previous chapter, had some marvelous services. For the high priest, Joshua, received the grace of repentance from self-righteousness and was able to be clothed with those garments of righteousness of the saints, that which can only be owned by faith, purchased by the blood of Christ.

But going from those services, he had to go home to his own place of watching and their battle. And he became tired and faint.

But what happened to his vision? For the prophet, the angel, as he notes, asked me, what do you see? And I said, I have looked, and behold, a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and there are seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top of it.

When he was awakened, what happened to the vision, the sight, of the prophet? The candlestick was all of gold.

Isn't it familiar, dear brothers and sisters? We react in such situations with those dear escorts, come to us and recognize that the fault wasn't in the congregation. This is my own fault. This is my own fault. This is my own fault. And I want you to understand that I am not the only one. I am the only one. I am the only one. This is my sin. My error. I fell asleep. I needed that help, that instruction, that love.

The candlestick is still all of pure gold. The congregation is holy and pure. It is the one unerring mother wherein the Spirit of God dwells. Therein is one faith, one Lord, one baptism, as the Apostle notes. The fault is not in the congregation. It is in me. We find it in ourselves because we are sinful. We are corrupt.

But the Holy Spirit, till today, rules in the congregation of God, the body of Christ, which is here upon this earth. It is called the Kingdom of God for a reason, because our King is in glory and rules through the third Person of Godhead, the Holy Spirit, here upon this earth.

It is a place where we are able to enjoy that which the Prophet also here noted. What was that? That there are the seven lamps, the seven pipes to the seven lamps and two olive trees, one upon the right side and one upon the left side of the wall.

From those olive trees flows that oil, the oil of the Holy Spirit, which we need again and again to refresh our lamps of faith, where we can dip again and again from the wells of salvation and be assured again that your sins are forgiven, receive strength to battle anew, to take another step, to endeavor on this way of life.

And there is abundance. There is oil of abundance for the believers of the Old Testament who believed on the promise of the coming Messiah. And there is oil and abundance for the children of God of the New Testament congregation, for you and me, for our little ones today, to endeavor in faith, keep faith and good conscience, battling against this ever worsening world in which we live.

Satan certainly knows that he has but little time and is doing his very best to destroy the work of the world, the work of the Holy Spirit of God.

But then the angel asked Zechariah another question. And he says, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my Lord.

Have you always, dear brothers and sisters, understood perfectly? Do you have complete wisdom, understanding, knowledge, able to discern all the mysteries in the depths of the word of God? I'm sure you feel as I do. Oh, how weak and lacking I am in understanding. Oh, how weak and poor is that knowledge of the Holy Word of God.

And so we need all of the gifts in the congregation of God, all of the brothers and sisters, all of those whom God has given for the edification of the saints, so that we can fight the good fight of faith.

But then the prophet Haggai notes to Zechariah and he says, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel saying, It is the word of God. God still speaks in his congregation, through his congregation, to each and every one of us, to the world around us, to all those who seek.

It is the word of God, not the word of man. God has thus ordained his order of salvation. He has not said, Study harder, research more, dig deeper into your own soul, and seek for evermore remorse and repentance over your failings.

But the word of God is here in our midst. It is the word that is preached from the kingdom of God by the power of the Holy Spirit.

And yet today, God's order of salvation is the same. That faith comes by hearing, and hearing by and through the word of God. Today is the day of salvation. Today is an acceptable day.

To anyone listening, dear friends, you hear the voice of God calling, saying unto you, that this is a day wherein you can believe that your sins are forgiven in the name and through the blood of Jesus Christ. He is our salvation. He can be your salvation.

God has thus ordained that his words would be preached until the end of time. And so as long as God gives us strength and days, the kingdom of God desires to proclaim and preach that message of salvation.

And so you, dear brothers and sisters, have also done. More often by your deeds than by your words. You have spoke of who is the master of your heart. But especially if someone has asked of that foundation of hope that is in you, you have desired to make known how God has blessed your life, forgiven all of your sins, so that you can be his child and remain on the way of faith.

So God blesses his own, blesses each and every one of us. And the word of God is so powerful that it defeats the onslaught of the enemy.

Just think, dear brothers and sisters, when Jesus was tempted by Satan, he did not say to Satan, I was there and I saw the battle when you were driven out of heaven. Or as he noted to the apostles, I saw Satan fall from heaven as lightning.

But nevertheless rejoice not in this, that the spirits are subject unto you for my name's sake, but rather rejoice that your names are written in the book of life in heaven.

But Jesus saw Satan being driven out from heaven, and he did not say unto him, I know you, you the adversary of God, get thee behind me. But rather what did he say? He said three times that Satan tempted him. It is written. Thus it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, and so on, for each of those temptations.

And finally said, get thee behind me, Satan. Get thee hence. And Satan left him.

The word of God is not just a historical word written by man, but it is a spiritual word. It is the word whereby God reveals himself to a seeking one so they know where to look for those people who are the saints of God, who are living and dwelling.

And they are the ones who are in the kingdom of God so that they can ask for their own soul's salvation.

And God is so powerful today, just as he was during the time of the prophet, that the prophet noted to Zechariah that this work of the kingdom will not happen not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

How is it possible, dear brothers and sisters, to be successful in raising your little ones? How is it possible to even think of bringing little ones into this world as so many around us stay, of course, because they also recognize the world getting worse?

Where is the source of strength? It is not of yourself. It is not of anything that you are able to actually think you can accomplish of yourself.

But where is the power? The prophet says, By my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.

God yet today desires to affirm that that is the source of strength. It is the spirit of God there also in your homes, where you can preach, mother and father to each other, parents to children, and your boys and girls can preach to your parents the forgiveness of all sins.

Being partakers of such a holy and royal priesthood, you have the keys of heaven. And it is, as the apostle noted, the power of God unto salvation for all who believe.

The just, the righteous, the righteous. In other words, the children of God live by their faith. You are already here, blessed and holy.

John notes in Revelations that Blessed and holy is he who is partaker of the first resurrection from the dead. For such second death has no power, but they shall be high priests of God and Christ and reign with him.

When Jesus died on the cross, the veil in the temple was rent from the top to the bottom, and access to the holiest was wide open for all who believe.

You have access to such a wonderful power of God, to the gospel, that you can preach and believe your sins forgiven in the name and blood of Jesus. You are a high priest of God.

You don't have to wait for that one time during the year when the high priest would go with blood into the holiest to sacrifice on his own in the people's behalf for their sins. But every day, and as often as you have need of it.

Peter tried to measure the grace of God, and he said it was seven times sufficient. Jesus said, I say unto you, not till seven times, but till seventy times seven.

One time calculated with Sunday school children, how many times a day would be seven times, seventy times seven, four hundred and ninety times a day is somewhere if I remember right. Children can get calculators and check me.

A little over three minutes, once every three minutes. Who has so much faith that they would be willing to preach the gospel to an erring one so often?

But so great is the grace of God, so boundless is his mercy, that he gives unto each and every one of his children that measure of grace that each has in them, that we can put sin away, believe them forgiven in the name and blood of Jesus, and continue traveling on this narrow way of life.

And in that way, when you build your own home, there raise your little ones, it is secure, because the foundation is sure, that the cornerstone has been laid.

As the prophet then notes, that it is laid with shouting, crying, grace, grace unto it.

Suffering on the cross, Jesus did not cry for revenge, but he said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Grace, grace unto it.

The best foundation is that which we build on. You build upon that foundation of the prophet and the apostle and that chief cornerstone, the Lord Jesus Christ.

And that's why it is so good, dear young people, when you look at any issue, anything that comes before you, especially in our society today, we see many of these types of discussions, questions, and even vain philosophies of men.

And they attempt to worm their way into the truth, into your own minds and understanding, and into the kingdom of God.

But the word of God is not a weak and failing teacher, but is a sure foundation. When we read that word, it assures us of God's will and His way of salvation. And it teaches us that which we need for our lives, even today.

In discussion yesterday evening, we discussed the issues which are oftentimes very difficult, especially for the mind of man, pertaining to life and death.

And so many in this world around us attempt to rationalize abortions and mercy killings and so on. But who is the Lord of life and death? If God does not give life, who can create it? And God is also the taker of life at its end. It is according to His will and His plan.

Let us remain endeavoring on this narrow way where our Lord Jesus has walked before us, showing us the way. And when we follow in His footsteps, the footsteps of the Good Shepherd, keep us traveling on that way which brings us to eternal life in heaven.

Remain, even this morning hour, dear brothers and sisters, young and old alike, believing that all of your sins are forgiven, in Jesus' name of blood, unto peace, freedom, and joy.

I also came before you this morning, tempted, tried, feeling my own sin, corruption. I ask that I also believe my sins together. So I desire to believe together with you.

In Jesus' name, amen. Amen.