Services/Sermon in Cokato 10.05.2020

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, let us unite our hearts in opening prayer and thanksgiving.

Dear Heavenly Father, on this special day, we thank and praise you for our dear mother. And as the songwriter has written, dear Father, thank you, mother dear, so precious, for the love which you have shown. We, thy children, are so grateful for this love that we have known. Oh, we thank you, dear Heavenly Father, for our love.

Dear mother ever dear, we pray her life be lengthened, and for blessed health while here. Dear Heavenly Father, give abundant gifts to our mother on the way. Guide her on the way to heaven, unto rest with thee one day.

And we ask, dear Father, you who know us better than we know ourselves, often tired and weary and doubting, we ask simply to bless us and keep us. Dear Father, bless our land. Give wisdom and guidance unto our leaders, and bless them. And bless thy kingdom, the living congregation here upon the earth. Bless each and every one of us.

And we ask, dear Father, and pray, open thy word unto us. Wherever thy word is heard this day, uplift, comfort, guide, and nourish us. For we are dependent totally upon thy word through the living Holy Spirit, that heavenly manna that we need so dearly.

And for all of us, we ask, dear Father, that we may be able to hear your voice.

In thy beloved Son's name, in Jesus' name, Amen.

Today, as we all know, it's Mother's Day. Not only here in this continent, but even across the sea. And I thought I'd read a portion of the Scriptures which speaks unto us of our mothers. And every one of us have mothers. Many of us, our mothers, are still here on this earth. And many of you, your mothers, are already in heaven.

And so we'll read from the 31st chapter of the book of Proverbs. How the wisest man, the king of Israel, Solomon, wrote once, years and years ago, as God gave him utterance and wisdom concerning your mother and mine. And these words will... We'll begin from the 10th verse to the 12th, and we'll skip around to the 25th verse to the 28th, and then end with the 30th verse. And these words are in Jesus' name as follows.

Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.

But many and most of you mothers are there in your little home congregations, scattered throughout the countryside here in Cocado, scattered throughout the land, and even over the seas, you who are in the hearing of this word today. I, first of all, want to wish you a blessed Mother's Day.

You young mothers, some of you are first-time mothers, and many of you have many children, and many of you have become old, beyond childbearing years, and yet you still enjoy your children, your grandchildren, your great-grandchildren, and even great-great-grandchildren. This is the blessing that God has given you. And in a believing home, children are a miraculous blessing.

I visited with my mother this morning. She's 94 years old, going to be 95. Correct? Correct? Yeah. This fall.

I remember once visiting in a home. There was an old mother, grandmother there, and there was a grandfather there, and a son, and a grandson. And I happened to come into the room when the grandmother was visiting intently with her son, explaining to him and reminding him about the most important matters of life, and that's the matters of living faith.

The mother was 90 years old, and the son was in his 70s. And I was amazed. The duty of the mother never ends as long as there is breath, nor does the honor due unto the mother end, as long as mother is here upon the earth.

And so, greetings from my mother. She, oh, how she misses the believers. She is here in this land. Remembers them very fondly. Spoke very fondly of them. And asks that her love and greetings be relayed here in this land.

You know, when we think of the mother's work, a mother's duty, a mother's responsibility, it's a wonderful responsibility. It's the oldest work here upon the earth. Indeed, when Adam and Eve were sent out from the garden, there were two occupations, and only two occupations here upon the earth. One, the father farmed. He sowed the seed. Prayed to God for a bountiful harvest. And mother nurtured and raised her children.

It's a sacred duty. It's a precious duty. It's a wonderful duty. Wonderful work. That which a mother doeth.

There's much written in the Bible and in the Apocrypha concerning the duties of mothers, and I'm going to read this time from Ecclesiasticus, from its third chapter. And it says this way, now, unto us whose mothers are here.

And he says, "And he that honoureth his mother is one that layeth up treasure." If you honour your mother, God will richly bless your life.

When I begin from the beginning of this portion, the third chapter of the book of Ecclesiasticus, there's good instruction here for all of us, myself included. My mother is 94 years old.

Hear me, your father, O children, and do thereafter, that ye may be safe. So honour your mother and your father.

And it says here, to listen to them that you may be safe. That's for your entire life. That's not when you're just a little child or even a youth there at home. These words are for us, for our life.

And he says, "For the Lord hath given the father honour over the children, and hath confirmed the authority of the mother over the sons."

And whoso honoureth his father maketh atonement for his sins.

And then here, "And he that honoureth his mother is as one that layeth up treasure."

But he continues, he says, "Whoso honoureth his father shall have joy of his own children."

And he continues, "He shall have joy of his own children. And when he maketh his prayer, he shall be heard. He that honoureth his father shall have a long life. And he that is obedient unto the Lord shall be a comfort to his mother."

Precious words.

He that feareth the Lord will honour his father, and will do service to his parents.

Honour thy father and mother both in word and deed, that a blessing may come to thee. And a blessing may come upon thee from them.

For the blessing of the father establisheth the houses of the children.

Yes, that blessing goes from one generation to the next, to the next, to the next. It started from the beginning of time, and it won't end until the last day.

And then there's even a portion here unto us for our elderly mothers and fathers. Where he says, "My son, help thy father in his age, and grieve him not as long as he liveth. And if his understanding fail, have patience with him, and despise him not when thou art in full strength. For the relieving of thy father shall not be forgotten."

And so on.

God's word is so miraculous, so wonderful, so comforting, so instructive.

Mothers and fathers, there's a portion in God's word where it speaks of three things that are beautiful before God and man. And he says the first one is the unity of the brethren. The unity of the living Holy Spirit that dwells in God's kingdom, that binds our hearts one to another in the love of Christ.

This is beautiful before God. This is beautiful before God in heaven and before mankind. Especially here in God's kingdom, in the living congregation. The unity of the Holy Spirit. Without the unity of the Holy Spirit, we would be in darkness. That's how important and beautiful it is with God and with man.

The second thing that's beautiful before God and man is the love of thy brethren, as it says. The love of neighbor.

And this too, well, the Apostle Paul when he wrote unto us, well first of all to those believers in Galatia, but now today unto us, he says love is the first fruit of the Spirit.

Or we can say, and we know, without love, without the love of Christ, without the love of brethren, we're in darkness.

So without unity, and without love, if we don't have one or the other, even if we had one, one without the other, we'd be in darkness. We need both. We need the Holy Spirit that dwells within us, that opens unto us the importance of the love of Christ.

And this all ties into the Gospel text for this Sunday. Well actually, to the Gospel text for this Sunday on the three-year rotation on our calendar.

The Gospel text for this day, it's found in the 15th, 16th, and 17th chapters of John. And those chapters take place in the time of, they're completely the words of Jesus. And it takes time in the place of, in the life of Jesus, right before the end. Shortly before Passion Week, the way of Via Della Rosa, where he began that way of suffering and pain onto Good Maundy Thursday, and then onto Good Friday, and so on.

And it begins with Palm Sunday, and ends with Easter Sunday.

And yet in those, when you study those, you can, when you get home, you there or that are at home, look on your church calendar, and study and read those chapters in the Gospel according to Saint John, because they are the words of Jesus.

When you go through them, those portions are all in red. In your Bible often, the words of Jesus are transcribed in red. And he speaks in there.

Well, let's go there. He speaks in there of how he has prayed for you. Imagine. The Lord himself has prayed for you. That your faith fail not. That you could endeavor to preserve living faith and good conscience.

And he says, and he is praying to God now on your behalf, on our behalf, he says, "I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from evil."

So Jesus is praying for you that God would shield you and protect you from evil. Not that he would take you from the world, because you have a purpose here. Every one of you has a purpose and a reason for being here. You are all messengers of the Lord Jesus.

And it's a wonderful duty and a wonderful responsibility that we, as the children of our Heavenly Father, have. That we relay onto those that don't, of what we have. This treasure, this pearl hidden in the field.

And we encourage one another, because we are weary and tired and doubt-ridden and stumbling and falling and failing. And sin comes. And we need encouragement.

And so you are the messengers of Jesus, who come to me to encourage me and to remind me, and to lovingly rebuke me when rebuke is needed. That chastisement of our Heavenly Father. That's our duty. The love of Christ constrains us to do this.

Then he goes on in this portion. He speaks about the living Holy Spirit. He's speaking to the disciples and unto us now today. He says, "How be it when he, the Spirit of Truth is come, he will guide you in all truth."

He's speaking of that living Holy Spirit. Whose, we could say that the office and the duty of the Holy Spirit, although it was here from the beginning of time, and it led the believers throughout time.

But then in the Old Testament, God placed prophets and teachers and priests and ministers of the word into our midst in the Old Testament. And yet it took faith for the children of God, for the believers to believe what the prophets spoke.

Because the prophets heard the audible voice of God. But the children of God didn't hear that voice that spoke to the prophet that he heard. And then God relayed and told him to relay onto the people that which I have spoken unto you.

And yet the people believed that word, that it was the word of God spoken through the lips of man.

And then Jesus, as we know, was here 2000 years ago. In the Bible, you know, it has the red print, the words that Jesus actually spoke. The Son of God, God in the second person now was here upon the earth, speaking directly onto mankind. And many, many believed. But many, many, many did not. Even though he was here.

And then Jesus now is reminding his disciples here in these portions of the scriptures how he is going to leave. That nevertheless I tell you the truth, it is expedient for you that I go away. For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you. But if I depart, I will send him unto you.

And so, from that time, especially the office of the Holy Spirit, of that Holy Trinity, Father our Creator, Jesus our beloved Redeemer, and the office of the Holy Spirit, which sanctifies one and makes us holy, began to work in earnest here in God's kingdom.

Then, when Jesus ascended into heaven.

And he says, "But when the Comforter is come, whom I send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth," the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. It is a third portion of the Godhead. It is God himself.

And that is why we have gathered here this morning, you few, my beloved brothers and sisters. And yes, you that are sitting there at home, have gathered here before the feet of Jesus, to hear what he has to say unto us.

So simply we believe. We didn't come, and we don't sit there at home, you beloved ones at home, to hear what man has to say unto us. And we have come with that prayer that God would open his word unto us. And that prayer that we would believe that word that God opens unto us. And that not only that we hear and believe, but we would be doers of that word that is spoken unto us.

So very clearly here, that portion from the Old Testament, those three things that are beautiful before God and man, the unity of the brethren, how the Holy Spirit unites us into one body, in the Lord Jesus Christ, into one congregation, into one kingdom.

And then Jesus says here in these chapters, he reminds us, "No new commandment I leave unto you, except this, love ye one another."

And so now Jesus himself is confirming those words of those long since departed brethren in faith who reminded us how beautiful is the unity of brethren and the love of neighbor.

God's word is so rich and so powerful and so mighty that we can't begin to comprehend.

Do you know how this gospel of John ends? And when you read the gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, there's so much written in there of our Lord Jesus. And into the Acts of the Apostles that continues of that time when Jesus, after Jesus had resurrected and before he ascended into heaven, the words that he spoke here.

And it says here that, the last verse of this gospel, it says, "And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written."

Amen.

This is how rich God's word is. When it is open through the living Holy Spirit, mothers and fathers, you there at home and here, it is the same Holy Spirit that guides you in your little home congregation, that feeds and nourishes your little children and your youth.

And as time goes on, your grandchildren, your grandchildren, and your great grandchildren, and your great, great grandchildren.

Today, there's much pressure in the world onto you mothers. It is very common, you who are with child for the first time and you go to the doctors, that the doctors themselves begin to explain on to you of family planning, ways to prevent children, of birth control and so on.

And that is wrong and that is sin. That is contrary to the teaching of the Bible.

And you young mothers who may go there for the first time to hear that, and it's a sermon of unbelief, confess your weak faith as the mothers have done for years after years after years. That God is the giver of life and death and we accept those children whom God grants unto us.

And there's an old saying in the Finnish language and it translates into this way that with every child God provides for that child. And this we believe.

And yet today the world preaches to prevent children, to prevent children, to prevent children.

Many maybe don't really realize the time that we're living, we're living a time of the greatest martyrdom of children that the world has ever seen.

There has not been a time like this before in the annals of history from the beginning of time.

Where every day tens of thousands of children, of babies, millions and millions count, millions and millions every year that are torn from the mother's womb and go from that safety of the mother's womb directly to heaven.

Countless millions have risen before they had a chance to take a breath from this dark and unbelieving world into the glory, and beauty of heaven.

And yet, even as on our church calendar when we read today, being the fourth Sunday after Easter, the theme for us reminds us, as citizens of heaven in the world.

We are citizens of heaven. Yes, we're citizens of this great land that we live in. We are Americans. I wasn't born here, but I'm a naturalized citizen. When I turned 18 years of age, I went through the course that was required, raised my right hand before the judge, and pledged my allegiance to this great land.

But we are citizens of heaven, first and foremost.

And, I'm not saying that I'm not a Christian, but I'm saying that I am a Christian.

It is important, as citizens of heaven, that we live our faith. That we are doers, and not hearers only.

I have to say, my dear brothers and sisters, sin, temptation, temptation is so close to each one of us. We fall into sin every day.

The flesh would want to begin to defend sin. Find justification for wrongdoing. The flesh would want to take God's word to defend sin.

This is what kind of creatures we are. It is not far from any one of us to begin to try to find excuses, reasons, justifications, to do that which is wrong. To defend sin, and to widen the borders of the kingdom through our mind and our reason, our own understandings.

And this is the battle that we have.

And I have to say that there are those among us that are battling this very, very greatly.

I have to say that the enemy of the soul has caused them into wrong, go into wrong understandings to fall into many of those things that had happened during the last heresy that beset this continent.

It is not just a question of leniency of sin, justifications for sin, quoting scriptures.

There are some even that defend sin in this way that, well it doesn't speak in the Bible about that. You know, be it the dangers of the internet, television, movies, the Bible doesn't speak of those they weren't even invented until recent times.

We have something much better and we don't have a list. There's not a list in the Bible here's what look out for this don't do this do this and there's nothing in there that often has been called gray matter with God there's no gray issue it's right or it's wrong it's sin it's according to God's will or it's according to the will of man to the reason of man to the wisdom of man.

And so Satan wants us to begin to travel down that dusty way and dusty it is because if we start traveling down the way of our mind and our reason we indeed soon are in the smoke and haze that Satan brings.

And so we pray and we need to pray on behalf of one another and remember one another.

And remember this Jesus himself said I will send unto you the comforter which will bring remembrance unto you of all of those things which I have said and done.

This living Holy Spirit which is the light of God's kingdom, the candle of the Holy Spirit which always shows onto us the correct way to heaven.

This light of the Holy Spirit it guides and directs us unerringly always forever correctly because the Holy Spirit has never erred.

You and I we have erred many many times.

In our text we better get to our text it says who can find a virtuous woman for her price is far above rubies.

Virtuous what is a virtuous woman what is it what is virtue that virtue is something that is morally good and if one is virtuous one desires well one desires to do according to God's word tries to be obedient to God's word.

Who can find a virtuous woman for her price is far above rubies.

Beloved youth where can you find a virtuous spouse it is here in God's kingdom it is here in God's kingdom and only here in God's kingdom.

It is here in God's kingdom and only here in God's kingdom that a believing mother is without price.

One cannot put a price upon a believing mother one who nurtures her children with her own failings and weaknesses and yet day after day teaches reminds by word and example.

Virtuous woman is without price so precious, and it's a treasure.

A believing mother is a treasure it's a gift from God.

Imagine you children imagine if you were in an unbelieving home your mother and father still love you they would they do but the loving instruction of the living Holy Spirit is the gift of God.

The loving instruction of the living Holy Spirit is the gift of God.

The living Holy Spirit is missing.

The believing mother is as the Bible says her price is far above rubies her price is far above rubies.

And yet when we think we believe in God we're believing home a believing mother and father.

There's simple instruction that the Apostle Paul gave to the believers in Ephesus when he reminded them simply it's not complex all he said is be kind be kind.

But then he went a little further but even kindness we can make that into a work and then he says he continues to say be tenderhearted one to another.

Now it's from the heart it's from our soul be kind and tenderhearted.

And then he continues with the most important matter in your little home congregation he says forgive one another as Christ has forgiven you as God has forgiven you.

And then he continues he says forgive one another.

And the good news is all the... we can turn him around.

We begin to justify our wrongdoing. We even begin to use scriptures to support our wrong understandings. And soon we are in total blackness and darkness.

Mothers and fathers, there's husbands and wives.

There's Luther. Luther left us. He left us a nice instruction.

He said to you wives, he said that, make it so in your little home congregation, do that there in your home congregation, that when morning comes, your husband wants to remain home as he's leaving.

And a wife desires that the husband would stay home.

And husbands and wives, it's important that we work at this.

In our home congregation, that our relationship, we would work.

And in our home congregation, we would work.

And in our home congregation, we would work.

It needs work. It needs work every day. We need reminders.

Be kind. No, not just kind. Be tenderhearted. And forgive one another. Because sin comes.

And husbands, make it so that when you go to work, your wife does not want you to go.

And wives, make it so they're at home. That at the end of the hard work day, your husband wants to get home as quickly as possible.

What a simple instruction that Luther had. And for us.

I remember I asked an old, old Stolmason years ago, you know, what was the best part of that? I meant of the work that he, you know, what he's done.

And I guess I asked, you know, what's the best part of your day? That's evidently how I worded it.

And that old guy looked at me. And he said, the drive home.

But that's how it is in a believing home. We desire to be there. And when we leave, we desire to return back as quickly as possible.

And there's many parts in the Bible that reminds us about our duties, one to another as husband and to be a husband and wife.

There's a favorite one. I've often spoke of it at weddings.

That portion where it speaks about the grace of a wife delighted to her husband. And with her discretion, she'll fatten his bones.

Or in other words, in all the decisions that you would make, dear mother, dear wife, that it would be for the benefit of your husband and the father of your children.

And yet, again, the Apostle Paul, when he reminded the believers in Ephesus, he reminded them. Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it.

In other words, that we would do everything possible for our wives, for her benefit, above all, spiritual benefit.

That we would support one another. That we would care for one another, be kind and tenderhearted and forgiving one another.

The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.

She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life.

Kindness, so important.

Trust in a believing home. It's a gift of God.

Strength and honor are her clothing, and she shall rejoice in time to come.

She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

A believing mother. Wisdom and kindness.

God's word reminds us, I think it is in the Proverbs, where Solomon writes, he says, pleasant words are as honeycomb.

Pleasant words are as honeycomb. Sweet to the soul and health to the bones.

Pleasant words, kindness.

Then when we think of the wisdom of God, she openeth her mouth with wisdom, the wisdom of the Holy Spirit.

Again, there's a portion here in the Apocrypha that, it's from the wisdom of Solomon that is recorded onto us in the ninth chapter.

Of this wisdom of, and how do we receive wisdom? And where does it come?

I'm going to read the last sentence of this portion first.

And thy counsel who has known the counsel of God, the will of God, except thou give wisdom, except God, God gives wisdom and send thy Holy Spirit from above.

That is how we receive wisdom from God is through the living Holy Spirit.

But he says here, for what man is he that can know the counsel of God?

Job, God asked Job, Job had grown in himself, into self-righteousness.

He asked Job, where wast thou when I created the heaven and the earth?

For what man is he that can know the counsel of God? Or who can think what the will of the Lord is?

For the thoughts of mortal men are miserable, and our devices are but uncertain.

For the corruptible body presseth down the soul and the earthly tabernacle weigheth down the mind, and the soul is that museth upon many things.

How has it been, I ask you, my dear brother and sister in living faith during these times that we have been living in?

There have been many thoughts, even myself. I have mused over many things and wondered.

The mind of man has often overtaken.

And he says, and hardly do we guess aright at the things upon the earth.

And with labor do we find the things that are before us.

My dear brothers and sisters, we have lived in a time of uncertainty. A time which we have never seen in our lives.

And this too shall pass.

I have such hope and faith in God, and I trust that we will see blessings, great blessings, when this shall pass.

Here in Zion in God's kingdom, and here in our great land in America, I believe the blessing hand of God will embrace our land.

And righteousness and peace and joy shall prevail in God's kingdom.

And we will all be gathered here in our churches, shoulder to shoulder as the brother has related.

Feeling that love of Christ that constrains us, trains us, goes from soul to soul.

The bonds of love through the living Holy Spirit are tightened and tightened.

And blessing shall come. And joy and peace. And righteousness.

Favor is deceitful and beauty is vain.

Oh, how many struggle with that.

It seems like mankind endeavors to be young forever. To beautify themselves.

But favor is deceitful and beauty is vain.

But a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

And so we come to the end of this sermon.

And we conclude even from the epistle text for this day, which ties together also in this.

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.

But in this eighth chapter of Romans, the Apostle reminds us, "But ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

Our brother spoke of this Abba, Father. This tender term of a child unto the Father.

And that is how it is for us unto our Heavenly Father.

We pray. We fear sin. We fear God when sin has overtaken our life.

But it is not a fear of bondage.

And as he says, "But ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father."

Dear, beloved Father. And as a child would lovingly say, Daddy.

And so this text of which God reminds us of, here from this epistle of Paul to the Romans.

And he says that, "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit. If so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you, now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."

He is none of his.

Three things that are beautiful before God and man.

The unity of the brethren.

Without the living Holy Spirit, we are separate from God. We are in darkness.

And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

We are righteous and we are sinners.

We are the living Holy Spirit.

The sin that has taken us is sin from the top of our head to the bottom of our feet.

There is no good.

The heart is desperately wicked. Who can know it as the prophet Jeremiah reminded us?

By what grace of grace it is that in us dwells the living Holy Spirit, which lightens the way to heaven, which disperses the smoke and haze that Satan brings, and which lovingly, comfortably, calls and gathers and enlightens that you who have fallen into sin, there is grace and there is forgiveness, that even now you can believe all of your sins and heavy doubts that you may have had, all forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood.

And I need to hear this, that can I believe my many doubts and sins, that I am always forgiven?

I, with joy, believe with you.

And may the power of the living Holy Spirit open your hearts to thank God for the lot that you have even at this moment.

You who may be in the throes of sorrow, you who have been tempted and deceived, you who have been doubting, tired and weary, you can believe all sin and doubt forgiven in Jesus' name.

In Jesus' name. Amen.

And the Apostle Paul reminds us here in the same chapter, eighth chapter of Romans, he says, "For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace."

We live of grace.

The Holy Spirit grants unto us through the gospel of the forgiveness of sins that new strength and power.

We can put away our carnal mind and our carnal understandings and justifications and remember, because the carnal mind is enmity against God.

Enmity is a deep-seated hatred.

And this is what we battle against in our own carnal mind every day.

And yet we're reminded simply to mortify the deeds of the body in the blood of Christ.

And so believe unto peace and joy and freedom.

Sins are forgiven in Jesus' name and precious.

Amen.

And you mothers, you blessed mothers, may God continue to bless you.

And may God bless us and keep us.

And so we say unto the Heavenly Father and ask to bless us and keep us.

And to make his face shine upon us and be gracious unto us.

And to lift up his countenance upon us and give us peace.

In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.