Sermon in Ishpeming 22.01.2012

Grace, mercy, and peace be unto you, from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us bow our hearts in mutual thanks and prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father, Thou God of love, Thou God of mercy, Thou God of grace and forgiveness, we have received grace this evening once again to gather around Thy holy and precious Word. And in doing so, we wish to thank Thee, dear Father, for Thy great love and for the many blessings we have so abundantly received. We thank Thee especially for the gift of Thy dear Son, through whom we have received the hope of life everlasting in the glory of heaven.

So we ask, dear Father, that Thou might once again be with us this evening and grant Thy service blessing. We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

For our text we'll read from the second chapter of the epistle to the Philippians, the first sixteen verses, and we read in Jesus' name:

If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name, which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Whereof, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you, both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

Do all things without murmurings and disputings, that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world, holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. Amen.

A few days ago, I attended a pastoral meeting at the office in Minneapolis, and there the brothers and staff asked that their greetings be brought unto you, brothers and sisters in faith.

Apostle has written some very precious words, which we would, by faith, believe they were inspired by the Holy Spirit, and in that love of God, to those believers in Philippi, perhaps most of whom he was acquainted with or familiar with.

And so, we find how in God's word, many are the exhortations and reminders concerning that precious gift of faith and the hope we have, the hope that has been prepared for us through God's own Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus.

And to bring us that comfort and kindle that hope when we are oftentimes with weariness, feeling doubtful and experiencing difficulties, yet God has prepared for us through the message of the gospel, a way by which we are again and again encouraged in our journey of faith, our journey towards that eternal homeland.

I believe, brothers and sisters, that you have never tired of hearing that word of reassurance, that God has arranged in such a simple way through the office of the Holy Spirit, from His kingdom, this message of the forgiveness of sins.

Would not words be lacking if we were not able to hear this message? Son and daughter, be of good cheer. You may believe, from grace, the forgiveness of all journey faults and sins, doubts and fears, in Jesus' holy name and in His precious atonement blood.

God has led us to be with us through the heart of God. This is that message that comes from the heart of Him who has loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son, through whom that great love was revealed, that love of which our Lord and Savior spoke of when He was comforting his own, preparing them for the mission work that was before them.

He said greater love hath no man than that he would give his life for his friends. He said you are no longer my servants but you are my friends.

And the testimony of God's word is this, that he willingly submitted himself to the torture and the ridicule and the scorn and even unto the crucifixion, unto the death of the cross where he gave his life and shed his blood which has brought the hope of life to all those who believe.

His resurrection victory, which soon we will again remember as time passes so quickly. Remembering that time when he did fulfill God's command, completed the work he was sent to do when he died the death of the cross and was buried, descended into hell.

But on the third day he rose a victor over the powers of sin and death and hell.

And so we, dear brothers and sisters, have a hope, a living hope, that Jesus lives and by faith we live through him.

We have the same hope when that hour of death would come upon us, which surely will one day come. We do not have to fear, but we have that victory we own by faith in our hearts.

And we can trust and believe that our dear Lord and Savior, who is the author and finisher of our faith.

And as it is on the church calendar we heard this morning that Jesus awakens faith. And so he did. It is God's work through the Lord Jesus.

And we might wonder or ask what is meant by those good works. Jesus gives the answer when this question was posed. He said, it is the work of God that you believe on Him whom He has sent.

And so it is by the grace of God that we are able to believe. It is His work that He has kindled in our hearts that desire to believe and to follow that way that our Lord and Savior has opened for us unto the way of everlasting peace and rest.

And so if nothing more would even be said concerning this text that we read, we can't find much assurance and feel the unity of that faith and love that we share among ourselves with all believers, but also as those former saints believed.

Do not these words of apostle feel very warm and comforting? He says, if there be any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

How important it is that we do hear the voice of the Spirit that speaks from God's kingdom.

Always remember, dear travel friends, how it is written that God's kingdom is the pillar and ground of truth. And it is here where we are able to be directed and comforted in our journey of faith.

Apostle also mentions in the next chapter here words that are very similar when he says, Let us therefore, as many, be perfect, be thus minded. And if anything ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

We can, dear brothers and sisters, put our entire confidence and trust in this, that if we begin to feel indifferent, God will always provide a way for us to be enlightened, to be corrected, and also will never withhold grace and forgiveness.

Remember at the time of the last heresy how often we heard those comforting words that God does not forsake even the smallest and weakest one, but will always provide an opportunity to hear the true and living message of His kingdom and will always provide the opportunity to come to the throne of grace where grace and forgiveness is offered most abundantly.

Those familiar words of Apostle are good to remember also when he said, When we feel our own lacking and our own sinfulness and sometimes that we do feel are we of the same mind, yet we can trust and believe that God will enlighten us, He will draw us to the throne of grace, and as Apostle has said, that where sin abounds, grace does much more abound.

Grace is abundant, it is immeasurable, and it is a perfect picture and example of God's great love revealed unto us here from His kingdom, from the heart of Him who has given His life so that we have the hope of life.

And because we are what we are, we are human, we are sin corrupt, the Apostle gives this kind of a reminder, let nothing be done through strife or vain glory, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

The enemy of souls is always present.

Have you, brothers and sisters, experienced how often you hear those tempting words of the enemy, but how good it is that God in His love always brings to mind or to surface that message of grace and forgiveness and reminds us that we have a Lord and Savior who is tempted and tried in all points such as we are yet without sin.

He is able to rescue us. He has redeemed us from the powers of sin and death and hell and judgment of God's holy and righteous law.

And so Apostle says, look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

And it is good not that we would be with bright eyes trying to find fault, but if we hear a strange sound or there appears to be something missing in communicating or in the life of a dear brother or sister, remember the freedom that we have to visit, to talk about those issues that are most important in our lives.

And so the Apostle says, let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

With the mind of Christ, we would wish and pray that God would guide us in such a way that we could, with the correct mind and heart and in the correct love, speak of those issues that would pertain to our soul salvation.

Further, we heard concerning the Lord Jesus say that it is said in this way, who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant.

And was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

And then further, wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

One of the sermons in the book of Acts, was it the apostle Paul's sermon, said in this way that there is no other name given under heaven by which man can be saved.

And through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.

So that is the reason why when we hear the word of the gospel, that sins are proclaimed in Jesus' name and in his holy and precious blood.

Again I remember how years and years ago some of the old servants of the word emphasized that may it always be that it is the bloody gospel, for it is by and through the life's blood of the Lord Jesus that life has been made available unto the sinner who was condemned unto death.

It is through the living blood, the innocent blood of the Lord Jesus, that life, the hope of life, has come unto this earth.

And so therefore in Jesus' name and in his holy and precious blood, our sins proclaimed, forgiven.

And this is according to the command and authority that Jesus entrusted unto his own.

As we have heard, as we know according to scripture, that we have been entrusted with the word of reconciliation.

It is through the office and the power of the living Holy Spirit of God that this message brings the hope of life to the sinner.

Prayer.

And so then the apostle said that, Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Another part comes to mind when the apostle says to examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith.

We, dear brothers and sisters, entrust the care of our souls into God's kingdom, our spiritual mother here on this earth.

But it is also our responsibility, if we would say, that when we hear the voice of the Spirit speaking, do we, in our own hearts, truly sigh and say amen? Or do we feel that we would want to resist and not accept when there are issues concerning the doctrine of living faith?

How important it is, as our dear elder brother over and again in his sermons used to say, to be open and honest with your own self.

And that is if we feel some indifference that we would speak to a trusted brother or sister, or to wherever the occasion might be, to speak of those issues if we feel that we are not in harmony, in unity with the voice of the Spirit.

It is for the welfare of our own soul's salvation.

And in doing so, again, we can always trust and believe that grace and forgiveness is abundant.

Our dear Heavenly Father allows us to be tried and tempted, allows us, as one brother once said, it seems as though sometimes God lifts his protective hand.

God, in that way, we learn that lesson over and again, as Apostle Peter has said, to grow in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus, that we depend entirely on the grace of God and trusting that he will always provide the way of escape, as it is written.

He does not try us greater than we are able to bear, and will provide the way of escape.

And so, lastly, we heard, holding forth the word of life, that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.

We live in a very sin-corrupt world, ruled by the enemy of souls, and we see, as Apostle here said, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation.

And so we see how evil abounds even more and more, and it is prophesied.

Our Lord and Savior Himself described the latter times, the end times to be, as the times likened unto the time of Noah, and the time of Sodom and Gomorrah.

And that brings to mind, perhaps, you have recalled or read even today in the news, how some of the leadership of our country are celebrating this day.

It is the 39th anniversary of legalization of the murder of unborn children.

How sad it is that there is a celebration for such an occasion.

We, dear brothers and sisters, have such a duty, even in this, that we would pray, pray that God might grant our nation, yet, leaders who would have values and morals, who would be God-fearing, and who could reverse such horrible laws that have given and legalized the murder of unborn children, and among other things that are contrary to God's word.

One brother gives this simple advice, that the duty and responsibility of most of us as believers is that we vote, and we vote for that which is good, and against that which is evil.

But God has a plan, and what will be, will be.

But we as believers wish to cling to that truth that we have learned here in God's kingdom, and serve in whatever way, even if it be the smallest way, for that which is good.

So this evening, again, dear brothers and sisters, there is again permission from grace to believe the forgiveness of all journey faults and sins in Jesus' holy name and his precious atonement blood, and be of good comfort, trusting that he who has begun this good work in you is able to complete it on to that day when faith will be changed to seeing, and we can enter into that eternal city, to be with God, our dear Heavenly Father, and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, forever and ever.

And I wish to ask, feeling my own corruption and lacking, can I believe together with you my own sins forgiven? In Jesus' name, Amen.

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 Spirit. Amen.

Hymn 376