Sermon in Minneapolis 11.01.2015

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, let us begin our service with opening prayer and thanksgiving.

Holy and righteous God, our dear Heavenly Father, again we thank you for this moment that we are able to gather in this church building for the assembly around your unperishing word. We thank you for your many temporal gifts that we have been able to receive and own and possess. But above all, we thank you for your Son, Jesus Christ, who is the Alpha and the Omega, the author and the finisher of our faith.

And today we ask that, again, you would be present through your Spirit and bless our gathering, comfort us with your word, and lead us on the narrow way of life, but above all, to feed us and nourish us with your everlasting gospel word. All of this we ask in the name of your dear Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Today is the first Sunday after Epiphany, and last Tuesday, January 6th, was actually Epiphany. And Epiphany is the end of the Christmas season. And officially Christmas is now over. At least in the old country, that's when Christmas decorations are taken down. The Christmas tree is removed from the house, and now we begin the season after Epiphany.

But originally there were three themes that landed on Epiphany, and now have been spread out to the first two Sundays after Epiphany. Epiphany, of course, we recall the wise men coming from the east, and the wise men coming from the north. And now on the first Sunday after Epiphany, we recall the baptism of Jesus. And the second Sunday after Epiphany, next Sunday, would be Jesus' first miracle, changing water into wine there at that wedding in the city of Cana.

So originally all three of these themes were on Epiphany Day, and now have been spread out to three different Sundays, or three different days. But thinking of Epiphany last Tuesday, I'll take an epistle text that was set aside for that special church holiday. And it's from the Apostle Paul's letter to Timothy, chapter 3. And officially it's only verse 16, but I'll read verses 14, 15, and 16. So the words are heard as follows in Jesus' name.

These things I write unto you, hoping to come unto you shortly. But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the ground of truth.

And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into glory. Amen.

So the Apostle Paul is a prisoner in Rome in writing this letter to a co-worker, a younger brother whose name is Timothy. And here in these few verses, we read the exhortation that Paul wrote to this younger co-worker, Timothy. And he says, if I tarry long, it's important that you would know how you ought to behave yourself, how to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the church. The church of the living God.

This morning in Sunday school, I was asked to keep the lesson to the ninth grade class, the class that is going to confirmation school next summer. And it so happened that the topic for today that I was assigned was the history of the church. The history of the church, which ties in seamlessly with this text that we have before us this morning.

And so I asked the students to define, write down on a piece of paper what is the church. And some wrote down that the church is a building like we have here today. And where we are gathered. It has a steeple, it has a cross on top of the steeple. And inside of the church, there are typical characteristics that differentiate this building from a school or office building or our home. It has pews, it has a pulpit. We have an altar rail. We have a cross behind the pulpit. There are song books in the pew and so on and so forth. These are typical characteristics of a church and differentiate it from any other building in the community.

So if someone drives by, they say, if someone drives by on Northwest Boulevard, they know immediately that this is a church and not someone's personal home or house. So a church is a building that has been especially set aside and sanctified for a certain purpose. And that is a place of gathering to worship and study the word of God.

When Jesus was 12 years old, he went to Jerusalem with his parents. And after a period of time, the parents began their trip home and soon realized that their son was missing. And they returned and found Jesus, the 12-year-old boy, visiting with the learned Pharisees and scribes. And actually, Jesus was doing the talking. And these learned men were doing the listening.

And finally, when the parents had a chance to visit with Jesus, they almost as if scolded him that, what happened? Why did you stay behind? Why didn't you come along with us? And Jesus said, well, I am here where I am supposed to be. To be teaching in the house of God. I must be in my Father's house.

And so this is what Paul is writing about when he is writing to Timothy. Timothy, you should know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God. And this house of God is the church of the living God.

And the apostles, when they began their mission work, when Jesus sent them out two by two, they always began as their starting point in the temple, or if they were in another community where there was no temple, there was only a synagogue, they would first go to the synagogue. And there they would begin their preaching and teaching.

Even though they were often persecuted. And the apostle Paul was even many times chased out of the synagogues. But still, when he went to a new community, he first went to the synagogue, the house of God, to begin his mission work.

And Jesus even taught in this way that, on the seat there in the temple, there are teachers. And they are the scribes and the Pharisees. And he said that don't follow their deeds, what they do, but listen to what they are teaching.

So even though the Pharisees lived many times contrary to what they taught, they were teaching many times correctly, expounding or at least reading the scriptures. So listen at least to what these teachers taught.

These teachers are teaching where? In the temple.

So of course, the disciples during the time of Christ and during the time when the temple was still standing, they admired, as it was a central structure in that community, that temple there in Jerusalem. But Jesus said that this temple will not remain forever. For there will come a day when the armies of Rome will attack and destroy this physical structure, this building, and they will not leave one stone upon another.

When Jesus was talking about the time of persecution and his arrest, he spoke in a metaphorical way. And he used the analogy of a temple. And he said this temple will be destroyed. But it will be rebuilt again in three days.

Some of the listeners were the Pharisees, and they were highly offended at this speech of Jesus. For they said that he is despising, he is mocking, he is ridiculing that physical temple there in Jerusalem, that sanctified temple. But actually Jesus was only using the word temple as a metaphor.

Jesus was talking about the temple of his body. That on Good Friday it would be destroyed, he would be killed, he would be put into the grave. But on the third day, he would rise again from the grave.

So today in confirmation class, we talked about the history of the church. So what is the history of the church? Well, we said that this church has a beginning point. Was it built in the year 1960? We as believers took it over from the previous owners and it was the year 1979. And we can follow that history very clearly.

But is this what is being referred to when we talk about the history of the church? When we are talking about, as Paul is writing to Timothy, how Timothy ought to behave himself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God.

So we have a beautiful church and there are many other beautiful churches in the community. In Finland, in the old country, the believers belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. That's a church. But this isn't the church that Paul is speaking of when writing to Timothy. They have their beautiful cathedrals where they can gather and worship and have their communion services. But this isn't the church which is being spoken of, or Paul is referring to when writing about the church of the living God.

So then I had the confirmation students draw two pictures, one on the left side, and what things do they find in a physical church. And I mentioned already pews and Bibles and song books and a cross and so on and so forth. That's the physical church.

But then I had them draw another picture to the right and then have them describe things that happen in the church. There are people gathered together and we are gathered together today. And who is gathered together today? We are believers. We are making up the assembly of the children of God.

And what do we do? We sing and we pray and we worship. And on Communion Sunday we have communion and maybe next Sunday there will be a baptism here in this church. Tentatively maybe here, maybe in the parents' home. It hasn't been quite decided yet.

So the church in question is not a physical church. Neither is it an organization like the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. But neither is it the SRK or the LLC or the MLLC. They are official organizations established by believers so they can organize and function as a church according to the laws of the land.

But what is the church? It is the assembly of believers.

And we discussed that on Pentecost, as all of us have a birth date, Pentecost is known as the day of the birth. Pentecost is known as the birth date of the New Testament church or the New Testament congregation. When the Apostle Peter delivered that sermon and after that sermon 3,000 souls were converted on that one day.

And so the Kingdom of God isn't anything physical or tangible. But it is spiritual. The Kingdom of God is righteousness, it's peace, and it's joy in the Holy Spirit.

The Apostle or the writer of the letter to the Hebrews writes in this way, writing about Moses. And he says, if I can find it here real quickly, talking about Moses who had more glory, for this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, being Jesus.

And this man Jesus, he has built the house which has more honor than the temple, the other house that he's comparing it to.

And then the writer of the letter to the Hebrews says that every house is built by some man or some individuals. As this church building is built by some contractor and some carpenters and tradespeople.

So every house is built by some man. But he that built all things is God.

And if Moses verily was faithful in his house as a servant, for the testimony of things which were to be spoken after. But Christ as a son over his own house, whose house we are. Whose house we are.

So what is the house of the living God? What is the church of the living God? It is the assembly of believers.

As Jesus said, where two or three or more individuals are gathered together in my name, I am in your midst. And that is the house of the living God. That is the church of the living God.

And so Jesus says in this way that you are no more strangers and foreigners. But you are the temple of the Lord.

And every physical structure has a foundation. And this temple of God, the house of God, the church of the living God, is built upon a sure foundation.

And this foundation is the foundation of the Old Testament writings of the prophets, and the New Testament writings of the apostles.

But there is a chief cornerstone. And this chief cornerstone is Christ Jesus.

And we as believers are like individual building blocks or stones there in this living temple, this house of God. This church of the living God.

So the church is the kingdom of God. It is the house of God. It is the assembly of believers. And Christ is the Lord and the Master of this house of the living God.

So another picture or analogy that the apostles used of the kingdom of God, the house of God, is the body of Christ. And every Christian, every believer is a member.

And using the analogy, some may be like a hand, or some may be like a finger, and some may be an eye or an ear, or some other member in this body of Christ.

So we are all members. But Christ is the head. And all power, all wisdom, and all might come from the head, Christ Jesus, and flow into the body.

But it is all one unit, one whole entity.

So this is what the apostle Paul says. If I tarry long, that you would know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God. And this house of God is the church of the living God.

But then he goes on to say something very interesting. This house of the living God, then he says, is the pillar and the ground of truth.

When the apostle Paul was writing this letter, as I mentioned already, he was in the city of Rome. He was a prisoner. And a prisoner in the loose sense of the word. He wasn't bound in a prison like we would think of, but he was under house guard.

He was able to have guests, receive guests, and freely preach to them and visit with them. But also he was able to leave the house at times and go out into the community.

And if anyone has been to Rome, I haven't been there myself, I have friends who have been there, and there are still standing, yet today, pillars from that era when Paul was a prisoner.

Paul was living. And there are pillars of many sizes and shapes, and some are short and some are tall.

And the pillar has one purpose. On top of these pillars, the pillar is supporting something and carrying something and presenting something which is on top of it.

And during the time of the Apostle Paul, on top of each pillar was a statue. And there were statues of Caesars from different eras.

It's kind of interesting in the old Finnish translation of the Bible, it says that the kingdom of God is a statue and the foundation of truth. That the kingdom of God is the statue.

Well, here it says correctly in the King James Version that it's the pillar and the ground or foundation of something.

So what is truth? The truth is like what was there on top of each pillar. The statue of the Caesar or the statue of that Caesar. Or whatever individual was put. Was it just of the head or was it a whole bust statue?

So the pillar was just a support. Holding and supporting something and presenting something that was on top of it.

And what was on top of the pillar here in this portion that Paul was writing of? It was truth.

So there was a pillar and on top of that pillar was truth.

And what is truth? Jesus said, I am the truth. I am the way. I am the truth. And I am the life.

So the purpose of the pillar was to present, to show, to demonstrate, to teach of and to preach of what is on top of that pillar, which is truth or Christ Jesus Himself.

And so this is what the purpose and the role of the Kingdom of God is. Is to teach of who is truth. Christ Jesus. Our Lord and Redeemer.

Who has lived that blameless, sinless life. He who fulfilled the demanding law of God to the last letter. Who gave His life and shed His blood on the middle cross of Golgotha. Who was buried in the bosom of the earth.

After three days He broke the shackles of death and overcame the power of Satan and rose again from the grave back to life again. Showed His wounds in His body to His disciples. Ascended into heaven and now sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

So this is the purpose. What is on top of this pillar. It is truth. It is Christ Jesus. And this is the Alpha and the Omega. The beginner and the finisher. The author and the finisher of our faith.

And He is also that foundation. There is no other foundation that has been laid than the foundation which is Christ Jesus.

And so after saying this that you ought to know how you should behave yourself in the house of God which is the church of the living God and the pillar and the ground of truth, preaching of the truth which is Christ Jesus.

But then comes in comes to the verse which is actually the official verse for Epiphany. And it says in this way and it is actually a hymn. A hymn that was sung in the early church in those days.

Just as we began our services with two opening hymns, this may have been one of their opening hymns that they would sing in their worship service in their gatherings.

And so the Apostle Paul goes on to say without controversy great is the mystery of godliness.

Godliness. It's a mystery. The mystery of faith. It's something that cannot be explained away by the natural theories and laws of nature. Nothing that can be proved by scientists but it's a mystery. It goes above and beyond human reason.

And so the Apostle Paul goes on to say without controversy great is the mystery of godliness. And it is comprehended or received by faith.

So he is speaking about a great mystery. And this mystery which he is now going on to describe and explain is actually a confession of faith. It's a creed.

And the most familiar creed that we have in our memories that comes to our minds is the Apostles' Creed, which was recited this morning at the beginning of Sunday School.

I believe in God the Father Almighty the maker of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ God's only Son who was conceived by the Holy Ghost born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified, dead and buried and so forth. Ascended into heaven. And sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty from whence he should come to judge the living and the dead.

So this is the creed, what comes to mind when we mention the word creed. But actually there are many many creeds in the Bible. And creed means confession of faith.

We remember when just as one example we could quote many examples but when Jesus was asking that question that who do people say that I am? And I've heard responses that some say I'm prophet Elijah or prophet Jeremiah or some say I'm John the Baptist or some other prophet.

These are the responses I've heard but who do you, my disciples, say that I am?

Then Peter responded and he actually stated a confession of faith, which is actually we could say it was a creed. You are Christ the Son of the living God.

Jesus said to Peter that Peter, you answered correctly. But this didn't come from your carnal mind and reason. But it was revealed unto you by the Spirit of God who is in heaven.

So likewise herein is another confession of faith or here is another creed we could say. And it's in verse 16.

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh.

Now this was a stumbling block and perhaps it still is a stumbling block to many people. For them God is a spirit. God is not something that's in the flesh in the form of a human body.

But in another creed, the Nicene Creed, we confess in this way that Jesus was God of God but simultaneously he was man of man.

And when John the Apostle writes his letters, one letter is the first, second, and third, he's actually addressing this issue and fighting against this false teaching known as Gnosticism where they denied that Christ could have been born and been as a human being.

And so John had to write that whoever does not believe that Christ was born as a human that person has the spirit of anti-Christ. It is a wrong understanding and a wrong spirit.

So here it says very clearly that God in his Son Christ Jesus was manifest or appeared in the flesh.

We just recently celebrated Christmas. On Christmas Day Jesus was born as a little infant. He was laid there in Bethlehem and laid in a manger there in that stable.

He was a baby, infant baby just like any other baby that is born into this world. He grew up and lived his thirty some years of life. He experienced human emotions. At times he rejoiced at other times he cried. He was hungry. He was thirsty. At times he was tired. He needed rest. He was tempted.

But experiencing all these human things like we as humans experience there is one great significant difference. He was tempted in every point but with one difference. He never committed any fault or transgression.

So Jesus was manifest in the flesh but then he was justified in the spirit. Two different times. The first is at the baptism of Jesus which is supposed to be preached on and discussed today on the first Sunday after Epiphany.

The theme of today is the baptism of Jesus. We remember when John the Baptist was baptizing and some individual who people didn't recognize or know at that point approached John when he was baptizing in the River Jordan and it opened up to the eyes of John the Baptist that this individual who is coming close is none other than the promised Messiah Christ Jesus. The savior of the world himself.

And John the Baptist says lifting his forefinger look behold he is the lamb of God who has come to take away the sins of the world.

But then Jesus said to John that I need to be baptized. At first John refused saying I'm not worthy to do it. Jesus said do it in order that all righteousness would be fulfilled.

So Jesus stepped into the water John the Baptist baptized him and then a miracle occurred. The heavens opened and a dove came out of heaven landed on the head of Jesus and a voice was heard from heaven.

And those present at least the evangelists who recorded it heard in his own tongue with his own ears the words of God from heaven. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Hear him. Listen to what he has to say.

He was justified in the spirit. He was seen of angels.

There are many different occasions when after Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness then an angel came to comfort him.

When Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane during the darkest hour of his life praying to God three times without getting any response and finally after the third time the heavens opened an angel descended from heaven sat down beside him and comforted him.

These are only but a couple of examples how Jesus was seen of angels.

But then it goes on to the next. He was preached unto the Gentiles.

And in confirmation class this morning we were talking about the creed and then we went to the third article of the creed. I believe in the Holy Ghost.

And what is the definition of the church? It's I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Christian Church.

What is the Holy Christian Church? It is the communion of saints.

And what is its purpose and duty? The forgiveness of sins and life everlasting.

So the purpose and the duty of the church is to preach the forgiveness of sins.

And so when Jesus gave his mission command to his disciples he said go forth into all the world.

Up to that point living faith had been among the Jewish people. There in the land of Israel.

But now Jesus said to break forth. Go out of these confines in which you have been up to now. Go forth from Jerusalem. Go on to Samaria. And go on to every corner of the earth.

Go speak to people of all nations, all ethnicities, and of all tongues.

And Paul then writes to Galatians. There is no more any difference between the Jew and the Gentile. Those that are slaves and those that are free. Those that are male, those that are female.

But all these differences have been removed. But we are all now one in Christ Jesus.

And so when Jesus after he rose from the grave on Easter he appeared to his disciples behind locked doors.

And then he blew on them. Physically he took a deep breath and he blew.

And then he said receive the Holy Ghost. Whosoever sins you forgive they are forgiven unto them. Not only here on earth but in heaven as well.

And whosoever sins you retain they are retained.

And so he authorized them to go preach the gospel.

And what is the core of the gospel? What is the main content of the gospel? What was on top of each one of these pillars? It was truth. It was Christ Jesus. It was God's only Son. The Messiah. The Savior of the world.

And this was the core or the content of the gospel. To preach, teach and proclaim what our Savior has done for us. What he has done on our behalf.

So in confirmation class again we recalled that first Pentecost.

And then after Peter delivered that sermon then they asked the question that what must we do in order to become saved?

They were pricked in their hearts.

And the teaching of Peter was this. To believe in Christ Jesus. Accept and believe the gospel. And to believe in the kingdom of God.

So faith is like a hand as Luther says which reaches out and clings to, grabs and takes a hold of the essence of the gospel which is Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.

So Luther explains in the definition or explanation of the third article of the creed that I believe that I cannot of my own reason or strength come unto Jesus Christ my Lord or believe in him.

But it's all of God. The Holy Ghost has called me by the gospel. Enlightened me by his gifts. Sanctified and preserved me in this one true living faith here upon this earth.

Here in the living house of God. In the church of the Lord. Of the living house of God.

And so the end of this confession of faith is where he was seen of angels. He was then preached unto the Gentiles. Go ye forth into all the world. He was believed on in the world. And then received up into glory.

On Ascension Thursday forty days after Easter the disciples saw when Jesus was taken up into a cloud and disappeared.

And where he now sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

And that is our goal of faith. That we will go to there. To heaven's home where Christ has gone before us.

And one day this kingdom of God will be raised up, be lifted from here on earth and be raised into the glory of heaven.

And as there were those services there on Mount of Olives there will one day as we sing in that Easter song written by Heike Ustaba again there will be final farewell services on the Mount of Olives.

And then we can be lifted up into the winds, into the cloud where we can be with our Lord forever.

So this was a short translation of faith, the creed that the Apostle Paul succinctly wrote when writing to his younger co-worker Timothy while he was there in prison in shackles many times waiting for that end of his life when he could be translated from this land to the glory of heaven.

Where he is now waiting for the final resurrection of the Lord.

So reminding us that this is also our goal of faith that one day having kept the faith we will one day be able to lay down the cross exchange it for a crown and be there in those great services which have a beginning and have no end.

So let this comfort us and console us and encourage us and uplift us even this morning.

We can believe even now since we are in the Holy Spirit.

So let us pray. 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 your peace. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. Amen.