Sermon in Minneapolis 22.01.2017

Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We'll begin our service this morning with opening prayer and thanksgiving.

Holy and righteous God, our dear Heavenly Father, we again thank you for this opportunity to gather around your Holy Word. We ask for your presence through your Spirit, that you would open up your Word so we could be comforted and consoled and guided upon this narrow way of life and nourished with your everlasting Gospel Word. Reveal unto us the sole reason for our salvation, which is through the merits of your Son, Jesus Christ, and that we are believers. We believe in you alone by faith, alone by grace, through the merits of your Son, Jesus Christ. So in this way we ask for service blessings in the name of your dear Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Today is the third Sunday in Epiphany and an Old Testament text set aside for this day is from the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 32, verses 36 through 39. And we will hear these words as follows in Jesus' name:

For the Lord shall judge his people and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that their power is gone, and there is none shut up or left. And he shall say, Where are their gods, their rock and whom they trusted, which did eat the fat of the sacrifices and drink the wine of their drink offerings? And where are their offerings? Let them rise up and help you and be your protection. See, now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me, I kill and I make alive, I wound and I heal, neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand. Amen.

Over time, sometimes people have said that the Old Testament is, just as the word says, an Old Testament. We are now living in the New Testament era and the Old Testament has no value or worth any longer. Thus, it could be as if cast into the garbage can. This may be some sort of comment or statement that you may hear in society, but we as believers, as God's children, do not have this understanding. For it is also one part of the entire, complete, whole Word of God, God's revelation.

Much of the first books of the Old Testament, which are known as the first five books of Moses, which we call Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, are written by Moses, if not written by him, at least much about his life and his work. When one thinks about Moses and his life and his work and his preaching, one often may come to mind that he was a very harsh man. His words were very direct, blunt, straightforward, and almost merciless, and without any love at all. Well, there is, yes, in his message, the message of the law among others, but that's not his full or complete or entire message, the message of Moses.

Moses as a person, as a man, is a figure or represents one part of the Word of God, which is the law. The entire Word of God can be summed up or summarized as two messages: the message of the law and the message of the gospel. So Moses as a person, as a human being, as a figure, is an illustration, is a type, so to say, of the message of the law of God. And according to scriptures, and we believe and we understand that the law does not belong to a believer.

But throughout the Bible, the message of the Bible is such that a person does not get to heaven by being good. For there is no one who is good. We are all sinners in the eyes of God, on our own part, as human beings. And therefore we need to believe by grace, we need to believe our sins forgiven, through the merits of Christ Jesus.

So this portion that we read today is part of Moses' farewell sermon. Moses is now about 120 years old. And if we think about Moses and his life, and the phases of his life, they can be divided into three equal parts, each of 40 years in duration. The first 40 years of his life he spent in the house of Pharaoh, there in Egypt. The second 40 years of his life he spent out in the wilderness of Midian, where he was a shepherd, shepherding his soon to be father-in-law Jethro's sheep, herding the sheep. And there is where he received his call to go back to Egypt, and to be a leader of the people of Israel, to bring them out of the bondage of Egypt, and lead them toward the promised land.

So the last 40 years of his life were then spent on the wilderness journey. And now, the end of the wilderness journey is at hand. Moses knows that he will not be able to enter into the promised land, but will now begin to say farewell, give a farewell speech to his people that he has led, that he has led for the last 40 years. And as all farewell speeches are, this speech is very touching, and a very caring speech. Just as Jesus, when he kept his farewell speech on Maundy Thursday evening, there was a tone of soon that he would be departing and see them no longer. So there was a sense of sorrow, and grief, and mourning in that speech.

And so, Moses is now saying goodbye and farewell to his people. But when we think about Moses as a person, as an individual, he was not able to enter into the promised land, and God then chose a successor, a new leader, whose name was Joshua. When we think even of the business world, and out in society in general, it's important that successors are chosen. New leaders are groomed, and in this way, to prepare for the future. And so God also selected and chose a successor, the next leader, after Moses would pass away.

And the Bible says that Moses died just outside of the borders of the promised land, and God himself buried him. And so, the body of Moses, and the body, or the grave of Moses, has not been found, even until this day. So herein is a picture, a spiritual picture as well, that the law of Moses leads one. It awakens a person to the knowledge of their sins, and then leads one to the borders of God's kingdom. And then Christ is the end of the law, unto salvation for all who believe.

And then, when one receives the grace of repentance, and is translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God's dear Son, he is translated from under the law to now be under grace. In the spiritual sense, the law of Moses is buried. And that grave is no longer to be found anymore. For now, that person, that believer, has a new teacher. For Christ is the end of the law, unto salvation for all who believe.

And so, Moses led the people of Israel up to the boundaries, up to the border of the Promised Land. And Joshua would then lead the people over the River Jordan into the land of Canaan. So, it's interesting that the name Joshua and the name Jesus, in their original language, come from the same word. And it means to save. So, Joshua is a picture of Christ, the one who leads one over the borders into the Promised Land, unto life and unto salvation.

But then, when we think of the office of Moses and the person Moses, so the question may come to mind that, since Moses was in his office representing the law of Moses, the law of God, and the law doesn't belong to a believer, then, did Moses make it to heaven? Did Moses enter into the eternal Promised Land, the glory of heaven? Did Moses die as a believer? Well, we can find this answer from scriptures.

We remember in the New Testament time when Jesus went to the top of a mountain, and called the mountain of Transfiguration. We don't know exactly what mountain that was, but it's known as the Mount of Transfiguration. And he took three disciples, Peter, James, and John with him. And Jesus was then transfigured. His face began to shine like the sun, and his clothes turned white as snow, and the people heard the voice of God from heaven, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear him."

But then, two Old Testament saints came from the glory of heaven and sat down or went on either side of Jesus there on the mountain. One was Moses. Moses returned from heaven. Thus Moses did go to the glory of heaven. Even though as a human being, physically, he didn't enter into the physical land of Canaan, the promised land. As a believer, he went into the glory of heaven.

So the body of Moses returned onto the Mount of Transfiguration on one side, and on the other side came the body of prophet Elijah. So, Jesus, or God, is the God of the living and the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And when a person dies, dies in faith, they die in Christ. Jesus often, or at one time even said, of a person who was physically dead, he said to the parents that that person is not dead, but that person is sleeping. That person was sleeping in the wounds and in the merits of Christ Jesus. That person had died as a believer and now was waiting for the morning of resurrection.

So here, Moses keeps his farewell speech. But as we mentioned, sometimes when we think of Moses, we think of him as a very harsh and a very, a person who had no grace or mercy in his speech or in his message. But if we read this farewell sermon, which is almost here entirely, in part in chapter 32, let's go to the beginning of the chapter and read the message of some of his words to the people that he is saying farewell to. And we can ask ourselves in our minds, is this a very harsh and strict and unbending speech?

"Give ear, O ye heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. My doctrine or my teaching shall drop as the rain."

So it's just like a soft spring rain coming out of the heavens and falling upon the spring earth that is begging for moisture. Doesn't that sound refreshing and encouraging?

"My doctrine or my teaching shall drop as the rain, and my speech shall distill or descend as dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb and as the showers upon the grass. Because I will publish the name of the Lord, ascribe ye greatness unto our God. He is the rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are judgment."

That's kind of interesting, this word judgment. And God, he is a God of truth, and without iniquity, just and right is he.

Remember when Luther was studying the Bible as a monk and not yet as a believer, and he would oftentimes come across this word righteous or just or righteousness. And he was actually frightened, so frightened by this word that he would want to shut the Bible, close the Bible and not read it any longer. Because he knew that he was going to be a sinner, because he knew that God was a just God.

When we think about the laws of society and someone commits a transgression and if it's serious enough then they'll be punished by the courts and perhaps end up in jail. So justice is being passed for those deeds by the laws and the courts and the governments of the land. So punishment is being passed. Justice is being done.

But sometimes we remember Job, he seemed to have been suffering and he was wondering why am I being punished? Or it seems like I'm receiving punishment and suffering without any due cause. And even his friends came to kind of point fingers at him and said that because of your suffering is an indication that you have done something wrong. That find the sin and confess the sin. So this was the message of supposedly as good friends. Dig and find the sin. The sin and confess the sin. Because that's why you're suffering.

So one friend after another friend after another friend was preaching that same message. And we know that all of his kids were killed when the buildings collapsed and all of his animals were destroyed and lost. And he became inflicted with boils from the top of his head and down to his feet. And even his wife was kind of saying that curse the day that you were born. And then Job cries out that God gives and God takes. Blessed be the name of the Lord. He would not curse God.

But we remember the end of the story then justice prevailed and Job received everything back. Not only did he receive everything back but he received everything back at least his possessions in double amount.

So the psalmist often say that and they pray in this way that they pray for God's justice. "Let your justice come upon us."

So justice may be passed in this way according to the courts of the land as I mentioned already when a person commits a crime then they are punished for that crime. But then justice may come also in this way that a person who is guilty receives justice in the way that they are then pardoned. This is also at least in the original word and in the original language in the Hebrew language it has both punishment but also passing of justice and also the message of pardoning as well.

So Luther when he was studying the Old Testament he came across this word righteous or just and that God is a righteous God. He was scared. He was frightened. Because all he could think was punishment. I am a sinner he realized and not able to meet God's measurement so to say and when I can't meet up to God's expectations then his harsh punishment will come upon me.

So it wasn't until he began to read and study the New Testament and came across the portion in Paul's letter to the Romans the first chapter the 17th and the 18th verse that the just or the righteous shall live by faith. So God will pass his just justice and it is in pardoning which we receive through the merits of Christ Jesus which we can own by faith.

So we as human beings are sinners from head to foot. We can't find anything worthy or acceptable unto God. Yet God wants to pardon and God can make a sinner to become righteous and this is through pardoning and this is through offering a gift. And the gift is Christ Jesus and his righteousness his perfection and this we can own and receive by and through faith. Alone by faith. Alone by grace. Alone through the merits of Christ Jesus.

And so now Moses is addressing his people that he had come to know and that he had been with for the last 40 years. And there had been many ups and downs. There had been good times and there had been difficult times. And this people had often been a disobedient people.

And we can read for example some verses in this way that they have corrupted themselves. Their spot is not the spot of his children. They are a perverse and a crooked generation. This is what Moses is saying in his farewell speech. It doesn't sound very flattering.

Or we can say that we can read later on in the same farewell speech and he said God said I will hide my face from them. I will see what their end shall be. For they are a very forward generation children in whom there is no faith. Again not very flattering words.

And again for they are a nation void of counsel. Neither is there any understanding in them. Again not very flattering words in a very farewell speech.

And yet again verse 33 their wine is the poison of dragons and the cruel venom of asps. So Moses had to admit that this people this generation this nation had many times been disobedient. Had lived contrary to the will of God.

But yet at the conclusion of this farewell speech which is actually a hymn it's known as the hymn of Moses. I don't know that Moses actually sang this song but it's written in poetic form. And it's not so poetic in the English language but in the original language in the Hebrew language it's a very poetic Hebrew scholars have said.

In other modern Bible translations you can see that they tried to write it in a poetic form different than the rest of the script of the Bible. But anyways at the conclusion of this hymn of Moses it says rejoice O nations with a song of the Lord and the Lord is with you O nations with his people for he will avenge the blood of his servants and will render vengeance and then it says he will be merciful unto his land and unto his people.

So God will be merciful to his land and to his people. And in the Finnish language it actually says that he will cleanse his people. So even though they have been a crooked and a perverse nation and void of counsel and so on and so forth and disobedient in many ways. God is a loving God. God is a God that wants to pass His justice in such a way that He wants to be gracious and forgive their transgressions. And so God here says that He wishes to cleanse His people.

So here our text begins in this way that the Lord will judge His people. It's not judge in a harsh and a cruel way, but He wishes to pass His justice, which is through being merciful and through being gracious and forgiving.

For the Lord will judge His people and repent Himself for His servants when He sees that their power is gone. He sees that they are powerless. And in the Finnish language it says that the hand has been removed. This is a very interesting picture or metaphor that is used often in the Bible. A hand is a picture of power.

When it says that God delivered the people of Israel from the bondage of Egypt, it says that God delivered them with a powerful hand. The Bible often talks about the right hand of God indicating the power and the might of God. Not only of God, or it could be in reference to the power or the strength of individuals as well.

So now it says that the hand has been removed from the people. Or they are now feeling powerless or without any strength. And they are feeling to be as if without a shepherd. Jesus, during his time of ministry, came and approached the people and he says that you look to be hopeless and roaming to and fro. You're like a flock that is without a shepherd. And so he wanted to come and comfort and gather and console and encourage these people who are feeling powerless and without strength.

We were just in confirmation school lesson talking about Luther and the marriage of Luther. It was about, well, how old was he when he got married? But anyways, he had been a monk up to that point and then he got married to a former nun. And so then I asked the confirmation students that what is the reason? What was the attraction? And they said, well, it's the reason for Luther to get married to his wife.

When we think of individuals, human beings in general, we generally look at the qualities and as a human nature for anyone. We look at another person's their looks and their abilities and the nature that they have. And when this person has these good qualities and these good characteristics and these good looks, then maybe we admire them. And if two individuals are single, then they may cause an attraction to like and maybe even love each other.

So it's the good qualities in that person which a person may admire and appreciate, like and be attracted to. And if two individuals are single, then they may cause an attraction to like and maybe even love each other.

But what about God? What were the qualities that were us and human beings that gave him that attraction to love us, to appreciate us, to care for us? The Bible says that there is no one who is good. No, not one. We've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We don't have any qualities whatsoever.

One time there was a man visiting with Jesus and he said to Jesus that I don't even feel worthy that you would even enter into my house. But Jesus went. He went into that house. So we feel unworthy and we are unworthy. We are sinners. Totally unprofitable. And this is how the people was. The people of Israel were. As Moses even admitted and said in his farewell sermon. You are crooked. And perverted. And perverse nation.

So they had no merits or worthiness of themselves. But yet, God loved them. God pardoned them. And God forgave them their sins. Isn't this unmerited grace that we as poor, worthless servants, sinners, can own and possess?

So then, moving on, it says here, For he shall say, where are their gods? So the people during that time, many of the people in those times and in those nations and surrounding nations, they would believe in polytheism. In multiple gods. Multiple gods. And the people, the nation of Israel was an exception to all of the other peoples and nations that were around. It was very typical. People would worship these idols and those idols and these sacrifices and those sacrifices. Put their trust in such things.

So now he is saying, where are their gods? Gods in the plural. Idols. And their rock, not the rock of salvation, not the rock of Christ, but actually a physical rock that they were putting trust in, which was an idol. Which did eat the fat of their sacrifices and drink the wine of their drink offerings. Let them rise up and help you and be your protection. As if these idols are going to rise up and be their protection.

When we think about sacrifices, we can't just disregard and say all of these sacrifices in the Old Testament time were bad and wrong. No. They weren't. The people of Israel were, according to the teachings of that time, were offering sacrifices. And through their offerings, they were looking forward to an ultimate sacrifice.

The father of John the Baptist was a priest. He offered sacrifices daily. This was his job and this was according to the command of the Word of God at that time. When Jesus was born, his parents, Joseph and Mary, brought Jesus into the temple at 40 days of age and offered a sacrifice according to the Word of God. And this was according to the command of God on his behalf.

But then the time of sacrifice and sacrifices ended when Christ, who was the ultimate sacrifice, offered himself on the middle cross of Golgotha. And therefore, sacrifices no longer were needed. Christ was the one and only.

But here, when it is talking about these gods and so on and so forth, it's talking about people trusting in other ways, in sacrifices as idols and as false gods.

So when we think of the people of Israel, they were different from all of the other peoples at that time. They were God's chosen people. And they were separated, so to say. They differentiated themselves from the rest of the people in several ways.

For example, they had one God. It was monotheism, not polytheism. And they did not worship images like other religions did. For example, in the temple, in the Holy of Holies, there was no image. God was a living God, not a dead image that would be worshipped. All other temples had an image of their God in their temples that they worshipped.

And then, point number three, the people of Israel, God's chosen nation, they were one nation, which was different from all other nations. And they worshipped God or they served God in one way or in one manner which was prescribed by the Word of God.

All of these influences wise.

So, areBC is a langer.

So, when we think of these four points, which I have mentioned about the promised nation of Israel a lot more than 50 years ago, considering literally that we see that we just walked the stage of the mission in time instead of through elements of God that we are put in order. The evidence of God. And when do we understand that God is one living.

All the màs. We don't believe inhhh Complete büyümüş the membership was. Worship.

And the other gods are false gods. They are idols.

And then, we no longer talk about images and so on and so forth that are worshipped and not worshipped. That's kind of a moot point in many ways today.

But how does God reveal Himself? God reveals Himself in His Word. In His Holy Scriptures. In the Old Testament and the New Testament. And therein is our doctrine. All doctrine is in the Holy Scriptures. The Old Testament and the New Testament.

And in the last book of the Bible it says that one word should not be removed nor can one word be added to it. We don't have this doctrine of continuing revelation. Like, for example, the Catholics do. They believe that the tracts that are written by the Pope are of equal value to the Bible.

We don't believe that an article written in the voice of Zion or the Bible even though it's written by a believer and inspired by the Word of God is of equal value to the Bible. No. The Bible is the highest authority. It is the highest guide in life and in doctrine. And through the Holy Scriptures, the Old and New Testament, the written Word of God, all teachings and all teachers alike should be evaluated and judged.

There was one small heresy that took place in Europe and they went so far. They went so far with this continuing, so-called continuing revelation which we don't believe in. And they had this idea that there's the revelation of the inner word. One individual said, who went into heresy, said that you don't need the Bible anymore. That what I say is inspired by the Holy Ghost and therefore write it down. It is of equal value and of equal authority to the Bible.

And the Bible is the written Word of God. They called it the doctrine of the inner word. No. All doctrine is written and recorded for us in the Holy Word of God. The Old and the New Testament.

And so, there is one people. And so it is. There is one living congregation of God.

I remember when I was a child. I remember when I was writing my thesis and interviewing people for that thesis which is on the history of Lestadianism here in Minnesota. I visited with a minister who was in old heresy. Small, first born heresy. And the wife was actually in tears. It's too bad I didn't have my recorder because it was a very interesting discussion.

And she said that, why can't we tear down these boundaries between the different Lestadian groups that we're all going to be in the same heaven and why can't we be just same brothers and sisters in faith here on this earth and quit our bickering and arguing.

In their opinion, this is the doctrine of the small, first born heresy. All roads lead to Rome. You can be in that Lestadian group or this Lestadian group or the other Lestadian group. It doesn't make any difference. We're going to all end up in the same heaven one day.

Does that sound like it's according to the word of God? That there's salvation in many groups, many congregations, many so-called kingdoms of God? No, God has one kingdom, one living kingdom of God here on earth.

And so then point number four, there's one correct way of worship. There's one faith, one hope, one God, one baptism, and so on and so forth.

And so then going on that, that the people of Israel were a unique people. God had called them to be separated from the rest of the world.

Jesus says in his scripture, Jesus says in his farewell speech in John chapter 14, that I have chosen you out of the world. I have chosen you out of the world. I have sanctified you. I have called you out of the world to be my own.

So we are separated from the world. There's a kingdom of the world and the kingdom of the kingdom of God. There's a kingdom of light and there's a kingdom of darkness. There's a kingdom of the enemy of souls and there's a kingdom of God's dear son. And there's a border in between these two. And this border cannot be removed or separated.

But then when we think of separation from the world, the Pharisees tried to do this in a different way. And the word Pharisee actually means to be separated, separated from. And they thought that they could, in their own outward life and behavior, be fulfilling the will of God.

So first of all, they thought that they could, with their own efforts, fulfill the word of God and will of God by themselves, which is impossible of a human's own efforts.

But then in order to be sure that no possible transgressions or errors would occur, they came up with these so-called traditions of elders. So no misstep would occur. So it was an extra protective wall around themselves so no misstep would happen.

So they came up with these so-called traditions of elders. And they actually had about 650 of them. There was 365 do not dos and 268 or whatever, do this and do that. So there's approximately 650 total.

So thinking of the Sabbath commandment, for example, that remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. There's actually two prescribed statements regarding what not to do on the Sabbath in the Bible. One is don't light a fire. Don't light a fire on the Sabbath day. And secondly, you should only walk a Sabbath day's journey, which is about a mile. Everything else is unprescribed.

So the Pharisees then came up with 39 total of prohibitions, what you can't do on the Sabbath day. You can't do this, you can't do that, you can't do that. 39 of them, including the two, don't light a fire and don't walk a Sabbath day's journey.

And so the Pharisees then thought that this protective wall would keep them from any misstep. What it led to this is they were then unconcerned about the condition of the heart, but only concerned about their outward actions and then how they lived to fulfill these so-called rules.

And then when they thought that they were living according to them, it led these Pharisees to live in such a way that they became so-called proud in themselves and began to look down upon others which they considered not living up to these standards.

So you can see that it was unconcerned about the condition of the heart and just so one fulfilled these prescribed rules. Even though the heart would not be doing them willingly, but still in order that they would be done.

So just kind of an interesting point about the Pharisees and their life and their actions and how it led them in their way of life.

So here, and how does this pertain to our text here, Moses is saying in this way that many of these people were putting trust in these idols and in these sacrifices and so on and so forth.

And through the words of God, Moses is saying in this farewell speech, he said that where are their gods, the rock and whom they had put their trust in, which could eat the fat of the sacrifices and drink the wine of their drink offerings, let them rise up and help you supposedly. Well, come on, let them come and help you. And they're offering you no help. And where's your protection from them now when you need it and when you want it? There is no such protection.

But then Moses is here saying words of comfort. As I said, Moses isn't a harsh speaker, but had words of comfort and encouragement and uplifting and wishes to approach us today who are feeling unworthy and without strength and so on and so forth.

He says, see now that I, even I am he. There is no God with me. He says, I kill and I make alive. Just think of this order. I kill, but then I make alive. He says, I wound or I strike and then I heal. Neither is there any that can deliver you out of my hand.

So we must admit that during our life and during our walk in this life, we many times feel that we are unsuccessful and we experience trials and tribulations and we fear God. And we feel that it seems like perhaps we have been stricken and so on and so forth. These are these trials that are part of our life. God allows them in our life.

But yet, the message is this. Even though you are stricken, I want to heal you. Even though it seems like you are as if killed or wounded, I want to make you alive. I want to help you. I want to support you. You are feeling without strength. I wish to give you new strength. You are feeling down and outcast. I wish to encourage you and uplift you and support you.

So these are the words that Moses was wishing to say above all in his farewell speech. And this is the message of our good and gracious God even now. Feel as you may feel. Seem as it may seem. Unworthy. Unsuccessful. You can believe in the merits of Christ Jesus, sins forgiven.

In Jesus' name and blood. Through the power of the Gospel, through the merits of Christ Jesus, He will lift you. He will carry you. And He will bring you one day to that eternal home in heaven. In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make His face to 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 the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.