Dedication/Sermon in Minneapolis 04.04.1980

Continuing yet around God's holy and precious word, let us read from the Gospel of St. John, chapter 20, beginning with the 19th verse, on to the end. And the words in Jesus' name are as follows.

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.

Then said Jesus unto them, Peace be unto you. As the Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained.

But Thomas, one of the twelve called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

And after eight days again, his disciples were with them, and Thomas with them. Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then said he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands, and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing.

And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that he might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. And that believing, he might have life through his name. Amen.

As a dear brother already related this morning at the services, I also wish to relate the greetings of love and peace from the brethren out there in the Dunblane and Regina congregations, and also New Finland, who sent these greetings and also wish to be remembered in the prayers of the assembly here.

It truly moves me to be here in your midst. Considering in temporal matters, it was even somewhat difficult for me to leave home at this time of the year. And certainly, the flesh would gladly go along with these thoughts and promote these thoughts. But even in these, we need to remember the words of the Son of God when he said unto that great tempter that man must not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

And so it is, brothers and sisters. We have our temporal calling. And we have our temporal duties. But this is not the most important to us. But this hope of salvation that each and every child of God carries in their hearts, this is truly the most important. And this is why it is so important that whenever it is at all possible for us, that we gather to hear what God has to say unto us at any given time.

It also brings to mind when these are the dedication services of your new building here. I think of the time at home several years ago when we had our first own little church. A dear brother from Finland, Vildes Ruttari, was there at our dedication services. I distinctly remember when he mentioned and spoke in his sermon how the building itself is truly made by man. But it also will perish in the last time when everything shall pass away and melt with the fervent heat.

But truly, it is a precious and a sacred place to us. When we think of this great city and area that this building is even situated in, when we think that this is the only place where the saving gospel, the living gospel is preached, the only place where a sinner can be set free from their sins. So is this not truly something that we can be thankful unto the Heavenly Father that he has given such a sanctuary even into this area?

Truly we plan and work, but God makes all things possible.

As we heard read in this text, this was a happening that took place after the day that we are commemorating today. When Jesus had already given his life, shed his blood onto the lost crop on Calvary's cross on Good Friday, and been buried, and rose victorious over death and hell, and was with his own, and appeared to his own, like we say here, or like we heard here.

That then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst and said unto them, Peace be unto you.

Even this very first birth, brothers and sisters, have you, along with me, remembered to be thankful unto the Heavenly Father that he has given it and seen it good that, yet today we have this freedom to assemble without fear. We are yet protected by the laws of the land. No one can come in, into this building, to disturb our assembly, like it says here, where the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews.

This did not even deter the Christ's own from assembling. Even this fear, this physical fear of punishment and torment. But then even were they gathered. But Jesus appeared unto them. With this message, peace be unto you.

Truly this peace that Jesus brings onto his own has never ceased in God's kingdom and is proclaimed yet today. Peace be unto you. Son and daughter, be of good cheer. Your sins are forgiven unto you.

And when he had said so, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you. As my Father hath sent me, even so I send you.

These were truly heavy times. We can think of that. Think of those travelers on the way to Emmaus. How heavy of a heart they were when Jesus met them on the way. And they even told him that. Have you not heard how they have taken our Lord and crucified him?

It had not opened on to them. Even how Jesus had taught them through his ministry and his travel with them. How he must give up his life and be resurrected again on the third day. But they did not comprehend.

And when Jesus had shed his blood on the cross and given up his life, they thought that all was lost. But like it says here that they were glad. And when he had said so, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord.

When Jesus showed the marks of his crucifixion, it opened on to them who he really was. He was their victorious and resurrected Lord and Master. It says, then they were glad.

Then said Jesus unto them, Peace be unto you. As the Father hath sent me, even so I send you.

And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them. And whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained.

Here Jesus brings forth that gospel command unto his own: the keys of loosing and the keys of binding, the keys unto the kingdom of heaven.

In another place, he says that my word shall be spoken unto all kingdoms, kindred, and tongue and tongues beginning from Jerusalem. We can understand even in this that this gospel is where it is preached from. From this Jerusalem, the spiritual Jerusalem, like the scriptures tell us, is the, has been Lord from heaven and is the mother of us all.

God's kingdom is this Jerusalem where these keys are and where the gospel, this precious saving gospel, is preached unto a penitent sinner, unto one that God has opened his heart and only God can even do this, that can open their conscience that they are convicted of sin and hell is open before them and they begin to ask that where can I find relief for this terrible state that I am in.

God, at all times, has always led such a one, a penitent one, one that is truly searching and seeking, onto this kingdom where his gospel, his forgiveness, is truly preached.

Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them, and whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained.

But we read further about this Thomas who was not there. It says, But Thomas, one of the twelve called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord, but he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hand the prints of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

How many times have even you and you brothers and sisters felt this doubt? That is this truly God's kingdom? Has Satan teased you even many times? That is this truly a saving gospel that is spoken here in our midst.

Satan, the one of so many tricks and devices, can even raise this doubt in the heart of a child of God. I know he has even teased me and tempted me even in this way many times.

So is not this portion even, and these words even, so familiar to a child of God? And at the same time it is comforting to know that Satan is yet causing these doubts in us, causing us and trying to take us even into unbelief through these kind heavy doubts.

Thoughts, as it was then, so it is even now, today. Jesus says that my word is the same yesterday, today, and forever. And so are the tactics of the enemy of the soul also the same.

His one and only desire is to wrest these precious, preciously redeemed ones away from the kingdom and the care of the good shepherd and take him into his own kingdom of darkness.

He has no worry over those on the outside of the kingdom. They are his already. But he is constantly tormenting and trying a child of God.

So as it was with this Thomas as well. It has even been stated in this portion of scripture that it is comparable to that portion of Peter's when he denied his Lord and Savior. That he did not, he was not one of Jesus' own.

But truly, this is a false understanding, a false doctrine. This Thomas, it does not state the reason why he was not with the disciples when they were gathered, when Thomas was not in their midst. God has not seen it necessary or else it would be here.

But the important thing is that Thomas was with the disciples like we read further here. And after eight days again, his disciples were within and Thomas with them.

Then came Jesus, the doors being shut and stood in the midst and said, Peace be unto you.

Thomas at this time was, in spite of his heavy doubts, he was with the disciples that were gathered.

And even this is truly a teaching to us, brothers and sisters, children of God. In spite of our doubts, and even as heavy as our doubts may be, when we come to the fellowship of God's children, into the hearing of God's precious and holy word, we truly have come to the right place.

This is where forgiveness is preached. This is where we can be taken care of, where Jesus, the good shepherd, can speak unto us, like he even spoke unto this doubting child.

When it says, Peace be unto you. Then said he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hand, and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing.

And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

Thomas even, when he was able to see, with his natural eye, the prints of those nails, and the hole that the spear had caused, his doubts were even cast aside, and he could even say in faith that, My Lord and my God, truly here is my Savior, who has won over death and hell on my behalf.

In his merits is my salvation.

Jesus said unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Even we, the children of the evening times of this world, even though we cannot see, with our physical eyes, these that the disciples and Thomas were given to see, but yet with our eyes of faith, we can gaze upon these wounds of Jesus.

And we can believe through faith that this has truly happened.

My God had already promised the first human pair that he would send the Savior down upon this sinful earth to redeem sin, sin, sin, fallen man.

And this promise of God was renewed throughout all the Old Testament scriptures.

And like we even heard in the previous sermon from our dear brother, how Isaiah saw this even so clearly, and many others saw it so clearly, through eyes of faith, they saw and they wrote of it as though it had already happened.

So can we, even brothers and sisters today, through the eyes of faith, look upon our Redeemer, our Redeemer, who shed his blood on Calvary's cross on Good Friday, allowed his pure and innocent body to be nailed upon the cross, did not open his mouth, but like we heard that, he was led as a sheep to slaughter.

And truly, this is how it was.

He could have saved himself. He could have summoned all the hosts of heaven, like he told, told when he was in, before the judgment seat, that my kingdom is not of this world.

If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight.

Kingdom, but that his kingdom was a spiritual kingdom, that could not be seen or measured by carnal eyes or carnal minds.

But it was that kingdom of grace that is yet in this world, of which we are, even members of today, brothers and sisters, others.

This kingdom is the same today as it was then, and it cannot be seen by carnal mind, nor can it be comprehended or understood or measured.

I think of an instance that happened in our home congregation just shortly before we left, one that is on the outside of God's kingdom, came on to a Christian brother and even spoke on to him quite severely how he was ashamed of the conduct of the Christians in the community when we had attempted to care for some defiled and fallen souls in the congregation.

When everything is going smoothly in the kingdom and there is no warfare and warfare of the spirits, then even those on the outside are relatively satisfied that there is no talk or comment made of the Christians in the community.

But this had gone out. These stories were very rampant throughout the community and had come on to his ears even and this person even was from a Christian home but had given up his faith from his youth.

And he told this dear brother that he was ashamed of the conduct of the Christians.

But that brother answered unto him that this is not new, that the unbelievers have always been ashamed of God's children.

And truly when we think back and this was even in the discussion that I had with that brother when we think of that Ark of the Covenant in the Old Testament times in front of the beauty of that covenant or the Ark that was on the inside.

But we remember that this Ark was covered with goat's hair on the outside. Truly it was not beautiful to behold.

And I didn't mention to that brother that I am sure that those Israelites that were not in faith even in the times of the Old Testament, I am sure they were ashamed of that goat's hair covered Ark that was in their midst.

And so it is even today, brothers and sisters, God's kingdom is not, does not look that beautiful and glorious from the outside where those that are in their own righteousness and endeavoring through their own works to merit salvation look upon us with critical eyes.

They truly see many faults, many sins, many weaknesses.

They do not realize that we are exactly like they are, that we are pardoned sinners and they are not.

Our sins have been washed and blotted away in the name and the precious blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

But they, through their own works, are endeavoring to merit salvation which we know through scripture is nothing but a filthy garment before the righteousness of the heavenly Father.

Jesus said unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed.

And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book.

But these are written that he might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing he might have life through his name.

God has seen it sufficient with the writings and the teachings that are between the covers of this holy Bible.

God has seen it sufficient for our salvation.

Even John, even at the very end of his book here, says that there are also many other things which Jesus did and which should be written every one.

I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.

When we think of the bookshelves of the world today and how they are crammed with everything that are the devices of Satan, how truly sad it is when we think of all that could be written.

So much could be written concerning the preciousness of our salvation and of the love that God has shown unto his own and unto all mankind through the redemption work of his Son that even the whole world could not contain those writings.

How sad it is that the world in its darkness and unbelief and in the pursuits of their own lust, sinful lust, they live and they feed on all this filth of literature that is in the world today.

Let not even this be a part of the life of the life of a child of God.

I know many of you young are tempted even in these things like I have been tempted many times and I must admit that I have even fallen in these and had to come unto repentance for reading those that feed the flesh but truly defile the spirit.

But how wonderful that the mercy seat is yet open today in God's kingdom against all sin and defilement and Christ has promised to be with his own caring for us and teaching for us through his spirit unto the very end.

Even how difficult the times could be beforehand before us God only knows.

But like these apostles were gathered in fear of the Jews behind closed doors, I am sure this time is coming upon us and who knows how near it is.

Like Christ in one of the other gospels says, or is it in this one, that such times will be upon this earth that has never been known before.

If these were trying times to the children of God, how much more trying will they be then.

Truly when we think of these things the flesh trembles and quivers and fears.

But this flesh will also burn in that last fire so why worry about the tremblings of the flesh or worry about sparing the flesh.

It is nothing but corruption. It was born in corruption and it will end in corruption.

But this living spirit that God has placed into our hearts, let that be the first and the foremost with each and every one of us that we would endeavor to walk on this narrow way of life with a clear and a good conscience putting away sin as it befalls us so often and always and slows down our journey.

When we have our sins washed and cleansed in the blood of the Lamb then it is so easy to make this journey.

When we cut the fingers of Satan so to speak when he latches on to us and the only defense we have is this mercy, this blood of Jesus.

So let us not forget this brothers and sisters that when sin falls upon us so we would be quick to put it away and believe it forgiven.

Satan would be so happy to keep us in this state that we would become burdened heavier and heavier and finally to become shipwrecked and lose our faith completely.

So today brothers and sisters let us be thankful unto God that his mercy seat is yet here in his kingdom of grace where the never ending streams of mercy are yet flowing to wash us from all our sins and all our doubts.

So brothers and sisters even today you have this precious grace privilege through the command of God that you can believe all your sins, all your travel doubts and weaknesses forgiven in the name and the precious atonement blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

And I too brothers and sisters need to hear this gospel for my own soul salvation and the forgiveness of my sins.

Can you yet preach his gospel unto me? I promise to believe.

We don't always need to be here as grace beggars.

One day God will yet see it good to remove us whether it be that we are gathered up all in one group at the end time, time has come to an end, or whether it be that God calls us when our time is up before the end of the world.

But how precious it is that we have better things to look forward to.

Even how bad the world rages around us we can be secure in this kingdom, secure in this knowledge that our sins are forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood.

So be of good cheer brother and sister Jesus lives and we live for him in Jesus' name. Amen.