Sermon in Outlook 23.03.2008

By God's grace, we continue the services here at this time of Easter, reading again from God's Word some of those events that occurred. In this case, on the Sunday of Easter Day, the day we call Easter of that weekend so many centuries ago. And we read this in the name of Jesus, our Lord, with this prayer that our Heavenly Father would yet bless our gathering with His Word.

This happens to be from the 20th chapter of St. John. And I think as we read this, perhaps you'll notice that this portion of Scripture is actually a continuation of that which our dear brother had spoke from and how God so preciously revealed His Word to us.

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 Jesus said unto them, Peace be unto you. As my Father hath sent me, even so I send you. And when He had said this, He breathed on them and saith 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 His hands and the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, I thrust my hand into His side. And who will not believe. Amen.

We heard from our brother this morning how good it is. And we could say also that it's an important matter that we have the opportunity, especially once a year at this time of Easter, to read about, to hear about, to consider these miraculous occurrences, that first Easter, Passover time, and consider the very foundation of our faith, as our brother noted this morning.

This matter that we know and believe by faith, our faith is so often weak, that He is risen. He was raised from the dead. The first one raised from the dead. Other people have been raised to the dead back to temporal life. Jesus Himself did that to Lazarus. Lazarus not long before His own death. But Jesus was the first that was raised to eternal life. And then through faith in Him, by God's great grace, we also one day can experience the glory of heaven.

So it's good we have a chance to consider these things. And they are recorded in detail in these four Gospels for us to read and consider. It's not that by reading these that a person can become saved. Because, you know, there are millions and millions of people that read this over and over again. And that's certainly not a bad thing. It's a good thing. But that's not how God offers salvation.

Through the written Word. It's for a purpose. We could ask a question. Is it still God's Word? Of course it's God's Word. The Old Testament, the law, is part of God's Word. The Gospel is part of God's Word. In its completeness. But simply by reading, we accept by faith through the teaching of the Holy Spirit and by what's even shown in God's Word, we comprehend. It's not by reading that one would actually comprehend the kingdom on earth. But it certainly awakens the mind.

What about the Ethiopian eunuch that was reading the Bible? The Old Testament. He couldn't comprehend what was there until another believer, a person who was a believer, came and explained that and brought the living Word. And then that Ethiopian was able to comprehend.

We also heard this morning from our brother about this incident that had happened earlier this same day from the Scripture that we just read where Jesus had appeared behind those closed doors where those two men were traveling to that village. They were walking. And it was about seven miles that they would have had to walk.

Some of us, there's probably a couple here that were on that trip, were able to see that general area where that village of Emmaus was. And it's along the old Roman road, it's called. It heads to the west. And then some miles into that road, it veers and goes north to this village. And that was the point where those travelers were with Jesus. They didn't know it was Jesus.

And it was as if this man was going to go straight on the Roman road. And they were going to turn and go north. And they begged him, well, why don't you come and stay with us? Come to ours. It's already late in the day. And so then Jesus agreed. And they took that road to that village. And those things happened. Jesus revealed himself to them. And they were so moved, even though it would have been night time, the day was far spent, they didn't care.

They were so moved and so happy as we heard, certainly were rejoicing, that they decided that they were going to travel back to Jerusalem those seven miles anyway. They had to bring that news about Jesus.

But we also noticed that when Jesus, on the road, even though He was at that point unknown to them, and their hearts, they later confessed, were burning within them when they heard this man talking about the Bible. And it says that He went, this man that was with them, which we know now is Jesus, began talking about the Old Testament and the prophets and what they said. What the prophets had written about this man, Jesus of Nazareth, who had to die on the cross.

And even though their own reason, which our brother had mentioned, their own minds, their own thinking, had distorted their view, they couldn't even see Jesus at that point because they were using their own reason. But when Jesus began to show them the foundation on which the entire resurrection of Christ was built, their hearts began to burn. They realized it's really true.

We never imagined, we never comprehended what the prophets had said hundreds of years ago. It has come to pass to us. It's no wonder their hearts were so happy and burning within them.

But what was it that that was founded on, that Jesus was talking about? It was God's holy word.

When we consider living faith today, and I'm talking about God's kingdom on earth, and I'm talking about the doctrine that you, even you young children, teenagers, confirmation age, or even younger, you hear about in God's kingdom. And it's good that you hear about it. It's good that you come here. And I hope that you want to come here.

And I don't doubt for a minute you carry flesh and blood. We all do. But it's good that we would even pray that in our life, our young life, our teenage life, our adolescent life, as we get older, we would have the correct desire in our heart, even though sometimes we have to kind of drag our fleshly portion here. It seems there's other things in this life that with our own mind we would think are pretty important. But they're not.

It's important to hear God's word and to have the correct desire through the Spirit to hear it. But the point here is that what Jesus to them as they walked along that road founded, in other words, placed, all those words on was not man's reason. But it was the Holy Scriptures.

And you'll learn and know in life whether it's at confirmation school or Sunday school or services. In God's kingdom, there is a distinct difference between what we believe and what those on the outside believe. Although we would have to say in an outward sense there's also a lot of similarities.

For example, people would say yeah, we believe that Jesus raised from the dead and so on and so forth. Very general things and that's good they have a fear of God and a general understanding. But when it comes right down to doctrinal matters, there is only one place where the gospel and the doctrine of the living God which was finished, authored and finished by the Lord Jesus, there's only one place that it's preached that it's preached correctly.

And it's not because of our wisdom. It's because it's from the teaching of the Holy Spirit. And even though many times there are similar churches, the human mind, they're so similar, couldn't even tell the difference with our own reason. But through the Spirit we comprehend.

Talking about confirmation, there was a young man that some years ago was from an unbelieving, this boy was from an unbelieving home. And they were a church-going family. They went to the Lutheran church, nice church, in fact, the same church my father went to before he was converted. Same building, same place.

Well, this young man had some friends at school who were believing. They were from believing families. It so happened in this kid that was old, junior high or early high school age, he began to talk to these friends. And it wasn't too much later that this young man received the grace of repentance.

And his family became somewhat upset. Now, were they mean? No, they weren't mean, but they, like normal parents, they wondered what's going on, what's happened to our son. And certainly they had been good parents, but they certainly wondered why would he have to change? And they certainly noticed changes in the boy's life.

So they got together with the pastor from this church and they decided that they'd like to have a family meeting. So they got the pastor and the two parents and this boy and they decided, well, they're going to go over to Stuart's house. My mom and dad were there and some of the other, a couple other believing couples from the believing church came. I think it was Mount O'Carbonen and some of those and there was a kind of a big old meeting.

And it was not an unpleasant meeting. It wasn't as if there was arguing, but we attempted to explain and they brought the pastor with them and he was a nice man. And we explained about, primarily about the gospel of the forgiveness of sins and how this matter is preached. And we showed these portions of the Bible.

It's one right here. If my memory served me well. In this case, I think it does. Sometimes I wonder. But this time, I think I can very vividly remember. We talked about this one where it says, Receive ye the Holy Ghost, whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted. And these Lutherans could not disagree with that. That's what the Bible says and also that's what Luther taught.

And so, we parted ways. I would say, amiably, friendly. And, you know what they did at that church? For the confirmation students? They started something new. They decided that when those students are confirmed that they're going to tell them their sins are forgiven. And I think they probably even picked up on the name and blood of Jesus. But they wanted to make sure that they pronounced the forgiveness to their confirmation students.

And that Lutheran, did it make a difference? Well, the Bible makes it so clear that what enlivens this or brings it to life is not man's own word. It's only one thing. And it occurs through living faith. It's the presence of the Holy Spirit. That's what teaches. That's what quickens and gives life to that word.

You could preach that word regularly and in fact, heretical heresy type people do. They can use the same words. But without the power of the Holy Spirit, they're only man's words. And in some cases, the person might even feel good. But we're not saved by feelings. And it's a good thing we're not. Because so often we feel weak and poor. And then we hear that word and what do we receive? New strength to take another step on the journey.

And we hear the voice of the Good Shepherd because it's in those living words. Jesus here, when He had explained to these two travelers about the Old Testament, He gave this testimony as our brother had also touched on, that all these things that happened had already been recorded in God's Word that they were going to happen about Jesus. It's no wonder their hearts were so happy.

In God's kingdom, you'll also notice, and I'm sure you already have, that preaching and the teachings in God's kingdom are according to the Bible. And even though there are hundreds of different churches, there are many, many, in some ways it's sad, but in our generation, our time, we've seen it so clearly their teaching is completely outside of the Bible.

The things that they accept, that we comprehend through the Holy Spirit, they're sin. They're not for a child of God. It's not as if we have a bunch of rules and regulations, you'd follow these things and then you're heaven acceptable. It's just the other way. Believe. And then all these other things are added.

How? How do we comprehend these? It's not with our own reason. These men couldn't see Jesus with their own temporal eyes and mind. It's only by faith. And when that happens, in the person's heart dwells this Holy Spirit that Jesus talked about.

Those two travelers were so moved that they wanted to hurry those seven miles or so back to Jerusalem. They couldn't wait to break the news that they had seen Jesus. They had heard rumors. We heard earlier what a confusing morning it was. You had several groups of people, a couple of groups of women at least, a couple of groups of men including Peter and John making various trips, traveling on different roads in Jerusalem, passing each other and they didn't even know the other people were going there, showing up at the tomb.

It's no wonder they had some rumors as they had left Jerusalem for that village. Now they wanted to hurry back. They could confirm some of those rumors. And although we don't know exactly where they went, it seems somewhat evident here as we piece these gospels together, it was most likely in that same upper chamber room that is thought to have been owned by this one they call Mark. The evangelist Mark, John Mark was his real name. And his father probably owned that.

They had a place where they could gather, they could close the doors and lock them because they were still afraid. Why? Well, they saw Jesus die, some of them. They feared for their own lives. So they locked the doors. And certainly a little while later, as they were in this room, they heard some knocking on the door. Somebody wanted to get in.

Well, it was these two from Emmaus. And they brought good greetings. But there's another miracle that happened. And our brother also touched on that. It says here what happened. It says it was the same day at the evening, being the first day of the week. Doesn't mean Monday. First day of the week, Sunday. Sunday night would be this evening on Easter weekend.

He says here when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, a great miracle happened. It says, and came Jesus and stood in the midst. And saith unto them, peace be unto you. And then he wanted to give them this evidence.

We already know that a lot of them openly did not believe. They certainly wanted to believe. They loved Jesus. We know for sure it says that even though they heard these things, they did not believe. Would we believe? Someone was raised from the dead? Of course, with our own minds, we wouldn't begin to comprehend such a thing.

It says, then, when he had showed him his hands and his side, then were the disciples glad. They realized their eyes began to open. It really is Jesus.

Then he did something here that is, we could say, it's right there at the very foundation of living faith and our comprehension. It is a doctrinal matter what happens next. And it's no wonder that the evangelist John, who wrote this, was moved by the Heavenly Father to include this in his account of the gospel. It's very important.

He says here, Jesus said unto them, peace be unto you. What kind of peace is he talking about? I think already many times today, even though sometimes we kind of take it for granted, tradition, whatever, he's talking about God's peace. The same peace that we greet each other with. Jesus greets them with that same peace. Peace be unto you, as my Father hath sent me, even so I send you.

He had told them the third day earlier that he was going to send them into the world. He told them, I'm leaving. For a while you'll see me, then you won't see me, but I'm not going to leave you comfortless. I will send you the comforter.

Now, what was he speaking about? Well, here now, he's showing them what he was speaking about. It's the Holy Spirit. He says, and when he had said this about this peace of God, he said, it says, he breathed on them and said unto them, receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whosoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them.

We know, of course, in modern language, we know exactly what Jesus said. He said, whosoever sins you forgive, they're forgiven. Whosoever sins you don't forgive, they remain unforgiven. It's a great miracle, but it's important to remember, we don't preach this gospel. We don't release one from their sins with any power of our own. We find only weakness, poorness.

Sometimes we preach the gospel and we think, how can such a sin wretch preach the gospel? I'm so poor on my own. But the listener has heard the gospel and believed it. Sometimes people had never heard of it before. They hear the living word and it penetrates even the driest and the most sin corrupt heart to great joy because it's God's word spoken to man through the power of the Holy Spirit. It's a great miracle.

People. And John recorded here, we would have to say in a vivid way, it's so vivid sometimes we might wonder, why can't people see it? Because they don't. God does not open it to them. It says right in the Bible, many are called. You can think of the multitudes. Millions. Few are chosen.

I think of my own father. We were talking a little earlier at the food table in there about my parents and they asked all my mom. I thought about my dad. And you know, my father had gone to that same Lutheran church. And in fact, this happened to be a few years earlier. And he was best friends with the pastor. I mean, they were like this.

And it was about that time that my mother, who was also in unbelief, she was brought up in a Christian home, believing home. But she had lost childhood faith after she left home as a teenager later on. But she never forgot. And so it was just a few years earlier to this that my mother had received the grace of repentance.

But my dad didn't. And it so happened that all the kids, for some reason, they wanted to go to this church with mom. And they did. We were just little squirts. But I remember wanting to go to the prom because my cousins were there and I could play with them. I don't know.

But the point is, all of the whole family went with mother. And dad was left alone at this Lutheran church. And I'm sure that it was difficult for dad, even though mother and father greatly loved each other. They always did. But he certainly wondered, why would they go to that other church?

And he, about that time, started looking in Luther's works and so forth. He was, you know, what's going on here? There's supposed to be a Lutheran church that they're going to. What's the difference? He couldn't comprehend. And my father was not a dummy. He was smart enough. He was using his own reason. You'd think he could comprehend, but he couldn't, of course. Because he would use human reason.

And so this became a little bit of an issue. As you could imagine in the family, all the kids and the mom are going to this other church, which is quite a drive away. Dad's going to the one at the top of the hill.

And one evening, when this was an issue in the family, and I was just a little boy, in fact, I was in bed. But my sister, who was older than me, she was probably 14 or something, she was sitting at the living room table with my dad. And they had the Bible open.

And my sister, the girl, she was talking to daddy about the Bible. She opened the Bible, and she turned to this spot right here that we read. It said, that Jesus said, peace be unto you, my peace. As my father has sent me, so I send you. And then she kept reading. She said, when he had said this, he breathed on them, and he said, receive ye the Holy Ghost, whosoever sins you remits.

She was reading to daddy. Daddy was sitting there at the table listening, and she said, their sins are remitted unto them, whosoever. She said, daddy, can't you see it? He said, yes. He said, I can see it. He wanted his own sins forgiven.

It's like that. God revealed, through that spoken word from a little girl, he heard the gospel. He believed the gospel. Doesn't matter what age the person is. In fact, we heard this morning, we need to become like little children. And daddy became like a little child.

Did he still have his corrupt flesh and blood? We all do. He battled through the years, but he's been gone for over ten years now, but in the end, he was heaven acceptable. He believed that gospel like a little child right to his death bed. He wanted to believe. And he was, he was carried away from this life as a little child believing.

Because a little girl one time through the Holy Spirit preached to him that he believed. That's this Holy Spirit that Jesus is talking about here. It really forms the foundation of that spirit with which God has blessed us, even though we didn't deserve it. It's not something we earned or merited.

The only one that merited anything was our Lord and Savior Jesus, who in complete innocence suffered the death on the cross on our behalf. And so Jesus here, you might say, culminates all of his work that he accomplished on that good Friday and that had victoriously risen earlier that morning.

He culminates that with this command and this gift that they soon would see even, you might say, even a more complete picture when the day of Pentecost came, how that comforter would come. And then that would be that spirit and that guide in the heart of God's people on earth that gives them the authority and the power to preach the gospel, to sin corrupt man, to grace beggars that want to hear and we need to hear. You and I need to hear.

And there are also, as Jesus talked about in his prayer, there's others we don't even know about yet. Need to hear. And then we've seen it happen.

When Jesus began to explain earlier, it would have been Thursday, Thursday evening, before he was apprehended, before he was taken prisoner. He also explained, we would have to say in some detail, which John recorded about the office, about the function, about the place of the Holy Spirit.

Not just in living Christianity in general, in God's kingdom, but in the heart of each child of God who believes. He had said, with the purpose of preparing them for what was going to happen on this weekend, which they saw with their own eyes to be a great tragedy, when Jesus was crucified, their own eyes, of course, saw it as a tragedy. They loved Jesus.

But he knew, of course, knowing all, that he needed to prepare them for what was going to happen. And he had said in this way about the Holy Spirit. He said, he said, these things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you.

He so clearly indicates that that moment he's there, but the moment is coming when he won't be there. He'll be gone. He says, after that, he says, but the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you.

Now, I would ask you, dear child of God, even in the midst of doubts and worries and fears, doesn't it bring good comfort to the heart of a child of God to know that it's not by your own strength. It's not by any works or deeds, even though you, I'm sure, try to do what's right. It's not by that at all that we're heaven acceptable, but only by faith.

And then believing we want to do those things that are right. And it happens in our life that sometimes we don't do the things that are right. In fact, it seems like we often stumble and fall. Isn't that why we need to hear that gospel again and again?

As we heard from our brother this morning, even in the house, the home, the mother and the father to the children and so often the children to mother and father too. And the grandparents were so fortunate.

But let's consider for a moment what Jesus wanted to teach about this about this Holy Spirit because it's very important in living Christianity that we comprehend the function of the Holy Spirit and also, you might say, our own lives as individuals.

And it's an important distinction to draw between, for example, one's own conscience, which is an important thing. And a good and clean conscience is a blessed thing. Paul, even the Apostle Paul even encouraged this way about living Christianity. He said, keep faith. That, of course, was first. But he also attached something else. He said, keep faith and a good conscience.

It's important that we have a good conscience. And we have a grace privilege. That when the conscience has become soiled, and it often does, that we again, sometimes we even have to go and ask someone. A particular name's sin. Sometimes they have names. It's bothering us. We have a privilege. We can speak about it. Other times it's a general blessing. I need to hear the gospel. And then someone, they're happy to bless us.

And the conscience itself has a Christian conscience is an important thing. But it's important to remember that a conscience itself has been endowed by God to virtually, we could say, any normal, healthy person. You'd say, well, what about unbelievers? Well, of course. We certainly hope they would have a conscience.

A conscience itself, which God has given to mankind, teaches the difference between right and wrong. And sometimes God knew that man would need a reminder. We take a look at the Ten Commandments, for example. And they teach the difference between right and wrong.

It doesn't mean that by following the Ten Commandments that a person can become heaven acceptable. But the purpose of the Ten Commandments and the law is to drive one to find the kingdom, to find grace, because they realize I can't keep the Ten Commandments and all the other ones. I need grace. And that's where the gospel comes in.

Unbelievers have a conscience. At least normal ones do. We read sad, tragic things about criminals. And the experts look at them and say, you know, we've looked at this to try to examine this person psychologically and they didn't have a conscience. They do not seem to have a conscience. They don't know the difference.

But normal people, most people do. But there's another aspect and a very important part in the life of a child of God, and it has to do with the difference between our own conscience and the teaching of the Holy Spirit.

Now, there's a common saying, you've heard it, I've heard it many times, and it's a good saying, let your conscience be your guide. And it's a good, you might see a general saying, and it's important to us, we do want to keep a good conscience.

But in living Christianity, we comprehend that the teaching of the Holy Spirit is a different matter than a human conscience, which is part of our human condition, of being a human. And that's why in living Christianity, it's so important that we hear what the teaching of the Holy Spirit is, and don't develop this kind of a mind, which would be according to our reason, that, well, I'm going to go by my own conscience.

I've heard that before. As a matter of fact, I think I would have to add that I'd have to hang my head and say I've thought that my own conscience teaches me what's right, even in matters that might have pertain to the kingdom.

And most often the matter that seems to come to my mind, when I think about this issue, is when I was a teenager. And you know, sometimes teenagers kind of think they know it all. Not always, but it's not uncommon.

My dad used to say, well, what every 15-year-old kid doesn't know is that someday he'll be as dumb as his old man. Well, and he was right. You get a little older and you realize, you know, my dad was pretty smart.

And music has always been something that's close to my heart and I also have to say it's close to my flesh of blood. Even at my age, young people say, well, he's pretty old, it shouldn't be a temptation anymore to him. Well, I might as well admit it, it is.

And I've had the prayer in my heart that I could keep faith with a good conscience. But I remember as a teenager, not really an argument, but a discussion with my mom about music. And I've related this in confirmation and other places because I've often remembered it in my life.

And it has to do with the teaching of the Holy Spirit versus the teaching of a conscience. Conscience. And I took this song that was a popular song, I don't remember what it was. And I took the words and I said, well, mom, read these words. What's wrong with these? There's nothing wrong with these words.

And she looked at them and she said something I'll never forget. She said, but Johnny, what do the Christians say? And she mom was right. What do the Christians say? In other words, what is that that's revealed in God's kingdom through the Holy Spirit? Not with man's own mind. What do the Christians say?

It's a good thing. In fact, it's a critical thing to remember. Not just the young people. All of us. What do the Christians say? Because Jesus says right here, when he was preparing them for the time that he wouldn't be with them, he said, I will send you the comforter and it will teach you in all things.

Have you ever considered the Lord's prayer? I'm sure you have. You probably say it most nights. And that's a good thing. But there's something I think that is remarkable about the prayer that Jesus taught. God's prayer.

And a lot of times in the evening the kids want to say that prayer maybe with mom or dad and they get a little older hopefully they keep saying it maybe on their own. But the prayer that Jesus taught is a prayer that even though it so closely touches the individual heart as a person, you young people, you older ones.

Have you ever noticed it says our father who art in heaven? It says lead us not into temptation. Deliver us from evil. It's in the plural. He's talking about the kingdom. We would so quickly say my father which art in heaven, lead me. Of course individually we have that prayer but Jesus so beautifully portrayed the unity, the oneness of God's kingdom even in the prayer that he taught them to remember.

How fortunate we are that we have this comforter that we don't have to fear in that way as Jesus said fear not because we're in the protection of God's kingdom there where that collective Holy Spirit not an individual conscience where we would say well that doesn't bother my conscience such and such a sin doesn't bother me I'm going to do it anyway.

Well that's not the heart of a child. That's not the heart of one who's humble. But you know what I remember about when I think about how we can start begin to think with our own mind that I know what's right for me. Nobody's going to be telling me what to do. I'm a grown up.

You know the human mind can start thinking like that. I remember when we were in Africa in fact it was when Kwame still lived there we had a discussion one night with the board and you know what topic we were talking about? One that's close to my heart.

We were talking about music and they had brought it up during this board meeting in Lome. And I so vividly remember those African brothers sitting around there and it was me and Dwayne and they said teach us about music. We don't want to do music that's not right. Show us. How is this comprehended in God's hand?

They love the music of God's kingdom. They've been so greatly blessed. With the heart and mind of man have that kind of a question teach me and show me. Even the psalm writer begged that. Lead me in the right way.

And so therefore it's important in our lives as Jesus taught here when he endowed the Holy Spirit here in a visual way. It happened again on Pentecost. This power of the Holy Spirit.

That we as an individual child of God would beg to hear the voice that our brother also mentioned this morning. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit said unto the churches.

And so we can be of good comfort the same exact comfort that Jesus was talking about when he said don't be afraid. You can believe even now dear child of God all your sins forgiven. Your doubts and worries you can put on him. All your sins are forgiven. In Jesus name. Precious blood. And the peace, freedom, and joy.

And I again need to hear the reassurance of the gospel. Can you preach the gospel to me? I want to believe with you. In Jesus name. Amen. Amen.

And now also I'll be leaving here I'm sure before too long but I want to remember to thank you dear brothers and sisters here. It's so uplifting to see so many of you again and I have to say from my heart the hospitality and the warmth and I think more and more than anything the fellowship of the spirit as it's been uplifting to the one who so often finds himself weak and coming here without words and worrying but I'll have to say it's been good to be here with you and I also ask that you would remember me and my family and our flock there and our area that we would be protected every step of our journey and I promise to remember you too.

Am I supposed to do the benediction or not? Okay.