Sermon in Phoenix 31.08.2014

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, let us quiet this morning in opening prayer and thanksgiving.

Holy and righteous God, our beloved Heavenly Father, as we have awakened to this beautiful new day of grace, we have awakened mindful of the abundant blessings and gifts that you've granted unto us as your children. We have been protected through the night, and today we pray, dear Father, for the continued blessings that you've promised us through your word. We ourselves are incapable of providing anything for this life, and so we turn, dear Father, to you, that you would feed us and clothe us, and that you would protect us in this temporal journey from those things that might take us and lead us away from your kingdom. Amen.

Dear Father, you have given to us in abundance of those things that are necessary and required for this temporal life. You have provided for us our food and clothing, our loved ones, our brothers and sisters in faith, and you have also, dear Father, given unto us of your kingdom, that kingdom where we, even on this day, dwell and live. And in this kingdom we journey as your children towards heaven. All of this, dear Father, we know and believe comes from your hand. But most of all, this morning, dear Father, we thank you for giving us of your Son, who is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Through Him, our sin debt has been paid. And we can yet today believe that through believing our sins forgiven, we are journeying as your children towards heaven.

This morning, dear Father, we also pray for your service blessing, that you would be with us through your holy and precious word, that you would give utterance to your servants, and that you would give hearing ears to your children, and that to all of us you would give a believing heart. You know the needs of your children this day, dear Father. And so we now place our cares and worries into your hands. And that you would feed us according to your holy and righteous will. Break those crumbs of grace so small, that even the weakest and poorest might be nourished and fed.

This morning we also remember loved ones who are not here with us. Protect them in their place of watching. And also comfort those who today are in sorrows. And also strengthen those who are away from the hearing of your word, or the fellowship of your children. Those who are struggling with health-related matters. Those who are far away in the military. Those who because of circumstances are unable to be in the hearing of your word. Comfort them also, dear Father, as only you can.

And all of this we ask in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. And also pray as he taught when we say, Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, And the power, And the glory, Forever and ever. Amen.

Amen.

Before considering a portion of God's word for our study this morning, I would bring greetings to you brothers and sisters here, many of whom I have not seen for some time. Greetings from the summer trips to summer services. Also stopping in Colorado. Greetings from there. But more recently, greetings from camps. We have had those kinds of opportunities this summer to be Confirmation Camp at Camp Kippa. Last weekend we were at Fathers and Sons Camp. And so we've been able to enjoy that blessing that God has given to us. And he knows of our needs. In that way that he's provided for us opportunity to gather and to be in the hearing of his word and to learn about his great measure of love and grace for us. But also to remind us of the day that we're living. Of the dangers that are before us. And that we would be watchful and ready for the battle that we face.

Most recently, then, last weekend, not only do we have Fathers and Sons Camp, but I was in Prescott Valley for services last Sunday evening. And they also asked that their greetings would be returned here to you brothers and sisters. We have that kind of kingdom where we gather together. And with joy, we experience that fellowship that is between God's children.

Today, on the church calendar, the theme speaks to how each one of us would examine ourselves. Self-examination. Or to consider how we are believing. And what are the matters of our heart. And how are we journeying as God's children heavenward.

One of the Old Testament texts of today is found in the first book of Samuel, the 17th chapter. And it's a very familiar text. Even for you children. You will recognize this text because it is an example or a story of David and when he did battle with Goliath. So I will read from the 37th verse through the 45th. The words are as follows in Jesus' name.

David said, Moreover, the Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the Lord be with thee. And Saul armed David with his armor. And he put a helmet of brass upon his head. Also he armed him with a coat of mail. And David girded his sword upon his armor. And he assayed to go. For he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these. For I have not proved them. And David put them off him. And he took his staff in his hand. And chose him five smooth stones out of the brook. And put them in the shepherd's bag, which he had, even in a script. And his sling was in his hand. And he drew near the Philistine. And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David. And the man that bare the shield went before him. And when the Philistine looked about and saw David, He disdained him. For he was but a youth and ruddy and of fair countenance. And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, And I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, And to the beasts of the field. Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, And with a spear, And with a shield. But I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, The God of the armies of Israel, Whom thou hast defied. Amen.

Amen.

We know well of this story and this experience that David had. We've heard this from time of childhood. And in that experience that David had, it teaches of God's protection for his children. But it also teaches of the battle, and the protection of the battle that we face as God's children.

The journey of a child of God, as we sing in songs and hymns of Zion, goes through a wilderness. We are, each one of us, as a child of God, as a child of God's children. We are, each one of us, as a child of God's children. We are, each one of us, as a child of God's children. We are, each one of us, we, as God's children, have faith in our hearts. And we go with that strength that God has given to us.

But there are those foes or those enemies that don't want us to make it to the glory of heaven. And have laid all kinds of stumbling blocks in our midst or in our journey. And we say that we face a threefold enemy. We face that enemy of souls, the devil. And this devil is a very formidable foe. He has been practicing his craft from the beginning of time. He uses the world as an attraction for us. That world that we know is so close and our flesh is so drawn towards.

Why is it that we are so attracted to that corruption and that sinfulness that lurks there in the world? Well, we would say we are. We are so attracted that we face and fight this battle daily. Between that which draws us from God's kingdom, the world and its enticements, and also that pathway that we want to remain firmly and firmly following. And that is the travel of living faith.

But also, the enemy of souls takes and uses our own corruption, our own flesh, and tempts us. And that flesh that we carry that is such an evil presence that is always with us. It is that that also makes this journey difficult. This is the battle that we are facing. Every one of us.

But we also have experienced in this journey of living faith that God has fought for us. And if God didn't fight for us, we would quickly fall prey to the enemy of souls. None of us are so strong in ourselves that we can stand firm against the temptations that we face. We are not so powerful in ourselves that we can resist the devil. If God takes away his protective hand that is around us, we would soon be lost.

And so we have experienced and felt in our journey of faith the importance of God's protection for us. And this example that David also experienced in his life was he felt God's protection.

David had gone to the battlefield. There were his older brothers. They were fighting. There was a battle going on between the Philistines and the Israelites. The Philistines were on one mountain and the Israelites were on another mountain. And between them was a valley. And this valley was that which was being fought for. This is where the battle was being waged.

And every day into that valley came this Goliath, who was a giant. He was a Philistine. The Bible says that he was almost ten feet tall. And he would go and every morning he would challenge the Israelites to come and fight him. To come and fight him. And he said that whichever was victorious, whether he was victorious, the Israelites would become servants of the Philistines. Or whoever they sent from the Israelites to fight him. If he was victorious, then the Philistines would become servants of the Israelites.

And for forty days this challenge came from Goliath and the children of Israel. The soldiers shuddered at the thought of facing this kind of foe.

Brothers and sisters, we also in our journey of living faith when we hear the challenges of the enemy and what kind of challenges and bravado he brings, it's often that the child of God trembles at the thought of going against such an evil foe.

Have you, brothers and sisters, ever tired in your battle of living faith? Have you experienced with me how difficult the battle can be when you're fighting against the threefold enemy? Not only the world and its corruption.

There's some days I know personally that I go to bed in the evening weary of that battle that was faced on that particular day. And every child of God, I'm sure, is also experienced in their lives this same kind of weariness that comes through battling because we carry, as we've already mentioned, that sinful flesh that is drawn to those things.

And so it's a constant ongoing battle. The enemy pulls us one way and God's word pulls us another. And we find that battle goes back and forth and we at times can be strong but so often also we're weak. And so often we give in to those temptations that our flesh brings or those whisperings that the devil also brings.

So what has it been that has sustained us? Hasn't it been God's help? And how has God helped? Of course, we are helped through his word just as Jesus was helped. We can read, excuse me, of God's word. And in God's word there are instructions for us how we might live our lives, how we might battle against those evil forces that are before us.

But we are also given those kinds of loving escorts, our brothers and sisters in faith, of whom God wants us to rely on. The author of the book of Hebrews says, Wherefore we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily besets us.

So God has given us those escorts, those loving brothers and sisters in faith where we can turn, especially when we feel tempted, and turn to those ones whom you know will give that kind of clear and good instruction for you. Don't look to those who might side with you when you have a question, but rather look to the clarity of God's word, the teaching of God's kingdom.

And how does the spirit reveal such things to be? Today we are faced in our present day, and we have spoken much about this over the summer and now into the late summer of places in our time where the devil is especially approaching.

One, of course, is the wisdom of man and how with our own minds we start to feel unequal or on par with God. We can rationalize or justify and in our own minds create our own way to heaven. We can determine ourselves what is right and what is wrong. We can determine, for example, what we might wear or what we might say or what kind of life we might live.

We were at Confirmation this summer, and every year it seems there are similar questions that come from our confirmation students. And one of those questions came from our dear sisters and it was around the use of makeup and jewelry.

And it is so that the enemy wants to tempt our dear sisters in this way, especially the world and its glory and all the beauty of the world today. Think so highly of makeup and how makeup seems to make a lady more beautiful, maybe more beautiful in the eyes of man but not in the eyes of God.

God has created His own. God has created you, dear sisters, perfectly, exactly as He wants you to be. But we're tempted, aren't we? And one of those young sisters at confirmation, she made this kind of comment and she said, Why should we or why would I want to allow makeup to separate me from God?

It was a simple question but I think one that brings and merits a lot of discussion. Sin is that which separates us from God. And when we fall into sin, then these things put a barrier between us and God. And whatever sin it is, it creates this layer or barrier between us and the Heavenly Father.

And as God's children, wouldn't we want God to look at us as His own? You remember all of us remember as a little boy or as a little girl looking for the approval of our natural fathers or our natural mothers. Oh, we wanted as a little boy or little girl to please them and we wouldn't want to do anything that would create this barrier between us and our mother or father.

But when we fall into sin, isn't it so that even as a little boy or girl when we fall into sin then there's something there that wants us to flee from our father's face or to hide from our mother? This is what sin does. It separates us from God.

So the enemy uses every imaginable ploy and twist to start to separate us and to remove us from God's grace and His forgiving love. This is what the enemy wants.

And so we've spoken about many of those things this summer. That was just one, of course. And it's such a common experience for our young sisters to battle.

Don't give in to the sermons of the devil, dear sisters. You're not more beautiful when you wear that kind of worldly makeup, but rather you're wearing some kind of mask that you're not free, that you're not content with how God has created you to be.

We've also spoken about those things that would take us and how our flesh is so drawn to those things of this world. Young boys and young men, older men are drawn to the sports of this world. Those kinds of things would be that which would so please our flesh to be involved.

And now young people are back in school. Some of you boys will face those kinds of questions that come from the coaches, from your fellow classmates, that why don't you play? You're a good basketball player. Why don't you play football? You're very skilled and gifted.

But those are only sermons that the devil brings so that you start down that road to draw you away from God's kingdom. Those are the kinds of things that we've spoken much about during this summer and as we now move into the new school year.

But it doesn't end there, does it? We could list many of those things that seem to be so tempting and so pleasing to our rationale.

Birth control for our mothers and wives becomes a temptation for them, denying God His ability to both give life and to take life. This is solely God's. It is not for us to decide any of those things, but it is for God and God only.

But those are those kinds of things that we know when we face on an ongoing basis as God's children and the enemy uses all of the tools possible to draw us from God's kingdom.

But where do we turn? Where did David turn? Remember David was a shepherd boy and he was watching his father's sheep. And in our text when he was there and he told Saul that he would go and he would battle against this Philistine, Saul said, You're but a youth, you can't go. This enemy will destroy you. You're no match for him.

And it's true. We are no match for the enemy except this that David said, The Lord hath delivered me out of the paw of the lion and out of the paw of the bear. He will also deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.

And Saul said unto David, Go and the Lord be with thee.

Brothers and sisters, this is how we battle. We battle with God's help. He's the one that helps us. If we start to rely on our own goodness and our own strength, we will be quickly destroyed.

We know of those sins that are on the left side. We also experience those sins that are on the right, those sins that are fleshly in nature that draw us with our own corruption, the worldliness, those pleasures that are so close. Those draw us.

But so also to those sins on the right where we start to think ourselves to be more, think of ourselves more highly than we ought to. They are sins of self-righteousness.

And how do those sins work? God has to deliver us from there as well.

Sins of self-righteousness. We start being very proud and boastful.

Some of the gospel texts today speak of how Jesus needed to remind the Pharisees and the scribes, those learned of His day, that they weren't as good as they thought they were.

But that one parable that Jesus uses where there was both a Pharisee and a publican that went to pray. And in that prayer the Pharisee, he lamented this, that, oh, I thank God that I'm not like these other men, these sinners and those who are less than I am. He had somehow been able to boast of his own goodness and he looked down on those sinners.

Brothers and sisters, it's not hard on the other hand for us to look down on those sinners.

Have you looked down on those even whom you know, those who have been tempted and struggled with those things that maybe you haven't been tempted with or struggled with? Do you know anybody that has struggled with alcohol? Or do you know anybody that has struggled with drugs? Or do you know of someone whose marriage has fallen apart? Or do you know some families whose children have struggled with believing?

How easy is it to start to look down our nose at those who are less fortunate than we have been?

That feeling of pride and self-righteousness is a part of us. We are proud people.

From the fall in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve fell, that sin also became a part of us: proud and haughty, high-minded. All of these things can be so close to us.

And how easy is it for us to look down and say, Look at that guy or look at that person, look what they struggle with and I haven't?

Jesus needed to teach also in this parable of this publican who couldn't even raise his head and he beat on his chest and said, Woe is me, I am such a sinner.

Jesus said that one was more justified than that one who found himself to be good and to be haughty and to be proud.

None of us, as John has written, there is none good, or Paul has written, there is none good, no, not one.

And the prophet John, gospel John, writer, the epistle of John writes that if we say we do not sin, we are a liar.

Each one of us is a sinful person. None of us has been able to escape that.

And so what is important then is that, brothers and sisters, we would be mindful of how gracious and loving God has been.

As David said, the Lord has protected me or spared me from both the lion and the bear. And then he also said that also he would deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine.

And so David realized and recognized where his strength was coming from. It was not from himself.

If we were to read from later in David's life when he was a man and an adult, he fell very, very deeply into sin. He fell into murder and adultery.

And if we read from the 51st Psalm there, David begs for forgiveness and he, in that 51st Psalm, he says to this extent that I was born in iniquity, I was born in sin, I was born with that sinfulness as a part of me.

Brothers and sisters, that is where we are.

So in this whole self-examination, the theme for today, I suppose it is important and good that we would look and realize that there is nothing in us that we can offer as goodness to God. Nothing we can say because all of my children are believing that that is a bonus point or we can't say because I have been successful in business as a bonus point or a check of recognition. We can't say because I have gotten straight A's in school that for some reason now that I am more worthy of salvation.

None of that matters. All are sinners. All fall short of the glory of God.

When David, in this text, when Saul put the armor that he told David that he needed to go to battle with, it says he armed David with his armor and he put a helmet of brass on his head and he armed him with a coat of mail and girded him with a sword.

And David couldn't go with this weaponry. He says for he had not proved it.

This armor that was fine for Saul was not good for David. It was cumbersome.

In the Bible, it says that in the study Bible it talks about this coat of armor that he wore would have been hundreds of pounds, between 150 and 200 pounds, and David would have had to go plodding along into battle.

None of this was good for David because he hadn't proved it.

What had David proved in his life as a shepherd boy? He had been given a sling that he used and he had a staff.

And we also know in the shepherd psalm when David writes, The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

And in that shepherd psalm it speaks of that protection that David knew and that David experienced.

And we also know and recognize, do we not, brothers and sisters, we don't go to battle with our own goodness or our own strength but rather with the strength of the good shepherd.

David says, He maketh me to lie down in the green pastures, he leadeth me beside the still waters, he restoreth my soul, he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

And yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

And surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

It must have been a big relief after David had been clothed with that coat of mail and he had been given Saul's sword. It must have been a big relief for him to cast that aside and to travel trusting in God's protection.

David girded his sword upon his armor. He assayed to go for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these, for I have not proved them. And David put them off of him and he took his staff in his hand and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook and put them in the shepherd's bag which he had, even in a script. And his sling was in his hand and he drew near the Philistine.

This is what David went to battle with: with God's word, with the protection of our heavenly Father, and he with boldness went to battle.

Brothers and sisters, can we also so childlike journey with that innocence of faith trusting in God's care and goodness for us that we don't need with our own goodness or our own protection or our own wisdom or our own strength?

One brother who just went through some difficult health-related battle was worried in the beginning of how things would go but he prayed that God would give him acceptance of the trial and also that God would protect him and God did.

And through this experience this believing brother also, along with David, experienced God's protection and God's comfort.

We also, dear brothers and sisters, can rely solely on God's goodness and grace for us. Nothing that we can do matters. Nothing that we can say matters. Nothing that we can bring to God matters. Only that we have a believing heart.

God requires nothing of us except a sinful heart and this is the greatest gift that we can give to God.

God.

So even on this day, brothers and sisters, we can put away and put aside all of those weapons that the world would want to bring or all of those tools that our flesh would want to use.

When Moses in his sermon to those children of Israel as they were about to attain the promised land of Canaan after 40 years in the wilderness, he told them that you're going to attain now this promised land but it's not because of your own goodness but you have been a stiff-necked people, you have been a rebellious people, but God has allowed it to be that he has chosen you to be his own.

It is the same today, brothers and sisters, for us. Nothing that we have done has been able to merit salvation but by the grace of God we've been able to believe.

It is a great gift for us every one of us, a grace gift from the heart and the hand of the heavenly Father.

Cherish that gift and thank God that he's called you and me from the corruption of this world and he's spared us from our own corruption and he's even spared us from our own self-righteousness, those feelings that are so close.

He's spared us from those temptations of the left and he's kept us as a little boy or a little girl in God's kingdom.

It's okay today that you find yourself to be a sinner. When you find yourself to be a sinner, then God can fill and comfort you with his blessings and his gifts.

It's a great gift to be a sinner because you find yourself needful of God's grace.

Remain believing sins forgiven in Jesus' name and precious atoning blood.

This morning I also being tempted in so many ways, both on the right and the left, those feelings of self-righteousness are so close but so also, brothers and sisters, are those temptations on the left.

There are those days that I wonder, will I make it to the end? But I believe that through God's grace, to the merit work of Christ, it's possible.

But is it yet possible that I can still believe today my sins forgiven? I want to believe each of you, brothers and sisters, in Jesus' name. Amen.