Guest Pastor: Rev. Bill Zastrow The sermon was based on Mark Chapter 13
Old Testament Reading: Daniel 12:1-3 Epistle Reading: Hebrews 10:11-25 Holy Gospel: Mark 13:1-13
Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple
13 And as he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” 2 And Jesus said to him, “Do you see these great buildings? There will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”
Signs of the End of the Age
3 And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5 And Jesus began to say to them, “See that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. 7 And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains.
9 “But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. 10 And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. 11 And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
Other Lessons: Psalm 149; 1 John 3:1–3; Matthew 5:1–12
Sermon Theme: Your future is bright and glorious!
Sermon Goal: That you are comforted in the tears of this life—including separation from beloved saints who have died—by the anticipation of the eternal joy to come for all the saints. Based on a sermon in CPR by Dr. Charles A. Gieschen,
Sermon: “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes” (v 9). This part of the vision recorded by John in the book of Revelation helps us to see that the life of a Lutheran congregation is not just about living Sunday to Sunday or year to year or decade to decade or even a hundred years together. This vision helps us to see the goal of every Christian, every congregation, and the church militant across the earth: to be part of this great multitude for eternity that no one can number from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before God’s throne, standing before Christ, the Lamb slain for our sin, clothed in resurrected glory for eternity. Why do we establish congregations? Why do we seek to be faithful in reaching out to the lost in our community year after year? Why do we call pastors, build sanctuaries, teach Sunday School, give offerings sacrificially each week, and continue planning for the future? So that we and many others from this congregation, this community, this generation of sinners may be part of this great multitude before the throne of the Lamb! Why did God first give this vision to John to share with the seven churches and many others in future generations? Because he knew that the faithful saints of these congregations had struggles in the past, they were going through struggles in the present, and they would encounter more in the future. Sin was alive and well in these pagan cities of ancient Rome. In the seven letters that Jesus dictates in Revelation 2–3, we hear of false apostles, false teaching, sexual immortality, the Jezebel-like priestess, spiritual lukewarmness, and much more.
This sounds a lot like the world today! Even much of the church is confused on what marriage is, how sexuality should be experienced, and who created this world in the first place. As we heard in the Beatitudes of our Gospel, Jesus promised his faithful church would face challenges: “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven” (Mt 5:11–12).
God gave this vision of the future, of the Church Triumphant after the day of resurrection, to encourage us about what our individual future is and what our future is as a congregation. This is your future: risen, living, worshiping, and singing for all eternity, “Salvation belongs to our God,” namely the one sitting on the throne, and “the Lamb. . . . Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen” (vv 10, 12). Knowing this is our future encourages us to be faithful and active witnesses in the present
What is the reason given here for these saints being in heaven? Are they there because of the great lives they lived, the number of boards on which they served, or the church council meetings that they attended? No, there is only one reason given for their status: “They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb” (v 14). Your future as a congregation, your future as the church militant on earth, and your future as the Church Triumphant in heaven is based upon the blood of the Lamb, Jesus the Christ, that was shed on Calvary’s cross to atone for your sin, for all sin! As John the Baptist proclaimed when he saw Jesus: “Behold, the Lamb of God who is taking away the sin of the world!” (Jn 1:29, author’s translation). You are saints, holy ones, now and forever through the holy blood of Jesus.
This vision in Revelation 7 is dripping with irony. The last thing you usually want on white robes would be blood; it stains permanently. But the blood that Jesus shed cleanses permanently, because it is a payment in full for sin. It is blood that continues to cleanse you from sin today as you hear of it here and as you drink it at this altar. As the earlier hymn to the Lamb in Revelation 5 states: “For you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation”(5:9).
This vision is one of the most extensive descriptions in the Scriptures of what we as the Church will do after Christ’s return into eternity. Listen to your future as Christians, as a congregation, once again: “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe every tear from their eyes” (vv 15–17). None of our years on earth have been without tears of pain and struggle; there will be more tears in the years you have left in your earthly journey; of that you can be sure. You have shed some tears, no doubt, in saying a temporary goodbye to some of the saints of your extended family and church family who are now with the Lord. But nothing ever has, nor nothing ever will, separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. He refreshes us daily for our work in the world and our service to him in his Church. But one day sin will be no more—no more hunger and thirst and struggle. Our baptismal garments will be exchanged for the permanent robe of resurrected glory, and God will wipe every tear of pain and suffering from our eyes.
Revelation 7 helps you to see your ultimate and certain future as forgiven saints through the blood of Christ: God himself with be with you, and he will wipe every tear from your eyes. Death will be no more, neither shall there be any mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore—and you will see his face! That is your bright and glorious future as saints through the blood of Jesus. Amen.
A Beautiful Design Text: Genesis 2:18–25 Other Lessons: Psalm 128; Hebrews 2:1–13 (14–18); Mark 10:2–16
Sermon Theme: God’s design for living makes good what was not good.
Sermon Goal: That hearers are strengthened in the conviction of God’s all-encompassing goodness for us and his creation.
Based on a sermon outline by Rev. Dr. Douglas L. Rutt as appearing in CPR.
Sermon: As impressive as human ingenuity and creativity is when it comes to great architecture, we see something immeasurably more magnificent and wondrous described for us in our reading from Genesis. Today’s Old Testament Reading tells us that God’s design is not just good; it’s perfect. His plan is a design that comes from his infinite wisdom, boundless love, and eternal goodness. God’s design is something that offers us hope in times of despair, direction when we’re lost and confused, and assurance when faced with uncertainty. Today, we’ll focus on ways in which God’s Design for Living Makes Good What Was Not Good.
God’s design for living provides for companionship (vv 18–24). There is a widespread epidemic of loneliness and isolation in our world today. Not good!
Despite the growing population and other ways of connecting, such as social media, people feel more alone than ever. The effects can be devastating for people, who can become depressed and discouraged. Perhaps you feel lonely or lack companionship. Even in church, sometimes, people are not connecting or developing meaningful relationships of trust and care. In God’s wisdom, he said, “It is not good that the man should be alone” (v 18). He provided the animals, who were good for man yet not the suitable partner God desired for him. Adam needed the companionship God provided in the person of Eve, who was herself a marvelous “building” of God (see v 22) and who was bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh (v 23).
Each of them needed the special relationship and partnership in overseeing the creation that God gave them. There would be complementarity in how they would work together, each with his or her own weaknesses and strengths. The special relationship between man and woman God ordained is called marriage. It is not to be entered into lightly, and is to be for life (Mk 10:9). This is not to say that those who do not marry for different reasons are somehow deficient. Not to marry and to live in celibacy can be a godly choice for some, as the examples of the apostle Paul and our Lord Jesus himself demonstrate. But in God’s good design, it is beneficial and a blessing to enjoy loving and trusting relationships with others. God’s design for living provides for future generations (v 24). God’s desire is that there would be future generations, which are a blessing (Psalm 128). It is out of God’s love that he desires more generations, as he has commanded, “Be fruitful and multiply” (Gen 1:28). God wants families to grow. He wants more people to share in his fellowship. Thus, “the two shall become one flesh” (Mk 10:8; cf v 24). The procreation of the human race is God’s design and good for human beings. The family unit is a blessing to provide for consistency of companionship. The family unit is a blessing to children to come so that they be raised in the Lord’s “nurture and admonition” (Eph 6:4 KJV). God’s design for living provides freedom from shame (v 25; Heb 2:17). At the end of our text, it says that Adam and Eve “were not ashamed.” What a blessing to be free of any reason to hide anything from someone else. To be without shame means that neither Adam nor Eve had anything to hide—no thought, no deed, no desire that would be injurious to the other.
Something happened to God’s good design when sin entered the world. That would be very soon—with devastating effects (Genesis 3)! With sin came shame, as humans realized that their thoughts are impure and their actions are corrupt. The sense of shame is an insidious, debilitating experience that can crush our spirit if not dealt with. It can lead to anxiety, depression, eating disorders, low self-esteem, anger, and feelings of emptiness. The effect of shame can be so intense that it can lead to self-destructive behavior such as addictions or even suicide. God’s design is that we not live with deep shame. There are many self-help strategies for “coping” with shame, but most only treat symptoms. Jesus Christ is the one who can truly remove our shame. He covers our shame with his righteousness (Rev 3:18). He endured the shame of the cross so that we need not suffer the devastating effects of shame (Heb 12:2). When our shame is covered by the righteousness of Christ, we can live together in community and fellowship, in close relationship with our loved ones—both within marriage and in friendships and family relationships other than marriage—that provide for the companionship that is a part of God’s perfect design. The human ingenuity and creativity that God has given to us are truly marvelous things. We have seen so many scientific advances and beautiful designs that have been a part of the human experience on this planet, from the achievements of modern medicine to the creation of architectural wonders. Yet nothing compares to the goodness of God’s design for living. It is a design that provides for human companionship, for future generations to live in his fellowship, and it provides an antidote, in Jesus Christ, to the devastating, relationship-ruining effects of shame in our lives. God’s design is truly a good design for living. Amen.
You must be logged in to post a comment.