Category: Sermon Page

Pentecost 10 (Proper 12), July 28, 2024 Out of Destruction… Hope Text: Genesis 9:8–17 

Other Lessons: Ephesians 3:14–21; Mark 6:45–56
Sermon Theme: God initiates the covenant and gives us signs that always remind of the eternal hope he provides.  
Sermon Goal: That you understand God alone provides hope—through the covenant he made with Noah and creation and, ultimately, through Jesus and his cross. Based on a sermon outline in Concordia Pulpit Resources by Rev. Dr. Jeffrey E. Skopak,
Sermon:  The overwhelming display of God’s power was fully at hand as Noah and his family (along with the animals) were sealed up in the ark—the overwhelming display of God’s power and his wrath. The consequences of wickedness and sinful indulgence had brought the world to this moment. Death and destruction were suddenly abounding—and all Noah and the inhabitants of the ark could do was ride it out.

        “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. And rain fell upon the earth forty days and forty nights” (Gen 7:11–12). Inside the ark was safety and security. Outside the ark was death and destruction. Inside the ark was life and provision. Outside the ark was darkness—and eventually silence. And then the waiting began—waiting for the flood waters to subside, waiting for dry land to appear. Oh, Lord, how long? Noah and the inhabitants of the ark spent roughly 370 days inside! Our text is the story of how God Initiates the Covenant and Gives Us Signs That Always Remind of the Eternal Hope He Provides.

       God makes the covenant. So what exactly is a covenant? Simply put, it’s an agreement between two parties—in this case, between God and his creation. We are most familiar with covenants that go something like this: “You do this . . . I will do that.” For example, “If you remain faithful, I will bless you.”

       However, this covenant God is about to make with Noah and the creation is very different (vv 11–15). Out of the death and destruction of the flood, God was about to bring hope and peace. This was going to be a unilateral covenant. That is, God would be the one to establish the covenant, and he will obligate himself to the terms of this covenant. God would require nothing from the people, and his promise to them was unconditional.

        Today, people struggle with fear and anxiety over the chaos and turmoil that abounds in the world—hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, flooding rivers—and they cry out, “Where is God?” In a personal way, we struggle as we find ourselves far off from God due to our disobedience of his perfect Law. We fear his wrath and righteousness. We seek mercy but live in the fear that mercy may not be found.

         However, God chooses a sign that reflects the light and glory of his creation: the rainbow. This elaborate, beautiful, breathtaking sign is the vehicle God chooses to remind us of the covenant—a covenant born out of destruction and reminding us of hope.

       The rainbow bespeaks: “Never again” shall the earth be flooded and all life wiped away. But this is not the only sign God provides in order to bring comfort and peace to our troubled hearts and minds. It is true that we no longer need to fear the devastating floodwaters that can consume all life, but we know that we have fallen short of God’s Law and all that it demands.

        Sin is a terminal disease that separates us from God. We become prisoners of an ark of our own building, which keeps us from the light and glory of his promise in the rainbow.

       Trapped in our sinful darkness, there is only one cure for our sin, only one way out of the darkness of our sin and into the light of God: the precious blood of God’s own Son, Jesus Christ.

        The symbol that God would choose to bring peace, light, and hope to the world was the cross of Calvary. There upon the cross, Jesus would pour out his lifeblood for the sins of the whole world. As Noah, his family, and the animals were hidden in the ark to preserve humanity, so you and I are now “hidden with Christ” (Col 3:3).

       As the cross of Christ stands as the sign of your salvation, so you have received this amazing gift through the washing floodwaters of Baptism (1 Pet 3:20–22). Out of the destruction that your sin has brought to your life, God provides an everlasting hope that he alone could provide—your adoption as his sons and daughters through Jesus Christ.

      The cross of Christ reminds us that our sins have been paid in full. As we daily rise and walk in his light, may we make the sign of the cross as a means to remember that we were baptized into this faith “in the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Amen

Pastor Tim Weiser

Two Kings. Two Kingdoms.

Text: Mark 6:14–29

Other Lessons: Amos 7:7–15; Psalm 85:1–7 (8–13); Ephesians 1:3–14

Sermon Theme: We are called to reject the path of the kingdoms of this age and follow King Jesus under the reign of God, even if it means our own rejection by the powers of this present evil age.

Sermon Goal: That you would follow the way of the kingdom of God, the way of the cross. Based on a sermon outline in Concordia Pulpit Resources by Rev. Randall L. Pekari,

Sermon: Even when a text doesn’t seem to be about Jesus, it’s still all about Jesus. Mark teaches us to distinguish between the kingdoms of this world and the reign of God.

     Two kingdoms. Herod, a worldly ruler, lives in opposition to the reign of God. Jesus, the true King, brings the reign of God near. And We Are Called to Reject the Path of the Kingdoms of This Age and Follow King Jesus under the Reign of God, Even If It Means Our Own Rejection by the Powers of This Present Evil Age.

         To which kingdom do we most conform? What values most shape and influence us? Herod displays the values of this present evil age.        Herod knows but defies the clear law of God by committing adultery, marrying his living brother’s wife (vv 17–18). He serves the desires of his own flesh and is quite unconcerned with the will of God.

          Herod built his palace, even his whole capital city, Tiberius, to imitate the imperial glory and splendor of Rome. He is deeply concerned with fitting in, with conforming to the culture he admires.

        Herod throws a wretched party for himself and surrounds himself with “his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee” (v 21). He is deeply concerned with power and prestige.

        Herod caves to the pressure of his stepdaughter, wife, and noble guests (vv 22–26). He is deeply concerned with his own honor and pride.  Herod orders the execution of  John the Baptist (v 27). He wields his power for his own ends, for all his own concerns.

        Jesus embodies the values of the reign of God. Jesus lives in perfect obedience to the whole will and law of God. Jesus lives humbly, not in splendor. Jesus associates with sinners and outcasts. He is moved by compassion.. Jesus submits to the will of his Father, enduring scorn and humiliation.      Jesus gives his life for those who opposed and rejected him. He does not use his immense power but submits to death so that all sinners, even you and me, might be bought out of this present evil age and made heirs of his kingdom.

       We are called to follow King Jesus, conforming to the values of the reign of God. But, To follow the way of the reign of God is to follow the way of the cross. Before all else, to follow the way of the cross is to heed the call to repentance.

        This is the persistent message of the kingdom: Repent! John the Baptist came on the scene, “proclaiming a  baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (1:4).

After John came Jesus. “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (1:15). Jesus sent out his disciples to preach this same message (6:12). The text for today is set in the middle of this mission.

       The call to repentance is not merely a general call to all of humanity. It is a specific call to particular people: Repent. John confronted the specific sin of the adultery of Herod and Herodias (vv 18–19).

      The Word of God is calling to you. How can you not respond to John’s and Jesus’ call to repentance? To reject the clear, revealed Word and will of God is to stand with Herod. To reject the clear, revealed Word and will of God is to stand against the reign and rule of God himself and to forfeit a place in that blessed kingdom.

       The One who calls you to repent is the same One who gave his life as a ransom to buy you out of sin and death, out of this present evil age. Jesus, moved by compassion for you, endured the humiliation of the cross, the taunts and rejection of his people, all for you.       Repentance is always met with forgiveness!

        Repent and believe this good news! But be aware that to follow the reign of God, the way of the cross, is to face rejection by the world. The arrest, execution, and burial of  John the Baptist foreshadows the arrest, execution, and burial of  Jesus.

              Therefore, those who follow Jesus will also face the way of the cross. Our text follows immediately after Jesus sends out his disciples to carry out his own mission (6:7–13) and comes immediately before they return to report on their work (6:30). Interrupting the account of the disciples’ mission with this story of  John’s execution highlights the reality of the world’s resistance and opposition to God’s message and messengers. John the Baptist, like the disciples, carried the message of the kingdom: Repent!

         Mark emphasizes that all who preach this same word and who live in the pattern of the reign of heaven will be in danger. Jesus himself warns of this reality: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (8:34).

       This, though, is exactly what we are called to do. This seems like foolishness to the world. Why be a John the Baptist and lose one’s head, when you could be a Herod and enjoy the comforts of Rome?

       But Jesus says that the opposite is true in his kingdom. The one who wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for him and the Gospel will save it (8:35). The pleasures of Herod and his kingdom are temporary. The gifts of forgiveness and the kingdom of God are eternal.              Those who follow the way of the cross, repenting of sin and trusting in Jesus, will be vindicated in the end of days with their Master and will share in eternal life under the fullness of his kingdom. Amen.

Pastor Tim Weiser

Old Testament Reading: Ezekiel 2: 1-5
Epistle Reading: 2 Corinthians 12: 1-10
Holy Gospel Reading: Mark 6: 1-13

Pentecost 6 (Proper 8), June 30, 2024, Watch the Words of Jesus!

Text: Mark 5:21–43

Other Lessons: Lamentations 3:22–33; Psalm 30; 2 Corinthians 8:1–9, 13–15

Sermon Theme: In the midst of so many voices that surround us today, only the words of Jesus bring unqualified comfort to our lives.                                                                                                     Sermon Goal: That you distinguish the voice of your shepherd from all other voices out there in today’s information technology world and the voice of Jesus continue to bring comfort to you as you are gathered to this Divine Service. Based on a sermon outline in Concordia Pulpit Resources by Dr. Naomichi Masaki.

Sermon

We are living at a time when we daily get more information than we can possibly handle. Internet, social media, TV, podcast, you name it. We are surrounded by many and various voices. Which one is authentic? Which one tells us the truth? Dr. Luther defined the church as “lambs who hear the voice of their Shepherd” (SA III XII 2). For Christians, the voice of our Shepherd Jesus is the one thing needful. Against the temptation into which Adam and Eve fell—to hear a voice other than God in the garden—we are exhorted to pay attention to the words of  Jesus more than anything else.

For In the Midst of So Many Voices That Surround Us Today, Only the Words of Jesus Bring Unqualified Comfort to Our Lives. What words of  Jesus do we hear in our Gospel today?

In Mark’s larger context, Jesus is proclaiming a new relationship between himself and his church, so that any claim to a special relationship with Israel under the Law is an old, false voice.

The new relationship is demonstrated by the confession of the centurion at Jesus’ death. The old, false voice is demonstrated by Israel’s leaders failing to understand Jesus as their fully human as well as divine Messiah who would go to the cross. This voice is heard in modern Zionism and the false eschatology of many media preachers. But this is also simply the false voice of all works-righteousness.

The new relationship is demonstrated by Mark’s references to the Twelve—and to other twelves: twelve tribes of Israel and now Jesus’ own Twelve.

The new relationship is expressed in Jairus and the suffering woman trusting the word they had heard about Jesus, rather than trusting their own piety (vv 22–23, 27–28). Against the voices of despair we often hear from within, God calls us to believe his promises in Christ.

The promises of God’s Word are absolutely reliable, the true voice for all these situations. Against the false voices of neo-Pentecostalism, charismatics, and “prosperity Gospel,” Jesus’ voice teaches us what it truly means that our faith makes us well (v 34).

Personal faith itself is never the cause of healing or salvation. This is clear since the woman Jesus healed and to whom he spoke those words was truly sinful and unclean. This is even more obvious in the case of Jairus’s daughter, since she was dead and his faith was weak. Rather than something meritorious in ourselves, faith is a gift that is received. In fact, healing miracles were only secondary in Jesus’ ministry. They were “easy” for Jesus, the Creator of the universe. They were accomplished simply by Jesus’ word. Jesus’ primary mission was to forgive sins.

This required Jesus becoming flesh and taking our uncleanness upon himself. It required Jesus vicariously bearing our sin on the cross. A true voice says, “You can keep the miracles and healing, and we will keep salvation.”

Above all, against the terrifying voice that says death is the end, Jesus speaks the sweetly comforting words, “The child is not dead but sleeping.” It seems laughable to deny the voice that says death is the final tragedy (vv 38–39). But against all voices of the world concerning death, we receive sheer comfort in the words of  Jesus. For Jesus, the baptized believers are sleeping when they are dead.

And these are not merely his words. With his words come his vicarious atonement and satisfaction. Jesus bore our sin in his body, taking upon himself our uncleanness and giving us his holiness in return—the great exchange indeed! With his wounds, we are healed!

Because Jesus destroyed our death by his death and by it achieved our salvation, those whose sins are forgiven by his words and Sacraments are confident without any room for doubt that Jesus will come to awaken us when we are dead.   In the meantime, we will only sleep!

Yes, we live in an age of information overload, with so many voices speaking at us. But God would have us pay attention to the words of  Jesus alone. Against all the voices that speak death, Christians get to say boldly that we will only sleep when we die, because we are in Christ and our sins are forgiven through Baptism and the Lord’s gifts that we keep receiving in his church through the means of grace. Blessed are you who will be addressed by your Lord, “Little girl, I say to you, arise” (v 41). “Do not fear, only believe” (v 36). God’s mercies are new every morning; great is his faithfulness to you (cf Lam 3:23)! “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing” (Ps 30:11). And “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9). Amen!