Hollywood spends millions producing so-called “reality” shows which are often quite scripted and not real at all. And even if they are not scripted the editing that goes into these shows to produce a certain effect is enormous. Just so companies spend millions on trying to persuade us to buy their products. But just because we see an ad doesn't mean we'll buy whatever is being sold. All over our lives we can see examples of the way in which we try to control things and make people do what we want and make things come out the way we want and it can still fail. But compare that to God's Word. He sends His Word and it does what it says. Consider for a moment the power of God's Word. He speaks and calls forth creation out of nothing. He establishes a kingdom with a word and tears down another. He pronounces judgment and punishment that cannot be avoided. He promises grace and every blessing and people are blessed. Just listen to that promise from the prophet Isaiah: “As the rain and snow water the earth and it produces a harvest, so the Lord's Word goes forth and does accomplishes the things for which He sent it. And no longer will their be briers but myrtle trees.” The promise is that wherever God's Word goes, the curse of thorns and judgment against sin is overcome.
It was God's Word that created man from the dust of the earth and Eve from Adam's rib. It was abandoning that Word that caused mankind to fall into sin. It was God's Word that promised a Savior someday to Adam and Eve and it is His Word which goes forth to save sinners. After all, when we are talking about the Word, we are most of all talking about Jesus, the Son of God who is the Word of God made flesh. What does God have to say? He says, “Jesus.” The Son conceived in Mary's womb by God's Word and born according to the promises of God's Word. The Savior who preached God's Word of mercy for sinners. The Word of God that spoke God's love and forgiveness from Calvary when He was nailed to the tree, wearing those thorns, that sign of the curse. Jesus crucified wearing thorns teaches us that the Word that brought the curse against sin has taken the curse Himself so that the Word which curses us for our sins would be instead the word that forgives our sins.
And now that Christ is risen, He still sends His Word into the world to do what it says: save sinners. There is the Word that is attached to the water of the font that says your sins are washed away. There at the font is no symbol but the work of God being carried out: the Lord Himself making a new creation and claiming you as His own, rescued from death and the devil. The Word of Holy Absolution declares that your sins are forgiven and nothing in heaven or on earth or hell itself can say otherwise. Your guilt is pardoned. The Word is preached and read from the Holy Scriptures. There we have the promises of God laid out from the beginning of time and even after our Fall into sin. In that Word we have repeated for us the Lord's mercy in sending His Son to be our Savior and take away our sins. Done deal! Then there is the Word of Jesus that makes present His true Body and Blood to eat and drink for forgiveness, life and salvation. Over and over in His church, the Word comes to us and does what it says: it forgives, it makes new, it gives life, it promises hope and blessings, it rescues us from despair and sadness. The Word of God comes forth and waters us so that live ever in Christ.
Now since the Word of God does all those things, why would we dare despise it? Neglect it? Ignore it? When we plant something, we don't just leave it to wither and die. We water it and fertilize it so that it grows. Why then would we neglect the water of God's Word which causes us to grow? Here we ought to pause and examine our lives and ask ourselves: What is it that keeps me from being in church more often to hear God's Word? What is it that keeps me from studying and learning and growing in God's Word? What is it that hinders me from paying attention when God's Word is preached and read? Here are all kinds of opportunities to repent of neglecting and despising God's Word. In fact, here is our encouragement to pray that the Lord would continue to provide us His Word and do what it promises, that is, forgive our sins and keep us in the faith. And since we have that promise we can pray boldly that His Word will do exactly that!
Who knows how a show will end or if an ad on TV will persuade you to buy anything? But the Lord's Word is not uncertain like that. It is given to save sinners and that's exactly what it does. It is the Word that bestows what it says: forgiveness of sins, faith, life, salvation, a clean heart, the blessings of communion with God Himself. Whatever is promised in God's Word His Word gives. Whatever gifts His Word says we have, we have! For the Lord's Word goes forth and it doesn't return empty. It gives and does what it promises and therefore it is the most sure and certain thing our Lord has given us. For the Word gives us Christ and there is nothing more sure and certain than Him. God's Word says Jesus is for you. His Word says you are His. So you are. Because He said so and that's the kind of Word God has. Not uncertain and wishy-washy. Sure and certain. Rock solid. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
Showing posts with label Sexagesima. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sexagesima. Show all posts
Saturday, March 05, 2011
Sunday, February 27, 2011
February 27, 2011 - Sexagesima - St. Luke 8:4-15
Jesus says that the seed sown is the Word of God. Seed is sown into the dirt. That means...wait a minute! Did Jesus just call us dirt? Well, that's what we are. God took some dirt and made Adam. When we die we turn back into dust, dirt. So yeah, we're dirt. But think about it. Where do you put a seed when you want it to grow? Into the dirt. Just so the Lord sows His seed, His Word into us that it may grow up and bear fruit. And look at how He sows! This is the same generous Lord who last week paid everyone the same no matter how long they worked. Now He's sowing seed everywhere, flinging it all over the place. Sending His Word around the world. Sometimes it's snatched away or doesn't have root or gets choked off. But sometimes it grows in good soil and produces a big harvest. It doesn't matter. He just keeps sowing. What matters is what Isaiah says: The Word of the Lord goes forth and does what it says, it saves sinners and bears fruit in their lives.
The Word of God goes forth. In the flesh. To get planted in the dirt. Jesus comes, the Son of God, the Word of God, made flesh. To be planted in the ground at His death and to rise again to give the world life. When the Father sent the Son, the Word into this world, He did what the Father sent Him to do: save sinners by His death on the cross. Jesus said once that unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground, it can never grow. But now our Lord has been planted by His death into the earth and by His resurrection He brings forth the fruit of forgiveness and life which are given to the whole world through the Word that delivers them. Once again we see the generosity of this Lord who doesn't spare His only begotten Son but gives Him up for us all, for the whole world!
When He is risen, and before He ascends to the Father, Jesus ordains His preachers to take His Word to the ends of the earth. By the preaching of the Gospel ever since, the Lord has been sowing His Word all over the place. More generosity. Doesn't matter where or when, the Lord's Word is going forth. Around the the world. Wherever there are sinners. But not all received it. The Word was preached to rescue sinners from sin and death. But sometimes the devil snatches it away. Sometimes the troubles of this life cause faith to wither. Sometimes just all the stuff this world gives us to worry about chokes off that faith the Word implanted. The Word of God is not magic. It can be resisted and rejected. There's a warning for us there. There's a warning to repent of despising that Word. Of letting the devil have it. Or letting the troubles of this life wither your faith or paying so much attention to the riches and cares of this world that faith and trust in Christ are choked off. Notice when Jesus speaks this parable, He isn't talking about the unbelievers. He's talking about those who have heard and believed but for one reason or another have given up on God's Word! Beware! Satan wants to snatch God's Word from you. The temptations your sinful flesh faces will try to wither you faith into nothing. The cares and riches of this life will choke off your faith.
But we have God's promise that His Word does what it says. And in the good soil it produces fruit. What's the good soil? A noble and good heart? Well that's a heart that's been prepared to receive this Word by the rich waters of Holy Baptism. It's a heart that's been tilled and plowed by the Law which drives us to repentance and prepares us to receive the seed of the Gospel that grows in us producing fruits. Here's more of Jesus getting our eyes off of ourselves and teaching us that religion isn't about us but about Him. It's HIS Word. HIS seed. When the Word of God bears fruit in us, that is the Spirit's work. Not ours. To bear fruit is the work of God's Word in us. The seed planted in you is the Savior who was planted in the grave and rose again now planted in you for salvation and life. And what is that fruit? It's the fruit of faith that trusts in Jesus and knows that for His sake all of our sins are forgiven. It's the fruit of good works which does whatever needs to be done, not to impress God, but for those around us who need our love and help and encouragement and support. In short, the seed of God's Word in us grows up in us in a life that looks to Jesus for all things and serves our neighbor in every way.
So if this is the strength and power of the Word of God, why aren't there more people sitting in these pews? Why are there those who used to come but now we haven't seen them in so long? Why is it that Someone receives instruction in the Word and is eager to be a part of the church and not long after they drift away? The Lord has laid it out for us. That's just what happens to His Word and faith. The devil, the sinful nature, the world. The fact is, there are lots of things out there that drag us away from church and Christ's Word. People get mad at God. Don't have time. Find something better to do. But He tells us this parable to warn us. To teach us to look to Him to fulfill the promise of keeping us in His Word. That's always what we need: His Word. Brothers and sisters in Christ, how can I persuade you that you need the Lord's Word? I can't. But the Word of God does its work, even this very parable. May this very parable of our Lord do what He promises, that is, turn you away from ever despising God's Word deliver to you the key to the mysteries of God's kingdom. And that means faith and trust in Christ.
Jesus told His disciples that to them was given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. That's what His Word is all about. Delivering salvation and forgiveness to us and preserving us against all that would steal, wither, or choke off that faith. That means watered with the nourishing water of Baptism and fed with the holy food of Christ's body and blood. You here today, you who are a part of Christ's church by the Lord's generosity—you have the implanted Word which is saves you. So here we are, a week and a half from Ash Wednesday and Lent and prepared by our Lord to receive His Word and to have it live and grow in us unto eternal life. And that means that you're not just any kind of dirt but holy and sanctified dirt! In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
The Word of God goes forth. In the flesh. To get planted in the dirt. Jesus comes, the Son of God, the Word of God, made flesh. To be planted in the ground at His death and to rise again to give the world life. When the Father sent the Son, the Word into this world, He did what the Father sent Him to do: save sinners by His death on the cross. Jesus said once that unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground, it can never grow. But now our Lord has been planted by His death into the earth and by His resurrection He brings forth the fruit of forgiveness and life which are given to the whole world through the Word that delivers them. Once again we see the generosity of this Lord who doesn't spare His only begotten Son but gives Him up for us all, for the whole world!
When He is risen, and before He ascends to the Father, Jesus ordains His preachers to take His Word to the ends of the earth. By the preaching of the Gospel ever since, the Lord has been sowing His Word all over the place. More generosity. Doesn't matter where or when, the Lord's Word is going forth. Around the the world. Wherever there are sinners. But not all received it. The Word was preached to rescue sinners from sin and death. But sometimes the devil snatches it away. Sometimes the troubles of this life cause faith to wither. Sometimes just all the stuff this world gives us to worry about chokes off that faith the Word implanted. The Word of God is not magic. It can be resisted and rejected. There's a warning for us there. There's a warning to repent of despising that Word. Of letting the devil have it. Or letting the troubles of this life wither your faith or paying so much attention to the riches and cares of this world that faith and trust in Christ are choked off. Notice when Jesus speaks this parable, He isn't talking about the unbelievers. He's talking about those who have heard and believed but for one reason or another have given up on God's Word! Beware! Satan wants to snatch God's Word from you. The temptations your sinful flesh faces will try to wither you faith into nothing. The cares and riches of this life will choke off your faith.
But we have God's promise that His Word does what it says. And in the good soil it produces fruit. What's the good soil? A noble and good heart? Well that's a heart that's been prepared to receive this Word by the rich waters of Holy Baptism. It's a heart that's been tilled and plowed by the Law which drives us to repentance and prepares us to receive the seed of the Gospel that grows in us producing fruits. Here's more of Jesus getting our eyes off of ourselves and teaching us that religion isn't about us but about Him. It's HIS Word. HIS seed. When the Word of God bears fruit in us, that is the Spirit's work. Not ours. To bear fruit is the work of God's Word in us. The seed planted in you is the Savior who was planted in the grave and rose again now planted in you for salvation and life. And what is that fruit? It's the fruit of faith that trusts in Jesus and knows that for His sake all of our sins are forgiven. It's the fruit of good works which does whatever needs to be done, not to impress God, but for those around us who need our love and help and encouragement and support. In short, the seed of God's Word in us grows up in us in a life that looks to Jesus for all things and serves our neighbor in every way.
So if this is the strength and power of the Word of God, why aren't there more people sitting in these pews? Why are there those who used to come but now we haven't seen them in so long? Why is it that Someone receives instruction in the Word and is eager to be a part of the church and not long after they drift away? The Lord has laid it out for us. That's just what happens to His Word and faith. The devil, the sinful nature, the world. The fact is, there are lots of things out there that drag us away from church and Christ's Word. People get mad at God. Don't have time. Find something better to do. But He tells us this parable to warn us. To teach us to look to Him to fulfill the promise of keeping us in His Word. That's always what we need: His Word. Brothers and sisters in Christ, how can I persuade you that you need the Lord's Word? I can't. But the Word of God does its work, even this very parable. May this very parable of our Lord do what He promises, that is, turn you away from ever despising God's Word deliver to you the key to the mysteries of God's kingdom. And that means faith and trust in Christ.
Jesus told His disciples that to them was given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. That's what His Word is all about. Delivering salvation and forgiveness to us and preserving us against all that would steal, wither, or choke off that faith. That means watered with the nourishing water of Baptism and fed with the holy food of Christ's body and blood. You here today, you who are a part of Christ's church by the Lord's generosity—you have the implanted Word which is saves you. So here we are, a week and a half from Ash Wednesday and Lent and prepared by our Lord to receive His Word and to have it live and grow in us unto eternal life. And that means that you're not just any kind of dirt but holy and sanctified dirt! In the Name of Jesus. Amen.
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