Sermon Text for December 31, 2023 - "Into the New Year as God's Chosen Ones"

 “Into the New Year as God’s Chosen Ones”

December 31, 2023

 

            Dear brothers and sisters, grace and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

            It is fitting that the last sermon for this year happens to be on the last day of this year, and we are looking forward with hope to what God has planned for us. In this past year, we have spent quite a bit of time recovering and rebounding from the damage caused by the pandemic and related events. But now, God’s Word tells us exactly what to do and what direction to go in this coming year, and we would do well to heed what God says to us. Today’s sermon will be focusing exclusively on our Second Reading from Colossians, and you are invited you to turn back to page 1834 if you wish to follow along for reference. Also, how everything is presented today will certainly be with a greater sense of urgency and directness than is usual; we are at a point where we definitely are to grasp hold of the gift God is giving us today to be able to continue on in a positive, hopeful direction. One other thing I want to make clear is that everything I’m about to say is not only for our own church family, but for everyone in every church, in every place. If anyone listening or watching has any additional points to make as to how we can go into this coming year following God’s direction, please feel free to email me, comment on Facebook, or on this sermon text once it is posted on the website. For those of you who will be taking notes as well, each point will be presented individually.

1.     Clothe Yourself. We often put quite a bit of time into trying to decide what we’re going to wear each Sunday morning. And certainly that is something we can be concerned about. But now we can honestly ask ourselves, what sort of other things am I bringing into church with me each Sunday, that I am clothing myself with? What sort of attitude do I have, and what do I intend to do towards those with whom I worship? Paul urges us to clothe ourselves with “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” These are the things we also ought to be “wearing” – and demonstrating – when we come to church each Sunday – compassion and understanding for each other’s lives and situations; kindness in how we speak and act towards each other; humility in how we conduct ourselves; gentleness in how we treat each other in every situation; and patience in how we relate to each other. 

2.     Forgive and Start Over. Perhaps we are still carrying grievances and grudges from the past year, or the past few years. Yet Paul encourages us, “Bear with one another and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgives you.” Doubtless, there have been things that have happened that have disrupted trust and caused suspicion. Words have been spoken, actions have been done. But now, it is time to work on repairing and restoring relationships, especially so we can be able to worship, fellowship, and serve together powerfully and effectively again. Forgiveness does not mean pretending as though whatever has happened never happened, but instead acknowledging that it has happened, resolving to no longer let it affect our relationships, and seeking, where possible, to restore anything that has been damaged.

3.     Let Peace and Unity Rule. In order to move forward into this new year, this especially ought to be our goal. Conflict especially can damage our peace and unity, and can hamper any progress God wants to make us have. And one of the greatest determinants for how much peace and unity we have among ourselves is how we we speak to each other, and about each other. Talebearing, gossip, and insinuations ought to have no place in our conversations among each other, or about each other. Furthermore, anything which threatens our peace and unity, whether negative attitudes or divisive ideologies, also ought to have no place among us in this coming year. Instead, we are to focus on being positive and hopeful, especially looking forward, anticipating, and discerning through prayer and discussion, what God can do, and will do for us. Also, this is demonstrated in what we do when new people and families come to worship with us: if we are welcoming, and engage new people among us in conversation, and are friendly towards new people, then they will want to come back again. Also, we are encouraged to invite people, our friends and neighbors, to come and worship with us, and feel welcome in our church family.

4.     Keep Studying and Singing. The Bible is the source of all our teaching, and therefore we are to continue to hear, read, and study it regularly. In fact, we are encouraged, even urged, to study God’s Word even more than we have this previous year, because it is through reading and hearing the Word regularly that we hear the truth not only of what God wants us to believe, but how He wants us to regard others – mainly with love, gentleness, and kindness. We are also encouraged, as we are able, to commit to attending the preaching of God’s Word more regularly in this coming year, so we can hear what God tells us more frequently. For presenting the Word, we can utilize, as we did before, years ago, new, inventive, and creative ways of presenting the lessons from the Bible each week, especially those which are more interactive and engaging, using all kinds of props and other methods. We can also embrace new resources and methods for reaching out, especially to reach the youth, children, and families of our community. We also can continue to welcome new songs and ways of singing, especially those songs, both traditional and contemporary, which we find inspiring, and which God has used to speak to us, sustain us, and revive us. We can also continue to let those of us in our church family who have particular vocal and musical gifts and talents use their gifts in leading us in song and worship, and encourage those who play any and all kinds of instruments to use them to accompany us in song.

5.     Do Everything in Jesus’ Name. Everything we are striving for, our goals, events, donation drives, even our fundraisers, are to be with one objective in mind: reaching people for Jesus. Yes, we exist as a church family for those who have been longtime members, and whose families have been well established as part of the church. But we also, as we were doing well with before covid, are to be actively reaching out, inviting, and bringing new people into our church family. We offer not only friendship and fellowship, but a personal relationship with Jesus – Jesus, who can bless beyond measure, help even in impossibility, heal sickness, save from sin, and give a new life to everyone who follows Him and believes in Him. We can also a safe, accepting place for people to focus only on worshipping and following Jesus, and being in relationship and friendship with others who are supportive, acceptive, and encouraging – as Jesus Himself is. Our unique sort of tradition and atmosphere can also be what someone is looking for – but, again, we are to be welcoming and inviting in order to enhance the positive experience people have worshipping with us.

As we stand on the threshold of 2024, may God bless us with the ability to do all these things, in His name and on His behalf. Let us therefore commit ourselves to following His direction for growth and mission, and commit ourselves to Him, giving thanks this whole year for all He has done, and will do for us, and letting Him dwell in us and among us richly again.

            Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.

12/31/2023 Full Worship Service - First Sunday after Christmas

Sermon Text for December 24, 2023 - "The Impossible God"

 “The Impossible God”

December 24, 2023

 

            Dear brothers and sisters, grace and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

            One of the many benefits from substitute teaching I’ve been able to reap is, even as I’ve been teaching, I’ve also been learning. And, one of the many things I’ve learned is how much I actually really enjoy Math and Science. 

Let me explain: when I was younger, I didn’t think much of Math or Science, because I didn’t really understand the practical applications of either – especially Math. I’ve gotten older, however, and especially as I’ve gotten to be able to teach basic concepts of Math and Science to students, I’ve realized how much Math and Science are a part of our everyday lives. Music, for example, is based entirely on Math and Science, for measuring beats, tempo, intervals, tones, acoustics, and harmony. Ever constant new discoveries in Science have enabled us not only to live better and more convenient lives, but have also challenged us to think beyond what we know and experiment to see what else remains to be discovered. Sports are even based on Mathematics and Science – of course numbers are used to keep score, but also the standard measurements on the field, court, or rink, and shapes which are on them; and to the laws of Physics which govern how hard and how high to kick or hit a ball or other object.

            All of this has also helped me discover another wonderful truth: I’ve come to realize, more and more, how much God has a hand in every subject we learn about. History shows us how, time and time again, God has intervened, and caused world events to be directed towards where He wants them to go. Social Studies also show us not only how God has intervened and set things in order throughout history, but how He desire to arrange society, so that we, and all people, can live together in peace, harmony, and understanding. Through Science, God shows us the miracle of His creation: no element, particle, atom, or chemical evolved purely by chance: it had to have an origin somewhere, as well as a plan for it to turn out the way it did, and that origin and plan came from the mind and hands of God. As Isaac Newton once said, “This most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.” It is also because of Science that God has given us all the good gifts of His creation, and everything we need to live – food from the earth, livestock from the fields, safely-built houses in which to live, air conditioning and furnaces to keep those houses cool and warm, and modes of automated transportation to get us places. Mathematics demonstrates the fundamental order which God has set in place, since Math has a series of consistent and predictable laws and rules – which govern all other Sciences, and even the Arts and Humanities. Indeed, as Galileo said, “Mathematics is the alphabet with which God has written the universe.” All things, whatever they may be, are subject to God and His command, because He has set them in motion and ordered them a certain way.

Also, what studying History, the Humanities, the Arts, Social Studies, Economics, Political Science, Science, Math, and Sports show us is how interconnected all things are, and how inseparable one thing is from another, and especially shows how interconnected all people are to each other in many different ways. This, again, is all part of God’s plan: God has created us, and all things, to be in healthy relationship with each other, and depend on each other. We depend on our plants and trees to give us food, shade, and beauty; and they in turn depend on us for nourishment. We depend on animals to give us companionship and food, and they in turn also depend on us for proper care. What all this also shows is that Math and Science are far from being in conflict with God’s plan, or even with our Christian faith. Indeed, many of the greatest scientists and mathematicians were both devout Christians and people of faith in general, who gave God the credit for all the discoveries they were able to make. As Louis Pasteur said, “The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed at the work of the Creator. Science brings men nearer to God.” 

            All that being said, what we also learn in the Bible today is how God frequently operates outside of His own laws and rules to accomplish great and mighty wonders, especially to help and save us. Since He is the almighty the only-wise God, He cannot be bound, contained, or limited by any laws, or even by any logic. We especially see this in our Gospel Reading. One of the many non-negotiables of our Christian faith is that Jesus was born of a virgin. This itself, it could be said, violates the laws of Science, because how could it be possible for a child to be conceived outside of the normal biological process of conception? And yet, that is exactly what God does: by causing His Son to grow in the womb of Mary in a way where her virginity remains intact, He shows not only that His Son is God, but that He is able to accomplish the impossible, and overcome all odds, even violate all rules, to do what He wants for us. As Gabriel tells Mary in verse 37, “For nothing is impossible with God.” Furthermore, it also violates the laws of Science to say that someone could be both a human being and the almighty divine God at the same time. Yet, that is exactly who Jesus is, fully God and fully human. Just as God has created all of us in creation to be interconnected in unbroken relationship, He also is in interconnected relationship with us. When that relationship was unfortunately broken by sin, He sent Jesus to restore that connection: by becoming one of us, Jesus is God who is inseparably intertwined with us. Also, Jesus has come to restore broken relationships between people, and restore them, and us, to the harmony and peace for which God created us in the first place. He does this by trying to bring all people into a relationship with Him, where He alone is acknowledged and Lord, God, and King, and all other divisions, whether of denomination, race, politics, economics, background, or anything else, disappear because of putting allegiance to Him first. Which may seem completely impossible right now – but when Jesus comes again, He will make it all possible because He alone will reign over the nations of the earth; as Paul says in our Second Reading from Romans, all nations will believe and obey Him. And, just as He will be Lord and God among us in the future, He is still Lord God among us even now. He is truly “Emmanuel,” God with us – He shares our humanity, and even shared in our suffering and death, by living a perfect sinless life, dying on a cross as a sacrifice for our sins. Then, He showed His almighty divinity by rising again, defeating death, and winning eternal life for everyone who believes in Him. He reigns forever as King, of the House of David, as God promises to David in our First Reading from 2 Samuel. Also, in our First Reading, God, speaking through the Prophet Nathan, reminds David, and us, that God cannot be contained – whether by a building, or any other confinement, God cannot be limited, nor does He need anything to mark where He is. Even though we gather each week to worship Him here at this church, He is not only here – He is everywhere we are. The Holy Spirit continues to speak to us and gives us power through the Bible, and further gives us the power of God through Baptism and Holy Communion – using ordinary things of creation, which normally operate according to natural laws, to accomplish supernatural and extraordinary things. The Bible especially, because it is the Word of God, has the power to create, give life, sustain, restore, and revive – which is why we always ought to hear, read, and study it regularly, and engage it not merely as an ordinary book, but as the mechanism by which God works His power in us. The Bible ultimately, as Paul says, is the Gospel and proclamation of Jesus Christ, revealed through both the prophetic writings and the story of Jesus – which begins with His birth, and continues on, because He lives eternally, and especially lives forever in us.

            Today, then, Jesus wants to come into your life again. He created all things, and set all things in order, and now He wants to reign supreme in your heart and life again. If you want to experience a real, living relationship with someone who loves and accepts you unconditionally, then you are invited to say, “Come, Lord Jesus. As you came into this world as a baby in Bethlehem, born from a virgin, come into my heart again. Come and bind yourself to me, and never let me be separated from you.” If you, right now, are experiencing any kind of conflict, whether in yourself, or with another person, then you are invited to say, “Come, Lord Jesus, and bring peace to my heart and mind. Come and resolve the conflict and tension I’m having to deal with, and help me to forgive – whether it’s myself or another person, help me to forgive and give all things to your power.” Even if there is something in your life you think is impossible, that you can’t handle or solve, Jesus is the God of the impossible – and will help overcome whatever you find impossible, if you give all control over to Him. And because He is God with us – and with you – Jesus will come to you, and be with you. Be ready for Jesus to do the impossible – because nothing is too impossible for Him.

            Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 2023

12/24/2023 Full Worship Service - Fourth Sunday in Advent

Sermon Text for December 10, 2023 - "Rekindled"

 “Rekindled”

December 10, 2023

 

            Dear brothers and sisters, grace and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

            As mentioned earlier, this coming Thursday, the 14^th, will be the twentieth anniversary of the day on which, only and entirely by the grace of God, I was ordained to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament. Now, December 14^th, 2003, also happened to be the day Saddam Hussein was captured during the Invasion of Iraq. Coincidence? You be the judge. Anyway, I would be lying if I said that the last twenty years of ordained ministry been smooth sailing all the way: within that twenty years, I’ve already had to endure a wide and dizzying variety of changes, challenges, and conflicts; and even periods where I’ve wondered, often aloud, what my real purpose as a pastor or minister is. And, after twenty years, the answer actually seems to be quite simple:

Give people Jesus. That’s it. A minister, by definition, is someone who attends to the needs of someone. And that is basically the job description in a nutshell: meet people’s needs by giving them Jesus. Again, the official title for an ordained pastor is Minister of Word and Sacrament. And both preaching the Word and administering the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion have one purpose: to give Jesus to people. Preaching the Word meets people’s needs both by encouraging repentance from straying away from God’s will, as well as promising comfort to everyone who believes in Him. The Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion also provide this same assurance by being physical reminders and channels of the power and presence of God in our lives. I also want to emphasize that my ordination as a Minister of Word and Sacrament in no way implies that I possess greater spiritual power than any of us who are baptized, because each of us are giving the same Holy Spirit at Baptism, and are fed with the same spiritual power – the power of Jesus – through His body and blood in Holy Communion. While being a pastor also carries a certain amount of authority, that authority is only to be used to carry out the will of Jesus towards other people – that is, as Isaiah says in today’s First Reading, to feed the flock like a shepherd, especially with comfort; gather the lambs in his arms with love, compassion, forgiveness, and acceptance; carry them close to the heart, because we are all close to Jesus’ heart; and gently lead those who have young and are young. Being a pastor is being a friend and companion, walking alongside every person, both inside and outside the congregation, to, again according to the admonition of Isaiah, provide comfort to everyone, to let people know that God is with them, is on their side, and has saved them. Indeed, that is God, speaking through Isaiah, promises: that our hard service has been completed, and our sin has been paid for, by the atoning sacrifice of Jesus, shedding His blood to cleanse us of our sins, dying and rising again so we may live forever. We have indeed received from the Lord’s hand double for all our sins, because we have received grace beyond measure and expectation, and all of our sins, past, present, and future, have been fully forgiven. It is because of this that we have the promise, the security, of knowing and believing that in every struggle, challenge, trouble, or conflict, we are never alone: God is always with us, fighting for us, winning victory for us. 

Also, each of us not only have this promise, but we are called to testify to this promise to everyone. Even though my job involves preparing a sermon every Sunday, mainly to explain what God is telling us in His Word each week, each one of us have the calling to testify. God says to us, “Cry out!” and we may very well ask, “What shall I cry?” Simple, actually: just as my calling is to proclaim the Word of God, each one of us also have the same calling – to proclaim the Word of God. We are to tell, and show, everyone, “Here is your God!” Here is your one true God, who has existed since before the beginning of time; who created, saves, and sustains everything; and who has revealed Himself in His Son. It is only through Jesus, the Son of God, that we can really know the one true God, and be saved through believing in Him. Here is also the one true God who reaches out to help and rescue all people in their time of need, whose love and acceptance is unconditional, and who never abandons or turns away anyone who asks Him for help. That is the unchanging truth we are to proclaim. Even despite all the other changes that have happened over the years, one thing has remained the same:

As Isaiah 40:8 says, “The word of our God stands forever.” Even in the midst of everything else that has changed and evolved, God’s Word has remained unchanged. The promises He offers in His Word also remain unchanged: that everyone who believes in Him, and in His Son as Lord, God, and Savior, has comfort, peace, forgiveness, security, assurance, and true love. If you want to have all these things today, then you are invited to invite Jesus into your heart again. Jesus Himself is the unchanging Word of God, unchanging because He is immortal, and He is the very expression of God’s unchanging nature: God is love, Jesus loves each of us, and that is something that will never change. He is the Word of God made flesh, who came to earth to carry out all the promises God made through the prophets; to fulfill the demands of the Law by living a perfect life; and to offer Himself as a spotless sacrifice to save all people from the power of sin and death. He is also the Word of God made flesh in that He demonstrates God’s will towards all people: a loving relationship - which, again, is the same purpose of ministry.

To kind of parse out a little bit more what we mean when we say, “ministry,” here are some helpful definitions, courtesy of a presentation found on Google Images:

-       Ministry is an activity carried out by Christians to express or spread their faith.

-       Ministry is from the Greek word “diakoneo,” meaning “to serve.”

-       Ministry is service to God and to other people in His name.

To simplify it a bit, according to this definition of Ministry which was also found on Google, 

“Ministry is meeting another’s needs with the resources that God has given to you.” The main resource we have been given is the Word of God. We are also encouraged to study God’s Word daily and deeply, and find in it the promise of peace God gives to everyone who comes to Him looking for their needs to be met. And then, we are to give that peace from God by meeting the needs with the resources we have been given. This can be praying with someone; giving food to the hungry; clothing to those who need it; or even simply and kind and encouraging word to someone who needs to have their spirits lifted.

But what we are also doing, as Ministers, is not only bringing Jesus to people, but bringing people to Jesus. We are doing so because people need to be saved. Whether or not anyone chooses to accept it, God is the only one true God, He desires everyone to believe in Him and be saved, and He has planned for everything to head to a certain destiny.

Someday, as Peter reminds us in our Second Reading, the earth as we know it is going to be consumed by fire, and everything we see around us will come to an end. But the reason is because Jesus is going to be clearing aside this world, doing a complete demolition job, if you will, to make everything perfect. He will be uniting heaven and earth as one realm for His eternal Kingdom, and will bring an end to war, suffering, sickness, violence, hatred, and division, establishing love the foundation of His rule. Even though we are living in His Kingdom now, we are still waiting for the complete, perfect place, the new heaven and earth, the home of the righteous, which will be our eternal home. And, we want others to enjoy that same wonderful destiny with us, but it can only happen by believing in and accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior. So we are to bring people to faith in Jesus, and have that same promise of being saved.

            If you want to have the assurance that when that day comes, when the world as we know it ends and is consumed by fire, and that you will have a place in the home of the righteous, then you are invited, once again, to ask Jesus into your heart, to rekindle your heart with love for Him. Jesus will give you that comfort and assurance, letting you know that you are destined to live with Him in His Kingdom, by reminding you that He died and rose again for you; you are baptized into His death and resurrection; and so you are saved. Jesus has already saved you, because He has already done all the work necessary or you to be saved. I will also tell all of you that, even after a period of struggle, my own heart for the ministry God has called me to has been rekindled, and, as I have been able to discern what my purpose as a minister is, my desire to carry out that ministry has been rekindled. It is my hope and prayer, indeed, it ought to be our hope and prayer, that God will rekindle our own desire and passion to carry out His ministry to our communities and beyond. Like John the Baptist, we are called to prepare the way for Jesus, so let’s be prepared to be sent out into the wilderness – the world outside our walls – to get people ready to receive Jesus. Let’s be rekindled – and be recommitted – for our true calling, the one we all have in common: to bring Jesus to people, and bring people to Jesus.

            Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.

Weekly Word Podcast from St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Farmersville, Ohio, December 10, 2023 - Second Sunday in Advent

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12/10/2023 Full Worship Service - Second Sunday in Advent

Sermon Text for December 3, 2023 - "Remolded"

 “Remolded”

December 3, 2023

 

            Dear brothers and sisters, grace and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

            There is no doubt that we are living in a time of change. We’ve probably even noticed – and some of you have even pointed this out – that being in a classroom is different in many ways nowadays than it was back in the day. I even pointed out to the Confirmation students recently that the way they learned how to do Math is different from how I learned how to do Math way back when. There are many other ways and methods of learning that use the resources available now that weren’t available in an earlier time, especially with modern technology. And, a lot of these resources, and especially technology, are things we use on a daily basis: information and ideas are right at our fingertips, and we are constantly being influenced, having our minds changed or molded, by what we read or hear. No matter what age we are, and, whether or not we realize it, we have all sorts of influences which are molding us, influencing us to think and act in certain ways. And, always have to be careful of what we are letting influence and teach us.

            Certainly, this is a challenge, because, whether or not we realize it, we are constantly learning. One thing I’ve learned over the past couple of months is that you’re never too old to learn. You’re never too old to take on a new challenge, and you’re certainly never too old to change and be reshaped. For all of us, it is actually an ongoing process, one that lasts a lifetime. As we grow, we change, we learn, and we even stumble and fall; but when we stumble and fall, God is there to pick us up and put us back on track again. He actively corrects our course when we veer off in the direction He wants us to go. Sometimes, on a pot, there can be a groove or a scratch that gets stuck in the molding process, ruining the shape and design of the pot. In fact, that was the very problem in today’s First Reading from Isaiah: the people of Israel had fallen into sin, and were stuck in a harmful groove – trapped in a continuous cycle and pattern of going against who God wanted them to be. They had become slaves to their sinful, destructive habits, which were destroying their well-being, their relationships with each other, and relationship with God. So, in chapter 64, verse 1, they cried out to God to tear the heavens open, come down, and rescue them from their constantly destroying themselves, and being destined for eternal death. And that’s exactly what He did: He opened the curtains of heaven, and stepped through them Himself, coming down to earth not in a great flashy show of power, but in a small yet equally powerful action – being born in a small stable in a small town, late at night, lying in a manger. It was something, though, that changed history, the destiny of all people, and even the entire world. Jesus then died on the cross to rescue us all from slavery to sin and death, and rose again to win eternal life in heaven for us. He then ascended into heaven afterwards, and has promised to come back to rescue us, and this world, from sin, sadness, struggle, and sickness. Jesus continues to come to us, just as He did at Christmas, in small but meaningful ways. The season of Advent, which we are starting to celebrate today, is not just about waiting for Jesus to come back again in great power, but waiting and expecting for Him to come to us, come into our hearts and lives, in small but still powerful ways. He still does so, and if we recognize what He’s doing, we can experience wonders beyond our imagination. We also pray, along with Isaiah: “O Lord, you are our Father, we are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” (Isaiah 64:8) God made us, we are the work of His hand, and He made us for a special purpose: to be like Him, and especially be like Him to other people. 

            We have especially been given the ability to do this, as Paul says in our Second Reading from First Corinthians, being strengthened in our way of speaking and knowledge. We have been given a tremendous amount of spiritual gifts, which we are to use for encouraging others with the promise of the help, power, and rescue of Jesus – as, together, we wait for His coming back.

God is also keeping us strong, to face the challenges of every day. And there’s no denying it: life is a challenge, and every single day brings both the same challenges, and even new ones every so often. In fact, we can say with confidence that we are constantly under attack, and we are at war. We are being continually attacked by the very notion that God is powerless, doesn’t even exist, or we don’t need Him. The reality is, we all still need God. God is still real, still exists, and still is present with us at every time, everywhere. The other great, and comforting thing is, even when we are out of strength, when all our own abilities to keep going, stay positive, or keep moving forward have been spent, God Himself gives us His strength. It is as though we are too tired to keep going, walking down a road, but God comes by in a car, lets us climb inside, and drives us to where we need to get to. We don’t do any of the work: God does it all for us. And that is a wonderful encouragement: nothing we have, whether it is our being saved, or being rescued from sin, God does everything. He already made it possible for us – for you – to have in change in life, and He is offering it freely, because He has already done all the work. If we accept His gift, He will faithfully do what He promises.

            God is always faithful. It’s a fact: God is always there for us. God will never let us down, because He hasn’t yet, and He never will. God is not powerless, but is all-powerful, and will give us strength to the very end. As Paul says, it is because of Him that we have fellowship with Jesus. We’ve been rescued from sin entirely because of Him; we’ve been destined for heaven only because of Him; and we are who we are because God did everything for us. Whatever we need, God loves us, and is always there to help us.

            In just a few moments, we will be receiving Communion together. And you are invited, as you come to the altar, to invite Jesus into your heart again. Invite Him to influence, teach, and mold you, to remove all those things which would keep you from Him, and to bring you back to Him. If there is any part of your life that needs remolding, or if there is anything that needs changing or correcting, ask Jesus to come and remove it from you, and put you in a new direction. If there is some sort of habit, bad groove, or even sin, you’ve fallen into, you believe you’ve become a slave to, that you can’t get out of on your own, ask Jesus to forgive you, and help you to stop doing it – and He will, because He is even more powerful than your sin, and will rescue you from anything. If you feel exhausted or discouraged, and you can’t go on, pray for Jesus to carry you by His strength – and He will. Also, if you need any kind of encouragement or comfort from God, to know that He is there for you and He is faithful to you, feel free to talk with me after worship today, and I will be happy to pray with you. As you eat and drink the real body and blood of Jesus in the bread and wine, you will be filled with the real power of Jesus, which will do things for you beyond anything you can possibly think of. Be open, open your heart and mind, to what Jesus will be doing in you, and for you this week. Be ready for how He will change your life, and show His love for you. Get ready for Jesus to return – by getting ready for Him to return to you now, to remold and reshape you now.

            Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.

Weekly Word Podcast from St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Farmersville, Ohio, December 3, 2023 - First Sunday in Advent

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12/03/2023 Full Worship Service - First Sunday in Advent

LCMC Three Days of Prayer, January 2-4, 2024

The annual LCMC Three Days of Prayer are January 2-4, 2024. We are invited to pray in our homes for our church family; communities, especially those in them who have yet to know Jesus; and the mission of LCMC. Suggested Prayer Guides are available on the back table of the sanctuary. More information is also available online at https://www.lcmc.net/three-days-of-prayer.

Rehearsals for Our Sunday School Christmas Program

Rehearsals for the Sunday School Christmas Program will be on Saturday, December 16th, at 10:00 A.M., for one hour; and on Sunday, December 17th at 9:00 A.M., before the worship service. Please let Angie Oblinger know if you will be able to make either or both of the rehearsal times.

Monthly Fellowship Dinner, Wednesday, January 17th, 6:30 P.M.!

Our monthly Fellowship Dinner will be resuming on Wednesday, January 17^th, at 6:30 P.M., at the Florentine in Germantown. Please feel free to sign up on the bulletin board in the Fellowship Hall so we know how many to reserve for.

LCMC Great Lakes District Prayer Concerns for December 2023

LCMC Great Lakes District

Prayer Concerns for December 2023

 

For the Church:

- Lutheran Congregations in Mission for Christ

 

- LCMC's Staff:

Mike Bradley, Service Coordinator 

Charles Hunsaker, Military Endorser

Christian Huntley, Coordinator for Leadership and Pastoral Development

Sharon Macfayden, Director of Operations

Cathy Nichol, Administrative Coordinator

Julie Smith, Coordinator for Districts and Fellowships

Kristy Thomas, Communication and Public Relations

- LCMC's Board of Trustees and Ministry Board.

 

- Our congregations in the Great Lakes District. This month, we pray for St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Farmersville, Ohio, and Pastor Jon Kibler; and St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Graytown, Ohio, and Pastor Robert Brandt.

- Our Mission Partners: this month, we pray for Centershot Ministries and Dakota Boys and Girls Ranch.

- Our International Partners: this month, we pray for LCMC Cambodia and the Canadian Association of Lutheran Congregations (CALC).

- Our local congregations with whom we fellowship and work alongside for mission and ministry in our communities.

  

For our Government:

- Joe Biden, our President.

- Kamala Harris, our Vice President.

- Mike DeWine, the Governor of Ohio.

- Gretchen Whitmer, the Governor of Michigan.

- Our elected representatives in Congress and State Legislatures.

- Our local county and municipal officials.

- Our nation's Armed Forces, especially those serving who are members of our church families; and for those who are suffering from mental or physical injury, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

- Our First Responders, particularly those of law enforcement, fire safety, paramedics, and all medical professionals.

 

For all those in special kind of need:

- The people of Ukraine and Russia in the ongoing war there; and for Spiritual Orphans Network and others who are ministering to the victims of the war in that region.

- All in our church families who are suffering from physical, mental, or spiritual illness; addiction; injury; abuse; domestic violence; trauma; stress; or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

- All in our own families who are in need of any kind of healing from God, in mind, body, or spirit.

- Those who are continuing to suffer from the effects of COVID-19, and the safety of our church families and communities with a possible resurgence.

- Those in our church families and communities who are suffering from poverty; homelessness; food insecurity; lack of adequate shelter and/or utilities; unemployment or underemployment.

- Those in our communities who are working to alleviate poverty and homelessness, especially our local shelters, food banks, soup kitchens, and clothes closets.

An end to the conflict in Israel, between Hamas and Israel, and an end to all war, bloodshed, and violence. 

The families of the victims, as well as the survivors, of all recent incidents of gun and other violent domestic attacks.

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, Sunday, December 24th, 8:30 P.M.!

 

Join us the evening of Sunday, December 24th, at 8:30 P.M., as we praise Jesus for His birth for our salvation! We will be singing Christmas carols; hearing the story of that glorious night told anew; and enjoying friendship and family time together. We will also be celebrating Holy Communion, and we practice Open Communion: all baptized Christians are welcome to receive the Lord's Supper.

Sunday School Christmas Program, Sunday, December 17th, 10:00 A.M.!

 

Join us for our annual Sunday School Christmas Program during the worship service on Sunday, December 17th!

Caroling, Sunday, December 10th, 1:00 P.M.!

Come join us as we go caroling and distributing Cheer Bags to our elderly and shut-ins! We'll meet up at the church at around 1:00 P.M., and head out from there. No previous experience required - please let Connie Izor or Don Ney know if you'll be tagging along!

Sermon Text for November 26, 2023 - "Now is the Future!"

 “Now is the Future!”

November 26, 2023

 

            Dear brothers and sisters, grace and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

            From 355 to 363 A.D., the Roman Empire was ruled by a king named Julian the Apostate, so called because he attempted to restore paganism as the official religion of the Roman Empire, and destroy Christianity, which had become the official Roman religion by that time. Even though he tried to harass and annoy Christians in many different ways, especially by trying to impose sacrifice to the old Roman gods; writing pamphlets against Christianity; forbidding Christians from teaching Philosophy and Classical Literature; putting pagans in positions of power and authority; even trying to rebuild the Jerusalem Temple in an attempt to prove Jesus’ prophecy about the Temple wrong; what he found, however, was that he was by then fighting a lost cause: Christianity, and the worship of Jesus, had become so ingrained into the hearts and minds of the Roman people that to try to back to the original religion was no longer attractive, or a valid option. In 363, Julian went to war against the Persian Empire, and was fatally wounded in battle. The legend of his death goes one of two ways: either he finally recognized that he could not wipe out Christianity, or he became a Christian himself at the moment of his death. Either way, his last words were supposed to have been, “You have won, Galilean” – referring to Jesus. He realized that, in the struggle between his kingship and the kingship of Jesus, there could be only one victor – and it was Jesus.

            Indeed, in every competition, there can be only one winner. As we learned this weekend with the various championship and rivalry football games, there ultimately can be only one winner. And in every competition and conflict going on in the world, there will ultimately be only one winner. As Paul says in today’s Second Reading from 1 Corinthians, all things, even death, have been defeated by Jesus, and are now subject to Him. That means, as Paul especially emphasizes, even the rulers of the earth are to be subject to Jesus’ rule. Even though there may be various earthly rulers competing for supremacy, and various nations competing for dominance over each other, there is ultimately only one supreme ruler: Jesus, because He lives forever, after having died and risen again. This is also why Christianity has lasted for over two thousand years, and why it will continue to last – it will live forever because Jesus lives forever. Even though there might be some who say that Christianity is dying, evidence actually points in the opposite direction: more and more people are becoming Christians, even in places where the odds are against it happening. Christians continue to worship and gather together in Saudi Arabia, where it is still illegal to be a Christian. In Iran and Vietnam, where Christians are persecuted, Christianity still continues to grow. In the past couple of weeks, there was even a case of several people in Gaza spontaneously accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, even in the midst of the war there. People are looking for something only Jesus can offer again. Even at least a couple prominent atheists have stated that they are now Christian. Christianity, and Jesus, cannot be defeated, and ultimately triumph. We, as our church family, can and should take advantage of this resurgence of this interest in Jesus. The issue is not that Christianity seems to be no longer relevant: it is that Christianity needs to return to the mission of Jesus, in order to live in the future. We’ll talk about what that looks like in just a few minutes.

            But meanwhile, since we’re talking about Jesus as our King, we need to find out more exactly about what that means. Now, as it happens, I didn’t come up with these next couple slides on my own: I borrowed them from another presentation, which I’ll provide the link for when I post this sermon online. (NOTE: The complete presentation may be found at https://slideplayer.com/slide/4719050/) In fact, I recommend checking out the whole slideshow when the link gets posted, because it actually nicely summarizes and expands on some of the things we’re briefly going be talking about. In the meantime, here is how we know Jesus is the King, according to the Bible: first, a king is defined as the ruler of a nation or territory, inherited and ruler for life. Jesus was born a king, as we will celebrate next month already; came preaching the Kingdom of God; died a king; is the King of kings and Lord of lords. His kingship had even been prophesied by Ezekiel, as we hear in today’s First Reading. All this means that He is our King, and we are heirs of His Kingdom.

And what is a kingdom? It is, obviously, a country governed or ruled by a king. It is also the sovereign rulership and governing influence of the king over his territory (his domain), impacting it with his will, purpose, and intent; in other words, the king sets the tone for how his kingdom ought to be. Which means that the nature of the king is produced in the kingdom – how the king behaves determines how his people behave, act, and react.

As mentioned before, we are heirs of Jesus’ Kingdom. We are living in the Kingdom right here, right now. Jesus has already established His rule over the earth, and we are the agents of His Kingdom. Next month, as we celebrate Advent, we will be repeatedly asking Jesus to come again – but what we are also to recognize is that He, and His Kingdom, are already here. His power, the power of the Holy Spirit, is right here, and is active in great power among us right now. The Holy Spirit especially works through the Bible and the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion to motivate us to love God, and show our love for God by loving and serving others.

Even though Christianity could not, and cannot, be wiped out, that actually does not necessarily make us Christians superior to everyone else. The reason we are here is not to exercise dominance over others, but to transform the world through humble love and service. In fact, being a Christian involves a tremendous amount of humility – which means being able to think of another person as equally as one’s self. To love someone even requires a tremendous amount of humility, because it means loving another person as equally as one’s self. When we abandon our agendas, our judgments, and how we believe God ought to operate and think, especially towards others, then we are able to love others better. This especially means, as Jesus encourages us, helping others without considering who is really deserving of help – but providing food, clothing, friendship, encouragement, acceptance, and welcoming to everyone who comes our way. When we do these things to others, we do them to Jesus Himself. But on the other hand, when we deny any of these things to others, we also deny them to Jesus. And it all has to do with where our own personal relationship with Jesus is. If we view our relationship with Jesus as being one of superiority over others, then we will act accordingly – but we will be acting contrary to Jesus’ true nature. But if our relationship with Jesus is one of friendship, love, and continually relying on Him for guidance, then that is how we will act – like Jesus.

            The best way that Christianity, and Christians, can still be relevant going into the future is by serving. Jesus Himself sets the example for us by being kind, just, fair, and compassionate. How we treat other people shows how we would treat Jesus if He were here in person with us. In fact, we can say that Jesus is here in person with us: He is here in the hungry, needy, lonely, outcast, lost person. He is also here in the bullied, the abused, the refugee, the homeless, the addict, the trafficked, the outsider, even in the unbeliever. This is not only from Jesus Himself: this is also, again, what Ezekiel prophesied – that Jesus would come to seek out the injured, the hurting, and the lost. Jesus being “All in All,” as Paul says, also means that He is in every person – even the unlikely. All the people we may choose to ignore or discount, are Jesus in person among us. And those are the people Jesus wants us to seek, love, and minister to in His name. In countries with kings, commands and laws were and are given “in the name of the King”; that is, with the authority of the King. And us doing all these things in the name of the King means that we have the authority of the King: to bring healing to the sick and injured; rescue to the hurt, abused, and bullied; food and clothing to the hungry; shelter to the homeless; friendship and acceptance to the lonely and friendless. We will continue to have a purpose if we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in finding ways to reach out, help, witness, and bring people to saving faith in Jesus. Because that is ultimately why we do all these things: not just to make the world a better place, but to bring people to Jesus. It is only through believing in Jesus, and no other way, that anyone can be saved. It is also His will that all people believe in Him and be saved, and that will happen when we reclaim our mission, to go and bring people to Jesus to be saved. We have to remember, even as Jesus plainly says, that there is a possibility to be lost forever – to live eternally apart from Jesus, but we want people to live with Jesus forever, just as we will. That’s how we can be like Jesus, and that’s how we can live in His Kingdom – and bring the victory of Jesus and His Kingdom to our world today.

Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.

Weekly Word Podcast from St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Farmersville, Ohio, November 26, 2023 - Christ the King Sunday

 https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/3Hj4ELhH4Eb

11/26/2023 Full Worship Service - Christ the King Sunday

11/19/2023 Full Worship Service - Ingathering Sunday

Sermon Text for November 19, 2023 - "Stay Focused"

 “Stay Focused”

November 19, 2023

 

            Dear brothers and sisters, grace and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

            The countdown begins! Countdown to what, you may ask? Well, several things, actually! Just yesterday evening, Tish and I were at a store, and the whole time, the radio station was blasting Christmas music. While it was certainly good Christmas music, it was still a reminder that, ever since Halloween ended, we’re counting down even faster than before to celebrating Christmas. For us, it’s definitely something to look forward to, not only because of all the extra candy and presents, but because we will be celebrating and remembering when Jesus came the first time, born as one of us in Bethlehem, to carry out God’s plan for our salvation. After being born, He went and invited all people to believe in God and become part of His Kingdom; then He died on the cross and rose again to make that possible, and demonstrate His love and a desire for a relationship with everyone. After He rose again, He ascended into heaven, and, from there, is counting down the days until He will return.

            In today’s Second Reading from First Thessalonians, Paul reminds us of what we, as Christians, are also really counting down towards: Jesus coming back again. This is not a myth or even a metaphor: Jesus really and truly is going to come back in full, bodily, visible form. He will also establish His Kingdom fully over the earth, and will cause everything to become what He originally planned it to be. Many Bible scholars think Paul believed Jesus was actually going to come back in his own lifetime. In every age and generation, at least a few notable people have believe, and greatly hoped, Jesus was going to come back in their lifetime. Martin Luther even believed, and hoped, Jesus was going to come back in his lifetime. As we talked about last week, we want Jesus to come back soon, and we hope and pray that we He will come back in our own lifetime. Even if Jesus doesn’t come back while we are alive, we are still to remain focused on what our true ultimate destiny will be: eternal life with Him. Which means we are, in fact, to make that our top priority, and set aside anything else in life which would keep us from looking forward to the wonderful, joyous, glorious life Jesus has planned for us. Even in this life, we are to recognize that Jesus has a greater plan for us than just simply to live: instead of being distracted by the temptations of this life, especially anything which would tempt us away from following Jesus, we are to remain focused on following Jesus, going where He leads, doing what He commands. He has also given us special gifts to use to be able to carry out His commands, our talents, which we hear about in today’s Gospel reading.

            Also today, and particularly in our Gospel reading, the temptation would be to somehow turn it into a threat: that if we don’t use the gifts and talents God has given us, we will be condemned. I’ve said before, and I will continue to say it, there has been far too much of an emphasis on guilt-tripping and shaming in Christianity, and it’s time for a new perspective, because our faith is not supposed to be based on feeling guilty. Instead, what is more important is the fact that the master gave his servants talents to use, and gave them freely. God always provides us with what we need to be His family, His Church.

As I mentioned during the announcements, and as a special shout-out, Janet and Karen did fantastic job of arranging the beautiful harvest display on the altar. However, I’ve also been asked to mention in particular that the corn stalk came from an unusual place: our own church front lawn. Many of you probably noticed it growing right in front of the steps over the last few months. Probably what happened was a squirrel decided to bury a corn kernel right in the corner of the lawn, and, in the process, caused the stalk to grow. But what it shows is that God always unfailingly provides us with what we need, not only for our own benefit, but, more importantly, to be able to share with others, just as this corn stalk has been shared with all of us today. And, there are many ways, even outside our church doors and activities, that we can use what we have been given to reach out to our community. I even have a personal example.

            As many of you know, last month I began a new-to-me adventure: substitute teaching at Valley View Primary and Intermediate. As you can imagine, there are a number of challenges I’m having to learn, especially having to practice managing students. Those of you who have taught or are currently teaching, or working with students in some other way, know exactly what I’m talking about. Fortunately, actually teaching the material’s the relatively easy part. And the reason is because every teacher is supposed to leave a detailed lesson plan, and, fortunately, every teacher I’ve subbed for so far has. And on the lesson plan is a play-by-play set of instructions for what materials to pass out and cover; methods for teaching the subjects for the day; how long each section of the class should take; which students are going to need special attention; what the students should be doing when they’re done with their work in class; even when and how to start having the students pack up and get ready to head out the door. On more than a few occasions, I’ve had to reassure the students in whatever class I’m in that day that yes, I’m aware of what we’re supposed to be doing, so don’t worry: the teacher has left me a detailed plan of what we’re going to be covering, and when we’re going to be doing them. And I have one thing I’m going to be doing that day: Sticking to the plan. Basically, I tell everyone, that’s my plan: stick to the plan. That, from what I’ve been able to tell so far, always reassures the students, because they know things are going to be how they usually are. Also, I mentioned the biggest challenge as being able to manage the classroom: with a detailed plan, it’s easy to deal with any problems that come up quickly, and stay focused on the work needing to be done right at that moment. And the nice thing about sticking to the plan is, you can never go wrong if you just go with what’s on the plan. The same thing for us: Jesus Himself has already given us a “lesson plan” to follow. What’s the plan? Jesus has laid it out clearly. First of all, He has a clear plan of salvation: whoever believes in Him and accepts Him as the one true Lord, God, and Savior, and whoever trusts in Him alone for forgiveness of sins and salvation, instead of their own holiness or good works, will be saved. Secondly, in response to that plan of salvation, Jesus has given us a plan to follow as we live out our faith in Him: love for God, our neighbors, and ourselves.

So, again, it’s time for us to stick to that plan and stay focused on it. We unfortunately had to deviate from the plan during the pandemic, and we became nervous about reaching out because of concerns about crowds. We were hesitant to go beyond what we were comfortable with, because we were already in an unfamiliar situation. We were hesitant about using our creativity to come up with new ways to worship or reach out, because, again, we were struggling with a new situation as it was. We even became nervous about using our talents and what we had been provided with, mainly because of anxieties about finances. There is no doubt we had a major crisis, and even the plan we were operating by had to be set aside. But now, it’s time for us to get back to that plan again, and keep following it. We will certainly continue to face struggles and crises, but as long as we keep on following God’s outline, we will be able to deal with them more easily and roll right on through them. As we just talked about, God is providing us with everything we need to be able to stick to the plan. Just as teachers provide subs with all the worksheets, workbooks, YouTube videos, whiteboard icons, and instructions to be able to help stick to the lesson plan, God has also provided us with all the materials we need to be able to carry out His plan. He has given us the Bible, to provide comfort, assurance, and words of His love to everyone who needs to hear them – which, especially nowadays, is everybody. He has given us the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion, as means both to strengthen our own faith and energy for our mission, as well as, again, to provide comfort to all people with the promise of His presence. As we see displayed before us up front, He has given us food and personal items to share with our neighbors who need them, especially during this holiday season. He has also given us our own particular gifts and talents to be able to share His good news of His love and compassion for all people: some of us are gifted in speaking and teaching; others of us in service; and still others of us in working with particular age groups. We can also continue to be exploring new and creative ways of worshipping, reaching out, evangelizing, and serving. Until He comes again, we are to keep focused on doing what Jesus has planned for us. As often as we get together for worship, even as we sing, praise, and hear God’s Word, we are being prepared to proclaim Jesus as Lord and Savior, and show His love in many different ways to all people. So it is time for us to be using our gifts and talents boldly and openly again, not out of fear that we will be punished if we don’t, but out of thankfulness and enthusiasm for the wonderful privilege God has given us of carrying out His wishes. So, let’s do more than just hang in there and hang on: let’s get back on track, get back out, and go with God’s plan.

            Now may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.