4th Sunday of Advent
Community of the Cross Lutheran Church
Hebrews 10:5-10
December 20, 2009
Grace to you and Peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus, who is the Christ!
On this 4th and final Sunday of Advent, we’re continuing to reflect on our “Rags to Riches” theme. Each of the last 3 weeks we’ve been reminded how = just like a pile of rags can be transformed into a beautiful work of art in the hands of a skilled quilter = our LIVES are transformed from “Rags to Riches” in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our Savior. As our theme verse from 2nd Corinthians explains, “For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.”
For this morning, we’re hearing about how In Christ our lives are transformed from “Unholy to Holy.” As the last verse of our Hebrews passage for this morning declares in the New Century Version, “We are made HOLY through the sacrifice Christ made in his body once and for all time.”
As I was preparing this sermon, I kept remembering a humorous story about a young couple that was preparing for marriage. As their wedding day approached, the young couple grew more and more apprehensive – ya see, each had a problem they’d never shared with anyone before… not even with each other.
The groom-to-be decided to ask his father for advice. “Dad, I’m concerned about the success of my marriage. I love my fiancée very much, but I have smelly feet – I’m afraid that my future wife’ll find ‘em disgusting.”
The dad assured the son that this wouldn’t be a problem, “All ya haffta do is wash your feet as often as possible and always wear socks…even to bed.”
Now around the same time the bride-to-be decided to take her problem to her mom. “Mom, when I wake up in the morning my breath is just awful.”
Her mom quickly advised, “Oh Honey, that’s easy… when you wake up in the morning get straight out of bed, head right for the bathroom, and brush your teeth. Just don’t say a WORD until you’ve brushed ‘em – not a word.”
And so the loving couple was finally married in a particularly beautiful ceremony. Not forgetting the advice each had received about their problem, they managed very well for about six months into the new marriage. Then, one fateful morning…just before dawn…the husband woke up horrified to discover that one of his socks had come off during the night. Fearful of the consequences he franticly started searching the bed. Of course, all the commotion woke his bride and, without thinking, she blurted out, “What’re you DOING!?!”
“Oh NO!” he gasped as he recoiled in shock from her morning breath, “You’ve swallowed my SOCK!”
Many people today, even Lutherans of all people, don’t like to be reminded of their problems or inadequacies…they don’t want to be forced to face a truth about the defectiveness of their lives…they just want to be able to ignore their pains, hide their hurts, justify their mistakes, cover-up their failures, make up for their losses, deny their deaths – Frankly, the unholiness in our lives abounds…but it “feels better” to stay busy with distractions – making a habit of “moving on” as if everything is just fine – rather than to face the hard truths.
It’s unpleasant at the least and terrifying at the most to face the actual truth…deep down we’re not always the pleasant, happy, polite people that we try so hard to project to our families, our friends, neighbors, coworkers, and even other church members… Maybe you don’t have stinky feet or awful morning breath, but chances are you have some embarrassing secrets that you hope nobody ever finds out about.
At a conference where he was speaking, well-known preacher and professor Tony Campolo once said, “If I knew everything about you people, I probably wouldn’t have accepted your invitation to speak. But if you knew everything about me, you probably wouldn’t have even invited me in the first place.”
[Personally Speaking] I’m becoming much more aware of how often I put more emphasis on being polite to STRANGERS than to my own family and friends – and it kills me to face those facts but it’s the truth…for years I’ve refused to see this and managed to fool myself about it. Even from just this one example, I know firsthand how much energy and effort we’d rather put into HIDING from things we don’t want to admit than just simply ACCEPTING the truth, letting the Gospel speak a word of forgiveness, and allowing God to take our brokenness away…
Ya see, that’s what makes the Good News of Christ such Good News…The unholiness in our lives abounds, but in Christ we’re transformed “From Unholy to Holy.” As Paul wrote to the Colossians, “And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you HOLY and blameless and irreproachable before him…” As our reading from Hebrews reminds us, “We’re made HOLY through the sacrifice Christ made in his body once and for all time.” In Christ you’re transformed “From Unholy to Holy”...not your actions, not your lifestyle…but YOU! YOU are HOLY in Christ Alone.
I like how one pastor explained in her blog, “God upsets all apple carts: even the lovely well-tended apple carts of our own design. God makes ALL things new, not just SOME things. God is the Other; whenever God breaks into our world we’re shocked and broken and we remain so until we see, FIRST that the shock is the shock of recognition, and SECOND that the breaking is followed by a new and appropriate rebuilding.”
The famous theologian Karl Barth described it like this, “Wherever graves are, there is resurrection. Where the church ends, there is its beginning. Where its unrighteousness is exposed, there its righteousness dawns.”
Now, how ‘bout a nice illustration about a place far away from our Minnesota winter…From what I’ve been told, the islands around Indonesia are among the most beautiful in the world—crystalline tropical water, beautiful reefs with fish colored in every hue of the rainbow, powerful waves, and tranquil bays.
Tourists, surfers, and scuba divers from around the world have discovered these hidden jewels and pay large sums of money to enjoy this unspoiled aquatic playground. While at the same time, many of the locals won’t go swimming at all. Neither will they dive, surf, wade, bathe, or do anything else that places their bodies in the warm, inviting water. Their fear of the water is so powerful that even though they’re surrounded by ocean and must sail out in fishing boats for their daily sustenance, hardly any of the islanders ever learned to swim.
Why do they deny themselves the pleasure of exploring the natural wonders all around ‘em…cause a long time ago, someone told ‘em a lie. Someone told ‘em that the ocean was full of demons and that swimming in it would bring harm to themselves and their families. And many Indonesians islanders still believe it.
This illustration reminds us that many of us are missing out on the joy of the Gospel by ignoring our pains, hiding our hurts, justifying our mistakes, covering up our failures, making up for our losses, and denying our deaths. Like the Indonesian islanders, we’re missing out on the joy of frolicking in the surf and fully enjoying the life that God has given us by instead believing in a lie. We put so much energy and effort into HIDING from things we don’t want to admit than just simply ACCEPTING the truth, letting the Gospel speak a word of forgiveness, and allowing God to take our brokenness away…
That’s what makes the Good News of Christ such Good News…The unholiness in our lives abounds, but in Christ we’re transformed “From Unholy to Holy.”
As we make the final preparations for our Christmas celebration just days away, we’re reminded “that there’s hope for a ruined humanity – hope of pardon, hope of peace with God, hope of glory – because at the Father’s will Jesus became poor, and was born in a stable so that thirty years later He might hang on a cross.”[1] His birth in a manger was the necessary beginning of our faith, where “We’re made HOLY through the sacrifice Christ made in his body once and for all time.”
I’ll leave you with a final word from Martin Luther who said, “The law says ‘do this’ and it’s never done. Grace says ‘believe this’ and everything’s already completed.”[2] AMEN.
And may the Peace of God, which passes all human understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord and our Savior. AMEN.
[1] Packer, J.I. “The New Encyclopedia of Christian Quotations, ed. Mark Water, 2000, Baker, p.159.
[2] Luther, Martin. Thesis 26 of the “Heidelberg Dispution” of 1518.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009: "From Imperfect to Complete"
Second Sunday in Advent
Community of the Cross Lutheran Church
Philippians 1:3-11
December 6, 2009
Grace to you and Peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus, who is the Christ!
Last week, Pastor Gary introduced our Advent and Christmas theme, “Rags to Riches” by referring to a patchwork quilt and how, in the hands of a skilled quilter, simple RAGS can actually be TRANSFORMED into a beautiful work of art. Ya see, we’re spending the seasons of Advent and Christmas this year focusing on how, in the hands of Jesus Christ, our LIVES can be TRANSFORMED in much the same way. Our theme verse for “Rags to Riches” expounds on this TRANSFORMATION saying, “For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.”
Last week Pastor Gary also explained how this TRANSFORMATION is sometimes called “The Great Exchange,” where in effect, imperfect humans like you and me…swap OUR emptiness for CHRIST’S fullness. As Martin Luther taught, “[Christ] has EMPTIED himself of his righteousness that he might…FILL us with it; and he has taken our evils upon himself that he might deliver us from them.” Our hope with this year’s theme is that we will all hear…and be reminded of the Good News that in Christ OUR RAGS are exchanged for HIS RICHES.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now for this morning, we’re specifically focusing on how, in the hands of Christ, our lives can be TRANSFORMED from “Imperfect to Complete.” As Paul described in our reading from Philippians for this morning, “I am confident of THIS, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
As we talk about our lives being “imperfect,” I believe we’re referring to the various challenges, difficulties, failures and broken dreams that we may face in our lifetimes. Not everyone’s life follows the same path, but we all have experiences that result in unwanted changes to the course of our days (difficulties with our parents, spouses, or children… challenges in the workplace or the loss of a job…mental illness, physical pain, accidents & injuries, sickness, or the untimely death of a loved one – are just a few examples). I don’t believe you need many reminders about the fact that our lives are not perfect, our relationships are not perfect, and our world is not perfect.
As we talk about moving “From Imperfect to Complete” this morning, you must understand that the word “COMPLETE” is far more significant than it first appears. The word “Complete” for today comes directly from Paul’s letter to the Philippians where he writes, “The one who began a good work among you will bring it to COMPLETION by the day of Jesus Christ.” What makes it so significant is that Paul’s use of the Greek word for “completion” is connected with the profoundly important Old Testament word SHALOM (a Hebrew word with richly textured meanings of perfect health and wholeness). So ya see, with this single word Paul is attempting to declare the Gospel to the Philippians.
Paul is reminding the Philippians that the Lord of Life is the true constant in all the experiences of life – especially in the most difficult experiences that can overwhelm and disorient us. Paul doesn’t suggest that every experience in life will be good, BUT that the God who began the good work in us WILL complete it. In spite of the imperfections we encounter…the various challenges, difficulties, failures and broken dreams that we may face in our lifetimes… God’s goal is our SHALOM, our wholeness and peace, and God is at work to accomplish that goal in our lives.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
What’s most interesting about our reading for this morning is that Paul was writing this letter to the Philippians from his prison cell in Rome. Even in a dank, dark prison cell facing death at the hands of a those who prided themselves in killing people in particularly cruel ways…Paul remained joyfully thankful, joyfully confident, and joyfully prayerful. The entire letter to the Philippians is filled with Paul’s own joy and thanksgiving for what HE has found in his relationship with God in Christ. Here, Paul is an example of someone who is TRANSFORMED in Christ => from Rags to Riches, from Imperfect to Complete in Christ.
There once was a monk who was walking along a path when he noticed something very shiny sticking out of the dirt. He bent down to pick it up and found that it was a very valuable, precious gem. He cleaned it off, put it into his bag, and continued on his way. A little further along the path, he met up with a needy man who asked if the monk could spare something to eat. The monk agreed and opened his bag to retrieve part of his lunch to share. While the monk was searching his bag, the man happened to notice the shiny gem and asked, “Could I have THAT instead?”
To which the monk replied, “Certainly” and handed it over without hesitation. So the man took the gem and went on his way.
Later, that man came back to the monk because he wanted to return the gem. Naturally, the monk was very puzzled by this and asked why the man was returning the precious gem. So the man told him, “What I really want is what ever it is that allowed you to so easily part with such a valuable gem, because THAT is what is MOST precious.”
As it turns out, the Apostle Paul and the monk had something in common…a relationship that allowed them to put LIFE and THINGS into perspective…a relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…a relationship where imperfect humans like you and me can swap OUR emptiness for CHRIST’S fullness.
An even more poignant example of this is illustrated by the story of a family that was involved in a serious traffic accident. The youngest of the two brothers was badly injured and needed a blood transfusion. The oldest brother, who was only eight years old, had the same blood type as his younger brother. So the dad sat down with him and very carefully explained why the blood transfusion was needed and how wonderful it would be for his little brother. After some silence the big brother spoke up, “Yes Daddy…I’ll give him MY blood so He can get well.”
After the full amount of blood had been drawn, and the needle was removed, the big brother turned to his dad and with tears rolling down his cheeks he asked, “Daddy, when do I die?”
And that’s when the dad suddenly realized with shock that the young boy had misunderstood his explanation of giving blood – the boy thought he was giving ALL his blood to save the life of his brother! He thought that he would die after the transfusion was over – yet he still agreed to help his little brother!
That is an iconic story of how, in ways both large and small, we too can live our lives after being TRANSFORMED in Christ. The oldest brother was willing to give UP his life so that his little brother would HAVE life. That’s what Christ did for each of us, as we’re reminded by our “Rags to Riches” theme verse, “For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.”
+Christ emptied himself to be born in our flesh, to take our sins upon himself and be
put to death so that WE may live…
+He gave UP his life so that we may HAVE life…
+So that we may be TRANSFORMED “From Imperfect to Complete” in this life…and
forever. AMEN.
Community of the Cross Lutheran Church
Philippians 1:3-11
December 6, 2009
Grace to you and Peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus, who is the Christ!
Last week, Pastor Gary introduced our Advent and Christmas theme, “Rags to Riches” by referring to a patchwork quilt and how, in the hands of a skilled quilter, simple RAGS can actually be TRANSFORMED into a beautiful work of art. Ya see, we’re spending the seasons of Advent and Christmas this year focusing on how, in the hands of Jesus Christ, our LIVES can be TRANSFORMED in much the same way. Our theme verse for “Rags to Riches” expounds on this TRANSFORMATION saying, “For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.”
Last week Pastor Gary also explained how this TRANSFORMATION is sometimes called “The Great Exchange,” where in effect, imperfect humans like you and me…swap OUR emptiness for CHRIST’S fullness. As Martin Luther taught, “[Christ] has EMPTIED himself of his righteousness that he might…FILL us with it; and he has taken our evils upon himself that he might deliver us from them.” Our hope with this year’s theme is that we will all hear…and be reminded of the Good News that in Christ OUR RAGS are exchanged for HIS RICHES.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now for this morning, we’re specifically focusing on how, in the hands of Christ, our lives can be TRANSFORMED from “Imperfect to Complete.” As Paul described in our reading from Philippians for this morning, “I am confident of THIS, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).
As we talk about our lives being “imperfect,” I believe we’re referring to the various challenges, difficulties, failures and broken dreams that we may face in our lifetimes. Not everyone’s life follows the same path, but we all have experiences that result in unwanted changes to the course of our days (difficulties with our parents, spouses, or children… challenges in the workplace or the loss of a job…mental illness, physical pain, accidents & injuries, sickness, or the untimely death of a loved one – are just a few examples). I don’t believe you need many reminders about the fact that our lives are not perfect, our relationships are not perfect, and our world is not perfect.
As we talk about moving “From Imperfect to Complete” this morning, you must understand that the word “COMPLETE” is far more significant than it first appears. The word “Complete” for today comes directly from Paul’s letter to the Philippians where he writes, “The one who began a good work among you will bring it to COMPLETION by the day of Jesus Christ.” What makes it so significant is that Paul’s use of the Greek word for “completion” is connected with the profoundly important Old Testament word SHALOM (a Hebrew word with richly textured meanings of perfect health and wholeness). So ya see, with this single word Paul is attempting to declare the Gospel to the Philippians.
Paul is reminding the Philippians that the Lord of Life is the true constant in all the experiences of life – especially in the most difficult experiences that can overwhelm and disorient us. Paul doesn’t suggest that every experience in life will be good, BUT that the God who began the good work in us WILL complete it. In spite of the imperfections we encounter…the various challenges, difficulties, failures and broken dreams that we may face in our lifetimes… God’s goal is our SHALOM, our wholeness and peace, and God is at work to accomplish that goal in our lives.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
What’s most interesting about our reading for this morning is that Paul was writing this letter to the Philippians from his prison cell in Rome. Even in a dank, dark prison cell facing death at the hands of a those who prided themselves in killing people in particularly cruel ways…Paul remained joyfully thankful, joyfully confident, and joyfully prayerful. The entire letter to the Philippians is filled with Paul’s own joy and thanksgiving for what HE has found in his relationship with God in Christ. Here, Paul is an example of someone who is TRANSFORMED in Christ => from Rags to Riches, from Imperfect to Complete in Christ.
There once was a monk who was walking along a path when he noticed something very shiny sticking out of the dirt. He bent down to pick it up and found that it was a very valuable, precious gem. He cleaned it off, put it into his bag, and continued on his way. A little further along the path, he met up with a needy man who asked if the monk could spare something to eat. The monk agreed and opened his bag to retrieve part of his lunch to share. While the monk was searching his bag, the man happened to notice the shiny gem and asked, “Could I have THAT instead?”
To which the monk replied, “Certainly” and handed it over without hesitation. So the man took the gem and went on his way.
Later, that man came back to the monk because he wanted to return the gem. Naturally, the monk was very puzzled by this and asked why the man was returning the precious gem. So the man told him, “What I really want is what ever it is that allowed you to so easily part with such a valuable gem, because THAT is what is MOST precious.”
As it turns out, the Apostle Paul and the monk had something in common…a relationship that allowed them to put LIFE and THINGS into perspective…a relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…a relationship where imperfect humans like you and me can swap OUR emptiness for CHRIST’S fullness.
An even more poignant example of this is illustrated by the story of a family that was involved in a serious traffic accident. The youngest of the two brothers was badly injured and needed a blood transfusion. The oldest brother, who was only eight years old, had the same blood type as his younger brother. So the dad sat down with him and very carefully explained why the blood transfusion was needed and how wonderful it would be for his little brother. After some silence the big brother spoke up, “Yes Daddy…I’ll give him MY blood so He can get well.”
After the full amount of blood had been drawn, and the needle was removed, the big brother turned to his dad and with tears rolling down his cheeks he asked, “Daddy, when do I die?”
And that’s when the dad suddenly realized with shock that the young boy had misunderstood his explanation of giving blood – the boy thought he was giving ALL his blood to save the life of his brother! He thought that he would die after the transfusion was over – yet he still agreed to help his little brother!
That is an iconic story of how, in ways both large and small, we too can live our lives after being TRANSFORMED in Christ. The oldest brother was willing to give UP his life so that his little brother would HAVE life. That’s what Christ did for each of us, as we’re reminded by our “Rags to Riches” theme verse, “For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.”
+Christ emptied himself to be born in our flesh, to take our sins upon himself and be
put to death so that WE may live…
+He gave UP his life so that we may HAVE life…
+So that we may be TRANSFORMED “From Imperfect to Complete” in this life…and
forever. AMEN.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
November 22, 2009: "The Truth is Out There"
Christ the King Sunday
John 18:33-37
November 22, 2009
Pastor Erik Sevig
For my first illustration this morning, I’d like ya to listen to a portion of a song by the Christian Band “DC Talk.” Some of you may already know about DC Talk, some of you may not, but they happen to be a long-time favorite of mine…in fact, some of their music has played a part in my own faithlife. For example, the sermon title for today comes from their 1998 album, “Supernatural.” The song we’ll be listening to is called , “The Truth.” Please follow along with the lyrics on the screens…
[SLIDES 2 & 3]
“The Truth” by DC Talk
Say what you want, mean what you say
Remember the deepest seeds still find the light of day
Do as you please, and be who you be
I’m telling you, this thing’s gonna bring you to your knees
(chorus)
The truth is what we need, it is the end of mystery
You know the truth will set you free
The truth is out there, the truth is out there
I’m living proof that the spirit moves
It’s a holy interceding absolute
Say what you want, but you’ve got to believe
There’s a dimension that the eyes haven’t seen
The secret is out and people are coming clean
(chorus)
The truth is what we need, it is the end of mystery
You know the truth will set you free
The truth is out there, the truth is out there
As I said, this is only a portion of the song, but I think it helps to set the stage for our message today – we heard the song declare, “The truth is what we need it is the end of MYSTERY…You know the truth will set you free…the truth is out there.”
To start with, I think it’s especially significant that the song talks about the TRUTH being “the end of MYSTERY.” Ya see, MYSTERY means something that’s “unknown”… MYSTERY assumes ambiguity and therefore leaves all kinds of room for different theories and explanations. The TRUTH being talked about in the song marks the END of any such MYSTERIES…and the song proclaims “The TRUTH is out there…and people are coming clean.”
In our Gospel reading for this morning Jesus told Pilate, “For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the TRUTH.” Elsewhere in Scripture Jesus says that he IS the TRUTH. This is good news that even though our world may be filled with mysteries and unknowns…there may be things in our own families and lives that we can’t always understand or comprehend, but when it comes to our relationship with God…[the CREATOR of our World and the one who watches over us and gives us life], Jesus reassures us…there are no mysteries – “The Truth is Out There.”
Ya see, today is Christ the King Sunday…this day serves as an opportunity for Christians like you and me to re-examine our lives according to God’s TRUTH. Jesus [SLIDE 5] said, “Everyone who belongs to the TRUTH listens to my voice.” Today we must ask ourselves…have [SLIDE 6] we been listening to Jesus’ voice? Is your life in line with the TRUTH or have you been hiding from God among the illusion of some MYSTERY? Who or what is your ruler / your king? To whom or what do you swear your allegiance? In whom or what do you place your trust?
Maybe you’re like the rich man who was so worried about his eventual death that he began converting his assets into gold bars. The man put the gold bars into a big bag on his bed, which he slept next to every night, until that night when he breathed his last. When he awoke from that final night, he found himself at the gate of Heaven.
Saint Peter met him at the gate and with a concerned look on his face said, “Well, I see you actually managed to get here with something from earth! But unfortunately, you can’t bring that in.”
The man pleaded with Saint Peter, “Oh please, sir. I must have it. It means everything to me.”
But Saint Peter replied, “Sorry my friend, if you want to keep that bag, then I’m afraid you’ll have to go to, you know, the OTHER place. But trust me, you don’t want to go there.”
“Well,” the man said, “I won’t part with this bag.”
“Have it your way,” replied Saint Peter. “But before ya go, would you mind if I looked in the bag to see what it is that you’re willing to trade for eternal life?”
“Sure” the man said. “You’ll see. I could never part with this.”
Saint Peter looked in the bag and with a puzzled look on his face said to the man, “You’re willing to go to hell for PAVEMENT?!?”
Who or what is your ruler / your king? To whom or what do you swear your allegiance? In whom or what do you place your trust? “The Truth is out There” – Have you been listening?
Our Gospel reading for today reminds us that Jesus isn’t the king of a certain parcel of land or of a particular population of people, BUT of TRUTH. There’s no mystery here…the truth is the very gospel of which Christ’s life bears witness. Jesus said, “I testify to the TRUTH.” As [SLIDE 7] one pastor put it, “That doesn’t mean that his words are simply in ‘conformity with reality,’ but that his very words are the manifestation of God himself, that sovereign event that approaches us to expose the lie within us…that we do not listen to God. Ya see, Jesus and his kingship, calls everyone to submit to God, and thus find life [SLIDE 8] and truth…When we’re confronted by God we must submit, finding the truth and the life. Truth is the grace which frees us from our sin.”[1] And “The Truth is Out There.”
There once were two church members who had a loud argument during a potluck lunch with many other church members as witnesses. The pastor, as peace-maker called the two aside and asked if they’d be willing to air out their differences in a more private setting?
Sitting uncomfortably across form one another in the pastor’s office, the pastor invited one to tell their side of the story. After a short pause to digest what was said, the pastor observed, “Ya know, I think you’re right.” Then the pastor invited the other one to tell their side of the story. Again, after a thoughtful pause the pastor remarked, “Ya know, I think you’re right, too.”
One of the combatants blurted out, “Now wait just a minute there, Preacher! We can’t BOTH be right”
To which the pastor replied, “You’re right!”
Now the moral of the story in terms of our message for today is: You can’t serve two kings. It’s like the old saying that “sometimes the only thing you get from riding the fence is SLIVERS!” Jesus says, “Everyone who belongs to the TRUTH listens to my voice.” Today we must ask ourselves…have we been listening to Jesus’ voice? As I said earlier, is your life in line with the TRUTH or have you been hiding from God among the illusion of some MYSTERY? Who or what is your ruler / your king? To whom or what do you swear your allegiance? In whom or what do you place your trust?
[SLIDE 9] “True faith in God does not allow us to compartmentalize faith from life or faith from earthly matters of daily living. True faith proclaims that ‘Christ is the King’ over ALL life.”[2]
In the words of the song that started out my message for this morning, “The TRUTH is what we need, it is the end of MYSTERY…The TRUTH is Out There…and people are coming clean.” So, how ‘bout you?
[SLIDE 10] I’d like to leave you with a word from one of my favorite Christian authors and preachers named Bo Giertz, who writes, “When one thinks he has failed in being a Christian one should therefore not seek feelings or wait for victories or look for successes to believe in and to witness about. Nor should one dig about in one’s heart for the discovery of a strong and victorious faith. A [person] must be steadfast in prayer, constantly go to Jesus anew, await the word from his lips, and humble himself under the mighty hand of God, ‘that in due time he may exalt you.’ Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”[3] AMEN.
[1] Warren A. Sorteberg, “Our Vulnerability & the King of Truth,” Augsburg Sermons: Gospels B. (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1975) pg 260.
[2] Sorteberg, pg 262.
[3] Giertz, Bo, “A Great Faith,” Preaching from the Whole Bible. (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1967) pg 27.
John 18:33-37
November 22, 2009
Pastor Erik Sevig
For my first illustration this morning, I’d like ya to listen to a portion of a song by the Christian Band “DC Talk.” Some of you may already know about DC Talk, some of you may not, but they happen to be a long-time favorite of mine…in fact, some of their music has played a part in my own faithlife. For example, the sermon title for today comes from their 1998 album, “Supernatural.” The song we’ll be listening to is called , “The Truth.” Please follow along with the lyrics on the screens…
[SLIDES 2 & 3]
“The Truth” by DC Talk
Say what you want, mean what you say
Remember the deepest seeds still find the light of day
Do as you please, and be who you be
I’m telling you, this thing’s gonna bring you to your knees
(chorus)
The truth is what we need, it is the end of mystery
You know the truth will set you free
The truth is out there, the truth is out there
I’m living proof that the spirit moves
It’s a holy interceding absolute
Say what you want, but you’ve got to believe
There’s a dimension that the eyes haven’t seen
The secret is out and people are coming clean
(chorus)
The truth is what we need, it is the end of mystery
You know the truth will set you free
The truth is out there, the truth is out there
As I said, this is only a portion of the song, but I think it helps to set the stage for our message today – we heard the song declare, “The truth is what we need it is the end of MYSTERY…You know the truth will set you free…the truth is out there.”
To start with, I think it’s especially significant that the song talks about the TRUTH being “the end of MYSTERY.” Ya see, MYSTERY means something that’s “unknown”… MYSTERY assumes ambiguity and therefore leaves all kinds of room for different theories and explanations. The TRUTH being talked about in the song marks the END of any such MYSTERIES…and the song proclaims “The TRUTH is out there…and people are coming clean.”
In our Gospel reading for this morning Jesus told Pilate, “For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the TRUTH.” Elsewhere in Scripture Jesus says that he IS the TRUTH. This is good news that even though our world may be filled with mysteries and unknowns…there may be things in our own families and lives that we can’t always understand or comprehend, but when it comes to our relationship with God…[the CREATOR of our World and the one who watches over us and gives us life], Jesus reassures us…there are no mysteries – “The Truth is Out There.”
Ya see, today is Christ the King Sunday…this day serves as an opportunity for Christians like you and me to re-examine our lives according to God’s TRUTH. Jesus [SLIDE 5] said, “Everyone who belongs to the TRUTH listens to my voice.” Today we must ask ourselves…have [SLIDE 6] we been listening to Jesus’ voice? Is your life in line with the TRUTH or have you been hiding from God among the illusion of some MYSTERY? Who or what is your ruler / your king? To whom or what do you swear your allegiance? In whom or what do you place your trust?
Maybe you’re like the rich man who was so worried about his eventual death that he began converting his assets into gold bars. The man put the gold bars into a big bag on his bed, which he slept next to every night, until that night when he breathed his last. When he awoke from that final night, he found himself at the gate of Heaven.
Saint Peter met him at the gate and with a concerned look on his face said, “Well, I see you actually managed to get here with something from earth! But unfortunately, you can’t bring that in.”
The man pleaded with Saint Peter, “Oh please, sir. I must have it. It means everything to me.”
But Saint Peter replied, “Sorry my friend, if you want to keep that bag, then I’m afraid you’ll have to go to, you know, the OTHER place. But trust me, you don’t want to go there.”
“Well,” the man said, “I won’t part with this bag.”
“Have it your way,” replied Saint Peter. “But before ya go, would you mind if I looked in the bag to see what it is that you’re willing to trade for eternal life?”
“Sure” the man said. “You’ll see. I could never part with this.”
Saint Peter looked in the bag and with a puzzled look on his face said to the man, “You’re willing to go to hell for PAVEMENT?!?”
Who or what is your ruler / your king? To whom or what do you swear your allegiance? In whom or what do you place your trust? “The Truth is out There” – Have you been listening?
Our Gospel reading for today reminds us that Jesus isn’t the king of a certain parcel of land or of a particular population of people, BUT of TRUTH. There’s no mystery here…the truth is the very gospel of which Christ’s life bears witness. Jesus said, “I testify to the TRUTH.” As [SLIDE 7] one pastor put it, “That doesn’t mean that his words are simply in ‘conformity with reality,’ but that his very words are the manifestation of God himself, that sovereign event that approaches us to expose the lie within us…that we do not listen to God. Ya see, Jesus and his kingship, calls everyone to submit to God, and thus find life [SLIDE 8] and truth…When we’re confronted by God we must submit, finding the truth and the life. Truth is the grace which frees us from our sin.”[1] And “The Truth is Out There.”
There once were two church members who had a loud argument during a potluck lunch with many other church members as witnesses. The pastor, as peace-maker called the two aside and asked if they’d be willing to air out their differences in a more private setting?
Sitting uncomfortably across form one another in the pastor’s office, the pastor invited one to tell their side of the story. After a short pause to digest what was said, the pastor observed, “Ya know, I think you’re right.” Then the pastor invited the other one to tell their side of the story. Again, after a thoughtful pause the pastor remarked, “Ya know, I think you’re right, too.”
One of the combatants blurted out, “Now wait just a minute there, Preacher! We can’t BOTH be right”
To which the pastor replied, “You’re right!”
Now the moral of the story in terms of our message for today is: You can’t serve two kings. It’s like the old saying that “sometimes the only thing you get from riding the fence is SLIVERS!” Jesus says, “Everyone who belongs to the TRUTH listens to my voice.” Today we must ask ourselves…have we been listening to Jesus’ voice? As I said earlier, is your life in line with the TRUTH or have you been hiding from God among the illusion of some MYSTERY? Who or what is your ruler / your king? To whom or what do you swear your allegiance? In whom or what do you place your trust?
[SLIDE 9] “True faith in God does not allow us to compartmentalize faith from life or faith from earthly matters of daily living. True faith proclaims that ‘Christ is the King’ over ALL life.”[2]
In the words of the song that started out my message for this morning, “The TRUTH is what we need, it is the end of MYSTERY…The TRUTH is Out There…and people are coming clean.” So, how ‘bout you?
[SLIDE 10] I’d like to leave you with a word from one of my favorite Christian authors and preachers named Bo Giertz, who writes, “When one thinks he has failed in being a Christian one should therefore not seek feelings or wait for victories or look for successes to believe in and to witness about. Nor should one dig about in one’s heart for the discovery of a strong and victorious faith. A [person] must be steadfast in prayer, constantly go to Jesus anew, await the word from his lips, and humble himself under the mighty hand of God, ‘that in due time he may exalt you.’ Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”[3] AMEN.
[1] Warren A. Sorteberg, “Our Vulnerability & the King of Truth,” Augsburg Sermons: Gospels B. (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1975) pg 260.
[2] Sorteberg, pg 262.
[3] Giertz, Bo, “A Great Faith,” Preaching from the Whole Bible. (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1967) pg 27.
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