The Fifteenth Sunday after
Trinity, 2012
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
Bethany Lutheran Church, 10
AM Central Time
The Hymn #396 O For a Faith 4:18
The Confession
of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual
The
Gospel
Glory be to
Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon
Hymn #657 Beautiful Savior 4:24
Creation Unites the
Scriptural Message of the Faith
The Communion
Hymn # 305:1-5 Soul, Adorn Thyself 4:23
The Preface p.
24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #23 Hallelujah! Let Praises
Ring 4:77
KJV Galatians 25
If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be
desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye
which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering
thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2
Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man
think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4 But let every man prove his own work, and
then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For every man shall bear his own
burden. 6 Let him that is taught in the
word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. 7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for
whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap
corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life
everlasting. 9 And let us not be weary
in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us
do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of
faith.
KJV Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for
either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the
one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 25 Therefore I say
unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall
drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than
meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow
not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father
feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking
thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for
raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not,
neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his
glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the
grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall
he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take
no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal
shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for
your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek
ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall
be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow
shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the
evil thereof.
FIFTEENTH SUNDAY
AFTER TRINITY
Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank Thee for all Thy
benefits: that Thou hast given us life and graciously sustained us unto this
day: We beseech Thee, take not Thy blessing from us; preserve us from
covetousness, that we may serve Thee only, love and abide in Thee, and not
defile ourselves by idolatrous love of mammon, but hope and trust only in Thy
grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the
Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
Creation Unites the Scriptural Message of the Faith
Because the message of the Bible is one, unified
truth, one basic theme can be traced throughout the Scriptures. God reveals so
much in the Bible that we gain from seeing the unity of the Word and the many
ways this truth is taught.
We often describe this lesson as one about God and
mammon, but it could also be called the Creator and Creation.
KJV Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for
either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the
one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
As Luther wrote, this term
mammon is not the same as money. It means having far more than anyone needs to
live. For instance, I posed a story about a $500 million mansion on sale in
London. The last two owners only lived a few years each in that mansion. One
was assassinated. The other died of illness. Luther said mammon was a weak god
– who must be protected and guarded. Even then, mammon cannot cure illness or
protect someone. I have noticed that the richest people in the world often have
lifetimes cut short because of severe illness or someone wanting to inherit
sooner rather than later.
We can say that this lesson
is about the Creator versus Creation. One sign of the end times is the worship
of the Creation rather than the Creator.
KJV Romans 1:19 Because that
which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto
them. 20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his
eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21 Because that,
when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were
thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was
darkened. 22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23 And
changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to
corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
We can see how fitting
Paul’s verses are today. To suggest Creation invites mockery, but there is a
constant worship of the Creation, which must be called Nature, or Mother Earth.
People build wooden platforms in trees to protect them from being turned into
lumber – the kind used to build the platform.
The tree-huggers have
diverted billions of dollars to protect what they worship.
Everything today is
explained as evolution or nature, never as God’s design. Our Declaration of
Independence and Constitution were written with the assumption of Creation, the
rule of law based on Divine Wisdom, the Author of Life. Although not every Founder
was an orthodox Christian (Thomas Jefferson, for instance) the concept of
Christianity was basic to the understanding of our original documents.
Here the distinction is
clear. As Jesus taught, one can serve God or mammon, not both. Serving one
means hating the other, for God created everything we have and enjoy.
Sometimes people think of
Creation as the hardware – the sun, moon, earth, atmosphere, metals, minerals,
water, animals, plants, and so forth. But there is also the software.
Animals show that best of
all, because they do not go to school but have instant knowledge of how to
build nests, forage for food, and take care of their young. We loved having a
bluejay nest outside our window. The parents fed their little jays all day
long, with extra treats from me. One day the birds were fluttering their wings
in the nest. The next few days saw them fly away. Our son said, “That must be
odd. What are these. Oh wings. I will flap them. Flap. Flap. I will fly. Who
told them they could fly or how to fly?”
The software in animal
behavior is incredibly complex. And it is all coordinated. Everything happens
in the right order. Organic material is attacked and recycled in a predictable
and “scientific” fashion.
We have some grand theories,
but they do not fit Creation. The Great Plains should have been wooded, but the
pioneers found them almost completely devoid of trees. This was a great boon
for soil creation, because prairie grass generated 10 and 20 feet of rich
soil. Because of that, the soil of the
Midwest is the richest in the world.
Likewise, Australia had
major problems when the created order was upset by Westerners introducing new
creatures, such as rabbits and cane toads.
Thus a major and
undisputable revelation of the Bible is that God created the universe through
the Word, and Jesus is that creating Word. Genesis 1 and John 1 teach the same
doctrine, with more detail added in John 1. Each passage has a different
emphasis, but both agree completely.
Creation by the Word is not
a matter of indifference in the Christian Faith. In fact, we can see how
important it is by the many ways it has been attacked and then ignored.
Creation by the Word unites
the concepts of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God being effective, and Creation
itself.
So the Bible is not a book
about God. It is God’s own book. Every Word in it is inspired by the Holy
Spirit in one, unified truth. Because the Holy Spirit is always united with the
Word, the Word is the vehicle or means by which God acts and establishes His
will.
Therefore it is especially
obnoxious to worship the results of the Creation and deny the Creator. This is good psychology, too, which we
expect from the Son of God.
Those who worship the
Creation deny God in the name of Nature, Earth Mother, and other nonsense. My
favorite video is one where a bunch of hippies moan and cry over a bunch of
rocks and dead trees.
Given the power and mercy of
God, it is foolish to reduce our trust in Him for all things and to rely on
ourselves instead.
It is probably true that
someone who dedicates himself to making money will accomplish that goal. One
person asked for advice on how to do that and got this answer on the Net – “I
will tell you everything I did in the last 20 years. If you do the opposite you
will be a millionaire by Tuesday.”
25 Therefore I say unto
you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink;
nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat,
and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not,
neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth
them. Are ye not much better than they?
The consequence of trusting
in God is not worrying about the necessities of life. We still do, especially
in such unsettled times, but to be perfect in this regard is the same as saying
we never sin. Our nature inclines us to worry and all the messages around us say
we should worry.
But this is an area where
human emotions are especially fragile. It is easy to be carried away. Often the
least vulnerable are the most inclined to panic. When people panic, they lose
all perspective. So we live with a need to have our frail emotions balanced by
trust in God, through His promises.
26 Behold the fowls of
the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet
your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which
of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
For a period of time I did
not feed the birds around our home. But now it is time for them to migrate, so
we expect a lot more birds coming through. Plenty of natural food is available
but sunflower seed gives them more protein and minerals for their needs.
Birds would rather forage on
their own, unlike squirrels. They routinely get into my sunflower seeds and
make a feast for themselves.
A bird wakes up singing each
morning, but he does not know where breakfast is coming from. During nesting
season he is busy making a nest, taking care of his children, and trying to
feed himself. They do so without storage (for the most part – blue jays store
acorns and help spread oak forests).
God stores plenty of nutritious
food for birds for the winter. The insects pupate in hidden places in tree bark
and in bushes. Birds eat that fast food all winter, except when a sleet storm
covers their supply. That is when they need human provided food the most.
The insect cycle provides
food for the parents and worms for the babies in spring. The birds provide
insect control while feeding themselves and their young.
The examples of Creation
show us that God has already provided for us. Our burden as humans is that we
have to think about our lot in life. Human reason makes us proud if things go
our way or despairing and jealous if they do not.
So much is established by
what God gives us and by what God provides. He even gives us faith by Creation.
The Word of God creates faith in our
hearts so that we trust the Promises of God and receive forgiveness of sin
through that trust.
28 And why take ye
thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil
not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I
say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of
these.
The Scriptures constantly
remind us of the passing of time, how flowers and grass grow and wither. There
is that moment many people reach when they say, “Time is fleeting. All the
important things of the past no longer matter so much. Lasting and eternal
values matter the most.”
The beauty of Creation, so
often portrayed by Norma Boeckler, teaches us that God is the ultimate artist
and designer. I remember seeing the look on the faces of children when I
pointed out that every single element in life was created by the Word, by Jesus
the Creating Word.
KJV John 1:1 In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The
same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without
him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was
the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness
comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through
him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness
of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that
cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him,
and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him
not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons
of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not
of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the
glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
That is all around us and
yet denied by so many.
When Lutherans neglect the
efficacy of the Word, the Creation of the universe by the Logos, they
necessarily deny everyone the tools to understand the Gospel, the Means of
Grace, forgiveness, justification by faith.
What God declares is true.
The Gospel says, Christ has died for your sins. In believing this Promise you
have what the Son of God did for you.
30 Wherefore, if God so
clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the
oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink?
or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the
Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these
things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all
these things shall be added unto you.
Jesus often said, “O ye of
little faith.” It is often repeated today.
When parents and children
are together, trust builds all the time. The children learn that trusting the
word of their parents is key to having a good, productive, and chaos-free life.
Sadly, many do not know that. They see parents out of control and emulate that
condition as they grow up.
The ideal, as established by
Creation, is to have the home serve as the essential building block of all
society. Parents learn as they raise children, listen to their children
communicating needs. Children mature to the point where they say, “My parents
were a great influence on me. I really value their wisdom.”
God as Father is no
accident. He cares for us and pours out His wisdom in so many ways, providing
for our knowledge and spiritual growth so lavishly that we can hardly miss it –
unless we consciously reject it.
When there is trust, even
more trust builds up. Where trust is lacking, the emotions are even more
influential in destroying the remnants of trust.
Seek first the Kingdom of
God and His righteousness – that means the Gospel comes first. Whatever is
first will displace anything else from first place. If material concerns are
first, the Gospel must be second, or third, or last. If the Gospel is first,
that alone informs how we think about everything else.
At the Crystal Bridges Museum
is a rather simple work of art. It is a red lens that is also convex, curved
inward. It is suspended over a glassed area, so the viewers can look through it
and see people moving back and forth on the other side.
The lens changes everything
in that view. Everything takes on a red glow and the view is smaller, taking in
a larger field than plain glass.
God has given us the Gospel
so we have that Gospel lens to view the world. Everything is different. Forgiveness
dominates. We give God credit for everything, from the smallest blessings to
the greatest miracles.
It is far more than Creation
itself. The red lens is the Gospel, and everything connects to that Gospel.
How can a crucified man rise
from the dead? How can we? The Gospel sets aside the law of sin and death and
gives us forgiveness and eternal life in its place.
