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| Norma A. Boeckler's books of art. |
The Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity, 2018
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
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 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
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
An Incentive to Trust in God
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
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
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| Norma A. Boeckler's books of art. |
KJV Galatians 5:25 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.
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| Norma A. Boeckler's books of art. |
Background for Sermon
Jesus' sermon about anxiety is based upon Creation, His Creation. As John's Gospel shows us, the Son of God is the Creating Word of Genesis 1. "All things were made through Him and nothing was made that was made apart from Him." John 1:3
The Synodical Conference (LCMS-WELS-ELS) broke with Creation when they slowly and dishonestly adopted Justification without the Word, which they call Objective Justification. Once God works without the Word, the entire message of the Bible is vacated and it becomes a platform for various philosophies. This philosophies touch upon Biblical words and concepts but deny the core, that the Holy Spirit works always through the Word, that the Word is always divinely powered and therefore effective.
Slowly making Objective Justification normative was already a denial of Creation, because there is no record of God declaring the entire world forgiven and saved. The best they can do is to try to force that meaning on the Atonement, though they separate one from the other. They also ignore hundreds of Justification by Faith passages, starting with Genesis 15.
Therefore, the current fever to embrace evolution is just a symptom of Objective Justification - now official in ELCA, LCMS, ELS, WELS, CLC (sic), some mini-micro Lutheran groups - and the Adventist sect.
The substance of Creation is the Word. That is why Jesus could turn water into wine, walk on water, and even raise the dead. God's Word does not depend on our realities because the rules He established at Creation can be set aside by the Author of Life.
Therefore, our rules and expectations of the natural word are subordinated to what God wills. If we had a little more humility, we would see how powerful and intricate Creation is.
Within a short period of time, six days, God made everything to work together for the benefit of all life. Predators improve the health and strength of the food they eat. Antiobiotics in the soil remove disease from the animals buried there. Animals that die on the surface are quickly attacked and reduced by bacteria, molds, parasites, and scavengers.
My neighbor asked why he had a big tomato plant but few tomatoes. "Did you fertilize?" Yes, three or four times. I told him, "That made the plant grow but took away from its ability to grow fruit." Down the street, the same thing happened the same way - big plants with no tomatoes. Man-made chemicals easily create the wrong scenario, while God's own set of relationships will provide the right kind of fertility.
Plants must be pretty smart, because they know what they want and ask fungi to provide it. The plants have carbon, so they offer it to fungi, which need carbon to grow. This fungus network connects various plants together to be fed by the same fungus, which also delivers water to the roots. If something dies in the ground, bacteria softens it and fungus reduces it to the food needed by plants.
There is also an ongoing struggle between bacteria and protozoa. Bacteria grow at a ferocious rate, so protozoa and earthworms consume them for food - primary food for the protozoa, but food producers for the earthworms. The earthworms use the bacteria to digest the organic matter they devour while worming their way through the soil.
We believe Creation in six days because the Word of God reveals this mystery to us and shows us that Jesus is the Lord of Creation. Trusting that mystery revealed, it is not shocking to Christians to know that all these living creatures, great and small, began their work at once. Otherwise, it would be like having the flour delivered at the bakery (now bankrupt) a month late, or everything but yeast in the pantry for making bread (Moline Matzah Factory, lacking the yeast).
As I told our helper on Wednesday, these discoveries about the soil are so recent that few people realize the key to ferility in the soil is fungus, not Scotts Weed and Feed. $20 worth of Stinky Peat is far more beneficial for the soil than a bag of chemicals that stunts the growth of all life in the ground below.
If man lets forest trash grow too deep, preventing fires, gigantic crown fires develop, very difficult to control. If man wipes out the top soil, weed seeds come through birds and winds that start to rebuild the soil. Man tends to exploit the riches already there, while God rebuilds what man has almost destroyed.
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| Norma A. Boeckler's books of art. |
An Incentive to Trust in God
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.
This self-evident truth is used by Jesus to point out a flaw in our human nature. We realize that we cannot work for Coke and Pepsi at the same time, and give them equal loyalty, we forget about God and mammon.
Many congregations and most denominations should be named for Mammon, which means having so much that man worships what is material rather than the God of Creation. Many denominations state they cannot do anything unless they have a lot more money, and yet money never solves their problems. One tiny seminary has choice land in NYC and $60 million in their endowment, but they cannot get people to attend their school. Congregations thrive on little money while giant ones evaporate with a lot of wealth. Mammon cannot be the cure. The Crystal Cathedral and the Community of Joy both tanked, no longer coveted by anyone.
There are numerous cases where people were in awe of someone's wealth but never regarded the power of God's Word. Instead, in the name of keeping the funds flowing, they deliberately silenced the Word for the "good of the congregation" or "the good of Holy Mother Synod."
Isaiah 66 Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? 2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My Word.
No matter what people say, especial clergy leaders, more tremble at mammon than at the Word of God.
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?
This is a statement we have to consider many times over. No thought? What about the changing economy? My age? My ability to work? The unfairness of the workplace? Any number of fears can enter and chase away faith. John 21 has a fascinating scene, and we tend to zoom past an important detail. Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection. They were fishing and caught nothing. Jesus told them to cast the net on the right side of the boat, reminding them of Luke 5 and that miraculous catch. Peter recognized Jesus and jumped into the water. They struggled to drag the boat in with its net packed with fish. They had to fish to eat, right? Jesus had a charcoal fire ready, with fish already on it and bread provided.
Jesus showed them again how they would be fishers of men, but importantly, He would provide for them before they could even get started. In fishing to provide for their hunger, they caught nothing on their own. Jesus indicated by this miracle and His work with Peter, Cast the net of the Word and food will not be a problem.
Doesn't Isaiah also promise -
Isaiah 65:23 They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord, and their offspring with them. 24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.And David -
Psalm 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.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?
Most people know that squirrels love to bury their food in the ground, which means the nuts they love will grow into trees, not for them, but for future generations. They plant them in the middle of my rose bushes, where the ground is soft and well watered. When I had English walnuts to give them, they checked each one over. The flawless ones were quickly buried and camoflaged. The squirrel glared at me, warning me not to steal it back. If I cracked the walnut, the squirrel found the flaw and ate the nut.
But bluejays also farm the trees. They store the best ones in the ground, so some experts think they have more to do with maintaining oak forests than the squirrels do. One might argue that both creatures are investing in annuities for their heirs, but they are driven by their divine software and not by hunger.
Birds do not plant crops and harvest for the next year, with barns full of food, yet your Heavenly Father provides for them and feeds them. Each morning they wake up and sing cheerfully, as if to remind us, they have no food and must start over, to feed their young and themselves. But Matins is first before the food.
Luther commented on this because there was only one Church at that time, and he was opposing Church and State (the Holy Roman Empire) at the same time. The birds reminded him, "Do not be anxious. We are not worried. God will provide."
Luther simply gave away the books he wrote, which are all the same in this regard - they ask what God's Word says. That changed history.
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.
Clothes are relatively inexpensive today. But that is the result of mass production. Rulers had the money to obtain the best fabric and tailors. We saw garments from China that took 20 years to make, one person working full-time. Solomon enjoyed that kind of wealth, but Jesus made an important point. Why worry about that God dresses up His Creation with flowers that are far more glorious than King Solomon's robes?
I get to enjoy those flowers close up, not just the showy roses, but the tiny flowers of herbs, like Borage and Garlic. We have a lot of wild flowers or weeds in the South that bloom right away and color the yards before everything greens up and they fade back again. Many people do not really notice them until they identify them, name them, and look for them again. I thought I saw violets in the back yard, but a gardener said no. After taking them in, I found they were Mouse Ears, which pop up through mulch and grass.
Can the Creator who takes care of more life than we can name neglect us?
We plough the fields, and scatter the good seed on the land;
But it is fed and watered by God's almighty hand:
He sends the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain,
The breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain.
But it is fed and watered by God's almighty hand:
He sends the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain,
The breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain.
Chorus All good gifts around us
Are sent from heaven above,
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord
For all His love.
Are sent from heaven above,
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord
For all His love.
He only is the maker of all things near and far;
He paints the wayside flower, He lights the evening star;
The winds and waves obey Him, by Him the birds are fed;
Much more to us, His children, He gives our daily bread.
He paints the wayside flower, He lights the evening star;
The winds and waves obey Him, by Him the birds are fed;
Much more to us, His children, He gives our daily bread.
Chorus
We thank Thee, then, O Father, for all things bright and good,
The seed time and the harvest, our life, our health, and food;
No gifts have we to offer, for all Thy love imparts,
But that which Thou desirest, our humble, thankful hearts.
We thank Thee, then, O Father, for all things bright and good,
The seed time and the harvest, our life, our health, and food;
No gifts have we to offer, for all Thy love imparts,
But that which Thou desirest, our humble, thankful hearts.
Luther pointed out that greed and coveting come from a lack of gratitude toward God and trust in Him. It is a pity that so many trust the false god Mammon rather than the Triune God.
Money cannot cure a cold, fever, or even a cut, yet God works His miracles all the time while providing for believers and unbelievers alike.
Naturally people wonder why God is so generous to unbelievers, and the reason is clear. He gives them time to repent and realize Who He is and what He does. Man's justice would leave few alone on earth, but God waits patiently.
- Paul was a dedicated and highly trained Pharisee.
- Augustine was a celebrity orator and highly regarded for his intellect.
- Luther was noticed right away and destined for greatness in law and government.
All three experienced dramatic change as God revealed His grace to them in various ways. Unfortunately, at that time, Luther became a dedicated monk who was faithful to the demands of the papacy. I am reading about him again in the Eric Metaxas book. Luther had guidance from his supervisor, Staupitz, a tremendous and good influence on his life. This gave Luther time to mature and learn about God's grace. Staupitz never left Holy Mother Church, but he certainly helped Luther get past salvation by works.
What God revealed to them was more precious than all the wealth in the world, and they saw that and gave all to spread that Gospel to others. Sacrifice is not signing a multi-million dollar deal with Nike, Mammon, but trusting in God for everything.
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.
The argument of Jesus is powerful, because He praises the wildflowers and birds above and beyond all human glory, then adds -, If God can clothe the fields with wildflowers which bloom today and wither away tomorrow, how much more will He clothe you? O ye of little faith.
This is where many break into their success bromides, their leaders have to lead, planners have to plan, and spend money to get money speeches. But that is not Jesus' point. He is using the Spirit to convict us of our lack of faith in Him. How can we view the works of Creation in wonder and then wonder how God can take care of us? We are far more valuable to Him. God already knows our needs and is answering them. I have seen many examples when the outlook was bleak and turned around in a second.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
What is the righteousness of God? That was just answered in Jesus preaching against "ye of little faith." It is the righteousness of faith, which takes us back to Abraham in Genesis 15 and all the Promises of God. When the disciples asked "What work should we do to do the works of God?" Jesus answered ironically, "Believe in the One Who sent Me." I say ironic because trust is not normally viewed as a work - we think of good deeds, specific achievable measurable goals, like repairing the hymnals. But Jesus said the work of God is to believe in Him.
Lacking trust in God through Jesus, could the apostles go out with almost nothing and expand the church world-wide? The uncertainties were crushing, but faith in God moved them and rewarded them with the results of God's power in the Word.
Barriers to seeking the Kingdom and its righteousness are many:
- Clinging to denominational norms is common.
- Some fear the condemnation of their families.
- Others fear economic retribution.
- Others fear loss of friends.
- Society tends to condemn the outcast while venerating the wealthy scoundrel.
But the rewards are many:
- The norms of the Bible are the only ones that matter.
- Some relatives condemn, some new people become family.
- In the face of economic revenge (clergy oriented), God provides.
- Losing false friends is a blessing above gold and silver, while gaining genuine friends in the Faith is priceless.
- Society's rules are not something to rely on but usually something to avoid, so we do not conform to this world.
Look at Jonah. He was goal-oriented: get out of Dodge fast. Pay any fare. God said, "I already paid your ticket to Ninevah. A whale will pick you up mid-ocean." And the Word of God prevailed; Ninevah repented.
What we realize about God comes later, after the fact. Life is full of little lessons about that. They prepare us for greater challenges later.
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.
"Therefore" wraps up the argument. Do not worry or be anxious. Let today's issues take care of themselves.
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| Norma A. Boeckler's books of art. |
