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June 20, 2010 — Luke 8:26-39 — CASTING OUT DEMONS — Pastor Jerome Teichmiller

admin — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 18:58:00 +0000

CASTING OUT DEMONS

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Our text for this mornings meditation is our Gospel lesson for today from Luke, chapter 8 verses 26 through 39, particularly these words: “A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into them, and he gave them permission. When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.”This is our text.

In the name of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, dear Christian friends. A popular comedian 35 years ago had one line that became his trademark. He would say, “The Devil made me do it.” and the audience would laugh. The things that the devils or demons in our text for today, made this man suffer were not laughing matters. I guess we could get into an argument about if demons really exist — and if they do, if they can possess people. I really don’t want to be a part of that discussion because the Bible makes it perfectly clear that demons do exist and that they do possess people. Mary Magdala had seven evil spirits or demons that came out of her according to Mark and Luke. Jesus cast demons and evil spirits out of many people in his ministry. Saint Paul, writing to the Ephesians, says the believer’s intense conflict is “not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, world-rulers of this darkness and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

According to scripture, demons have great knowledge and also great strength. Several times Jesus was confronted by demons who said, “We know who you are”, so obviously just knowing God exists and who he is does not constitute saving faith. Even Jesus own disciples after the stilling of the storm just before today’s text ask, “Who is this man? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.” The disciples did not even know who Jesus was! But the demons did.

AND our text for today tells us that this man’s family and community had tried to confine or restrain him, even to the point of putting him into chains — The text said, “For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. Many times the spirit had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot, and kept under guard, he had broken his chains, and been driven by the demon into solitary places.”The demons were in complete control of this man’s life. They had deranged him mentally, morally, physically and Spiritually.

The man is totally helpless against the demons. He is powerless to save himself. He is completely controlled by the power of evil.

Isn’t this a very vivid picture of our spiritual condition by nature? Because of Original Sin, we are, according to Scripture, spiritually blind, spiritually dead, and enemies of God. How many times have we made promises to God of what WE WOULD DO for him, only to find ourselves falling short again. How many times have we promised to change our sinful life, especially that one sin that seems to always keep coming up in our lives, only to find ourselves falling back into the same old rut, the same old habit, and the same old sin. And using the excuse “The Devil made me do it!” is only half true — because we gave in to the temptation. The “sinner” in us, overpowered the “saint” in us — and we sinned!

The man in the story had no hope whatsoever, until Jesus showed up in his village. He was probably NOT a child of Abraham and probably not a believer. Jesus had just crossed the Sea of Galilee to the region of the Gerasenes. And he is in an area that raises pigs — obviously, NOT a Jewish village! But here the man meets Jesus. We know these things just do not happen by chance! Jesus was there not by accident or chance — but by choice! And Jesus recognizes the need of this poor man and commands the demons, the evil spirits to leave him.

At this point Jesus begins a conversation with the demon through the man. First the demon makes a profession of absolute truth and orthodox theology, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!”Even in a pagan land — the demons still recognize the Son of the Most High God! The demons know that Jesus is the promised Messiah — the “seed of the woman” who would crush Satan’s head — together with all his minions. The demons know that this is the one — who by his life, death, and resurrection will defeat them, for all time and for all eternity. The demons know they have already lost the battle — “Jesus, Don’t torture us — Make it quick!” They ask for the pigs and Jesus grants it. They leave the man — enter the pigs — and the text said they rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. Jesus has saved this man from evil!! End of story??? Not quite!

You see, Luke does not tell us how many pigs there were in that herd. But Mark does! Mark tells us that there were 2,000 pigs in that herd! If some farmer in Harris or Montgomery County lost 2,000 pigs in a drowning it would probably be on the 6 o’clock news and in the headlines of the Chronicle! They see the dead pigs — And they see this man that they have known for years now dressed nicely, cleaned up, talking intelligently, and acting quite normal — and what do they do?? They ask Jesus to leave!!

Doesn’t that seem strange? This man has power over demons! This man can help people who are possessed! This man could be a great help to them in their needs! But they send him away. The ESV text tells us they sent him away because, “They were seized with great fear.” But this verse uses the same Greek word which elsewhere is translated as “Being filled with AWE.” It’s the same feeling which Peter had when he saw the large catch of fish. Peter told Jesus to depart from Him because he was a sinful man — and the people want Jesus to depart — for they too know their sins, and they fear they will receive judgment just as the demons received judgment.

But what about the man who had been delivered of the demons? Our text tells us that he wanted to go with Jesus. He wanted to be a disciple. He is not afraid of his Savior. The evil has been removed from his life — he has been delivered from the evil over which he had no control — he wants to follow Jesus! But Jesus tells him to stay where he is. He is to tell others what God has done for him. He is to share the good news — the Gospel of a Savior who really saves, with all who will listen.

Jesus has delivered us as well. Jesus, has forgiven our sins, made us his own, and given us the promise of life eternal in heaven. What wonderful things he has done for us. We too are His witnesses to the marvelous things God has done for us. Maybe Jesus didn’t cast demons out of us, but by his life, death, and resurrection, he has given us the final victory over sin, death, and the devil. Let us tell others what great things God has done for us! To God alone be the glory, now and always! Amen.

And may the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.

May 30, 2010 — Trinity Sunday — John 16:12-15 — Our Mysterious God — Pastor Jerome Teichmiller

admin — Mon, 31 May 2010 20:57:00 +0000

Our Mysterious God
John 16:12-15

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Our text for this mornings meditation is recorded in the Gospel of St. John, chapter 16, verses 12 through 16, particularly these words: “All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.” This is our text.

In the name of our Blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, dear Christian friends. Today is Trinity Sunday. A day that we remember, and celebrate, the fact that our God is three persons, yet only one God. This is a mystery which we cannot fully comprehend, nor can we fully explain it. And yet it is a doctrine that is central to our Christian faith. It is a doctrine that is clearly taught in the Scriptures, even thought the Scriptures themselves never use the word “Triune”.

Since the doctrine of the Trinity is an unexplainable mystery, I am not going to even try to do the impossible and explain to you the Trinity. But I do want to share with you the comfort and the hope that is ours because we know for sure that our Triune God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is at work in our lives and in our world, every minute of every day.
We will start off first of all with the Father. Jesus said in our text, “All that belongs to the Father is mine.” What is it that belongs to the Father? The comforting truth is that EVERYTHING belongs to the Father! This is God’s world. He created all things. He made out of nothing, everything that exists. Because he created all things — all things belong to him.

And another comforting thought is that he not only created the world — but he is still in control of His world. The Bible reminds us that it is God who sends rain on the just and the unjust. Luther explained the petition about daily bread in the Lord’s Prayer by saying that “God gives daily bread to all people, even to the wicked.” But there is a difference between the Christian and the unbeliever, the Christian recognizes that these gifts come from the loving hand of Almighty God, takes the time to say “Thank You” to God for the blessings received, and then uses these gifts of God to the glory of God, not selfishly for self.

What a comfort it is to know that Our Father in Heaven, who controls the movement of the stars and the universe, loves you and me. He cares about us. He even promises to listen to us when we pray to him. And we know that because he had the power to create this world, he also has the power to care for us and to answer our prayers.

What a comfort it is to know the first person of the Trinity: God, our Almighty Father, Maker of Heaven and earth.

Next we look at God the Son. Jesus said in our text, “All that belongs to the Father is MINE.” I guess the question might be asked, “Just how did all of this that was created by the Father become also the property of the Son. And that is an easy question to answer.

First of all, Jesus was there at creation and participated in that creation. John 1:1; “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God!”

But there is also another reason. You see, when God the Father created this world, he created it perfect and Holy. God looked at his perfect world and said “It is good!” But then something terrible happened to this great creation of God’s. Man listened to Satan in the serpent, and sin entered into the world. God’s perfect creation was no longer perfect, but instead was stained and blackened by sin. No longer was man perfectly happy and blessed in the Garden of Eden — but now suffered because of sin.
In order that this world might once again be set right, a price had to be paid. The world had to be bought back from sin and death. The world had to be redeemed.

And that is just what God the Son, did. He paid the price. It was not cheap either. “The wages of sin is death.” because of sin, someone had to die. And the only ransom good enough, the only person who could fully and completely pay the total bill for sin, was the very Son of God himself — Jesus Christ. Remember what Luther said about the work of God the Son? “He redeemed us, not with gold or silver, but with his holy precious blood and his innocent suffering and death.” Christ paid the price. He redeemed you and me, and all sinners from everlasting death and condemnation.

What a comfort it is for us to know that God the Son has redeemed us, has bought us back, so that we can be God’s people, so that we can be forgiven, so that we can spend eternity in heaven. It is the work of God the Son to redeem and to restore sinners, so that we might be right with God the Father.

God the Father creates and preserves the world. God the Son redeemed sinful mankind through his perfect life, his innocent death, and his glorious resurrection. What then does the Holy Spirit do in our lives? Our text says, “The Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.” That is the work of the Holy Spirit, “To make things known to us.”

It is very important that the Holy Spirit is at work in and among us. Our scriptures make it very clear that because of original sin, which each and every one of us has, we are by nature at odds with God and God’s will for our lives. By our sinful human nature, we do not do good, instead we do the opposite of what God wants for us. By our human nature, we are spiritually blind, spiritually dead, and enemies of God. That is why Luther started his explanation of the 3rd article of the Apostles’ Creed with these words, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in my Lord Jesus Christ or come to him.” Luther couldn’t do it! I can’t do it! You can’t do it by yourself either! As a matter of fact the Scriptures say, “No one can say that Jesus is Lord but by the Holy Spirit.” That is why it is so important for the Holy Spirit to be at work in us — because we cannot save ourselves. We cannot “make a decision for Christ” without the Holy Spirit calling us by the Gospel, enlightening us with his gifts, sanctifying us and keeping us in that one true faith.

Jesus said in our text, “The Holy Spirit will make it known to you.” The Holy Spirit is God at work in us, and among us. The Holy Spirit works through the Means of Grace, through Word and Sacrament to make known to us the Love of God the Father, and the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit moves in our hearts and in our minds through Word and Sacrament, to create saving faith, and to show to us the pathway that God would want us to walk in life. All this we call “SANCTIFICATION” — which is a big word which means, “to make holy”. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to bring us to faith in Jesus Christ, and to keep us in that faith, and to make it possible for us to walk in that faith.

What a comfort it is to know that God the Holy Spirit is active always through Word and Sacrament to keep us in our Christian faith, and to strengthen us for a life pleasing to God.

God the Father creates us! God the Son redeems us! God the Holy Spirit sanctifies us! That is a rather simple way of understanding the process by which God works within our lives. The Holy Three-in-one and One-in-three. This explanation does not fully explain the Triune God — but it at least gives us some guideline of his love, his strength, and his care for you and for me. On this Trinity Sunday, let us rejoice in our Triune God. And let us celebrate His wonderful love for us. To God be the Glory, now and always. Amen.

May the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.

November 15, 2009 — Daniel 12:1-3 — Tribulation and Delivery — Pastor Jerome Teichmiller — Proper 28

admin — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:50:43 +0000

TRIBULATION AND DELIVERY
Daniel 12:1-3

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Our text for this mornings meditation is recorded in the book of Daniel, chapter 12, verses 1 through 3, particularly these words: “There shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at that time, your people shall be delivered.” This is our text.

In the name of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, dear Christian friends. We are now in the last few weeks of the liturgical year of the church. As we draw near to the end of that church year, our Scripture readings remind us that we are also drawing near to the end of time — to the second coming of Christ — to judgment day.

There has always been a lot of debate over the “End Times”. There is even a movie out now telling us that the end of the world is coming in 2012. Will there be a 1000 year earthly reign of Jesus — As some think? Will there be a rapture as some teach? Does Russia and Israel fulfill the symbolic prophecies of the Old Testament and of Revelations? OR is all of this stuff about the “End Times” just the result of an over active imagination of people who specialize in meaningless trivia?

There is a lot of interest these days in prophecy. People want to know the “Signs of the times.” Just like John and Andrew in today’s Gospel lesson, people are asking, “When will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are all about to be fulfilled?” Today’s text, together with today’s Gospel lesson, answers a few of those questions for us.

The first point of our text for today is that there will be a period of great tribulation before the world comes to an end. Our text reads, “There will be a time of trouble such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then.” And Jesus, in today’s Gospel Lesson, explains further this period of tribulation. He says, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child. Children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. All men will hate you because of me.”

In the last 100 years alone, we had World War I and World War II. There was Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and now Iraq and Afghanistan. Today, the Middle East and Central America are heavily armed just waiting for that one mistake by someone to start another major war. We have NEVER been without wars and rumors of wars — they have always been with us — and according to Jesus — they will be with us until judgment day. This part of prophecy was fulfilled long ago.

There have been earthquakes around the world forever. There are famines going on even today in Africa. There have been natural disasters around the world for centuries already — This part of prophecy has been fulfilled long ago.

Child abuse and family violence is at an all time high not only in the U.S. — but around the world. But with the sinfulness of man — this is not something new. It has always been with us ever since Cain killed his brother Able. This part of prophecy has been fulfilled long ago.

From what I see in our world today and from what I read in world history, those who spend their time trying to read the “signs of the times” — are basically wasting their time trying to figure out when the world will end. The Scriptures are very clear that the end will come “Like a thief in the night, when no one is watching.” It will come like a twinkling or the blinking of an eye. The signs have long ago been fulfilled. As Paul said even in his day, “Today is the day to be saved, this is the hour to receive God’s favor?” There is no reason to look for signs — they have been fulfilled!

A true Christian does not have to worry about what the future holds. That is made clear by the second point in today’s text. We have this promise in the text, “At that time, your people will be delivered.”

The one thing that makes people fear the second coming of Christ is that separation of the sheep and the goats — and their conscience makes them fear that they will be numbered among the goats, instead of among the sheep. If you live in fear of God’s return to judge the living and the dead, then you need to look for signs and wonders – you need something to give you a warning, so that you can prepare at the last minute!

But the Christian does not need to worry about that second coming because we have God’s own promise in today’s text — “At that time, your people will be delivered.” Jesus said it this way in today’s Gospel lesson, “He who stands firm to the end will be saved.” That is God’s promise to us. By grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, we will be saved. It doesn’t matter about the tribulation! It doesn’t matter about a rapture. It doesn’t matter about a millennium — Jesus Christ is our Lord and our Savior, and if we believe in Him, we will be saved. That is certain! That is sure! That is God’s promise to you and to me!

Guessing about when Jesus will come again — or trying to figure out all the symbolism of prophecy so that we know when He is coming again will do us no good. When Jesus comes again all that will matter is the answer to that one question — “Do you believe that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior?” If your answer to that question is “YES – by God’s Grace”, then you will rejoice to hear Jesus say — “Come into my kingdom prepared for you!”

But there is a third point to our text for today concerning those coming end times. And that is found in these words, “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.” In the Old Testament — Wisdom was always rooted in the faith and trust of God. We remember verses like, “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” So what the verse is telling us is that those who are wise — that is, those who have faith — will shine, and they will lead many to righteousness.

Christians are not to just sit back in their easy chairs waiting for Jesus to return and take them to heaven. We have a lot of work to get done for the Lord while we are waiting for His return. There are many people who do not yet know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. As Christ’s ambassadors, as Christ’s representatives on earth, it is our joy and privilege to share with them that Love of God. To share with them the only way of Salvation — which is faith in Jesus Christ.

Through our faith in Jesus Christ, you and I are ready for Christ’s second coming. We know that we have a task to fulfill yet here on earth — and that when the right time comes — God will take us out of this world into His eternal kingdom. But don’t be misled by all the talk about what “might be,” or by what “can be,” or by what “possibly will be.” Rather put your trust in the one thing that is sure — “God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but will have everlasting life.” That’s God’s promise to each of us. Amen.

May the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.

October 25, 2009 — God’s Promise to His People — Jeremiah 31: 7-9 — Pastor Jerome Teichmiller

admin — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:09:43 +0000

God’s Promise to His People

Jeremiah 31: 7-9

Proper 25

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our text for this mornings meditation is recorded in the Book of Jeremiah, chapter 31, verses 7 through 9, particularly these words: “Thus says the Lord, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born.” This is our text.

In the name of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ dear Christian friends. The text says, “Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob, and raise shouts for the chief of the nations; proclaim, give praise, and say, O Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel.” Those were the instructions that God was giving to his people Israel through his prophet Jeremiah. But these instructions for celebration came with a promise — and that promise had special meaning for the Children of Israel — just as they have special meaning to you and me, as the people of God — today.

The first part of that promise, given by Jeremiah was that God would father his people together. God said, “Behold, I will bring them from the north country and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth, among them the blind and the lame, the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together; a great company, they shall return here.”

This was a very special promise to the children of Israel. Their entire nation for years had been upset — divided — separated — deported to many nations and lands by those who had captured them in war. Now God promises to bring those broken families back together again.

And God does not promise to bring back only the strong — but he also promises to bring back the blind and the lame — and even those who are the most vulnerable, those who normally do not travel — the women who are with child, and those who are already experiencing labor itself.

God’s promise means healing for the children of Israel — it means a restoration of their nation.

That promise also has meaning for you and for me. For you and I also live in a world that is scattered — divided — separated — and torn apart by hatred, hardship, bloodshed, strife, and greed. Just read the headlines of the newspaper on any given day: Wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan; Mothers starving their 3 year old child to the point that he weighs only 19 pounds; murders, rapes, robberies, and all kinds of crime all around us.

But it is not only around us, it is even among us, and even in our own private lives. We too, like others, hold on to those hard feelings and grudges. We too, like others, want and desire things that are not good for us. We too, like others avoid people we don’t like and are avoided by others who will not even attempt to settle differences. Why is our world — and our lives — in such a mess?? Because of sin – Because of sin, the human race is a scattered, and shatter, race of people. And even our own lives, are scattered and shattered.

But this shattered, scattered, sinful people — God promises to call back together. And it won’t be just the strong — it won’t be just the great leaders, or just the wealthy, or just the very religious — But rather, God will reunite His people — all his people — the murderer, the thief, the adulterer, the drunks, all the sinners — and he will unite them with the one thing that can unite them — and that is the love of God, and the forgiveness offered through His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. This broken and scattered people, can only be reunited in the blood of Jesus Christ. Only when we see ourselves forgiven before God by Christ, can we begin to forgive others and begin to restore those broken and fractured relationship brought about by sin.

God promises to reunite His people — Only through Jesus Christ and His forgiveness, can the world’s people — our people — be reunited.

The second part of God’s promise is that he is going to lead this reunited people back to the promised land. God said through Jeremiah, “With weeping they shall come and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they will not stumble.”

For the children of Israel — this promise of coming back home to their promised land had very special meaning. For only in the promised land would God keep that other promised for which they had great hopes — the Messiah would come and save his people.

For you and me — this also has special meaning — in two ways. First and most obvious is that God has a promised land for you and me. A land where we store up treasure — where rust and rot cannot decay that treasure — a promised land of heaven — that is one fulfillment of God’s promise to you and to me.

But there is another, a more immediate fulfillment to that promise of our God, and that fulfillment is being met right here at Zion Lutheran Church in Tomball — right at this moment.

Israel had to return home so that God could keep His promise to send a Savior. You and I meet at God’s house, as a Christian family to celebrate, to sing, to praise God for sending a Savior. And here God keeps his promises to us as he forgives our sins through the sacraments and through absolution — as he strengthens our faith in Jesus Christ — and as he gives us hope and joy so that we can live another week as God’s own children in this sin stained world. God keeps his promise to us here through Word and Sacrament — God’s means of Grace, that he uses to fulfill his promise that “he will be with us always — even unto the end of the world.”

We are not alone in this world. We are gathered here together in this house — gathered around God’s Altar — Gathered around God’s Word and God’s gifts to us. Here we find shelter. Here we find joy. Here we find comfort, peace, and forgiveness. The church is not a social-club — but it is a group of people, joined together by God himself, where he keeps his promises and gives his gifts. Here, in God’s church, he keeps his promise to lead us by brooks of water, and in a straight path in which we shall not stumble.”

The third part of God’s promise is that he will be our Father, and we will be his children. He said in our text, “I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born.” For the people of Israel — this relationship with God was very important. They were God’s own special, chosen people. But that is also true of you and me — we are God’s own special, chosen people.

The use of the name “EPHRAIM” in the text is very important to the message of the Text. Ephraim was an Egyptian born son of Joseph — who was adopted by Jacob, his grandfather. Consider for a moment Ephraim’s position in Jacob’s house — He was the youngest son of the 11th son — born of an Egyptian mother — in a foreign land — and adopted by an ailing and aged grandfather. Ephraim’s position in the family would just barely rate him a little bit higher than the servants. But God says in our text, “Ephraim is my first-born.” Or as Jesus said in last Sunday’s Gospel reading, “The last shall be first.”

What glorious promise this is to you and me. For we are like Ephraim. By our own power, we cannot win God’s favor. Our sins are always setting us apart from God. Because of our sins we deserve no favors from God. AND YET, God makes us His first-born. It is the first-born who receives almost all of the power and wealth of the Father. It is the first-born who is honored and respected by the family. It is the first-born who represents the family to the world. It is the first-born who receives the inheritance of his father.

You and I are God’s first born — even though we are adopted children of God through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We live today with the forgiveness and strength of being God’s first-born — and we live today with the assurance and the hope of the eternal inheritance which awaits us in heaven. What a wonderful promise that we are God’s first-born children — and his heirs to eternal life.

“I will gather you together, to a special place, and make you my first-born child”. That is God promise to you through Jesus Christ our Lord. To God be the glory now and always. Amen.

May the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.

October 18, 2009 — Ecc. 5: 10-20 — Money As Master — Pastor Jerome Teichmiller

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:10:16 +0000

MONEY AS MASTER
Ecc. 5: 10-20
Proper 24

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Our text for this mornings meditation is from Ecclesiastes, chapter 5, verses 10 through 20, particularly these words, “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth, with his income; this also is vanity.” This is our text.

In the name of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, dear Christian friends. Jesus said to his disciples in our Gospel reading today, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” And when the disciples heard what Jesus had said, they were amazed. They were astonished! And they asked him, “Well, if rich people have that much trouble getting into heaven, “Then who can be saved?”

The disciples had a very human view of the world around them. People generally thought that people with money could accomplish pretty well anything they wanted to do. They had the position, the power, the prestige, the influence, and yes, the where-with-all to get done for themselves, their families, their businesses, and their friends, anything they wanted done. It never crossed their minds that people with money just might have problems of their own. And those problems, are what our Old Testament Lesson is talking about today.

It was King Solomon who wrote the book of Ecclesiastes, somewhere around 930 B.C. It was toward the end of his reign as king and the end of his life. Solomon had been given great wisdom by God at the very beginning of his reign — and because Solomon had not asked for victory over his enemies and great wealth — God gave these things to him as well. Even though he had greater wisdom than all, and greater wealth than most, in the end, Solomon could not enjoy them. Late in life, Solomon allowed his 300 wives and 600 concubines, to lead him into idolatry and the worship of false Gods. In the Book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon describes his pursuit of power and pleasure, which did not bring joy or happiness, but instead, only lead him to emptiness. And so the book of Ecclesiastes comes across very depressing, with it’s negative outlook of “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.” At the end, in the last chapter, Solomon pulls his readers out of the despair, and points them to God’s care and wisdom which alone can give rest and peace to the troubled heart and mind.

Why can money, or fame, or position and power, or anything else — not give that peace which mankind seeks and needs? Our text tells us well. “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income.” The problem with money, and position, and power, and fame, and lust is that sinful mankind can never get enough!! Like the golfer who hits his ball off to the right, it hits and tree, bounces up on the green and stops inches from the hole — and he is upset because it didn’t go in!!. We always want more. When these evil wants and desires take over our life, it is never enough. Our text even mentions riches that were kept by their owner that brought him hurt — and one rich man who sank his money into a very bad venture which went bankrupt, couldn’t even provide for his son.

All these things are like the Devil’s lies — they promise good and pleasant and pleasing things — But what they produce is misery, and pain, and heartache, and guilt. When money becomes your master, it produces greed, and covetousness, and stealing, and false dealings with others, and even a stinginess that produces hording and selfishness. What about sex when it becomes master of one’s life? It produces lustful desire for the wrong person, it produces lies and deceit, it produces adultery, and in King David’s case — it even lead to murder! When sin rules our lives, and when sin becomes the master of our lives — not only is it a temptation — but it is a mighty temptation which is very hard to control. I guess we need to ask the same question which the disciples asked of Jesus in the Gospel reading, “With all this evil around us, tempting us, and leading us astray, THEN WHO CAN BE SAVED!” And Jesus answered them “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.”

The world, with all its wealth, possessions and powers, is a very demanding master, always wanting more. But God is totally different, instead of demanding more — he gives the best he has. “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son. That whosoever believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life.” Jesus said, “My peace I give to you, but my peace,” he said, would be different than the peace which the world would give. God’s peace comes with sins forgiven. God’s peace comes with no stings attached. God’s peace comes with an unconditional love. God’s peace brings life and joy and happiness. God’s peace cannot hurt us or disappoint us, because God’s peace brings eternal life. That is why the last verse of today’s text tells us, “He will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.” God, through his grace and his mercy, gives us peace and joy without end.

So, what about all those goodies around us in this world of ours? There are some who misquote the scriptures and say, “Money is the root of all evil.” The actual quote is “THE LOVE of money is the root of all evil.” Once again we come to Luther’s explanation of the first commandment — “We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things.” Nothing can be more important to us than God himself.

The goodies around us in this world are the creation of God. It is God who has given us all things — not for our greed and lust — but for our good. God’s gifts are to be used by God’s people for the common good — in a Christian way. And it is God himself who gives us the faith, and the strength, and the will, to use the gifts he has given us, so that his gifts are a blessing to ourselves and to others. There is nothing wrong with being rich — but use the riches God has given you in a God blessing manner. There is nothing wrong in having strong political influence in the community — but use this gift God has given you in a manner pleasing to God. That was what Solomon was talking about in our text when he said, “Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting, is to eat and drink, and find enjoyment, in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy then, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil — this is the gift of God.”

That is true peace — To live life with a joyful heart, to trust in God with all our heart, and to make use of the gifts God has given to us as his people to God‘s glory and to the welfare of all. May God grant us that peace, through Jesus Christ, his Son, our Lord. Amen.

And may the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.

October 4, 2009 — Marriage: God’s Plan — Genesis 2: 18-24 — Pastor Jerome Teichmiller

admin — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 19:47:55 +0000

MARRIAGE: GOD’S PLAN
Genesis 2: 18-24

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Our text for this mornings meditation is recorded in the book of Genesis, chapter 2, verses 18 through 24, particularly these words: “God said, It is not good that the man should be alone… Therefore, a man leaves his father and his mother, and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.” This is our text.

In the name of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, dear Christian friends. In the Houston Chronicle this week, a Dallas judge said that her court had jurisdiction over divorce proceedings between two men who married in another state. The Texas Attorney General ruled that a Texas court cannot grant a divorce to anyone who is not legally married in the first place according to Texas State Law. Stay tuned for the outcome of that dispute. A few months back, a religious denomination which even dares to call itself Lutheran, declared that same sex marriages would be permissible in certain circumstances and that congregations that wanted to do so, could call openly gay and lesbian pastors. Not Missouri Synod by the way. Obviously, there is a lot of confusion concerning marriage and how individual people relate to each other these days. There are so many different kinds of relationships these days between men and women, men and men, women and women, that it gets very hard at times to tell who is married, or who is just dating, or who has a “meaningful relationship”, or who is just fooling around. We hear and read about lawsuits for palimony, about surrogate mothers, and there are advertisements for sex therapists. Our televisions, our movies, our magazines are running over with all kinds of articles, and programs, and talk shows which are really unfit for children to watch, or hear, or read. Our nation seems really confused as to just what is a proper relationship between men and women in general, and between husband and wife in particular.

With all the confusion over sex, marriage, and the relationship between men and women — how does the Christian make a good and right decision on this matter within his or her own personal, private life? This morning, our assigned Scripture readings tell us what God has to say concerning these issues and this debate. Let’s let God speak to us through the Words of today’s Old Testament reading and our Gospel reading!

First of all, we read, “It is not good that the man should be alone.” The first thing that we learn about the relationship between man and woman is that “it is not good that the man should be alone.” And although the text doesn’t come right out and say it, the opposite is also true – it is not good that the woman should be alone either.

God made man a social creature. Barbara Streisand (and those under 40 are saying, “Who?”) used to sing a song which said, “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world.” There are a few hardy souls who want to buy their own little island and get away from everybody else — but basically we all need someone around us for company. As God said, “It is not good that man should be alone.”

But even in a crowd, you can be lonely, and so God recognized that he had to make a “Helper that was suitable for the man.” Call her a “counter-part” to man if you like. The rosters had their hens. The bucks had their does. The gander had his goose. But for man – no suitable helper was found. So God created Woman — Eve –And as He gave away the first Bride and brought her to Adam, God himself established the marriage relationship. Eve brought great joy into the life of Adam. You can almost hear the excitement in his voice, “This is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh.” Eve was created — not inferior to man — not superior to man — not even equal to man — Eve was created different from man! To each God gave certain responsibilities in life — responsibilities that were supposed to complement each other — not compete with each other! Adam was to be husband and father — and Eve, as the “Helper suitable for him,” as his counter part, was to be wife and mother! This is what we call in theological terms, “God’s order of creation.”

This relationship between man and woman were created perfect and holy. It brought joy and happiness to both Adam and Eve. “It was not good that the man should be alone”. That was why God created woman — and marriage.

What happened to this perfect creation of male and female and marriage? Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. Sin came into the world. And with sin came the knowledge of good and evil. Now they knew just how badly this precise gift of God could be misused and abused – so they blushed for the first time, they got embarrassed to see each other naked – and they hid from each other by sewing fig leaves together to make cloths for themselves. Sin not only tore apart their relationship with God – but also with each other. In the Gospel reading, the Pharisees asked Jesus why Moses allowed divorce and Jesus said it was because of the “hardness of their hearts” – because of sin.

It is still sin even today, which tears apart God’s perfect creation of marriage. Selfishness, greed, lust, and unfaithfulness among many other things rob God’s creation of marriage of the blessing that it should be for all mankind. Husbands refuse to love their wives even as Christ loved the church and gave himself for her – And wives refuse to submit in love to their husbands in the same way as the church submits to Christ. God’s perfect creation has been turned into smut, and porn, and dirty jokes by a sinful world!

At their creation in the garden there was a special interdependency between the two — man needed woman — and woman needed man. Paul made this clear in the book of Corinthians where he reminds us that Woman was taken from man — and that man was born of woman. They are dependent on each other!

I feel that some of the problems of marriage today is that husband and wife no longer need each other. In the days of the old west — when husbands and wives had to fight side by side to protect their lands, cattle and crops, and when they had to protect the family against wolves and other wild critters, and when they had to make a living farming land with only an old mule and a broken plow — husband and wife needed each other to survive. But today — when the husband makes a good salary — and the wife makes a salary equal to or maybe even better than his — they can each go their separate ways and still survive. If they have a small argument or disagreement, they go their own way — because they don’t need each other.

That wasn’t God’s intention for man or woman. God made woman from man — and God brought woman to man — and God meant for them to be good for one another — for them to need each other — for them to live together, sharing all that was to come – for them to reproduce the species. God’s plan was an interdependency between man and woman — sharing all that was to come in a life time commitment of marriage.

And that brings us to our last point for today — God intended this relationship between a man and a woman to be a lasting and deep relationship. We read from the text, “Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother, and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh.”

Jesus quotes this Old Testament verse in Today’s Gospel lesson and then he added, “What God has joined together let not man put asunder.” Our Gospel lesson for today recognizes that because of sin — separation and divorce are a part of life — only perfect people have perfect marriages and those don’t exist! But God’s intention when he first created Adam and Eve and marriage was for a life time union between a man and a woman. And this is not an easy task or assignment that God has given.

Some like to blame their problems on “THE MODERN DAY LIVING”. But those people who celebrate their 40th or 50th or even 60th wedding anniversary didn’t have it any easier than the young married couples of today. In fact, if we take a close look at history, they lived through some very difficult times. The great depression, world wars, Korea and Vietnam, and many of the diseases that are easily cured today, were killers back then. Times are not any harder today than they were back then! But what made those long term marriages work was FIRST, a commitment to God, and THEN, to each other — that they would share the hard times, they would share the sorrows, even while they shared the good times and the joys. Most importantly of all, they forgave one another as God for Christ’s sake had forgiven them. When we look at marriage as a life-time commitment, not a temporary living arrangement, then the problems of any one given day seem kind of small. To make a marriage work, both man and woman have to be committed to the relationship and forgive one another, as God has forgiven each.

Even in our crazy, mixed up world — God’s will for a man and a woman is the same as it was in the Garden of Eden — between Adam and Eve – “It is not good that man should be alone,” so “A man should leave his father and his mother, and cleave to his wife, and they would be one flesh.”

Living in the forgiveness earned for us by Jesus Christ, and living in the strength that God gives us for our daily lives, let us commit ourselves to God’s will for us. Amen.

May the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.

September 20, 2009 — Jeremiah 11: 18-20 — A CAUSE COMMITTED TO GOD — Pastor Jerome Teichmiller

admin — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:14:49 +0000

A CAUSE COMMITTED TO GOD

Jeremiah 11: 18-20

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Our text for this mornings meditation is recorded in the book of Jeremiah, chapter 11, verses 18 through 20, particularly these words, “Because the Lord reveled their plot to me, I knew it. O Lord Almighty let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.” This is our text.

In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, dear Christian friends. Just what was it that the Lord was making known to Jeremiah in our text? That question is answered for us in the verse which follows our text for today. There in verse 21 we read, “The men of Anathoth wanted me killed, and they told me that they would kill me if I kept on proclaiming the Lord’s message.” The men of Anathoth didn’t like the message that God had for Israel that Jeremiah was proclaiming. And so to get rid of the message, they planned to get rid of the messenger. And so they threatened Jeremiah that if he did not stop proclaiming God’s message — they were going to kill him.

But Jeremiah did not scare easily, and instead of fleeing the country to save his life, he said in our text, “I prayed, ‘Almighty God, you are a just judge; you test people’s thoughts and feelings. I have placed my cause in your hands; so let me watch you take revenge on these people.”

Jeremiah’s cause was committed to the Lord. Jeremiah knew that he had to be about God’s task — He had a message from God that he had to proclaim and there was no backing off from that message — he had to proclaim it — even if it meant he had to die while proclaiming it. And so Jeremiah’s cause is committed to the Lord — and Jeremiah puts himself into God’s hands as he continues to perform that task that God has given him.

You and I can learn several things from Jeremiah in this text. First of all, Jeremiah did not fear the men of Anathoth, or any other human being for that matter. Jeremiah just turned to God, told God that these men were trying to stop his ministry and message, and then he sat back knowing – Trusting – that God would remove the obstacle. In verse 22, God gives Jeremiah this promise. “I will punish them. Their young men will be killed in war; their children will die of starvation. I have set a time for bringing disaster on the people of Anathoth and when that time comes, none of them will survive.” That was God’s promise to Jeremiah, that those who would try to block his message would be removed and would cause him no further trouble.

Jeremiah did not fear men — even though they threatened his life! BUT what about you and me? Do we fear men? Are we afraid of other people?

Consider for a moment, we have a message to proclaim. We have the Good news of a Savior who died on a cross for us. We have the message that heaven is a free gift, given by a loving God to all those who have faith and trust in the one and only Son of God, Jesus Christ, sent to die on a cross for us, and to earn for us the right to be in heaven and to be called the Children of God.

There is no greater message in all the world than the message that you and I have to proclaim to the world — that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. So why do we keep it to ourselves so much? Are we afraid that we might offend someone if we talk about religion? Are we afraid they might think that we are religious nuts? Are we afraid they might think that we think we are better than they are because “we’ve got religion” and they don’t? Or are we just afraid to talk to someone else about a matter so personal as religion? If we answered “yes” to any one of these questions, or others like them, then we are indeed afraid of men. We are allowing them to block us from doing the task which God has given us to do. We are to teach all nations. We are to baptize all nations. We are to proclaim pardon to the captives, For we have the message of forgiveness in Jesus Christ.

No one is threatening our lives for proclaiming this message — but we are threatening their lives by not telling them about Jesus. If they do not hear the message of Jesus Christ, they cannot believe. The Bible is clear that “faith comes from hearing the message and the message comes from the Word of Christ.” They cannot believe unless someone tells them — and that someone may be you. If you do not tell them about the love of God and the forgiveness that can be found in Jesus Christ — they just might spend eternity in Hell and eternal death.

If we are afraid of men — it will be those that we are afraid of who will suffer. Let us learn from Jeremiah that we have nothing to fear from men — and then boldly proclaim the message of God — A Savior given into death for our sins.

Another thing we can learn from Jeremiah in this text is that he trusted totally in God for his protection and deliverance. Jeremiah could have gotten together a small army to protect him. He could have demanded police protection. He could have hired someone to be his bodyguard. But he did none of these. Instead, he trusted totally in God for his deliverance.

For you and me, that is the only hope that we have in all times of trials, tribulations, pain, and temptations. We need to put our trust totally in the Lord, and He will give us the deliverance that we need. Our God will never leave us nor forsake us — not now, here on earth — nor eternally in heaven. Our God will always be with us, defending us, guiding us, forgiving us, and strengthening us to do his will for his glory.

Don’t trust anything — but God himself — Like Jeremiah, trust totally in the Lord.

The last thing we learn from Jeremiah in this text, is that those who in faith and by the grace of God do the will of God, can be sure of the outcome. Jeremiah was no longer afraid. He knew that God would take care of this problem that he was facing and so he went on doing the business that God had for him to do — proclaiming God’s message to God’s people.

How often do we get discouraged and think that the results are just not worth the effort. I’m sure that sometimes Sunday School teachers feel that way when after teaching a real good lesson one week, the kids don’t remember one point of the lesson when questioned the next week. And I’m sure that all of us wonder at times if the work that we put in for the Lord is really all that worth while — are we really accomplishing anything?

Well, just like Jeremiah, we have God’s promise of success. God promises His Word will not return void, but will accomplish the purpose for which it was given. And so we continue the work of the Lord — knowing that success is assured. Maybe not in great numbers. Maybe not in great wisdom or understanding. Maybe not in great success as the world measures success. And this is the hard one, maybe not even the way we want it to turn out. But it will accomplish the purposes of God — for God has promised his blessings and his power behind the work we do in his name. God has promised his blessings upon our endeavors in his name — God’s will, will be done.

Jeremiah, facing the threat of death, committed his cause to the Lord. You and I too should commit our cause to the Lord. We need not fear men, we can trust God, and we know that with God’s grace, success is assured. With Jeremiah let us say, “Oh Lord Almighty, to you I have committed my cause.” Amen.

May the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.

August 23, 2009 — God’s Wisdom – Man’s Foolishness — Isaiah 29: 11-19 — Pastor Jerome Teichmiller

admin — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:50:16 +0000

God’s Wisdom — Man’s Foolishness

Isaiah 29: 11-19

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Our text for this mornings meditation is recorded in the book of Isaiah, chapter 29, verses 11-19, particularly these words, “And the Lord said: ‘Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men, therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.” This is our text.

In the name of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, dear Christian friends. In our gospel reading for today, Jesus is confronted with by scribes and Pharisees who are appalled that his disciples are eating their lunch without first properly washing their hands in the way that is prescribed by the rituals handed down in Jewish law. The accusation is made, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And Jesus answers the question by quoting today’s Old Testament reading and our text for today, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’” So Jesus, in our Gospel reading answers the very Lutheran question concerning our text for today – he answers for us, “What does this mean?”

Throughout history, there has always been a sharp contrast between the knowledge and wisdom of God – and the knowledge and wisdom of man. There are times when man even tries to use his own wisdom to explain to others just what God intended to say, or meant to say. It started in the Garden of Eden when the Devil was talking with Eve. “Can you eat of any of the trees of the Garden?” She answered, “We can eat of all the trees of the Garden except the one in the middle. If we eat of that one, we will die.” And what was his answer? “You will not die!” That’s not what God meant to say. God loves you, he won’t let you die. It won’t hurt you. Instead it will be good for you. It will make you just like God!” And so the Father of all lies gets Eve to question and to doubt God’s Word and God’s Wisdom.

Down through the ages, God gave guidelines to his people – not in how they would become his people because they were already his chosen people, but what they should be because they were his people. Sometimes, there were questions about how God’s will should be carried out. God gave to the Children of Israel certain dietary and sanitary guidelines that they would need while out in the desert traveling from Egypt to the promised land. When they got to the promised land, they felt the need to continue to practice the dietary and sanitary guidelines, but now they were in homes, and towns, and cities – not in tents in the wilderness – so their leaders reinterpreted these laws to fit their new circumstances. And these now became their new laws – their new tradition – to honor and keep God’s law. I’m sure they meant well. They were just trying to help the people better serve and worship their God. This was a good thing. But over the years – the man made rules and traditions began to take the place of God’s Word and service to God. In Jesus’ day, absolute obedience to the rules, took the place of listening to and following God’s Word. And so Jesus calls the Scribes and the Pharisees Hypocrites – who shallowly honored God with their lips and actions – but their hearts were far from him – as they left the commandment of God and held to the tradition of men.”

You know, there is a very fine line that is very hard to walk sometimes between a right use of tradition and a wrong use of tradition. For example in worship: The Bible does not lay down for us an order of worship that all need to follow. And so some, in their enthusiasm have thrown out all traditional forms and symbols of worship so that they can appeal to modern man – and in so doing have lost the depth and richness of the Church’s worship throughout the ages. But then there is another group who go too far the other way – so that the form and content and the symbolism and the icons have to be so strictly regulated and placed, that worship becomes rigid and there is no room for any variations what so ever. The pendulum of time seems to swing too far to contemporary at times and too far to man made traditions at other times – and it becomes hard to find a middle ground where we are able to receive the gifts of God through Word and Sacrament with the appropriate awe and wonder we owe to our God.

So what is the conventional wisdom of man that we need to watch out for? Some of you old codgers like me will remember a song from back in the 60’s that said, “Signs, signs, everywhere a sign. Do this! Don’t do that! Everywhere a sign.” The conventional wisdom of man gives us a list of do’s and don’ts. We like rules. It helps us put toys together at Christmas. It gives us guidelines on how to raise our children. It tells us how we can be good members of a social club. But the rules become a problem when we carry that wisdom over into our Spiritual life. We hear it on church T.V. and we read it in the religion section of our papers all the time. God wants to bless you, but “YOU GOTTA” get rid of you negative thinking. God wants to forgive you, but “YOU GOTTA” do penance first. God wants to be in your life, but “YOU GOTTA” invite him into your heart. “You GOTTA” make a decision for Christ. It’s always about what we have got to do – rather than what Christ has done for us!

But on the Cross, Jesus did not say – “I’ll die for you IF you do this or that!” What he said was, “It is finished.” It is done. The wages of sin – death – is paid, in full. And Luther explained it beautifully in his explanation to the 3rd article of the Apostle’s Creed, “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in my Lord Jesus Christ or come to him. But the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified and kept me in the one true faith.” Our salvation, our justification, our sanctification is ALL God’s work – by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed to us in the Scriptures alone!

Our Old Testament text warned us, “The wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.” The wisdom of man will fail! The wisdom of man will not save us or bring us to God.

So what will bring us to God? What will save us for eternal life? Our text said, “In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see. The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the Lord, and the poor among mankind shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.” The deaf shall hear! The blind shall see! That makes no sense what so ever to man’s wisdom because the deaf do not hear and the blind do not see! But with God, it makes perfect sense. “For by grace are we saved through faith, and this is a gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” We who are deafened by our sinful nature, by grace hear the marvelous works of God. We who are blinded by our sinful nature see Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior by grace through faith. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

And may the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.

August 9, 2009 — GOD PROVIDES — I Kings 19: 4-8— Pastor Jerome Teichmiller

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 18:15:06 +0000

GOD PROVIDES
I Kings 19: 4-8

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Our text for this mornings meditation is recorded in the First book of Kings, chapter 19, verses 4 through 8, particularly these words: “An angel touched Elijah, and said to him, ‘Arise and eat.’ And he looked and behold there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water.” This is our text.

In the name of our blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, dear Christian friends. Remember the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal? The contest between them was real simple. All they had to do was to build an altar and call down fire from their respective God to consume the sacrifice which was placed on the altar. The fire which consumed the sacrifice with the best form was considered the winner.

Baal’s team got to go first. They built their altar, put their bull on the altar and then started praying to Baal. By noon they hadn’t even gotten a spark on the Altar. They started cutting themselves with knives and daggers in their rites and rituals — but still no fire. Nothing happened for Baal Team.

Then it was Elijah’s turn. Elijah built his Altar with 12 stones, to represent the twelve tribes of Israel. He cut up his bull, and placed it on the Altar. Then he dug a trench around the altar. People then poured water over the bull, the wood and the Altar. They did this three times and the water drenched the Altar, everything on it, and even filled the trench. Then Elijah prayed to God for fire. And our Scriptures say, “The Lord sent fire down, and it burned up the sacrifices, the wood, and the stones, scorched the earth and dried up the water in the trench.”

Once again, God had proven to Israel that there is only one God: The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — known to Israel as Jehovah; known to us as the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Why explain this story at length?? Because this showdown with the prophets of Baal come just before our text for today. After Elijah had shown that the prophets of Baal were false prophets — all the prophets of Baal were put to death. When this news was reported to the queen, Jezebel, she gave this threat to Elijah, “May the gods strike me dead if by this time tomorrow I don’t do the same thing to you that you did to the prophets.” And Elijah, afraid for his life fled into the wilderness to avoid the vengeance and wrath of Queen Jezebel. With that background we are ready for our text. “Elijah went a day’s journey into the wilderness, sat down under a broom tree; and asked that he might die, saying, ‘It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am no better than my fathers.’”

You can just imagine how he must feel at this point. The Queen is the second most powerful person in the land. And she completely controls the King who is supposedly the most powerful in the land.

Elijah is at the point where he just wants to give in, and give up. He is sure that the queen or her people will find him and kill him no matter how or where he hides. So he figures that there is no sense in fighting the inevitable.

Of all people to get disgusted — never would I have guessed Elijah. Only a few hours earlier he had ordered all that water poured on the Altar — trusting God to send down fire from heaven to burn up even the soggy wet wood. And now, all of a sudden, here he is disgusted, disheartened, and wanting to die.

A lesson we can learn from this is that NO ONE is immune to feelings of despair and discouragement. Even this great man of God was depressed. So when we feel low at times, when we feel discouraged and when we feel at the end of our rope, we need to remember that this is a temptation which all people face — even, at times, people of strong faith and trust in God.

But there is a way out of this depression and discouragement. We can go to the Lord and ask for help. The Lord has promised us in the Psalms that if we “call upon him in the day of trouble, he will deliver us.” Elijah learned that lesson.

In our text we read, “Elijah laid down and slept under the tree; and behold, an angel touched him, and said to him, ‘Arise and eat.’ And Elijah looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water.” God was providing Elijah with exactly the proper help that he needed. Elijah needed rest. He needed food. And he needed strength to face the days ahead as he fled from Queen Jezebel. And these are the things which God provided for his prophet to refresh him and to strengthen him.

God delivers his people in the day of trouble. That is a fact which history proves to us time and time again. God protected Noah and his family in the Ark. God lead Lot and his family out of Sodom and Gomorra before destroying those cities. God protected Joseph even after his brothers sold him into slavery. God protected Daniel in the Lions den. God delivered Peter out of jail. And God continues to protect his people — you and me — every day in many ways. God does not promise to provide us with all we want, because our sinful wants can be bad for us. But God does provide for what we need. God promises he will never leave us nor forsake us. At times we may walk away from God, and try to solve our problems on our own. And that generally tends to get us into deeper trouble still. But God promises that he will be with us, strengthen us, and guide us through life’s difficulties. Some problems are great and difficult — but our God is almighty and he is able to overcome all problems that we may face in this life.

But for Elijah — there was much trouble yet to come. His troubles this time would be long lasting. And so the angel wakes him up again with more food and water. We read in our text, “The angel of the Lord came again a second time, and touched him and said, ‘Arise and eat, else the journey will be too great for you.’ And he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.” The Lord didn’t provide just temporary help — but he provided help for Elijah for the long haul. Food which would last. Food which would help Elijah keep his strength through 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness, traveling to the place where God was sending him.

And God provides for us for the long run also. God doesn’t offer to you and to me, just a bandage to cover over our wounds — he doesn’t just give us relief from temporary aches and pains of sin — But instead He supplies our greatest need completely and totally. He sent His Son to die on a cross for us so that we might have complete healing from the sickness of sin. Our greatest, most pressing need is met by God Himself. It is by the grace of God, that you and I have the forgiveness of sins and the promise of life everlasting with God in heaven. Paul asks, “If God spared not his only Son for us, is there anything else that he would withhold from us?” And the answer to that question is, “Of course not!” God, who provides forgiveness of sins by grace, through faith, also provides all things needful.

So when disappointments, temptations, trials, illnesses, pains, and all things troublesome come our way — remember Elijah. Remember how God provided for him and cared for him. By God’s grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, we have God’s promise of help through the problems of this life and final deliverance to a blessed future with him in heaven. Indeed God provides for us — now and through all eternity. To God be the Glory. Amen.

May the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.

July 19, 2009 — THE RIGHTEOUS BRANCH OF DAVID — Jeremiah 23: 1-6— Pastor Jerome Teichmiller

admin — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 22:41:09 +0000

THE RIGHTEOUS BRANCH OF DAVID
Jeremiah 23: 1-6

Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Our text for this mornings meditation is recorded in the book of Jeremiah, chapter 23, verses 1 through 6, particularly these words: “Behold, the days are coming says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely.” This is our text.

In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, dear Christian friends. Jeremiah was known as a “prophet of doom.” He is found often using the words “Woe”. In our text he uses this word. He says, “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture. Says the Lord.”

Many times in the Scriptures, God sends out a warning to His people. Often God gives warnings to unbelievers about impending doom, like Jonah gave the Ninevites. And God also gave warnings to his own people, when they went their own way.

BUT with the warnings, God usually included a promise of better things to come. It’s sort of like “the good news – bad news” jokes. In our text, the bad news is that Israel has bad leaders which will ultimately lead to the destruction of Israel — But the good news is that God will send a good leader — one who will save his people — God promises to send “A Righteous branch.”
If you use one of those color-coded study bibles in your Bible readings, you will find that today’s text is colored RED. The reason for this is because these verses point to the coming Messiah, Jesus Christ. This is one of those Messianic Prophesies – a promise of God that he would send a savior, to redeem sinful mankind.

There are several clear and important points to learn from this text about the promised Old Testament Messiah. First of all, we note that this promised leader will be sent by God. Our text reads, “Behold the days are coming says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous branch.” The plan to send a Messiah is made by God himself. It is not man’s plan. It is not man’s design. It belongs to God and to God alone. It was God who told the snake in the Garden of Eden, “I will put enmity between thy seed and her seed — he will crush your head and you shall bruise his heal.” It was God who designed the plan which would redeem sinful mankind and right the wrong done in Eden.

Even with Abraham, God made sure that Abraham knew that the promises that God gave to him concerning the future Messiah would be God’s doing and not anything that Abraham might do. Sarah was too old to have children — yet God promised that she would have a son — not by their doing, but by God’s grace alone.

And even in the New Testament, we know that the plan belongs totally to God alone, because Jesus tells us clearly, “No one takes my life from me — but I give it up freely, of my own will.” God is in control — God does the planning — God sends His Son Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior.

The second thing we must learn about this Messiah is that he is God’s appointed KING. We read in the text, “He shall reign as King and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.”
While here on earth Jesus Christ showed his power by the changing of Water into wine, by casting out demons and evil spirits, by giving sight to the blind, by healing the sick, by controlling the winds and the waves, by feeding 5,000 people with 5 loaves of bread and two fish, and ultimately — the greatest power of all — the power of life and death — as he brought life back to people already dead.

Jesus showed his wisdom even as a child of 12, as he amazed even the teachers of the law at the temple with his questions and answers. Also, when people tried to trap him into giving bad answers by asking him tricky questions, Jesus usually turned the tables on them, and those who came to embarrass him went away with the red face. It got to the point that our scriptures even tell us, “From that point on, no one dared to ask him any more questions.” And Jesus was fair and just in all his dealings with people. He forgave the woman caught in adultery and told her, “Go and sin no more.” He forgave the penitent sinners, but had some harsh words for those who did not repent. He ran the money changers out of the temple because they did not belong there. And in all his life, Jesus did not fall victim to the temptations that were placed before him and did not fall into sin.

Jesus Christ, the perfect, wise, all powerful God who loves us enough to die for us is our Lord and King. The righteous branch of David — promised by God in the Old Testament — is fulfilled in the God/man Jesus Christ.

The third point — and THE MOST IMPORTANT — is that God did all of this FOR US! Our text points this out to us in these words, “This is the name by which he will be called; ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’” The catch word here is “OUR” righteousness. No one fully understands the Gospel of Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection until he understands that Jesus Christ did all of that — for you — and for me!

When we can say boldly and confidently — Jesus died and arose FOR ME! then we have comprehended the gospel message of salvation, by grace, through faith.

God didn’t make his plans for himself. God didn’t send Jesus into the world just for the fun of it . God didn’t sacrifice his son on a cross to prove what a nice guy he was. God made his plan, and carried it out in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ for you and for me. God knew that you and I could not save ourselves by keeping the law perfectly. God knew that you and I would need a Savior. God loved you and me so much that he didn’t want us to spend eternity in Hell because of our sins. And God loved you and me enough, to send his son to die on a cross for us, — so that when by grace, through faith, we trust in him, we will not perish — but have everlasting life. That is God’s promise to you and to me. And that is the most important part of the Gospel message — Jesus Christ died and rose again — FOR YOU AND FOR ME!!

The righteous Branch of David — sent by God — a King and a Savior — for you and for me. It was ever so clear even in the Old Testament. It is ever so clear for us today.

God has made us righteous through the death and resurrection of his Son Jesus Christ. Trust in him alone for forgiveness of the past, for strength in the present, and for the glory yet to come in his eternal Kingdom. Indeed, “The Lord is our righteousness.” Amen.

May the peace of God which passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus unto life everlasting. Amen.