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Sermons
Second Sunday in Lent
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Posted At: 5:58am by Brent Kuhlman
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Second Sunday in Advent Trinity Lutheran Church
4 December 2005 Murdock, NE
Baptism of Madison Elizabeth Lambert
+ Jesu Juva +
Acts 2:38-39
Did you hear what Peter said? Is that really in the Bible? He serves up a very stiff drink today. If you’re not used to what the New Testament says about the benefits of Baptism, you may just choke on the baptismal martini Peter serves up today. Do you like your Baptism watered down? Some do. But hooked to the Word of God Baptism is a life-giving water. A water full of grace. A washing of renewal and rebirth in the Holy Spirit. So it’s time to repent. To think differently. To believe differently about Jesus and the gift of Holy Baptism He gives.
Peter’s not the kind of bartender who waters down Baptism. He’s an apostle. And he’s reckless when he fills up your tumbler. You say: “Whoa there Peter!” But he keeps on pouring. And what he pours is the good stuff. The best stuff. And that’s what comes from the Lord.
Today I invite you to drink up. To drink heartily. Enjoy the baptismal flavor. Yes, and I dare to say it – relish the baptismal buzz. Because once you taste what Peter’s pouring, you’ll be hooked. You’ll never go back to a diluted, blended, Baptism. You’ll only be satisfied with the hundred proof stuff Peter’s pouring from the font.
Are you ready to belly up? Matt and Dana were and they did. They brought little Madison with them too. For the good stuff of Holy Baptism. Full strength, hundred proof, Baptism in the Name of Jesus for her.
“But she’s too young to be partaking of Baptism Reverend! Shouldn’t we wait until she’s older?”
No! When it comes to Baptism we’re into baptizing all nations just like Jesus mandated. His death is for all. So is Holy Baptism. But that’s getting ahead. We’ll hear more about this from Peter in a little bit.
So Madison is baptized in the Name of Jesus. So are you. In the water and Word of Holy Baptism Jesus puts His Name on people. When you’ve been named with the Name of Jesus in Baptism, you belong to Him. Madison’s been named with the Name of Jesus. She belongs to Savior Jesus.
Do you know what the name Jesus means? “Jesus” means “The Lord saves.” And that’s precisely what Jesus has done. Died for Madison, all of you, and me. Good Friday-ed us all in His death as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
And now today at the font Madison received the benefits of Christ’s Good Friday salvation for all dying. “Be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus,” Peter says. “Every one of one of you.” None are to be left out. Why? He tells us. “For the forgiveness of your sins.”
Who should we leave out of Peter’s “every one of you”? “Every one” means “every one.” For forgiveness.
Now that’s an undiluted, full strength Baptism. Forgiveness won on the Cross is applied and delivered at the font. And it’s for you.
So is Madison forgiven? Are you forgiven? What’s the answer? Yes! How do you know that? Because Jesus died. For you, for me and for Madison. Because you, me and Madison are baptized. “Be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins.” And when you’re forgiven, you’re saved. The blood of Jesus is the detergent in the baptismal washing.
After a stiff drink like that you might be ready to call it a night. But Peter notices that your tumbler is empty. He’s ready to fill it up again. He insists. The good stuff of Baptism is better than you ever imagined. Forgiveness given at the font. We’ve drunk to that. Now another toast. “Ladies and Gentlemen! To baptism in the Name of Jesus!” Why? Because Peter says that in it, “you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Gift of the Holy Spirit! Is Madison Holy Spirit-filled? Are you? Am I? What’s the answer? Yes! Absolutely. How do you know that? Because Madison is baptized. I am baptized. You are baptized. “And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” Peter says. Baptized, your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. He lives in you through Baptism and the Word. Brings you to faith and keeps you with Jesus Christ in the one true faith through Baptism and the Word. Holy Spirit-filled the baptized are.
Peter’s ready to pour again. Some more of the good stuff. I told you he’s gospely reckless with the benefits of Baptism. He speaks of “the promise.” What promise? The promise of forgiveness and the Holy Spirit in Baptism. Peter says that promise is, “for you and your children and for all who are far off.”
For you. Even for your kids. No matter how old. No matter how young.
The promise of Holy Baptism is for Madison. For you. For all who are far off. For me.
Next week it will be Jordan Renee’s turn. The Voglers will belly up again to the font. Rejoicing in the hundred proof taste of forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit in Baptism.
Until then, have a happy Baptism Day Madison. Happy living in your Baptism in the Name of Jesus!
In the Name of Jesus.
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Posted At: 3:25am by Brent Kuhlman
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Thanksgiving Eve Trinity Lutheran Church
23 November 2005 Murdock, NE
+ Jesu Juva +
St. Luke 17:11-19
The Lord's on His way to do a Jerusalem. That's big. Huge. He'll do a Good Friday there. His dying on the Cross for the salvation of the world. Only He can do that.
On the way He runs across some lepers. Ten of them. Lepers have leprosy. A disease in which the flesh rots off. Fingers, hands, arms. Toes, feet, shins, knees. Eyelids, eyeballs, nose, lips, cheeks, teeth. The body just decomposes while you watch. Decays before your very eyes.
Talk about Dead Men Walking! Talk about Night of the Living Dead! They yell. "Hey Jesus! Master. Have mercy on us! Help us please!" "Psst. Jesus. Over here. If you want our advice, it's best to stay away from deadbeats like these. They're of no use to You. They're a bunch of out and out losers. We know their kind. A thankless bunch really. You're nothing but a vending machine to them. Once they get what they want from you, they'll dump you. Drop you. You'll never see them again. And, by the way, did you notice that they're as good as dead anyway?"
Jesus doesn't pay any attention to our advice. He's the Savior. Of everyone. Especially the good as dead. His cup of tea is raising the dead. And so Jesus says: "Go show yourselves to the priests." You only did that after you were healed. When the flesh quit rotting and was restored. Jesus speaks to them as healed already. And in Him they are. He came for them. To die for them. To shed His blood for their cleansing. For them to be a new creation in Him.
All ten take off. And lo and behold, as they go, they are healed. Leprosy gone. What a Savior! One, a Samaritan, returns. Praises God Savior Jesus. Falls on his face before God Savior Jesus' feet. Gives thanks. The other nine? "Where are they?" Jesus asks. "Who knows. But one thing's for sure. They've got no use for you anymore Jesus. Got what they wanted and then they pull a 'Hasta Lavista Baby!'" "Well, Jesus. Hate to say it but WE TOLD YOU SO. We warned you. But you wouldn't listen."
Jesus just ignores us again. His attention is on the Samaritan who's before Him. "Arise." In the Greek that's the resurrection verb. "Arise. Your faith has saved you." What Jesus does for the Samaritan, He does for us. We, who are dead in our sins, have been died for in Jesus. He didn't say: "I'll do my Jerusalem dying only for those who are alive and who will give thanks." No. He dies for all. For you. Dead in your sins sinners. Scripture says: "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). And you're baptized into Christ's death. And there's more. Resurrection. You're alive in Christ. Scripture teaches that God, "made you alive together with Christ" (Ephesians 2:1, 5).
Scripture also tells us how we are to think about ourselves: "Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:11). What a Savior. What a salvation.
What's there left to do? Well, there's the continual repentance and faith. In this life we never move beyond that. And there's the: "Lift up your hearts." "We lift them to the Lord." "Let us give thanks to the Lord, our God." "It is good and right so to do." "It is truly good, right, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to you, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord . . ."
You'll be doing that by being given to in the Eucharist. Loads of thanksgiving by receiving even more from the Lord. "What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me? I will offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call on the name of the Lord. I will take the cup of salvation and will call on the name of the Lord" (Lutheran Worship, 188).
Have a happy Thanksgiving.
Happy faithful eating and drinking too . . . this Sunday at the Eucharist.
Edited on: November 26th, 2005 3:17 pm
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Posted At: 4:18am by Brent Kuhlman
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Last Sunday in the Church Year Trinity Lutheran Church
20 November 2005 Murdock, NE
+ Jesu Juva +
2 Peter 3:3-4, 8-10a, 13
Do you ever think of Judgment Day? Does the Last Day ever register on your radar screen? Does it? Did you lose sleep last night thinking about the end of the world when Jesus returns in glory? Did you cancel all your plans this weekend in order to study what the Bible says about Judgment Day? Do you look forward to a new heaven and a new earth?
That's what I thought. Maybe a few scoffers would get your attention. You know, that's not a bad idea. I think I'll bring in some Rent-A-Scoffers to the divine service next Sunday. And when we get to the part of the Nicene Creed that says, "And he will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead," the Rent-A-Scoffers will burst out laughing. After they catch their breath, they'll shout: "Hello! Are you people living in the dark ages or something? Hello! Your theologians have given up on all this Jesus Second Coming stuff a long time ago. Clouds, angels, trumpet, a jugdment, heaven and a hell. Hello! You've been euchered. That's all fairy tale land stuff. Oh sure, Jesus supposedly promised to return. SO WHERE IS HE? HELLO! Got news for you! HE'S NOT COMING BACK! There won't ever be a last day. You people are a bunch of fools. Scammed, sorry, fools!" They'll start giggling again until finally they're in stitches.
You don't like that? You don't like being taunted and teased by the Rent-A-Scoffers? Well, I don't have to rent them. The scoffers are everywhere free of charge. Some of them are bishops. Some are seminary professors. They write books. Set up blog sites and newsletters. Many sit in pews of congregations every Sunday in the United States. Lampooning what you confess about the Last Day.
You don't like that, do you? Don't appreciate them scorning Jesus and His promise to return? Good. We trust what Jesus says through His apostle Peter. There will be a Last Day, a Judgment Day. Jesus will return in glory just as He promised. His Word is reliable. Powerful. Does what it says and promises.
That's the way it was in the beginning. "Let there be!" God said. And from God's oral Word all that you see can into existence. Water above and water below were separated. Mountains appeared. Water on the earth gathered into seas, oceans, lakes and rivers. Because of God's Word.
He spoke. And by God's Word, water deluged the entire earth in Noah's day. The Great Flood. Only the animals on the ark, Noah and his family survived this massive destruction. Noah preached for years. Warned and promised the Flood. And the scoffers laughed at the man building the ark on dry land.
The history of the world is determined, preserved, and ended according to God's Word. Kingdoms and governments rise and fall according to God's Word.
The Church lives from God's Word. What God says happens. What He says He does. What He promises He will do. That includes the Last Day when the heavens and earth will be, by God's Word, destroyed by fire.
"So when will Jesus return Reverend? He ascended some 2,ooo years ago. A lot of time has passed since then." I don't know when that day will be. Whenever the Lord decides. And He's not too worried about how long you have to wait. "With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day." God's not slow keeping promises. He's just patient. Yes, that's right, patient. Very patient.
Do you know why the history of the world goes on and on and on? Peter says its so you, me, our congregation and the world will repent. Listen again to the text: "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." To repent is to believe. To trust. In Jesus. As Savior. Who died for you. Rose for you. For the forgiveness of all your sins. Time ticks away. The hours, days, months, and years pass. Why? So that you have time to listen to God's Word that says you're died for in Jesus. And to believe it. Trust it with all your heart. To listen to Christ's invitation to eat and drink His Body and Blood. To trust that its for you for your forgiveness. For the strengthening of your repentance: faith. For the promise of your body being raised on the Last Day.
When will the Lord come? I don't know. Scripture doesn't tell us when. But it does say: "The day of the Lord will come like a thief." Judgment Day's going to catch everyone by surprise. When we don't expect it. And on that day everything of the old creation will be destroyed. Wiped out. By fire. And God will speak again. A new heaven and a new earth. The resurrection of our bodies. Eternal life in God's gracious presence.
We look forward to that day. Until then, we continue to hear God's Word. Live from that Word. Trust that Word. Most especially in the Supper. For Jesus does come. The Crucified, Risen, and Ascended Jesus -- right into our very midst. At this very altar. He speaks. And with His words He gives. His Body. His Blood. A foretaste of the feast to come. Judgment Day in miniature. Judgment Day ahead of time.
And what's His jugdment for you? You're forgiven.
Let us pray. Lord Jesus Christ, let your holy Supper be our home of righteousness on earth until we enter the new heaven and new earth, the home of righteousness on the Last Day. Amen.
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Posted At: 10:53am by Brent Kuhlman
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The Festival of the Reformation (Observed) Trinity Lutheran Church 30 October 2005 Murdock, NE
+ Jesu Juva +
Romans 3:19-28
Salvation is yours. Been done. Apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been revealed. Freely and completely in Christ. No strings attached. No hidden fees. No small print. No late charges. Jesus' death does the salvation job. Good Friday's "It is finished" really does mean what it says. The whole enchilada of salvation has been accomplished by Jesus. Done. Finite.
"God presented Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement." For you to trust. That's faith. Faith in Jesus who Good Fridayed your sins in His death. Totally. Forgivingly. Freely. Who would ever forbid you to trust only in Jesus? Threaten you with hell's damnation if you cling to His Good Friday death for you and for the world's salvation? Who would dare to threaten you with arrest and jail time for saying that faith alone in Jesus is all that it takes for salvation?
Loads of church folks in the 1500s forbade such teaching and preaching. Condemned such trusting and believing. Dr. Martin Luther, Augustinian monk and Wittenberg professor, was told to shut up. Zip it. To cease and desist the teaching that sinners are saved only through faith in Jesus. Ordered to take back all his writings, teachings and sermons that confessed that sinners "are justified as a gift by God's grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus . . ." Told to never again teach, "that a person is justified through faith."
The pope, most of the bishops and big shots of the empire didn't object to justification through faith. They objected to Dr. Luther's insistence based on today's text that it's through faith ALONE. Faith only in Good Friday Savior Jesus. For all sin. For all sinners. None of our doings or non-doing included. "Apart from works of the Law" is how the text says it. That's the rub isn't it? It's where the Reformation rubber hits the road.
Got Dr. Luther in hot water. For he insisted on faith alone in Jesus for salvation. It's what Scripture says. When the pope commanded Dr. Luther to stop -- Boom! The Lutheran Reformation. The split in the church wasn't planned by Dr. Luther. He simply taught what Scripture clearly says. So he was declared to be an outlaw in the empire. A price put on his head. And the pope excommunicated him and any who dared to follow this faith alone in Jesus teaching from Scripture.
Now let's be clear here. Rome didn't and doesn't deny faith. Rome's all for faith. But Rome wasn't and isn't for faith only. Faith in Jesus all by its lonesome is what Rome won't stand for. Even to this day Rome teaches that something has to be added to faith in Jesus. Faith has to be spruced up. Gussied up. Gassed up. With the high octane additive called your love.
Faith plus love. Faith formed by your love of God and your neighbor. So what's Jesus for? Well, Jesus died. No one denies that. Not even Rome. But, for Rome, Good Friday is just the starting point. Gets the salvation ball rolling. But now it's up to you with God's help to finish the salvation chore. And it all depends on what you do with your life of faith formed by your love. Again the Roman way is salvation through faith in Jesus PLUS your love. Your love, then, is the salvation clincher. Your love additive to faith is what bags the big game of salvation for you.
So how's your love going? How goes it toward loving your neighbor? Your spouse? Your children? Your fellow workers? Your rotten Uncle Arthur? Your enemies? I'm sure you can't sleep at night devising ways and words of love for them. And more importantly, how about your love toward God? His Name? His Word? Are you madly in love with God or do you give all your love to other idols?
That's what I thought. The love doesn't go so well does it? The love-ometer is pretty low. It doesn't even register does it? The faith formed by love formula for salvation puts all the attention on you. Your love. Your doing. You're not doing. Leaves you on your own ultimately. And that kind of diminshes the All Sufficient Good Friday It Is Finished Work of Jesus for you, doesn't it? It does. And that's very naughty.
And that's why there was a Reformation. Salvation isn't done by measuring your love. Or by taking your love temperature. That always ends in total failure. Your love never measures up. Your love always grows cold. The apostle Paul is right. You can't boast in your works of love. Don't walk up to the Lord and boast to His face that you've been so loving. If you do, if you insist on it, God will give you want you want. Give you want you've earned: HELL. And He'll say: "You just don't get it do you? I don't know who you are!"
Instead, the love of God has been poured out for you in Jesus. Sacrifice of Atonement Jesus. Yours and the sin of the world has been answered for in the Crucified Body of Jesus on the Cross. God's justice has been served. All sinners, you, me and a world full of sinners, have been put to death for our sins -- in Jesus! The Sinless Lamb of God took our sin to become the sinner in our place. And what does He get? Eternal damnation. Why? For you. He sheds His blood for the forgiveness of all your sins. For your salvation.
Our Lord's Good Fridaying death of love is what's certain and sure. Into that death you're baptized. You're fed with that Good Friday Body and Blood at the Supper. What love! Not yours. The Lord's. He's the sacrifice. He's done the salvation job. For you to trust. Jesus only. Faith only in Him.
And whatever love you've got that's birthed from faith only in Jesus -- give it to your neighbors. They need your love. God doesn't. Be reckless with your love. That will keep you busy. Give you enough to do in this life. But leave the salvation job to Jesus. You're died for by Good Friday Jesus. Have a happy Reformation Day.
In the Name of Jesus.
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Posted At: 10:48am by Brent Kuhlman
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Second-Last Sunday in the Church Year Trinity Lutheran Church 13 November 2005 Murdock, NE
+ Jesu Juva +
St. Matthew 25:31-46
Well, Jesus is into telling parables again. During the last few days of His life no less. Watch out! His parables are meant to grab your attention. Like hitting you over the head with a two-by-four. Stagger you. Shock you. Outrage you.
Today He serves up a judgment parable. Judgment Day theme. The Last Day. "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats."
Good Shepherd Jesus. Savior of all the sheep and all the goats. The Lord's Ranch is big enough for them all. He has more than enough pens. Died for the sheep AND the goats. Good Shepherd SAVIOR Jesus doesn't discriminate. His death counts for both sheep and goats.
The Good Shepherd is also the Judge of the Last Day. And you know how a judge can be. One track mind. Bullish. Stubborn. That describes Judge Jesus pretty well too. Judge Jesus has one thing in mind. Bullish and stubborn about one thing. And that's His Good Friday salvation job for the world. His Good Friday sacrifice for sinners. Where all sin is forgiven. Big ones. Little ones. Doesn't matter. For one and all. No matter who's the sinner. All are forgiven in the leastness, lastness, and lostness of Christ's crushed, broken and bloody Body that hangs on the Cross. Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! Shepherd Judge Jesus is dead set on giving sinners what they don't deserve.
He knows what they deserve. But He's always in a Good Friday - forgiveness mood. And that takes Him to Calvary. The sinners' substitute. He takes what sinners deserve. Death and damnation. And in exchange He gives salvation free of charge. Without any merit or worthiness in you, me or the world.
Well, that's precisely what the goats didn't want. Don't want. Now or ever. They insist on not having salvation the Christ crucified way. They choke on a forgiveness free for all. It's a chicken bone in their throat. They're all about salvation by score keeping. Salvation by bookkeeping. Salvation by how well they do in life.
Don't believe me? Then listen to the goats who've been given only the Lord to trust in just like the sheep. "Gee Lord," say the goats. "Was that you who was hungry? The one with the 'Work for Food' sign? Holy smoke! If we had known that, we would have at least offered you a box lunch and a crisp twenty. Called Social Services."
"You were that fella who begged us for a cool cup of water on that blistering summer day? If we'd known that, we'd have cracked open a six pack. Maybe even a kegger. What a great time that would have been!"
"You were that goth-like critter with pants below your crack knocking on our door at midnight? Well we never! We wish we'd have known that. We wouldn't have slammed the door in your face then and told you to 'Get lost loser!' We'd have let you in, given you the sleeper sofa and let you borrow the shower, scissors and shaving cream." "No way! You've got to be kidding?
You were that nude dude? Man! How embarrassing! If only we'd known. We'd have russled up some old boxers, holely jeans, worn out Nikes and other hand me downs from closet or the second hand store. We had to cover our kids' eyes. You weren't a pretty sight! But if we'd known it was you Lord, we'd have done the right thing. Don't ever say we're not religious."
"Is that right? You were that terminally ill patient weren't you? We're ashamed of ourselves! If we had known that was you, we would have straightened up and flown right. Set up some kind of foundation. Contacted the Make A Wish people. Better yet, we would have searched heaven and hell for a cure. Lobbied Congress for billions to research the cause of your illness."
"You were the prisoner? The one rotting away? Who wrote us that letter asking for visitors? The warden encouraged the Visit A Prisoner Program and we laughed it off. But if we'd known you were the prisoner, we'd have bee-lined it to the state pen. Stayed past visiting hours. Staged a 24-7-365 protest until you were released! What on earth were we thinking?" "Holy cow! If we'd only known! We would have worked hard at this religion of ours. Put in overtime. No sick days or vacation. We would have made that call to the Salvation Army. Offered the use of our car. Made a generous donation. Promised to light a candle and say a prayer for you.
You know. All that religion stuff we would have done in a heart beat. Why? Because that's what heaven costs. After all, you just don't give heaven away for free to just anybody. Have to draw the line you know. Heaven's only for those who deserve it. Who work extremely hard for it. If we'd only known it was you Lord!"
Now you know why Good Shepherd Judge Jesus will separate the goats from the sheep on the Last Day. And why He tells the goats: "You insist that I'm a nothing. You'd rather trust in what you would have done rather than my death for you. I died even for all your not doing. But you insist on trusting on what YOU would have done. Do you know where that kind of mistrust gets you? It takes you to an eternal place of torment never prepared for you. Never intended for you. A place only prepared for the devil and his evil angels?
You don't care? Never did, did you? All right. Have it your way . . . as your punishment. Be my guest. Here's the door. You've bought yourselves a one way ticket to hell." Is that what you want dear people of Trinity? Do you? . . .
I didn't think so. You're prepared for the Last Day Judgment. You will stand before Good Shepherd Judge Jesus as sheep. What ever you did for the least, lost, and last of the world, you did to Jesus. Not to win heaven. That's already been won by Jesus. In His death for you. And the Good Friday forgiveness of sins delivered to you in your Baptism and Lord's Supper. Jesus is everything. We are nothing. What joy to hear His words: "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."
Happy trusting only in Jesus. Now and forever.
In the Name of Jesus.
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