Greetings dear Baptized!
If you would like to hear the sermon preached at Trinity Lutheran Church in
Layton, Utah for the 6TH Sunday after Pentecost, "Don't Lose Your Head,"
click the MP3 link provided above.
The audio begins with the confession of the Nicene Creed, and includes the
Hymn of the Day, "Lord Jesus Christ, the Church's Head."
The sermon begins at the 8:50 mark.
God grant that we never lose our True Head, though the world and even our
peers take our own.
Rev. Kurt Hering, Pastor
Trinity Lutheran Church
Layton, Utah
Here is the preaching outline:
TEXT: And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring
John's head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28and brought his head
on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother.
29When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in
a tomb. Mark 6:1-4
Dear Baptized,
The Baptizer lost his head.
Tell why-
? Save face
? False promises from a false king
? Bread and circuses
Question: Who was better off--the one offering JB's head on the platter, the
two ladies who received it, or the man who's head had become a trophy? Who
had really lost their heads and who had always kept his?
Did JB really lose his head? Or did he follow His Head back to the future?
"according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior-Jesus-24 after
John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all
the people of Israel. 25 And as John was finishing his course, he said, 'Who
do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, there comes One after me, the
sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.' 26 "Men and brethren, sons
of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to you the word
of this salvation has been sent. 27 For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and
their rulers, because they did not know Him, nor even the voices of the
Prophets which are read every Sabbath, have fulfilled them in condemning
Him. 28 And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate
that He should be put to death. 29 Now when they had fulfilled all that was
written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a
tomb. 30 But God raised Him from the dead. Acts 13:23-30
"The book of Acts has an interesting rhythm to it. Throughout Acts we learn
that: A) the Lord gives the command to preach, teach, and perform signs in
His name; B) the preaching and teaching and signs go forth; C) those who
preach and teach and perform signs are persecuted and/or tossed in jail; D)
the Lord rescues his preachers and teachers and; E) the Lord gives the
command to preach and teachâ?¦you get the idea."
[Acts is the story of Christ's Church. JB sort of prefigures that.
But here is something else for us to ponder today. Are more like JB or
Herod? How much different are we than Herod when it comes right down to it?
We all pretend to be kings of our own worlds. We make promises we can't keep
based upon stuff that doesn't belong to us in the first place.]
"Don't you find it somewhat tantalizing to have people like you and fawn all
over you, even if it is for the wrong reasons-especially when you have done
something popular? When we allow others to give us things and flatter us
while at the same time not giving all glory to God, we are persecuting
ourselves by accepting accolades from men instead of from God. And Jesus
says that if we do that, we already have our reward."
If salvation depends upon me being faithful, can I be saved?
I mean, look what even the faithfulness of JB got him.
It's not our faith, precisely, that saves. It is Christ's faith in
commending His spirit to the Father even though He did not have to since He
Himself was and is God, and Christ's faithfulness in obeying His Father's
will and being born, suffering, dying, being buried, rising, ascending in
our stead that saves.
? Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He
might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to
make propitiation for the sins of the people. Hebrews 2:17
? By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she
bore a child[a] when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful
who had promised. Hebrews 11:11
? Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who
promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23
? If we endure, We shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will
deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. 2
Timothy 2:112-13
? Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their
souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator. 1 Peter 4:19
? even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that you come
short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in
the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called
into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:6-9
Our faith simply receives and trusts in the faith and faithfulness of
Christ. Faith loses its sinful head and dies.
So, you see, in a way we must all lose our heads, like JB. Ironically
enough, that's exactly what happens when we are baptized.
But the truth is, because of the faithfulness of our Lord, we need never
really lose our Head.
For even when we die, we merely follow Him back to our future. They lay us
in a tomb and God raises us from the dead.
All because Christ came to fulfill what not even JB could do-suffer, die,
and rise in victory over sin-all of it.
And now you are baptized into the death that laid Christ in the tomb with
JB--the death from which He rose to give you life now and forever through
the forgiveness of sins-in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of
the Holy Spirit. Amen
____________________________________________________________
Need name badges? Click here to find great name badge solutions!
http://thirdpartyoffers.netzero.net/TGL2241/fc/BLSrjpYbV965VgCpAmVrUzKqnPeJkkfNAcMEiwPK8dfQbecLSbpbv3fwEVK/
___________________________________________________________________________
'CAT 41 Sermons & Devotions' consists of works that are, unless otherwise
noted, the copyrighted property of the various authors; posting of such
gives members of this list implied consent for redistribution _with_
_attribution_ unless otherwise specified by the author, as well as
for quoting or use in a congregational setting
_with_or_without_attribution_.
Note: This list's default reply is to the *poster*, NOT the list.
Do *not* reply to the list with your comments, but to the poster.
Subscribe? Send ANY note to: [email protected]
Unsubscribe? Send ANY note to: [email protected]
Archive? <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/>
For more information on this or other lists offered by Confess And Teach
For Unity, you can contact the CAT 41 list administrator at:
Rev. Fr. Eric J. Stefanski <MoM [at] lists (dot) cat41 <dot> org>
