I'll try posting this. The last few times that I attempted to post a sermon, it never made it to the list. I'm not sure if I had html inbedded and thus stopped it from getting sent out. Regardless, here is this -- maybe! (One sentence herein I ripped off from Pr. Rottmann's sermon that he posted for Christmas Eve. I think it was that one of his!)
"IS THERE A GOD?" Sermon Text - Philippians 4:4-7 Sun., Dec. 16, 2012 (In the aftermath of the School Shootings in Newtown, CT on 12-14-12) 3rd Sunday in Advent, Series C Zion Lutheran Church, Beecher, IL Old Testament Reading - Zephaniah 3:14-20 Epistle Reading - Philippians 4:4-7 Gospel Reading - Luke 7:18-28 In the name of Jesus. [Amen.] The sermon title has been changed from what is shown in our bulletin. This sermon's title is one simple question: "Is There a God?" The reason for the change will become apparent as we continue. Dear friends in Christ Jesus, "Is There a God?" I wrote that question on the board yesterday when I met with our 5th & 6th grade public school students for our weekly pre-confirmation class. If you've tuned into only one news report in the last 48 hours, you know exactly why the kids and I took a short diversion from our lesson of the week. In case, for some reason, you missed hearing the awful news Friday morning a man entered a school in Connecticut and mercilessly killed 20 young children besides several adults. Altogether, there are 28 dead in the aftermath. In the wake of this, here's my question to the kids yesterday and to you, now: "Is There a God?" No doubt, hundreds, even thousands of people are directly effected by these senseless murders and millions more around the world are likewise deeply grieved beyond words. Compounding and magnifying our horror is the fact that many throughout the world are eagerly anticipating the celebration of Christmas that Season of Peace, Joy, and Good Will Toward All Men or so it's claimed! Also, adding to the irony of it all, today is the Third Sunday in Advent, where we light the pink candle on our Advent Wreath. Sometimes the pink candle is known as the "candle of joy." And so so very many millions of people ask: "Where where is peace to be found? Isn't that why Jesus was born - to bring peace?" And then, right along with that, it seems as if this question also begs for an answer: "If there's a God where was He when the shooting began?" All are good questions. They naturally enter our minds. How do you think our 5th and 6th graders replied? I'll tell you what, we'll get back to that in a little while So, this Jesus, whose birthday we'll observe in nine short days is He the "Prince of Peace" or not? In our Gospel reading, it appears that even John the Baptist was wondering where peace may be found. John was in prison, and, if you know your Bible history, you know that he wouldn't leave his prison cell alive. John tells his followers to go find Jesus and ask Him: "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" (Luke 7:20, ESV) Jesus' reply to John's disciples was matter-of-fact and answered their question if they'd only listen and take it to heart. He replied: "Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. (Luke 7:22, ESV) Notice that Jesus didn't say that He had cured all human misery and affliction not at all! Some of it yes; but not all. Jesus' main work was to preach "good news" to the people and He validated His preaching; that is, He not only got the people's attention but He also proved that His words were true by doing some miraculous works of healing. But as we said Jesus didn't heal all the physical maladies that plagued the people - no! I dare say that in every town through which Jesus passed, after He moved on, there remained in each place a number of people who were still blind, who were still lame, and who were still otherwise sick or afflicted! His preaching was the main point of every encounter with humanity. And what did He preach? What was more important for Him to focus upon than stopping sickness, or wars, or needless bloodshed or any or all of the hurt, heartache, and misery with which we humans must contend? On three different occasions, Jesus boldly proclaimed to His listeners: "The kingdom of God had come upon you!" (Mt. 12:28; Lk. 10:9-11, 11:20, ESV) That right there was the reason for God in Christ Jesus to enter our world. God saw the wretched future of eternity in hell for sinful mankind and He determined to enter our fallen world "to seek and save the lost." (Luke 19:10, ESV) Scripture never states that Jesus entered the world with the purpose of being an earthly doctor of sorts healing earthly sickness and other health issues. Nor does Scripture ever state that Jesus entered the world to be a "Top Cop." It never shows Him stopping wars from occurring or catching people with evil intentions before they do their heinous crimes. None of that! Scripture repeatedly tells us that Jesus came to preach the Gospel to convey the Good News that even after mankind's rejection of God God didn't reject mankind! Out of His love, God had pity and mercy on fallen humanity. He sent Jesus into the world to heal all people of their worst and deadliest problem to remove their sin and thereby open up the Gates of Paradise that had been closed to them. He took on human flesh and human sin... and then was punished in the place of those who deserved it. That happened on the cross - where Jesus suffered, died, and after 3 days rose from the dead thereby healing the entire world of the root cause of all the hurt, heartache, handicap, and havoc to be found in our world. Truly, Isaiah had it right "with His stripes (Isaiah 53:5, KJV) " by Jesus' death and resurrection are we healed of the root behind evil and every manifestation of it to be found in this fallen world! At this time of year, we Christians marvel that it was into the filth and the sewage of our fallen world that God sent His Son. He came voluntarily His love for us that strong! He lowered Himself into the mess we've made of the world making it to be His mess so that He might eternally free us from the hurt and angst with which we're all so intimately familiar. Count on it you'll see interviews on television you'll read newspaper editorials and some of the vast array of unbelievers will approach you and ask if you still confess that you believe that there is a God who loves and cares for you. And our answer is the same as that given by those faithful Christians who have gone before us and who had to deal with tragedy in their day and age We, too, confess: "Yes, there IS a God! He loves you, me, and the whole world. He entered it and saved us by His blood. But, He never promised He never promised to restore earth to be the paradise that Adam and Eve had and threw away. Rather, He promised that He would share His heavenly paradise with all who complete their lives in repentance and faith in His Son." And so, dear Christians, we'll continue to have wars, famine, terrorist attacks, even horrific incidents of murder as long as we live on this earth because sin - although its eternal effects are conquered by Christ - sin still has its hold on this fallen world in which we live. Please I ask you remember these words of Jesus in the coming days: " in me you may have peace. In the world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33, NIV) And that's why we who know the love of God found in Christ Jesus can say along with St. Paul: "The Lord is (always) at hand; 6do not be anxious about anything " (Phil. 4:5-6, ESV) OK you've had time to think about it How do you think that our 5th & 6th graders responded to the question that I put before them yesterday and all of you just now? That question: "Is There a God?" Here's the answer that they gave me: "Yes, God exists. He loves us and even when bad things happen, He will always make good come out of the bad!" And with that without any prompting from me the kids gave examples of how they knew that God would show His love to the families of those murdered in Connecticut in the coming days and weeks. Such knowledge of God's ways and confident trust in His promises were a joy for me to hear yesterday and to tell you right now! May each of us go forward in this world of hurt and heartache with confident peace and joy ever trusting that our Lord Jesus will never leave us and never forsake us. We have His unbreakable promise on that! In Jesus' name, and for His sake! [Amen.] ` ____________________________________________________________ Woman is 53 But Looks 25 Mom reveals 1 simple wrinkle trick that has angered doctors... http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/50d0aef9bfe562ef9749cst01vuc _______________________________________________ Sermons mailing list Sermons@cat41.org http://cat41.org/mailman/listinfo/sermons
