Mark 1:14-43 Live Life in the Kingdom

Reading the New Testament can sure be some slow going! There is so much to learn - so much to discuss! Today we hear Jesus proclaim the good news. What is it that he is proclaiming?

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:14-15 NIV)

The good news, the gospel, is this: "The kingdom of God has come near." It has come near for you. It is at hand. It is not some far away place. It is at hand!

We pray, "Thy Kingdom come... Thy will be done... on earth as it is in heaven." What does this mean for us? The Kingdom of God is at hand and it can be seen as we reach out, with the love of God, in the will of God, to love and serve our neighbors. Notice immediately after Jesus is baptized and then is tempted by Satan, he begins his ministry proclaiming this good news of the Kingdom. He goes out to call others into life (ministry) with him; proclaiming the good news and then as a member of that kingdom (as chief member) he goes out and heals the sick and drives out impure spirits so that others might live life. 

Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God and then he proceeded to show us God's will for our lives in that kingdom as he reached out to make whole the people he encountered; to give them life; to help them live life on earth as it is in heaven.

May you live life in the Kingdom of God, even today. May His will be done on earth, even as it is in heaven.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Jeremiah 26 - Don't Kill The Messenger

Don't kill the messenger. If you don't like the message that the LORD is trying to get you to hear and understand, it will not help to persecute or kill the messenger. God is not going to change His mind when He asks you to repent; unless of course, you repent.

Jeremiah proclaims the warning from the courtyard of the LORD's house. The priests, the prophets, and the people are not happy! For some reason they think that if they kill the messenger the message will no longer be valid. If the messenger is killed, then the false prophets can continue to preach their propaganda to please those itching ears and make everyone happy. At least, that seems to be the premise. But, that's not the way it works with God. He will find another messenger and yet another.

The message that Jesus proclaimed was pretty straightforward. “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”" (Mark 1:14-15 NIV see also Matt 4:17)

It was the same message that John, Jesus' forerunner, had proclaimed. What happened to the two of them? They were both put to death, but the message did not change. Jesus instructions to his followers was to go out and proclaim this very same message - the Kingdom of God. That is exactly what they did.  For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. St. Paul, "...proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!" (Acts 28:30-31) Tradition tells us that Paul was eventually beheaded for the message he bore to the world. But, all those persecutions and executions did not stop the message from being delivered.

The message does not change, just because you kill the messenger.

Keep on proclaiming the Kingdom, through Jesus Christ, our Lord!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Isaiah 37 - The Kingdom Thrives

Hezekiah finally figures out that he needs to turn to the LORD. He humbles himself and prays for help. The LORD answers. He will deliver Israel from the hands of Sennacherib and within three years their land will once again be fruitful. 

The LORD blesses the people. He blesses the land. The promise of the LORD through the prophet Isaiah is this:

"“This will be the sign for you, Hezekiah:

“This year you will eat what grows by itself,
and the second year what springs from that.
But in the third year sow and reap,
plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
Once more a remnant of the kingdom of Judah
will take root below and bear fruit above.
For out of Jerusalem will come a remnant,
and out of Mount Zion a band of survivors.
The zeal of the Lord Almighty
will accomplish this."  (Isa 37:30-32 NIV)

 

Have you ever had to learn the same lessons twice or thrice or even more times? Over and over again, God's people turn to other gods; things start going really bad and a portion will have enough sense to humble themselves and repent. They are blessed. And, then... they start worshipping themselves or the work of their hands, again. Since, they are doing so well they leave off from trusting in God for all things, above all things. And, once again they are brought to their knees in humility and repentance.

 

It is awful that we should desert our God who loves us so quickly. But, He does not desert us. Over and over again, He provides a way back on the Way for each and all of us. 

 

I think of it this way: Adam walked with God in the garden. How awesome is that! But, Adam chose another way. He chose to do what God asked him not to do. He lost the opportunity and privilege of walking with God. We often do what we ought not. But, through Jesus Christ, we are delivered from sin. All of humankind is invited to walk with with God, to talk with (not just to, but with) God. That is the greatest blessing of all. In fact, it is the good news. You are invited to live in His presence, to walk in His way, in His Kingdom for all eternity (beginning even now). We have been reconciled to God and with one another, in His Kingdom, through Jesus Christ, our LORD. 

 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Proverbs 5 - Adultery

Adultery appears to be the main topic of Proverbs 5. Pay attention! It is not just the woman whose lips drip like honey. Stay away from those who would entice you away from what you have committed yourself to.

I am just amazed at the young people of today. OK. It's not just the young people. Some of them can jump from relationship to relationship in a matter of days. In some cases, a matter of hours. The lack of commitment, the lack of self-discipline is just amazing. And... where does this all lead. TROUBLE! Major problems! Chaos! Hate! Anger! Even death!

Just because you think you'll never be caught, don't be deceived. God sees you. He knows everything that you say and do and think.  By the way... adultery is more than just sleeping around. Adultery happens whenever you put anyone or anything before the one you've made a commitment to be faithful to. Are you going bowling or skiing or golfing this weekend, again, while your family stays at home waiting for you? That would be adultery as you have put your love of something before the love of family.

Relationships are a good thing. They are a blessed thing. Healthy relationships will build you up. Unhealthy will tear you down. For some reason, yesterday, 1 John 4:18 kept popping up in my mind. "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

If there is fear in a relationship that you will lose the one you love; if there is fear in the relationship for any reason, then that love is not perfect. Perfect love is unconditional. Love puts your family before your own desires, before your own needs, even as Christ was willing to give His life for those whom He loves. He was willing to give it for you. Love, then, as Christ loves. He is faithful in that love. Be faithful in your love.

Do not break the covenant you have with others by seeking after momentary pleasures. Seek to stay in relationship with God your Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. Seek to stay in relationship with you family; your wife and your children. Stray not on the path that would separate you from the love of any of these. Stray not from the path that the one who loves you has set before that leads you to be fully reconciled with Him in the Kingdom of God

God's Peace - Pr. J

Psalm 122 - Peace at the Gate of the LORD's House

"I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”" (Psalm 122:1 NIV)

Let us all go to the house of the LORD to praise His Holy Name. Let us be gathered together as one so that peace may dwell among us and in us.

Our feet are standing in the gates of the Kingdom of God.  It's almost like we have one foot in and one foot out, yet not quite.  There are two kingdom. We are of; we belong to the Kingdom of God that was ushered in at the crucifixion of our LORD. Yet, we live in this world. As heirs of the Kingdom of God, we praise His Holy Name. As sojourners in this world, we pay to Caesar what is Caesar's.

Caesar demands much. God gives. He gaves us His only Son that we might live. He gives love and He gives His peace. He gives us His peace through the Christ and in receiving that peace we are reconciled to Him and to one another.

I remember as a small child going to the house of the LORD to worship with my grandmother whenever I stayed with her. The services was in Finnish so I didn't understand much. What I did understand and what has stuck with me through all these years was, as everyone was leaving they shared the peace of the LORD with the pastor. "God's peace be with you." It did not appear to me to be a mere ritual. They all appeared to really mean it. It made a lasting impression. For those who have attended Worship at Zion Lutheran, Skanee, you've probably noticed that the sharing of the peace is just a little out of hand. Not only are hands extended in peace and reconciliation, there are many holy kisses of peace being shared as well.  There may be "issues" at times between parishioners, but when the peace of the LORD is shared, all walls are torn down and we are made whole. We are one. Following Worship, as was the custom of my childhood, I also share the peace with members as they leave. It's not just have a good day, or good to see you. Those words may be spoken, but as they depart the House of God, it is with these words. "God's peace be with you."

The House of the LORD, the church, is where we gather to worship Him, where we receive the Sacraments, hear His Word, and so many other things.  Maybe we should think of the House of the LORD as larger than a church building. The church is wherever God's people are gathered.

Remember, how, when according to Matthew, the temple curtain was torn in two at Christ's death giving us access to the Holy of Holies. Something else happened as well at the tearing of the curtain. The walls were broken down. The Kingdom of God was ushered in, the Spirit of God poured out into the world, raising even the dead. (Matt 27) The Kingdom of God is indeed at hand.

"Believe me, this world is not the Kingdom of God, but at the same time the Kingdom of God has come. "Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in your midst.”" (Luke 17:20-21)

Our feet are standing at the gate, may the peace of the LORD be with you all.  Pr. J

Psalm 108 - Jesus Victorious Over All - Even Death

You want victory?  In all things, in this world and the next, the LORD brings to us victory! Jesus is victory!

How many times have you sought the help of humankind to get you through troubling times? The schemes and works of man might seem to help for a time. But, it never seems to last. There is only One who can deliver you completely and thoroughly. Quit scheming against others and follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Trust the LORD and give Him praise. In Him, you will find deliverance from your enemies.  There is no better advise that I can give you if you are in the midst of turmoil than to listen to the LORD, your God. He will lead you out of the wilderness.

This morning, I am preparing for a Memorial Service. They can be difficult. Sometimes there is just too much time to plan what can one say to comfort those who grieve.  What can one say to those who are standing face to face with the death of a loved one?  The only thing once can do is to trust the Holy Spirit and to proclaim the Kingdom of God for all who believe. Jesus the Christ died, descended into hell, and rose from the dead for us. He conquered death for us and because He lives, so shall we! We shall live in the Kingdom that He has prepared for us!  

"I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor
does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true:
“Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinth 15:50-55 NIV)

Who will bring us to the promised land?  You know the answer to that.  Jesus Christ, our LORD. Amen.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

2 Chronicles 18 - Itching Ears

Ahab, the king of Israel, has itching ears...  He wants to hear only what will benefit him.  He's heard from 400 prophets and likes what he hears.  Israel and Judah will be successful in their attack on Ramoth Gilead.  Still, they are not sure.  Jehoshaphat wants to hear from a prophet of the LORD, not any old prophet.  Well, yes there is one. But, Micaiah isn't one of Ahab's favorites.  The word he brings is usually not favorable to Ahab and Ahab really doesn't want to hear it.  He knows it's probably a word of disaster for him.  And, it is.

I can't help but wonder how often we (preachers) preach to please the people, to soothe their itching ears rather than tell the truth and this done in order that they will continue to like us.  Ahab did not like Micaiah one bit.  But, Micaiah still told the truth.  That is what we are suppose to be doing:  preaching the truth.

We are not called to please people, but to proclaim the good news of the kingdom through Jesus the Christ.  I can think of innumerable voices in recent times that have proclaimed another gospel, a prosperity gospel or a social gospel, and all this done to please itching ears, to make members of a church, rather than the Church, which is the Body of Christ.

1 Chronicles 28 - Faith of Our Fathers

One of our songs chosen for this Sunday is "Faith Of Our Fathers."  I am most grateful for all those who are continuing to build upon the groundwork that was prepared by the faithful people who have been here before us.

David prepared for the building of the temple.  His son, Solomon, was called to build it.  What is it that our forefathers prepared the ground for us for?  Was it to build the temple or tear it down?  I am always amazed at the faithful service of so many and, yet, I sometimes find myself dismayed by those who work to throw away or tear down what others have striven to build with the help of God.  Every generation has their own idea of what the "Church" is.  And, consequently every generation seems to goes off in a new direction, leaving behind what has already been started.  Jesus said there is only one way.  He is the way, and the truth and the life. 

So why so many different ways?  Why would some say that there are many ways?  There are indeed many callings; many different gifts needed to help grow the church.  But, there is only one way we are to be heading and that is the Kingdom of God, purchased by the blood of His Son, Jesus the Christ. 

This fall, I am hoping that one of our men will give a table talk, actually more like a testimony, regarding stewardship of God's gifts.  I am thinking that I will also give a table talk that month.  This one will be specifically on the stewardship of God's gifts of Word and Sacraments.  We cannot what God has called us to do; we cannot know the way without hearing and knowing the Word.  We cannot follow in the way; we cannot do our Father's will, without the abiding presence of God received in both Word and Sacrament of Holy Communion.  We cannot have the faith of our Fathers without receiving these gifts.

Jesus is the way, and the truth, and the life.  Let us follow in His way!  Let us live life!