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Mt Olive Lutheran Church October, Messages |
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Luke 11:37-54 WHEN I READ the 4 Gospels, I notice that Jesus is saddened most by people like me – religious people. JESUS’ INTRODUCTORY WORDS summarize His point: “You church people clean the outside of the cup, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.” After we have been members of a church for a good while, we tend to focus on things out here; rather than on our condition inside each one of us. YOU GIVE 10% OF EVERYTHING, says Jesus. Would that I had such church members. But you neglect justice and the love of God. I look at my own heart and money holds sway over a lot of my actions and decisions in life. Even in the church, I check the offering each week to make sure we have enough money. I am not so concerned about justice and the love of God. I honestly have to admit I don’t make serving people and spending time with God as important as money in my life. YOU LOVE IMPORTANCE and recognition, says Jesus. And Jesus says, “The greatest among you will be your servant.” (Matthew 22: 11) Our Oregon Pastor’s Conference was at Cannon Beach. On Tuesday, a fellow pastor asked me if I would be the main speaker at a 3-day Men’s Retreat next September. Oh, that felt good. To be asked to be a speaker at a large gathering. If you saw the video tape, I imagine my head must have swelled up double normal size. A young man from the 4-Square church is starting a homeless shelter in Forest Grove. Would it feel as good to help out with that? YOU ARE UNMARKED GRAVES. You know how a grave looks from the outside. Grassy and green, alive and vibrant. But what is inside a grave? Death and decay. Pastors look pretty nice from the outside. Our fancy duds. But my heart bothers me. The things I think. The sins I still desire. Nothing but deadness and rottenness in me. YOU LOVE LOADING PEOPLE DOWN with rules and do not even lift a finger to help them. I like rules. I have always had problems getting most Confirmation students to attend church. So one year, I made a rule. Outline the sermon. But, know what? Making students do sermon outlines did not really change their attitude about church. To help people to love God and their fellow human beings, I need to share the message of Jesus’ death and resurrection, only that changes hearts. Giving more or better rules does not change hearts. YOU BUILD MEMORIALS for the prophets your fathers killed. So you show that you approve what your fathers did. One of the most radical things Luther did was to change the language of worship from medieval Latin to the language of the people - German. He thought the primary purpose of worship was to communicate God’s grace and forgiveness to people. Yet, how hard it was to get German Lutherans in a country that primarily spoke English to change their German worship to English. Isn’t it interesting that we can honor the great prophets of the past, but we have a dickens of a time hearing God’s direction in the present. And, today in America, the largest growing segment of new Americans is the Hispanic population. Shouldn’t pastors learn Spanish to better reach out and minister to these new immigrants? YOU HAVE TAKEN AWAY the key to knowledge. The goal of preaching and teaching is not to bore people to just fill heads full of knowledge or lives full of practical principles for living; rather, it is to capture peoples’ hearts. TO SPEAK GOOD NEWS, which is saturated with the Holy Spirit. That is what captures hearts. Peoples’ hearts are hurting. They need a message of love, acceptance, forgiveness, significance, purpose, security, safety, and hope. If you come to church and you do not hear a message that captures your heart, don’t go. The key to every sermon, every Bible class, every devotion is to speak about things that your heart yearns to hear. Luke 11:33-36 “YOUR EYE is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body is full of darkness.” THIS IS A GREAT INSIGHT. It helps my faith, my mental health, gives me new power for living the new life, and makes being a living witness to the light of Christ exciting. LET ME TELL YOU A STORY. Luther’s parents – Hans & Margarethe – were very stern and strict. Luther saw only disapproval and disappointment in their faces. EVEN IN CHURCH, Jesus scowled at you from His judgment seat. Commonly on the wall you saw as you left worship. HERE ARE TWO Albrecht Durer prints familiar to Luther. Scenes from Revelation. LUTHER’S CONFESSOR noticed Luther’s dark moods and his despair over his sin. He recommended that Luther read the New Testament, especially looking to Jesus and His cross. There LUTHER SAW A MORE HUMAN FACE. He slowly began to see Jesus’ face as compassionate caring, smiling with approval, beaming with delight. You see, YOU SEE YOURSELF in the face of others. If I look at the face of my parents, my teachers, my bosses, my friends and my spouse, even my pastor; more often then not, I will see disappointment and disapproval. When we do good they may smile; but when we fail, they most assuredly frown. It sometimes seems like the whole world is angry with me. However, WHEN WE LOOK AT JESUS’ FACE, we see approval and acceptance. In the face of Jesus, the light comes on. We see the glory of God, that is, the revelation of the Father’s love. YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER takes great delight in you; He quiets you with His love; He rejoices over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17) At your Baptism, He said, “This is my beloved child, with you I am absolutely delighted.” At the Lord’s Meal, I participate in Jesus’ death and my Abba Father beams with acceptance and approval. From MOTHER TERESA’S letters, we know she had severe doubts and serious despair throughout her life. “ Such deep longing for God – and . . . repulsed – empty – no faith – no love – no zeal.” “I am told God loves me – and yet the reality of darkness and coldness and emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul.” It seems that her endless toil, her austere life-style, and her deep humility were an effort to still the misery within. Effort in the world and acclaim within this world – no matter how great – can never fill you with the light of God’s glorious love which is found in the face of Jesus. But when you see Jesus’ face and the light comes on: you are filled to overflowing with faith, love, and zeal. LOOK INTO THE LIGHT OF JESUS’ FACE. See His delight in you. “When your eyes are good, your whole body is full of light. Your whole body, your whole being will be full of light. And if life gets you down. WE ALL EXPERIENCE DISAPPROVAL AND DISAPPOINTMENT from others and from ourselves. Look again. For if your eyes do not see the face of Jesus; if they are bad, your whole body is full of darkness. If you look only at the despair, death, darkness, and disapproval of this world’s faces, you will be dark inside. IF, HOWEVER, YOU LOOK – not just a glance – really look at the face of Jesus, filled with love and delight, you will experience a light so bright that it fills your whole being and spills over into the world.
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