Jesus, the master teacher, often used parables as He shared the divine Word of His Heavenly Father with His disciples and the crowds that followed Him. “With many… parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when He was alone with His own disciples, He explained everything.” (Mark 4: 33-34)

A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. This weekend’s gospel reading contains two such parables – both teaching about the kingdom of God. In the first, the Parable of the Growing Seed, Jesus tells about a farmer who lavishly, generously sows his seed. “Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain – first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4: 27-29)

As we “unpack” this parable, we see that Jesus is the sower and the seed He sows is the incomprehensible, irresistible Word of His (and our) Heavenly Father. The soil of our hearts receives the precious and powerful Word of God, which by His grace, creates faith. And faith, as it continues to grow, brings about the harvest of eternal life!

While we are the soil in whom the seed grows and brings about salvation, we also become the sower of the seed. In other words, the faith which is planted in us grows, matures and is ready to be “replanted” in the hearts and lives of others as we generously and lavishly share the love of God in Christ with everyone we know!

While the seed does its wonderful work, the most important point of the parable which Jesus tells is all about the harvest – the harvest of souls and the expansion of His Kingdom. This, Jesus wants us to know, is what the kingdom of God is like. (Mark 4: 26)

The second parable, the Parable of the Mustard Seed, is also about the kingdom of God. “Again [Jesus] said, ‘What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade.’” (Mark 4: 30-32)

In this second parable, Jesus tells us that the incomprehensible, irresistible Word of God, though seemingly small, inconsequential and insignificant (as small as a mustard seed) works to do God’s perfect will and brings about the growth of the Kingdom of God. The “birds of the air” are all those receive His forgiveness and who come to believe that Jesus Christ is their only Savior from sin, death and the devil through His suffering, death and resurrection. We are among the birds who benefit from its comfort and “shade.”

The kingdom of God – Jesus’ Kingdom and that of His Heavenly Father – exists wherever He lives and rules by faith. Through the Incomprehensible and Irresistible Seed of Faith, His kingdom exists in our hearts and the hearts of all believers; in His Holy Church on Earth; and, ultimately, in Heaven.

May God bless us as the seed of faith continues to multiply within us and overflows to the planting of the same seed in the hearts and lives of those around us, so that there is an even more bountiful harvest of souls.   This is what the kingdom of God is like!

See you in church THIS weekend!

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Snow

Sermon Audio

A man had driven his car through two red lights and caused a serious accident.  Talking to his attorney he wondered if he should admit his guilt or try to beat the case. The man asked his lawyer, “How should I plead?”  “On your knees!” the lawyer wisely replied.

At the beginning of time, Adam and Eve needed this good advice. They had willfully sinned, eaten of the forbidden fruit because they wanted to “be like God.”  Their sin has infected us all as we continue to try to “beat the case.”  But instead of confessing his guilt, Adam showed the only two foolish ways that sinful mankind ever reacts, apart from God’s intervention: “flight” or “fight.”

Adam was the first to discover that he could run, but he couldn’t hide from God. And yet, throughout all of time, for every person born, we continue to deceive ourselves into thinking that we can hide from God.  But God Himself says in Jeremiah 23:24:  “Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? … Do I not fill heaven and earth?”  How should we plead?  On our knees in true confession!

So often we are like the children, whose mother looked out the window to see them playing with some cute little baby skunks.  Terrified, she screamed at the top of her voice, “Run, children, run!”  And each child ran in different directions, each carrying a skunk held tightly to their chest!  How typical this is of our “human nature.”  We try to “run” from the danger we sense, but in our running, we cling so closely to the sins that cause the great danger!

When we realize that “flight” doesn’t work, we “put up a fight.” Not necessarily a physical fight, but a “battle of words,” a list of excuses, a shifting of guilt and blame.  When the LORD God called Adam and asked, “Where are you?”  This, of course, was a rhetorical question, for God knew the answer.  In His great love, God was pursuing Adam, wanting him to face up to his sin.  But Adam, having failed in “flight,” now tried “fight” – making up lame excuses for his sin.  Adam replied, “I heard You in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” (v.10)  Adam had heard God’s voice before, and he had not been afraid.  He was naked and there had been nothing shameful about it.  But now he had something he wanted to hide – his guilt!

Notice how God, in love, pursues and breaks through all the lame excuses by His further questioning: “Who told you that you were naked?  Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” (v.11)  But Adam still wouldn’t break – he wouldn’t confess his obvious guilt.  Instead, he did what has been so typical of all sinners since that time: he tried to pin the blame on someone else!  “The woman YOU put here with me – she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it.” (v.12)  And of course, Eve tried the same lame excuse, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” (v.13)

Here sin is seen in its true nature. No one wants to confess. We readily blame others for our wrongdoing, or we try all kinds of devious ways to cover up our sin, and we do it all the time!     

We also use so many flimsy excuses: “It’s not my fault.” “I couldn’t help myself, I was born this way.”  “Everybody else is doing it.” “It’s not as bad as what others do.” Instead of acknowledging our sin, we are much quicker to point the finger of blame – away from ourselves!

But this always leaves us in a terrible condition.  We are not only (1) fearful and wanting to hide from God, but (2) we have turned against each other, and (3) lost all self-respect and feeling of self-worth.  We can become so deceived that we do not even see that we are in trouble!  GOD MUST COME TO GIVE US THE SOLUTION for our wrong actions and answers.  And this is exactly what God does!

In true picture language, God gives the first promise of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Since the devil had taken the form of a snake when he tempted Adam and Eve, God says to the devil:  “I will put enmity (hatred) between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers;  He (Jesus, who would be born of Mary many years later) will crush your head (the way to kill a snake!) and you will strike His heel (how snakes try to inflict harm on people – referring to Jesus’ suffering, crucifixion and death.) (Genesis 3:15)

GOD’S SOLUTION FOR OUR PROBLEMS IS WHAT HE HAS DONE – THE GOSPEL, THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS.  Whether we want to admit it or not, the one great problem we have is:  What are we going to do about our sin and guilt?  We can’t hide it.  We can’t blame it on others.  We must confess it and look to Jesus for His forgiveness!

A pastor in New York, tells about receiving a telephone call from an anxious man, a military officer who had been a former member, but who had been transferred away a few years before. This officer had only two day’s leave prior to heading back into active duty. Instead of spending his time with his family, he came all the way to New York to see his former pastor. Putting aside his other plans, the pastor invited the officer to come immediately to his office. There the man haltingly stated that he could not go back into possible battle in his present, confused state of mind. Somewhere along the way he said his faith had crumbled, and the crumbled bits were blown by winds of doubt.

As he described his agony, his pastor interrupted him and said, “I’m not the slightest bit interested in your doubts.  I am not going to waste my time or yours going into them.  Tell me about your sins!”

A full minute of silence passed without a word.  Finally, breaking that silence, the pastor asked the man if he had some pictures of his family. The office retrieved them from his wallet and placed them on the desk.  Suddenly in a burst of tears and confession, the truth of the sinful unfaithfulness came out.  Confession and repentance was the lance that pierced the boil of sin aching within his heart.  And the restorative power of God’s forgiving love as the healing.

King David, when he tried to hide his guilt of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah, wrote in Psalm 32: “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.  Then I acknowledged my sin to You and did not cover up my iniquity.  I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord’ – and You forgave the guilt of my sin.”  (Psalm 32:3-5)

We heard this again this past Pentecost (two weeks ago); Jesus’ words from John 16: “When the Spirit of truth comes, He will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment…” (v.8) Being convicted that we are sinful is MOST IMPORTANT in our spiritual life and health!  This is why, in today’s Gospel reading, there is the serious warning: “I tell you the truth, all sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit (e.g. rejects the conviction of sin, righteousness through Jesus ALONE and judgment against sin), will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.” (Mark 3:28-29)  God’s desire is that ALL are saved – that’s why the Holy Spirit constantly works through Word and Sacrament so that we may live in repentance and forgiveness.

God pursued this military man, King David, Adam and Eve because of His great love for them – “not to condemn the world, but that the world through Jesus might be saved!” (John 3:17)  God continues to pursue you and me right now, and each and every day, through His Word and Sacraments.  He is asking you and me, “Where are you?”  What are you going to do about your sin?”  By faith, we no longer try to hide from God (realizing how impossible that is!)  By faith, we no longer try to blame someone else (ultimately blaming God).  Rather, by faith, we truly confess our sins, AND BY GOD’S ALMIGHTY POWER, LIVE A CHANGED LIFE; humbly praying:    Just as I am, without one plea   But that Thy blood was shed for me;   And that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee,   O Lamb of God, I come, I come!

God’s blessings to you this week.

See you in worship this coming weekend!

Pastor Myers

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While the word “Trinity” never appears in Scripture, we certainly see the work of the Trinity alluded to frequently in these holy pages! From creation (Genesis 1) to this weekend’s Old Testament reading, from Jesus’ Baptism to His Great Commission, we see the Trinity at work time and time again. On this Trinity weekend, we celebrate that our Lord is the Triune God – One God in three Persons – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We try to put this mystery of the Trinity into human words, but we recognize that mere words fall short of describing our awesome, infinite, magnificent, unapproachable God.

Isaiah described the vision he received in the year King Uzziah died (758 BC, four years before the founding of Rome in 754 BC). Of our Almighty God he wrote, “I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above Him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.’” (Isaiah 6: 2-3) How wonderfully similar Isaiah’s vision is to the one which John, the Evangelist, received almost 800 years later. John described his vision of the throne room of God and the four living creatures, and the twenty-four Elders and the myriads and myriads of angels writing, “Day and night they never stopped saying, ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.’… “They lay their crowns before the throne and say: ‘You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they were created and have their being.’” (Revelation 4: 8, 10-11) And again he explained, “They cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, Who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb’… “Saying: ‘Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God forever and ever. Amen!’” (Revelation 7: 10, 12)

Is it any wonder that Isaiah cried out in despair, “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty.” (Isaiah 6: 5) He recognized his own sinfulness, the sinfulness of all mankind and the absolute holiness of God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He knew that sin cannot stand/exist in the presence of the holy, all-powerful God. In His perfect holiness, God destroys sin and sinners!

It was at that very moment that “one of the seraphs flew to [him] with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched [Isaiah’s] mouth and said, ‘See this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.’” (Isaiah 6: 6-7) Isaiah recognized both his own sin, and now, completely by the grace and work of God alone, he also believed in his forgiveness so that when God called out “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” Isaiah could answer with excitement, joy, and full confidence, “Here am I. Send me!” And God did send him! By the grace and inspiration of God, Isaiah became one of the greatest prophets of Israel and is even known today as “the evangelist of the Old Testament.” (See Isaiah 7:14 and 8:2, 6)

When God’s Holy Spirit works in our hearts, minds and souls – convicting us of our sins, failures and shortcomings – we, like Isaiah, are left saying, “Woe to me!.. for I am a person of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips!” Our sin leaves us alone, afraid and guilty. But upon the altar of the cross, Jesus’ perfect sacrifice for us assures you and me that “your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for!” Now the Holy Spirit touches our heads with the cleansing waters of baptism; our mouths with the bread, wine, body and blood of Jesus in Communion; and our ears, minds, hearts and souls with His precious life-giving Word bringing us forgiveness and freedom.

God is calling to us, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” So, what does this mean for our congregation and for us as believers in Christ? Perhaps planting a new church or starting an additional worship service in a style more likely to reach a demographic of people who we do not currently reach as effectively as we might. It may mean that God is calling some of you into full-time church work, or perhaps you might encourage others (children, grandchildren) into the Savior’s service. For ALL of us, it surely means sharing our faith in our awesome, infinite and magnificent Triune God.

The single most significant reason that people visit a church and become members is that another Christian invites them. By the inspiration of God, YOU may be that person whom He will use to bring someone to saving faith! In awe and wonder, we join with the seraphim in singing, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of His glory.”

See you in church this next weekend!

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Snow

Sermon Audio

Before the words of our text, Luke tells us that Jesus – in Acts Chapter 1 – gave “marching orders” to His disciples by telling them to stay in Jerusalem and wait until they received the gift of the Holy Spirit. Then they would become His powerful “witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1: 8) He knew that after His ascension, they would feel abandoned/orphaned so He promised to send them One who would “stand beside them always” (the Paraclete). When the Holy Spirit came to them, He would bring to their remembrance everything Jesus had said to them. The Holy Spirit would teach them about sin, righteousness and judgment. [The Holy Spirit helps us to identify sin in our lives and in the world. He brings us the mercy, forgiveness and righteousness which Christ earned for us on the Cross. He reminds us that the devil and his evil hoard stand damned – under the eternal judgment of God – but that all who trust in the mercy and forgiveness of Christ are declared “not guilty!”]

And on that first Pentecost that’s exactly what did happen! The Holy Spirit came in the form and sound of a mighty rushing wind. He descended on the disciples, placed “tongues of fire upon the heads of Jesus’ followers” and they began to speak in languages they had never studied and didn’t know. The Holy Spirit performed a miracle so that those who had come to investigate the “loud noise” in fact heard the sweet gospel of God’s love and forgiveness proclaimed. That day, and the days that followed, saw thousands converted to the Christian faith and to responsible church membership.

How desperately we need a Pentecost today!

Many “main-line Christian denominations” have become “apathetic churches.” The Lutheran Church and many other denominations loose tens of thousands of members each year. Even growing congregations, like ours, can become apathetic and complacent! Why is it that some members quietly disengage from Holy Cross, never to return again? What is it that we do about it? Do we recognize that some believers who call themselves members of Holy Cross seldom or infrequently gather here around the Word and Sacraments to be built up and then sent out as His witnesses to the world? How do we react (or interact) with the billions of people around the world who do not know or confess Jesus Christ as their only Savior from sin, death and the power of the devil?

How desperately we need a Pentecost today! We need God to fill us – as a hand fills a glove – in order that He might use us to serve Him and those around us.

Jesus died to forgive our apathy; to empower our serving; to save us from our selfishness; and to embolden our witness!

Just like an artesian well that flows constantly with cold, pure, wonderful water – in season and out of season – God fills us to overflowing with His Holy Spirit. “Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me… streams of living water will flow from within him.” (John 7:37–38)

May our church – Holy Cross – be a church “on fire” in the Gospel with the Spirit so that we will be His witnesses in Wichita, in our state, country and across the world! Spirit of the Living God… change our Apathy into Action; our Contentment into Burning Desire! Activate, Empower, Equip, Use, Send and Bless us! Amen!

See you in church this weekend!

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Snow

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“Beam me up, Scotty!” Do you remember this from the old Star Trek series? Captain Kirk, when in trouble, or finished with his “mission” would command Scotty, the technician on the Enterprise to “beam me up” – and they would be “whisked away” to safety. Did you (or like me, do you) sometimes wish to be “beamed up” / rescued from some of the tough times in your life?

Of course “beaming up” is science fiction on Star Trek or other TV or videos – but God COULD do it. We know that “Enoch walked with God and was no more;” Elijah was taken to heaven in the fiery chariot; and this past Thursday was the Ascension of our Lord. This is what Jesus was telling His disciples as He prayed out loud on Maundy Thursday, as we read today. Jesus prayed: “I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, protect them by the power of Your name… While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name You gave Me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled… My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; Your Word is truth.” (John 17: 11-12, 15-17)

A.  I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world… Protect them…

Although we cannot “see and touch” Jesus as Mary and Thomas did, God’s Word is clear that Jesus is still “in” the world – not as before His Ascension, but still VERY present with us in His Word and Sacraments, as He promised just before His Ascension, Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20); and His physical presence is with us in the bread/Body, wine/Blood, of the Lord’s Supper.

As we live in this dangerous world, God’s Word warns us: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15)

 B.  None was lost except …

 Judas is a very sad example of the world. God’s Word warns: “Whoever does not believe is condemned already…” and “let him who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall.” Judas was one of the twelve! “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10) What does the use of our money reflect as to where our love is focused?

 C.  It is necessary that we are still in the world…

 We are still in the world to speak and live the truth of God’s Word. God’s Word is clear: “‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How, then, can they call on the One they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the One of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone proclaiming to them? …Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the Word about Christ.” Christians need to be IN the world but not OF the world!

As our youth go off to high school and colleges, we especially pray that God would bless them as they are “in the world, not of the world” – especially in high school or universities where they live in dormitories or apartments with those who are deceived by the world. We, in the world, can befriend them, show the love of Jesus in our words and actions without “becoming of the world” – living in their lost and sinful worldliness. God’s Word instructs us, “Set an example…in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.”

D.  Protect them by the power of Your name…

Jesus’ prayer – v.15 My prayer is not that You take them out of the world (rapture), but that You protect them by the power of Your name… placed upon us at our Baptism. As we live in this world, we are “in Christ” and Christ in us:  The Apostle Paul writes: “No longer I who live but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

E.  Sanctify them by Your Word of truth…

“Sanctify” means to live in the world – set apart for sacred use – for the special plans / good works God has prepared for us to do, kept safe by the truth of God’s Word. His promise, “if you continue in My Word then you are My disciples and the truth will set you free.”

There WILL be a time when we will be “taken up” / “beam me up, Jesus!” – either at our physical death, or when our Lord returns again in glory.  Right now, we are still “in this world” – Jesus still has important work to do through us. What ACTIONS does Jesus have prepared for us to do today / this week / in the days and weeks ahead – to witness, save, teach, share and help serve and deliver other people God has placed in our lives?  Jesus has called us, saved us, sanctified us – protects us by the “power of His name,” equipped by “His Truth / His changeless Gospel / His changeless Word.”  In that marvelous name of Jesus, Amen!

Looking to join you this next weekend as we celebrate Pentecost! (The third MAJOR festival of the Church Year!)

Pastor Myers

Sermon Audio

Acts, Chapter 10, introduces us to a devout, God-fearing, generous, humble and prayerful Roman soldier named Cornelius. God was pleased with this man’s stewardship and prayers, and so sent an angel messenger who encouraged him to invite Peter to come and speak to him and his entire household. At the same time, God showed Peter in a vision that he should welcome “this new thing God was doing” by bringing the gospel to non-Jews, who had not previously been included in hearing the life-giving message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

So, in obedience to God’s direction, Peter did go to the home of Cornelius and proclaimed, “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear [love, honor, trust] Him and do what is right.” (Acts 10: 34-35) God desires for all people to come to the knowledge of the truth and be saved. “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live.” (Ezekiel 33: 11)

Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter powerfully preached “telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ” to those who gathered there… “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how He went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with Him… [how] they killed Him by hanging Him on a tree, but God raised Him from the dead on the third day and caused Him to be seen… by witnesses whom God had already chosen.” (Acts 10: 38-41) Through God’s Word, the Holy Spirit filled all those who heard the message of salvation and they were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. (v. 48)

Peter and the other Apostles had been called as “eyewitnesses” to preach and to testify that the Father had chosen Jesus to be the Judge of the living and the dead. These eyewitnesses and “All the prophets testify about [Jesus] that everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins through His name.” (Acts 10: 43)

Peter needed to be convicted by God about “showing favoritism.” God’s precious Word, likewise, convicts us of our fearfulness, ignorance, partiality and prejudice toward others based on their age, economic standing, skin color, ethnicity and other factors.

Now, like Peter, we are called to be eyewitnesses of what God has graciously done in our lives… how Jesus came to us while we were yet sinners and died in our place; how the Holy Spirit has filled us with saving faith and calls us to put aside our preconceived ideas, prejudices and fears toward others so that we can joyfully and vigorously proclaim “the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all.”

God shows no favoritism and neither should we! The Evangelist John was shown a revelation by God picturing Heaven with “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9) For Heaven to look this way “someday,” our church needs to start to look like this “now!” May God graciously work through our tireless proclamation of Christ so that more and more might see, hear, believe and be saved!

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Snow

Sermon Audio

This weekend we celebrated another milestone ministry in the life of our congregation – the Rite of Confirmation for 13 of our members. This is one of many “milestones” in our lives: birth; re-birth through baptism; first step; first word; first day of school; 2^nd Grader Bibles; first Communion; the Rite of Confirmation; 8^th grade graduation; getting a driver’s license; graduation from High School and college; marriage; first job; death of parents; retirement – and we could list even more. These are all “milestones” – significant times in our lives – stepping-stones, rather than stopping stones, as we grow and mature in life.

The Rite of Confirmation is a long-held tradition of our Lutheran Church. In true Lutheran form, I invite you to answer the question: “What does this mean?”

A number of years ago, on Confirmation weekend, an honest question was written on the guest side of the attendance card. I learned that it came from an individual who had been baptized, attended Holy Cross School and was confirmed in the building on 9^th & Oliver, but rather than a stepping stone – it was a “stopping stone” – for over a dozen years after his confirmation, he had disconnected himself from the Vine: public worship, fellowship with his church family and the Lord’s Supper.

I thank God that the Holy Spirit led him again to come and worship with us as he wrote the question: “Is a membership lifelong?”

How would you have responded to this question… especially in light of the Words of Jesus we read today in John 15: “I Am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit … No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I Am the vine; you are the branches. If a person remains in Me and I in Him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.” (v.1-6) Did you notice? Jesus emphasizes “remain connected” to Himself – the Vine.

What does this mean when Jesus says, “you are the branches?” The purpose of the branches is certainly not for lumber (not even firewood!); not for shade (not tall enough!) and not for beauty (grapevine wreathes always have added flowers, ribbons, bows); the purpose of the branches is to produce fruit.

So, again we ask: “What Does This Mean? “to produce fruit?” Pastor Snow talked about this last weekend – “Love like the Savior” – The fruit of putting our love into action – 1 John 3: “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:17-18) “Bearing fruit” we offer: “How may I serve you?”

Love, a fruit of faith, is always relational, it “bears fruit” between people. This is shown us so well in Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10). The Levite and a priest pass by a man who is half-dead. The Samaritan, by contrast, unselfishly showed love!

We see another example of “bearing fruit” in the Scripture reading from Acts 8. God worked through Philip to explain the Word of God to the man from Ethiopia. Philip invited: “Do you understand what you are reading?” (“What does this mean?”) And beginning with that Scripture told him about Jesus. (This is one of the goals of confirmation classes: “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3)

Philip showed the Ethiopian the connection to Jesus Christ. After some basic teaching, the Ethiopian asked to be baptized and received the blessings of a strong connection to Jesus, the True Vine! Tradition tells us that the Ethiopian went home teaching and baptizing the queen, and Ethiopia is a Christian nation today!

So, how would you answer the question written on the Guest card? Is a membership lifelong? First, church membership is not the same as “remaining connected” / plugged in – a solid connection to Jesus, the True Vine. In this respect, this honest question gave me hope, for God’s Word promises: “A bruised reed He will not break, and a smoldering wick He will not snuff out… I the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand (good connection!) I will keep you.” (Isaiah 42:3, 6) Therefore, since Jesus nourishes us through our connection with the Vine – through Word and Sacraments, I answered, “No, a church membership is not necessarily life long. But Jesus is always ready to re-connect and bless anyone who comes to Him in faith. Church membership is not what is most important – saving faith in Jesus means remaining connected to Jesus. (Knowing as Jesus teaches that a disconnected branch withers and dies.) Sadly, if anyone indicates no desire to “remain connected” to the Word and Sacrament ministry of the congregation, we acknowledge their situation and they are removed from membership; but always with the prayer and invitation that God’s greatest desire, and ours also, is that they become connected again – an active, fruit-bearing branch again – with the desire and commitment to “remain” active in hearing God’s Word; receiving the Sacraments AND BEARING FRUIT – using their time, talents and treasures so that others too might be connected to Jesus Christ through His Body, the Church, through His Word and Sacraments; “growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18

Looking forward to remaining connected with you again as we meet in worship and Communion this weekend!

Pastor Myers

Sermon Audio

In this weekend’s “Good Shepherd” gospel reading, we hear Jesus repeatedly (five times!) saying that He would “lay down His life” for His sheep, His disciples. What comfort these words bring to us – knowing that our Good Shepherd loved us enough to take our sins upon Himself, on the cross, in order to bring us forgiveness and the promise that we would be “gathered into His fold” with Him forevermore!

Another shepherd, David, under the inspiration of God, penned the words of the 23^rd Psalm, which in turn, have inspired countless children of God since then to trust in the Good Shepherd whose rod (club of protection) and staff (to rescue and restore) comfort us. Because He promises to be with us, we fear no evil!

This same “shepherd of our souls” calls His followers (His lambs) to love one another. “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15: 12-13)

So, what is “Love?” We use the word so frequently, in so many ways, that it almost loses its meaning. We “love” certain foods, and favorite sports teams and times of peaceful relaxation… but do we really do justice to the word “love” when we use it in this way?

The way that Jesus uses the word, the love to which Jesus calls us is so much deeper, so much more profound. “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers [and sisters].” (1 John 3:16) His entire life and earthly ministry were a demonstration of what He meant. He was not only willing to die for us, He was willing – and did – live for us!

It is “easy” for us to claim to be willing to die for those we say we love, but are we, at the same time, willing to live our lives in service to them too? How do we “live this out” in our lives as husbands and wives, parents and children, followers of the Good Shepherd?

Our text calls us to put our love into action! “If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” (1 John 3:17-18) James says something similar, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” (James 2:14-17) Jesus Himself calls us to show our faith (to put our love into action) by feeding the hungry, visiting the sick and imprisoned, welcoming the stranger and clothing those in need – Matthew 25:31-46.

So, as the “sheep of His pasture,” in loving response to His love for us, we joyfully follow “His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us.” (1 John 3:23) That’s “Loving Like the Savior!”

See you in church this Sunday!

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Snow

Sermon Audio

Thanks be to God that the empty tomb was not the only thing that was opened on that first Easter!  Equally important is that Jesus opened the minds of His disciples (and our minds!) so they could understand and believe the Scriptures!  For without “opened minds to understand the Scriptures” – the open tomb (as well as everything else written clearly in the Scriptures) would be nothing more than a mere historical fact / a part of the once-a-year “Easter story” – rather than the daily life-giving / life-saving news for all people!  As we read in 1 Corinthians 15:14-17, “if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead… And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.”  Paul also writes:  “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…”

As you may know, the number 3 is a Biblical number – indicating to us that something VERY special is being REVEALED to us.  The continued Easter story from Luke 24, tells us three times of “openings” –  v.31 “Then the eyes  (of the Emmaus disciples) were opened and they recognized Jesus…” and v.32 “they said, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’” (The two disciples ran back the seven miles to Jerusalem, where Jesus appeared to them again. (v.45)  “Then Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.”

We live in a world that accuses us Christians of being “closed minded” and demands that we be “open minded” / tolerant – open to all opinions – accept all things – they accuse: “Who are you to tell me I’m wrong!”

Contrary to the world’s demand to have “an open mind,” God’s Word is very clear that there are MAJOR differences / clearly opposite world-views:

• Creation vs. Evolution – 7-day creation or thousands, millions of years
• Definition of God and sacred writings – (Quran, Book of Mormon, Watchtower, Unitarian, Humanism, many false interpretations of the Bible, etc.)
• Redefinition of marriage and family / same-sex marriages, co-habitation without marriage, divorces that should never happen
• Many Life issues – beginning of life / ending of life / health care issues
• The world says: Everything is relative – “have an open mind” – there is no “one truth.”

But we know: “Thus says the LORD” / we confess: “This is most certainly true!

We live in a worldly, self-centered, permissive society in which the motto is, “Anything goes as long as it benefits me / “I’m entitled – because I want it and I deserve it.”  Is it any wonder that people (especially children) are confused and lost when it comes to right and wrong?

It’s the same old temptation from the beginning…Satan tempted Adam and Eve to “have an open mind” – deceitfully asking: “did God say?” – and then suggesting that they should be open to their own interpretation…  And then, directly contrary to the truth God had given them, Satan lied, saying:  “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5)  Yes, their eyes were opened (in a very bad way!) – and they “died” to “the perfect life” God gave them before the Fall. Now their minds were “opened” and filled with sin, evil and death; filled with guilt, shame, blame, fear, broken relationships with God and each other! And this sin CLOSED their minds to God and the truth of His Word.

The focus of the world: “it’s all about me,” my comfort and my needs – (we see daily examples of this in the airplane passenger removed from a flight because of repeated poking a pen at the snoring man sitting next to her… the horrible news about no one stopping the repeated sexual assault against a woman at Panama City beach in Florida on Spring break… the attempted bombing at Ft. Riley as a part of ISIS and other extremists.  The daily news is full of this brokenness and selfishness – and our own lives show it too – our prayer is often “My will be done” rather than “God’s will be done.”

And it’s certainly NO SURPRISE therefore, of the misunderstanding of Scriptures!  When “it’s all about me,” then God’s Word is seen as a bunch of rules and regulations to take away my “fun.” Like a rebellious child, we think or say: “Don’t tell me what to do!” But loving and wise parents know better and want to protect and keep their children safe.  Therefore, they love and discipline their children – they patiently teach them what is true and best for them.

The Bible is a “closed book” to anyone without the “key” of faith in Jesus. Jesus explained to the Emmaus disciples, and all His disciples, how the Old Testament was fulfilled in His life, death and resurrection; Jesus “opened their minds.”  We continue to teach and preach Jesus Christ alone to those who are “close minded” in the world, knowing that faith in Jesus Christ is the peace of God that surpasses all our understanding that keeps our hearts and minds “opened” and centered in Christ Jesus, through every day; all that we do in this life until life everlasting.  Amen.

Pastor Myers

Sermon Notes