Thursday, September 6, 2012


The Intersection of Church and State

The Intersection of Church & State, a new television special from Lutheran Hour Ministries, premieres September 30, 5 p.m. Eastern,  4 p.m. Central, 3 p.m. Mountain, 2 p.m. Central on Fox Business Channel as paid programming.  Hosted by Speaker of The Lutheran Hour Rev. Gregory Seltz, the hour-long program explores how the First Amendment to the Constitution was crafted both to protect the church and the state and to provide a framework within which the two can work together for the common good.
The Intersection of Church & State features careful scholarship and lively commentary by experts on faith and citizenship. In addition to providing insightful educational content, the program also challenges citizens to stay alert to government activity that affects the institution of the church.
Watch for The Intersection of Church & State on selected networks this fall; for listing details and more information about the program, visit www.intersectionofchurchandstate.com.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Sermon for Trinity 14 September 9, 2012


Trinity 14        Luke 17:11-19             September 8-9, 2012

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

There are Ten Commandments in the Holy Law of God; ten rules for life that we fail to keep. Their simplicity is as sharp as polished steel. It cuts to expose our cancerous souls. We are not good. We are not right. We are not healthy. Ten commandments, ten rules for life, ten guides for our behavior, ten policies of self-control and decency, ten obviously correct ideals that we know we should be, all of which, without fail, we fail to keep. Ten little lines: a full and perfect Law.

Is it so hard? Not really. Honor your father and mother? We can do that. Love your wife? Of course, that makes sense. Tell the truth? Yes, that is good. That is right. That is what we want. And even believe in God? Absolutely. These rules are not unreasonable. They are not unobtainable. They are not impossible. At our best, we do all of these, in part, part of the time. Why not always? Why not fully? Why not even mostly or most of the time? Are we so shallow, so temperamental, so afraid, so self-serving as all of that? Yes. The brutal Law leaves no escape. There is no excuse.

There are reasons. We are weak. We are stupid. We are evil. We abide in the inheritance of the first and fallen Adam. But there is no excuse, no justification for our selfishness and hurtful indulgences. There is nothing, no extenuating circumstances, no once-in-a-lifetime  vents that makes our lies, violence, lust, and greed okay. Let me ask you this: After  suffering a hang-over and the shame of behaving like a raving lunatic why would someone go and get drunk again? Why would he do that to himself? Is he that weak, that foolish, that self-destructive? Yes. He is. I am. You are. With foreknowledge and with malice you have stepped into your sin hoping to somehow escape your boring existence. You have catered an intoxication of the soul wanting to forget who you were, wanting to forget both your failures and your obligations. You have lashed out like a drowning man at any half-promise of a moment’s pleasure, seeking to steal from God what He would have gladly given. And all you have to show for it is pain, sorrow, and shame; a lifetime full of poor choices; a raging debt that haunts your nights; a handful of fickle friends who would sell you for a dollar.

Repent. There is no excuse. Your posturing and vain spinning of the stories from your life, your imagined headlines and fame, your sick fantasies and delusional speeches, must be left behind. Your pride must wither and die. The Truth of the Law must have its way. It must cut off every retreat, every escape, every excuse. It must force you to your knees, to confession, to death. For ten full commandments have we, all of which, we have failed to keep. For which we deserve, quite fairly, quite reasonably, to die eternally.

Our plea to heaven then cannot be for justice, for equity, for fair treatment by the Law for that is simply to ask for Hell. Our cry must be a plea for mercy, for undeserved pardon, for redemption with Someone Else’s Blood. Let us learn from the lepers who stood far off and cried to God in the Flesh, the Son of Mary adopted by Joseph, whom they would nail to the cross for Blasphemy He did not commit and who would raise Himself up again, for mercy. For mercy. Ah, sweet mercy from the Almighty! Was there ever Love like this? Was there ever reprieve so sweet for criminals so steeped in guilt? Was there ever a God who joined His rebellious creation and let them kill Him for their own sins so that they would go free, clean, and whole? Yes! Mercy is what the lepers requested. Mercy is what He gave.

But they didn’t know it right away. He told them to go and show themselves to the priests. It was as they were going, with chunks of rotten skin falling off along the way, that all of the sudden they discovered they were healed. Then they knew His mercy. But before they knew with arms and hands and eyes, they went at His Word. They went at His Word, without proof or evidence. And His Word turned out to be all that it took to rid them of the decaying flesh that rendered them unclean and left them dying in their skin. Let us learn from those ten to cry for mercy and to take Jesus at His Word, seeking no proof or evidence, but living by faith. All ten received mercy, a full and perfect reprieve from the guilt of their sin, a fresh washing in Grace they did not earn, a healing rescue from certain death. All ten, one for each holy commandment of the Law, received mercy.

But only one, and he, a foreigner, returned to praise God in the Flesh. He did not simply offer a silent tribute in his mind to a far away God for the good things he now knew. But he went to where he had found mercy. He went to God in the Flesh! When he cried for mercy he was unclean. He did it from a distance. But then, having been cleansed, having received mercy, he was bold to approach this enfleshed God soon to be crucified. He came and worshiped Jesus, praising Him for the life He had restored in him, glorifying Him for the mercy He had bestowed. And he received in turn praise from God of his own.

Let us learn from the one what faith is and what faith does. Faith receives God’s grace and comes back for more! It cannot get enough. It is not simply thankful, though it is that. But it is also, and more markedly, hungry! It desires the One thing needful, the One thing that satisfies, the One thing that justifies, not our sins, not our many misdeeds, but justifies mankind by declaring you righteous for the sake of the brutal death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in your stead. Faith wants what God gives: new life, rest, hope, love, peace - all for free.

Ten were cleansed, given back life and limb. One returned to worship. He did not come to give Jesus something, to bring His offering envelope or His praise. He did not come to feed Jesus or to learn how to be a healer for others. He came back to get something, to be fed, to be nourished, to be healed some more. That is what worship is. It is what faith does.  Jesus needs nothing from us. We need everything from Him. He did not come to be served, to put us to work. That is not the goal of the Gospel. He came to serve, to work for us, to buy us back out of death, to restore us to health that we might stand in His presence as His beloved, immaculate Bride. That is the goal of the Gospel: that we would be His and live with Him in bliss forever.

The fire from those holy ten commandments has been quenched. The demands of every single one has been met. There is nothing more. Justice has been served, satisfied. You are forgiven, clean, whole, loved. Arise, you have come to the right place, to the place of mercy where God in the Flesh is served in Bread for the eater and men are made His. Come, at His Word.

Receive what He gives.

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Daily readings for September 9-15, 2012


Sunday’s Divine Service–The Lord Extends His Mercy To All
The ten lepers cried out from a distance, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:11–19). Their condition cut them off from God and others.  So also do the works of the flesh cut us off from God and others. “Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:16–24). Thus we cry out with the lepers, “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy,” eagerly seeking His good gifts. Jesus said to the lepers, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. So too, we walk by faith and not by sight, being confident of Jesus’ help before we see any evidence of it, trusting that Jesus’ cleansing words of forgiveness will restore us to wholeness in the resurrection. Let us be as the one leper who returned to the true High Priest to give Him thanks and glory. For Jesus bore our infirmities in His sacrifice at Calvary. His words are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh (Proverbs 4:10–23).— Lutheran Service Book Project

Please Pray For: Joe Worth, Elena Howarth, Emily Rodenbeck, Phyllis McElroy, Ada Dambacher Dorothy Robison, George Van Huss, Crystal Ray, Ruth Hedrick, Walt Hedrick, Erna Van Winkle, Mary Kay Schmidt, Kathy Schmidt, John Haynes, Bill Uchtman, Colin Starks, George Shepherd, and Donna Smith.
Military: Please keep in your prayers all Military persons, especially Brittany Worth who is deployed to Afghanistan.
Hospitalizations: Please notify Pastor GeRue about any sickness or hospitalizations.

Happy Birthday This Week: Catherine GeRue, Josh Miller, John Boston
Happy Anniversary: George & Melissa Howarth, Jr.

Lutheran High Trivia Night, Friday September 28, 2012 7 pm at Knights of Columbus Hall at Iles and Meadowbrook Rd. We would like to have 1 or 2 teams from Trinity. See Pastor or Valerie for more information.
Confirmation Meeting Wednesday, September 12 at 5:30 pm

CALENDAR
Saturday, September 8           5:30 pm                            Divine Service
Sunday, September 9            9:00 am                                 Bible Class
                                             10:00 am                            Divine Service
Monday, September 10          7:00 pm                                        Elder’s                       
Tuesday, September 11          9:00 am            Circuit Pastors@ Girard
                                               6:00 pm   Unity Finance Board Meeting
Wednesday , September 12    5:30 pm   Confirmation Parents Meeting
                                               7:30 pm                                             AA
Friday, September 14                                              Pastors Family Day
Saturday , September 15         5:30 pm                            Divine Service

NEXT WEEKS LESSONS:
THE FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY

The ten lepers cried out from a distance, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” (Luke 17:11–19). Their condition cut them off from God and others. So also do the works of the flesh cut us off from God and others. “Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:16–24). Thus we cry out with the lepers, “Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy, Lord have mercy,” eagerly seeking His good gifts. Jesus said to the lepers, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. So too, we walk by faith and not by sight, being confident of Jesus’ help before we see any evidence of it, trusting that Jesus’ cleansing words of forgiveness will restore us to wholeness in the resurrection. Let us be as the one leper who returned to the true High Priest to give Him thanks and glory. For Jesus bore our infirmities in His sacrifice at Calvary. His words are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh (Proverbs 4:10–23).

Collect: Keep, we implore You, O Lord, Your Church with Your perpetual mercy; and because the frailty of mankind without You cannot but fall, keep us ever by Your help from all things hurtful and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord . Amen.
Old Testament: Proverbs 4:10–23
Epistle: Galatians 5:16–24
Holy Gospel: Luke 17:11–19

Readings for the Week of 14th Sunday after Trinity
Daily Lectionary For September 9–15, 2012
Sunday, September 9                            Malachi 1:1-14, Matthew3:1-17
Monday, September 10                       Malachi 2:1-3:5, Matthew 4:1-11
Tuesday, September 11                     Malachi 3:6-4:6, Matthew 4:12-25
Wednesday, September 12          Deuteronomy 1:1-18, Matthew 5:1-20
Thursday, September 13            Deuteronomy 1:19-36, Matthew 5:21-48
Friday, September 14                Deuteronomy 1:37-2:15, Matthew 6:1-15
Saturday, September 15               Looking Forward to Sundays Lessons
                    1 Kings 17:8–16, Galatians 5:25—6:10, Matthew 6:24–34

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Sermon September 1-2, 2012


Trinity 13
Luke 10:23-37
September 1 – 2, 2012
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The Law knows that we know how to love ourselves. That is why it says: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Every sin we commit is based on inwardly-turned self-love. Like Eve before us we think we know what is good for food and capable of making us wise. We can see with our own eyes what pleases us. Every sin is rebellion. Every sin is based upon the presupposition that God is holding out on us, that He is keeping something good, something fun, from us.

Eve knew the threat of the Law: eat of this and you will die. She knew it was true, that God was faithful to His Word. But she wanted that fruit. Her desire blinded her to reason, rendered her insane so that she made one of these crazy bargains. Maybe the momentary pleasure that fruit would give would make Hell itself tolerable. Or maybe she could have the best of both worlds, steal the fruit and hope God didn't notice. Or even that she could enjoy it now but repent later, that God wouldn't really mind and wanted her to indulge herself in wickedness. 

Repent. You know these bargains well. You know how to love yourself. These bargains are not made with God, but with the devil. And the devil doesn't care. He'll give you great deals, incredible bargains, no interest and no payments until after you've die. He just wants you to take the forbidden fruit and however you want to justify it is fine with him. He'll tell you need it. He'll tell you it is a small thing, no one will mind. He will tell you anything it takes to ease your conscience. And he is always impressed by how pious and sincere you are. He always soothes with sympathy for your struggle. But the bottom line is that you want an evil thing for selfish use - the flesh of another, honor and praise from men, possessions and leisure, fruit from a tree that God said do not eat. You and the devil are good at clever excuses. He is glad to help with the philosophical questions and to help you spin it if you should get caught. Repent.

The jealous God of Abraham is not like the devil. Nothing escapes His notice. If you have loved anything else, if you have loved yourself, more than Him you have broken the Law, you have sinned. Do you love your children more than you love God? Would you kill them for Him? It is not as hypothetical as it sounds. This is what Abraham was called upon to do. He was to take his only son, his laughing little boy, the delight of his old age, up to the mountain, bind him to an altar full of kindling, slit his throat and set him on fire as a sacrifice to the Lord. “Abraham,” says the Almighty. “Love Me above all else. Love Me more than your son.” Was there ever a Law so harsh? A demand so extreme? God spare us from such tests! 

But here is the strange thing: Abraham had faith. What God demanded seemed most evil, but God is good. So Abraham proceeded. He strove to do what God demanded even though it seemed contrary to everything he knew to be good, to everything that God had given, to everything that God is. God's clear Word defied the reason and experience of Abraham. His faith was stripped bare to nothing more than the bold assertion that God is good and that God's Law is always best, always right, that God does not hold out on His children, that God would provide and it would be good. There are no bargains to be struck with God. He is good. He will do the right, the best thing. We wait to see it in the land of the living while we abide in the shadow of death by faith. We cling to the promise of God and forsake all else.
 
And thus was Isaac spared. He did not die for his sins. An innocent ram was caught by its horns in the thicket. God provided the lamb. It died instead. Isaac, his face wet with the tears of Abraham, went back to his mother in his father's arms alive. God is good. He provided. And He blessed Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac with faith. Despite the fears and uncertainties of Abraham, God remains faithful to His Word. He loves Abraham. He keeps His promises.

In this way God fulfills His own Law. Unlike Isaac, His Son was not spared. He loved His neighbor, you and me, to the point of sacrificing Jesus Christ on the cross. There was no ram in the thicket for Him. His love is perfect, all-encompassing. It does not fail. He loves you above all else. He loves you with His whole heart, mind, strength, and soul. God loves you as Himself. The Father loves you as He loves Jesus and the Spirit. Jesus loves you as He loves the Father and the Spirit. The Spirit loves you as He loves the Father and the Son. Thus the laws demands of the Law are silenced by compassion and by mercy. Jesus died. Isaac lives. God loves perfectly and fully and always. God loves Isaac. God loves you.

Now we can certainly see an exhortation in the parable of the Good Samaritan. It shows us how to live, that our lives in Christ are to be merciful and full of good works. The Good Samaritan is a perfect example of how to keep the Law. Thus if we ask the Lawyer's question: “Who is my neighbor?” The answer is obvious: “everyone.” Everyone is my neighbor. I am to help all of them, at my own expense, at my own loss, even at my own death. I am to sell everything that I have and give it to the poor. That is the standard. That is the Law. It is good. It is true. But it always accuses because we are not perfect, we are not without sin. We have not loved perfectly. According to our fallen flesh, we can't. We don't even know how. Sell everything? Then how do we feed our children? How do we remain healthy? How do we get to work? It is an impossible standard for fallen men. Still it is the standard, and if we are judged by it, by “everyone is my neighbor,” we are condemned. We deserve damnation. There are no loopholes. Everyone is your neighbor. Repent.

Hope is not found in the Lawyer's question: “Who is my neighbor?” Hope is found in Our Lord's question: Which of these proved neighbor to the man?” The answer to the lawyer's question is everyone. We are to love everyone. No exceptions, no prejudices, no excuses, no limits. But the answer to Jesus' question is not everyone. For everyone did not prove neighbor to the man in the ditch. Only One did, the One who had mercy. Jesus is an example for us. He shows us how the Law is lived. He shows us what love is. But before that, both sequentially and in significance, Jesus is our merciful Savior from the Samaritan village of Nazareth. He has compassion on us. He intervenes. He comes to earth to bear our burdens, to love us, to fulfill the Law for us and give His life as a ransom for our bodies and souls. The Law passes by on the other side. It cannot help. It can only accuse and advise. It cannot heal or forgive. Jesus washes our wounds, takes us to an inn for recovery, pays for everything, and promises to come back. He loves His neighbor. He loves everyone without exception, prejudice, excuse, or limit. He welcomes all men to Himself by perfect accepting grace, in holy, Divine love.

Come to the Table. Have the Blood of Jesus poured on your wounds. Be joined to mercy in the eating of His Body. He is your neighbor and you are His beloved.

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.