The lutheransermons's Podcast

Sermon for the 3rd Sunday in Advent - December 11, 2022

Sermon for the Third Sunday in Advent, based on:

Isaiah 35:1-10 

James 5:7-11

Matthew 11:2-15

Sermon originally delivered December 15, 2013

Preparing for Worship - December 11, 2022

Our Psalm for the Day is Psalm 146, which begins with the Hebrew phrase “Hallelujah Yah!” - “Praise the Lord!” We realize that we should not put our trust in human leaders, who come and go. Our trust is in the Lord, the “Maker of all things,” who truly does care about His Creation, even though it is fallen, and gives help and hope to a world filled with people who have all sorts of trouble. The Lord “reigns forever” and “keeps faith forever,” especially in the gift of His Son, Jesus, Who fulfills His promises in His saving work for us.

The Old Testament lesson, Isaiah 35:1-10, predicts the coming of Christ, who will show “the glory of the Lord.” He will meet the needs of many, and above all, “He will come and save you.” He will provide a ”highway of holiness” which will lead to “everlasting joy” in heaven, where “sorrow and sighing will flee away,” through His redeeming and ransoming work for us, paying the price for us and our sins on the cross. He will “strengthen” and “make firm” our “anxious hearts,” as we wait in faith for His coming again.

In our Gospel lesson, Matthew 11:2-15, John the Baptist is sitting in prison, because of His work of “preparing the way for the Lord.” He and his disciples need their anxious hearts to be encouraged, and Jesus gives that strength to them, telling of how He is preaching the Good News of salvation and fulfilling the very prophecies given by the psalmist and Isaiah. Jesus assures John that he, John, was the one who was come in the Spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:16-17), even though “the Kingdom of Heaven would suffer violence” (through John’s death and through the death of Jesus Himself, later on). Jesus also said, “Blessed is the one who is not offended by me” - by the fact that Jesus would be a suffering and dying Servant, in order to fulfill His Father’s plan and provide salvation for the world.

The Epistle lesson, James 5:7-11, gives the same encouragement to us who wait for the return of our Lord Jesus. We need the patience of a farmer, waiting for crops to grow and be ready for harvest, and the patience, without grumbling, of the prophets of old, who had suffering, even though they were “speaking in the name of the Lord.” We need steadfastness in faith as we wait for the Lord, too. How can we have such faith? By remembering “the purpose of the Lord” and “how He is compassionate and merciful toward us,” in what He has already done for us through Jesus, though we don’t deserve it. He will help us through, as He did Job and so many others we read about in the Scriptures. We hang onto those promises, as we listen to His Word and receive His other gifts in this Advent season.

Sermon for Midweek Advent II - December 7, 2022

Study of the Letter of Jude Part 5 - Verses 8-16

Last week, we heard Jude’s continued description of the false, “ungodly people” who had “crept into” the church “unnoticed,” (Jude, v.4) yet were a great danger to God’s faithful people, because of their “dreams,” “rejection of authority,” “blasphemy,” “defiling the flesh… by following their own sinful desires,” and on and on (Jude, v.8,10,12-13,16).

We skipped over additional passages in which Jude described parallels in other places to such evil and the judgment that God sometimes brought upon such sinfulness. We want to go back to those passages now to see Jude’s emphasis upon the seriousness of rebellion against God and His will and how God does care about such evil and can bring judgement for such sin.

Turn to Jude, v.11. The first example is Cain, in Genesis 4:1-16, and how some, in the churches to whom Jude wrote, were “walking in the way of Cain.” Cain had given an offering which was not acceptable to God, and he became “very angry” at God and jealous of his brother. God pointed out his sin and called him to repentance and to battle that sin. Cain became even more angry and went and killed his brother, claiming that he had no responsibility for him. When God brought judgment upon him, Cain could only complain about the situation he had brought on himself. Even when God showed some mercy, Cain simply “went away from the presence of the Lord,” with no sign of repentance. (See the comments about Cain, also in Hebrews 11:4 and I John 3:12.)

The second example Jude gave (Jude, v.11) was of of Balaam (Numbers 22-24). False people in Jude’s day were also “abandoning” God’s way “for the sake of (personal) gain” and “Balaam’s error.” Balaam was a non-Jewish “seer” who had some ability to bless or curse people - which he would do for personal gain. He also had some contact with the one true God. King Balak of Moab tried three times to get Balaam to curse the people of Israel, headed his way from Egypt. The Lord kept telling Balaam to bless the Israelites instead. Balaam kept talking with King Balak, though, as if he still thought he could get some personal gain from him. The Lord even allowed a donkey to talk to Balaam and block his way as he tried to reach King Balak. Eventually Balaam was killed by Israelites because of these incidents and because he was involved in getting Moabite women to have immoral activity with Israelites and even to worship their false god, Baal. (See also Numbers 25:1-3 and 31:8,16.)

This small story of “Balaam’s error” and greediness may not seem like a big deal, but it is often mentioned as the Old and New Testaments go on, because it eventually led to people falling away from the one true God into unbelief - the ultimate reason for judgment from God. (See mention of Balaam in Deuteronomy 23:4-5, Joshua 13:22 and 24:9-10, Nehemiah 13:2, Micah 6:5, 2 Peter 2:15-16, Revelation 2:14, and this passage in Jude, v.11.) In the same way, Jude did not want any of God’s people in these churches led astray by the false people. 

The third example given by Jude (still in Jude, v.11) was “Korah’s rebellion” (Numbers 16:1-35). Korah and two other Levites, along with their families and others, rose up against Moses and Aaron. They challenged their leadership and thought they had failed since the Israelites were not yet in the promised land. They thought they were all “holy” and that they should also have the right to be priests like Aaron. Just helping in some ways in the tabernacle wasn’t enough for them. By the next day, even more people had been led to support these rebels. God told Moses and Aaron and those who supported them to separate themselves from the rebels, and all of the rebels would be destroyed. Moses and Aaron pleaded for God’s mercy for those who had just been misled. God gave them a chance to separate from Korah and the others leaders of the rebellion. Many did, and then the earth opened up and swallowed up Korah and all the remaining rebels. This made it clear that these rebels had “despised the Lord,” and were receiving just punishments from the Lord Himself for their rejection of the Lord and His will and plans.

Some think that Jude was led to choose this event from the Old Testament also because the false people who had crept into the churches to whom he wrote were creating many problems just like Korah and the others who despised God long ago. Just judgment would come for them, too, if they continued in this way, the Lord was saying, through Jude. At the same time, in the story of Korah’s rebellion, God had shown mercy to some who were straying. That suggests that Jude may have also been reminding that there was still hope for people in these churches to whom he writes, through repentance and renewed faith in Christ. He said that even more clearly in verses we will look at, next week.

There are two more references that Jude makes to the past that I need to speak about, which are “controversial.” I can’t go into great detail, but some have thought that Jude was quoting from non-Biblical sources, The Assumption of Moses or The Testament of Moses, in Jude, v.9, and from the Book of Enoch, in Jude, v.14-15. For that reason, some have spoken against this letter being included in the New Testament. However, the early Christian leaders accepted and widely used this letter, and it was recognized as Scripture by most, though they knew of but rejected the writing listed above as being actual Scripture from the Lord.

How can we understand this? Why would Jude refer to events from such materials? Inspired by God, Paul quoted things that were true, even from non-Christian writers. See 1 Corinthians 15:33: “Bad company ruins good morals” - probably from a familiar play from Menander. See also Titus 1:12, and a quote from the pagan Cretan, Epimenides. Jesus spoke of events of His own day that were familiar to people - the fall of a tower in Siloam, for example, in Luke 13:4. Pastors still today quote from current events or songs or other materials to connect with what people know and to make a truthful point. It does nor mean that everything said by Menander or anyone else, or what is said about them, is always true or correct.

Jude wrote as God inspired him, and God must have revealed to him what he said about the archangel Michael disputing with the devil over the body of Moses, in Jude, v. 9. We know from Scripture that the Lord took care of the burial of Moses in Moab, as recorded in Deuteronomy 34:4-6. The Lord often used angels to accomplish His purposes, though, and this must have been one of those circumstances.

There is a mysterious vision that Daniel sees and hears in Daniel 10, in which Daniel is told that the angel Michael struggled with an evil angel for 21 days in Persia. Such things happened. In Zechariah 3:1-6ff, the angel of the Lord defended Joshua the high priest, while Satan accused him, and it is the Lord Himself who said, “The Lord rebuke you, O Satan.”

This is exactly the point Jude was making, when referring to the archangel Michael. When he disputed with Satan over the body of Jesus, Michael spoke only as an angel, and left the final judgment to the Lord. He did not pronounce a judgment in his own power. That would be blasphemous. That is what Satan and the evil angels did when they rebelled against God, wanting to be equal to Him. Michael was content to be an angel, serving God, and would only say, “The Lord rebuke you” to Satan. The Lord, as God, was left to make the final judgment.

This ties in with what the false people who had crept into the churches to whom Jude writes were doing. Jude, v.10, says “These people blaspheme.” They were contradicting God and His Word and will and acting on instinct, not Scripture, like unreasoning animals, and like Satanic angels, attacking what was actually true and right. How dangerous that was!

Again, in Jude, v.14-15, God inspired Jude to use only words similar to what was in the Book of Enoch, words that were true, that predicted the Lord Himself coming with His holy angels to bring judgment on the ungodly on the last day. Four times ungodliness is mentioned in these verses, with the seriousness of “deeds of ungodliness that they have committed” as “ungodly sinners” and the things they “have spoken against Him,” the Lord. These are predictions that are found in plenty of other Old Testament and New Testament passages, as well, of the judgment of God for sin. This is exactly what those false people in the churches needed to hear, who seemed to think that God did not care what they did - that they could “follow their own sinful desires” in whatever way they pleased, while calling themselves faithful Christians (Jude, v.16).

Again, Jude, as inspired by God, only referred to what is true, in mentioning Enoch. That does not mean that Jude agreed, as Martin Franzmann said, “with the whole non-Biblical books” about Enoch or Moses, “with all their strange and bizarre features, as authoritative or inspired.“ They were not.

(Enoch is another mysterious person in the Scriptures. He is seventh in line from Adam. See Genesis 5:22-24: “Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.” See the comment about Enoch in Hebrews 11:5, too. Enoch was clearly one who lived by faith and sought to please God and was not like those false people described by Jude.)

This has been a difficult section of Jude. If I have lost you in this explanation or you have questions, let me know. Next week we will finally see the application of all this to the faithful people in these churches to whom Jude wrote and how they are to carry on in living by faith in very difficult circumstances.

Sermon for the 2nd Sunday in Advent - December 4, 2022

Sermon for the Second Sunday in Advent, based on:

Isaiah 11:1-10

Romans 13:11-14

Matthew 3:1-12

Sermon originally delivered December 8, 2013

Preparing for Worship - December 4, 2022

The Advent season continues this week, with prophecies of the coming of Christ for the sake of all people, both Jews and non-Jews. The psalm is Psalm 72:1-7. Solomon was a great Old Testament king in many ways, but this psalm predicts Jesus, a King “greater than Solomon” (Luke 11:31). Jesus would bring “justice” and “righteousness” and “peace” available to the “poor” and the “children of the needy” and to people “throughout all generations,” culminating when even “the moon” is “no more,” in eternal life in heaven.

The Old Testament lesson, Isaiah 11:1-10, also is a prophecy of Jesus, who would come from the family line of Jesse, the father of King David. He would be filled with the Holy Spirit, “the Spirit of the Lord,” and live with “righteousness” and “faithfulness” for the sake of all “peoples” and “nations,” in His saving work. (See Luke 1:30-33.) The picture image of all kinds of animals living together in peace and children being in perfect safety is an image of eternal life to come in the “resting place” for Christ once His saving work is completed, and for all believers, through Him.

The Gospel lesson, Matthew 3:1-12, tells of John the Baptist’s role in preparing people for the coming of Christ Jesus by calling them to repentance for their sins and to receive his baptism. John’s work was prophesied. (See Malachi 4:5-6 and Luke 1:16-17.) And John himself prophesied and  taught that Jesus was “the Lord” and was the “mightier” One, who would institute baptism not just with water, but with the Holy Spirit. He would come to be the Savior of all, but some would resist and reject Him and be like unfruitful, useless chaff to be burned, instead of fruitful wheat to be gathered up to Him.

The Epistle lesson is from Roman’s 15:4-13. Paul reminds the Christians in Rome to keep listening to the Word of God, for “endurance” and “encouragement” and “hope.” Christ “became a servant to the circumcised" (to the Jews) to “confirm His promises” of salvation prophesied in the Old Testament. He came also to bring His mercy, (His forgiveness and salvation) to the Gentiles, the non-Jews, and quotes a number of Old Testament prophesies regarding that, too. Therefore, Gentiles and Jews should “welcome one another,” and “glorify God with one voice,” as Christ has welcomed all. Then they can together “be filled with all joy and peace” and “hope,” “in believing” in their Savior “by the power of the Holy Spirit,” through that Word.

Sermon for Midweek Advent I - November 30, 2022

Study of the Letter of Jude Part 4 - Verses 8-16

Last week, we heard Jude telling of Old Testament examples where God clearly did care about wrongdoing that was being done and brought judgment on those wrongdoers - some of the children of Israel, who kept rebelling against God; angels who became evil and opposed God; and Sodom and Gomorrah and surrounding towns, where much immorality and other evils were happening (Jude, v.5-7).

Jude went on to write, then, in Jude, v.8, that some people in churches to whom he wrote were acting in evil ways “in like manner.” First, they were “dreaming” dreams and visions and seemed to be relying upon them, and therefore were willing to “reject authority” that God Himself had established in His Word, the Scriptures. Certainly, God had sometimes spoken to His prophets and apostles and some others, through dreams and visions. These divinely inspired people spoke, though, with a united message about the one true God and His Word and will, revealed by the Holy Spirit.

There were many warnings, in contrast, about false dreamers. See the strong message from the Lord in Deuteronomy 13:1-6 about “a dreamer of dreams” who tries to lead people away from the one true God. Verse six also warns that such people often try to “entice you away secretly,” just as those false teachers “crept in unnoticed” into the churches about whom Jude is so concerned and created such trouble (Jude, v. 4). See the warnings God gave through Jeremiah about false “dreamers” in Jeremiah 23:25-32,29:8-9 and Ezekiel 13:1-7 and Zechariah 10:2. Jesus Himself said about such false prophets, “You will recognize them by their fruits” (Matthew 6:16).

Such false “dreamers” were rejecting the “authority” of God and “denying our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ,” and much of what He said, Jude wrote (Jude, v.8). The word for “authority” here means “lordship,” and it is the Lordship of Christ Jesus and His Word that was being ultimately being rejected. This was also evidenced by the way these people were “defiling the flesh” by their gross sexual immorality, against the Word of God, and by blasphemy. The Greek literally says that they “blaspheme the glories.” Some think that means the glorious ones, the angels, who are spoken of in verses following. Others think this refers, above all, to the Most Glorious One, our Lord Jesus. And the word “blaspheme” means to speak, most especially, against God (Jude, v.8).

Skip ahead for a moment to Jude, v.10. Jude gave another description of these false people. “These people blaspheme all that they do not understand.” And why do they not understand? They are living “instinctively,” by personal feeling and emotion, like “unreasoning (irrational) animals.” They are not being guided by God and His Word in Christ above all, and not even by common-sense human reason. “Woe to them!” Jude said. Such a life and lifestyle will lead them to being “destroyed” (Jude, v.10-11).

Skip ahead again, to another description of these false people in Jude, v.16. Jude simply said that these were people actually “following their own sinful desires,” ignoring Christ the Lord and His will for them and the blessings and guidance He could give them as their Savior. They were “grumblers” and “malcontents,” not able to see the blessings coming to them if they would only trust Christ. Instead, they thought they had to build themselves up, as “loud-mouthed boasters” in themselves, and by “showing favoritism” to some, only for the sake of personal gain and advantage for themselves, and not with genuine care for others.

All this could obviously be dangerous for and harmful to the faithful believers in Christ in these churches to whom Jude wrote. Skip back now to Jude, v.12-13. Jude piled up the words about these false people. “They are hidden reefs at your love feasts.” Scholars have argued over the meaning of the word translated “hidden reefs." Some think it means a rock, hidden in water, which a boat could hit and be harmed or sunk. Others think the word means a “filthy spot” or “blemish” which makes something look bad and pollutes it..

Either way, the false people were corrupting the “love (Greek word- “agape”) feasts,” the fellowship meals and then the worship and Lord’s Supper in early Christian churches. The false people were participating “without fear” - apparently without concern for the true believers who were there and their needs, or for proper preparation for Communion, themselves, through repentance and trust in the Real Presence of Christ in that Holy Meal. Some were pretending to be “shepherds” (pastors) for the church, the flock, but were only interested in “feeding themselves” and their self-interest and desires. (Paul wrote about this particular troubled situation in the churches in Corinth, too, in his first letter to the Corinthians. Read 1 Corinthians 10:15-17 and 11:17-32.)

As far as helping others and serving others within the churches, these false people were useless. They were like “waterless clouds,” swept by the wind and providing no water, no nourishment for anyone. They were like “fruitless trees in late autumn,” with no leaves to shade or fruit to give to anyone. They were “twice dead” with no life to give to anyone and “uprooted,” with no means by which to receive nourishment and new life themselves (Jude, v.12). They were like “wild waves of the sea,” very destructive and only dragging up and dumping the pollution of their own “shameful” lives. They were like lost, “wandering stars,” headed for “the gloom of utter darkness… forever” (Jude, v.13).

What a gloomy picture Jude painted. And he had more to say that we skipped over, as far as how other Scriptures and other writings speak of the judgment coming for such evil. We will look at that next week and then begin to hear, “What were God’s faithful people to do in a world and even in churches with so much trouble and evil?” We need to keep asking, too, “Do we face such problems today - even in our churches? What are we to do? We will eventually hear some great Gospel promises, too. There is always hope in Christ, even for the churches described here!

Sermon for the 1st Sunday in Advent - November 27, 2022

Sermon for the First Sunday in Advent, based on:

Isaiah 2:1-5

Romans 13:11-14

Matthew 24:36-44

Sermon originally delivered December 1, 2013

Sermon for Thanksgiving Eve - November 23, 2022

Sermon for Thanksgiving Eve, based on:

Deuteronomy 11:13-16

Philippians 4:4-13

Luke 17:11-19

Sermon originally delivered November 27, 2013