Lent Midweek Service - The 7th Commandment

                                 Lent 3 Midweek Service - The 7th Commandment

Uploaded by Our Savior Lutheran Church Muscatine on 2017-03-23.

Lent 3 Midweek Service - The 7th Commandment

Wed. March 22, 2017

Pastor Pautz

Grace and mercy to your from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen,

Tonight we focus on the 7th Commandment. After protecting your body in the 5th commandment and protecting your spouse by the 6th commandment, the next thing God wants to protect is your temporal property, your stuff. Tonight is again an exhortation to do something you already know you should do. It comes as a reminder that since you have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus, you would now learn to protect your neighbor's stuff. Would you please open your hymnal to page 323 for a question and answer:

Question: What is the 7th Commandment?

Answer: You shall not steal.

Question: What does this mean?

Answer: We should fear and love God so that we do not take our neighbor's money or possessions, or get them in any dishonest way, but help him to imporve and protect his possessions and income.

Let us pray: Creator Father, here you teach us me not to take my neighbor's possessions. I must not be unfaithful in my daily work so that I dishonestly profit myself. But I am to support myself by the sweat of the brow and learn to eat my own bread with honest people. I am also to help my neighbor so that his property, like my own, may not be taken away by deception. I learn in this commandment that out of fatherly care you secure and protect my possessions by forbidding any man to steal from me. When this commandment is not observed, you have delcared a penalty and have ordered that those in authority are to punish the thief. Whenever they fail to do so, you will punish, for all thieves must eventually become beggars. Amen.

Theft is the way of the world. It is common.

I grew up near a place called Road America. When the summer races began, the local prices on just about everything went up as well. If prices went up too much it was called price-gouging.

Big companies and small companies are at least tempted to think only of themselves and how to get more profit. But employees can also be tempted to skim some of the company funds for themselves.

I have heard the U.S. Government can do this as well. If a company breaks some rule, the government can levy a fine. Where does that fine money go, to fund projects of the ruling party.

It even happens in churches. Not too long ago, I heard of a congregation whose treasurer skimmed north of $30,000 over the previous several years. The congregation is graciously garnishing his wages until it is paid back rather than sending him to jail. Because of course the money is all gone. And he will not be the treasurer anymore.

In Martin Luther's day, thieves were publicly executed. Hanged in the center of town.

Today, thieves go to jail and pay heavy fines. That is the way it is suppose to be. But not everyone goes to jail or pays a fine or even gets caught. But your Creator Father always knows what you did.

Take the money and run. Make yourself look good. Feel good about your new wealth. But remember this: For every dollar you steal, your Father will require two dollars in return. Now this is not a damnable sin. Repent and believe. However, Christians steal as well as non-Christians. So, repent and believe. The most laughable thing you can say to an IRS agent is, "But I'm a Christian!" God can restore you to His gracious eternal kingdom – even as He requires the money you stole to be returned with interest. For every thief must become a beggar.

So what does God require?

First, we are forbidden to do our neighbors any injury or wrong in any way imaginable, whether by damaging, withholding, or interfering with their possessions and property. We are not even to give consent or permit such as thing but are rather to prevent such harm.

This is pleasing to the Lord, not for your salvation which is in Christ but for your neighbor's benefit, which is love. Christian faith benefits you. Christian love benefits your neighbor. You are exhorted to both believe the Word of God and then also to love your neighbor.

Second, we are commanded to promote our neighbor's financial well-being, and when they suffer any want, we are to help, share and lend to both friends and foes.

This is pleasing to the Lord. Again, not for your salvation which is in Christ but for your neighbor's benefit, which is love. Christian faith benefits you. Christian love benefits your neighbor. You are exhorted to both believe the Word of God and then also to love your neighbor.

King Solomon also teaches in Proverbs 19:17: "Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and will be repaid in full." Here you have a rich LORD, who is able to meet your needs and will let you lack for nothing but protect you. With a happy conscience you can enjoy a hundred times more than you could scrap together by petty theft or grand scale fraud. Whoever does not desire this blessing will find wrath and misfortune enough.

And yes, it is true that the thief on the cross was forgiven by Jesus. That is my point. Theft is forgivable. However, my other point is that the forgiven thief, died on his cross. Why? Because he was a thief.

May the Lord protect all your material things and may you receive the blessings that come from loving your neighbor by helping to protect his possessions and income. His stuff. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Divine Service for March 19, 2017

                                                               Divine Service for March 19, 2017

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Sunday Sermon                   March 19, 2017                              Text: Luke 11:14-28

Grace and mercy to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Amen.

The name of this Sunday is Oculi – Latin for eyes. Today the readings and the psalm verses of the liturgy ask you this question: where do you put your eyes? What are you focused on? Where do you cast your gaze? The advertisers know that the power that an image carries – and there has never been a better ad-man than the Devil himself. He wants to capture your attention, he wants you to turn your eyes toward him in fear, doubt, and worry. For those are the armor of Satan. So he casts images and stories into your mind, trying to fix your gaze on these.

Perhaps the image he paints for you is one of financial hardship. He wants you to worry about what you shall eat and what you shall wear. He wants you to doubt that God will provide all you need. He wants you to be afraid that you won't have enough.

Or perhaps the tale he weaves for you is one of discontent. Satan wants you to focus on the fact that another person has what you want but don't have. It doesn't matter what it is: a better job, a better spouse, a better home, a more attractive physique. He shows you this picture and encourages you to see yourself in it; to ask why others have it and you don't. Satan wants you to doubt that God is fair. He wants you to be afraid that others are getting ahead while you are falling behind.

Or perhaps the bedtime story Satan would whisper to you is one of shame. He wants you to worry that what you have done is unforgivable. That there is no hope. He wants you to doubt that the promises of Jesus are for you. He wants you to be afraid that there is no escape, no way out, no forgiveness left for you. That you've had your chance and blown it. That you can't go home again.

And he is a strong man, this Satan. He is an excellent story teller: and he knows many more than these: we could have mentioned loneliness, despair, heartache, pride, lust, greed and a hundred more. He knows them all. He knows how to catch your attention and fix your gaze. He paints a convincing picture. He is well armored. And you were born in his kingdom, so he's fluent in your native tongue, he knows how to speak to your heart.

So, beloved: Repent. Turn you eyes away from Satan and his stories. Wake up from staring at Satan's nightmares and see Jesus instead. Cast your eyes on him. For behold: he is a stronger man than Satan. He has come to strip Satan of his armor of worry, doubt, and fear. He will take those away from him and then he will rob Satan blind, he will take all his possessions. That is, beloved, Jesus takes you out of Satan's kingdom. He steals you away by offering up himself as a fragrant sacrifice to God for the sins of the world.

For behold what Jesus does. He lets Satan work out all his weapons on him. Jesus submits to whatever the devil can deal out. He lets every bad thing happen to himself that can happen. He loses everything: his money, his pride, his health and well-being, and then finally upon the cross: his life. Everything is taken away from Jesus – even – mystery of mysteries – the care of his Father as he cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” - and still Jesus gains the victory. All the wrath against sin is poured upon Jesus, God in the flesh, and still he rises on the third day. Everything that a man could worry about, or have reason to doubt God for, or fear – everything falls upon Jesus. And still: he is alive and well though he had to walk through death and divine wrath and hell to get it.

So beloved, wake up! Feel the icy waters of baptismal water thrown on your face and open your eyes! The devil's kingdom never was anything more than a story, a third-rate spell cast by a second-rate Devil. The waters of Baptism have shocked you awake and fixed your eyes on Jesus. As surely as a little water melted the Wicked Witch of the West, so Satan is undone by the Water and the Word of your baptism. You have nothing to worry about! In Baptism you have been made God's child! You have no reason to doubt: God Almighty has sworn an oath of blood to love you forever! You have nothing to fear: Jesus has taken upon himself all that you ever could have been afraid of and has destroyed them all.

So shut your ears to the devil's lies. He still wanders around seeking whom he may devour – but if you look closely you will see that he has lost his armor. One little word can fell him: Jesus. God in the flesh for you. Jesus is your great shield and defense. Nothing in the devil's armory can touch you since you are protected by the Shield of David, the great I AM, the Lord of Hosts: Jesus of Nazareth. Cling to this Jesus – be filled with his word, his Story, his truth instead of the devil's lies. Come to Absolution and hear the death sentence read to your sins as Christ forgives them, kills them, buries them for ever in his own tomb and raises you to life with him. Come to the Lord's Table and have life poured down your throat: the blood of the covenant which bought your salvation. Receive the fruits of the cross: the fruits of the true tree of life: the Body and Blood of the Lord.

O beloved, cling to these gifts. The day is coming when the Lord will return and cut out the devil's tongue once and for all and stop his lying stories. We look forward to that day in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection of the dead and the life everlasting. You share in this heavenly reality even now as you receive health on earth in the Lord's Supper. But still, on this side of glory, the devil wonders around, seeking his prey. He is a strong man. Your house has been swept clean by the stronger man, Jesus. But if your house is swept clean but then remains empty: the strong man will return and inhabit it again with his lying tales. So cling to the stronger man. Hide behind him. Seek his protection. Cast your eyes upon Jesus and let your gaze remain fixed there. Hear him weave a new story for you, a tale of forgiveness and love. A true story that begins in Baptism, is renewed in Holy Absolution, and strengthened in the Lord's Supper. These gifts of the Lord are for you, beloved Christians. Here is where the Stronger Man meets you and keeps you in his kingdom. He is faithful. He will bring this story to a glorious end, in his kingdom where forever more your eyes shall look upon the Lord who loves you to death – and even through death to life everlasting. Amen.  In the Name of the Father and of the  Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Lent Midweek Service - The Fifth Commandment

Lent Midweek - The Fifth Commandment

Our Savior Lutheran Church - LCMS 2611 Lucas Street, Muscatine, IA 52761 www.oursaviormuscatine.org Pastor's Email oslcp@machlink.com

March 15, 2017

Lent 2 Midweek

The Fifth Commandment

Pastor Pautz

Grace and mercy to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Please turn to page 321 so we may review the fifth commandment.

What is the Fifth Commandment? You shall not murder.

What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not hurt or harm our neighbor in his body, but help and support him in every physical need.

Let us pray: Creator Father, enable us to know this holy commandment and help us to love and act according to it. Protect us from the destroyer who is the source of all hurt and murder. Grant us Your rich grace so that united we will be friendly, kind, and gentle to one another, forgive each other from the heart, and put up with others' faults and shortcomings in Christian and brotherly gentleness So may we live in true peace and unity as this commandment teaches and requires us to do. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

It is part of our nature to want to get even when we are hurt. It is part of our fallen nature but it is a desire we all have in us. For those in Christ, however, you also have a new nature. A Christ-like nature.

Tonight I want to illustrate how two men respond to the Lord's Command, "You shall not murder". One man acts according to his fallend nature and the other man according to his new, Christ-like nature.

The first man is Cain. It is recorded in Genesis chapter 4 that Cain and his little brother brought the first-fruits of their daily work to the Lord. The Lord accepted little brother Abel's offering but not Cain's.

The Lord notices that Cain's face has fallen. That he is angry that Abel's offering pleased the Lord and his did not. So, the Lord asked Cain, "Why is your face fallen...Beware sin is crouching at the door and its desire is for you but you shall rule over it."

Cain did not like that encouragement. And it came to pass that when Cain and Able were alone in the field, Cain rose up and murdered Abel.

Sin resides in us too. It is like a crouching animal waiting to pounce upon its prey. When someone hurts us or does evil to us, vengenance feels like a lion waiting to attack. When we let it pounce, we lose our faith and the fruits of death abound.

There is another man. His name is David. David was a servant to King Saul. The problem was that David was much better at almost any task than King Saul. When King Saul goes into battle and kills his thousands, there is David who kills his ten-thousands and get all the glory.

It is recorded in 1 Samuel 26 when King Saul had enough and used the army of Israel to pursue David and kill him. With David dead, King Saul would receive the glory and praise of Israel rather than having it go to David.

One night, David and his men were camped not far from King Saul and the army of Israel. David and one of his men sneak into the enemy camp and find King Saul sleeping on the ground with his spear stuck in the ground near his head along with, what you might call, a water bottle.

Now, I hope you can imagine, David has many more reasons to kill King Saul than Cain had reasons to kill Abel. So David's assistant asks David for the honor of killing King Saul for David. Amazingly, David says "no". "Why should I lift my hand against the Lord's annointed?" If the Lord wants King Saul dead He can go ahead and do it. But I will not lift my hand to harm the guy the Lord Himself made king – even if it would be to my advantage.

However, taking King Saul's spear and water bottle, David went back to his own camp. No one ever saw David in the camp or known he was there.

The next morning, David shouts from his encampment (the camps were relatively close together and essentially said...) Excuse me, King Saul. Are you missing your spear and water bottle?

King Saul then knew that David could have killed him during the night but didn't. David had been close enough to him to take his spear and water bottle – but preserved Saul's life.

So you have two sinners. Two people, Cain and David, who are both told that they "Shall not murder." But the outcomes are quite different aren't they.

Cain's response to the crouching sin is to let it pounce. Cain acts according to his sinful nature.

David's response to the crouching sin is to give it no opportunity. David acts according to his Christ nature.

You, too, have two natures within you. Natures that deal with the sin crouching at your door like a wild animal in different manners. You are baptized so now you are both 100% sinner and 100% saint and yet one person.

Sometimes, like Cain, you let sin pounce. Someone hurts your feeling and you cover up the hurt with anger. You pounce. You get revenge. Sure, there is noone here this evening that has actually murdered anyone. But all of you, at one time or another, have wanted to get some vengenance against a person who hurt you physically or emotionally or financially or something. You had the motive to inflict harm. You have hurt others one way or another. You have acted on your sinful, fallen nature. And I suspect it felt really good.

But look at the damage it caused.

Other times, like David, you did not let sin pounce. Someone hurt your feeling and you let yourself feel sad rather than angry. You did not pounce. You did not get revenge. Many of you have protected people who meant to harm you. You have forgiven people whom you have every reason not to forgive.

You are able to let hurts be bygones because you have a share in God's nature.

You are patient with evil people because God, through Jesus, has forgiven you all your evil. Because Jesus does not hold your sin against you, you are now motivated to forgive the sin of the people who sin against you.

Because Jesus let His enemies nail Him to a cross of spears you have a Savior who is resurrected and washes away your sin. He is patient toward you. He loves and is taking care of you.

Upon the cross, Jesus looked up to His Father and said this about His enemies, such as you and me. Jesus said, forgive them. They don't know what they are doing. Jesus is not angry with you even when you are not as patient as you should be, but rather forgiving and loving instead.

In light of the great work of Jesus, let us learn to be a little more like David. Let us learn to forgive those who mean us harm. Let us not grow angry or embittered by people who strive against us and make our days more miserable than mighty. Let us commend to Jesus those who sin against us while being strengthened in our new Christ-like nature to no lift a finger, not even an eybrow, against those who wish us harm; in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Wednesday Bible Study - Intro to Isaiah

                                            Wednesday Bible Study - Intro to Isaiah

Wednesday Bible study

March 15, 2017

Introduction to Isaiah

Good morning. Let us open with prayer:

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen .

I thank to you, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that you have graciously kept us this night from all harm and danger; and jpray that you would keep us this day also from every sin and evil, that all our doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend each of us, our bodies and souls and all that we have, into Your care. Give us Your holy angels that the evil foe may have no power over us. Amen.

For the last few months, we have been spending a week or two on each book of the Bible in the Old Testament beginning with Genesis. I have likened it to cruising in a passenger airplane at 40,000 feet and a clear day. From that high altitude we have been able to see the landscape below us with a broad view for the purpose of seeing how good and kind the Holy Trinity is to us.

Our flight began at about 4,000 B.C. Before that time, nothing existed except the eternal Holy God. It was then that He spoke the heavens and the earth into existence as is confirmed in the Gospel according to St. John chapter 1. We discussed a little bit about the ongoing debates between sciece and religion. Is 4,000bc is 11.1 billion bc a better starting point if we are going to make a timeline. For this Bible study, we are taking a high view of Holy Scripture. Therefore, one day is 24 hours and, even though I'm a chemist also, I will not go into the half-life of lead and other arguments that would try to make us adopt a low view of Holy Scripture.

Our flight continued with a worldwide flood. Then the Exodus of the Israelites out of Egypt and into the area of what is now still called the holy land. And we have continued until today, we have arrived at the book of Isaiah.

Beginning today, we are going to land the plane and spend extra time in the book of Isaiah. How long I don't know. It is a book I have longed to dwell on and study more deeply. You have expressed a desire to look more closely at God's Word. So we are landing. If you get tired of this particular study, let me know. I will do the same. At that point we can take off again and continue to walk through the remaining books of the Holy Scriptures, or something similar.

The prophetic career spanned from approximately 742 to 701bc, depending on where you get your information but these are common, traditional dates.

The name of Isaiah means about the same as Hosea, Joshua and Jesus. Isaiah means Yahweh (Lord) is salvation.

Isaiah is a complicated book to outline. It is more like a collection of sermons given at different times over the period of some forty years. But, saying that, it does have a unity to it and the whole books proclaims the Messiah who is to come – Jesus.

The book has 66 chapters. A common two part division consists of the first 39 chapters and the second division being chapters 40 to 66.

A simple outline of part 1 (chapters 1-39) might be this:

1. Judgment of Judah and Jerusalem (1-12 & 28-33)

2. Judgment of Foriegn Nations (13-23 & 34-35)

3. Salvation for All Who Repent (24-27 & 36-39)

The common word for sin is already used in Isaiah 1:2. The word is rebellion. Someone in authority (God) says something or asks someone to do something and the people under authority (Israel) so no or even fight against that authority.

What we will see up close by studying the Word of God according to the prophet Isaiah is that this God loves Israel (and you) even in the midst of your rebellion. He uses His authority gently so see the error of our ways while at the same time acknowledging that His Law is good as well as His Gospel is good. Some will be damned. Some will be saved. But a remnant will remain until the resurrection of the dead.

Next week, I will focus on Isaiah chapter 6. So if you want to read ahead during you daily devotions for this study of Isaiah, I suggest that you read chapter 6 but encourage you to read the five preceeding chapters as well.

Let me close with the collect and a verse from the sermon hymn we sang this last Sunday for the Second Sunday in Lent.

Let us pray:

O God, You see that of ourselves we have no strength. By Your mighty power defend us from all adversities that may happen to the body and from all evil thoughts that may assault and hurt the soul;

and also (LSB 615:1-2&4-5);

When in the hour of deepest need, we know not where to look for aid;

when days and nights of anxious thought, no help or counsel yet have brought,

Then is our comfort this alone, that we meet before Your throne;

to You, O faithful, God we cry for rescue in our misery.

Of from our sins Lord turn Your face; absolve us through Your boundless grace.

Be with us in our anguish still; free us at last from every ill.

So we will all our hearts each day, to You our glad thanksgiving pay;

Then walk obedient to Your Word, and now and ever praise you Lord.

through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.