FOUNDATIONS FOR PEACE

Psalm 126:1-3
September 24-26, 2011
Pentecost 15
Pastor Don Sutton

Podcast: Download (Duration: 22:27 — 20.5MB)

Sermon -September 25, 2011 from Saint Pauls on Vimeo.

Psalm 126:1-3
1 When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. 2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” 3 The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.

Introduction
Ten years ….it’s been ten whole years since we dedicated our Parish Center! For me sometimes it seems like it was just yesterday. But at other times, it seems like it was so long ago because of so much that has taken place there over the last ten years – hundreds of bible classes, small groups, confirmation classes, Sunday School, Wednesday school, fellowship meals, funeral dinners, wedding receptions, baby showers, youth activities, leadership meetings, Owls, Kingdom Workers, community activities, health and wellness presentations, MLC activities and more. There are so many things we can do now in ministry that we didn’t used to do or that we used to do but now can do so much better.

So who made it happen? Certainly our leaders such as Jerry Bentz who was church president at the time and the council and boards who supported it. There was the building headed up by chairman Jeff Bielke, construction coordinator Lloyd Schauer and committee members Rachel Anderson, John Apitz, John Covington, Tim Hoscheit, Harold Olson, Arlene Stolte, Jason Schaefer, Pastor Henning, Ron Schmidt and Todd Wendorf. There was also the Thank Offering Committee chaired by Joel Albrecht that included Harold Yotter, Jean Leighty, Judy Martens, David Pelzl, Annette Thorson, Jack Ulrich, Ron Schmidt and Pastor Sutton. Our architectural firm, Professional Design, and Heyman Construction played important roles. There were the many members whose input, prayers and special gifts made our Parish Center possible. To all, again we say, “Thank you.”

But bottom-line and in the end it was God who made it happen. So this weekend we join with the psalmist of Psalm 126 in saying, “The Lord Has Done Great Things!” As with the psalmist and his fellow Jews, we say this from a perspective of being …restored and renewed.

…restored
As for Psalm 126 in a way we can say that it is a psalm of uncertainties. For example in its heading it’s called a “Psalm of Ascents.” Some Bible commentators believe that this psalm and others like it are called Psalms of Ascents because they believe the priest sung them as hey ascended the stairs of the temple in Jerusalem. Others think that these psalms are called such because the Jews sung them as they ascended the mountain on which Jerusalem was built as they came to worship in connection with the Old Testament festivals. It was probably some of both.

Also we can’t be certain who the human author it. It may have been David, or Asaph, or someone else. But God the Holy Spirit inspired the writer.

Also unknown are the circumstances. The NIV translates, “When the Lord brought back captives to Zion….” This translation suggests a celebration after the Jews returned from captivity in Babylon. But an alternate reading is, “When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion…” perhaps pointing to another time of deliverance or referring to the Lord’s delivering Israel in general. Either way, it’s obvious that the Lord has delivered his people from something trying and terrible, and restored them. This is obvious from references to the Negev, the wilderness at the south of Israel or to tears and weeping.

In some way or another the Lord delivered his people. If it was from exile in Babylon, it was by touching the heart of the Persian king Cyrus the Great who allowed and enabled the Jews to returned from exile. If it was from so other trouble or catastrophe, God somehow delivered his people.
Don’t we all have Negevs and reason for weeping and tears in our lives? Loved ones died. We become ill. We suffer injury. Relationships are ruined. Material things are lost. Jobs are terminated or employment limited. Doors get closed to us. Fortune turns to misfortune.

How do we survive? God is with us. As the psalmist reminds us about the Lord, “Our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (46:1).”

This is certainly true in the greatest misfortune to affect us – the Fall into sin. As a result of what happened not long after the beginning of time came deadness for the soul, death for the body, damnation for us sinners and a destiny of separation from God and his blessings forever. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves. By ourselves we can’t know God as he is. We can’t love God. We can’t live for God.
This was our misfortune.

But God saved us. Purely out of his undeserved love God the Father sent his Son from glory in heaven to humility on earth. Paul wrote of God the son, “Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking on the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient onto death, even death on a cross (Phil2).” This Son, this servant, Jesus, did this for you, for me and for all to pay for our sins, to save us from hell, and to make it possible that we can be children of God and heirs of eternal life. His resurrection proves that he was a success. So that we can enjoy the blessings of Jesus, God also gave us the Holy Spirit who raised us from spiritual death to spiritual life and through this faith gave us forgiveness and eternal life. The Lord has done great things!

While in no way did our ministry circumstances at St. Paul’s before the Parish Center come close to the Lord’s delivering us from sin, we certainly faced challenges and struggled with obstacles. There was only so much ministry we could do with the facilities we had. But even though we needed more space, the fear was that we could not handle the cost of constructing another facility. We had looked at it in the 60’s and again in the 90’s with that conclusion. Annually we were dealing with operating deficits. Then there were those who felt we didn’t need a Parish Center.

But at the same time there were issues we had with handicap accessibility. I remember our having to carry elderly loved ones in wheel chairs down the steps to the basement for funeral and fellowship meals. Our basement was too small; our bathrooms, inadequate. Our Sunday School was a stepchild. Our offices, in an old house to the north of the church, were cramped and run down. Even the school with its spacious facilities could not take care of all the needs of our congregation.

As a result of a Parish Assistance process in 1997-1998 that not only helped us plan ministry but emphasized the need for a parish center facility to do our ministry, our leaders organized building committee who did a needs analysis and then a feasibility study. This needs analysis showed that the needs were such that we should build a building of a size that might be in the $2.5 to $3 million range. But the feasibility study would show that cost-wise we should build something in the vicinity of $1.7 to no more than $2.1 million unless we receive an upfront donation of a quarter million dollars or more.

It was on Christmas Day that attorney Bob Hinnenthal of our congregation passed along the news that Mrs. Gladys Timm of our congregation had willed her estate of approximately $800,000 to St. Paul’s with no designation. It was in spring of the next year that St. Paul’s decided to go ahead with the project. In the meantime our building committee had developed a fast-track time-line to get construction done in a year. At the same time the Thank Offering Committee organized cottage meetings and presentations to raise funds for construction. When we began what eventually was a $2.8 million project we borrowed about $1.7 million. But by the time we dedicated the building we owed $1.2.
When one considers the needs, the challenges and the outcomes, we have to join with the psalmist in saying, “The Lord has done great things!

…renewed
When the Lord restored Israel, they were renewed in spirit, and responded in wonder, praise and thanks. The psalmist says, “We were like men who dreamed…” Do you supposed that when Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, the two men just released from captivity in Iran, woke up the first morning they were free, they wondered whether they were dreaming? It sounds like Israel experienced that same as a result of God’s deliverance. Probably you and I have felt that a time or two in our lives. The psalmist continued, “Our mouths were filled with laughter and our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them.’”

When you consider how you were in God’s eyes, where you should be in respect to God and where you should spend eternity, and then consider what God has done for you – saved you, declared you to be – holy and forgiven, and where he has now destined you to go to heaven, doesn’t that fill you with joy and make you want to praise God? Isn’t this something to tell others about and to spread to all the world?

Here at St. Paul’s on an average weekend about 880 people gather to praise God’s name and many do so every week. In an average month hundreds of our people donate about 3000 hrs. of service to the Lord in thanks for his love and love for others. Half of our giving units donate a total of $1.3 million for ministry here and throughout the world in love and thanks to the Lord for saving us from damnation. To all you, “Thank you and keep it up. Continue to be renewed in the joy of your salvation and to praise the Lord.”

But to the part of our congregation that doesn’t worship often, doesn’t serve at all, or who give little or nothing, you need to be renewed in the joy of your salvation. You need to hear God’s law that reminds of where we would be without Jesus and God’s gospel that comforts us with where we are with Jesus. This is a need that is not Christmas and Easter or once every two or three months. Why did God establish the weekly Sabbath in the Old Testament? In part because he wanted his people on a weekly basis to stop their everyday lives and take a special focus on God’s promises and experience God’s love and power. We’re no different in terms of our spiritual needs today.

Let all join together to faithfully grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to thank the Lord for his love, and to serve him with joyful hearts and love-filled lives. One way we can thank and serve is by continuing to pay off the Parish Center a total of $368,000, the majority of it to Citizens bank and the remainder to members. To think that in ten years this is all we owe of $2.8 million is reason to say, “The Lord has done great thing!”

But to do so and even do so early, will keep us from using precious offerings on interest. It will also enable us to focus on pressing facility needs at our 40-yr.-old school – handicap accessibility, handicap restrooms, new windows, new flooring, new flooring and ceiling, a new farm-alarm system, re-located offices and more – perhaps in the vicinity of $500,000 to $1 million or even more. These improvements will be needed if we want to continue to disciple our children through quality Christian education in the Lutheran School.

At this time thank God for his blessings. As God blesses you, consider a special offering for the Parish Center. Regularly be renewed in the joy of your salvation. Join with the psalmist in saying, “The Lord has done great things!” Let’s do that now …… Amen.

PSALM 34:1-22
Sept. 17-19, 2011
Pentecost 14
Pastor Tim Smith

Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he left. I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. 2 My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 3 Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together. 4 I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. 6 This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. 8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. 9 Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing. 10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. 11 Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12 Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, 13 keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies. 14 Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. 15 The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; 16 the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. 17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. 18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 19 A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; 20 he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken. 21 Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned. 22 The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him. (NIV)

THE LORD DELIVERED US ALL

The Bible teaches that since the fall of Adam everyone begotten in the natural way are born with sin, that is, without the fear of God, without trust in God, but with [carnal or fleshly sinful desires]; and that this disease, or vice [from our] origin, is itself sin, it condemns us and brings eternal death in hell upon those not born again through the Gospel in Word and Sacrament.

David had done an amazingly stupid thing. And maybe what David did ranks with something stupid that you’ve done, too. David got himself into deadly danger, and it was his own fault. And he should have seen it coming. The Old Testament tells us that while David was running away from King Saul, who was trying to kill him, David stopped at Nob where the tabernacle was set up, and after getting bread for his men, he also asked for a sword. The priest, Abimelech, gave him the only weapon that was there—the trophy from David’s victory over Goliath.

Now for some reason, David went immediately to Gath—Goliath’s hometown. Why did David think that Goliath’s hometown was the place for Goliath’s killer to hide from King Saul? And why did David think that the right weapon to take with him would be Goliath’s own sword? The Bible doesn’t tell us what was going on in David’s mind. Did he imagine that Goliath had been a bully and that the people would welcome their champion’s killer? On some level, David trusted his instincts, and it turned out to be a complete disaster that almost cost David his life. In fact, it was the victory chant that was composed by the people right after David killed Goliath and because of that victory that the servants quote to the King of Gath. They knew whose sword David held. They knew

who David was. And they knew about David’s rivalry with Saul—maybe, just maybe, Gath could get on good terms with Saul if these Philistines would hand over Saul’s rival; or hand over his head.

David acted quickly. Both the account in Samuel and the heading of our Psalm text say that David pretended to be insane, he pretended to let madness overtake him, acting like a crazy man and scratching the doors of the gate and letting himself drool everywhere.

What would you do to get out of a tight spot? Would you claim insanity? Sin is like insanity. It doesn’t make any sense. When we do nothing but trust ourselves; trust in our feeling, our feelings and our sinful nature will lead us into sin. Sometimes David had flashes of insight into God’s truth—none of us ever learns it perfectly. But one of those “aha” moments came to David as he danced and scratched and screeched and drooled his way to freedom: The Lord delivered us all. Even when our sinful stupidity has got us into trouble once again, the Law of God stops us dead in our tracks, and shows us just how sinful we are.

Listen to what David says in the Psalm about his sin. He doesn’t say, “I had a great idea, and I turned my life around.” He doesn’t say, “I listened to my heart, and all my dreams came true.” He doesn’t say, “I did my best, and my best won the day.” David realized that even when we do our best, our very best—the absolute pinnacle of what a devoted believing Christian can possibly do… is still sinful and falls short of what God demands of us. It’s still tainted with sin.

It’s like taking a gallon pail of pure white paint, and putting the tiniest drop of red coloring into it. That paint, no mater how many times you stir, how many times you add more white it, how many times you try and strain away the red, it will have stained that pail pink and it will never, ever be anything else ever again. And that’s what we are. We add our stained humanity to someone else’s stained humanity to produce children, and they are stained from both sides—they’re every bit as sinful as we, their parents are.

So it’s not only our sinful bad ideas, but even our very best ideas, our very purest and holiest tries at serving God, that are sinful through and through. And this collapse in our service to God should be a slap in the face, like David jitterbugging at Gath, that we can’t make it on our own. We’re helpless in our sins. We’re dead in our sins. We need help.

So what does David say? The Lord answered me; he delivered me. Jesus Christ rescued us by covering our stained human nature with his perfect, holy and innocent blood. We aren’t rescued by mixing Christ with ourselves—Jesus rescued us by replacing us with himself. He stood in as our substitute, and his perfection, his innocence and his holiness are what was sacrificed in our place. All of our sins and all of our sinful choices and all of our selfish decisions and all of the times we followed our instincts and impulses instead of the cross are overwhelmed and annihilated by the cross. And we are lifted up, out of our sinfulness, and made the holy, forgiven, innocent children of God.

So now the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. We don’t always knows who the Angel of the Lord is in the Bible unless

we have a hint that it’s Christ, but here, who else but Christ delivers us? Here is Jesus before he was named Jesus; the Son of God before he became the Son of Man. The Second Person of the Holy Trinity has always been protecting us, since before the creation of the world. And he still protects us today.

When we hear David sing Taste and see that the Lord is good, how often do we think of the Lord’s Supper? The prophets sometimes talk about tasting the word of God in their visions, but it’s right for us to think about Holy Communion and what happens there, as we hear the forgiveness proclaimed, and swallow it, too, so that we know that it’s a part of us, that it was meant for us, and that we have it: the goodness and the forgiveness of the Lord.

And so David comes to the end of the Psalm, saying “Whoever of you loves life…keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.” We’re forgiven children of God. How will we live today knowing how far we’ve come—how far God has brought us? From stained, sinking condemned sinners, to rescued and purified children of our Heavenly Father—nothing we did made that happen. But God lets us remain in the world to serve him, to accomplish his work until it’s our turn to be called home.

That service is what we do today, out of love, and loving to obey his commandments. This is where the Ten Commandments become a guide; a service they render only to believers; only to Christians. It’s impossible for an unbeliever to keep any of the commandments, and because we’re still sinful, it’s impossible for us to keep them perfectly. But God has given them to us as a guide to show us how to love him; how to show our gratitude and joy and respect and honor and obedience.

There’s one last thing: Our Psalm also has a prophecy about the Messiah. Listen to verse 20: “He protects all his bones; not one of them will be broken.” This was fulfilled when Jesus was on the cross—a prophecy he fulfilled when he was dead on the cross—when the soldiers came to break the legs of the criminals, but they left Jesus alone because he had already breathed his last. He had already delivered us from our sins.

The Lord redeems his servants. Everything turns on that. Our forgiveness is in Jesus alone, who delivered us. Our service to God is impossible without Jesus and yet is more than possible—it’s inevitable, and it’s sanctified and made acceptable to God through Jesus. The tint, the taint, and the stain of what we were is replaced by the purity and holiness of who Jesus is, and on the historical fact of what he did in our place. The Lord delivered us. The Lord delivered you. As spring follows winter, as dawn follows night; as life follows death—we live in the joy of forgiveness and release from what we were, when the Lord delivered us all. Amen.