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A friend once shared a story from when his son was about four years old. The boy was constantly getting into the cookie jar despite repeated admonitions from both of his parents. Finally, they decided to put it up on top of the refrigerator where it was out of reach. They discovered their solution was less than perfect one day when my friend walked into the kitchen from the garage to see the boy standing on top of several pieces of furniture precariously stacked to form a makeshift ladder. He was just about to reach the cookie jar when he was caught. The dad said, “What were you thinking?” The four-year-old’s immediate reply was, “I was thinking I sure hope you don’t walk in here right now!”

Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:24)

There is no hiding our sins from God. He knows. Let that sink in. He knows every one of your sins of thought and word and deed. And how it must hurt Him. But He loves you anyway. So much so that He has provided a rescue plan, the way out for us. Even though we are ‘caught in the act’ and deserving of punishment, by virtue of our faith in Christ Jesus we can be certain a complete pardon. The price was already paid for our sin. Jesus did it all.

That makes me want to live a better life as a way to say “thanks” to God.

“If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”

Words of wisdom inspired by something Thumper said in Bambi:  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fYngTUZeUQ). Words that were shared with me on many occasions by my mother, but which I have not always followed. Words that we would all do well to heed.

When I looking at news, I am struck by the fact that the media would have little to say if they followed this adage. Social media seems to be a place where hate and vitriol constantly spew forth. Politicians at every level seem to ignore this advice as well. And, unfortunately, all too often I have witnessed those in the church not abiding by this rule.

Our children are watching and learning. They are following the example they see in us and in the world. The vile speech and angry words that I hear from people of all ages is very disturbing to me.

Wringing our hands won’t change the situation. Living the life to which you have been called as a child of God can. We have been told to be the light shining in this world, the ones who show that knowing Jesus is our Savior has made a difference. That will influence everything we do, including our words and our actions.

It is the result of having a changed heart. One that responds to God’s love in Christ with a new life. And it is summarized so simply in the words Jesus spoke:

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:34)

The love Jesus has shown us is incomparable. He left heaven, came here as one of us, lived a perfect life, and then used that perfection as the payment for our sins. His death in our place satisfied God’s anger for our sins. And our faith receives the forgiveness that He accomplished. That is why we want to respond with new lives that do His will.

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:18)

The true love that follows the example Jesus gave will extend to the way we speak to and about one another.

“If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”

Last night when I woke up around 1:30 and could not go back to sleep, a question occurred to me: “Why?” But it was not what you might think. I wasn’t asking God why I have problems sleeping all night, or why other people have more things than I do, or something like that. I was asking God, “Why have I been so blessed?”

When I asked that question, I remembered a couple that were members of Grace when I arrived to serve that congregation in 1988. They had been members of that church for about 40 years at that point, and married to each other for over 50 years already. I was privileged to know them for more than 20 years, and attended their 70^th anniversary party. I visited both of them many times in the hospital over the years. Once, when I was visiting her in the hospital, their 66-year-old son from another city was there. He was about to leave and drive a few hours home. She held on to her son’s hand, looked her husband in the eye, and said, “Give him some gas money!”  And she was serious.

They were a lovely couple, and their faith in Jesus as their Savior was obvious. I bring them up becase the question that occurred to me in the middle of the night was one that this man asked me constantly in my visits with him. He was almost bewildered when he asked, “Why have I been so blessed?”  I have a new appreciation of that question now that I have reached a more advanced age.

When I asked that question, the words of Psalm 116 popped into my head:

Psalm 116:12 How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me?

The answer is, “I cannot.” Just consider all that He has done for me. Luther wrote about it this way in his explanation to the Apostle’s Creed:

I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them. He also gives me clothing and shoes, food and drink, house and home, wife and children, land, animals, and all I have. He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life. He defends me against all danger and guards and protects me from all evil.

That is a lot of stuff. But that is just the physical things. Luther wrote more on how God provides and blesses us:

I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him; but the Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith. In the same way He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith. In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true.

 I think the hymn writer summed up my thoughts pretty well.

How can I thank Thee, Lord, For all they loving-kindness,
That Thou hast patiently Borne with me in my blindness?
When dead in many sins And trespasses I lay,
I kindled, holy God, Thine anger every day.

It is Thy work alone That I am now converted;
O’er Satan’s work in me Thou hast Thy pow’r asserted.
Thy mercy and Thy grace That rise afresh each morn
Have turned my stony heart Into a heart new-born.

I could but grieve Thee, Lord, And with my sins displease Thee;
Yet to atone for sin My works could not appease Thee.
Though I could fall from grace And choose the way of sin,
I had no strength to rise, A new life to begin.

But Thou hast raised me up To joy and exultation
And clearly shown the way That leads me to salvation.
My sins are washed away, For this I thank Thee, Lord;
And with my heart and soul All dead works are abhorred.

Grant that Thy Spirit’s help To me be always given
Lest I should fall again And lose the way to heaven;
That He may give me strength In mine infirmity
And e’er renew my heart To serve Thee willingly.

Oh, guide and lead me, Lord, While here below I wander
That I may follow Thee Till I shall see Thee yonder.
For if I led myself, I soon would go astray;
But if Thou leadest me, I keep the narrow way.

O Father, God of Love, Hear Thou my supplication;
O Savior, Son of God, Grant my Thy full salvation;
And Thou, O Holy Ghost, Be Thou my faithful Guide
That I may serve Thee here And there with Thee abide.

(The Lutheran Hymnal #417)

A student at Eagle Rock Junior High won first prize at the Greater Idaho Falls Science Fair, April 26, 1997. He was attempting to show how conditioned we have become to alarmists practicing junk science and spreading fear of everything in our environment. In his project he urged people to sign a petition demanding strict control or total elimination of the chemical “dihydrogen monoxide.”

And for plenty of good reasons, since:

1. it can cause excessive sweating and vomiting
2. it is a major component in acid rain
3. it can cause severe burns in its gaseous state
4. accidental inhalation can kill you
5. it contributes to erosion
6. it decreases effectiveness of automobile brakes
7. it has been found in tumors of terminal cancer patients

He asked 50 people if they supported a ban of the chemical.

• Forty-three (43) said yes,
• six (6) were undecided,
• and only one (1) knew that the chemical was water, H2O, dihydrogen monoxide.

The title of his prize winning project was, “How Gullible Are We?” He felt the conclusion was obvious.

Ignorance is dangerous. It will cause you to do things that are harmful to yourself and others. I once heard someone say, “Being ignorant isn’t a sin. Staying ignorant is.” He was talking about those who refuse to listen to and believe the good news about Jesus.

We have the truth we need, but many refuse to hear it. Jesus identified Himself as the Way, the TRUTH and the life, and that no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). You and I know this. We believe that He is the one who paid for the sins of everyone and offers that payment to those who will believe. But most of the world is still ignorant of this message.

Lord, help us to share the good news we have.

If you watch television, you have no doubt seen commercials for different medications. Some of them tell you what they are supposed to cure, things like psoriasis, asthma or lower you A1C. But some of those commercials don’t even mention what ailment the medication is meant to cure. They just simply say, “Ask you doctor if _____ is right for you!”

Something else you will hear on those commercials, because of the litigious society in which we live, is a long list of warnings about possible side effects. If you listen closely, some of them list a side effect as the very thing they are claiming to heal! And the one that gets me is when they say some people who have taken their medication had severe side effects, including death. So what they are saying is: “Trust us. We will help you. But you might die.”  Not a convincing argument.

God offers us the cure for what ails us: sin.  And when God tells you about the solution, it is simple.

Mark 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved…

When you follow Jesus, there are no warnings about His solution to sin not working. It does work. Jesus saw to that by paying for your sin. The warnings come from not following Him.

Mark 16:16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Believe in Jesus and you get what He earned for you through His life and death: forgiveness and salvation. Don’t believe, and you will get what your sins deserve: condemnation and eternal death.

The great thing about God’s promise is that He did it all. All you have to do is take it, believe it, trust Him. Paul said the same thing when the jailer in Philippi asked him, “What must I do to be saved.”

Acts 16:31 “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

God’s cure, God’s solution, is for everyone. And it is simple.

Some would argue, “Yeah, if it works, why do people still die?” God has given us victory over death, but you will still die physically unless our Lord returns first. This it is not because of the cure God provided. It is a consequence of sin, but it is also your entry into the presence of your Savior where you enter the next phase of your eternal life. Do you really want to live forever in this fallen, sinful world? God doesn’t want that for you. That is why He banned Adam and Eve from the Garden and access to the tree of life. Physical death will be a reality until this world is no more. But victory over death is our because of Jesus.

Others might object and say, “Jesus said we will have trouble in this world, and if you follow Him, the world will hate you.” I guess that might be a kind of side effect, but it does not negate the cure, the solution to sin that Jesus accomplished. Your trust in Jesus will still give you what you need. Life. To the full. Life now and life Forever. With your Savior.

I’ll take that medicine. Thanks be to God, He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12:1–3 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

The previous chapter lists some of those who are a part of that cloud of witnesses: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and the list goes on. The apostles of the New Testament are also part of that cloud…Peter, Paul, Andrew, Philip. And there are countless others down through the ages who have been faithful witnesses to our Lord who are a part of that great cloud of witnesses: Augustine, Luther, Walther. Each of them makes up one little drop in that cloud. And so do all of the faithful. Each of you are also a drop in that great cloud of witnesses.

The point of it being mentioned here is to remind you that you have people of the past and present whose exemplary Christian lives encourage you to press on. They do that by pointing you to Jesus, and it is a wonderful thing to see others live the life of faith. But the real incentive and power to run the race comes from Jesus. Having loved us, he loved us to the end.

You have seen that love demonstrated on the cross. The love of God found its ultimate expression in the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God carried out His plan to save mankind by taking the sins of the world and placing them on His sinless Son. Jesus made full payment for those sins through His death. It was for your sake that He was willing to suffer the shame and agony of the cross. And God has promised that all who believe that Jesus is their Savior will receive the benefit of His payment. Through repentance and faith, you are assured that forgiveness is yours. God claims you as His child.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus. You do this when you listen His Word, when you come to his Supper, when you remember that He suffered, died and rose again for you, when you remember your Baptism. Eternal life with Him awaits you, just as He promised. But the road is rocky and rough, just as the path to Calvary was a difficult one. Just remember the one who endured the cross for you is with you every step of the way. Living with your eyes fixed on Jesus, you will someday see Him at the right hand of God and join Him in glory forever.

Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

I have a memory of my school days that may or may not be one that you share. It was shortly after my family had moved to Dallas, and I was the “new” kid in school entering the Third Grade. Not only that, but I was pretty much the runt of the class. And to top it all off, I was the preacher’s kid at the parochial school, which wasn’t something that made you very popular. At recess, when it was time to choose sides for whatever game we were playing that day, I was usually among the last to be chosen. Truth be told, I couldn’t blame them, because I wasn’t very coordinated or good at the games. Then came the day when one of the captains was a friend of mine, another of those usually chosen at the end. He did something a little different. Rather than choosing those who seemed to be the most deserving or the best athletes, he chose his friends. I was among the first ones chosen, even though I knew I didn’t deserve it. The feeling of joy and happiness that gave me is something I can still recall to this day. We had a great time playing that day, even if we didn’t win, because we had our friends on the team with us! Although I didn’t realize it at the time, when my friend chose me that day, he gave me a picture of what God has done for you and for me in Christ Jesus. He has chosen us to be His own even though we are not deserving of it. It is something that comes from His friendship, His love, His grace.

ISAIAH 42:1-7  1 “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. 2 He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets.  3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 4 he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.” 5 This is what God the LORD says– he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: 6 “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, 7 to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

This passage was read in many Christian congregations today. God is speaking of His chosen Servant, whom we can easily identify as Jesus Christ. The descriptions in this passage line up with what we read in the New Testament. For example, it says I will put my spirit on him, which we heard happened in the form of a doveat the Baptism of Jesus in today’s Gospel lesson. We know that He brought forgiveness to the world through His work of redemption, his perfect life and death in our place. He placed Himself under the Law of God for your benefit. He lived a perfect life for you. He went to the cross for your sake, and rose again to announce to the world that He had brought His justice.

Isaiah recorded that the chosen Servant of God would bring justice to the nations, that he would establish justice on the earth. This justice is not the normal justice we would expect from the world, but is tempered with mercy. This justice is a reference to the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus and the forgiveness he offers. The world was found guilty according to the justice of the Law. It was condemned to death before the judgment seat of the Almighty. But standing in the same court is the innocent Servant of the Lord. Because of this, God does not hold our sins against us. Instead He charges them all to Christ Jesus, who took them on Himself and made payment for the sins of all nations, reconciling the world to Himself. The justice of God through Christ, which is actually mercy, is the only way you can be spared from your deserved punishment.

Jesus was chosen to be your Savior because He was the only one capable of accomplishing salvation for all people. God has also chosen people to be His own. The choosing of Jesus to be the Savior was a gracious act, something God did for undeserving mankind. And as far as you and I are concerned, “chosen” is certainly a grace-alone word. Being chosen by God is like that playground incident–it was not deserved, but done from compassion and love.

Those of us who have come to faith in Jesus are God’s chosen people. Through grace, the Spirit of God has called you through the Gospel to believe in Jesus Christ. It is important that you understand this, that you are chosen by God. You did not choose God, He chose you. Jesus says that in John 15: You did not choose Me, but I chose you…  You did nothing to earn it. God’s choosing you is a gift. The fact that you are chosen frees you from trying to be acceptable on your own, since you are already declared righteous through faith in Christ. And you can rejoice that your salvation is certain; it is based on what Jesus did for you; it was accomplished by God Himself. God chose His Servant before the foundation of the world, to be your Savior. His redemption was so complete and successful that it removes any possibility of merit or contribution on your part. The fact is that you are chosen by God’s grace, not because of who you are or what you have done.

Even though you are not chosen because of what you have done, you have been chosen to do something. Jesus said,

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other. (John 15:16-17)

You have been chosen to receive the salvation Jesus earned and to share it with others. Your purpose in being chosen is to be a servant of the Servant. You are to be “little Christs” who bring the news of salvation to all nations, giving God the glory.

The fact that you are chosen means you are a part of the kingdom of God. This “chosen” aspect was made sure in your Baptism. In Baptism, God does something for you. He washes away sins, the Spirit creating faith in your heart, and God announces that you are His dear child. This is not because of your worthiness, but because He declares you righteous. It is not because of your nationality, but by water and the Word. And you have been made His child not for your own glory, but for service to your God. He has chosen you to be His witness, to be a light to the Gentiles. God grant this.

Like many of you, I was watching last Monday night as a young athlete in excellent physical condition made a tackle, stood up, then crumpled to the ground and stopped breathing. Heroic measures were taken to resuscitate him before transporting him to an area hospital. While this was going on, his teammates knelt on the field together and offered a prayer. No one criticized them for doing so.

The broadcast continued for another hour, waiting to see whether or not the game would resume. It was eventually decided that it would be suspended indefinitely. During the time, every broadcaster that spoke mentioned the need to pray for Damar Hamlin. No one criticized them for doing so.

The next day, on NFL Live, former NFL quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky mentioned everyone talking about praying for Damar. He said he was going to do so right then and there. He bowed his head and offered a prayer on the air. You can watch it here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1Vs59RDITc

I applaud Mr. Orlovsky for not being shy about his faith or the expression of it. I don’t know how much criticism he received for doing so, but I don’t think it mattered to him.

I’ve noticed over the years that news commentators will often mention “thoughts and prayers” at a time of crisis or tragedy. That is acceptable. But what about in “normal” times, when things seem to be going well?

My wife mentioned the irony that it was okay for players to pray when someone was injured, but Tim Tebow was constantly criticized for praying at all times during his career. He prayed on good days. He prayed on bad days. He prayed on every day in between. It is part of his life, his relationship with his Lord. And the criticism was non-stop.

I thought of Paul’s admonition in his letter to the Philippians.

Philippians 4:4–7 ⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

“In everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” In EVERYTHING. Prayer is not just for the bad times. Society seems to tolerate prayer when there is a crisis, but sees no need for it when things are rolling along as they should. But our decision to pray should not be based upon what the world says. We pray because it is our right, our privilege, to speak to the one in control of all things and be assured that He listens to us because of our faith in Jesus.

1 John 5:14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

He is listening. Always. The one who came to earth to pay for our sins and give us salvation invites us to talk to Him about all things. Whether the world approves or not, this is our right. This is how we exist as followers of Jesus. Speaking to Him through our prayers and listening to Him through His Word. It empowers us in our daily efforts to live for Him.

And yes, I have prayed for Damar as well.