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Luke 6:46–49 “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

Most of you are probably familiar with the parable above. Building on the foundation on the rock, good. Building on shifting sand, not good.

I was thinking about that a few days ago when I was fishing in the surf on South Padre Island. I have been the pastor in residence at Fishers of Men, Port Isabel this month, so I have had some time to enjoy the sun and sand and surf. As I was standing in the surf and casting out, the waves came in and receded again. I could feel the sand move under my feet even though I wasn’t moving. I was sinking. The truth of this parable came to mind, so when I got back to the house I read it again.

The words that struck me most this time as I read Luke’s account of this parable were the first words Jesus spoke here:  Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?  This is a recurring problem among God’s people. It was addressed by God’s prophets in the Old Testament:

Ezekiel 33:30–33 “As for you, son of man, your countrymen are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.’ My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice. “When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them.”

And Jesus quoted Isaiah sharing the same message:

Matthew 15:7–9 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: “ ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’”

James reinforced this message in His epistle.

James 1:22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

This continues to be a problem today. People say they follow Jesus, but their lives tell a different story. A casual acquaintance with Jesus is not enough. Paying lip service to being a Christian but not living like one is revealing. When you have heard what God has done for you in Jesus, when you have taken to heart that He took your punishment for sin so that you can be forgiven and have eternal life, when you place your trust and confidence in Him, it will change you. You will live a new way.

I’ve mentioned that I like a wide variety of music. Recently I’ve been listening to a a channel called “Prime Country” that plays music from my younger days. Just the other day I heard a song made famous by Ronnie Milsap, but it was also recorded by Amy Grant and BJ Thomas in the late 70s. Here are some of the lyrics.

What a difference you’ve made in my life
What a difference you’ve made in my life
You’re my sunshine, day and night
Oh, what a difference you’ve made in my life

 What a change you have made in my heart
What a change you have made in my heart
You replaced all the broken parts
Oh, what a change you have made in my heart

This should be the description of the lives of those who have heard the Good News of Jesus, been led to believe it by the Holy Spirit, and strive to show their gratitude here until He takes us to be with Him.

Luke 11:28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

My last devotion spoke of the power of self-sacrifice, especially that of Jesus. Today I want to focus on following the example of Christ.

Self-sacrifice is the way of the Lord. In response to what God has done for you in Christ Jesus, you are called to thank the Lord for his goodness, using your bodies to serve Him in your life situation—as mothers and fathers, as children, spouses, pastors, laypeople, accountants, secretaries, teachers and retired folk. God uses these bodies He has given us, He wants you to be His instruments in sharing His love. Self-sacrifice is at the center of genuine love, the kind of love Jesus showed in laying down His life, and the kind of love you are called to show others.

After Paul tells us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices to Jesus, he reminds us that we are able to do this because Jesus changes everything, including us.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

You need to let yourself be changed, transformed, to be more and more like Jesus. It is to be an ongoing process in the lives of disciples, but it is not always readily embraced.

I would guess that most of the time we are not comfortable with change, especially if we feel it has been forced upon us. But how often do we rebel against and complain about change before we have even considered that the change might have a purpose and actually be a good thing?

How many people are you reaching with the Gospel message? Are you reaching your own children, your family members? What can you do, how can you use your talents and abilities, what sacrifice do you need to make for the sake of Jesus?

What can you do in your home with the gifts God has given you? What can you do in your neighborhood with the gifts God has given you? What can you do at your place of business with the gifts God has given you?

Before you quickly say, “Oh, I can’t do anything!” ask yourself is it that you can’t or that you won’t. All too often let the idea of sacrifice or giving something up keeps us from doing what God would have us do. When you avoid doing what God wants you to do, not only is that a disappointment, but it deprives you of the joy to be found in serving God.

…offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God– this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (Romans 12:1-2)

This transformation, this life-changing power of self-sacrifice cannot be understood apart from the context of Christ’s sacrifice. God spoke of this through Paul in his letter to the church in Philippi:

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking 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 to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:3–11).

…offer your bodies (your lives, your selves) as living sacrifices,… be transformed…

It happened in January 1982. It was before any of my kids were born, but I remember it clearly. I watched it on TV and the pictures are still in my head. It was a story of real life tragedy and heroism, the kind that stays with you. Twenty seconds after an Air Florida flight took off from National Airport in Washington DC, it crashed into the ice-covered Potomac River. The news media is always on hand in Washington to cover the events of the movers and shakers, and that day was no different. Immediately, camera crews were dispatched to the Rochambeau Bridge on Fourteenth Street, the site of the crash. A live television audience watched as one passenger, later identified as Arland Williams, reached the rope that a police helicopter dropped to victims in the icy waters of that river. Instead of taking the lifeline himself, he passed it to another survivor nearby. Five times he held the rope in his hand and five times he passed it to other survivors so that they could be taken out of the water. Before the sixth attempt to save his life could be made, he disappeared beneath the water’s surface. That Rochambeau Bridge was later renamed the Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge.

It took nearly six months to positively identify the man the news media called “the unknown hero.” Our entire nation had been moved by his self-sacrifice. For a short period of time even the cynical news media knew they had seen something extraordinary, something they could not understand. Self-sacrifice is a powerful thing!

The world is amazed by an event like that, but they don’t get it. Self-sacrifice is something they equate with those they consider to be “radical religious kooks.” The world does not understand that self-sacrifice can be a good and powerful thing, so for the most part they overlook it.

Those of us in the church, however, are more understanding of this kind of attitude, a willingness to practice self-sacrifice. This is true whether it is actually giving up your life or giving up a part of your rights for the sake of others.

Those who are believers, those who are disciples of Christ, those who understand who Jesus is and the self-sacrifice He made for us are more likely to be willing to make self-sacrifices themselves. The key is understanding that you are saved because of the self-sacrifice of Jesus. He understood the value of sacrificing yourself for the benefit of others. In fact, Jesus is the one who told us and proved to us by His own actions, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) He went to the cross bearing the sins of the entire world, knowing that His self-sacrifice was the only way to make payment for the sin of all people. His self-sacrifice accomplished your forgiveness, your life, and your salvation. Self-sacrifice, especially that of Jesus, is a powerful thing.

How do you respond to the love of God in Christ?

Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God– this is your spiritual act of worship. 

I’ll share some more thoughts on this tomorrow.

Imagine a young wife working furiously in the kitchen. She has been at it for several hours. She has never baked a cake before, but she is determined. Today is her husband’s birthday, and she wants to make it special. She knows that chocolate is his favorite, so she set out to make the best chocolate cake she could. She calls his mother to get her recipe for chocolate cake, and follows the directions to the letter. Even after making a trip to the store, she still didn’t have everything she needed, so she went next door to borrow some ingredients. After baking the cake she makes the frosting from scratch. When the cake cools, she ices it. It doesn’t look perfect, but it is pretty close. All this time, she had also been preparing his favorite meal. Breaded pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans with little onions mixed in. She had scrubbed their apartment from top to bottom, set a beautiful table with candles and fresh flowers. She positioned the birthday cake on the counter so he would be sure to see it when he got home. She glanced at the clock and saw that he was due home in 20 minutes. Dinner would be ready, and she had just enough time to change into that dress she knew he liked her to wear. After she changed and put on her makeup,  it was almost time for him to come home, and everything was ready. She looked around and saw that her preparations had made the day as close to perfect as it was going to get. Then he walks in the door. He looks around and sees everything and smiles broadly. She greets him with a kiss, then leads him to sit down at the table. He puts a big pork chop on his plate and a large blob of potatoes, then he looks around and asks, “What, no gravy?” Now, if you were that young wife, how would you feel? Some of you might be thinking that he would be wearing that chocolate cake rather than eating it. But how would you feel if you had spent the whole day trying to get it all right, only to have him focus on one thing that was missing? Can’t you just hear her asking herself, “What do I have to do?”  Do you get the picture of the frustration she must feel?

The Apostle Paul felt that frustration. He was a Jew and proud of his heritage, that He was descended from Abraham. He once persecuted the followers of Jesus, because he was convinced that was his duty as a good Jew. But then Jesus convinced him on the road to Damascus that He really is the Son of God, the one who was promised to God’s people from the time of the Fall into sin. And Paul wanted to share that Good News with the people of his own race, the Jews. After all, they were the ones to whom the promise was made, the ones who had heard the message of the prophets, the ones who had been given the law and the temple and all the preparations for the Messiah. But they would not accept Jesus. Some did, but most did not. They wanted nothing to do with this one known as Christ.

Romans 9:1-5   I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the Holy Spirit— I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen. 

Paul writes of his great sorrow and unceasing anguish. You can almost hear him asking in despair, “What do I have to do?”

God has an answer for that question: Believe. Believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, the one who came for the salvation of the world. God knew the situation. He created a perfect world, only to have man corrupt things and mess up His plan. Imagine the devastation God must have felt when He had to ask, “Adam, where are you?” God had lovingly created the entire universe as the dwelling place for mankind. God wanted to have a special and unique relationship with man, so He created a perfect environment, making sure it would be just right. But the crown of His creation turned away from God, chasing after a false promise. In effect, man said, “What, no gravy? You mean I don’t get to be God?” And because of the disobedience of Adam and Eve, the perfection was shattered. God asked Himself, “What do I have to do?”

When God asked Himself that question, it came from hurt and frustration, but He knew the answer. He knew exactly what He had to do. He had to send a Savior. If the situation was going to be remedied, it had to be God’s doing. Man’s actions had earned death, and that sentence had to be carried out. But God devised a way to let the sentence be carried out and still enable mankind to enjoy an eternal relationship with Him. He would send His Son into this world as one of us, taking our humanity on Himself, becoming a man. He would live a life without sin, but the Father would put the sins of the world on Him, and let Him take the punishment in our place. Christ would die as our substitute, making full payment for all sins, and then rise again to complete the victory over sin and death. That’s what God had to do, and that is what He did.

What do I have to do?” The jailer in Philippi asked that of Paul and Silas in the book of Acts: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30). We sometimes ask that of ourselves and place too much emphasis on the “I” part, as though our actions and efforts are necessary for salvation. And when we put our confidence in what we do, we are always left wanting. We come up short, and will ask in frustration, “What do I have to do?” The answer for us is the same that was given to that jailer: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31)

Because our loving and gracious God asked, “What do I have to do?” and answered by sending a Savior, we can live confident lives as forgiven sinners. We need to echo in our lives the words of the hymn:

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’s blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I than in Him be found,
Clothed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.   

(The Lutheran Hymnal #370 stanzas 1,4)

Have you planned your funeral?

My mom is 89. She is in very good health. Several of her siblings have lived well into their nineties. Her father was about two weeks shy of 100 when he died. So she will most likely be with us a while yet here on earth. But I also know that she is much closer to the day of her death than she is to the day of her birth. For that matter, I can say the same thing about me!

Last year I sat with her and talked about her wishes for her funeral. I took some notes about hymns and readings and who she wanted to conduct the service and where it should be. I shared what she told me with my siblings.

When I was serving in ministry, I encouraged the members of my congregation to fill out a form entitled “What To Do in the Event of My Death.”  It wasn’t “What to do IF I die,” but “What to do WHEN I die.” Even if you don’t like to think about it, death is coming for all of us. The only way to avoid it would be for Christ to return before you die. So it is good to be prepared.

The most important preparation is to put your faith in Jesus.

John 5:24 “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

Having the certainty of eternal life, you should not be afraid to plan your funeral. And the reason I encourage people to do it early is simple. It is much easier on your family if you make the decisions about your service. I have dealt with many families after a loved one dies, and they are asked to make lots of choices while dealing with the raw emotions present at such a time. It is a gift to them if you have already made those decisions.

While only a few people actually filled out those forms, I did. It is in my desk at home. Two of the songs I want to be a part of the service are “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” and “The Only Name (Yours Will Be)” by Big Daddy Weave. They put the focus where it belongs – on Jesus! I know people gather for memorial services to remember the person who died and comfort each other. That is certainly important.

But, to quote Yogi Berra, “the main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.”  At my funeral, the main thing is to be Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. People need to know about him and what he did. I am thankful for the friends and family and acquaintances I have, and I pray God has used me to share His message with them.

Fifty years from now, few if any will remember me. And they don’t need to do so. If they do, I hope they will remember someone who tried to share Jesus and His love with them. He is the one they need to remember. And He is the one I will be with.

When our girls were still in elementary school, they were playing a game together. Two of them complained to their mother that the third one was cheating. Cheryl went to confront her about it, and she offered this explanation, “But mom, if I don’t cheat, I can’t win!”

At an early age she had learned the ways of this world. “Win at all costs. It is all about me. It doesn’t matter how your actions affect others. Do what you want to make yourself happy.” Needless to say, her mother and I worked even harder to teach her the better way that God has for us to live in response to knowing what He has done for us in Christ.

I’ve thought about our daughter’s statement many times over the years and was reminded of it again recently when I came across an article entitled “How to Cheat Death.” The article suggested tips for living a healthy life, but the truth is that you cannot cheat death. In this sinful, fallen world, death comes. It is a reality. It is not within your power to cheat or defeat death. You cannot do it.

That is where God steps in and says, “Don’t worry. I’ve got this.” The one who made us and everything else wants us to be with Him. Our sins separated us from Him, but He said He would provide a way for us to be reunited. He would send a rescue, a way to forgiveness, a restoration for those who would believe His promise.

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus didn’t simply “cheat” death. He blew it away. He conquered it. When He lived a life without sin and offered that perfect life as payment for the sins of everyone else, He won the victory over it and gives it to any and all who put their faith in Him. We get the win and there is no cheating involved. The verse above bears repeating.

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Let that fill your mind today.

Habakkuk 2:4 the righteous shall live by his faith.

THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY HIS FAITH! That was the message of God’s Prophet Habakkuk to those who were about to be carried off to Babylon. It was a punishment, a discipline coming to God’s people because of their disobedience and idolatry. But there was also the promise that they would one day return to the Promised Land. And the people were told to live by faith. Trust the one who is in control to be with you.

That message is what we need to hear still today. As we face our problems, whether they be illness or natural disaster, financial woes or relationship issues, live by faith.

You are asked, through trying circumstances, if you are content to lay your life in God’s hands. Amid all the troubles that face you, submit yourself to God and trust in Him.  God has promised to care for you.

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

Understand that while living by faith means we will have eternal life with God because of what Jesus did through His life and suffering and death and resurrection, there is more to it than that. To live by faith is not just something for the future. It is to be our life here and now.

When tragedy strikes, it is as though God is asking, “Do you truly believe that I will take care of you?” THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY HIS FAITH. This statement is one of the foundations of Christianity. Paul quotes it in His writings. It was the battle-cry of the Reformation. This faith that Paul, Habakkuk and the Reformers spoke of is a faith that trusts totally in God. You must live by faith in Jesus Christ.

Such a faith waits quietly and patiently for God to accomplish His saving work in your life. Faith is not just one aspect of man’s relationship to God, not just one part of your life. Faith is your existence, your total being as His follower.

Acts 17:28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’

Your faith in God’s saving plan, your trust in the one He sent to bring forgiveness, is your way to life. Knowing what God has done for you through Jesus Christ should assure you that He cares about you. The God who loved you enough to rescue you from sin and death by sending His Son to the cross in your place will not abandon you in your day to day problems. That is living by faith.

THE RIGHTEOUS WILL LIVE BY HIS FAITH. Troubles will continue to assault you here on earth. It is the nature of our sinful world to be a place full of problems for Christians. But living by faith, you will be able to tolerate whatever comes your way. God is in control. He is accomplishing His plan of salvation in your life, teaching you to put your trust completely in Him. Rejoice in the Good News of Jesus! Trust Him to provide forgiveness for your sins. Knowing that by faith you live eternally, resolve to live each day by faith.

Acts 3 tells the story of Peter and John going to the Temple in the afternoon to pray. They passed by a man who was begging. He had been crippled his entire life. As the disciples went past him, he asked them for help. Peter responded that they had no money for him, but they would give him what they could: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk. He grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. He was healed instantly. Not only did was he able to walk, but he was jumping up and down and praising God.

All those who saw it were amazed. The man who was healed held on to Peter and John. As a crowd gathered, Peter took the chance to explain what was going on. He made it clear that it was not by their power that this man was healed, but by the name of Jesus, the one they had crucified, that he was able to walk. He pointed out that Jesus was the fulfillment of the promises God made to His chosen people: He was the Messiah.

He went on to say that even though they had killed Him, He rose again, and the forgiveness of sins He accomplished was for all of them.

Acts 3:17–21  “Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.

I am down in Port Isabel, Texas again to share this life-giving message with the saints that gather at Fishers of Men Lutheran Church. While I am here, I will have some times of refreshing on the beach. But more than that, I have the times of refreshing that come when I repent, lay my sins at the foot of the cross, and hear God tell me that my sins have been wiped away because of what Jesus did.

Not only do I have that, but I get to share it with others. Like Peter and John, I get to share what I have. So do you.

Like many of you, I have been praying for those impacted by hurricane Ian. It hurts to see the destruction and devastation a storm can produce. The aftermath always makes for good television for a day or so. But then most of the rest of the country moves on.

The people in the storm’s path will be dealing with this for months and years. It doesn’t just go away. For many, the job of recovery seems insurmountable.

I know that plans are already underway for Disaster Response teams to travel to Florida and help with the clean-up. I have deployed with groups like this in the past. Volunteers go to help people turn an overwhelming task into something that is tackled one step at a time. Whether you are picking up debris, mucking out a house, or delivering meals to workers and residents, it is a way for you to share the love of God in Christ with people in their time of need. At this point, I’m not sure when or if I will be able to travel to Florida to help, but I’ll be checking into it.

You don’t need to wait for a major disaster to serve. Earlier this week I joined three other members of my congregation to help clean up the home of a widow. She lives next door to a family from our church. It involved pulling out dead bushes, trimming hedges, cutting down some trash trees growing in the hedges, and taking down an unwanted tree in the yard. It only took a couple of hours and we filled up a trailer with the debris to be hauled off. It was a task she would not have been able to do on her own. But we served Jesus by doing that for her.

Next month Cheryl and I will travel to Mexico with a group from our daughter and son-in-law’s congregation to build a home in Mexico for a needy family.

This is how I am able to serve God at this point in my life, and I cannot tell you how much joy I get from doing so. When I do these activities, God blesses me more than I can describe. I know that God has bought me back from sin and death, forgiven me for Jesus’ sake, and called me to live in response to that Good New. Doing these things is putting my faith in Jesus into action. It is how I say “thank you” to God for saving me.

1 Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

Matthew 25:40 …whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.

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

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

This is part of how I’m serving Jesus right now. How will you serve Him today?