Fwd: The Lutheran Hour: December 27, 2015 "No Regrets"





Sent via the Samsung GALAXY S®4 Active™, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone


-------- Original message --------
From: Lutheran Hour Ministries <lh_min@lhm.org>
Date: 2015/12/26 9:16 PM (GMT-06:00)
To: Jeremy Klaustermeier <revklaus@hotmail.com>
Subject: The Lutheran Hour: December 27, 2015 "No Regrets"

The Lutheran HourSend to a FriendFacebookTwitterVimeoBlogDonate

The Lutheran Hour

The Lutheran Hour Speakers B/W

Email Us button greenSermon Text for December 27, 2015

"No Regrets" #83-17

Presented on The Lutheran Hour on December 27, 2015
By Rev. Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour
(Christianity's Accomplishments)
Copyright 2015 Lutheran Hour Ministries

The Lutheran Hour audio button

 

 

Text: 1 Timothy 1:16 

Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! On the cross the Savior carried our sins, our shortcomings, and our wrongful regrets. May the Holy Spirit grant that the New Year allow us to live under the benefits of the risen Redeemer's great grace. May the Lord grant this to us all. Amen. 

The old calendar on the wall says there are only a few days before much of the world will be celebrating the passing of another year, another year since the birth of the Savior; another year closer to His return. Now you don't have to be a Christian to look forward to the arrival of a New Year. Most everybody I know is eager to bid farewell to past unpleasantries and are equally enthusiastic to embrace a year we pray will be packed with prosperity, peace, and potential. Yes, we are ready to begin anew and boldly stride into January one. Indeed, we would do so if it weren't for the painful past many of us are dragging with us; you know the painful past we call, "regret." 

Permit me to tell you a story about the regret of a man named Thomas Carlyle. Although Carlyle lived in the 19th century, he could rightly be called a Renaissance Man. In Carlyle's case, that means he was acclaimed and admired for his accomplishments in mathematics, history, philosophy, and literature. Carlyle also had a well-deserved reputation for being crabby, cantankerous, and confrontational. Although he loved his wife, he treated her more like a servant than a spouse. 

Eventually the day came when Carlyle's wife was struck down by cancer. It was a slow-moving, lethal disease which kept her in bed long before she breathed her last. After her passing, Carlyle returned to his empty house. Confronted by loss and loneliness; he eventually went to her room and sat down in the chair near her sick bed. Sadly he realized his visits had not been overly frequent and he recalled it had been some time since he had last sat near her. 

As the immensity of his loss enveloped him, Carlyle noticed his wife's diary. Carlyle thumbed through the pages. One entry caught his eye. It read: "Yesterday he spent an hour with me. And it was like being in heaven. I love Thomas so much." Carlyle turned a few more pages and that day's diary entry read: "I listened all day to hear his steps in the hallway. And now it's late. I guess he won't come to see me." Carlyle read a few more such entries. Shocked and grieved by the intensity of her words, he left the book on the floor and ran through the rain to the cemetery. He threw himself on her newly-filled grave and repeated, "If only I had known...if only I had known." 

That, my friends, is regret. 40 years experience in the ministry, along with my own finger-pointing conscience, have convinced me that most of you listening to this broadcast are acquainted with regret for something you did wrong or something right left undone. Years ago, on the streets of downtown Chicago, there was a long-haired, roughly-dressed John-the-Baptist sort of fellow doing a strange form of ministry. He would stand in the middle of the block and wait for a person to approach. When the individual got within a few feet, our modern-day-John would raise himself up, fix his gaze on that person, point an unwavering finger at him, and, in a bellowing voice shout one word: "GUILTY!" 

More than once a person was overheard to have muttered, "But how does he know?" Now there is no way this nameless street prophet knew the background of the person he was confronting. But that was okay. The prophet worked under the assumption that everyone was guilty of something; that everyone has a great regret concerning something from the past. 

Now I tell you that story not just to amuse. It is shared because for a few moments I want you on that Chicago street. Imagine that, without warning, some person has blocked your path, put a finger in your face, and shouted the word, "Guilty." Now, stop imagining. Let's get real. Just now, when you heard the word guilty, what action of your past went through your mind? What great regret immediately popped up? No, I don't want you to say anything out loud. You have worked too hard and too long to keep your regret a secret. 

Let us simply say that you have a great regret in your life... maybe you have many regrets. I know I do, I can remember the time when an old high-school classmate unexpectedly came into my office. We reminisced about old times for a while, and then, when we hit a break in the conversation, he lowered his head, and his voice quietly said, "You were cruel to me in high school." Well, I remembered teasing him a bit, but that was all I recalled. His memory was better. From deep within him he pulled out a laundry list of slights and slurs I had made about him. As he spoke, I was filled with regret for what I had done wrong. Then there was the even greater regret for having not remembered my cruelty and the wounds I had created. Today, after having asked for his forgiveness, we are good friends and my errors and subsequent regrets are forgiven. 

Which takes me back to you. Now I don't want you to send me a list of your many regrets, all I want you to do is admit they are there... weighing you down... burdening your soul... darkening your days. Your regret may be a big thing... it may be a little thing. Years ago I was with a Christian man who was dying. From all that I had known or been told about the man, he was a good fellow... one of the best. But now, as the end to his earthly life was coming, he had to get something off his chest. It wasn't a confession, but it most certainly was a sharing. He told me how, when he was young, maybe 75 years earlier, he and a friend had switched the arrows at a country crossroads. 

Switching arrows at a crossroad was his great regret. He had, for almost three-quarters of a century, regretted what he had done and the unknown results of his action. As he said, "I've often wondered, Reverend, how many people went down the wrong road because of me?"

But maybe your regret does not stem from something you have done. Years ago Cornell University researchers did a study on regret. After surveying a cross section of people they found most people's greatest regrets were the things they hadn't done. Like Ebenezer Scrooge from Dickens' A Christmas Carol they looked at their past and found themselves regretful. Like Scrooge many of them spent their days wondering how their present might have been changed for the better if they hadn't done the wrong thing or left a good deed undone. Tragically, many folks, and you may be one, identified with the ghost of Jacob Marley and felt they were condemned to wander this earth chained to their wrong choices, sad misdeeds, and selfish actions. 

Has a relationship with a family member or an old friend ended on a harsh note or nasty disagreement? Have you said and done things which are a sin against God or another person? Have you stolen? Cheated? Regrets are real because they darken our days and rob our nights of rest. Regrets are great weights on our hearts and heavy burdens on our souls. Regrets stayed with us through the old year and give every indication they will be with us in the New Year and all the years which follow. 

Pretty depressing, isn't it? It sure takes the oomph out of "Happy New Year!" Well, if you feel that way, I understand. I know you've tried to bury your regrets; you've tried hard. But no matter how hard you tried to plant them six-feet under, they still kicked and clawed their way to the surface where they taunted you for even attempting to get rid of them. And now, before this New Year, the regrets remain; which leaves you with two choices. Either you keep your regrets and let them take a little bit of joy out of each day or you let them go. Believe me, just because up till now you haven't found freedom from the couldas, shouldas, wouldas, and oughtas, that doesn't mean your sins and the subsequent regrets are indestructible. They aren't. 

How do I know? I know because I have seen it and read about it in the Bible. You know, when most people think of Bible stories, they think of all these heroes who have a super faith which does mighty miracles. The truth is, with an exception or two, I can't think of many heroes of faith who have lived their lives regret free. Adam and Eve had it made in the shade, and then they broke the one command God had given them. Theirs was the granddaddy of regrets. Cain murdered his brother. He should have regretted that. Noah's obedience created an ark, but his love of new wine caused some problems. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are patriarchs for God's people, but they also are liars and thieves. I could go through the whole Bible this way. 

Instead, let's just focus on three individuals. The first, from the Old Testament, is King David. God had picked him when he was young. As a young man, David had done his best to live up to the honor. But when he became king, well, you know what they say about absolute power corrupting absolutely. King David had a wandering eye and ended up with another man's wife. Fearing he would get caught, David did what any man without a conscience would do: he had the man killed. Eventually the Lord called him to account and David spoke of his regrets in Psalm 130. There he said, "Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?"

Regrets are not the unique property of kings. Fishermen have them too. Look at Jesus' disciple, Peter. The Savior had picked Peter; had taught him, nurtured him, allowed him to hear of God's love, and see many miraculous manifestations of that love. Peter professed undying loyalty, but when things got tough, Peter bailed and ran. The night Jesus was betrayed, when Jesus asked Peter to pray for Him, Peter slept. When Jesus was arrested, Peter ran away; when Jesus was on trial, Peter swore he had never met his Master. When Jesus was dying on the cross to take away the sins of the world; Peter was hiding behind a closed and bolted door. Did Peter have regrets? Matthew 26 tells us that after he had denied his relationship with Jesus, Peter cried his eyes out. 

Let me share one more man who had his regrets. His name was Saul. A Roman citizen, an educated and learned man, he was dedicated to ensuring his religion and way of life wouldn't change. This noble cause inspired him to arrest men and women, to take them to trial, and to have them executed. It was a hard life, but a life he felt was noble and God-pleasing. Saul kept at it until the Lord struck him down; blinded him and told him he was wrong. Big time. Was Paul filled with remorse? Looking back on those times, he confessed, (1 Corinthians 15:9) "For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God."

There you have our spiritual rogues' gallery of regret; an adulterer, a traitor, and two murderers. Honestly, how does your regret stack up to them? In all probability, compared to them you're an amateur. Well you've heard about their sins and their regrets; now let me tell you what the loving Lord did with each of them. God sent a prophet to straighten out David. The King repented and was forgiven. You remember his words, "Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD!" God heard David's cry, which is why, later on the King could encourage: "O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. And he will redeem Israel from all his iniquities." David wanted us to know God can erase our sins and our regrets.

As for Peter... after the Savior's victory over the grave, Jesus forgave a sorrowful apostle and took care of those regrets. On Pentecost, a renewed, restored Peter boldly proclaimed the risen Redeemer and the life-changing faith God's Holy Spirit wishes to bestow. Years later Peter wrote to Christians in every generation and location. He said, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Peter 1:3a). Did you get that? Those who know Jesus are reborn and part of that rebirth is the forgiveness of sins which has given birth to our regret. 

And what about Saul, the ex-murderer? Yes, he called himself the "chief of sinners," but God changed his name. Saul became Paul. And as Paul, he wrote, "The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life." Paul is saying God picked him so he would be an example of how a great God can forgive great sins. 

Now I don't know your sin or your regret, but I do know that Jesus can erase both. The Savior Who has carried our sins and defeated death offers us a new life... a life free from condemnation and damnation. That means, my friends, you can leave those regretful burdens at the foot of His cross. Drop them off and leave them there... and if Satan comes calling and tells you to pick them up again, don't you do it. You tell that weasel, "I won't carry those things because Jesus has already done it for me." And say it with confidence, because it's true.

At the end of December, 1772, an Anglican priest in Olney, England was preaching on the forgiven sinner, King David. As the priest worked, he thought of how the Lord had also forgiven him. He remembered how he had been publicly whipped and kicked out of the British Navy; how he had been involved with mutinies and had been captain of a slave ship. Yes, that priest might have written about his many regrets. Instead John Newton wrote a hymn to be sung in his congregation on New Year's Day, 1773. This is part of what they sang, "Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come; 'Tis grace that brought me safe thus far, His grace will see me home."

This New Year you can sing that hymn, "Amazing Grace," as your own. By God's amazing grace faith in the risen Redeemer can forgive your sins, erase your regrets, and lead you home. If regret-free seems like the right way to enter the New Year, please, call us at The Lutheran Hour. Amen. 




LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for December 27, 2015
Topic: Christianity's Accomplishments

Announcer: What good is Christianity? As we prepare to ring out the old and ring in the new, that'll be our question today for our Speaker Emeritus, Pastor Ken Klaus. I'm Mark Eischer. 

Klaus: Hi, Mark. An early "Blessed New Year" to you and to our listeners! So, ringing out the old, ringing in the new-an interesting way to begin this Question and Answer segment. What do you have in mind?

Announcer: Today I'd like for us to "wring out" an old falsehood and hopefully sound a note of truth in its place. 

Klaus: So, what is the topic? 

Announcer: It seems nowadays, many people would doubt the value and perhaps even the goodness of Christianity. 

Klaus: That's nothing new... The Church is and always has been comprised of imperfect people who continually need Christ's forgiveness. We all fail to live up to what God expects of us. 

Announcer: Yeah, but this is different.

Klaus: Different? How so? 

Announcer: More and more, we hear critics question the overall impact of the Christian Church in our world. They would assert that the Church has seldom, if ever, done anything good and is instead responsible for doing a lot of bad things. 

Klaus: That's a blanket statement. Anything specific?

Announcer: They might site the Crusades and the Salem witchcraft trials, for example. 

Klaus: Okay, for the record, the Crusades ended almost 800 years ago and the witch trials occurred toward the end of the 17th century. 

Announcer: But it often seems those are the only two bits of history critics know. 

Klaus: Yeah, they have to go a long way back. It's sad. It's almost as if there was a conspiracy to undermine the accomplishments the Lord has achieved through His people. 

Announcer: So, what do we say to critics who parrot these complaints? 

Klaus: It's an interesting question and I'm not entirely sure where to begin. Let's begin with the Crusades. We've said it before with regard to the Crusades: the Church did not make the first move! The Crusades were an attempt to reclaim territory which Islam had conquered. 

Announcer: And also to protect Christians who were told they had to convert or else be taxed or even killed.

Klaus: Yeah. Next, we must confess that Christian armies did some terrible things in the Savior's Name and Christians have invented weapons in the hope that this would make war so horrible nobody would dare to start one.

Announcer: How has that been working?

Klaus: Wars have just gotten bloodier and more ruthless as time's gone by.

Announcer: Okay, but what is the rest of the story? 

Klaus: Even in the midst of war, Christians have sought to alleviate suffering and uphold humane standards of conduct. My father was a Prisoner of War in Germany during World War II. His treatment was atrocious. However, had it not been for the Red Cross, an organization begun by Christians, it would have been far worse.

Announcer: And more than any other group, it is Christians who have worked for peace. Christians have called for nations to come together and work out all their problems around a conference table rather than on the battlefield. 

Klaus: When it comes to literacy, communication, Christianity has caused more spoken languages to become written languages than anybody else. 

Announcer: That was so that people could read the Bible for themselves in their own languages. 

Klaus: Indeed it was. Christianity has built more schools and institutions of higher learning than any other force in history. Christianity has helped people to fight poverty, alleviate suffering, recover from natural disasters; this far more than any other organization in history.

Announcer: We could also look at the Christian groups that respond right away after a tornado, an earthquake, or a hurricane. In fact, Lutheran Hour Ministries also sends out volunteer mission teams to needy places around the world. 

Klaus: If you take a look on TV reports, you'll see the Christians right there being on the front lines of helping out. Understand, we're just touching the surface here, Mark. Christianity has built countless hospitals; created a legal system based on equality under the law. In Christianity, a man's word is not twice as valuable as that of a woman's. Christians spoke against and helped to abolish slavery.

Announcer: And that's something not every religion could say even today.

Klaus: Yeah. And with that, we are still just scratching the surface. In short, Christians have not been perfect. But they have tried... and they have done far more to honor the Savior and benefit their fellow man than any other group.

Announcer: Thank you, Pastor Klaus. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries. 










Action in Ministry for December 27, 2015
Guest: Wayne Palmer

ANNOUNCER: You're listening to The Lutheran Hour and this is Action In Ministry. Pastor Gregory Seltz joins us now.

SELTZ: Great to be here.

ANNOUNCER: Today Pastor Klaus talked about living life without regret and I think that's a wonderful and timely way of moving forward into the New Year.

SELTZ: Yeah, and so the question is: are we going to lug these regrets into another year or can we leave them at the doorstep? 

ANNOUNCER: Here to help us do that is our colleague, Pastor Wayne Palmer. He's written a wonderful resource titled, "Regrets, Reality, Restoration". Wayne, thanks for joining us.

PALMER: Thanks, I'm glad to be here.

SELTZ: Wayne, New Year's resolutions will be written down and proclaimed in droves in just a few short days, but one thing, I bet, won't be on that list of resolutions is to make sure that we take a good accounting of all of our regrets. We don't seem to need to make a list of all of our regrets. We remember them quite well. So, here's the question: why do we all seem to hold on to them for dear life? 

PALMER: I think it's because of that shame and the guilt that's attached to the sins we commit and the relationships we shatter. Whenever you see that person again, it all comes flooding back and you just want to disappear.

SELTZ: Right.

ANNOUNCER: Now in your booklet, you mention two people-one of them denied Christ and ran away from Him, the other was an adulterer and a murderer. They had plenty of cause for regret; but you tell us we don't have to be stuck there. 

PALMER: The two I'm talking about are David, who is the king that committed adultery and then had the husband murdered so that he could take over as husband, and then you had Peter who denied Jesus. I always think for Peter that moment that he was in his third denial and the rooster crowed and he turned and he saw Jesus looking at him, that face of Jesus; that had to be haunting. Every morning after that when the rooster crowed, it had to pull his mind right back in that guilt and shame welling back up inside again.

SELTZ: Yeah, but also to the face of Christ, which you talked about as being a blessing to him as well, right? Wow!

PALMER: Yeah.

SELTZ: So, with that in mind, let's consider our New Year's resolutions. Typically we might focus on our health or perhaps fitness, but let's consider this, if we want to resolve to live with less guilt and regret, where do we start?

PALMER: We start at the same place that Peter did, which is not running away from Jesus, not trying to deal with it himself, but running to Jesus. When you look at Easter afternoon, Peter is the first one Jesus appeared to individually of the 12 Apostles. Then, later, by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus especially restored Peter there in the breakfast or after the breakfast by the sea. It was Jesus' way of saying, "I want you to be the leader, the feeder of My sheep, and the tender of My lambs. I want you to take care of them." And that's what he needed, that ability to be restored because Satan is just trying to break us down and make us feel like we can't do the things that God has put us in our place to do; be a husband or a wife, be parents, be workers. But Jesus is here to restore us. 

ANNOUNCER: Okay, but what about the lingering consequences of sin? How do you cope with those lingering consequences and not let regret come creeping back in with it?

PALMER: I think it's important to remember what Satan is trying to accomplish through that guilt and the shame that we have. He's trying to make us shrink down and not fulfill those roles God has given us in life; to make us lose our confidence and just beat ourselves up. But that's where you have to go to Christ again, because there on the cross Jesus paid the price, and the guilt, and the shame for what we've done so that we can become new creatures empowered by His Holy Spirit, then we can start to live that life God's given us and fill those roles that our society needs and the people in our lives so desperately need.

SELTZ: Yeah, Christ in the midst of it all. He's the face and voice. I've heard it said this way; guilt that drives you away from Christ, that's not godly guilt. Guilt that drives you to Him so that it can be taken away. I think that's your point that Jesus was right there with His presence, with His Word, and that's why the Word is so important to us today too, isn't it?

PALMER: Exactly. That's why we preach it on The Lutheran Hour. That's why you go to church and why you get strengthened through the body and blood of Christ in Communion, through the Word of God, through the baptism that's renewed each week. So we remember that we are God's creatures and He's here with us and for us and together we can move forward in Christ. 

ANNOUNCER: The title of this resource is Regrets, Reality, Restoration and I know it will be a wonderful help for our listeners. Wayne, thank you for being with us.

PALMER: Thank you, my pleasure.

SELTZ: And that's our Action In Ministry segment today; to bless, to empower, and to strengthen your life in Christ for others. 

ANNOUNCER: For your free copy of the booklet, Regrets, Reality, Restoration, call The Lutheran Hour toll-free, 1-800-351-1001. That's 1-800-351-1001. To view or download this material for free, go to lutheranhour.org and look for the tab that says Action In Ministry. Our email address is: info@lhm.org. 





Music Selections for this program:

"A Mighty Fortress" arranged by Chris Bergmann. Used by permission.

"Let All Together Praise Our God" From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)

"Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling" From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)

 

 

 

Print this sermon
Sign up for LHM news Daily Devotions
Visit lutheranhour.org Change my email
Contact Us

 



subscribe / unsubscribe / sign-up for plain text / visit our website  

660 Mason Ridge Center Dr.
St. Louis, MO 63141
1-800-876-9880
www.lhm.org

Prayer request for Pastor McCracken (Pastor at Trinity in Troy)

Please keep Pastor McCracken and his family in your prayers. He was hospitalized again last night (second time in last two weeks) due to complications from his cancer. 
 
He is currently on a two month sabbatical to give him time to beat this battle he is fighting against cancer.

Daily Email: Tuesday, December 22, 2015

DEVOTION: Titus 2:11-14 English Standard Version (ESV)
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
 
We don't talk about this often, but grace doesn't just stop at keeping us out of hell and allowing us to enter heaven.  It gives us a new life here on earth too.  As Paul put it in a different way, "You died to sin.  Why would you want to live in it any longer?"
 
The past few weeks I've been a glutton.  I've eaten whatever I've wanted and I haven't exercised at all (unless you count getting up from chairs and from bed as exercise).  Consequently my acid reflux has gotten worse, I have less and less energy, and my mood has even changed.  I just don't feel right.  This morning was different.  I got up and exercised first thing, and then I had some fruit and Greek yogurt for breakfast.  I also drank a ton of water.   I already feel so much better. 
 
It always feels better when you do the right thing.  It feels good when you treat your body as God's temple.  It feels better when you do devotions on a regular basis.  It feels better when you "Remember the Sabbath Day and go to worship like you should.  It feels good when you confess your sin and repent even when it means that you'll have ot face the consequences for your actions. 
 
Grace permeates our whole being and our whole life.  The devil, the world, and our sinful nature often causes us to want to turn away from God's will and His grace, but the power of the Holy Spirit, the force, is too strong!  If we remain in faith we will keep turning from sin and turning to righteousness!  Praise be to God! 
 
Enjoy the birthday of Christ this week!  Know that because if His grace you will live forever and that you are already free from the sin that makes you feel worse and worse, and instead feel and know that peace that passes all understanding. 
 
Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving me an all-encompassing grace that not only saves me from hell, but saves me from sin here on earth as well.  Help me to turn from sin and turn to you daily so that I may increase in holiness and righteousness until the day you take me to be with you.  Amen.
 
__________________________________________________________________
CALENDAR:
Tues- Quilters 9-2
Wed- Youth to distribute gifts at Children's Hospital 10am; Choir practice 6:30pm
Thurs- Choir practice 6:15; Christmas Eve worship 7pm
Fri- Christmas Day worship 10am
Sat- NO WORSHIP
Sun- Worship 10am

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

WORSHIP WORKERS:  
Acolyte-  Christmas Eve- Jacob Cluver; Christmas Day- Gus Klaustermeier; Sun- Zach Hoelscher


Ushers- Christmas Eve- Don Hance, Rich Boeger, Don Tate, Doug Walters; Christmas Day- Alan Hofeldt, Tim Linke, Rich Talbert, Don Turnure; Sun- Bob and Tom Linke, Scott and Alex Heitgerd

Altar- Christmas Eve/Day set up Linda Callies; Christmas Eve/Day Clean Up Terry McKenzie; Sun- Set up, Don Hance  Clean up Lynn Russell and Elanie Schauer


 
Elders- Christmas Eve John Hachtel; Christmas Day Rich Talbert

Greeters- Sun- Ken and Marilyn Foster

Lay readers- Sun- Allan Dreyer

Sat. Pianist- NONE

Organist-  Eve- Rachel Menscher; Day- Molly Hendershot; Sun Molly

Projectionists: NONE
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

YESTERDAY'S  BIBLE QUIZ:     Find a prophecy about Jesus in the book of Isaiah (Besides Isaiah 7:10-14)
 
Here's a very thorough answer from goog.... I mean Pat King.  hehe
 
 
THE PROPHECY THE FULFILLMENT
The Messiah: Jesus of Nazareth:
Will be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14) Was born of a virgin named Mary (Luke 1:26-31)
Will have a Galilean ministry (Isaiah 9:1,2) Ministry began in Galilee of the Gentiles (Matthew 4:13-16)
Will be an heir to the throne of David (Isaiah 9:7; 11:1, 10) Was given the throne of His father David (Luke 1:32, 33)
Will have His way prepared (Isaiah 40:3-5) Was announced by John the Baptist (John 1:19-28)
Will be spat on and struck (Isaiah 50:6) Was spat on and beaten (Matthew 26:67)
Will be exalted (Isaiah 52:13) Was highly exalted by God and the People (Philippians 2:9, 10)
Will be disfigured by suffering (Isaiah 52:14; 53:2) Was scourged by Roman soldiers who gave Him a crown of thorns (Mark 15L15-19)
Will make a blood atonement (Isaiah 53:5 Shed His blood to atone for our sins (1Peter 1:2)
Will be widely rejected (Isaiah 53:1,3) Was not accepted by many (John 12:37, 38)
Will bear our sins and sorrows (Isaiah 53:4, 5) Died because of our sins (Romans 4L25; 1Peter 2:24, 25)
Will be our substitute (Isaiah 53:6,8) Died in our place (Romans 5:6, 8; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
Will voluntarily accept our guilt and punishment for sin (Isaiah 53:7,8) Jesus took on our sins (John 1:29; Romans 6:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
Gentiles will seek Him (Isaiah 11:10) Gentiles came to speak to Jesus (John 12:20,21)
Will be silent before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7) Was silent before Herod and his court (Luke 23:9)
Will save us who believe in Him (Isaiah 53:12) Provided salvation for all who believe (John 3:16; Acts 16:31)
Will die with transgressors (Isaiah 53:12) Was numbered with the transgressors (Mark 15:27, 28; Luke 22:37)
Will heal the brokenhearted (Isaiah 61:1,2) Healed the brokenhearted (Luke 4:18, 19)
God's Spirit will rest on Him (Isaiah 11:2) The Spirit of God descended on Jesus (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; 4:1)
Will be buried in a rich man's tomb (Isaiah 53:9 Was buried in the tomb of Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea (Matthew 27:57-60; John 19:38-42)
He will judge the earth with righteousness (Isaiah 11:4,5) Jesus was given authority to judge (John 5:27; Luke 19:22; 2 Timothy 4:1,8)
__________________________________________________________________________________
Today's QUIZ:   Did Mary and Joseph stay in a stable, a cave, or in the basement (first floor) of a house where animals were often kept?
__________________________________________________________________
NEWS!!!! 
 
THIS WEEK'S WORSHIP SCHEDULE!!
Christmas Eve- 7pm
Christmas Day- 10am
Sunday, Dec. 27- 10 am
 
(Please note that there is no Saturday service and that there is only one service on Sunday with no Sunday school or adult Bible class.)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 2 and SUNDAY JANUARY 3 AT ALL THREE SERVICES!!  If you are a board member or an officer be there!!
___________________________________________________________________________________
HOPE FULL LIVING DEVOTIONS FOR SENIORS AVAILABLE TO ORDER FROM CHURCH FOR $8 FOR THE WHOLE YEAR!!
"Hope Full Living" is a daily devotional booklet just for seniors that Pastor contributes to.  He usually has one or two of his own devotions in it.  If we get 10 or more people to order it and each person gives $8 we can order them in bulk and have them mailed to church.  Order yours today by calling the church office!
_____________________________________________________________________________________
WARREN COUNTY COMMUNITY FITNESS CENTER IS BEGINNING NEW CLASS SESSIONS on JANUARY 4!!
They also have the gym open Monday-Friday 8am-7pm and Saturday 8am-noon.
 
It's in the old NIKE store in the mall. 
 
There are discounts for Senior and Kids.  Stop by to sign up today!
 
_________________________________________________________________________________
OPERATION BACKPACK FOR DECEMBER IS CANNED SOUP AND RAMEN NOODLES!!! 
Please help feed the less fortunate kids in Warrenton and Warren County, all of whom get two meals at school during the school week, but go hungry on weekends. 
____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
OFFERING ENVELOPES ARE ON THE TABLE IN THE NARTHEX!!!
If you are a confirmed member of St. John's you have offering envelopes!  Take them home!  Put money in them!  And Bring them back as your offering to the Lord!
 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
UNMARKED BLUE ENVELOPE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE GOING TO THE BUILDING EXPANSION PROGRAM
If you'd like it to go to the DCE fund you need to mark it for that!  Please make sure you mark the ENVELOPE clearly for the DCE PROGRAM!

________________________________________________________________________________________
DO YOU HAVE A KROGER CARD?  ENROLL IT IN THE COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM!!!
Register it online www.krogercommunityrewards.com and have it swiped each time you shop to earn money for Little Lambs. 
__________________________________________________________________________________________
GENERAL PRAYERS:
 
For DENISE SCHLESSELMANN as she is in need of more funding to continue her mission work in the Czech Republic.
 
For MARIANNE LINKE, who has been moved to Warrenton Manor and is receiving treatment and antibiotics for a very stubborn infection.
 
For CAL TAMELER as he deals with the reality that he has lost sight in his right eye. 
 
For the PANHORSTS as they have sold their house in Innsbrook and have moved to Chesterfield, and as soon as Don is done with chemotherapy treatments will be moving down to Florida permanently, that God would bless them in their new endeavors.  
 
For DONNNA LINDSEY'S DAD, as he has been moved to Lincoln County Nursing and rehab to recover from kidney troubles. 
 



--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "St. John's Group Email" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to stjohnswarrenton+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

FW: Daily Email: Monday, December 21, 2015

DEVOTION: Titus 2:11-14 English Standard Version (ESV)
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
 
We don't talk about this often, but grace doesn't just stop at keeping us out of hell and allowing us to enter heaven.  It gives us a new life here on earth too.  As Paul put it in a different way, "You died to sin.  Why would you want to live in it any longer?"
 
The past few weeks I've been a glutton.  I've eaten whatever I've wanted and I haven't exercised at all (unless you count getting up from chairs and from bed as exercise).  Consequently my acid reflux has gotten worse, I have less and less energy, and my mood has even changed.  I just don't feel right.  This morning was different.  I got up and exercised first thing, and then I had some fruit and Greek yogurt for breakfast.  I also drank a ton of water.   I already feel so much better. 
 
It always feels better when you do the right thing.  It feels good when you treat your body as God's temple.  It feels better when you do devotions on a regular basis.  It feels better when you "Remember the Sabbath Day and go to worship like you should.  It feels good when you confess your sin and repent even when it means that you'll have ot face the consequences for your actions. 
 
Grace permeates our whole being and our whole life.  The devil, the world, and our sinful nature often causes us to want to turn away from God's will and His grace, but the power of the Holy Spirit, the force, is too strong!  If we remain in faith we will keep turning from sin and turning to righteousness!  Praise be to God! 
 
Enjoy the birthday of Christ this week!  Know that because if His grace you will live forever and that you are already free from the sin that makes you feel worse and worse, and instead feel and know that peace that passes all understanding. 
 
Prayer: Lord, thank you for giving me an all-encompassing grace that not only saves me from hell, but saves me from sin here on earth as well.  Help me to turn from sin and turn to you daily so that I may increase in holiness and righteousness until the day you take me to be with you.  Amen.
 
__________________________________________________________________
CALENDAR:
Tues- Quilters 9-2
Wed- Youth to distribute gifts at Children's Hospital 10am; Choir practice 7pm
Thurs- Christmas Eve worship 7pm
Fri- Christmas Day worship 10am
Sat- NO WORSHIP
Sun- Worship 10am

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

WORSHIP WORKERS:  
Acolyte-  Christmas Eve- Jacob Cluver; Christmas Day- Gus Klaustermeier; Sun- Zach Hoelscher


Ushers- Christmas Eve- Don Hance, Rich Boeger, Don Tate, Doug Walters; Christmas Day- Alan Hofeldt, Tim Linke, Rich Talbert, Don Turnure; Sun- Bob and Tom Linke, Scott and Alex Heitgerd

Altar- Christmas Eve/Day set up Linda Callies; Christmas Eve/Day Clean Up Terry McKenzie; Sun- Set up, Don Hance  Clean up Lynn Russell and Elanie Schauer

 
Elders- Christmas Eve John Hachtel; Christmas Day Rich Talbert

Greeters- Sun- Ken and Marilyn Foster

Lay readers- Sun- Allan Dreyer

Sat. Pianist- NONE

Organist-  Eve- Rachel Menscher; Day- Molly Hendershot; Sun Molly

Projectionists: NONE
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

YESTERDAY'S  BIBLE QUIZ:     Find a prophecy about Jesus in the book of Isaiah (Besides Isaiah 7:10-14)
 
Here's a very thorough answer from goog.... I mean Pat King.  hehe
 
 
THE PROPHECY THE FULFILLMENT
The Messiah: Jesus of Nazareth:
Will be born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14) Was born of a virgin named Mary (Luke 1:26-31)
Will have a Galilean ministry (Isaiah 9:1,2) Ministry began in Galilee of the Gentiles (Matthew 4:13-16)
Will be an heir to the throne of David (Isaiah 9:7; 11:1, 10) Was given the throne of His father David (Luke 1:32, 33)
Will have His way prepared (Isaiah 40:3-5) Was announced by John the Baptist (John 1:19-28)
Will be spat on and struck (Isaiah 50:6) Was spat on and beaten (Matthew 26:67)
Will be exalted (Isaiah 52:13) Was highly exalted by God and the People (Philippians 2:9, 10)
Will be disfigured by suffering (Isaiah 52:14; 53:2) Was scourged by Roman soldiers who gave Him a crown of thorns (Mark 15L15-19)
Will make a blood atonement (Isaiah 53:5 Shed His blood to atone for our sins (1Peter 1:2)
Will be widely rejected (Isaiah 53:1,3) Was not accepted by many (John 12:37, 38)
Will bear our sins and sorrows (Isaiah 53:4, 5) Died because of our sins (Romans 4L25; 1Peter 2:24, 25)
Will be our substitute (Isaiah 53:6,8) Died in our place (Romans 5:6, 8; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
Will voluntarily accept our guilt and punishment for sin (Isaiah 53:7,8) Jesus took on our sins (John 1:29; Romans 6:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21)
Gentiles will seek Him (Isaiah 11:10) Gentiles came to speak to Jesus (John 12:20,21)
Will be silent before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7) Was silent before Herod and his court (Luke 23:9)
Will save us who believe in Him (Isaiah 53:12) Provided salvation for all who believe (John 3:16; Acts 16:31)
Will die with transgressors (Isaiah 53:12) Was numbered with the transgressors (Mark 15:27, 28; Luke 22:37)
Will heal the brokenhearted (Isaiah 61:1,2) Healed the brokenhearted (Luke 4:18, 19)
God's Spirit will rest on Him (Isaiah 11:2) The Spirit of God descended on Jesus (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; 4:1)
Will be buried in a rich man's tomb (Isaiah 53:9 Was buried in the tomb of Joseph, a rich man from Arimathea (Matthew 27:57-60; John 19:38-42)
He will judge the earth with righteousness (Isaiah 11:4,5) Jesus was given authority to judge (John 5:27; Luke 19:22; 2 Timothy 4:1,8)
__________________________________________________________________________________
Today's QUIZ:   Did Mary and Joseph stay in a stable, a cave, or in the basement (first floor) of a house where animals were often kept?
__________________________________________________________________
NEWS!!!! 
 
THIS WEEK'S WORSHIP SCHEDULE!!
Christmas Eve- 7pm
Christmas Day- 10am
Sunday, Dec. 27- 10 am
 
(Please note that there is no Saturday service and that there is only one service on Sunday with no Sunday school or adult Bible class.)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE ON SATURDAY, JANUARY 2 and SUNDAY JANUARY 3 AT ALL THREE SERVICES!!  If you are a board member or an officer be there!!
___________________________________________________________________________________
HOPE FULL LIVING DEVOTIONS FOR SENIORS AVAILABLE TO ORDER FROM CHURCH FOR $8 FOR THE WHOLE YEAR!!
"Hope Full Living" is a daily devotional booklet just for seniors that Pastor contributes to.  He usually has one or two of his own devotions in it.  If we get 10 or more people to order it and each person gives $8 we can order them in bulk and have them mailed to church.  Order yours today by calling the church office!
_____________________________________________________________________________________
WARREN COUNTY COMMUNITY FITNESS CENTER IS BEGINNING NEW CLASS SESSIONS on JANUARY 4!!
They also have the gym open Monday-Friday 8am-7pm and Saturday 8am-noon.
 
It's in the old NIKE store in the mall. 
 
There are discounts for Senior and Kids.  Stop by to sign up today!
 
_________________________________________________________________________________
OPERATION BACKPACK FOR DECEMBER IS CANNED SOUP AND RAMEN NOODLES!!! 
Please help feed the less fortunate kids in Warrenton and Warren County, all of whom get two meals at school during the school week, but go hungry on weekends. 
____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
OFFERING ENVELOPES ARE ON THE TABLE IN THE NARTHEX!!!
If you are a confirmed member of St. John's you have offering envelopes!  Take them home!  Put money in them!  And Bring them back as your offering to the Lord!
 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
UNMARKED BLUE ENVELOPE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE GOING TO THE BUILDING EXPANSION PROGRAM
If you'd like it to go to the DCE fund you need to mark it for that!  Please make sure you mark the ENVELOPE clearly for the DCE PROGRAM!

________________________________________________________________________________________
DO YOU HAVE A KROGER CARD?  ENROLL IT IN THE COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM!!!
Register it online www.krogercommunityrewards.com and have it swiped each time you shop to earn money for Little Lambs. 
__________________________________________________________________________________________
GENERAL PRAYERS:
 
For DENISE SCHLESSELMANN as she is in need of more funding to continue her mission work in the Czech Republic.
 
For MARIANNE LINKE, who has been moved to Warrenton Manor and is receiving treatment and antibiotics for a very stubborn infection.
 
For CAL TAMELER as he deals with the reality that he has lost sight in his right eye. 
 
For the PANHORSTS as they have sold their house in Innsbrook and have moved to Chesterfield, and as soon as Don is done with chemotherapy treatments will be moving down to Florida permanently, that God would bless them in their new endeavors.  
 
For DONNNA LINDSEY'S DAD, as he has been moved to Lincoln County Nursing and rehab to recover from kidney troubles. 
 


Choir practice times for this week

 The choir will begin practice at 6:30 on Wednesday and will also practice before the Christmas Eve service at 6:15.

Daily Email: Monday, December 21, 2015

 
DEVOTION: Isaiah 7:10-14 (ESV)
10 Again the Lord spoke to Ahaz, 11 "Ask a sign of the Lord your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven." 12 But Ahaz said, "I will not ask, and I will not put the Lord to the test." 13 And he said, "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? 14 Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.[
 
We usually read this passage at Christmas, but it is quite an interesting story all together.  Ahaz was a wicked King who wouldn't listen to God, and because he didn't listen to God or do what he said, the kingdom grew weaker and weaker.  God was trying to help them out, but they were, in essence, refusing His help.  They had become too self righteous. 
 
To show how them all, including King Ahaz himself, how self righteous and indignant they had become, God tells Ahaz to "ask for a sign".  That's all he's got to do, but he won't do it.  He wants to show his own self-righteousness and throw it in God's face. 
 
That is when God, through Isaiah gives them this prophecy "Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."  While Ahaz would have had no clue what this prophecy was about, generations later this prophecy would come to full fruition in Jesus. 
 
Maybe your own heart has been hard and proud lately, and you are living in your own stubborn self righteousness.  REPENT!  Maybe you are struggling with thinking things like "I don't need to go to church to be a good Christian", or "I don't need the church."  REPENT!  Maybe in your pride and arrogance you can't hear God's clear and certain call to forgive your brother and to be forgiven.  REPENT!! 
 
Don't be like Ahaz who's ears were so stopped up with self-righteousness that he couldn't hear God calling him to repentance.  Open your ears and listen to what GOD ALMIGHTY is calling you to today!!
 
Prayer:  Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus, to reach out and touch Him and say that we love Him.  Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen.  Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Immanuel, GOD WITH US!  Amen.
 
 
 
__________________________________________________________________
CALENDAR:
Mon- Irma Travelet visitation 9-11, Funeral at 11; Burial immediately after; NO CONFIRMATION CLASS
Tues- Quilters 9-2
Wed- Youth to distribute gifts at Children's Hospital 10am; Choir practice 7pm
Thurs- Christmas Eve worship 7pm
Fri- Christmas Day worship 10am
Sat- NO WORSHIP
Sun- Worship 10am

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

WORSHIP WORKERS:  
Acolyte-  Christmas Eve- Jacob Cluver; Christmas Day- Gus Klaustermeier; Sun- Zach Hoelscher


Ushers- Christmas Eve- Don Hance, Rich Boeger, Don Tate, Doug Walters; Christmas Day- Alan Hofeldt, Tim Linke, Rich Talbert, Don Turnure; Sun- Bob and Tom Linke, Scott and Alex Heitgerd

Altar- Christmas Eve/Day set up Linda Callies; Christmas Eve/Day Clean Up Terry McKenzie; Sun- Set up, Don Hance  Clean up Lynn Russell and Elanie Schauer
 
Elders- Christmas Eve John Hachtel; Christmas Day Rich Talbert

Greeters- Sun- Ken and Marilyn Foster

Lay readers- Sun- Allan Dreyer

Sat. Pianist- NONE

Organist-  Eve- Rachel Menscher; Day- Molly Hendershot; Sun Molly

Projectionists: NONE
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

YESTERDAY'S  BIBLE QUIZ:     Find a prophecy about Jesus in the book of Micah?
 
But thou, Beth-lehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Micah 5:2  Good job Pat King

__________________________________________________________________
 TODAY'S QUIZ;  Find a prophecy about Jesus in the book of Isaiah (Besides Isaiah 7:10-14)
__________________________________________________________________________________
NEWS!!!! 
IRMA TRAVELET VISITATION AND FUNERAL TODAY
Visitation- 9-11am
Funeral- 11am
Burial in Warrenton Cemetery Immediately following
 
(No luncheon)
 __________________________________________________________________________________________________
THIS WEEK'S WORSHIP SCHEDULE!!
Christmas Eve- 7pm
Christmas Day- 10am
Sunday, Dec. 27- 10 am
 
(Please note that there is no Saturday service and that there is only one service on Sunday with no Sunday school or adult Bible class.)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
 
 
HOPE FULL LIVING DEVOTIONS FOR SENIORS AVAILABLE TO ORDER FROM CHURCH FOR $8 FOR THE WHOLE YEAR!!
"Hope Full Living" is a daily devotional booklet just for seniors that Pastor contributes to.  He usually has one or two of his own devotions in it.  If we get 10 or more people to order it and each person gives $8 we can order them in bulk and have them mailed to church.  Order yours today by calling the church office!
_____________________________________________________________________________________
WARREN COUNTY COMMUNITY FITNESS CENTER IS BEGINNING NEW CLASS SESSIONS on JANUARY 4!!
They also have the gym open Monday-Friday 8am-7pm and Saturday 8am-noon.
 
It's in the old NIKE store in the mall. 
 
There are discounts for Senior and Kids.  Stop by to sign up today!
 
_________________________________________________________________________________
OPERATION BACKPACK FOR DECEMBER IS CANNED SOUP AND RAMEN NOODLES!!! 
Please help feed the less fortunate kids in Warrenton and Warren County, all of whom get two meals at school during the school week, but go hungry on weekends. 
____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 
OFFERING ENVELOPES ARE ON THE TABLE IN THE NARTHEX!!!
If you are a confirmed member of St. John's you have offering envelopes!  Take them home!  Put money in them!  And Bring them back as your offering to the Lord!
 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
UNMARKED BLUE ENVELOPE CONTRIBUTIONS ARE GOING TO THE BUILDING EXPANSION PROGRAM
If you'd like it to go to the DCE fund you need to mark it for that!  Please make sure you mark the ENVELOPE clearly for the DCE PROGRAM!

________________________________________________________________________________________
DO YOU HAVE A KROGER CARD?  ENROLL IT IN THE COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM!!!
Register it online www.krogercommunityrewards.com and have it swiped each time you shop to earn money for Little Lambs. 
__________________________________________________________________________________________
GENERAL PRAYERS:
For the family and friends of IRMA TRAVELET, as her visitation and funeral is today.
 
For DENISE SCHLESSELMANN as she is in need of more funding to continue her mission work in the Czech Republic.
 
For MARIANNE LINKE, who has been moved to Warrenton Manor and is receiving treatment and antibiotics for a very stubborn infection.
 
For CAL TAMELER as he deals with the reality that he has lost sight in his right eye. 
 
For the PANHORSTS as they have sold their house in Innsbrook and have moved to Chesterfield, and as soon as Don is done with chemotherapy treatments will be moving down to Florida permanently, that God would bless them in their new endeavors.  
 
For DONNNA LINDSEY'S DAD, as he has been moved to Lincoln County Nursing and rehab to recover from kidney troubles. 
 

Fwd: The Lutheran Hour: December 20, 2015 "The Gift in the Manger"





Sent via the Samsung GALAXY S®4 Active™, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone


-------- Original message --------
From: Lutheran Hour Ministries <lh_min@lhm.org>
Date: 12/19/2015 9:16 PM (GMT-06:00)
To: Jeremy Klaustermeier <revklaus@hotmail.com>
Subject: The Lutheran Hour: December 20, 2015 "The Gift in the Manger"

The Lutheran HourSend to a FriendFacebookTwitterVimeoBlogDonate

The Lutheran Hour

The Lutheran Hour Speakers B/W

Christmas greeting FY16 vertical banner_v2Sermon Text for December 20, 2015

"The Gift in the Manger" #83-16

Email Us button green








Presented on The Lutheran Hour on December 20, 2015
By Rev. Gregory Seltz, Lutheran Hour Speaker
(What Does the Incarnation of Jesus Mean?)
Copyright 2015 Lutheran Hour Ministries

The Lutheran Hour audio button

 

 

Text: Luke 2:8-12

There were shepherds living out in the fields keeping watch over their flocks at night and an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were terrified. But the angel of the Lord said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people for today in the City of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you. You will find a Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. There were shepherds living out in the fields keeping watch over their flocks at night and an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were terrified. But the angel of the Lord said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people for today in the City of David a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you. You will find a Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger (Luke 2:8-12).


Grace and mercy and Christmas peace be to all of you in Jesus' Name. Amen.

If you are going to have a big family celebration at Christmastime, it would be good for you to be there, wouldn't it? Right? If you're going to plan a trip that is the trip of a lifetime, if you go to the Holy Land to see these things, it would be good if you made it onto the plane and were on the ship, right?

It wouldn't be a family celebration if the family didn't come. It wouldn't be the trip of a lifetime if you weren't here presently seeing these things for yourself. Well, today we learn an even more incredible thing. We learn from the shepherds a lesson even more important than our being at the most precious family celebrations this time of year. We learn of the fact that there is a real presence of God in our lives. In fact, Christmas is the knowledge of the fact that God really came, that God is really here, that God is the One that makes our celebrations what they are. 

That's what Christmas is all about. Without Him, without His real presence, there is no good will. There is no peace. There is no forgiveness. There is no salvation. But with Him all of it is here for all people as a gift. 

The shepherds teach us that there is a Baby that each one of us must receive anew each Christmas. This story is absurd without the fact of the Baby who is Christ the Lord. 
Their message is romantic drivel without the Baby lying in swaddling clothes and Jesus, Baby Jesus, is not only the Reason for the season, He is the season and that's what we celebrate today So, you are privileged today as you listen. Your privilege is to come to worship the King of Kings, to come to the manger, and see that all this is here for yourself. Have you been to the manger lately? Well, come today and see and believe.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were terrified. Terrified. 

The angel comes. Jesus comes. And that's good news. Now amazingly He comes to shepherds. Now, think about it. We've heard some of this. In the ancient world the shepherd was about the dirtiest person you could be, right? He was ceremonially unclean. There wasn't enough soap, even if you got that good soap from the Dead Sea. There wasn't enough soap to really clean these guys; and metaphorically we see what the Bible is talking about here. They were not only unclean but in many ways they represent all of us. We're not only unclean on the outside, but we're also unclean on the inside. 

But you know what the Bible says? The Bible has a word even for those who are that dirty. You ready? Here it is. "But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us not because of the righteous things we had done but because of His mercy." He saved us through the washing of regeneration and the renewal of the Holy Spirit. You see God is no respecter of persons. He can wash anyone. 

Christ came. And that's good news. But they were afraid. Why were they so terrified? Why were they so terrified? Well, the shepherds, they knew who they were. They knew they were sinful people even among their peers. And the reality kind of hit them; they knew their unworthiness to receive this incredible thing. In fact, if you ever have that experience of something that powerful like the angels, that beautiful like the angels, what really is going to happen? You're going to sense your own unworthiness. Your own ugliness, if you will. 
But the great good news of the Bible is that not only does sin bring judgment, not only is sin really the breaking away from God, but God still comes for sinners with His beauty, with His grace, with His love, with His joy. 

Deep down, many of us, if we're honest today, if you're listening in, we have the same fear of the Lord. We have the same fear of His awesome presence and beauty. But if you're a shepherd listening in, God doesn't come to judge you eternally. He comes to save you even from yourself. 

Godly fear does not incapacitate us. Godly fear finally causes us not to rely on ourselves alone but to rely on Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior in all things. You might say it this way. The fear of God caused them to listen that day. It didn't incapacitate them; it turned them to listen to His message. God's invitation, then, overcame their fear. 

The angel said this, "Fear not, for behold I bring you good news for to you is born a Savior. He is Christ the Lord." So the angel invites them. He says "Journey to the manger and see what I'm talking about." And so what did they do? They ran to the manger. See, believers run. They receive the message and then they literally run to the message, and they run to that manger to see that good news that is there for them.

There is something more important this Christmas season than running to the store, than running to the party, than running even to the family celebration. The most important thing you can do this Christmas is what? Run to the manger and see the Gift that keeps on giving. 

So the shepherds, they said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about. Let's go. Let's see. Let's believe." 

Now that's the other point for you today. That's the point for all of us today, my friends. The good news that I'm talking about is not just for the shepherds back in the day. This good news is for us and for our salvation. That's the whole point of Christmas; that God comes, that God's part of life to bring His life to people like you and me. 

I like to say it this way; God's in the giving business and we're in the receiving business. Would you agree with me on that? That's really the message of the Bible. God's in the giving business, we're in the receiving business. God's in the giving business. He gives gifts to sinful people who have a real need. He gives gifts to sinners who don't deserve the gift but can have it in full measure. That's what the Bible is all about. 

In fact, if you start at the very beginning, God gave Adam and Eve in the middle of their disobedience and sin, He gave them a promise; a promise that would literally hold them and hold the generations who followed in their footsteps. 

God, then, began to fulfill that promise and He literally gave that promise a name. There was a baby born named Isaac to Abraham and Sarah, why? So that that promise would be rooted in history. And then God gave the Scriptures to continue to prophesy about this Messiah who would come to save His people. 

And in our reading today, God gave the shepherds a pronouncement from the angels that Jesus was born. God gave the Wise Men a star to direct them to this Jesus who was the King of Kings. And God gave the world through Mary the One Who was the Wonderful One, the Counselor, the Prince of Peace, the Mighty God, our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. God's in the giving business and we are in the receiving business by grace through faith.

So God's in the giving business through a manger to a cross for a resurrection life for all of us to receive and believe. So God came to shepherds and these shepherds received it, they believed it, and then they told everybody about it. This is not just good news for the night; this is good news for eternal life. And that's what we get to receive and share today. 

That's some gift receiving, gift giving that I think will make every Christmas celebration full of joy, right? That's a gift that makes life worth living. How do I know that? Well the Bible tells me so and so does Charlie Brown. Let me say that again; the Bible tells me so and so does Charlie Brown. 

You know about the Charlie Brown Christmas special, right? Do you know how that all came to be? The Charlie Brown Christmas special, which is a cultural phenomenon in America, it was back in the 1960s, a phenomenon named Peanuts was born. The guy's name was Charles Schultz and he began to write these story lines of simple characters, modest story lines, and it became a perfect placebo, they said, for millions looking for a dose of innocence in the craziness of the '60s. 

None of this was lost on Madison Avenue and they thought let's try to market this thing. Let's see if we can get something out of this. So they approached Charles Schultz, the creator of the comic strip, and they said, "Hey, we've got this idea. We'd like to do an animated Christmas special with your Peanuts characters. Would you do it?" What did Schultz say? "Absolutely!" 

So here it comes. He starts to get to work on the opening screenplay and here's some of the things that he said. The opening scene has Charlie Brown on his tiptoes peeking into his snow-covered mailbox hoping to find a Christmas card but to no avail. Feeling dejected, he stops by where? Not church, but Lucy's psychiatric booth to mourn the commercialism of Christmas. And Lucy agrees with him. 

Here's what she said. "Christmas is nothing but a lot of stupid toys, Charlie Brown. What we need is real estate." Do you remember that? CBS loved it. "Oh, this is great stuff." So, it keeps going on. The next scene Charlie Brown becomes further disillusioned as Snoopy is decorating his doghouse with strings of lights and gaudy decorations in hopes of winning the contest of the neighborhood. "Good grief," says Charlie Brown. CBS says, "That's great!" And they ate it up.

As the story progressed, Lucy sent Charlie to pick out a Christmas tree. You remember this, right? It's for the neighborhood pageant and the instructions are to find a big, shiny, aluminum tree, maybe painted pink. But Charlie couldn't do it. Instead he brought back a real, albeit small, pathetic, lifeless tree and the kids hated it. What did they say? "You blockhead, Charlie Brown." "That's really good," said CBS. 

They were loving every minute of it. And then finally Charlie said this, "What is Christmas about anyway?" And now you remember, right? Who steps up to the mic? Linus. He steps up to the mic and this is exactly what he says, "And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, 'Fear not. Behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hosts praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased.'"

"Hold everything!" said CBS. "Hold everything. You cannot recite Bible verses on national television, and especially the King James Version. You'll alienate our viewers," they said. "You'll chase away our advertisers." 

"The tree can stay," they said, "but the Bible has to go." Schultz stood firm. He said, "If I can't tell the Christmas story, then you can't have the Peanuts cast. If the Bible reading goes, so do they." 

Well, CBS looked at the fast-approaching deadline and they gulped, "Okay, it stays but we're going to pay a terrible, terrible, terrible price." And sure enough, on the night of the Charlie Brown Christmas Special, the CBS switchboard was flooded with calls from all around the country and everyone asked the same question, "When can we have more Charlie Brown Christmas specials?" And, of course, what did the CBS execs say? "You'll have them real soon." 

What a phenomena. It won an Emmy. It won a Peabody. That night a TV tradition was born. 50% of America tuned in to watch a Charlie Brown Christmas. TV Guide said this. They claim that Linus' reading of the Bible was one of the top 35 moments in television history. And Charlie Brown Christmas became the longest-running Christmas special on CBS. 

This story needs to be told. It came to shepherds and they couldn't stop telling it and we can't stop telling it either. If Charlie Brown can't stop telling it and Linus can't stop telling it, and there are people who still need to hear it. Also you and me, anyone listening today, the promise is given, but it's given for you. It's given for me. 

Have you been to the manger lately? It can change your life. In faith you can come to the manger. In faith you can lead a joyful life that only Jesus Christ can give. With faith in Him you can go back to your houses. You can go back to your families. Back to your friends. Your Savior has come and it makes all the difference in your life and it makes all the difference in the celebrations that you have now and forever. 

As I was closing with this, it just came to my mind again that this story is a story unlike any other in the world. I know there are other religions. I know there are other philosophies, but they're nothing like this. 

If you're listening today and you've never heard this message, hang in there with us. Come back every Sunday because I'm going to tell you the implications of this message for you. There is no other story like this. Think about it. When three kings come to a little Boy, He must be the King of Kings. When a message like this comes to shepherds who then run to a stable claiming a message from angels, running through streets praising God, they're either nuts unless there's the Lord of the Lords in that manger.

And when Herod, you know the story, when Herod slaughtered the infants because he heard there was a new King in town, well, he's nuts anyway. But the threat was real because Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

Come to His manger this Christmas. Receive the life and salvation that only He can give. Open that gift today because it will bless you forever. Why, He promises that to all who believe. In Jesus' Name. Amen. 




LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for December 20, 2015

Topic: What Does the Incarnation of Jesus Mean?

ANNOUNCER: The incarnation of Jesus. What does that mean? Pastor Gregory Seltz responds to questions. I'm Mark Eischer. Well, that's something we hear about a lot during the Christmas season. What does the incarnation of Jesus mean? 

SELTZ: Incarnation is a powerful reality taught in Scripture. So, let me ask you, Mark, how would you describe it? 

ANNOUNCER: Well, it's based on the Latin. It means to become flesh. I think I've heard you describe it as the 'enfleshment' of Jesus, His becoming human.

SELTZ: Well done. That's exactly right. Jesus, truly God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, becoming a human being.

ANNOUNCER: All right. So that's what the word incarnation literally means. But, what is its significance?

SELTZ: And, that's where we find the power of the term. The significance of the incarnation is huge. It can be summed up by John 3:16, that beautiful and concise summary of the Gospel: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life"(John 3:16 ESV). God loved us so much, He sent Jesus to become human in order to save us.

ANNOUNCER: How did His becoming human save us?

SELTZ: The answer to that question unfolds the Gospel message. The Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians, chapter two: "Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped ... He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross" (Philippians 2:5-9 ESV). Paul goes deeper with that significance of Jesus' humanity in 2 Corinthians 5. He says, "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV).

ANNOUNCER: So we see that Jesus humbled Himself by becoming a human being--but even more than that--He also willingly became sin itself for us.

SELTZ: Yes, Jesus became human like us, but He lived a perfect life. And incredibly, upon Him was placed all of our sin and imperfection, our faults and failures. Jesus was punished by God the Father in our place for our sin to save us from the consequences of our guilt, our disobedience, and our brokenness. He was that Sacrifice that saved us when He died on the cross.

ANNOUNCER: The writer of the book of Hebrews summed that up, that sacrifice, when he wrote: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin" (Hebrews 4:15-16 ESV). Hebrews 10 goes on to say that Jesus was the perfect sacrifice. It says "We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Hebrews 10:10 NIV).

SELTZ: That's a great verse. Those are great verses. They tell the significance of the incarnation of Jesus. It says, "We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus once for all." You see, Jesus became our Substitute. Where we failed, He succeeded. He became like us, but instead of sinning, He lived a perfect life in our place. 

ANNOUNCER: And, amazingly as the sinless Son of God, all of our sin was still placed upon Him and He took the punishment for it. 

SELTZ: Even more amazingly, Mark, He rose from the dead and His sacrifice was confirmed as acceptable before God the Father. Now God looks at each one of us, through faith in Jesus Christ, and He sees us perfect because all our sins have been paid for in Him.

ANNOUNCER: I guess you're really saying the incarnation of Jesus changes everything.

SELTZ: Without it, we would still be lost eternally. Only God Himself could save us. Only Jesus in the flesh, God in the flesh, could do that.

ANNOUNCER: Here we think of St. Paul's words in 1 Corinthians, chapter 15: "For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:21-23 ESV).

SELTZ: That's why Jesus is sometimes called the "Second Adam." He fixed, repaired, restored what the first Adam broke and so that incarnation shows us the remarkable love of God. If you are listening today, God Himself is inviting you to put your trust in Him, inviting you personally to have faith in the Savior who did pay for your sins, who rose from the dead. One day we will even see Him face to face. We will see the wounds that earned our grace. We will receive His physical embrace. But in the meantime, He is with us always even to the end of the age. 

ANNOUNCER: And that's the comfort, isn't it? That He is with us always, even to the end of the age. 

SELTZ: Exactly.

ANNOUNCER: Thank you, Pastor Seltz. This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.




Action in Ministry for December 20, 2015
Guest: Yvette Seltz

ANNOUNCER: You're listening to The Lutheran Hour and this is Action in Ministry. We're here back in the studio now with Pastor Gregory Seltz. I'm thinking about your travels to Israel and what it must have been like for you to preach today's sermon in the places where it all happened.

SELTZ: Yeah, seeing where Jesus walked, Mark, and taught, and spent time among His disciples; it impacts how I see the Scriptures and I know it did for all the people there. And then, of course, the account of how Christ came to earth as a Baby, wow! To see it.

ANNOUNCER: Well, as we look ahead to celebrating Christmas, let's take a glimpse at your life beyond the broadcast studio...

SELTZ: Okay.

ANNOUNCER: Would you please introduce for us today's special guest? 

SELTZ: Well, I'd love to. Being a pastor, to do it well, it's always great to have a wonderful helpmate and I have one; my wife Yvette. And Yvette, we've been married, what, thirty years now. 

Y. SELTZ: Thirty years.

SELTZ: She's my biggest fan. More importantly than that, she's also very wise counsel in my life and a great sounding board, and even much more, Mark.

ANNOUNCER: And Yvette, you also have a Master's Degree in Industrial Organizational Psychology. You're a PhD candidate in clinical psychology which enables you to be a real blessing to others as well. So, thank you for joining us today.

Y. SELTZ: Well, thank you, Mark, for having me here and also for saying that I'm a special guest because I really think I am. (laughter)

SELTZ: Yes you are, dear.

Y. SELTZ: Thank you. Thank you. 

ANNOUNCER: We're talking about Christmas today. Maybe you could share with us some of your favorite Christmas traditions? 

SELTZ: Very early on into our ministry, you have Christmas Eve and the specialness that goes on there. Yvette would say, "Let's have our own after it's all said and done." And so she'd tell me to take Devin home and we'd have a quiet time at the house. But here's what she did that made even that more special. She'd run to Bennigan's and get us a little food, but then what she would do before she came home was she would veer off and she would take some gifts to these folks who were working at the Village Inn. But what she did is she focused on them even that night. That night we needed together. And then she'd bring all that joy back to us and then we'd listen in our quiet time to Oh, Come, Oh, Come, Emmanuel by Mannheim Steamroller. And think about the fact that Christ was willing to do all this for us. And all I can tell you is that extra special thing of adding a little gift here and there for those who matter made such a difference into how I actually enjoyed Christmas.

Y. SELTZ: I think I'm particularly vulnerable. I'm aware of a lot of people that are by themselves during this time of year. I think police officers and health care workers; so just going and saying, "I see you and I thank you for everything you've done." It just fills you up because they're not expecting it.

SELTZ: They're not expecting it. They actually bring more joy to us in how they receive it, but it's part of our tradition.

ANNOUNCER: Now, Pastor Seltz, given your busy schedule during the year, how do you intentionally slow things down in order to focus on Christ and the real meaning of Christmas? Yvette, I'm sure you play a big role in that.

Y. SELTZ: I do. I play a tremendous role. (laughter)

SELTZ: Well, tell the young man about that, Dear. 

Y. SELTZ: Because he's constantly on the go and it's hard to pull him away from his work, but we have to make the most of the small moments we get; during family meals, evening prayers by the fire, playing music in the home, and just really refocusing on the things that are important in our family.

SELTZ: One of the things that she does that I try to do for myself too but she does it with me; and that is she'll send me a text of the Bible verse for the day that keeps me focused no matter what's going on. It gives me something else to think through.

Y. SELTZ: It's usually pretty relevant too.

SELTZ: Isn't that amazing. But the things she was just talking about; structuring time so that you're focusing on your family, those you love, as well as those you serve so that you don't get out of balance. 

ANNOUNCER: And in that way you maintain that connection between the two of you but also it's that connection that you have with Christ and His mission which is the reason you're out there being busy anyway.

Y. SELTZ: Absolutely.

SELTZ: Right. 
ANNOUNCER: Now, beyond the time crunch, Christmas is also a time where many people could be struggling with the loss of a loved one, a broken relationship, maybe a failed expectation; with your background in psychology, what would you say to those folks who are experiencing that kind of a Christmas? 

Y. SELTZ: The holidays do bring up a lot of emotions; melancholy, my grandmother would cry every Christmas.

ANNOUNCER: Why did she cry?

SELTZ: That's what I'm saying. She wasn't crying because of melancholy. She wasn't crying because of all the things we cry about. She was crying because Jesus had to die on the cross for her. And she thought of that on Christmas Day. 

Y. SELTZ: Every Christmas.

SELTZ: So it used to overwhelm her and I said that's what made her so special. Even there she was showing us; focus on Christ and then focus on another person because of Christ. 

Y. SELTZ: You know I think it's really an important time to sit and try to think about not to push those feelings away but to realize that they're there and to face them head-on. 

ANNOUNCER: Well, this is our Action in Ministry segment for today; to bless, to empower...

SELTZ: And to strengthen your life in Christ for others.

ANNOUNCER: And thank you, Pastor Seltz and Yvette, for being with us today giving us a glimpse of a Seltz family Christmas and we wish you and your family, including your daughter, Devin, a very blessed Christmas. 

Y. SELTZ: Thank you and Merry Christmas to everybody.

SELTZ: And I just want to extend a blessed Christmas from Yvette and from me to all of you who make Lutheran Hour possible. God be with you and your families today and always.





Music Selections for this program:


"A Mighty Fortress" arranged by Chris Bergmann. Used by permission.

"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)

"Come, Your Hearts and Voices Raising" From The Concordia Organist (© 2009 Concordia Publishing House)

 

 

Print this sermon
Sign up for LHM news Daily Devotions
Visit lutheranhour.org Change my email
Contact Us

 



subscribe / unsubscribe / sign-up for plain text / visit our website  

660 Mason Ridge Center Dr.
St. Louis, MO 63141
1-800-876-9880
www.lhm.org