Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN
“Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her; that you may nurse and be satisfied from her consoling breast; that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious abundance.” For thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip, and bounced upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice; your bones shall flourish like the grass; and the hand of the LORD shall be known to his servants, and he shall show his indignation against his enemies.” (Isaiah 66:10–14, ESV)
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
It began as barley a whisper… a faint sound at the very edge of perception… no one in the house even stirred… except mother. From the very first, before any sound at all had filled the ears of anyone else… she awoke crawled out of bed and began the trek to her infant’s room. So, by the time he was in full cry, with a voice much more than someone his size should be able to shout, mother was already crib side. Quickly she raised the infant to her arms, “Hey Billy, what’s the matter?” She said quietly, as she gathered him to herself. At first, he was inconsolable, and his screams echoed through the whole house. They filled the ears of his brothers and sisters, who muffled the sound with arms, blankets or pillows in an attempt to return to their dreams. But soon quiet was again restored as the rocking chair and the sweet sound of mother voice brought infant comfort. He was safe and warm, there in his mother’s arms, satisfied and at peace.
Oh, to be at peace… like a little child in its mother’s arms, satisfied at rest, warm and content…. at peace. But as much as peace is desired it, peace is seldom found. Maybe that’s why this image of peace is so powerful for us, because we seldom know this kind of peace when we are no longer able to lie in our mother’s arms… when we have grown too large to be cuddled there. There are other moments of peace in our lives, standing on a quiet beach listening to the waves rush the shore; Being alone in the forest when all is quiet except the sounds of nature; Sitting beside the bed of a sleeping child listening contentedly to the shallow echoes of breath. But, moments of peace are few, because the world, this world that we live in, is a world of conflict.
A world of conflict… every day in the newspaper you can read about war somewhere around the globe. War is the same everywhere. There are two groups of people in conflict. They have determined that their conflict is so great that the only means of resolution is the violent death of the other party. They have determined that the only resolution is to disrupt the peace… to arm themselves with the tools of death. Many people would say that the exact opposite of peace is war. When the images of war explode onto the news, the comfort of our mother’s arms is very inviting.
But conflict isn’t just found between nations at war. We find it even in the smallest communities. In fact, any gathering of people is often marked by disagreement that often disrupts the peace. Do we build a swimming pool or not? Should the cult group be allowed to build a compound? Should there be a group home in my neighborhood? Should taxes be raised or cut… but it isn’t just government? There is conflict where we work… a co-worker we don’t like… a manager that won’t allow time off, or demands overtime… Work that builds up so much you are afraid to take time off… Conflict also lives in our homes… family decisions are marred by arguments and unhappy resolutions. What household has children that don’t fight, and parents who are always forgiving? What man and wife have never fought about family finances? Conflict is laced in every aspect of our lives… our families, friendships, and even our Church. Disharmony is everywhere it affects every relationship we have. But not all the conflict is external. Many people have an internal struggle that far outweighs the discord between people. Internal struggle can fracture the human psyche. The wounds it can cause are even more devastating than disagreements between people. We all experience some of that disunity. We all struggle to do what we know is right and avoid what we know is wrong. Saint Paul described the struggle so well
For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.” (Romans 7:14–19, ESV)
When we think of these conflicts it is no wonder, we long for the comfort of our mother’s arms. That place where we can be comforted, safe from conflict, safe from trouble, and at peace.
All the disunity between nations, people, families, individuals, and even the internal struggles of people are really a sign, a window to an even greater more devastating division. Conflict, internal and external, is an image of the most serious human problem. All human beings have cut themselves off from God by their own sin. We are fractured people who are determined to conflict with the very one who made us, the one who designed us for a relationship with him. We have conflict with others, we can’t get along with other people; we conflict with ourselves; because we can’t get along with God. That is the real source of conflict in our lives.
This is where this image, given to us in our text, comes in. God says he will comfort us, brings us peace, like a mother does with her child. “I will extend peace like a river… as a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.” He extends his arms around us, pulls us to his breast where we are warm, safe and secure. There we find peace. There we find comfort. He ended the conflict with us, because we didn’t want to end it with him.
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, ESV)
It is amazing and somewhat ironic that the one who God sent to restore peace to the world, the prince of peace, restored our fractured relationship, our conflict, by means of a violent death. He endured internal and external conflict on the cross as he was rejected by the Father in our place. The separation that our sinful nature desired; the conflict we wished; for was focused on Jesus Christ. He endured it all instead of us. And because of that he brought about peace between us and our Heavenly Father. But this peace is more than just a peaceful, tranquil feeling. It’s more than a feeling of contentment that even unbelievers can feel. Jesus brings a peace the is a peace that exists even when we are in conflict. It’s a peace that exists even when we don’t feel peaceful.
The peace that Christ brings is like the peace between two warring parties. He declares the hostilities cease. But when peace is declared sometimes the sides don’t want to end the fighting. Because we still have the effects of sin in our lives, we don’t always want God’s peace. We struggle against it. But the war is over, Jesus Christ has won it and he has declared the peace. It is a peace that passes all our understanding. When we feel it, when we experience that peaceful feeling like we are wrapped in the Father’s arms we rejoice; but it is just as true when we don’t feel it. We are still even then, because of Christ, at peace with God.
God doesn’t promise that Christians won’t have conflict in their lives. Christians just like all people will have internal and external struggles. But God, through Jesus Christ, has done something about the most serious conflict. Because of Jesus suffering and death on the cross we are no longer in conflict with God. Because suffered the separation of that conflict we can enjoy the comfort the peace. That peace, whether we feel it or not, affects our whole lives. Our relationships to our families… our relationships to our friends… our relationships at work... Our relationships to our community. That peace earned for us through the death of Christ, has given us peace with God and has opened the way for us to be at peace with others.
And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15, ESV)
Billy sleeps quietly in his mother’s arms. He is at peace, comforted by his mother. The noise of discord is all but forgotten. She had come and brought him comfort. He is safe and warm; he is at peace.
The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. Amen.
Sermons and other writings by Rev. Jonathan C. Watt, Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN
Sunday, August 24, 2025
Sunday, August 17, 2025
Jeremiah 23:29; The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost; August 17, 2025;
Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;
When I was young, I saw a movie with Paul Neuman. Cool Hand Luke. It was a good movie, if not a bit controversial. Luke is shown working on a road chain gang breaking rocks under the hot sun. The trope is similar in many movies. The convict is given a hammer and told to break rocks. The task is daunting. Strike after strike the stone is pummeled, with no visible result. Suddenly after fifteen or so the rock shatters. But it wasn’t the last one that did the trick. Every strike weakened the structure of the stone until it bursts into pieces. Jeremiah says that’s how God’s Word works. It isn’t always a sudden strike of lighting that converts a person, but the effect over time. But it does work. That’s God’s promise.
In Jeremiah’s time, around the 6th and 7th Century BC, false prophets were proclaiming that everything would be just fine. Even though Israel was continually threatened by Babylon. From verse 17:
But, through Jeremiah, God made it clear. The dreams and visions were false. They contradicted God’s clear true word of his prophet. They were counterfeit when they said, “you will have peace.” Jeremiah told them it was different, and he suffered for his proclamation.
We see it today in the church. False prophets preach that you can see God’s blessing by external standards. If you are blessed with money or fame, if you feel good with your life and success you are obviously pleasing God. It bleeds in from the culture. Impressive work, visible goodness all equals God’s favor.
In fact, you can’t impress God with good works. Despite what our modern false prophets say. Good works are a result of faith; faith doesn’t grow because you do them. You can’t tell how God feels about you by physical blessings. God uses them for the benefit of all people. The only way to please God it through faith in Jesus Christ.
The Law is a hammer, Jeremiah says. It breaks apart the “rock” of pride in us. It destroys self-righteousness. It destroys the delusion of our false self-religion. We don’t like it. It destroys our delusions that good works do anything for our relationship to God.
There are two men. One man, an unbeliever, builds a hospital wing for children with cancer out of real compassion. Another man, a Christian, builds one to impress his wife. The world crowns the unbeliever the better man. But God looks for faith. Without faith it is impossible to please Him. With faith, even flawed works are covered in Christ’s righteousness. God sees it differently. In the final judgement the one without faith only receives God’s anger. “You have rejected my Son, get away from me.” And to the believer, “Your motives where sinful, but you are covered by the robe of righteousness won for you by my son. Enter the joy of your master. Well done, good and faithful servant.” Or simply from God’s own word,
The two men above reminds us that what seems good to the world isn’t worth anything in pleasing God. It is only faith. As Swedish Lutheran bishop and author Bo Gierts put it, the human heart is a rusty tin can on a junk heap, we are rescued only by God’s mercy.
This reminds me of the words of Bo Giertz, a Swedish Lutheran bishop and pastor. In his novel The Hammer of God, he paints a picture of what our hearts really are… In the booka young pastor says, “I have given Jesus my heart.” The older pastor responds,
The Hammer of God hurts, and we don’t like it. It smashes our idols, our moral comparisons, and our “good works” that we try to use as a bargaining chip with God. It exposes the truth about sin. It is much worse than we think. It is totally corrupting. Charles Spurgen, the noted preacher put it this way.
The hammer of God, his law, hurts, but don’t be afraid of it. Cherish it. When his law confronts your sin, it is God’s mercy at work. It shows us our sin. It is necessary to see how helpless we are so that we depend more on the work of Jesus. That’s what faith is, depending totally on Jesus for our salvation. In faith, then, we can live in thankful freedom. Knowing that our sin won’t keep us from God. Good works follow faith. They serve our neighbors in need. And God is pleased when they do just that. The law keeps us from holding up our sin filled works as a way to please him.
God’s Word is a hammer, a necessary one. Our hearts are stone that must be broken. There is nothing good in them, and we need that delusion shattered. But once the stone is broken, Christ steps in with His cross. He lifts the rusty tin can of our lives from the garbage heap, not because of what we bring, but because of His mercy. On the cross He bore every sin—yours, mine, the whole world’s—and in His resurrection He secured the victory no one can take away. Faith in Jesus isn’t about what you do for Him; it is about what He has already done for you. On the cross it is finished, and in Him your salvation is certain. Amen.
The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Is not my word like fire, declares the Lord, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29, ESV)Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
When I was young, I saw a movie with Paul Neuman. Cool Hand Luke. It was a good movie, if not a bit controversial. Luke is shown working on a road chain gang breaking rocks under the hot sun. The trope is similar in many movies. The convict is given a hammer and told to break rocks. The task is daunting. Strike after strike the stone is pummeled, with no visible result. Suddenly after fifteen or so the rock shatters. But it wasn’t the last one that did the trick. Every strike weakened the structure of the stone until it bursts into pieces. Jeremiah says that’s how God’s Word works. It isn’t always a sudden strike of lighting that converts a person, but the effect over time. But it does work. That’s God’s promise.
In Jeremiah’s time, around the 6th and 7th Century BC, false prophets were proclaiming that everything would be just fine. Even though Israel was continually threatened by Babylon. From verse 17:
They say continually to those who despise the word of the LORD, ‘It shall be well with you.’ (Jeremiah 23:17, ESV)The prophets proclaimed security, prosperity, and God’s blessing. Even for those who had rejected God.
But, through Jeremiah, God made it clear. The dreams and visions were false. They contradicted God’s clear true word of his prophet. They were counterfeit when they said, “you will have peace.” Jeremiah told them it was different, and he suffered for his proclamation.
We see it today in the church. False prophets preach that you can see God’s blessing by external standards. If you are blessed with money or fame, if you feel good with your life and success you are obviously pleasing God. It bleeds in from the culture. Impressive work, visible goodness all equals God’s favor.
In fact, you can’t impress God with good works. Despite what our modern false prophets say. Good works are a result of faith; faith doesn’t grow because you do them. You can’t tell how God feels about you by physical blessings. God uses them for the benefit of all people. The only way to please God it through faith in Jesus Christ.
And without faith it is impossible to please [God] (Hebrews 11:6a, ESV)It is the sin of pride that tells us we can work our way into God’s good graces.
The Law is a hammer, Jeremiah says. It breaks apart the “rock” of pride in us. It destroys self-righteousness. It destroys the delusion of our false self-religion. We don’t like it. It destroys our delusions that good works do anything for our relationship to God.
There are two men. One man, an unbeliever, builds a hospital wing for children with cancer out of real compassion. Another man, a Christian, builds one to impress his wife. The world crowns the unbeliever the better man. But God looks for faith. Without faith it is impossible to please Him. With faith, even flawed works are covered in Christ’s righteousness. God sees it differently. In the final judgement the one without faith only receives God’s anger. “You have rejected my Son, get away from me.” And to the believer, “Your motives where sinful, but you are covered by the robe of righteousness won for you by my son. Enter the joy of your master. Well done, good and faithful servant.” Or simply from God’s own word,
And without faith it is impossible to please [God] (Hebrews 11:6a, ESV)And in faith, it is impossible not to please God.
The two men above reminds us that what seems good to the world isn’t worth anything in pleasing God. It is only faith. As Swedish Lutheran bishop and author Bo Gierts put it, the human heart is a rusty tin can on a junk heap, we are rescued only by God’s mercy.
This reminds me of the words of Bo Giertz, a Swedish Lutheran bishop and pastor. In his novel The Hammer of God, he paints a picture of what our hearts really are… In the booka young pastor says, “I have given Jesus my heart.” The older pastor responds,
Do you consider that something to give Him? The heart is a rusty old can on a junk heap… But a wonderful Lord passes by, has mercy, sticks His cane through it, and takes it home with Him. That is how it is.The hammer of God’s law crushes that illusion, that we have anything of worth to offer God. The reality is quite different. We are a rusty tin can, we are rescued completely by grace.
The Hammer of God hurts, and we don’t like it. It smashes our idols, our moral comparisons, and our “good works” that we try to use as a bargaining chip with God. It exposes the truth about sin. It is much worse than we think. It is totally corrupting. Charles Spurgen, the noted preacher put it this way.
If any man thinks ill of you, do not be angry with him, for you are far worse than he thinks you to be. Charles Spurgen.Enter Jesus. He picks up the rusty tin can with his can and takes it home. It is a recuse from a hopeless situation. He forgives through his life, death on the cross, and his resurrection. You can do nothing to save yourself, any more than the tin can can remove itself from the junk heap. Forgiveness is the key. It is why he came. It is why he taught. It is why he allowed himself to be crucified. He takes our sin, all of it, and that punishment we deserve for our sin, on himself. His death is the only way it could be done. Any other way denies the total corruption of sin. Any other way denies our hopelessness, without Jesus.
The hammer of God, his law, hurts, but don’t be afraid of it. Cherish it. When his law confronts your sin, it is God’s mercy at work. It shows us our sin. It is necessary to see how helpless we are so that we depend more on the work of Jesus. That’s what faith is, depending totally on Jesus for our salvation. In faith, then, we can live in thankful freedom. Knowing that our sin won’t keep us from God. Good works follow faith. They serve our neighbors in need. And God is pleased when they do just that. The law keeps us from holding up our sin filled works as a way to please him.
God’s Word is a hammer, a necessary one. Our hearts are stone that must be broken. There is nothing good in them, and we need that delusion shattered. But once the stone is broken, Christ steps in with His cross. He lifts the rusty tin can of our lives from the garbage heap, not because of what we bring, but because of His mercy. On the cross He bore every sin—yours, mine, the whole world’s—and in His resurrection He secured the victory no one can take away. Faith in Jesus isn’t about what you do for Him; it is about what He has already done for you. On the cross it is finished, and in Him your salvation is certain. Amen.
The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Sunday, August 10, 2025
Hebrews 1:1-2; The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost; August 10, 2025;
Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Heb 11.1-2, ESV)
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
There once were two scientists who took a trip up a mountain. When they were there they discovered a baby eagle who had either lost its parents or been abandoned by them. They wanted to help the chick, but the only problem was that the eagle was on a ledge below the top of a very dangerous cliff. They asked the son of their guide if they could let him down by their rope to save it, he refused even when they offered him a large sum and quickly doubled the reward. But it was useless to argue he just wouldn’t do it. “Well, what do you propose we do to save the chick?” one of the men finally asked. “I’d be glad to rescue the bird for nothing if you let my dad hold the rope.” He said. Now no one would say that the boy lacked faith. The truth was he had great faith in his father, but he had no reason to trust the scientist. They had not built a basis for faith in the short time he had known them.
Our texts today are all about faith. And the common thread that seems to run through them is Abraham. Whenever the topic of faith comes up Abraham’s name is sure to be mentioned. But when we look at the Old Testament lesson closely we see that even this man of great faith had his doubts. That’s one of the great things about the bible. Even the heroes are real people like you and me. We can realize that if great men of faith had doubts, it should be well understood that we will have doubts too. Really what kind of faith did Abraham have? What was it about his faith that was so strong? I think we see it most clearly in an event that happened just after our OT Text and is talked about a few verses after the end of the Epistle lesson.
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
The story it self is given to us in Genesis 22.
After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”(Genesis 22:1-18, ESV)
Here is Abraham, the traveling man. He has no real place to call his own. He has no real place that he calls home. He has no connection to his past, his ancestors. God has already effectively taken that away. "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.” (Gen 12:1 NIV) that’s what God said to him and Abraham obeyed. God promised him he would be the father of a great nation, as many as the stars in the sky. But the stars didn’t even begin to come until Abraham was over 100 years old. And all along the way God had to continually remind him that his promises were still true. Abraham waited patiently. Finally, Isaac was born. His name means “laughter” maybe that has something to do with a new born baby in the care of an old man and old woman.
Now though, just after God seems to be making good on his promise He says to Abraham, “take this son… this only son, this one you’ve waited for so long, and go far away, a three-day walk, about forty miles. Kill him and offer him as a burnt offering. As you can imagine this is a real dilemma for Abraham. All of God’s promises are wrapped up in Isaac. God promised that his family would be as many as the stars in the sky. He promised that Isaac was the beginning of that promise. But the promise can only be true if Isaac is actually alive to have children. It would seem that God intends to bring Abraham to nothing at all. He will be a hopeless man with no past and no future. Still, in spite of what it seems, faithful Abraham takes no time to decide; in fact, his actions seem very deliberate. The account written for us here in the bible is very detailed. The scene is set in at daybreak. The donkey is saddled, the servants are gathered, wood for the sacrifice is cut, the ‘sacrifice’ is retrieved from bed, and off they go together on their three-day trek.
Finally, the destination is in view, the mountain of the sacrifice, the place where God has directed them. Here is where we see Abraham’s faith. He says something amazing to the servants. “You servants stay here,” he begins, “we will go to worship, and we will return to you.” In this statement we see what Abraham is thinking. He sees God’s test, he understands what God is saying, he believes in God’s promises. God promised that his descendents would come through Isaac he believed that that is how it will happen. No matter what happened on that mountain, Isaac would be returning with him. Here is the point that we really see what this test is all about, here already see the test and we see that Abraham has passed it. We see that Abraham has faith in God because God has already shown himself to be faithful. Abraham’s faith allows him to risk everything. That is what’s at stake here for him. Isaac’s life is the key to the promises God has made to Abraham. What God is asking through this test is this “do you believe in the promises or not.” Abraham believes… he has pushed aside hopelessness. The test is really already over. God could have sent them home, but something more needed to be done. God is about to show just how faithful he can be. Abraham goes through the motions. Isaac carries the wood; he carries the fire and the knife. He builds the altar; one eye on heaven, waiting for the sign to stop. He carefully arranges the wood, waiting for God to call it off. He turns to Isaac, binds him… places him on the alter… he takes the knife… raises it in the air… his muscles tense… pausing one more moment… then… at that frozen moment…
“Abraham! Abraham!”
“Here I stand.” He says. “I am right here, exactly where You’ve asked me to be, standing in faith knowing that it is not hopeless, knowing that you have not forgotten me, knowing that even if this knife takes my his son’s life Your promises are still true.“
“Do not harm the boy.” The angel replies. “The test is over.”
Here at the point of death, at the very knife-edge of the sacrifice, Abraham’s faith stands firmly in God’s faithfulness. Here Abraham stands firmly on the promises of God. That is what it means to have faith, to trust in God’s promises no matter how hopeless it seems. Abraham knew God would save Isaac; when he looked around he found that God had provided a replacement. Isaac’s replacement was more than just the ram caught in the brush. It was the seal in blood of the promises of God. It was the sure sign of God’s faithfulness.
I know what you are thinking… I know what you are saying to yourself… I just don’t have the kind of faith that can stand up in those situations. I just don’t have the faith moves mountains; the faith that survives the testing of God; Others have it, but not me… I don’t have what it takes to act in faith like Abraham did. I have character flaws. I have issues; a past that I can’t forget. I have sins that just won’t leave me.
Dear Christians, I’m here today to tell you that you do have that kind of faith. You have the same faith as Abraham had. Who was Abraham before God called him? He was no one special, he was an ordinary man who had his own share of doubts. When God called him he simply did what God asked. Not because Abraham was someone special, but because God is faithful. His faith grew because God tested him. He is an example to us not because of who he was or what he did, but because of what God did in him and who God is. Abraham had faith because God was faithful.
Whenever we worship we declare our faith in the one who is faithful. We take the time to recite the creed where we say, “I believe in God the Father Almighty… I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son… I believe in the Holy Spirit…” We confess the faith of our fathers; we confess the faith of Abraham. Just like Isaac’s replacement ram was God seal of his promises to Abraham. We have the blood of Jesus, which is the seal of God’s promise in his own blood. It is the seal of sins forgiven. Our Lord carried our sins to the top of a mountain, the knife of death was raised over him, but no angel came to stop it. He died and took the punishment for our sins as our replacement. He is faithful to do just as he promised. Here we are standing firmly in that promise. Just like Abraham our faith is tested. Our lives are filled with knife-edge events. Death creeps in unexpectedly and we are left lonely, afraid and hurting. The loss of a job brings a loss of independence, and doubt. The old way of doing things just doesn’t seem to work anymore and we can’t seem to get a hold on the new way. At work, at home, in the shop, the hospital and the funeral home, right where we are brought face to face with hopelessness, God asks “Do you believe in My promises, or not?”
It is at those knife-edge where we stand with no hope of our own that faith grows the most. Where human effort and reason fails… where there is no holding on to the past and nothing to look for in the future… where there is nowhere else to stand, we stand in faith, depending on the one who is faithful. Just like Abraham we say, “Here I stand, right where you want me to be. Trusting in your promises.” Faith like that doesn’t come to us because of who we are or what we have done; just like Abraham, it comes to us because of what God has done and who he is. We have faith in Him because He is faithful.
When the testing is over, on the drive home from the funeral, walking away from the hospital bed, remembering the words of comfort and healing, when there is no threatening knife, we realize that our faith has grown. We see that we have come even closer to God than we thought possible. He has shown himself to be faithful once again, and more than ever before we believe in his promises.
Amen. The Peace that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Heb 11.1-2, ESV)
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
There once were two scientists who took a trip up a mountain. When they were there they discovered a baby eagle who had either lost its parents or been abandoned by them. They wanted to help the chick, but the only problem was that the eagle was on a ledge below the top of a very dangerous cliff. They asked the son of their guide if they could let him down by their rope to save it, he refused even when they offered him a large sum and quickly doubled the reward. But it was useless to argue he just wouldn’t do it. “Well, what do you propose we do to save the chick?” one of the men finally asked. “I’d be glad to rescue the bird for nothing if you let my dad hold the rope.” He said. Now no one would say that the boy lacked faith. The truth was he had great faith in his father, but he had no reason to trust the scientist. They had not built a basis for faith in the short time he had known them.
Our texts today are all about faith. And the common thread that seems to run through them is Abraham. Whenever the topic of faith comes up Abraham’s name is sure to be mentioned. But when we look at the Old Testament lesson closely we see that even this man of great faith had his doubts. That’s one of the great things about the bible. Even the heroes are real people like you and me. We can realize that if great men of faith had doubts, it should be well understood that we will have doubts too. Really what kind of faith did Abraham have? What was it about his faith that was so strong? I think we see it most clearly in an event that happened just after our OT Text and is talked about a few verses after the end of the Epistle lesson.
By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
The story it self is given to us in Genesis 22.
After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”(Genesis 22:1-18, ESV)
Here is Abraham, the traveling man. He has no real place to call his own. He has no real place that he calls home. He has no connection to his past, his ancestors. God has already effectively taken that away. "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.” (Gen 12:1 NIV) that’s what God said to him and Abraham obeyed. God promised him he would be the father of a great nation, as many as the stars in the sky. But the stars didn’t even begin to come until Abraham was over 100 years old. And all along the way God had to continually remind him that his promises were still true. Abraham waited patiently. Finally, Isaac was born. His name means “laughter” maybe that has something to do with a new born baby in the care of an old man and old woman.
Now though, just after God seems to be making good on his promise He says to Abraham, “take this son… this only son, this one you’ve waited for so long, and go far away, a three-day walk, about forty miles. Kill him and offer him as a burnt offering. As you can imagine this is a real dilemma for Abraham. All of God’s promises are wrapped up in Isaac. God promised that his family would be as many as the stars in the sky. He promised that Isaac was the beginning of that promise. But the promise can only be true if Isaac is actually alive to have children. It would seem that God intends to bring Abraham to nothing at all. He will be a hopeless man with no past and no future. Still, in spite of what it seems, faithful Abraham takes no time to decide; in fact, his actions seem very deliberate. The account written for us here in the bible is very detailed. The scene is set in at daybreak. The donkey is saddled, the servants are gathered, wood for the sacrifice is cut, the ‘sacrifice’ is retrieved from bed, and off they go together on their three-day trek.
Finally, the destination is in view, the mountain of the sacrifice, the place where God has directed them. Here is where we see Abraham’s faith. He says something amazing to the servants. “You servants stay here,” he begins, “we will go to worship, and we will return to you.” In this statement we see what Abraham is thinking. He sees God’s test, he understands what God is saying, he believes in God’s promises. God promised that his descendents would come through Isaac he believed that that is how it will happen. No matter what happened on that mountain, Isaac would be returning with him. Here is the point that we really see what this test is all about, here already see the test and we see that Abraham has passed it. We see that Abraham has faith in God because God has already shown himself to be faithful. Abraham’s faith allows him to risk everything. That is what’s at stake here for him. Isaac’s life is the key to the promises God has made to Abraham. What God is asking through this test is this “do you believe in the promises or not.” Abraham believes… he has pushed aside hopelessness. The test is really already over. God could have sent them home, but something more needed to be done. God is about to show just how faithful he can be. Abraham goes through the motions. Isaac carries the wood; he carries the fire and the knife. He builds the altar; one eye on heaven, waiting for the sign to stop. He carefully arranges the wood, waiting for God to call it off. He turns to Isaac, binds him… places him on the alter… he takes the knife… raises it in the air… his muscles tense… pausing one more moment… then… at that frozen moment…
“Abraham! Abraham!”
“Here I stand.” He says. “I am right here, exactly where You’ve asked me to be, standing in faith knowing that it is not hopeless, knowing that you have not forgotten me, knowing that even if this knife takes my his son’s life Your promises are still true.“
“Do not harm the boy.” The angel replies. “The test is over.”
Here at the point of death, at the very knife-edge of the sacrifice, Abraham’s faith stands firmly in God’s faithfulness. Here Abraham stands firmly on the promises of God. That is what it means to have faith, to trust in God’s promises no matter how hopeless it seems. Abraham knew God would save Isaac; when he looked around he found that God had provided a replacement. Isaac’s replacement was more than just the ram caught in the brush. It was the seal in blood of the promises of God. It was the sure sign of God’s faithfulness.
I know what you are thinking… I know what you are saying to yourself… I just don’t have the kind of faith that can stand up in those situations. I just don’t have the faith moves mountains; the faith that survives the testing of God; Others have it, but not me… I don’t have what it takes to act in faith like Abraham did. I have character flaws. I have issues; a past that I can’t forget. I have sins that just won’t leave me.
Dear Christians, I’m here today to tell you that you do have that kind of faith. You have the same faith as Abraham had. Who was Abraham before God called him? He was no one special, he was an ordinary man who had his own share of doubts. When God called him he simply did what God asked. Not because Abraham was someone special, but because God is faithful. His faith grew because God tested him. He is an example to us not because of who he was or what he did, but because of what God did in him and who God is. Abraham had faith because God was faithful.
Whenever we worship we declare our faith in the one who is faithful. We take the time to recite the creed where we say, “I believe in God the Father Almighty… I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son… I believe in the Holy Spirit…” We confess the faith of our fathers; we confess the faith of Abraham. Just like Isaac’s replacement ram was God seal of his promises to Abraham. We have the blood of Jesus, which is the seal of God’s promise in his own blood. It is the seal of sins forgiven. Our Lord carried our sins to the top of a mountain, the knife of death was raised over him, but no angel came to stop it. He died and took the punishment for our sins as our replacement. He is faithful to do just as he promised. Here we are standing firmly in that promise. Just like Abraham our faith is tested. Our lives are filled with knife-edge events. Death creeps in unexpectedly and we are left lonely, afraid and hurting. The loss of a job brings a loss of independence, and doubt. The old way of doing things just doesn’t seem to work anymore and we can’t seem to get a hold on the new way. At work, at home, in the shop, the hospital and the funeral home, right where we are brought face to face with hopelessness, God asks “Do you believe in My promises, or not?”
It is at those knife-edge where we stand with no hope of our own that faith grows the most. Where human effort and reason fails… where there is no holding on to the past and nothing to look for in the future… where there is nowhere else to stand, we stand in faith, depending on the one who is faithful. Just like Abraham we say, “Here I stand, right where you want me to be. Trusting in your promises.” Faith like that doesn’t come to us because of who we are or what we have done; just like Abraham, it comes to us because of what God has done and who he is. We have faith in Him because He is faithful.
When the testing is over, on the drive home from the funeral, walking away from the hospital bed, remembering the words of comfort and healing, when there is no threatening knife, we realize that our faith has grown. We see that we have come even closer to God than we thought possible. He has shown himself to be faithful once again, and more than ever before we believe in his promises.
Amen. The Peace that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Sunday, August 03, 2025
Colossians 3:1-11; The Eighth Sunday after Pentecost; August 3, 2025;
Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;
I blame the refrigerator. I put stuff in, and it goes bad. It’s supposed to keep it for later, but later never seems to come. When I finally get around to wanting it, it’s bad. The drawer in there that’s called the vegetable crisper, is really a vegetable rotter. The mold in some of the containers has become self-aware. I moved a container of milk to get a Dr. Pepper, and it said “Excuuuse me!” I’ve taken to asking some of the containers questions, like I ask Alexa. In some cases, they know more. Last night, I was awakened from sleep by a racket in the fridge, like the mold and rotten milk heard it was Fisherman’s Picnic and were partying like tourists.
If you want a clean refrigerator, you must clean it out. You must get rid of the old stuff, either by keeping up with eating leftovers, or you’ve got to throw it out, you’ve got to put the rotten stuff “to death”.
It is true in your Christian life. That’s what Paul is talking about here. He is talking about living a baptismal life.
He gives an example in himself,
It’s a bit like cleaning out my fridge. It’s not hard to tell what needs to go. God’s law, his Word, identifies what is sinful. You’ve heard that before. The law shows us our sin, like looking in a mirror, when you look into it you see your zits, blemishes and bad hair. When you open a container in the fridge, if a bad smell fills the kitchen, you know it’s bad.
Paul makes a list;
The cross shows us just how serious sin in our lives is. Our sinful nature can’t be defeated without a death. The Old Adam deserves death. He deserves hell. He deserves the wrath of God.
But there is more to the cross than only punishment. It is that surely. Christ is punished for the sins of our Old Adam. The cross is also our only means of salvation. On the cross Jesus takes our punishment. All of them, both small and great. Daily repentance is our means of returning to the cross. It is the reason why we begin most of our worship services with it. Listen to our confession again, listen for how broad it is, it covers sin that lives in our Old Adam, the Absolution points to the only means of his death.
Paul uses very specific language in our text. “put to death” νεκρώσατε (nekrōsate). It means to kill it dead, completely. He is talking about an active murder. He doesn’t say, manage it, or compromise with it. We see this in Christians who protect their pet sin by saying things like, “I know it’s wrong, but I also know God wants me to be happy.” The truth is you can’t do the killing. It isn’t something human beings can’t accomplish. It is accomplished by God through Holy Baptism and daily repentance. It happens daily through the work of the Holy Spirit’s work in the Word of God. From Romans 8(:13).
When Paul says, “put on” ἐνδύσασθε (endýsasthe) he is showing us the way. A literal definition is “sink into the garment”. You could say “sink into the water of Holy Baptism and the garment given”. He is suggesting a change of clothes. You have already been given the garment in your conversion to Christ, put it on every day!
Luther often describes the Christian life as wearing a Christ-like garment, a robe of righteousness. That is Jesus’ righteousness. And just like you put on clean cloths every day (or you should anyway), you do put on Christs’ robe of righteousness by returning to your Baptism every day.
The bad stuff in my fridge is my fault. There is no way around it. If you want a clean refrigerator, you must get rid of what’s bad. You must make room for more stuff to save for later. That’s the Christian life also. It’s your fault that sin lives in you. You can’t move forward toward a better life with all that bad stuff there. But there is a difference. I can clean out my fridge, it just takes stopping the procrastination. But you can’t remove the sin in your life. The Old Adam will be with you until you die. He will always push you away from God. But there is something you can do. You are doing it right now, right here. Open your ears and hear God’s Word of law and gospel. Listen when the law convicts you. Repent when you recognize the sin described as yours. Return to your baptism daily. Plead to God for forgiveness, he is faithful he will forgive.
And don’t forget. There is more you can do. When God makes his altar call, “This is my body… This is my blood….” Come to his supper and receive forgiveness, life and salvation. There is no better way to be sure that Jesus Christ died for you than to receive him through the bread and wine of Holy Communion.
The Word, the Water and the Bread and Wine are the Holy Spirit at work. He is removing your sin. He is prompting you to be better in your life. He cleans out your rottenness, your spoiled food. He is at work every day calling you to live in your Baptism. He is showing you, prompting you to serve your neighbor. And when you fail, he is there, not to condemn but to forgive, encourage and live in your Baptismal, Christian life. Amen.
The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.” (Colossians 3:1–11, ESV)Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
I blame the refrigerator. I put stuff in, and it goes bad. It’s supposed to keep it for later, but later never seems to come. When I finally get around to wanting it, it’s bad. The drawer in there that’s called the vegetable crisper, is really a vegetable rotter. The mold in some of the containers has become self-aware. I moved a container of milk to get a Dr. Pepper, and it said “Excuuuse me!” I’ve taken to asking some of the containers questions, like I ask Alexa. In some cases, they know more. Last night, I was awakened from sleep by a racket in the fridge, like the mold and rotten milk heard it was Fisherman’s Picnic and were partying like tourists.
If you want a clean refrigerator, you must clean it out. You must get rid of the old stuff, either by keeping up with eating leftovers, or you’ve got to throw it out, you’ve got to put the rotten stuff “to death”.
It is true in your Christian life. That’s what Paul is talking about here. He is talking about living a baptismal life.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (v3)He’s building on what he said in Chapter 2.
…having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him… (Col 2:12-13, ESV)And in Romans,
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? (Romans 6:3, ESV)Being baptized into Christ, means that that Old Adam, your sinful nature, has been killed, drowned to death. You have been crucified with Christ.
He gives an example in himself,
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. (Galatians 2:20, ESV)If Paul is correct (and he is!), he is telling us what it means to live a baptismal life, a Christian life. “Put on the new self!”, Live life as a Baptized child of God. Being a Christian means that Christ on the cross is the power and pattern for transformation from the old self, to the new one.
It’s a bit like cleaning out my fridge. It’s not hard to tell what needs to go. God’s law, his Word, identifies what is sinful. You’ve heard that before. The law shows us our sin, like looking in a mirror, when you look into it you see your zits, blemishes and bad hair. When you open a container in the fridge, if a bad smell fills the kitchen, you know it’s bad.
Paul makes a list;
sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatryChristians recognize all these as works of Satan and his worldly forces. But the sins of the flesh are not always so big. From CS Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters.
“You will say that these are very small sins … But do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from [the Enemy] God. … Murder is no better than cards … Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope…”Paul is warning that unchecked sins, small and great, are a pathway away from the Christian life toward God’s just judgement. It is a fair warning, because we are all still living in our sin.
The cross shows us just how serious sin in our lives is. Our sinful nature can’t be defeated without a death. The Old Adam deserves death. He deserves hell. He deserves the wrath of God.
But there is more to the cross than only punishment. It is that surely. Christ is punished for the sins of our Old Adam. The cross is also our only means of salvation. On the cross Jesus takes our punishment. All of them, both small and great. Daily repentance is our means of returning to the cross. It is the reason why we begin most of our worship services with it. Listen to our confession again, listen for how broad it is, it covers sin that lives in our Old Adam, the Absolution points to the only means of his death.
Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
Pastor: Almighty God, in His mercy, has given His Son to die for you and, for His sake, forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the✠ Son and of the Holy Spirit.It harkens back to your Baptism. We plead to God for forgiveness, because we have been baptized. And he answers, “you are forgiven.” It is exactly what Paul means when he says,
Consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus (v. 11).The death of the self, the Old Adam, is spiritually real. It is based on God’s promises that are given to you in Holy Baptism.
Paul uses very specific language in our text. “put to death” νεκρώσατε (nekrōsate). It means to kill it dead, completely. He is talking about an active murder. He doesn’t say, manage it, or compromise with it. We see this in Christians who protect their pet sin by saying things like, “I know it’s wrong, but I also know God wants me to be happy.” The truth is you can’t do the killing. It isn’t something human beings can’t accomplish. It is accomplished by God through Holy Baptism and daily repentance. It happens daily through the work of the Holy Spirit’s work in the Word of God. From Romans 8(:13).
…if by the Spirit you put to death (θανατοῦτε) the deeds of the body, you will live. (Romans 8:13, ESV)And in Galatians
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. (Galatians 5:24, ESV)The putting to death, the murder of the Old Adam happens at the cross and is propelled to Christians through our connection to Christ in Holy Baptism. And activated by daily repentance.
When Paul says, “put on” ἐνδύσασθε (endýsasthe) he is showing us the way. A literal definition is “sink into the garment”. You could say “sink into the water of Holy Baptism and the garment given”. He is suggesting a change of clothes. You have already been given the garment in your conversion to Christ, put it on every day!
Luther often describes the Christian life as wearing a Christ-like garment, a robe of righteousness. That is Jesus’ righteousness. And just like you put on clean cloths every day (or you should anyway), you do put on Christs’ robe of righteousness by returning to your Baptism every day.
The bad stuff in my fridge is my fault. There is no way around it. If you want a clean refrigerator, you must get rid of what’s bad. You must make room for more stuff to save for later. That’s the Christian life also. It’s your fault that sin lives in you. You can’t move forward toward a better life with all that bad stuff there. But there is a difference. I can clean out my fridge, it just takes stopping the procrastination. But you can’t remove the sin in your life. The Old Adam will be with you until you die. He will always push you away from God. But there is something you can do. You are doing it right now, right here. Open your ears and hear God’s Word of law and gospel. Listen when the law convicts you. Repent when you recognize the sin described as yours. Return to your baptism daily. Plead to God for forgiveness, he is faithful he will forgive.
And don’t forget. There is more you can do. When God makes his altar call, “This is my body… This is my blood….” Come to his supper and receive forgiveness, life and salvation. There is no better way to be sure that Jesus Christ died for you than to receive him through the bread and wine of Holy Communion.
The Word, the Water and the Bread and Wine are the Holy Spirit at work. He is removing your sin. He is prompting you to be better in your life. He cleans out your rottenness, your spoiled food. He is at work every day calling you to live in your Baptism. He is showing you, prompting you to serve your neighbor. And when you fail, he is there, not to condemn but to forgive, encourage and live in your Baptismal, Christian life. Amen.
The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.