Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Transfiguration of Our Lord; March 2, 2025;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

1Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, 2all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, 3the Negeb, and the Plain, that is, the Valley of Jericho the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. 4And the Lord said to him, “This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there.” 5So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord, 6and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor; but no one knows the place of his burial to this day. 7Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated. 8And the people of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days. Then the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended. 9And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. So the people of Israel obeyed him and did as the Lord had commanded Moses. 10And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, 11none like him for all the signs and the wonders that the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, 12and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of all Israel. Deuteronomy 34:1-12 (ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

The American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer.” Over the past few years we’ve begun to view some emergency workers, like firemen and paramedics, and soldiers as heroes, and that’s very good and long overdue. At first, I was going to start this sermon by saying, “Everyone needs a hero.” But, as I was doing some research, I found out the really, here in America, we don’t have any heroes anymore. James Patterson and Peter Kim say in their book The Day America Told the Truth that 70 percent of Americans have no living heroes. So, that kind of killed my first premise. It’s sad, in a way, because one of the important things about heroes is the desire to be like them. The desire to do what they do and do it well. Call it inspiration, or leadership.

On the other hand, maybe it’s not that we don’t need heroes, maybe we just don’t have them. Well, the bible is full of heroes. If you’re looking for a hero maybe, you could go there. Just look at Samson, who was so strong he brought down a whole building with his bare hands. Or Isaiah who preached, and preached, and preached, even though almost everyone ignored everything he said. Job who endured more suffering in his single life than most collections of a hundred people. Or St. Paul, who went from God’s enemy to His greatest preacher, and endured beatings and imprisonment for bringing God’s message.

What makes a hero a hero? Is it merely a matter of timing, a matter of 5 minutes as Emerson says? How do these heroes of the bible become such strong heroes? And since we do have so many, and heroes are to be emulated, how is it that we do that?

Well, let’s consider a biblical example. Really the first and arguably one of the most important biblical heroes is Moses. That’s what our text is about: And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses…

Moses was a hero. Maybe we don’t think of that at first but certainly the people of Israel always viewed him that way. And for good reason, just look at his list of qualifications. He knew God face to face. He talked directly to God, spoke his mind and even changed God’s mind about punishing the people. He had God’s trust, too. God spoke to him directly and clearly. And he saw God’s glory. Now that’s heroic, considering everyone else in the world would have dropped down dead on the spot. Now on top of all of that there was

none like him for all the signs and the wonders that the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

That’s clearly hero status.

But there’s another side to this hero, too. First, remember his beginning, that crying baby floating helplessly in a raft / bassinet. And he was nursed by a hired hand. That’s a very unsure beginning for a hero. And look at this passage that is written in Numbers 12:3:

Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth. (Numbers 12:3, ESV)

And in case you are wondering what the word “meek” means Webster says it means

“soft”; “deficient in spirit and courage : SUBMISSIVE” AND “not violent or strong : MODERATE”

And in the end, God didn’t even let him into the land he promised the people because Moses had gotten angry and sinned against God. That doesn’t sound much like a hero, does it?

Actually, it looks like Moses was a pretty ordinary man. Actually, that first quote by Emerson,

“A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave five minutes longer,”

might seem to fit Moses well. Really, in Moses’ case, the difference isn’t time, but the difference is God. God is the one who enabled this ordinary man named Moses to do such great things. God chose him, selected him out for God’s own purposes. And don’t forget the sin. Moses was a sinful man just like you and me. His sin prevented him from entering the Promised Land. Moses was both an ordinary man and a sinful man. And yet, God used him in big ways, to accomplish what God wanted done. God’s power and purpose made Moses a hero of faith.

Are you and I “hero material?” Well, just like Moses we are ordinary people. Some of us are meek, quiet and reserved. Some of us are bold and assertive. But we are all human beings with varied gifts and varied strengths and varied weaknesses. And most important to remember, we have all sinned against God in many ways (and often!). I’m sure you’ve heard the prayer:

Dear Lord, So Far Today God, I've Done Alright. I Haven't Gossiped, Lost My Temper, Been Greedy, Grumpy, Nasty, Selfish Or Over-Indulged. I'm Very Thankful For That, But In A Few Minutes I'm Going To Get Out Of Bed, And Then I Really going to Need Your Help. Amen.

We laugh because it’s true. But really, we even sin in our sleep, we can’t help it because sin is a part of our nature. The question for us today is, “if we are so ordinary and so sinful can God use us like He used Moses?” and the rational answer is “No! of course not!” Who among us sitting here could ever possibly live up to a hero like Moses? But the real answer has nothing to do with logic or rational thought. The real point is not who we are but who God is. The real point is not our abilities, but God’s power. God is the one who raises up people to do His will. He chooses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. But even when we are raised up, we still miss the mark that He requires, we still fall far short of His expectations.

There is someone we are told about in the bible who is a real hero. Jesus did what no human being could ever do. He lived up to God’s every expectation perfectly. So perfectly, in fact, that because of His perfect life, you and I are forgiven of our imperfections. Because He took our sin to the cross and was punished there for us, and He is even a hero over death. He beat it by rising again. It is the life, death and resurrection of our Hero, Jesus that gives us life and salvation! In Jesus, we see God face to face, just like Moses did. We see Him right here in His Word and in His very presence in Body and Blood in Holy Communion. In Christ we can bear God’s presence, He is with us in this place just as He promised to be whenever we gather in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In Jesus Christ we, even though we live in sin every day, even though we regularly miss the mark, we are brought to God in clean and transfigured robes of perfection. It’s not our perfection but the perfection of Jesus, given to us in Baptism.

So, to that list of Heroes of Faith that I made earlier, you know, David, Samson, Job, Isaiah, you may as well add your name to that list. Because you and I are heroes of the faith. Hey, it’s not because of our own strength or power, it’s not because of anything here in our hearts. It’s because of the Real Hero. It’s because of Jesus who stood on the mountain shining like the sun and took His road to the cross to remove our sin. He was transfigured in glory and leaves that mountain to complete His work for us. When we fall, He picks us up. When our strength fades, He gives His to us. When we fail, He forgives and embraces us.

That means that no matter what, in everything you do, you can be a hero. But you’re a hero not because you’ve got the strength to do it but because Jesus has chosen you and works in you in the things you do every day.

Heroes of the Faith are heroes because of Jesus has done His work and gives us His power through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The peace that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Deuteronomy 18:15–20; The Fourth Sunday of Epiphany; February 1, 2015;

 

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston & Mount Ayr;

“The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— just as you desired of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ And the LORD said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’” (Deuteronomy 18:15–20, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen

But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.

Now there’s a sticky wicket. I’m not sure I like the sound of that at all. Sure it’s true that when I prepare a sermon I first have to figure out how the text applies to me, but this… well, it’s pretty obvious. And it is most serious. And it is speaking most directly to pastors… that’s me. But not just me.

We live in a country that has loads of denominations, and more every year. New little clusters of churches pop up with all kinds of different beliefs. Most of them say that doctrine, that is, what a church teaches, isn’t really all that important. In fact, you probably have friends and neighbors and relatives that say that. Or maybe you even think that it’s true. Most of these other churches / denominations / people say it’s how you feel about Jesus that’s really the key thing. What Jesus and his apostles taught is important, but not as important as what you feel about God, what you feel in your heart to be true. That is in spite of what Jesus says in Matthew 28:19-20 (which happens to be our Mission statement).

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”” (Matthew 28:19–20, ESV)

Now, I want you to understand, it is good for you to have feelings about God and what he has done for you in Jesus Christ. It’s important to live out your faith with feeling, confidence, passion, and compassion. But faith comes through the hearing of God’s Word and the Sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion, not feelings that come up. Faith is created and grows as a result of the teaching of everything that Jesus taught.

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:14–17, ESV)

Now, I’m sure you’ve heard that we Christians in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod over-emphasize correct doctrine. I think it is true that we focus on doctrine / teaching more than any other denomination in the U. S. We have a written confession that emphasizes it. It’s called the Book of Concord. It spells out what we believe, teach and confess in great detail. Whenever you have a new pastor installed here, he promises to teach according to it. And you promise to support him in that effort. We get the rep of being legalistic. Most other Christians and maybe even some of you think that Closed Communion is over the top legalism. But practicing correct doctrine / teaching isn’t legalistic, really. It is being faithful to the Gospel that Jesus taught. We teach what he taught very carefully, because he died for us on the cross, and he rose again from death. He saved us from sin, death and Satan. So we want to do what he has told us to do. We want to teach what he told us to teach. We pray for this very thing every time we say the Lord’s Prayer. Luther explains the First Petition: Hallowed be Thy Name.

How is God’s name kept holy? God’s name is kept holy when the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we, as the children of God, also lead holy lives according to it. Help us to do this, dear Father in heaven! But anyone who teaches or lives contrary to God’s Word profanes the name of God among us. Protect us from this, heavenly Father! (LSB 323)

And notice how Luther sticks that prayer in the explanation that asks doubly for this to be done among us.

And, in 25 of the 27 books of the New Testament, there are specific instructions to beware of fals teachers and prophets. (Matthew 7:15, Mark 13:22, Acts 20:28ff, Ephesians 4:14–15, 1 Timothy 1:3, Hebrews 13:9, 2 Peter 2:1, 1 John 4:1) Not to mention that the first sin was doubting what God said. Satan asked Eve, “Did God really say?” Not taking what God teaches to be true is literally the oldest sin in the book.

Now there’s lots of pressure on pastors these days. Well, the truth is, it has always been so. God’s Word calls upon pastors to be faithful to teach what God says. Just look at the text for today for an example. Pastors are to teach carefully with humility, love and gentleness. (2 Timothy 2:24-25, Galatians 6:1, Ephesians 4:15, 1 Peter 3:15) And it is, in fact, the duty of the whole church to teach while at the same time doing it with gentleness and love. There is no excuse for being harsh.

So, who are you supposed to know if your pastor, or some television preacher for that matter is teaching according to God’s Word? How do you know if anyone who claims to be God’s teacher is not a false prophet? It is very important for you all to know what God’s Word actually teaches. You hear it read hear every Sunday. You have a bible at home. Bibles are to be read and studied. You actually pay me to read to you and teach you. I spend a great deal of time preparing Sunday morning bible study that most of you have never attended. You officers and board members really have no excuse. You are leaders of the congregation and you should be in bible classes. But there is more than that. Every Sunday we confess our faith together in one of the Creeds. They are a ruler you can lay beside anything a teacher says and decide whether he is teaching God’s Word. I quote Luther’s Small Catechism all the time in my teaching and preaching. You memorized it in confirmation. It also is a ruler for teaching. Do you regularly review it with your family? You should do that, too.

Now this text from Deuteronomy isn’t just about your pastor and other people who claim to teach God’s Word. In fact, it is about much more than that. Who is this new prophet that Moses is saying will come? After Moses, God sent many prophets. Samuel, Nathan, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, John the Baptizer. It is in John’s Gospel that we see clearly Jesus is the New Prophet.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:14–17, ESV)

And at Jesus Baptism and his Transfiguration, God the Father says to listen to Jesus. Back to what Moses says is God’s promise.

And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.

And so, pastors strive to teach what God teaches through Jesus, with your help. And what is that? Jesus is God and man who came to the world to forgive human sin through his life, death and resurrection. That he ascended into heaven and is coming again to judge the living and the dead. You have forgiveness in him. You are declared to be righteous, that is, without sin, because he has washed you clean in Holy Baptism. Through the promised Holy Spirit, also given in Holy Baptism, you are empowered to live your faith in a world that needs to hear what Jesus taught. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Deuteronomy 5:12-15; The Fourth Sunday after Epiphany; February 2, 2014;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston & Mount Ayr, Iowa;

“ ‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.” (Deuteronomy 5:12–15, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

“What do you do for a living?”

“Well, I’m a Pastor. I’m a farmer. I’m a teacher… I’m retired… a homemaker… a student…” How many times have you heard and answered that question. It’s probably the most asked question whenever you meet new people. Think about it and what it means. Think about what we are saying to each other as we ask and answer that question…

There is some value in what we do; teachers teach… farmers produce food… homemakers raise children. They are important tasks, that need to be done and important people take them up and do them. And lots of us take not only our identity from our work but many of you are what you eat, in a sense. You can always tell the farmers they’re gathered around the back of church after the rain discussing the rainfall (or lack of it). If you’re a farmer people expect you to act a certain way, and most often you oblige. The cap, the work boots, and piece of straw in you mouth.

Teachers too, have identity in what they do. Whenever we think about doing something for children we look to teachers first. After all they know what they’re doing… Mechanics have long standing oil under there fingernails and homemakers wear aprons. People are expected to act certain ways because of who they are… There is an identity in what we do. You might even say who we are, is determined by what we do.

If you really want to see this principal at work in a big way spend a day in High School. Practically nowhere is it more pronounced. Walk through the hallways and you’ll soon identify the jocks, geeks, brains and nerds. The kids divide pretty much by what they are good at. There’s a structure to who’s who. Kids who are good at sports are always at the top of the stack. They’re the ones that everyone is sure will be successful in life. They’re the one everyone wants to be like. They are the ones who are valued, by the High School culture.

What you see in our children there is exactly what we’ve taught them. Every day we tell them, if not in words, then in actions, that people have worth because of what they do. Sports figures are highly valued in our culture, just look at the salaries! These people are valued highly; weather or not they are good role models. The estimation of firefighters and policemen has risen since 9-11 but, I’ve noticed that when the state budget gets tight they’re the first positions to go. How many of you have said the teacher’s salaries are, too low? It is clear to see that they are not nearly as valued as others. That’s the society we live in… people have value for what they do.

Many of you may know who Red Green is. It’s a show out of Canada shown on Public Television. One of the characters is Winston Rothschild III. He emphasizes this very point. He’s a sewer man. He owns Rothschild Sewage and Septic Sucking Services. It’s funny to see him speak as if he runs a fortune 500 company, while he wears hip waders. Everyone else knows he’s a loser because he’s just a sewer man. It’s funny, but it’s what we really think.

If you think you’re not really guilty, think about how you react to people you meet, when you find out their occupation. Everybody wants to be a friend of the new doctor. And it even carries over in church. Certain people can’t be counted on to do things for church because it won’t be done to everyone else’s specifications. As a result, the same does few competent people do everything. And those who are not allowed aren’t valued the same as the busy members. And whenever one of the less active people is given a job, everyone does their best to support failure and then point out that it’s happened again. That doesn’t mean everyone is well suited to do every job in the church. Or even that everyone can even do every job…. Our problem is that we place value on people for what they do here.

It is a very selfish way to live. We value people because they bring value to our own lives. We value people because they do valuable things for us. We value people not for who they are but for what they do.

And by now you are wondering what this has to do with the third commandment: “Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy.” Pastor, shouldn’t you be telling us that we need to come to church? And complaining about those who don’t bother to show up? Shouldn’t you be giving us good reasons to study the bible or ways to stay awake during your sermons? What does this commandment have to do with how we value people?

Well I want to read the text to you again. And there are a few phrases I want you to listen for: Listen first, to who is included in this required day of rest. Second, listen to why God insists that it be observed.

“ ‘Observe the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter or your male servant or your female servant, or your ox or your donkey or any of your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates, that your male servant and your female servant may rest as well as you. You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.” (Deuteronomy 5:12–15, ESV)

Ok, did you hear it? Who’s included? I think it pretty well hits all the bases. It’s everyone; even the ox and the donkey are to rest from their work. Work hard 6 days and rest on this one! Everyone is equal. Everyone needs the rest. It doesn’t say everyone except those important people whose work we can’t live without. The Sabbath observation puts all work aside; from farming to banking, from scooping manure to serving coffee. It’s all the same in the eyes of God.

Well that’s not really quite right. It’s not really the work that God sees as equal. It’s just that He doesn’t value people because of what they do. He doesn’t value hard workers over lazy ones. He doesn’t value farmers over migrant workers. He doesn’t value business men over business women. In God’s eyes people are the same. He values them all equally.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28 No levels, no value based on occupation, all are one St. Paul tells us, “one in Christ Jesus.” And that gives us the clue as to why God thinks this way.

Remember I told you to watch for something else in the Third Commandment? I said to watch for why God requires keeping the Sabbath. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day. God rescued the People of Israel from slavery in Egypt. They were slaves, the lowest class of people in Egypt. Their work was considered to be to low for Egyptians to do. They were valueless in a very wealthy society. And God brought them out of that condition with a mighty hand. They had value not because of who they were or what they did, but because of what God did for them. They were slaves, lost in their condition of no value. But God did something about it, He gives them value by what He does for them with a mighty hand.

Now it’s hard to miss the connection here, to us. Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.” (John 8:34) We were slaves to sin. You see it everywhere in your life, not to mention how we classify people according to worth. Friends, neighbors, enemies, and children. We put them all on a scale and measure them by value. We can’t help it, that’s the sin living in us. We are slaves to it. It makes us valueless, as we try to boost our own self-esteem by standing on the heads of others. And the thing about being a slave is that there is nothing you can do about it. You’re a slave and a slave you’ll always be, unless someone else, gives you value and does something about it for you.

That is exactly why we do have value, even though we really should have been worthless in God’s eyes. But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. Romans 6:17-18 We were in the same predicament as the Israelite slaves in Egypt. Bound to slavery, worthless, children of slaves.

But, God gave us value by setting us free. Just as God’s redemption gave the Children of Israel worth, God’s redemption also gives us worth. You’ve seen the Antiques Road Show on PBS, they pretend it’s not important, the real reason people bring stuff in is to find out if it has any value, and they really want to know how much value? Lot’s of times they’re disappointed. They don’t say so but you can see it in their eyes. So how much value do we have in God’s eyes. We talked about this a little bit last week:

What does this mean?

I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.

How much are we worth to God? Look at what He did to give you value! He shed His innocent blood, and He suffered death, even death on the cross! How much value is that? How much are you worth to God?

Now look at the person sitting next to you. This time instead of seeing a farmer, a wife, a homemaker, a teacher, or a businessman, see in them the same value that God sees in you. Even if you see someone you don’t like, even if you’re not related… look at that person with the eyes of God, according to the price He paid to save them. Imagine that little value meter shooting up to the “priceless” category. And think about how different your relationship can be because of what God had done for that person in Jesus Christ. Remember Jesus loved you so much that he gave his very life for you, you are priceless in His eyes, too!

Now go outside these walls. Think about the people you see out there, sitting at coffee, dragging a sprayer through the field, answering the telephone and pumping gas. Look at them the way God does. See the value God has given them in Jesus Christ.

And finally think about this. Most of the people in the world, and even those living around us, don’t know about how much God values them. Still in their minds they think they have to do something to have value to God. “If I’m a good person, if I do the best I can, God will save me.” People think that God values people like we do, but He doesn’t. God valued the world in this way: …that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

What are you worth? I guess it depends on whom you ask. That’s why we gather here every Sunday. “Remember the Sabbath day, by keeping it holy.” It’s here where God continually speaks to us and tells us how much He loves us, how valuable we are to Him. It’s here that He gives us His precious blood, and His body as a reminder. It’s here that he carefully washes us clean. There’s no upper class here, according to God. There’s no one more valuable to God than you. What you do has nothing to do with it. It doesn’t matter if you’re unemployed, a doctor, a farmer, or even a postal worker. God loves you and values you so much that He sent His only Son to die for you. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9; Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost; September 2, 2012;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa

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“And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.” Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today? “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children—” (Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6–9, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Okay, this text says "O Israel, listen to the statutes and rules that I'm teaching you." So what in the world does this have to do with us? In fact, why should we spend any time at all listening to the moldy rules that God set up for the people of Israel? Hey, if you spend very much time arguing about the question of homosexuality you get this very question. They always want to compare the Old Testament laws about foods and other things with God's requirement for marriage to be between a man and woman. The question you always hear is: "If laws for bidding homosexual behavior are still binding, then so is every obscure Old Testament law (stoning of adulterers, not mixing seed in the field, etc.)" It seems like a very logical question. But it flatly ignores the biblical distinction between ceremonial, civil, and moral laws in the Old Testament. Ceremonial laws were binding on Israel as part of God's covenant with them. The civil laws only applied to the nation of Israel at the time. Only the moral laws including those about homosexual behavior carry over into the new covenant era. This is because God's moral nature never changes. His requirements for human behavior in the moral sphere are permanent. I usually like to pointed out this way. Can you give me a list of 10 things that describe God's requirements for human behavior in a way that's easy to understand? Of course this is the 10 Commandments. This is the very reason we study these first in confirmation classes. If you asked the question "Does Jesus want us to keep the 10 Commandments" the only valid answer is yes. Jesus and St. Paul uphold God's moral requirement for people. For example St. Paul referring to Jesus' words:

For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Romans 13:9–10, ESV)

And the example of that is the Gospel reading for today is about what defiles people not being what they eat but what's in the heart.

God is deadly serious about his moral requirements for human beings. His requirements are for all people for all time. Sometimes we Christians fall into the trap of thinking that God does not require us to be morally pure. But if you look over the 10 Commandments and especially Martin Luther's explanations you can't come away with the idea that God expects anything less than perfect obedience. Anytime Christians say in relation to the 10 Commandments something like "I do the best I can, and let God worry about the rest" we are making light of God's moral requirements for human beings. God clearly requires perfection when it comes to moral behavior. If you think any different you only have to listen to a few interchanges between God and his people regarding his moral requirements. Listen to Deuteronomy 4:

Take care, lest you forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made with you, and make a carved image, the form of anything that the Lord your God has forbidden you. For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.” (Deuteronomy 4:23–24, ESV)

Or just look at what you memorized for confirmation class, used as part of Dr. Martin Luther's explanation of all the commandments:

You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.” (Exodus 20:5–6, ESV)

And will God makes these threats of his wrath very clear, his people know that God is always ready to forgive.

‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.’” (Numbers 14:18, ESV)

God goes to great lengths to remind his people in the Old Testament that he is indeed their God. From our text today, "For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?" Over and over again he speaks of his love for them, his nearness to them. He is their God and they are his people. He is the one who brought them out of Egypt and save them from Pharaoh's bondage. He is the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob. He continues to love them and he is always near them.

God is near to his people for their benefit. He heals broken hearts. He forgives sins and gives comfort. He protects from those who are their enemies. And… He promises to save them by coming himself as their Messiah, called Immanuel, which means "God with us". The ultimate coming "near" of God. "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14, ESV) This promise is fulfilled in Jesus. He is God and man together in human flesh. The ultimate expression of God with us, God "near" us. This is God very "near". Through trust in him we have salvation, that is reconciliation with God. Punishment we deserve, for our imperfect obedience, is laid on Jesus on the cross. He is our great deliverer and Savior. Those who have "met" Jesus through faith, love him. Listen to the apostle John:

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:15-16, 19, ESV)

This is God near not only to his Old Testament people but to you and me. In Galatians 3 St. Paul makes the connection between us, God's children through faith, and the children of Abraham.

Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.” (Galatians 3:7–9, ESV)

So in the face of our inability to keep God's commandments perfectly, as he demands, we have God's promises to his people. The promises given to Israel for deliverance from sin and God's love and nearness. God near his people is a reality for us.

What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,” (2 Corinthians 6:16–17, ESV)

This is God's nearness to us. Here in this place. He comes in his Word and Sacraments. He comes to us in the gathered "body of Christ". Those of faith who are gathered all around us. In Holy Baptism he gives us access to this family through his adoption as sons (and daughters). In the Lord's supper we are near to God as he comes to us in his body and blood, "with Angels archangels and all the company of heaven". And he comes near to forgive. All of this is our connection to Immanuel, "God with us", who comes to save. Jesus Christ our Savior whose life death and resurrection reconciles us to God.

How does this "nearness of God" play out in our lives. Through the Holy Spirit, the forgiveness that Jesus gives, his nearness to us means that we can joyfully bear the fruit of obedience: The Apostle John:

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:5–11, ESV)

This is "good news" that we have to share. God commanded his people, Israel, to make known his nearness to their children and their children's children. And this is also hours to give to our children and our children's children. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8; Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost; August 30, 2009

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“And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you. Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today? (Deuteronomy 4:1-2,6-8, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

“Now listen Sam,” said his father, “you can borrow the car, but I want you to go straight to the game and then come home again.”

“Yea, that’s just what I’ll do… go straight to the game, and then come home again.” Sam had already worked it out in his mind. He thought it over again to himself. “Straight to the game” meant exactly that. He would do that. But there was some latitude in the phrase “and then come home again.” He didn’t have time to stop anywhere before the game anyway. But the way home was full of options. There were lots of routes that he could take. He could be plenty creative in that respect. After all one of his friends was bound to need a ride somewhere, they might even leave before the game was over.

Dad reluctantly dropped the keys in Sam’s hand, while he looked over his son’s face and expression. “You heard what I said.”

“Yea, I heard, straight to the game. And then I’ll come home afterward.”

“Ok, as long as we understand each other.” But Dad was skeptical, as Sam turned on his heel out the door.

Sam’s Dad was skeptical for good reason. He’s like any father, remembers what it was like when he was in his son’s shoes. He remembers how he took advantage and tried to create a loophole in the rules. In fact, it’s perfectly natural to look over the rules and try to find a loophole. We do it all the time. After baseball, looking for the loophole is the national pastime. Actually it’s been the pastime of all people for all time. Including the people of God who received the law of God from Moses.

^“2You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it.” Said Moses (speaking for God) to the people. It’s a little like Dad making sure that Sam understood what he meant. Moses wanted the people to be sure to know that the law was to be followed perfectly. There were no exceptions. There are never exceptions to God’s law. Don’t add to them, and don’t take anything away. Do them as they are that you may live. Because by breaking them you will surely die. That’s really the crux of the issue.

First of all we should understand that the law itself is very good. It comes from God, and He is perfect in His will and action. The law He gives us is perfect as well. St. Paul talked about it in his letter to the Romans. ¹²So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. Romans 7:12 (ESV) It is necessarily so because it comes from God. God gives His perfect law “that we may live.”

But there is a problem here. And the problem isn’t with God’s law. The problem is with you and me. Instead of looking at God’s law the way God would have us look at it, we see a problem. We see it as if God is trying to control us and take away our freedom. Just like Sam trying to get around the intention of what his father said to him. We always want exceptions to the law. We want to modify it.

We do it every day. 60 mph isn’t really speeding, is it? After all if I drive slower than everyone else I’m in danger of being in an accident. It isn’t a crime unless you get caught. What God really wants is for me to be happy. And I’m happy just the way I’m living. I don’t need to change anything. I can keep on lying… I can live with my boyfriend… cheating on my taxes… drinking too much… using pornography… looking for a divorce as the final solution to the pain in my marriage. You can insert your favorite sin your favorite exception right here. We try to live our lives as exceptions to God’s law. We’ve added to, or taken away from the clear words. Don’t think to your self, “Well, I know I’m not perfect. But I’m better than some other people I know. Why don’t you concentrate on the guy who really needs it instead of me.” You’ve said it, I’ve said it… we are carving out yet another exception for ourselves.

You see, it’s all the same adding to or taking away from God’s perfect law. The real problem is that we don’t like that finger of accusation pointing to us, and for very good reason. When the law points out that we have sinned, it’s not asking us to change, it’s not giving us hints for better living, it’s not making suggestions to get along with our neighbors… When the law of God points out our sins it condemns us to death. “Ouch!” That’s hardly fair is it? Can God really be that upset at my little faults that He wants me dead? Surely there are exceptions to the law; surely I fall into the exceptions! But, I’m afraid not. “The soul who sins shall die.” Ezekiel clearly tells us for God. “The wages of sin is death.” It gives no exception. Keep God’s perfect law perfectly and live. Break any part of God’s law and you will die.

That’s a heavy burden to bear… it’s easier to overlook it and modify that law so that it doesn’t apply to me. It’s easier to re-interpret the law so that what we do isn’t wrong. Like Sam not coming straight home. But it doesn’t change our guilt. It doesn’t change the fact that we deserve punishment for breaking the law.

God gives us the law so that we can live. In fact, if we could keep it perfectly we would live. It’s not an idle promise it’s a real one. Keep it perfectly and live. God promises. Of course no human being since Adam sunk his teeth in the apple is able to do it. Sin is alive and well in us, and more often then not we are controlled by it. And unfortunately the curse of the law is just as real. Again in St. Paul’s words “The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me.” Romans 7:10 (ESV)

But there is a solution. It’s hinted at in the second half of the words Moses speaks to the people. “⁷For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?” Here Moses is saying that because the laws are so right and good people from surrounding nations will marvel at God’s presence among them. “Wretched man that I am,” St. Paul calls out to God, “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” The answer is: Jesus Christ, who saves us from the condemnation of the law. God gives the law for life, but it condemns us because we can’t keep it. God gives the Gospel for life, and that is exactly what it brings. That is where God draws near to us. He comes to us in Jesus Christ. Born in a stable in Bethlehem, He is God himself born as a living and breathing human being. He draws near to us to bring us life. ¹⁷“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17 (ESV) You see, when the law doesn’t suit us we seek to have it changed. But that’s not possible with God’s perfect law. It must be kept. Jesus didn’t come to change the law. He came to do it right. He came to keep it perfectly and fully, to the very letter of it, without exception or loophole.

And that’s exactly what He did. He did every “do.” He didn’t do any “don’t.” It’s impossible for us to really come to grips with that. I mean we can’t imagine life without sin. It’s so much a part of us that it seems perfectly normal instead of perfectly horrible. But it has no part in Jesus. God’s law starts and ends really with the first commandment. “You shall have no other gods. What does this mean? We should fear, love and trust God above all things.” That describes Jesus perfectly. Nothing stood between Him and God the Father. There was perfect fear, love and trust. He knew that since God is perfect, human beings who break God’s law must be punished. He knew that sin requires death. And He loved God perfectly and He trusted God perfectly. So much so, in fact that His love for God spilled over to us and in perfect trust, He allowed Himself to be crucified and punished for the sins of the whole world. Even though He was perfect and sinless, He died the death sinful human beings deserve. And His perfect life, and perfect sacrifice is confirmed by God in Jesus resurrection from the dead.

And here’s the point I really want you to pay attention to today. I want you to know that it’s not just that Jesus came to keep the law perfectly. The important thing to remember is that He came to keep the law perfectly for you. He did what you can’t do every letter of it without exception or loophole. Not just for Himself, but for you. And even more importantly when He had fulfilled the law, instead of flying away back to where He came from, He paid the penalty for the broken law. He paid the penalty for you breaking the law. He paid the price you deserve for adding to and subtracting from God’s perfect law. “²³For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 (ESV) It is Christ Jesus our Lord who paid what you earned… who died the death you earned, for the broken laws of God. He draws near to you to save you. You have a God that is indeed that near to you and loves you so much that He died on the cross to take your punishment away from you.

But don’t think that His nearness to you ended with His death on the cross. He promises to be with you always, to be near you always. His love for you didn’t end when He breathed out His last time on the cross. He didn’t stay dead, but rose again a living and breathing person. God and Man together in Jesus Christ, dead and buried, and raised again to life. And that’s the risen Lord Jesus that makes promises to you. It’s one thing to trust the promises of someone who has died. It’s quite another thing to trust the One who has risen from death to life. It’s the risen Lord that you can trust. Just think, not only did He die to pay the penalty of sin; but He rose again from the dead. If He can do that He can keep all His promises to you. And He does.

He is near to you. Look at what He promises you, turn to p.199 in your hymnal. “Our Lord commanded Baptism… Baptism now saves you.” There it is. Water and Word. Promise and fulfillment. Not in a generic way to a faceless name in a crowd but specifically to you. God reaching out and touching you saying, “I am with you ____” “I am with you ____” “I am with you ____”

And there’s more. That Word that was spoken over you there with water is spoke over you every Sunday right here. And the Risen Lord promises to be in it, to you also. “²⁴Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.” John 5:24 (ESV) It’s a promise that the Risen Lord will keep for you. Even as you sit right there in the pew listening. Opening your mind and heart to Him.

And what stronger way is there to remember Jesus presence, that is Jesus being near to you, than to celebrate His Supper. You approach the very presence of the Risen Lord right here at this altar. You take into your mouth the very body and blood that hung on the cross, the very body and blood that rose again from the tomb. And when you do, He comes near to you to make His promise true for you again.

“Surely this is a great place.” To paraphrase Moses. “For what other place is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him!” Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Fifteeth Sunday after Pentecost, Sept 16, 2006, Deut 4:1-2,6-8

Deuteronomy 4:1-2, 6-8
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost, Sept 16, 2006
St.  John’s Lutheran Church, Howard, SD

1“And now, O Israel, listen to the statutes and the rules that I am teaching you, and do them, that you may live, and go in and take possession of the land that the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you.  2You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.  6Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ 7For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? 8And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today? Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 6-8 (ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

“Now listen Sam,” said his father, “you can borrow the car, but I want you to go straight to the game and then come home again.”

“Yea, that’s just what I’ll do… go straight to the game, and then come home again.” Sam had already worked it out in his mind.  He thought it over again to himself.  “Straight to the game” meant exactly that.  He would do that.  But there was some latitude in the phrase “and then come home again.” He didn’t have time to stop anywhere before the games anyway.  But the way home was full of options.  There were lots of routes that he could take.  He could be plenty creative in that respect.  After all one of his friends was bound to need a ride somewhere, they might even leave before the game was over.  After all his dad didn’t say “and then straight home again.”

Dad reluctantly dropped the keys in Sam’s hand, while he looked over his son’s face and expression.  “You heard what I said.”

“Yea, I heard, straight to the game.  And then I’ll come home afterward.”

“Ok, as long as we understand each other.” But Dad was skeptical, as Sam turned on his heel out the door.  

Sam’s Dad was skeptical for good reason.  He’s like any father, remembers what it was like when he was in his son’s shoes.  He remembers how he took advantage and tried to create a loophole in the rules.  In fact, it’s perfectly natural to look over the rules and try to find a loophole.  We do it all the time.  Even the people who received the law of God from Moses had done it.

“2You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it.” said Moses (speaking for God) to the people.  It’s a little like Dad making sure that Sam understood what he meant.  Moses wanted the people to be sure to know that the law was to be followed perfectly.  There were no exceptions.  There are never exceptions to God’s law.  Don’t add to them, and don’t take anything away.  Do them as they are that you may live.  Because by breaking them you will surely die.  That’s really what’s at stake with the law.  It’s a matter of life and death.  

Understand first, that God’s law in and of itself is very good.  It comes from God, and He is perfect in His will and action.  The law He gives is perfect as well.  St.  Paul talked about it in his letter to the Romans.  12So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good.  Romans 7:12 (ESV) The law has to be good because it comes from a perfect and holy God.  And He gives His perfect law “that you may live.”

But there is a problem here.  And the problem isn’t with God’s law.  The problem is with those who receive the law.  Instead of looking at God’s law the way God would have us look at it, we see a problem.  We see it as if God is trying to control us and take away our freedom.  Just like Sam trying to get around the intention of what his father said to him.  We want exceptions to the law.  We want to modify it.  

We do it every day, right? We see God’s law as an affront to our freedom.  We tell ourselves that what God really wants is for us to be happy.  “I’m happy just the way I am, the way that I’m living.  God doesn’t really mean the law should apply to me.”  My little white lies aren’t important.  My fudging on my taxes isn’t a big issue.  The Swimsuit issue of Sport’s Illustrated isn’t really pornography (they don’t even put it behind the counter, and they aren’t actually naked!) No one ever got hurt by them.  A few coins in the slots, and a few lottery tickets aren’t anything, even if keeps getting just a few more every month.  The speed limits are really only suggestions, unless the cops are around.  You can insert your own pet sin here.  I could go on and on… we all have them.  We all want our little sins to be exceptions, loopholes we can jump through.  And we’re not exempt from them as a church either.  The church can be so focused on numbers and budgets that we trade off the truth of God’s Word for the sake of filling the pews.  “Pastor, if you were just a little less direct about sin, a little less accusing, it could be like the old days here again when the every pew was full.  If you’d just loosen up a bit on those old stodgy rules we could be a bigger, better church again.”  

God gives us His good law so that we can live.  It gives promises, real promises.  If we could keep the law perfectly we could live forever.  But unfortunately it gives real curses, too.  St. Paul tells us about that, “The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me.” Romans 7:10 (ESV) That old sinful nature in us would like to live our lives as exceptions to God’s Word.  That sinful nature in us wants to take away from Scripture what ever accuses it of sin.  We make light of the sins we see as harmless, victimless, and personal.  But the law just doesn’t make exceptions.  It is very specific.  It doesn’t ask us to change.  It doesn’t ask us to just do better.  It doesn’t give us hints for getting along better with our neighbor.  It says, “Do this and live.  Don’t do this… and die.”  Adam and Eve were given a command that was just that way.  “You may eat of any tree in the garden… except this one. On the day you do you will surely die.”  Don’t for one minute think that any sin in you isn’t worthy of death, even those ”little harmless ones.”  That’s a heavy burden to bear… it’s easier to overlook them, make them seem less important than they are, and modify that law so that it doesn’t apply.  It’s easier to re-interpret the law so that what we do isn’t wrong.  Like Sam not coming straight home.  But it doesn’t change our guilt.  It doesn’t change the fact that we deserve punishment for breaking it.

But God does offer a solution.  It’s there in the words Moses speaks to the people.  “7For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?” Here Moses is saying that because the laws are so right and good people from surrounding nations will marvel at God’s presence among them.  In other words, God’s laws show His love by showing His will.  Even when we can’t keep it.  God’s nearness is really the answer to the problem of sin.  “Wretched man that I am,” St.  Paul calls out to God, “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” The answer is: Jesus Christ, who saves us from the condemnation of the law.  God gives the law for life, but it condemns us because we can’t keep it.  God gives the Gospel for life, and that is exactly what it brings.  That is where God draws near to us.  He comes to us in Jesus Christ.  Born in a stable in Bethlehem, He is God himself born as a living and breathing human being.  He draws near to us to bring us life.  Jesus tell su 17“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17 (ESV) You see, when the law doesn’t suit us we seek to have it changed.  But that’s not possible with God’s perfect law.  It must be kept.  Jesus didn’t come to change the law.  He came to do it right.  He came to keep it perfectly and fully, to the very letter of it, without exception or loophole.  

He became a human being just like you and me and said, “No exceptions for me.  The law applies to me; every word and syllable of it; every ‘do’ and every ‘don’t’.”  That’s what He means when He says He comes to fulfill the law.  He fills it up, without exception.  Jesus Christ, took on human nature so that the law would apply to Him.  He was the only person who ever kept the law perfectly for His whole life.  He kept it perfectly, in the letter and the spirit.  He earned the full promise of the law, life forever.  Now the other thing about Jesus fulfilling the law that’s most important for us to remember when we are talking about our little sins that bring us death.  Jesus came to fulfill the law, all of it.  He even came to fulfill the law’s “no exceptions” demands for punishment and death.  And dear Christians, He didn’t come to fulfill the law for Himself.  He came to do it for you.  After He had done everything perfectly He didn’t just take what He had earned and fly off to where He came from.  Instead He paid the full and complete penalty for your sin.  He faced God’s fierce anger over sin on the cross.  Please note that God’s anger is just as great for those little “exceptions” we like to make as it is for the big sins.  Christ Jesus your Lord hung in your place under God’s punishment, and paid what you earned for the broken laws of God.  That’s how God draws near to you to save you.  You have a God that is indeed that near to you and loves you so much that He died on the cross to take your punishment away from you.  

But don’t think that His nearness to you ended with His death on the cross.  He promises to be with you always, to be near you always.  His love for you didn’t end when He breathed out His last time on the cross.  He didn’t stay dead, but rose again still a living and breathing person.  God and Man together in Jesus Christ, dead and buried, and raised again to life forever.  And that’s the risen Lord Jesus that makes promises to you.  It’s one thing to trust the promises of someone who has died.  It’s quite another thing to trust the One who has risen from death to life.  It’s the risen Lord that you can trust.  Just think, not only did He die to pay the penalty of sin; but He rose again from the dead.  If He can do that He can keep all His promises to you.  And He does.

Ok, so God hates all my sin, even those little ones.  What am I suppose to do about that.  I’ve got to deal with them every day.  Well, the answer is… don’t forget that God is near you.  Martin Luther speaks of the nearness of God in Holy Baptism.  The confirmation students memorize this:

What does such baptizing with water indicate? It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever.
Where is this written? St. Paul writes in Romans chapter six: "We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life" [Rom. 6:4].

And St. Paul tells Pastor Titus in the Epistle:

[Jesus] saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. (Titus 3:5-8, ESV)

You live in that renewal every day that you remember the nearness of God to you through Holy Baptism.  With that Old Adam, that Old Sinful nature drowned, God has dealt already with our desire to sin.  The Old Adam doesn’t control our lives.  The law puts him in his place.  We have a new nature a new life created in us.  That new nature always wants to keep God’s law perfectly, and it always does.  No exceptions.

So those “exceptions” that we want…  the old nature is still going to try to tell us that we need them.  When that happens just remind yourself that God is near.  The Holy Spirit is right there with you.  You don’t need exceptions to God’s law to avoid punishment.  Jesus Christ has paid the penalty already.  You have eternal life through Him.  Confess the sin, and the desire to sin to Him.  He forgives.  He removes.  He washes clean.  Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Amen.

Second Sunday after Pentecost, Deuteronomy 5:12-15, June 18, 2006

Deuteronomy 5:12-15
Second Sunday after Pentecost, June 18, 2006
Main Street Living; St. John's, Howard
“Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy, as the Lord your God has commanded you.  Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.  On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do.  Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.  Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
“What do you do for a living?”
“Well, I’m a Pastor.  I’m a farmer.  I’m a teacher… I’m retired… a homemaker… a student…” How many times have you heard and answered that question.  It’s probably the most asked question whenever you meet new people.  Think about it and what it means.  Think about what we are saying to each other as we ask and answer that question…
There is some value in what we do; teachers teach… farmers produce food… homemakers raise children.  They are important tasks, that need to be done and important people take them up and do them.  And lots of us take not only our identity from our work but many of you are what you eat, in a sense.  You can always tell the farmers they’re gathered around the back of church after the rain discussing the rainfall (or lack of it).  If you’re a farmer people expect you to act a certain way, and most often you oblige.  The cap, the work boots, and piece of straw in you mouth.  
Teachers too, have identity in what they do.  Whenever we think about doing something for children we look to teachers first.  After all they know what they’re doing… Mechanics have long standing oil under there fingernails and homemakers wear aprons.  People are expected to act certain ways because of who they are… There is an identity in what we do.  You might even say who we are, is determined by what we do.
If you really want to see this principal at work in a big way spend a day in High School.  Practically nowhere is it more pronounced.  Walk through the hallways and you’ll soon identify the jocks, geeks, brains and nerds.  The kids divide pretty much by what they are good at.  There’s a structure to who’s who.  Kids who are good at sports are always at the top of the stack.  They’re the ones that everyone is sure will be successful in life.  They’re the one everyone wants to be like.  They are the ones who are valued, by the High School culture.  
What you see in our children there is exactly what we’ve taught them.  Every day we tell them, if not in words, then in actions, that people have worth because of what they do.  Sports figures are highly valued in our culture, just look at the salaries!  These people are valued highly; weather or not they are good role models.  The estimation of firefighters and policemen has risen since 9-11 but, I’ve noticed that when the state budget gets tight they’re the first positions to go.  How many of you have said the teacher’s salaries are, too low?  It is clear to see that they are not nearly as valued as others.  That’s the society we live in… people have value for what they do.  
Many of you may know who Red Green is.  It’s a show out of Canada shown on Public Television.  One of the characters is Winston Rothschild III.  He emphasizes this very point.  He’s a sewer man.  He owns Rothschild Sewage and Septic Sucking Services.  It’s funny to see him speak as if he runs a fortune 500 company, while he wears hip waders.  Everyone else knows he’s a loser because he’s just a sewer man.  It’s funny, but it’s what we really think.  
If you think you’re not really guilty, think about how you react to people you meet, when you find out their occupation.  Everybody wants to be a friend of the new doctor.  The smelly beggar that walks into church off the street is asked to leave.  You and I size up people by where they live, what car they drive, what kind of clothes they wear, and mostly what they do.  Our problem is that we place value on people for what they do.  What a selfish way to live.  Actually what we do is value people because they bring value to our own lives.  We value people because they do valuable things for us.  We value people not for who they are but for what they do.  What a sinful way to live.  
And by now you are wondering what this has to do with the third commandment: “Remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy.” Pastor, shouldn’t you be telling us that we need to come to church?  And complaining about those who don’t bother to show up?  Shouldn’t you be giving us good reasons to study the bible or ways to stay awake during your sermons?  What does this commandment have to do with how we value people?  
Well listen again to what God says about the commandment.  
On [the Sabbath] you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do.
Who’s included?  I think it pretty well hits all the bases.  It’s everyone; even the ox and the donkey are to rest from their work.  Work hard 6 days and rest on this one!  Everyone is equal.  Everyone needs the rest.  It doesn’t say everyone except those important people whose work we can’t live without.  The Sabbath observation puts all work aside; from farming to banking, from scooping manure to serving coffee.  The work all the same in the eyes of God.  
Well that’s not really quite right.  It’s not really the work that God sees as equal.  It’s just that He doesn’t value people because of what they do.  He doesn’t value hard workers over lazy ones.  He doesn’t value farmers over migrant workers.  He doesn’t value business men over business women.  In God’s eyes people are the same.  He values them all equally.  
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  Galatians 3:28
No levels, no value based on occupation, all are one St.  Paul tells us, “one in Christ Jesus.” And that gives us the clue as to why God thinks this way.
Now listen to why God gives us the Third Commandment?  Listen again,
Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.  Therefore the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.  
God rescued the People of Israel from slavery in Egypt.  They were slaves, the lowest class of people in Egypt.  Their work was considered to be to low for Egyptians to do.  They were valueless in a very wealthy society.  And God brought them out of that condition with a mighty hand.  They had value to God what they did and actually not even because of who they were, but because of what God did for them.  They were slaves, lost in their condition of no value.  But God did something about it; He gives them value by what He does for them with a mighty hand.
Now it’s hard to miss the connection here, to us.  Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.” (John 8:34) We were slaves to sin.  You see it everywhere in your life, not to mention how we classify people according to what they do for us; friends, neighbors, enemies, and children.  We put them all on a scale and measure them by what they do for us, or do against us.  We can’t help it, there’s something in here that does it something so very much a part of us that we can’t even change it just because we want to.  It’s sin.  Sin just shows itself in this ugly way.  It lives right there in our hearts, making us a slave to these kinds of actions.  We might be able to change our outward actions, by trying to treat everyone the same, but right there in our hearts and in the recesses of our minds we still feel the same.  Sin makes us valueless, as we try to boost our own self-esteem by standing on the heads of others.  And the thing about being a slave is that there is nothing you can do about it.  You’re a slave and a slave you’ll always be, unless someone else, gives you value and does something about it for you.  We are bound to slavery too, worthless, children of slaves in the same predicament as the people of Israel in Egyptian slavery.  
But, God gives us value by setting us free.  Just as God’s redemption gave the Children of Israel worth, God’s redemption also gives us worth.  So how much value do we have in God’s eyes.  Luther says it well in his explanation of the Third Commandment:
… not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death…
How much are we worth to God?  Look at what He did to give you value!  He shed His innocent blood, and He suffered death, even death on the cross!  How much value is that?  How much are you worth to God?
Now think about all the people you interact with every day.  Think about the people you see out there, sitting at coffee, dragging a sprayer through the field, answering the telephone and pumping gas.  Look at them the way God does.  See the value God has given them in Jesus Christ.  And think about how different your relationship with these people can be because of what God had done for that person in Jesus Christ.  Remember Jesus loved you so much that he gave his very life for you; you are priceless in His eyes.  
And finally think about this.  Most of the people in the world, and even those living around us, don’t know about how much God values them.  Still in their minds they think they have to do something to have value to God.  “If I’m a good person, if I do the best I can, God will save me.” People think that God values people like we do, but He doesn’t.  God valued the world in this way:
…that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16
What are you worth?  I guess it depends on whom you ask.  That’s actually why we gather together in worship on Sundays, to observe the Sabbath day, by keeping it holy.  Through God’s Word, He continually speaks to us and tells us how much He loves us, how valuable we are to Him.  We are all washed clean of our sin through baptism into Jesus’ death and resurrection.  There’s no upper class or lower class here, according to God.  It doesn’t matter if you’re unemployed, a doctor, a farmer, or even a postal worker.  God loves you and values you so much that He sent His only Son to die for you.  Amen.
The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.  Amen.