Saint Matthew's

Week of Pentecost 15

Homily Outline

There is one thing that I do not like: To do lists. Oh, those drive me utterly insane. It is something that I truly do not like to look at much less do anything that would getting those things accomplished in any kind of meaningful way.

Saint Paul tonight explains Christianity in a nutshell … using a to do list. Oh, it shounds nice and pretty the things we should do as God’s faithful people. “Overcome evil with good,” he writes. Do all the nice stuff to help others, he explains. And boy, have I told you that I really don’t like these lists.

And neither should any of you. Why? Because when you look at a to do list, you see that you haven’t done a very good job accomplishing any of it. If we were to take the to do list that all good Christians should follow, there won’t be a lot of check lists next to each of the entries.

While sounding good, the fact remains we aren’t very good at accomplishing things of God’s kingdom. There are many times when we would rather sleep in than receive God’s gifts in church. How many times have we walked across the street when we see a homeless person just so we didn’t have to talk or give a dollar or two to them? When is the last time you said something nice about your annoying neighbor? And “overcome evil with good?” How many people in this room tonight would rather give Osama Bin Laden a bouquet of flowers than a crack upside his head with a baseball bat?

My friends, to do lists are nice. But if it were left up to us to accomplish all the things on God’s to do list, we’d all be in trouble. We should thank Him for taking that to do list and accomplishing it when He sent His Son to die for us sinners. He took that to do list and tore up when He died on the cross for us and paid for our sins. By His blood we’re forgiven of all our faults and failures; by His blood we are saved.

What happens a lot of times in Christianity is that God’s people think that doing the to do list is more important than God Himself. Many good Christians would rather spend time doing mission projects than receiving the Word of God or Him in body and blood.

We can’t get caught up in good works on our to do lists and forget to be nourished by God.

A FURTHER EXPLANATION HERE.

The following is the reading for Tuesday, August 26th’s evening Divine Service:

Romans 12:9-21
(Hope is faith looking forward in the mercies of God.)

P:    The Epistle Reading is taken from Romans, Chapter 12:

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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If I had a dime for every time I heard someone tell me that they were “only having fun,” then I would be a rather rich person this evening/morning. This fun would take many different forms. Whether the person was thinking about going out bar hopping with friends or hanging out in some park somewhere, it didn’t really matter what kind of “fun” was being planned. Usually the “fun” meant letting loose, letting your hair down, and checking out of being a seemingly responsible person for a time being.

Of course, I am also guilty of “letting loose” and having fun, though not as much as I would want or that I am comfortable with in any given period. But when those times come, I try my best to keep this clergy person in check. I am successful sometime; other times, well, let me just say I don’t do a good job.

“Having fun” and “letting loose.” Those are perfect examples of releasing energy and doing things that just aren’t part of your everyday routine. But what happens when “having fun” goes a little far?

This past week, I had the opportunity to meet with a young man who “had fun” on Tuesday at his friend’s house. In the end, he consumed too much alcohol and he passed out. Doctors said he had alcohol poisoning, so I am guessing he consumed way too much alcohol. Thankfully, his friends contacted paramedics and got him to the hospital where the doctors did their medical magic and helped him before any real damage could be caused. When I saw him in his hospital room, his mother and aunt were at his bedside. The man was sleeping, but it didn’t stop me from holding his hand and that of his aunt and saying a prayer.

As I got ready to leave, his mother said he was just trying to “let loose” from a stressful time in his life and he went too far. I would say so, getting so drunk that he passed out from alcohol poisoning. I just smiled and promised to pray for her son.

So the question I have for you this evening/morning — when is “having fun” and “letting loose” sinful?

Or an even better question — when we are planning to “have fun” or “cut loose,” do we consciously consider what our God in heaven would want us to do?

Sadly, in our society today, people facing what the young man I met this week don’t think about God before heading out to a party or a bar, or even shopping or visiting a friend or going to a park. Instead, we plan to figure how we can get right next to that point where our social consciousness gets completely impaired, just close enough so we don’t pass out. Or we plan to act in a way that get close to that socially-acceptable line, yet not cross it. Or we angrily speak to a friend or a family member, but yet not get to that point where they throw us out of their homes.

At times, we contend with the notion that what is perceived as sin is OK in our context. By setting aside our Lord in our thoughts, we tend to “let loose,” thinking that it is fine and dandy, or we think that God would want us to “have fun” and “let off some steam.” My friends, when these times come, we have to realize something very important - we’re sinning.

At times when I am faced with these types of situations, I try and step back for just a moment. I know my Lord and Savior would not want me to become inebriated or angry. I know it in my mind and in my heart. Yet, I sometimes do it. And I know, even in situations you face, you do it, too.

Saint Paul said our Epistle reading today: “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is not longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.”

He sums up the human experience in one crisp sentence. We children of God very easily allow sin to cast aside our Lord so we can do what God doesn’t want us to do. Is it fun to God for any of us to yell or be angry with those we love? Is “letting loose” and passing out drunk what God wants from us? Does God want us to let sin and disrespect for His creation rule our hearts?

Dear friends in Christ, what does sin do to us? It drives us away from the comfort found in the love of Christ, the love that redeemed us. Our flesh battles against God in every way, and yes, we know it. It is not an easy fight, yet we take it up. It is not easy to say “no” to a seemingly good time, or to “letting go” or to “letting off some steam.” And when faced with these chances to say “no” to sin, we let sin rule our hearts.

Yet God doesn’t condemn us for failing Him.

He loves us. He reminds us of that love every time we walk into this church. Each time we open our ears to listen to Him; each time when we open our mouths to receive Him in and under simple bread and wine. Our Father in heaven looks upon us and hearing our heartfelt failures, He doesn’t promise us eternal suffering for drinking too many beers on a Friday night and “letting loose.”

He forgives us.

He forgives us through our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives in our minds and hearts, though sometimes we seemingly forget it.

And this forgiveness is something that is not cursory or lightly granted to us. A great price was paid for this forgiveness. And it is given to us because our Lord Jesus Christ paid for our sins at the cross of Calvary. He died to sin for our sake, so we who have been reborn of water and spirit can rise to newness of life in Him. Freely given to us, but this forgiveness of our sin was paid with the great price of the suffering and death of God’s Son.

My friends, in our life we bear the great burden of sin. It wrestles with our faith and our hearts every moment of everyday. It causes us to do what we truly do not want to do, but we do because sin wins out.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

The words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Come to Him and rest in His arms when your battle with sin tears you down and beats you up. Don’t let the sin win with out a fight. But in those times when we lose — and we all lose more times than not — come to your God and He will give you rest.

Amen.

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-  This Week’s Sermon 070608
-  Readings for Pentecost 8

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“What Comes First”
Written by Rev. Anthony J. Iovine
Texts: Luke 9:51-62; Galatians 5:1, 14-25; 1 Kings 19:9b-21

Sometimes, Jesus can be harsh.

Oh, yes Jesus can be tough. He didn’t just say all those nice things we like to hear. You know, “Love your neighbor,” or “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall inherit the earth.” Jesus sometimes said things that rip at a person’s soul. He exposes people for who they truly are and shines the light of truth on them.

Jesus is not just the God of the Gospel we all know and love; Jesus is also the God of the Law, tearing off the scabbed over wounds of our hearts, exposing our sin to the light of day, showing each of us that no matter what we do, without him we’re nothing.

Our society and our Christian church don’t like to talk about THAT Jesus. We like the nice Jesus, the one who lets the little children come to Him; the one who heals the sick and the lame; and the one who rises from the dead on Easter morning. No one likes to hear about the Jesus who is beaten and bloody. No one likes to hear about the Jesus who is spat upon by His enemies. And surely, no one likes to hear about the Jesus who condemns sin. No, we like the lovable Jesus, the cuddly Cabbage Patch doll that fits nicely on our shelves.

Today, many within the Christian church like the notion that Jesus gives us instructions on how to live our lives. The Beatitudes have become the great equalizer when it comes to our lives of sin and how Jesus wants us to live. It is believed that those words are our instruction manual on how to treat others, on how to do mission work, and how to build His church. People like those words because they are gooey and nice.

Me? I like the Jesus in our Gospel reading today. He takes no prisoners. When a town in Samaria rejects Him, Jesus walks away! He leaves those unbelievers and continues on His walk to Jerusalem, where His own would reject him. And as He and His disciples continue to walk toward Jerusalem, people come up to Jesus and He tears open their minds and hearts and exposes their sin, something that would gape their mouths.

And they went on to another village. As they were going along the road, someone said to Him, “I will follow You wherever You go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” And yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

I don’t know about you, but that is Jesus! This is the no-nonsense Jesus who cuts out all the fluff and exposes people for who they truly are. Oh, we like the nice things about Jesus, but when He condemns our sinfulness, we’re running away. People like “Nice Jesus,” not the “Tell’em Like It Is Jesus.” Why? Because when Jesus exposes us as being sinners, we don’t like how it makes us feel.

Dear friends in Christ, when we think about God and more specifically about Jesus, we can’t just think about the Gospel. We have to think about why the Gospel was necessary.

We have to think about sin, our failure to keep God’s Law, and our unworthiness because of our failures to adhere to what God wants from our lives. In our Gospel reading this day, that is what the people in that village and those on the road didn’t want to do – think about why Jesus was even there. He exposes them to their sinfulness. To the people on the road, He shows them that putting God behind anything is equivalent to rejecting Him. If you put anything in the way of God, then you’re a lawbreaker and a sinner.

And who wants to hear that from Jesus?

Well, I do! And all of you should, too! As we hear the condemnation of our sin, we’re compelled to cling to our Lord Jesus. We’re to cling to our Savior not because He gives us nice fluffy sentences on how to treat people, but because He died for our sins. When we get full of ourselves and think we’re good enough, look to the cross of Christ because the reality of our lives smacks in the head.

The sweetness of the Gospel comes from the knowledge that we’re sinful and in need of a savior. When we recognize our utter uselessness, then the rescue from sin and death and Satan by a loving God means so much more. For in our sheer depravity, Jesus took our sins upon Himself so we could live. He dies so we can live. Through the waters of Baptism, we’re brought to newness of life. Our sinful selves are drowned and God proclaims us innocent through the work of His Son at the cross and by the faith in His Son that is borne in our hearts through His Holy Spirit.

That’s why we have a balance in our sermons of Law and Gospel. We hear of the condemnation of our sin, but then receive the fruits of Christ’s cross when our sins are forgiven. For that is the promise of God – through faith alone in His Son, we’re saved and forgiven.

Our Galatians text today reminds us of what it means to be forgiven. When we live our lives according to our faith, we are new people. The fruits of the cross and of the Spirit come alive in all that we say and do. Our lives don’t start with us, they start with Christ and His cross.

When we know what comes first, then what comes second is so sweet. First comes Law, and then comes Gospel. The bitterness of sin is followed by the sweetness of Christ and the forgiveness that is our through Him. You are saved. You are forgiven. Go in God’s peace. Amen.

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“When Is the Last Time…”
Written by Rev. Anthony J. Iovine
Texts: 2 Samuel 11:26-12:10, 13-14; Galatians 2:15-21; 3:10-13; Luke 7:36-8:3

When is the last time you thought about sin?

No, really, when is the last time you really sat down and thought about what it meant to be a sinner? Not just thinking in the generic sense by mouthing the words that you are a sinner, but thinking about it and believing it with your whole heart?

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“What’s All This Singing?”
Texts: 1 Kings 17:17-24; Galatians 1:11-24; Luke 7:11-17

This weekend is a special one here at Saint Matthew’s as our brothers and sisters from Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church in Closter join with us to worship our Lord. Our Sunday service is one of hymns and praise, our responses to our Lord for all he bestows on us in Word and Sacrament. On this Sunday, our faith is not strengthened by our song and praise, but by what our God gives us in His gifts. His Word builds faith. His body and blood cleanses us from sin.

For this worship service – and all our worship services – brings together a humble people thanking their Creator for all that has been given to us. Oh, that means thanking him for the new car and protection from harm when taking a long trip. But it also means thanking Him for rescuing us from sin, death, and the devil. We thank Him in song and praise through the blessed hymns of the church. We thank Him in prayer, the blessed response of a longing and thankful heart.

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Mom
Texts: Acts 16:9-15; Revelation 21:9-14, 21-27; John 16:23-33

Have you ever noticed that we never make fun of our mothers? As I was reading our lessons for this week, I couldn’t help but come to the realization that while we always laugh at our fathers in general, nitpicky and humorous situations, our moms never receive such treatment. Think about it for a moment. Our dads are always kidded for being lazy on weekends, to quick to change the channel with the remote, or always trying to fix stuff that doesn’t need fixing. When dad needs to change a light bulb, out comes the tool kit, hardhat, and mechanical tape. Does your car need an oil change? Dad will spend all day changing the oil and checking things out under the hood. Is your television acting up? Dad will take off the back, poke around inside, and then after a few hours will tell you that you’ll probably need a new TV.

But with our mothers, we offer none of that. Mom’s food is the best. She always knows what to say when you are sick or hurt. When you need to get to soccer or softball practice, mom is there to convert her car into a taxi for you and the neighborhood kids. Mom fixes the aches and scrapes. Mom comforts when we are sad. Mom loves us without measure, and she was never afraid to show it.

There is just something about mom.

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“Does Church Still Matter? Part One - Love”
Text: Luke 19:28-42

Today begins a glorious time for the church of Christ. This day, this Palm Sunday is one where we turn our hearts from inwardly dwelling on our sin to that which was done so that we can release from ourselves the guilt of sin. We remember this day the King of Kings riding a lowly donkey into the city of Jerusalem, riding on in humbled majesty to sit at the right hand of the throne of the Father.

We treat this day as different from other Sundays. You don’t have to look very far, but you’ve been handed palm branches when you came into church today. Our liturgy started in the back of the church with the reading of the Holy Gospel and the blessing of the palms. And in just a few minutes, we will hear the Passion story once again, a tradition in the church that I think will never change.

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“For Us”
Texts: Isaiah 43:16-21; Philippians 3: (4b-7) 8-14; Luke 20:9-20

Our Gospel reading for this week takes place during the middle of Holy Week, not a week before Jesus enters Jerusalem on what we call Palm Sunday. Jesus has already entered the great City of David, with its high protecting walls surrounding the modern metropolis where, at its center, was the Temple of God. Our Lord already knew that He would be suffering this week and would face the pain of death in just a few short days.

Christ’s enemies were swarming around Him, virtually pointing fingers at this man who was riling up the people into believing the true meaning of God’s Word rather than what the leaders of the Temple were saying it meant. They were buzzing amongst themselves, talking about how they would capture and get rid of this knat known as Jesus of Nazareth. They wanted to keep their positions of high authority over the people of God, knowing that if they listened and donated to their Temple, they would continue to live high on the hog (sorry about the pun).

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