St. Luke Ev. Lutheran Church-WELS

Sermon by Pastor Anthony E. Schultz

Easter 5 Confirmation May 6, 2007

Revelation 21:1-6

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God with men, and he will live with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.”

People of God—rescued from the flaming lake of fire in hell by the innocent blood of the very Lamb of God—and especially you who are making your confirmation promises:

People make funny rules. There was a man named Alfalfa Bill Murray. He was a lawmaker—who became speaker of the house and then governor of the state of Oklahoma. Alfalfa as a pretty tall guy and it was one of his pet peeves—when he stayed in a hotel and they had short sheets on the bed. So he had a law passed that all hotels in Oklahoma had to have sheets that covered the bed—and had an extra three feet of linen to cover the head and the feet. These big sheets were the law for decades. But then Alfalfa died—and now you don’t have to have those big sheets any more! People rules come and go. There are laws that try to make people be happy. In California there are communities where it’s against the law to try and stop children from jumping over puddles of water—and maybe not making it all the way—and splashing. In Milan, Italy there is a law on the books that requires a smile on the face of all citizens at all times. There is an exemption for time spent visiting patients in the hospital—although that’s a time when a smile can be very encouraging. And you don’t have to smile at funerals. Otherwise the fine is $100 if you are seen outside not smiling! If only it were that easy! There are—in this world—all sorts of times when it’s difficult to smile. But the day is surely coming—when we are home in heaven—where there will be no more sadness—not ever again. This confirmation Sunday God’s Word says:

Easter Changes Everything!

1. The old order of things has passed away

2. Jesus will make everything new!

In the warm afterglow of Easter—we rejoice in the powerful Gospel promises of God. There is stored up for us an inheritance in heaven—where moth and rust cannot corrupt—where thieves cannot break in and steal! The Revelation to St. John contains letters to early New Testament Churches—believers in Ephesus—where they lost their first love. How far they had fallen. John called them back! John wrote to the believers in Smyrna. It was to them John wrote that passage so often a confirmation verse: “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life!” Revelation 2:10 The people in Smyrna were in danger from people of the synagogue of Satan. They were in danger of being thrown into prison—into dark and filthy dungeons—to fierce physical persecution. People today are in danger from what? From staying up late Saturday night watching Spiderman—then in danger Sunday morning from soft pillows and warm blankets and window treatments—that keep out the morning sun! John wrote to the people in the city of Pergamum. John says—it’s like Balaam and Balak. Remember that? It was this idea that you could seduce people away from their Savior. You seduce them with hugs and kisses and worldliness! It’s tempting—to be just like everybody else! To have our bodies pierced just like everybody else. To have tattoos just like everybody else. To have your hair cut just like everybody else. To wear the same clothes—the same shoes—the same jewelry—to do whatever it takes—to spend whatever it costs—to be just like everybody else! This is not to say there is anything wrong—if you are old enough to have a little daisy on your ankle—or a diamond that twinkles on the bottom of your ear. But it was Jesus himself who said—sometimes you have to pick—if you are going to be a friend of your Savior—or a friend of this world. If we have our body decorated—to show our scorn for our elders and earthly authority—we need to understand—what’s wrong with this picture!

John wrote to the people in Thyatira. They were in danger from a woman like Jezebel! She claimed to be a prophetess. And yet she too led people in to worldliness—into sinful hugs and kisses—being just like their neighbors who worshiped false gods! The Lord wanted her to repent. But if she didn’t—her punishment would be painful in the extreme. People who committed adultery with her would suffer intensely. And the Lord would strike her children dead. When it comes to persistent evil—God’s judgment can be fierce!

John wrote to the people in Sardis. They had a reputation for being alive—but Jesus who could see into their hearts said they were in fact dead! Wake up! Wake up before it’s too late. The Lord Jesus would come like a thief in the night—when they least expected him. Yet—even here—the Lord has preserved a faithful remnant—a hand full of people who have not stained their spiritual clothing with rebellious evil. They have walked each day close to Jesus—and he is keeping them safe.

John wrote to the church in Philadelphia. Again—John points to Jesus—the one who holds the key of David. When people think of King David—they think of David and Goliath. David—was the person after the Lord’s own heart. With the key—Jesus can close a door—and nobody—nobody can open it. Jesus can open a door—and nobody—nobody can close it. Jesus had placed before the church in Philadelphia an open door. Can you see how Jesus has done that for us—too? We have opportunity to go to church—Sunday after Sunday. To come to church during Wednesdays in Advent and Lent. To go to our Lutheran Grade School—where we have God’s Word and devotions and prayers and memory treasures—memory treasures. We have high schools where the Word of God is supreme. Where law and gospel color every hour of every day. Where teachers have divine calls. Where Jesus’ forgiving love colors instruction in every subject! We have open doors around the world—people who need to hear the Gospel in Africa—where people still are practicing voodoo—sacrificing chicken blood to gods that don’t even exist! There are people in China—not just millions but more than a billion—who worship their ancestors—and make prayer wheels to spin in creek water—and prayer flags to flap in the thin air of mountain tops—to false gods. There are open doors in India—where people think cows are sacred—and people literally die of malnutrition and disease—without knowing that Jesus died and rose again to save them. We need to bring thank-offerings in our new little boxes of thankoffering envelopes. We need to pray for our missionaries. And we need to be the people who grow up to be missionaries in the rain forests around the world—so that instead of raising coca leaves—Jesus is the vine and we are the branches—bearing the sweet fruits of faith for the glory of the Lord!

John wrote to the church in Laodicea. How sad to say, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, “I am rich; I have acquired wealth and no not need a thing. But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked!” We are in danger—if we think simply showing up here in this building two or three times a month—impresses God. We are in danger if we think that having a confirmation certificate—a piece of paper that says we learned the books of the Bible, the ten commandments—that we qualified to come to Lord’s Supper—that by age 14 we learned about Noah and Moses, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Good Friday and Easter—that we can ignore Jesus the next 10 years of our life—and somehow we will be just fine—because we had our picture taken in front of the altar wearing a white gown! We can’t have a whatever attitude—a luke warm attitude—and think that’s ok!

Now the dwelling of God with men, and he will live with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” There is pain and sadness everywhere you look! Imagine a man driving around at 2:oo in the morning! A sheriff’s deputy notices and tries to stop him. The man tries for about 3 miles to get away. Finally he stops—gets out of his car—and tries to get away on foot. He runs down a dock—a pier—and jumps into a lake. Apparently this man isn’t a very good swimmer—because pretty soon he’s treading water—and calling out for help! This is when the news guys start to laugh. How funny is this? Not really funny at all! The man who jumped into the lake died. He drowned—before the deputy could find him in the dark—even though he tried desperately in the darkness to find him. How sad is that! People make mistakes like that all the time. They do something that they know is wrong—then try desperately to hide it—to cover it up—to run away from their mistake. Part of spiritual maturity is to confess our sins—admit our mistakes—and ask for forgiveness. That’s when we get to say—I forgive you! I forgive you and we will never speak about this again! How sweet is that? When we come to heaven—we will be safe by Jesus where there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain—for the old order of things has passed away.”

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” How profound are those few simple words—I am making everything new! It’s hard to understand that—in a world infected by sin—where everything—absolutely everything is wearing out! I walk around my car all the time—and I look at the tires. There are little bits of gravel stuck in the tread. I am forever looking for anything sharp—nails, screws, chunks of anything sharp. When I look at the tires—there’s my muffler—getting more and more rusty by the minute. I wonder how long before that exhaust pipe rusts through—and that will be trouble! Lawnmowers wear out. Do you think about that—when you pull and pull and pull on that little cord—trying to make it start? Did you look at the blade lately—all dinged up from mowing chunks of rock in your lawn? Have you looked at Third Street lately—potholes—and patches—cracks and speed bumps? Have you listened to your clothes washer—your dish washer? There was a warning on the radio the other day—that dish washers made over a 10 year period had a design flaw—that make it possible for the little juice that’s supposed to keep your glasses from getting spots on them—could leak out on the motor—short it out—make sparks—and burn your house down? Did you know that? And that’s just things and stuff! Knees wear out. Your hair can wear out. Your teeth can wear out. They said just the other day—that alcohol makes your brain shrink! How bad is that? And still the real danger is spiritual. The real danger is to our faith and our immortal soul! We need to study God’s Word—all the rest of our life! Lest we think—because I’m confirmed now—I know all there is to know about God’s Word! We need to study God’s Word so that we would know—the first reading we heard today—Acts chapter 13—Paul and Barnabas are on their first missionary journey. They have been to the Island of Cyprus. Then to the city of Perga—which is lowlands—on their way to Pisidian Antioch—100 miles away and in the mountains. There Paul and Barnabas will preach God’s Word—to Gentiles because the children of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah weren’t interested! We need to remember how Isaiah promised—God’s Word would spread to the most distant islands. We need to be lifetime students of God’s Word!

To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life.” It’s hard to imagine someone dying—actually losing their life for lack of water. But they say it happened just the other day. A man named Dave was on one of those survival hikes. It was hot—really hot—100 degrees hot. He was hiking—in that 100 degree heat—with absolutely nothing to drink. The whole idea—they said—was to push yourself—past what you think are your limits. David was just 100 yards away from a cave—a cool cave—full of cold water. He was just a football field away from that life saving water when he collapsed and died. There were 11 people with him. Some people—they say—even had emergency water with them. They just didn’t say anything. They just kept pushing. David tried as hard as he could. And it cost him his physical life! There are people all around us—dying of thirst—for the living water that Jesus gives us in his word. To be without that living water—that spiritual water of life—is to die eternally. Come here—to God’s House. Read your Confirmation Bible again and again. Be refreshed again and again—until you drink from the spring of the water of life in heaven for Jesus’ sake. Amen!

To God alone all glory!

Rev. Anthony E. Schultz