Saint Luke Ev. Lutheran Church

Sermon by Pastor Anthony E. Schultz

May 22, 2005 Holy Trinity Matthew 28:16-20

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

People of God—rescued from the flaming lake of fire in hell by the innocent blood of the very Lamb of God:

God’s Word says, “The wages of sin is death.” It never ceases to amaze me the different ways people die! Just the other day a man jumped out of an air plane—one of those spend the day learning and practicing—and the same day parachute. Something went horribly wrong. The plane’s wing hit this guy’s legs—and he died. The other day little girls 8 and 9 years old—not too many miles from here—were attacked by the father of one--because one was late for supper? The other day a guy in France—a cook at a restaurant—was stabbed to death with a real live sword—by some guy he had had an argument with? A hand full of people died in the Congo of that Ebola virus—a terrible death like in a really scary movie—except it isn’t imaginary or make believe! A hand full of people in a hot air balloon crashed into some high power lines—and jumped or fell to their death? Coal miners in China died—a terrible explosion and fire deep under ground. Apart from Jesus we would spend every day wondering—is today the day I am going to die? How will it happen? Will it be some freak accident? Will it be some rare disease? Will it be some random crime? Will I be in the wrong place at the wrong time? Or will I just wear out—some essential part of my body finally giving out? Today God’s Word gives us powerful comfort as God’s Word says:

We Walk Together Because Jesus Is In Charge of Everything!

1. We will go and make disciples
2. Knowing Jesus is always with us

Today we are taking special note of the fact that we are part of the Wisconsin Synod. We don’t often make a big point of that—being Wisconsin Synod—because the main thing—the only thing that really matters—is not that we are Lutheran or Wisconsin Synod Lutheran. The point is—Jesus took all our sins away. That’s all that matters—that we are saved by grace through faith for Jesus’ sake! Sometimes we are accused of believing that only Wisconsin Synod people get to go to Heaven! That’s not fair! That’s not true! People who believe in Jesus as their Savior from sin will go to Heaven! I am not afraid to tell you that there will be all different kinds of Lutherans in Heaven—Lutheran Church Missouri Synod Lutherans and Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Lutherans in Heaven. I am not afraid to tell you that there will be Baptists and members of the Assembly of God—Roman Catholics, Methodists and Presbyterians and Episcopalians —who believe in Jesus as their Savior from sin. This is not to say it doesn’t matter what Church you belong to—or that all steeples point to heaven—that any way of looking at God is just fine as long as you are sincere! We are not saying that. It matters very much where you go to church. It matters very much—that we try to be as faithful as we possibly can—to the inspired and inerrant Scriptures. It matters very much that we walk together. That what we believe and teach and confess is faithful to the Scriptures!

We walk together because Jesus is in charge of everything. Just before he went back into Heaven Jesus gave us the very important task of making disciples—making students, followers and imitators of Jesus. That means our life has purpose and focus. I caught just part of a Brewers’ game the other evening. There was a runner on 1^st. The batter hit a little fly ball—just a little bit behind the shortstop. The shortstop backed up—back, back, back. The left fielder came closer and closer. The runner on first walked toward second base. The shortstop didn’t say anything—he just decided he had backed up so far—it must be for the left fielder to catch it. The leftfielder saw the shortstop backing up and so he stopped. The ball plunked between them. The runner got to 2^nd—but could conceivable scored—if he had really hurried. But he didn’t. For the thousands of dollars that they were being paid—nobody was motivated! Nobody was playing hard! How sad is that? Are we working hard at making disciples? Are we working as hard as we can? Or do we put less in our envelope than we spend on one tank of gasoline—and keep our faith to our self at work—with our relatives—and any where else we go? Jesus didn’t say—go and make disciples—if you feel like it—when you remember immortal souls and eternal damnation are at risk!

All authority in Heaven and earth has been given to me. Jesus has power and authority over everything! What are you the boss of? You would think I am the boss of our puppy Kirby. But not! Let him out the back door—wait a while—and call, “Come on, Kirby! Come in now…or not!” As Kirby runs down the hill toward the retention pond—barking at little redwinged blackbirds three feet up in a weeping willow tree—totally oblivious to this noisy little puppy! Jesus is the boss of everything—each blade of grass. Jesus knows how many dandelions are in your back yard—how many little yellow flowers will turn into little white whispers of seeds that will blow from our neighbor’s yard into ours. Jesus knows how many blades of crab grass are in your yard—how many stones your lawnmower will hit—how many little purple flowers on your lilac bush. Jesus knows how many times you can let out the string on your weed whacker—before you have to go to Ace and get a new one! Jesus is in charge of how many drops of rain fall on your driveway—how long it will take the wind to dry your driveway. Jesus knows whether it will be cloudy or clear in the dead of night—when you are fast asleep. Jesus knows how many hurricanes there will be—which will wash away people in flash floods and who will be rescued! Jesus is in the deepest ocean and the farthest reaches of space millions of light years away and back. And Kirby is chasing a bunny in to the muddy marsh! Kirby—get out of there…or not…

Go and make disciples has everything to do with our heart and our attitude. Jesus said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 We were in Madison the other day. And what should be going down the road beside me? A kind of pudgy dumpy car—sort of an indescribable blue color—kind of a dishwater blue—kind of a faded almost washed out blue. The tail lights were kind of odd shaped—the seats were kind of a cream colored leather—with really big head cushions—so if you got in a crash or had to stop fast—your head would mush into this really big pillow thing. The hood was kind of boxy. The hub caps and wheels painfully average. But there on the hood was this silver figurine—and the famous R on top of another R. This kind of “ugly” car was a real Rolls Royce! How often do you see a Rolls Royce? You know what? The guy with the little English racing hat wasn’t getting through Madison any faster than I was. A ding or a scratch in his car would be a big deal! I have holes through my hood from a chunk of ice off a semi—a big deal? Not so much! When you die—you can keep Rolls Royce keys in your pocket—lock them up in the coffin with you. But you won’t drive it—not ever again. What matters is not what’s in our garage or your drive way. What matters is what is in your heart! What matters is Jesus’ forgiving love that takes all your sins away!

Go and make disciples… Discipleship means love. The night he was betrayed Jesus said, “A new commandment I give you; Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. All men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” John 13:34,35 We had lunch the other day—after going to the cemetery to bury my friend. I had a rose from the spray—in my pocket when we got to the restaurant. Our waiter—a very nice young man said, “Hey, nice rose! What’s the special occasion?” I said, “I just got back from burying my friend!” “Oh,” he said, “I’m sorry!” I said, “Don’t be. She is safe by Jesus in Heaven. Esther is just fine!” When our waiter saw we were just about finished eating he said, “Would anybody like dessert? Really”, he said, “he would pay for it—because he had asked about the rose!” Do you know how that feels? You feel guilty about something that wasn’t really bad—but you think it was. And you want to make up for it—you want to make it better. And there is in our flesh—build into every single one of us—the idea—that if I do something good—generous—because we want to—that that good thing balances—cancels out the bad thing. Like a triple chocolate dessert—chocolate cake with chocolate frosting with chocolate syrup on it—makes up for bringing up a funeral? If only it were that easy. All that makes up for our mistakes is Jesus’ holy innocent blood. The only way to take away sin is for the Son of God to bleed and suffer and die. That’s the only price that can pay for sin.

Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. All nations! That’s a powerful concept—all nations. That’s people everywhere! There is in Soviet Armenia a man named Edward. Edward is a guy who carves stuff—small stuff. How small? He carved a whole bunch of elephants—so small—this line of elephants fit inside—a human hair. He carved the Kremlin—on one side of a grain of rice! Edward looks through microscopes—uses diamond tipped tools—and actually makes his little carving cuts—between heart beats! He has to have this kind of rhythm because each time his heart thumps—it makes his fingers move—the very smallest amount—but they move! The heart is the problem—again! It is always our heart that is the problem. Make disciples of all nations? All those people? I’m supposed to be responsible? Yes—we are! Part of walking together means together we work to spread the Gospel to people who don’t know that Jesus is their Savior. A few weeks ago—our President was in countries—small little countries that used to be under German domination—then under an even harsher Soviet Communist domination under Stalin. Those people rejoice that they are politically and economically free! But what good is that political freedom—if they are not free from sin and guilt and the devil? Every year in New Zealand—for 18 days itinerant shepherds go through some 58,000acres—looking for sheep—to move them down into the valleys before the winter storms. These shepherds are hirelings! They don’t really care about the sheep—why should they? They are hired to walk around—here, sheep, sheep, sheep! If one doesn’t want to be safe—too bad for you! Jesus is the Good Shepherd—who lays down his life for the sheep. How many shepherds in New Zealand know that Jesus is their Good Shepherd? New Zealand is where they filmed Lord of the Rings. Do the people there know the King of kings and Lord of lords? Do we have any missionaries there? I don’t think so. The last months and years—instead of sending out new missionaries we have called missionaries home! How can that be? It’s not because there are no people left to tell! It’s not because there are no people willing to go! Can it be—for lack of Thankofferings the Gospel is not going out? How could that be? If we can go to Appleby’s and the new Pizza Hut Bistro—if we can afford Subway Subs—can we say I don’t have an hour for Jesus on Sunday? Can we say I have no Thankoffering to bring?

Surely I am with you always—to the very end of the age! How old do you have to be—to remember that commercial—where they would show that bottle of catsup—open—poised over a Freedom fry? How old to remember Carly Simon singing, “Anticipation! Anticipation is making me wait—keeping we waiting!” You watched. You waited. You had to smile—when eventually that thick rich sweet catsup finally—finally hit that little fry! I wonder more and more—if we are filled with genuine anticipation for the joy and peace and rest of heaven? Do we really long for heaven—or are we pretty comfortable in this world? When you realize the wondrous joy that actually awaits us in heaven we will pray as the Apostle John did, “Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!” In the meantime—let us walk together to meet him! Amen!

To God alone all glory!

Rev. Anthony E. Schultz