St. Luke Ev. Lutheran Church

Sermon delivered by Pastor Anthony E. Schultz

June 18, 2006 Father’s Day

Pentecost 2—series B 2 Corinthians 4:7-12

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned, struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.

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

There is evil in this world—painful and hurtful evil! Imagine a little person just 8 years old—already in trouble all the time at school. Just 8 years old—willful, spiteful, disobedient, violent and hurtful—full of anger and frustration, rage and hate. Imagine a little person—just 8 years old—pushes his way through the doors of a school bus that is parked. Climbs onto the bus and releases the parking brake. The bus rolls backwards—down the hill—runs over and takes the life of a little girl—also just 8 years old! Now what? Put this little person into foster care—new parents—a father and a mother—to teach him to be good? New parents—that if he likes them—if he likes them—he stays with them. But if he doesn’t—he makes their life so painfully impossible they push him out—or he simply runs away? Do you put him into some sort of juvenile facility—where the older children will teach him even more destructive behavior—with special attention to how to avoid getting caught? Or do you try to get him some sort of mental and emotional help? What Jesus did—was to die on the cross—to forgive such hurtful sins by little people only 8 years old—and people who are 18 and 88! The best earthly consequences—I think—are pretty hard to decide. But the forever consequence our Heavenly Father wants—is for everyone to repent—to turn from their sins and live. What our Heavenly Father wants—is not our eternal destruction—but that we come home to heaven—to live with him forever! This weekend—as our nation celebrates Father’s Day—God’s Word encourages us:

What Matters Is The Gospel On The Inside

1. The devil causes painful attacks

2. But Jesus makes us strong to persevere!

The part of God’s Word we are concentrating on is part of the Apostle Paul’s second letter to the believers in the Greek city of Corinth. Do we remember the missionary ministry of Paul? Paul was a missionary on the move—going from city to city—most often to the synagogue—the Bible school—where God’s people gathered around the Old Testament Scriptures—the books of Moses, the books of Hebrew poetry—the Psalms—the books of prophecy—Isaiah and Jeremiah and Ezekiel and more. There Paul would explain to them how Jesus of Nazareth was the fulfillment of everything our Heavenly Father promised! On his 3rd missionary journey—52 to 56 years after baby Jesus was born Paul preached God’s Word. During that time—Paul spent almost 3 years in the city of Ephesus—more time in one place than anywhere else at any one time. This is the time period when the letters to the Corinthians were written. 1st Corinthians is one of the first books of Scripture that you study in college as you prepare for the preaching ministry. 1st Corinthians chapter 13—you know. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoice with the truth. It always protects, always trusts; always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails!” v.4-8a Chapter 14 talks about speaking in tongues—which had an important place at the time the early New Testament church was growing. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. v.19 Chapter 15 is the great Resurrection chapter. We read words from chapter 15 at the grave side of people called home to heaven. “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”v.54-58 Chapter 16 talks about gathering Thankofferings—setting aside part of the income Jesus gives you every week—first fruits—not leftovers—for the support of Gospel ministry. It’s a matter of priorities. If we have the funds to pay to have our lawns sprayed—to make them thicker and thicker—then we will also bring the Thankofferings to spread the green pastures of the Gospel for Jesus’ sheep everywhere!

In 2 Corinthians chapter 6 Paul talks about the hardships he endured because of the Gospel. God’s Word says, “We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited.” The Gospel ministry—the message of Christ crucified and risen to take away our sins—is all that matters—not you and me! Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way; in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beating, imprisonments and riots, in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as imposters; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything! Chapter 6:3-10 A couple of chapters later Paul wrote, “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea. I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. Chapter 11:24-30 All that counts—all that matters is the power of the Gospel!

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. In Bible times—they had fancy boxes—made of rare hard woods—sometimes intricately, delicately carved or covered with precious metals and jewels. Treasure chests that were themselves precious were made for kings and queens and wealthy people. Even people of modest means—who had a treasure—might also have a treasure chest—a precious container—worthy of the treasure inside! But we have this treasure of the gospel in jars of clay—to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. The appearance of the person teaching or preaching God’s Word is not the point! What they wear is not important—whether they have a fine silk suit—with an expensive hand painted silk neck tie—with a white shirt with a perfect collar—or not. Shiny shoes are nice. But they are far from the point. The point is Christ crucified and risen. Family fathers need to be the spiritual head of the home—the Bible reading encourager of their family. That means remembering that we have this treasure in jars of clay. When you go home from church on Sunday—family fathers will remind their family the point of church is worship—giving glory to God. The point is listening to God’s Word—the Old Testament lesson—the Psalm we sing—the letter the Lord wrote to us—the Gospel that gives glory to the word and works of the Lord Jesus. There is reason why we stand—to show respect for the Gospel. We stand when we pray—to show respect to our Heavenly Father. It is easy to find fault—to grumble or complain or find fault with jars of clay. But that does not build up the body of Christ. It does not give glory to God. It tears down and finds fault. The jars of clay carry the treasure of the Gospel. That’s why we will show respect to the people God’s Word says—have beautiful feet—as they bring God’s Word to us!

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned, struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. The attacks of the devil come again and again. Sometimes they are like sandpaper. They work to wear you down—little by little—yet unrelenting! The attacks can be physical, mental, emotional and psychological. There was the attack just the other day—by a rock n roll singer—that so called Christian leaders are to blame that army helmets don’t have more padding on the inside! Turn on TV and commercials say happiness is to be found in eating fast food, ordering lots of pizzas, driving fast cars in wet parking lots—having very thin bodies and very thin cell phones. That we need to buy all new clothes, to refinance our homes, consolidate all that credit card debt, get cheaper car insurance, to buy dad lots of power tools—and then go on a cruise—or vacation in Jamaica—and then we will be truly happy! At the same time we need to be afraid—of a possible bird flu pandemic. We need to be afraid that the whole planet is maybe two degrees warmer—so pretty soon polar bears will be attacking each other—and ocean salt water is coming in land. We need to be afraid that hurricanes are coming fast and furious—tornadoes and earthquakes—volcanoes and tsunamis. We need to be afraid that the stock market is going down and the price of gasoline is going forever up. We need to be afraid that the Iranians and the North Koreans are going to use nuclear weapons? Fathers need to be the spiritual head of their home—to teach their whole family on the basis of God’s Word—that we do not need to be afraid. We don’t need to be afraid of death itself—since Jesus will keep us eternally safe!

For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you. The enemies of Jesus hated him and wanted Jesus put to death. Little did they understand that by dying on the cross—Jesus crushed the power of the devil. The devil wants to destroy us, too. The devil is trying all the time—to destroy our faith—to try and tear down our Church—to try and break down the spread of the Gospel over seas. There is danger—physical danger—in places like China. In China there are some 68 different crimes—that carry with them the death penalty. Cheating on your taxes can bring the penalty of death. They say between 1700 and 8,000 people are executed in China every year. You could be thrown into prison and put to death for trying to share your faith in China! In Indonesia there is physical danger from Mount Merapi in central Java raining down ashes on the people. There is danger in Indonesia from poisonous cobra snakes—which slither along the side of your house—feeling with their little snakey tongue—for an opening—any opening—where they can squeeze inside! Once inside—they seek the warmth of a human body—someone—anyone to inject with their bitter poison! There is danger in Watertown. Not from communist secret police or poisonous snakes. There is danger from soft pillows—and cool central air conditioning. Danger from staying up late Saturday night having fun—and sleeping through Sunday morning. There is danger that we get so caught up with landscaping and lawn mowing and our cottage up north—that we take a spiritual vacation from God’s Word! There is a danger that we take a spiritual attitude that says, “Whatever…” That we become so lukewarm—that we don’t take spiritual danger seriously. Only Jesus can keep us safe—from physical hurt and eternal death—by conquering death for every one of us. Let us live this summer—more faithful than ever—rededicated to living my life in the light of his forgiving love. Amen!