St. Luke Ev. Lutheran Church
Sermon delivered by Pastor Anthony E. Schultz
Pentecost 6 July 16, 2006 Lamentations 3:22-33

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it on him. Let him bury his face in the dust—there may yet be hope. Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace. For men are not cast off by the Lord for ever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.

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

Every year about this time—when they publish new dictionaries—they talk about new words—used so much—they have made it into the dictionary. This is not a new phenomenon. It’s been going on for decades. I looked up new words from past decades. It was back in the 50s that they added hashbrowns to the dictionary. Somehow I guess I always thought they made hashbrowns—shredded potatoes crispy with catsup drizzled on them. It was the 60s that they invented the word doofus—from the German word doof—which means blissfully ignorant! The 70s saw the word detox—which is sad, too. The fact that we can so poison our bodies with drugs or alcohol or both—that we have to spend a time in a care place—while slowly but surely—our bodies throw off this poison! The 80s saw emoticons—the way you use parentheses and other little computer marks to make little faces—when you are sending e-mails. The newest dictionaries have new words like roofie. Do you know that that is? It is very technically a tablet of flunitrazepam—a drug that can be slipped into your drink—and the next thing you know—someone has stolen hugs and kisses from you—and you were helpless to stop them! In the 90s we had granny dumping! Do you know what that is? It’s when you take an elderly relative—someone you have a God-given responsibility to take care of. And you dump them at the hospital. You drop them off on the doorstep of the ER—and turn your back on them. It’s sad when you realize that lots of new words are being invented—to try and describe ever new ways of doing what is hurtful or painful or wrong. Today God’s Word talks about the sadness that is life in this world infected by sin. The good news is:

The LORD’s Tender Love Never Fails!

1. It is new every morning
2. It is constant every day

The part of God’s Word we are concentrating on today—is from Lamentations. It would be good if we reviewed Jeremiah and what he wrote in Jeremiah and Lamentations. The People’s Bible Commentary on Jeremiah and Lamentations was written by Prof. David Gosdeck. Prof. Gosdeck was vacancy pastor here at St. Luke’s after Pastor Vomhof. Prof. Gosdeck writes, “Jeremiah is meant to be read with the ear. Few people in Jeremiah’s time, even the great and powerful, could read. So Jeremiah spoke the Lord’s Word to his audience. He did not write down any of his prophecy until he had been at work over 20 years. This helps to explain some of his style and manner of writing.” It makes a difference! It makes a difference if what you are saying is on a scroll for people to hold and unroll and read. Or if your message is to be spoken—like a sermon. People talk about writers who have a conversational style—like you can imagine them talking out loud to you. Garrison Keillor—a Prarie Home Companion—the news from Lake Wobegone—or Tom Bodette—“We’ll leave the light on”—write with a conversational style. They write like they were sitting across from you at the kitchen table—having coffee. Here—have another doughnut! You can imagine their face. Like—they hit their forehead—when they can’t believe the stubborn self-destructive behavior of the people. You can imagine the scowl—when the sins strike at the very heart of the family—when husbands are not the spiritual head of their family. When the mommy does not respect the husband. When the children are disrespectful of their parents and disobedient of their teachers. This disrespect is ultimately disrespect toward your Heavenly Father—and there are consequences—painful spiritual consequences! You can imagine the scowl—when he talks about the unspeakably horrible forever consequences of trying to live your life apart from the LORD’s tender forgiving love. You can imagine the gentle gestures—literally reaching out—when he talks about the LORD’s unconditional love. This past confirmation Sunday we had a passage from Jeremiah. Do you remember? “I know the plans I have for you declares the LORD—plans to prosper you and not to hurt you. Plans to give you hope and a future! Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:11-13 The LORD is always with us. His forgiving love will never fail us!

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed… How bad was it in Jerusalem? It was horrible! Most of the people—those who had not been killed in combat had been forced to walk literally a thousand miles to Babylon—from which no one would return for 70 years! That would mean people my age—would have to live to be 124—before we would ever see Jerusalem again. People already in the days of Jeremiah lived 70 years—80 years if they had the strength—days full of frustration, pain and sins. So—anyone my age or older—forget it! You were never coming home. You would be buried in Babylon. For those left behind—there was a horrible famine. Lamentations is a funeral poem. Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him for the lives of your children, who faint from hunger at the head of every street. Look, O LORD, and consider: Whom have you ever treated like this? Should women eat their offspring, the children they have cared for? Should priest and prophet be killed in the sanctuary of the Lord? Young and old lie together in the dust of the streets; my young men and maidens have fallen by the sword… Lamentations 2:19-21a Could it have been worse? Absolutely! That’s what Jeremiah was saying! Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed! Because of the LORD’s great love we are not as the Pilgrim Preacher Johnathan Edwards described Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God! We are not little bugs hanging by a thread of a spider’s web—the LORD holding sharpened scissors—ready to snip--about to plunge us into the horrors of the flames of eternal destruction! We are not burned up as we deserve—because the LORD is merciful for Jesus’ sake.

The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it on him. Let him bury his face in the dust—there may yet be hope. Wait quietly…sit alone in silence. This is all easier said than done. Human nature says if I have troubles and problems—I will grumble, whine and complain. I will feel sorry for myself! Before you know it—each of us will be in our 50s or 60s or 70s or 80s. How are you doing? When I am the little grandpa living in the nursing home—to wait quietly means—don’t grumble and complain. That I don’t grumble and complain about my arthritis—my shock absorbers that don’t work. That I don’t grumble and complain about my eyes—but get large print Meditations—and a big screen TV and wear my glasses. That I don’t complain about my ears—but get ear phones—and click on the closed caption thing. That I don’t complain about the food. But remember the example of Israel—eating manna morning, noon and night for how long? For 40 years! And then—if you know they are serving fish or liver—and you really don’t care to eat fish or liver—then order out a pizza! Order a pizza and rent a video—and invite over your friends—and have a movie night! When I am in the hospital—when I am wearing those funny jammies—with tubes in my arms and other breakable places—I will need to be the patient patient—waiting for the LORD’s time to make me better—or to make me perfect!

Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him… Let someone hit you? That doesn’t sound right. But that’s exactly what Jesus said when he taught the people on a grassy hillside. Remember what Jesus said? “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles!” Matthew 5:38-41 This is not the way this world operates. If you watched any of the World Cup Soccer Tournament you saw a man from France crack a player from Italy in the chest with his head. Oh, the Prime Minister of France said—we are so proud of you! Really? Oh, the French player said—I apologize—and at the same time—I don’t regret what I did! Oh, it’s no big deal—some people say. Watch football or baseball or basket ball—everybody does it. Someone from the other team says something to you. And instead of playing harder—to win the day—you physically assault them? That’s the way this world operates. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary—and then Paul quotes the wisdom of Solomon from the scroll of Proverbs: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:19-21 This becomes exceedingly practical when family fights over who gets Grandma’s antique dresser—who gets things and stuff in a messy divorce—when people on Monday morning fight tooth and nail because this is business. It becomes exceedingly practical when people say, “It’s not the money—it’s the principle of the thing—which most often means—it’s the money! It is sad how the devil tempts people to hold grudges—to hold on to anger and bitterness—when turning the other cheek means forgiveness. Jesus’ forgiving love means we forgive—and we forget! Forgiveness that won’t forget—is really no forgiveness at all—is it?

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. There is a new edition of a dictionary that contains a letter from the publisher—about sensitive treatment of insensitive words and phrases. The problem is—they say—people come to this country—who don’t speak English. And they hear people saying things they don’t understand. So they try to look them up. What are the dictionary people to do? Don’t print those words because they are so inappropriate? Since like 1991 they have been including these words—with very carefully—very strongly worded explanations. So people will understand what the words mean—and at the same time—understand how inappropriate they are. How many bad words and phrases are there? How many would you guess? Over 300! That’s a lot—don’t you think? Over 300 different words that show hatred or disrespect—or are so rude and crude and wrong—that even this world realizes you ought to be ashamed to even use them. 300 words. Imagine how many terrible combinations they would make! The Dictionary hopes the day will come—when they won’t have to explain all these inappropriate words. For that to happen—Jesus’ love needs to fill our hearts and the hearts of our family and our neighbor! Only Jesus’ tender compassion can forgive our mistakes of the past. And only Jesus’ love can make us strong today and tomorrow to spread the essential Gospel. Amen!

To God alone all glory!

Rev. Anthony E. Schultz