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Series C – Twenty-Fourth Sunday After Pentecost – Sunday, October 30, 2016 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough

Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough:

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:27	The holy Gospel
0:29	According to Saint John chapter 8 verses
0:32	31-36
0:34	so Jesus said to the Jews who had
0:36	believed in him if you abide in my word
0:39	you are truly my disciples and you will
0:41	know the truth and the truth will set
0:43	you free they answered him we’re
0:45	offspring of Abraham and have never been
0:47	enslaved to anyone how is it that you
0:48	say you will become free
0:51	Jesus answered them truly truly I say to
0:54	you everyone who practices sin is a
0:55	slave to sin the slave does not remain
0:58	in the house forever the sun remains
1:00	forever so if the sun sets you free you
1:03	will be free indeed in the name of Jesus
1:08	so Jesus says if the son sets you free
1:11	you will be free indeed now I like
1:16	movies I in general I like movies but
1:18	there’s particular movies that I just
1:20	think are Classics and are epic and
1:22	those are the ones that tell of that
1:23	pitched battle between good and evil and
1:27	the ones where it’s actually believable
1:29	that what’s at stake is freedom itself
1:32	you think of the movie Braveheart how
1:34	does the movie end with that great that
1:36	great line from William Wallace freedom
1:39	and we can all relate to these stories
1:42	there’s a reason why Star Wars continues
1:45	to be well one of those movies that
1:47	people go to and watch over and over
1:49	again or the Lord of the Rings the
1:51	trilogy and then The Hobbit trilogy the
1:53	reason why is because each and every one
1:56	of us and understands that we don’t live
1:59	in a safe world you think of the the
2:02	tyrants of past
2:04	decades and eras think of the
2:07	dictatorships of Adolf Hitler or you
2:10	think of the old Soviet Union and what
2:12	is it that we all fear As Americans that
2:14	somehow we’re going to squander our
2:16	freedoms
2:17	and elect somebody who’s going to put us
2:19	into bondage to take away our freedoms
2:22	that’s always the big fear that’s the
2:25	stuff that kind of keeps conspiracy
2:27	theory websites churning that there’s
2:29	this Grand Global scheme afoot that the
2:33	Illuminati is working right now to put
2:36	us all into bondage to take away our
2:39	rights we all relate to these stories or
2:42	at least the concepts because we know
2:45	that when human beings are capable of
2:48	we really are
2:50	and so we must understand this that the
2:52	reason why human beings are capable of
2:54	such cruelty of enslaving other human
2:57	beings and putting them in bondage and
3:00	making us do the work of building
3:02	kingdoms and things like that
3:05	is because well each and every one of us
3:07	according to scripture
3:09	we were born under the Dominion of
3:11	Darkness
3:13	we were born enslaved to the ultimate
3:16	Tyrant the Devil Himself in fact
3:19	Colossians chapter 1 verses 13 and 14
3:22	says that God has delivered us from the
3:25	Dominion of darkness and God himself has
3:28	transferred us to the kingdom of his
3:30	beloved Son in whom we have Redemption
3:31	and the Forgiveness of our sins and so
3:35	in order to rightly understand good and
3:37	evil and freedom versus slavery we must
3:41	ultimately understand and come to grips
3:42	with what scripture teaches
3:45	that we all
3:47	well we’re born in slavery we were not
3:50	born free we were born under the
3:53	Dominion of a tyrannical ruler in fact
3:56	Ephesians 2 1-3 says you were dead in
3:59	your trespasses and sins in which you
4:01	once walked following the course of this
4:04	world following the prince of the power
4:06	of the air the Devil Himself this is the
4:10	spirit that is now at work in the sons
4:11	of disobedience
4:13	we all fear that this may also be the
4:15	spirit that is animating some political
4:17	leaders among whom we all not some but
4:20	all of us once lived in the passions of
4:22	our flesh carrying out the desires of
4:25	the body and the mind and we were by
4:26	Nature children of Wrath
4:29	Children of the devil just like the rest
4:31	of all of mankind
4:34	this was our state
4:36	now Jesus said if the son sets you free
4:39	you will be free indeed
4:42	and so Christians all of you baptized
4:45	here today I need to remind you that you
4:49	have already been set free
4:51	you’ve been to the font you’ve heard the
4:54	pastor say in the name of the father and
4:56	the Son and the Holy Spirit and in
4:58	Romans 6 the Apostle Paul writes do you
5:00	not know that all of us who have been
5:02	baptized into Christ Jesus we were
5:05	baptized into his death we were buried
5:07	there for him with him by baptism into
5:10	death in order to just as Christ was
5:12	raised from the dead by the glory of the
5:14	father we too might walk in newness of
5:16	life for if we have been United with him
5:19	in a death like his and we most
5:21	certainly have we shall certainly be
5:23	United with him in a resurrection like
5:25	his and we know that our old self was
5:27	crucified in order that the body of sin
5:29	might be brought to nothing
5:31	so that we would no longer be and hear
5:34	the important words enslaved to sin
5:38	you see brothers and sisters you have
5:41	already been set free
5:43	you are no longer under the Dominion of
5:45	Darkness but believe me when I tell you
5:47	the Dominion of darkness is not
5:49	satisfied with this outcome and is doing
5:52	everything that it can to veto this
5:55	Freedom that we have as a result of the
5:57	fact that Christ has buried us with
6:00	himself raised us with himself washed
6:03	away all of our sins think of it this
6:05	way when you were baptized you went to
6:08	be baptized with slave Shackles On
6:12	and then when you heard those words and
6:15	the water was poured or you were dunked
6:17	you heard the words in the name of the
6:19	father and the Son and the Holy Spirit I
6:20	baptized you in coming out of your
6:22	baptismal Waters
6:24	all of the slave shackles fell off
6:28	you were free
6:30	and that’s what happened to you you are
6:33	already
6:34	free Paul continues so we know that our
6:37	old self
6:38	our old sinful Adam was crucified with
6:41	Christ in order that the body of sin
6:42	might be brought to nothing so that we
6:44	would no longer be enslaved to sin for
6:46	one who has died has been set free from
6:50	sin
6:51	and you have died already you’ve died in
6:54	Christ you are now free walk in that
6:59	freedom but remember these words of
7:01	Jesus there’s a little bit of law in Our
7:04	Gospel text today Jesus says if you
7:06	abide in my word
7:10	you are truly my disciples and the one
7:13	who abides in Jesus’s words will know
7:15	the truth
7:17	and the truth will set you free kind of
7:19	think of that continuing to live in
7:22	Freedom requires the abiding in God’s
7:25	word this deals with the first three
7:28	Commandments does it not
7:30	first commandment you will have no other
7:31	gods second commandment you do not take
7:34	the name of the Lord your God in vain
7:35	and Third Commandment remember the
7:37	Sabbath day to keep it holy you see
7:39	Jesus here and talking about abiding in
7:42	his word is warning us
7:45	warning us against the sin of idolatry
7:49	to have another God is to listen to
7:51	other words other than Jesus and believe
7:53	that they are from God so my question to
7:55	you is abide in his word well where can
7:57	we go today to find the words of Jesus
8:00	do I need to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and
8:03	look for a holy man sitting in the Lotus
8:05	position do I go and visit the local
8:08	prophetess
8:09	where do I go to find the words of
8:12	Christ today
8:14	you see today we are celebrating the
8:18	499th anniversary
8:21	of the Reformation Martin Luther nailing
8:24	the 95 Theses to the to the church door
8:27	there in Wittenberg and we think of this
8:28	act of defiance well it was just a
8:30	debate Challenge and it just took off
8:32	like wildfire and so we’re thinking this
8:34	is a great thing we’re coming up on the
8:36	500th anniversary but let me ask you a
8:38	question when Luther nailed the 95
8:42	thesis to the castle Church door there
8:44	in Wittenberg that was the devil
8:46	defeated at that moment
8:48	has the Devils just said oh that’s it
8:51	I’m undone I’m gonna walk off the
8:53	battlefield and I’m gonna go into the
8:55	locker room and I’m gonna cry not at all
8:57	so let us be careful in our celebration
9:00	of the Reformation lest we think that
9:03	somehow that was the final Victory think
9:06	of it this way
9:07	we celebrate in the Reformation well the
9:10	fact that God in his Mercy
9:12	allowed us once again to roll back human
9:16	teachings that were obscuring the gospel
9:20	and the gospel was able to come forth
9:22	again so that the words of Christ might
9:24	set people free what had happened to the
9:27	Christian Church during the medieval
9:29	period all kinds of man-made doctrines
9:33	and teachings and practices crept their
9:36	way into the church all piously smuggled
9:40	under Christian words well we pray to
9:43	the Saints now we pray to Mary we say
9:46	the Hail Mary we believe in indulgences
9:48	in Owen yeah you want to get your dead
9:50	Grandma out of purgatory well just give
9:52	the church some money and we’ll make
9:54	sure that her sentence is lightened
9:57	all of these are man-made doctrines
10:00	but look at the state of the church
10:02	today in Protestant circles not in Roman
10:05	Catholic circles look at what’s
10:07	happening on Christian television
10:10	listen to what you’re listening to on
10:12	Christian radio
10:14	we all sit there and go oh the person
10:16	who’s praying to dead Saints is
10:18	believing something that is a man-made
10:20	Doctrine
10:21	but is it not also a man-made Doctrine
10:23	to believe that God manifests in glory
10:26	clouds today or that he’ll make you
10:28	wealthy if you send in your money to
10:31	that televangelist
10:32	and over and again what’s fascinating is
10:35	that all of these man-made doctrines you
10:38	know what they end up doing
10:40	putting people back in slavery and
10:44	bondage you see these doctrines do not
10:46	have their origin necessarily in man
10:49	because First Timothy chapter 4 starting
10:52	in verse 1 says this now the Holy Spirit
10:54	expressly says that in later times
10:59	I think we’re living in those right now
11:01	that in later times some will depart
11:04	from the Faith by devoting themselves to
11:07	watch this deceitful
11:10	spirits
11:12	and the teachings of demons through the
11:14	insincerity of liars whose consciences
11:17	are seared
11:18	they forbid marriage require abstinence
11:21	from foods that God created to be
11:24	received with Thanksgiving by those who
11:26	believe and know the truth forbid
11:28	marriage
11:29	hmm I know a major denomination within
11:32	the visible church that forbids pastors
11:34	to be married
11:36	I also know that the same denomination
11:38	says that it’s a mortal sin that if you
11:41	eat anything other than fish on Friday
11:44	mortal sin this will send you to hell
11:48	but all of these are well they’re not
11:51	just man-made doctrines according to
11:53	First Timothy 4 these are the doctrines
11:56	of demons
11:57	and why is that because the devil is
12:01	hard at work laying snares and traps and
12:06	all of these false teachings out there
12:08	for people to follow so that they get
12:11	their eyes off of Christ
12:13	and get their eyes off of salvation by
12:16	grace through faith and all that he has
12:18	done for us and get people back to work
12:22	trying to earn their salvation you can
12:24	kind of think of it like well Pharaoh in
12:27	the book of Exodus the ultimate
12:29	tyrannical false god king what is it
12:32	that the children of Israel are to be
12:34	doing making bricks get busy building my
12:38	kingdom
12:40	and if you complain well we’ll take the
12:42	straw away but the quota won’t be
12:44	reduced but Jesus comes along and he
12:47	says no I will set you free
12:49	you will walk in Freedom you will no
12:52	longer labor for somebody else and he
12:55	sets us free by grace through faith and
12:58	so all of these man-made doctrines
13:01	ultimately are not man-made they’re
13:03	demonic they are the snares of the devil
13:06	designed to put you back in bondage but
13:09	Jesus said
13:10	abide in my word
13:12	and you will know the truth and the
13:15	truth makes you free
13:17	you see Jesus doesn’t set you to work
13:19	making bricks Jesus doesn’t crack the
13:22	whip and say you want to be saved get
13:25	busy
13:26	try harder
13:28	Jesus says come to me all you who are
13:30	weary and heavy laden and I will give
13:32	you rest and this is exactly what our
13:34	epistle text
13:36	says and this is Ground Zero now
13:38	for the Reformation
13:40	the rediscovery of the Gospel
13:44	Romans chapter 3. now we know that
13:46	whatever the law says it speaks to those
13:49	who are under the law so that every
13:50	mouth may be stopped and the whole world
13:52	may be held accountable to God that’s
13:55	right the purpose of the law is not for
13:56	you to be saved by keeping it
13:59	instead the purpose of the law is to get
14:02	you to be quiet realize that you stand
14:05	guilty before God
14:07	and that you’re a sinner
14:09	for by works of the law no human being
14:11	will be justified in God’s sight
14:14	since through the law comes the
14:16	knowledge of sin
14:19	so every time I open up God’s law to you
14:25	you’re going to sit there and go ouch
14:26	that hurts
14:29	and it should
14:31	because you are guilty I’m guilty we
14:34	don’t keep it perfectly and that’s the
14:36	standard perfection
14:38	but see this text goes on to say but now
14:41	the righteousness of God this is his
14:44	righteousness that’s given to us as a
14:46	gift it has been manifested apart from
14:48	the law and the law and the prophets
14:49	they actually Bear witness to it this is
14:51	the righteousness of God that is through
14:53	faith in Jesus Christ for all who
14:55	believe for there is no distinction all
14:57	have sinned and fall short of the glory
14:58	of God and all are justified by his
15:01	grace as a gift through the Redemption
15:03	that is in Christ Jesus whom God put
15:05	forward as a atoning Sacrifice by his
15:08	blood to be received listen to this by
15:12	faith
15:14	it is for Freedom that Christ has set
15:16	you free salvation is given to us
15:19	gratis
15:21	is received by faith not by works now
15:24	this was to show God’s righteousness
15:25	because in his Divine forbearance he had
15:27	passed over the former sins it was to
15:29	show his righteousness at the present
15:31	time so that he might be just in the
15:33	justifier of the one who has faith in
15:35	him and all of this grace is a gift
15:40	and in fact kind of think of it this way
15:43	the devil well he wants to get you busy
15:45	working hard for something that is free
15:48	isn’t that always the way of it he’s
15:50	like a telemarketer scammer trying to
15:52	you know take what doesn’t belong to him
15:56	by making you work hard to work for him
15:59	but well true Christianity
16:02	it’s like Christmas
16:04	just like Christmas
16:06	there you are Christmas morning and
16:08	you’re a kid not an adult you’re a kid
16:10	remember it
16:12	there you are Christmas morning and
16:15	you’ve been fascinated by the tree and
16:16	all the presents and theirs Jesus saying
16:19	here’s one for you here’s another
16:22	here’s another and you open each one up
16:24	and the gifts keep getting better and
16:27	better and better and just when you
16:28	think it can’t get any better than that
16:31	Jesus says let me look behind the tree
16:33	oh look here’s another one that’s real
16:36	Freedom that’s love that’s the gift of
16:39	Salvation not earned it’s given it’s
16:43	received and it’s received with joy
16:45	seeing being seen for the precious thing
16:47	that it is
16:50	so if it’s all a gift what becomes of
16:53	our boasting and here’s always kind of
16:55	the fun part those who are trying to
16:58	earn their salvation they sure do talk a
17:01	lot about themselves I have out been out
17:04	there Conquering the devil I’ve been out
17:06	there conquering my sin and you too can
17:08	well live the Victorious Christian Life
17:10	like I have I mean it’s been months
17:11	since I’ve sinned and here’s my five
17:14	easy steps that you can apply to your
17:15	life to make you so that you can be as
17:17	holy as I am yeah when somebody’s
17:19	talking like that hide your wallet
17:22	they want something from you
17:24	and it’s your money
17:26	but see because salvation is a gift what
17:29	becomes of our boasting is there
17:31	anything to boast about
17:33	when you receive a gift
17:35	well
17:37	Paul says well it’s just it’s excluded
17:40	and he asked by what kind of law by a
17:42	law of Works he says no but by the law
17:44	of faithful we hold that one is
17:45	Justified
17:46	that’s right declared righteous by faith
17:49	apart from the works of the law and
17:52	here’s the best thing we all got the
17:54	same gift
17:55	and it’s a gift
17:56	you got that gift too I got that one too
18:00	that’s right that’s right it’s the GI
18:02	Joe with the Kung Fu Grip you got that I
18:04	got that also it’s the best thing ever
18:06	in this case it’s not GI Joe though
18:09	salvation
18:11	it’s knowing that we have a right
18:13	standing with God you see the devil
18:15	wants to make you work for and pay for
18:18	what God has already given to you for
18:20	free
18:22	nonsense and that’s why it’s demonic
18:25	that’s why it’s slavery so don’t think
18:27	for a second that because you have
18:29	already been set free that the devil
18:31	isn’t trying to figure out how to snare
18:33	you and enslave you once again
18:37	and so Jesus warns
18:39	the one who is my disciple abides in my
18:43	word you see come back to the words of
18:45	Jesus because his words teach you the
18:48	truth his words keep you free and his
18:51	words remind you over and over and over
18:55	again that you are loved that you are
18:57	forgiven that you are washed that you
18:59	are baptized that you are fed with the
19:01	body and blood of Christ that you have a
19:04	right standing with God despite the fact
19:07	that daily you fall short grievously
19:11	because he continues to richly forgive
19:15	you
19:17	and so the son has set you free
19:21	you are free you are free indeed
19:25	remember that believe that abide in that
19:28	because you can take it to the bank in
19:31	the name of Jesus
19:32	amen
19:34	[Music]

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