LutheranLectionary.org

Series A – Fourth Sunday of Easter – Sunday, April 30, 2023 | 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 the 10th chapter
0:34	foreign
0:36	Jesus said truly truly I say to you he
0:39	who does not enter the Sheepfold by the
0:41	door but climbs in by another way that
0:43	man is a thief and a robber but he who
0:46	enters by the door is The Shepherd of
0:48	the sheep to him the gatekeeper opens
0:50	the sheep hear his voice and he calls
0:52	his own Sheep by name and leads them out
0:54	when he has brought out all his own he
0:57	goes before them and the Sheep follow
0:59	him for they know his voice a stranger
1:01	they will not follow but they will flee
1:03	from him for they do not know the voice
1:05	of strangers this figure of speech Jesus
1:07	used with them but they did not
1:09	understand what he was saying to them so
1:11	Jesus again said to them truly truly I
1:13	say to you I am the door of the sheep
1:16	all who came before me are thieves and
1:18	robbers but the Sheep did not listen to
1:20	them I am the door if anyone enters by
1:22	me he will be saved and will go in and
1:24	out and find pasture the thief comes
1:27	only to steal to kill and to destroy I
1:30	came that they may have life and have it
1:32	abundantly this is the gospel of the
1:35	Lord in the name of Jesus
1:37	all right so it’s it’s no mystery I
1:40	enjoy a good James Bond movie or
1:43	something like that you know what I’m
1:44	talking about the James Bond this is the
1:46	guy who like uh you know he can get into
1:48	any situation any scrape and find a way
1:50	out of it the one thing I’ve always
1:51	liked about Daniel Craig’s version of of
1:54	James Bond is that he bleeds right he he
1:57	he’s he’s not the kind of person that’s
1:59	Invincible he’s not Superman he gets
2:01	himself into real dangerous scrapes and
2:03	comes this close to dying like all the
2:05	time but over and again when you kind of
2:07	think of Heroes like James Bond and the
2:09	kind of the way the movie Trope works
2:11	you know there there’s there’s one thing
2:13	I love about these movies is there’s
2:15	always like a travel log bit to it
2:17	you’re going to Exotic locations places
2:19	you haven’t traveled to before and and
2:22	so this is where James Bond is doing his
2:24	surreptitious spying kind of thing
2:26	always on a mission and of course the
2:29	bad guys detect him and next thing you
2:30	know he’s like racing motorcycles across
2:34	the tops of roofs and turkey and stuff
2:36	like this right and so what ends up
2:38	happening is he just escapes by this
2:41	much and is picked up by an operative
2:43	and is finally safely inside of a
2:45	vehicle and they’re heading to get out
2:47	of Harm’s Way and next thing you know
2:49	James Bond notices that the person
2:51	driving has made a turn that doesn’t
2:53	make any sense this isn’t going the way
2:56	it’s supposed to go and it says hey wait
2:58	you just missed that turn and next thing
3:00	you know the locks go down and now the
3:02	next round of drama begins right I I
3:05	like how I like to think of Good
3:07	Shepherd Sunday like this again you’ll
3:10	note that I always like to take swipes
3:12	it like the these like almost
3:14	ridiculously idyllic pictures of Jesus
3:18	that take out any danger as it relates
3:21	to the life of a Christian so we we’ve
3:23	all seen these beautiful pictures of
3:25	Jesus holding that beautiful little lamb
3:27	and we want to just hold on to that
3:29	image and just kind of think of Jesus
3:31	like a good cup of chamomile tea on a
3:35	slightly rainy day while snuggling up on
3:38	your couch and it’s this is what
3:39	Christianity is all about right it’s
3:41	it’s all about that warm fuzzy safe
3:45	feeling but I would note
3:47	that is not what Good Shepherd Sunday is
3:51	about and I love our epistle text
3:53	because of it but let me let me help you
3:55	out the assigned psalm for today is
3:58	Psalm 23. and I’ve noted in the past
4:02	that uh when I am visiting people on
4:05	their Death Beds this is a Psalm that
4:07	they want to hear and and there’s
4:10	comfort for them as they are drawing
4:12	near the end of their Journey but for we
4:15	who still have a few days left in our
4:17	journey Have you listened to this thing
4:20	have you stopped and said wait a second
4:23	Jesus where are you taking me okay this
4:27	is a good shepherd who takes us through
4:28	some pretty weird terrain if all you
4:31	think that Christianity is is about
4:33	fluffiness and and experiencing the
4:35	Abundant beautiful blessed life now in
4:38	fact listen to with the way it goes the
4:40	Lord is my shepherd I shall not want he
4:44	makes me lie down in Green Pastures he
4:47	leads me besides Still Waters he
4:50	restores my soul he leads me in Paths of
4:54	righteousness for his name’s sake so far
4:56	so good right and boy it’d be great if
5:00	it like stopped right here okay
5:03	but then it takes a really dark turn
5:06	even though I walk through the valley of
5:09	the shadow of death wait the what
5:11	that there there’s a the huh yeah the
5:14	Valley of the shadow of death you’re
5:17	taking us through there Jesus have you
5:19	ever thought Jesus is the Good Shepherd
5:21	he’s leading his sheep and where does he
5:22	take him through the valley of the
5:24	shadow of death is one of my pastors
5:27	used to say Jesus doesn’t save us from
5:30	death
5:31	he saves us through it
5:33	Jesus doesn’t save us from suffering
5:38	he saves us through
5:40	suffering and if you have this idyllic
5:43	picture of Christianity that somehow
5:46	being a Christian if I if I just put out
5:49	the right amount of money into the plate
5:52	every week if I just make sure that I
5:54	obey the Commandments the right amount
5:57	because obviously I can’t keep them
5:58	perfectly but I mean God knows the
6:00	intentions of my heart if I just try
6:03	really hard to be the best Christian
6:05	that I possibly can and love my good
6:07	shepherd Jesus then the Abundant Life
6:10	that Jesus is talking about is going to
6:12	make me healthy wealthy influential wise
6:15	and all those other things it’s it’s
6:17	kind of a form of the Prosperity Gospel
6:20	right
6:21	but here the scriptures are clear that
6:23	our Good Shepherd
6:25	leads us through the valley
6:28	of The Shadow
6:29	of death all of a sudden you recognize
6:32	the Good Shepherd Jesus has taken a
6:34	wrong turn didn’t expect that where are
6:37	we going Jesus and as soon as we ask the
6:39	questions the locks go down and we are
6:41	in for well the ride of our lives right
6:45	but you’ll note the psalmist says even
6:47	though I walk to the Valley of the
6:48	shadow of death I will fear
6:51	no evil
6:53	that’s a pretty dicey neighborhood that
6:55	shadow of death by the way not a place
6:58	you want to live but some of us have to
6:59	sojourn through there yet so when you’re
7:02	in the midst of that neighborhood no you
7:04	do not need to fear any evil because you
7:06	are with me you’re rod and your staff
7:09	they comfort me ah the disciplining
7:12	actions of a Shepherd yeah you know by
7:15	hook or by crook if a sheep is not going
7:17	to obey and not going to listen to the
7:19	Good Shepherd well then the shepherd can
7:22	grab the hook and just put them on the
7:23	right path and if they’re being stubborn
7:25	or an obstinate we could just break a
7:27	leg and you know and wound them just
7:28	enough so that they’ll get the point and
7:30	do the right thing hooker by crook
7:32	you’re rod and your staff they comfort
7:33	me you prepare a table before me again
7:36	notice this Valley of the shadow of
7:37	death dicey neighborhood you prepare a
7:40	table before me in the presence of my
7:42	enemies
7:44	what kind of picture is this sheep
7:46	having a meal while the wolves are kind
7:48	of circling around
7:50	that’s the Christian Life is it not
7:53	it is but you anoint my head with oil my
7:57	cup overflows and surely goodness and
7:59	mercy shall follow me all the days of my
8:01	life and I will
8:03	in the future dwell in the house of the
8:05	Lord forever
8:07	another way to think of it is this is
8:09	that it always cracks me up when you see
8:11	a Marxist trying to execute Acts chapter
8:13	2 our text today marxists are all about
8:17	creating that utopian workers Paradise
8:19	here on Earth it never works out because
8:22	you’ll note that that’s that’s just
8:24	these ideologies are contrary to reality
8:26	itself but they’ll sit there and go well
8:29	take a look at this isn’t this what
8:30	Christianity is supposed to be right
8:32	after after Pentecost Sunday you have
8:35	all these newly baptized Christians
8:37	their ears are still wet behind them and
8:40	they now listen to what it says they
8:43	devoted themselves to the apostles
8:44	teaching in the fellowship to the
8:46	breaking of bread and prayers and the
8:48	Lutheran sits there and goes yeah that’s
8:50	all you need for church you need God’s
8:52	word you need Fellowship the Lord’s
8:54	supper and to pray you you have that and
8:57	you have the church and that is portable
8:59	anywhere you can take it into the
9:01	catacombs you can take it into the
9:03	forest you can do it here in a beautiful
9:04	building like this but you can do it on
9:06	the run while being chased by Wolves
9:08	there’s all kinds of places you can do
9:10	this and you don’t even need a building
9:12	and we would note that’s the case but
9:14	note it then says and Allah Came Upon
9:16	every soul and Many Wonders and signs
9:18	were being done through the apostles the
9:20	Nar folks need to pay attention to that
9:22	not every Christian can perform signs
9:25	and wonders but all who believe were
9:27	together and they had all things in
9:29	common and here it is here we got
9:30	Marxist communism right there in the
9:33	text they had all things in common and
9:35	they were selling their possessions and
9:37	belongings and distributing the proceeds
9:39	to all as any had need and day by day
9:42	attending the temple together breaking
9:44	bread in their homes they received their
9:46	food with glad and generous Hearts
9:48	praising God and having favor with all
9:50	the people and the Lord added to their
9:51	number day by day those who are being
9:53	saved what a beautiful picture they had
9:55	everything in common people were selling
9:57	their possessions giving to the poor
9:59	nobody was in need therefore communism
10:03	it’s the workers Paradise here on Earth
10:07	I would note this and they did this out
10:10	of generosity fruit of the Holy Spirit
10:12	caring for each other’s needs they
10:14	didn’t do this
10:15	at the point of a gun
10:18	you’ll note that’s kind of the big
10:20	difference between the two there’s a
10:22	difference between
10:23	voluntary generosity and love for
10:25	neighbor and trying to save your own
10:28	skin by not being well murdered by your
10:30	own government for not going along with
10:32	the regime there’s a big difference
10:34	between the two but you’ll note that
10:37	this is an incomplete picture of what
10:39	happened in the early church because yes
10:41	it’s true this is how things started off
10:44	but does that mean the church didn’t
10:46	have problems moving forward that their
10:48	faith had to they had to walk out by
10:50	faith of course they had problems don’t
10:53	you love it like when you spend time
10:56	working on a project in your home right
10:58	maybe you’ve got a bathroom that needs
11:00	to be redone or maybe you got to paint
11:01	your house over again right yeah things
11:04	like this and and you know what after
11:06	you’re done with the project it looks
11:08	beautiful right and then the first
11:11	winter comes and then the next year
11:13	comes and what was so wonderful to
11:16	behold it was so clean and new you
11:18	recognize you’re going to have to do the
11:20	whole thing over again the this year
11:25	right
11:26	because that second law of
11:28	Thermodynamics is really fun to work
11:30	with right but the idea here is this is
11:32	that this idyllic picture is not where
11:34	Christianity stops in fact Christianity
11:37	has to go forward and you note in the
11:39	chapters that follow there was
11:41	legitimate
11:42	murderous persecution that the
11:45	Christians had to face they had turmoil
11:47	and Discord among themselves that had to
11:51	be dealt with in faith they were made to
11:55	suffer they had to scatter and leave
11:57	their homes in order to not be arrested
11:59	and rounded up there’s all kinds of
12:02	troubles that they had to face so it is
12:04	an incomplete picture of Christianity if
12:07	you just kind of stop here at where
12:09	things started and you’ll note that we
12:11	too are called to then walk out our
12:15	faith with Christ beside us our Good
12:18	Shepherd leading us and here’s where we
12:21	then should pay attention to our epistle
12:23	text because our epistle text gives us a
12:26	far more accurate picture of what it is
12:28	that we are and listen to the word
12:30	called to do
12:33	all right I note that there are a lot of
12:37	people out there they want to know what
12:38	God’s will is what are we called to do
12:40	what’s our purpose why are we here
12:43	well you’re not going to like this text
12:44	because what it says is not going to
12:46	make you feel good about and safe and
12:49	comfortable
12:50	instead it might actually convince you
12:52	that there’s a cost to being a Christian
12:57	and you’ll note Christianity our faith
13:00	our Salvation is Free by grace through
13:03	faith because Christ has bled and died
13:04	for our sins but that doesn’t promise US
13:08	easy living here on Earth and if that’s
13:12	what your expectation of Christ is
13:13	you’ve got the wrong Jesus
13:16	and so listen to this epistle text
13:18	this is a gracious thing when mindful of
13:22	God one endures sorrows
13:26	while suffering unjustly
13:30	no just think about that sentence for a
13:32	second isn’t that exactly what happened
13:34	to Jesus how many sins did Jesus commit
13:36	zero how many crimes did he commit zero
13:42	um how did he end up
13:44	dead on a cross executed right
13:49	um so you’ll note that Jesus is quite
13:51	the Exemplar of those who suffer
13:52	unjustly and indeed he did suffer
13:54	unjustly except for this one little fact
13:57	God laid on him the iniquity of us all
14:00	so that we can be forgiven and pardon of
14:02	our sins
14:03	you’ll note that oftentimes one of the
14:06	impetuses behind people in gauging in
14:09	criminal activity is this this belief
14:12	that somehow they’re entitled to things
14:15	and people have stuff that they
14:16	shouldn’t have that really belongs to me
14:18	but they found a way to rig the system
14:20	so that it ended up with them rather
14:22	than me so they justify their actions
14:24	and as a result of it they commit crimes
14:26	and things like this
14:28	the people who are caught for committing
14:30	such crimes are truly beaten and have to
14:32	endure those beatings but they are not
14:35	suffering unjustly they are suffering
14:38	justly this is why Peter goes on to say
14:40	what credit is it if when you sin and
14:42	you are beaten for it and you endure I
14:45	assure you when I was a kid and my my
14:48	parents spanked me now thankfully they
14:49	stopped spanking me when I was at a
14:51	particular age they were pretty
14:53	reasonable in that regard I hated being
14:55	spanked but at no point when I would
14:57	receive a good lashing from my dad when
14:59	my dad say you know son I’m very
15:01	impressed how well you endured under
15:04	that particular spanking you know and
15:06	you know yes you deserved it just like
15:09	anybody else but you really did a good
15:11	job of um of being spanked well no I
15:15	remember
15:16	memories as a kid going to bed after
15:19	having been spanked and there’s a weird
15:21	cry that you do when you have when you
15:23	when when this happens and you know what
15:24	I’m talking about and the aftermath of
15:26	it like lasts forever where like there
15:28	you are you’re sitting and even though
15:30	you’ve stopped crying you’re gonna go
15:31	you still go like this you go
15:36	hey it’s a terrible experience
15:38	altogether but you’ll note that nobody
15:41	has given credit when they have Justice
15:43	Done to them because they have done
15:46	wrong
15:47	but note then the text it is a gracious
15:51	thing in the eyes of God when you do
15:55	good and you suffer for it and you
15:58	endure
16:01	there’s a phrase that we’ve all heard
16:03	before
16:04	no good deed goes unpunished
16:11	that’s that’s a reality of our world
16:14	and the scripture says that when you
16:17	suffer for doing good this is a gracious
16:21	thing in the sight of God and dare I say
16:24	it that this is part of what the
16:27	neighborhood of the Valley of the shadow
16:29	of death is all about
16:31	you live in that neighborhood you’ve
16:33	been dwelling in that zip code all of
16:35	your life
16:36	it’s a bad neighborhood and people who
16:39	do good in that neighborhood are singled
16:42	out to be made to suffer
16:45	and this is a gracious thing in the
16:47	sight of God
16:49	and verse 21 let these words sink in
16:53	for to this y’all have been called
17:01	wait what
17:03	yeah this is your calling
17:05	you I yeah
17:07	there’s no way around it
17:09	so if I were to stand up in the Pulpit
17:12	weeks from now maybe I’ve lost my mind
17:14	I’m clearly I’m not keeping step with
17:17	things like I used to right and I start
17:19	sitting there talking about rainbows and
17:21	unicorns and how Jesus just wants to
17:22	bless you in Candy Land and Candy Crush
17:24	okay and all this kind of weird stuff
17:26	right okay you’ve known you at this
17:29	point you know it’s time to take Pastor
17:30	Rose bro and put them in a home and to
17:32	get another Pastor because I’m not
17:35	telling you the truth I’m telling you
17:37	something different we are called to
17:40	suffer and how many of us want to do
17:43	that oh please sign me up for it okay
17:45	I’ve got great news for you you don’t
17:47	even have to sign up
17:50	your name has been written in the Lamb’s
17:52	Book of Life
17:53	good news that’s part of the program
17:56	our Good Shepherd leads us through the
17:58	valley of the shadow of death and we are
18:00	called to
18:02	suffer
18:04	to this you have been called and here’s
18:06	the reason why
18:07	because Christ also suffered for you he
18:11	has now left you an example so that you
18:14	might follow in his steps
18:16	what I find fascinating is that in
18:19	charismatic circles right they all claim
18:21	that we need to follow the example of
18:23	Jesus in performing Miracles we need to
18:26	do signs and wonders and things like
18:27	this
18:29	go for it dude you know I remember on
18:32	Friday I asked Brandon kimbern that
18:34	you’ve been doing these American gospel
18:36	docu-series for a while we’re up to
18:38	number three right and I said in all of
18:40	your in all of the time that you’ve been
18:42	doing this have you ever been given
18:44	legitimate evidence of true Miracles
18:47	that are really happening by these
18:48	people who say that we as Christians
18:50	need to do them
18:53	in short his answer was no and he kind
18:55	of chuckled at the thought
18:58	right you’d think with all these
19:02	charismatics knowing leaders and Nar
19:04	leaders knowing that Brandon Kimber is
19:06	putting out an entire docu-series about
19:09	Holy Fire and stuff like this and
19:11	talking about their movement they would
19:12	have said this is the time this is what
19:14	we need we’re going to give Brandon
19:15	Kimber all the evidence that we need
19:17	that to prove that we’re we’re following
19:20	Jesus example and we’re performing
19:21	Miracles and they couldn’t do it
19:24	not a single one of them again all of
19:26	their miracles kind of come down to this
19:28	hey take a look isn’t that neat right
19:30	that’s the miracle we’re talking about
19:32	but you’re gonna note what we are called
19:35	to
19:36	the example that we are called to
19:39	emulate to look to Christ and say that’s
19:42	what we’re supposed to follow him in
19:44	doing
19:45	it’s following him in his
19:49	suffering
19:52	Christ suffered for you
19:54	leaving you an example
19:57	so that you might follow in his steps
20:00	he committed no sin
20:03	neither was deceit found in his mouth
20:06	when he was reviled he did not revile in
20:09	return when he suffered he did not
20:12	threaten but continued entrusting
20:14	himself to him who judges justly he
20:18	himself bore our sins in his body on the
20:21	tree so that we might die to sin and
20:24	live to righteousness by his wounds you
20:28	have been healed for you were straying
20:31	like sheep but you have now returned to
20:34	the shepherd
20:36	in the overseer of your souls
20:39	have do you noticed how first Peter 2
20:43	our epistle text talking about the
20:45	shepherd and overseer of our souls is as
20:49	David says leading us through the valley
20:52	of the shadow of death he’s leading us
20:54	through suffering
20:56	and you’re going to note we as
20:58	Christians it’s easy to loathe this idea
21:01	it’s a load the idea well I I don’t want
21:04	to suffer
21:05	I don’t want to be unpopular I don’t
21:07	want people to hate me I don’t want to
21:10	be canceled I I don’t want to Bear the
21:13	reproach of Christ I want to be liked by
21:16	the people in my neighborhood it’s easy
21:18	to think this way right
21:23	but you’ll note
21:24	that when we think this way we are
21:27	rebuffing
21:28	the very thing that scripture says that
21:30	we’re called to do
21:34	it’s a form of idolatry
21:36	self-idolatry
21:39	self-preservation
21:41	the one who tries to save his life
21:42	scripture says well what
21:45	lose it
21:47	and so note brothers and sisters this is
21:49	the kind of stuff that challenges us on
21:51	the level that is hard for us all and it
21:53	calls us all out it accuses Us in ways
21:56	that we are all found guilty
21:58	it is true we don’t like to suffer we
22:00	would prefer to get along
22:01	but that’s not
22:03	the idea here now we don’t suffer for
22:05	suffering’s sake that that makes no
22:07	sense you know I’m going to set out to
22:09	suffer no we have to suffer for doing
22:11	good which requires us to do what to
22:15	love neighbor
22:16	to love neighbor enough to tell neighbor
22:18	the truth to love neighbor enough to
22:20	help neighbor and to help neighbors that
22:22	other people say you can’t help because
22:25	they’re they’re not worthy of being
22:26	treated as neighbors okay there’s a
22:28	there’s a whole that’s a whole other
22:29	sermon right
22:31	and when you do such things you’ll note
22:34	that there’s a really good chance
22:36	especially in a world that’s going
22:37	Crazier by the minute that you will be
22:40	made to suffer as a result of doing good
22:44	and when that happens we need to
22:46	recognize that we are truly blessed but
22:48	this also then requires us to be in the
22:51	word
22:51	and to help us the Holy Spirit has to
22:55	guide us through the word to adopt this
22:57	mindset
22:59	so rather than seeing suffering as a
23:02	burden seeing it as something that is
23:04	necessary something that we are called
23:06	to
23:07	Christ left us an example that we would
23:09	follow in his steps
23:12	so where is Jesus leading us you’ll note
23:16	the suffering isn’t the Terminus it’s
23:18	just the thing you’re passing through
23:20	you’re passing through the valley of the
23:22	shadow of death he’ll get you to the
23:24	other side and so day by day what do we
23:28	need to do repent
23:30	repent of our selfishness
23:32	repent of our arrogance
23:36	repent of our belief that we are
23:38	important repent of the belief that we
23:41	are self-sufficient that we have the
23:43	strength to get through and instead
23:45	adopt this mentality that we are dumb
23:48	sheep we don’t know the way that we’re
23:50	supposed to go left to our own we’re
23:52	going to be eaten by ravenous wolves
23:54	stay close to Jesus
23:57	continue to come to church hear his word
23:59	confess your sins be forgiven rejoice in
24:03	the Forgiveness that you have and let
24:05	him guide you day by day through this
24:07	very dicey neighborhood where we suffer
24:09	and when that suffering kind of hits its
24:11	heightened points along the way which it
24:14	will do
24:15	then stay close to Christ he hasn’t left
24:18	you he’s right there beside you
24:21	and he will get you through using his
24:23	strength his wisdom his guidance he
24:26	knows the way he’s brought many sheep
24:28	through if you were to think of this
24:29	world kind of like that Underground
24:31	Railroad where slaves were being brought
24:33	from the south and being brought to
24:34	freedom in the north okay it’s a good
24:36	picture here the Dominion of darkness is
24:38	a lot like that and Christ is the one
24:40	running the Underground Railroad taking
24:42	these slaves people who were born under
24:45	slavery and bringing them to freedom but
24:47	in order to do that it’s a dicey and
24:49	dangerous road freedom is on the other
24:52	side of your death or the resurrection
24:54	of that comes when Christ returns so in
24:57	the meantime
24:58	keep your head down he knows what he’s
25:00	doing I understand the meals are weird
25:02	because we’re eating in front of our
25:03	enemies it’s a dangerous neighborhood
25:05	and there’s lots of suffering biting and
25:07	terrible things that happen but our
25:09	Jesus does get sheep through he will get
25:12	you through
25:14	so repent Believe In Christ Our Good
25:17	Shepherd he’s got you in the name of
25:20	Jesus Amen

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