LutheranLectionary.org

1 Year Lectionary – Fourth Sunday After Trinity – Sunday, July 10, 2022 | 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 according
0:29	to saint luke the 6th chapter
0:32	[Music]
0:39	jesus said
0:41	be merciful even as your father is
0:44	merciful
0:45	judge not and you will not be judged
0:47	condemn not and you will not be
0:49	condemned
0:50	forgive and you will be forgiven give
0:52	and it will be given to you
0:54	good measure pressed down shaken
0:56	together running over will be put into
0:58	your lap for with the measure that you
1:00	use it will be measured back to you he
1:02	also told them this parable can a blind
1:04	man lead a blind man will they not both
1:07	fall into a pit a disciple is not above
1:09	his teacher but everyone who when he is
1:11	fully trained will be like his teacher
1:14	so why do you see the spec that is in
1:16	your brother’s eye but you do not notice
1:18	the log that is in your own eye how can
1:21	you say to your brother brother let me
1:23	take out the speck that is in your eye
1:25	when you yourself do not see the log
1:27	that is in your own eye you hypocrite
1:30	first take the log out of your own eye
1:32	then you will see clearly to take out
1:35	the speck that is in your brother’s eye
1:37	this is the gospel of the lord in the
1:39	name of jesus
1:41	hear the words again of the apostle paul
1:44	from our epistle text if your enemy
1:47	is hungry
1:49	feed them
1:51	say what
1:52	uh-huh and if he’s thirsty you give him
1:55	something to drink for by so doing you
1:57	will keep burning coals on his head
1:59	do not be overcome by evil
2:03	but overcome
2:05	evil
2:06	with good
2:08	man this is a this is tough to swallow
2:11	this is not easy to take in consider
2:15	this it’s it’s when we talk about like
2:17	suffering in the abstract or persecution
2:19	in the abstract we might talk about what
2:21	the saints are experiencing in islamic
2:23	countries or in countries that are
2:25	overtly hostile to the message of christ
2:28	but enemies
2:31	they’re a little closer to home for many
2:33	of us in fact let me add to our readings
2:36	today from the gospel of matthew chapter
2:39	10. i’d like to read the sense that we
2:41	can talk about enemies in the concrete
2:44	jesus says in matthew chapter 10 far
2:46	starting at verse 16
2:48	behold
2:49	i am sending you out as sheep in the
2:52	midst of wolves so be wise as serpents
2:55	and as innocent as doves what kind of
2:58	job is that i mean have you guys noticed
3:00	that sheep and wolves don’t get along
3:02	and that the
3:03	wolves usually get the upper hand and
3:04	the sheep not so much okay note that
3:07	christ is saying these things he says
3:09	beware then of men for they will deliver
3:11	you over to courts they will flog you in
3:13	their synagogues what kind of church is
3:14	that you will be dragged before
3:16	governors and kings for my name’s sake
3:18	to bear witness before them and to the
3:20	gentiles and then when they deliver you
3:22	over don’t be anxious about how you are
3:25	to speak or what you are to say
3:27	for what you are to say will be given to
3:29	you in that hour it is not you who speak
3:31	it’s the spirit of your father speaking
3:33	through you
3:34	and here it comes brother
3:37	will deliver brother over to death
3:39	and father his child and children will
3:42	rise up against parents and have them
3:45	put to death
3:46	and you will be hated by all for my
3:48	name’s sake but the one who endures to
3:50	the end will be saved and then in verse
3:52	34 jesus continues now do not think that
3:55	i have come to bring peace to the earth
3:58	i’ve come not to bring peace but a sword
4:01	for i have come to set a man against his
4:03	father a daughter against her mother a
4:05	daughter-in-law against her
4:07	mother-in-law and a person’s enemies
4:09	will be those of his own household
4:13	whoever loves father or mother more than
4:15	me is not worthy of me whoever loves son
4:18	or daughter more than me is not worthy
4:20	of me whoever does not take up his cross
4:22	and follow me is not worthy of me
4:24	whoever finds his life will lose it
4:27	whoever loses his life for my sake will
4:29	find it
4:30	so now we can talk about enemies enemies
4:34	often times it’s not the people out
4:36	there it’s your own family members it
4:38	could be your mother it could be your
4:39	father it could be your child it could
4:41	be your brother it could be your sister
4:43	it could be your well daughter-in-law it
4:45	could be your son-in-law yeah enmity
4:48	for the sake of christ is something that
4:50	is a real thing now note i got to put
4:53	this aside for a second here we’re not
4:56	talking about enmity as a result of you
4:58	doing something stupid we’re not talking
5:02	about the kind of enmity that because
5:04	you’re just a jerk to your family your
5:06	family doesn’t want to have anything to
5:07	do with you anymore and if that’s really
5:10	what’s happening
5:11	whoa what a terrible witness for christ
5:13	you’re being right that’s
5:16	needs to be addressed
5:17	in a different sermon you know there’s
5:19	one that christ preaches the sermon on
5:21	the mount he says if your brother has
5:23	something against you you go to him
5:25	right so if that’s you this is not your
5:28	sermon your sermon’s coming later in the
5:30	summer
5:31	but we’re talking about enemies as a
5:33	result of being a christian and so what
5:36	are we to do in the face of all of that
5:39	and you’ll note that in this life
5:42	we often times want justice we want
5:45	vengeance we want for people to get
5:48	what’s coming to them because of the
5:49	evil that they’ve made us suffer that is
5:52	not the way that christ has called us to
5:54	behave and it’s important to remember
5:56	that the prophet isaiah writes the words
5:58	of yahweh for us where god reveals he
6:01	says my thoughts are not your thoughts
6:03	neither are my ways your ways declares
6:06	yahweh for as the heavens are higher
6:09	than the earth so are my ways higher
6:11	than your ways and my thoughts than your
6:14	thoughts and so you’ll note that
6:17	everything in this world because of sin
6:20	is backwards upside down and inside out
6:24	it’s all wrong and as a result of it in
6:27	this world we are led to believe that
6:30	evil is good and that good is evil
6:33	and everything is backwards but as
6:35	christians our minds being transformed
6:38	by the word of god us having been
6:42	graciously and abundantly forgiven of
6:45	our transgressions
6:47	the expectation that is clearly laid out
6:50	for us as christians
6:51	is that we do not act as god’s agents of
6:55	judgment that is not our call
6:59	instead
7:01	when people are putting on the brakes
7:03	and persecuting us or acting coolly
7:06	towards us or worse becoming our enemies
7:08	even enemies within our own household we
7:10	have standing orders in light of the
7:14	cross
7:15	and in light of how god’s ways are
7:18	higher than our ways we are to act we
7:20	are always ambassadors of christ and as
7:23	ambassadors we give jesus a bad name
7:27	when we behave
7:28	badly note that so here’s our standing
7:32	orders bless those who persecute you
7:36	are you kidding me
7:37	bless do not curse them rejoice with
7:40	those who rejoice weep with those who
7:42	weep and then live in harmony with one
7:44	another don’t be haughty associate with
7:47	the lowly and never be wise in your own
7:50	sight
7:51	and repay no one evil for evil but give
7:54	thought to do what is honorable in the
7:56	sight
7:57	of all
7:58	and if possible so far as it depends on
8:03	you
8:04	live
8:05	peaceably
8:06	with all
8:07	never avenge yourselves leave it to the
8:10	wrath of god it is written vengeance is
8:12	mine i will repay says the lord note you
8:15	are not the agent of god’s vengeance god
8:17	is
8:17	so in this life
8:19	between the cross and the ascension of
8:22	christ and his resurrection and his
8:24	return as ambassadors we are ambassadors
8:26	of the gospel we are making an appeal to
8:29	the world and those within our own
8:31	households that they be reconciled to
8:33	god because of christ and what he has
8:36	done for them and so you’ll note if you
8:38	want to talk about the pinnacle person
8:40	who exemplifies
8:42	overcoming evil with good
8:45	it is christ
8:47	but i’m getting ahead of myself now some
8:49	of you might be saying you know but you
8:51	don’t understand how cantankerous how
8:54	mean how vicious my enemies are how
8:58	poorly they treat me you
9:00	my family is a special case
9:03	have you read the story of joseph
9:06	all right now we live in a world and
9:08	you’ll note that one of the main
9:09	features of like the gen z folks and the
9:13	millennials
9:14	is that when they hear something they
9:16	don’t like
9:18	okay and they’re offended
9:21	cancel cancel cancel right when i was a
9:24	kid i i kid you not when i was a kid if
9:27	i were flipping channels on the
9:28	television and i saw a program where
9:31	somebody said something i didn’t like
9:34	you know what i do i change the channel
9:37	and find something i did like okay but
9:40	in the world we live in and the
9:41	entitlement attitude it’s this crazy
9:44	thing that’s going on somebody says
9:45	something that offends you doesn’t agree
9:47	with quote your truth what is that by
9:50	the way okay they want to cancel you
9:53	deep platform you you don’t even have a
9:55	right to a job okay i always think man i
9:59	better behave as a pastor because if i’m
10:01	ever dropped out of the ministry i can’t
10:03	imagine any hr department in any fortune
10:05	500 company giving me a job after they
10:08	look through my social media okay it
10:10	ain’t gonna happen i’ve been effectively
10:12	cancelled by everybody except for the
10:14	church already
10:16	but that being the case
10:17	in the ancient world when they canceled
10:19	you it was a little more permanent okay
10:23	it usually involved well
10:25	a stone a rock a sword some kind of
10:28	blunt instrument and at the end of being
10:30	canceled you weren’t breathing anymore
10:33	right but you’ll note the canceled
10:35	culture goes all the way back to the
10:37	garden of eden and so here let’s let’s
10:40	see let’s talk about joseph’s
10:42	dysfunctional family and his cancel
10:44	brothers right if you know the story
10:47	joseph is the son of well israel’s
10:51	favorite wife why is he a polygamist not
10:53	really
10:55	that was not something he set out to do
10:57	talk about a screwed up family right he
10:59	had the hots for this woman oh rachel
11:01	what a beautiful young lady a shepherd
11:03	and he every time he would see her his
11:05	heart would go pitter-patter right and
11:07	so he he he offered to work for seven
11:09	years for her father for her hand in
11:12	marriage and of course
11:14	well his father did the old switcheroo
11:17	on the uh on marriage night and poor
11:20	fellow when he woke up in the morning
11:22	after the wedding
11:24	well he looked and
11:26	okay it wasn’t the love of his life it
11:29	was her sister
11:30	what happened what have you done to me
11:32	right and so he his father assured him
11:35	no big deal we don’t normally give the
11:38	youngest in marriage first it has to go
11:40	oldest so just finish out the marriage
11:42	week with her and then we’ll give you
11:44	the other one too for another seven
11:46	years right and this starts off
11:49	really interestingly and of course the
11:52	the sister who he wasn’t setting out to
11:54	marry she starts conceiving and bearing
11:56	children well his love does not and and
11:59	so what ends up happening is is that she
12:02	gives
12:03	her husband her her maidservant
12:07	yeah and so now he’s got like three
12:09	wives and then the first girl stops
12:11	conceiving and so she gives him and now
12:14	he’s got four wives
12:16	okay and this is just a mess
12:19	okay but finally the love of his life
12:21	conceives and bears a son and guess
12:24	who’s the favorite of dad right and by
12:27	this time he’s already had 10 sons you
12:30	know and so he’s the 11th but he’s a
12:32	young kid and
12:33	now his wife gives birth to his final
12:36	son benjamin and she dies in the process
12:39	and so dad plays favorites and all the
12:42	brothers
12:43	hate
12:45	joseph can’t stand this kid right
12:50	then god intervenes and god gives joseph
12:54	two prophetic dreams and joseph like an
12:57	idiot shares those dreams with his
12:59	family right you know when one has to
13:02	wonder if he’s uppity or not and did i
13:04	mention the coat of many many colors
13:06	that distinguished him among his
13:08	brothers oh man he got the best things
13:10	ever okay so he shares his prophetic
13:12	dreams with his brothers about their
13:14	she’s bowing down to his sheep and the
13:17	stars and the moon and the sun bowing
13:19	down to him and his brothers said that’s
13:22	it cancelled we’re going to kill this
13:24	kid
13:25	right and so they waited just the
13:28	perfect amount of time they were off
13:30	shepherding off a long distance and so
13:33	dad sent joseph to go check in on them
13:36	right of course like a fool he’s wearing
13:39	that coat of many colors who struts
13:41	around in the judean wilderness in one
13:43	of those anyway he’s strutting around
13:46	looking for his brother’s fine fine
13:48	his he gives directions to where they
13:50	are they see him coming that’s it he’s
13:52	dead
13:53	they’re going to kill him
13:55	and they’re going to they’re going to
13:57	use goat blood to make it look like it
13:59	was a wild animal that tore them tore
14:01	him up it’s just it’s beautiful but one
14:04	of their one of the brothers prevails
14:05	says let’s not let’s not kill him let’s
14:07	sell him into slavery instead
14:10	and so he’s betrayed for pieces of
14:12	silver
14:13	that sounds familiar right and he sold
14:15	into slavery
14:17	what a great family
14:19	now we all know how this story is
14:21	supposed to end if you’re not familiar
14:23	with how the sport story is supposed to
14:24	end according to the way the world
14:26	thinks just read the count of monte
14:28	cristo okay edmund dantes gets his
14:31	revenge and everybody’s dead and and has
14:34	justice exacted against him but that’s
14:35	not what happens okay joseph is now in
14:38	slavery and he’s a really good slave he
14:41	like excels at slavery who knew right
14:45	the lord is with him and he’s the best
14:46	slave ever
14:48	and then i always like to point this out
14:50	because of the anti-patriarchy people
14:52	that the very first recorded incident of
14:55	workplace sexual harassment in all of
14:57	human history okay takes place
15:01	in well joseph’s workplace and it was a
15:03	woman
15:05	who was
15:06	well harassing him
15:08	okay so we’ll note that those sins go
15:11	both ways you know the the evil
15:13	patriarchy and somehow women only being
15:16	victims that’s a lie it’s a lie we’re
15:18	all dead in trespasses and sins and so
15:21	what happens she she makes moves on him
15:23	he says no she makes moves on him he
15:26	says no and finally she entraps him he
15:29	has to run away and she lies and what
15:32	happens to joseph now
15:34	prison
15:36	and i’m i have this on good authority
15:39	that ancient egyptian prisons are not
15:42	the hygienic places that they are today
15:45	okay and they’re barely hygienic today
15:48	okay not a place you want to be and he
15:50	spends more than a decade there and is
15:52	he stewing on how he’s going to get his
15:56	revenge do you all remember like the
15:58	second star trek movie with khan
16:00	ricardo montalban this is where we hear
16:03	these important words revenge
16:06	is a dish best served cold right
16:10	this is what joseph should be doing his
16:13	brothers are his enemies but by some
16:16	miraculous
16:17	account some miraculous thing god takes
16:21	joseph from being in prison
16:23	and now exalts him to being second in
16:25	command of all of egypt after pharaoh
16:27	had two prophetic dreams regarding a
16:29	coming well season of seven years of
16:32	plenty followed by seven years of famine
16:35	we know how the story goes and while the
16:37	seven years of plenty came and went the
16:39	70 years of famine begin and guess who
16:42	shows up in egypt to buy grain because
16:44	there’s no grain anywhere else
16:47	joseph’s brothers
16:51	right this is how this is supposed to go
16:55	but the story
16:56	doesn’t go like that
16:59	at all
17:00	despite the evil that has been done to
17:04	him the suffering that he has been made
17:07	to endure the pain the stenches oh all
17:11	the different experiences of being a
17:13	slave and then a prisoner in egypt
17:16	all of that
17:17	doesn’t jade him
17:19	nor does it cause him to seek revenge
17:22	against his brothers
17:24	and in chapter 45 after joseph had put
17:27	his brothers to the test
17:29	really for the legitimate reason of
17:31	discovering whether or not they had done
17:33	in his brother benjamin
17:36	once he knew that he was safe and all
17:38	was well with benjamin
17:40	he finally makes himself known to his
17:42	brothers
17:43	and it’s one of the most amazing texts
17:45	in all of scripture
17:46	in chapter 45 it reads joseph could not
17:49	control himself all of his brothers were
17:52	invited to his home for a meal
17:54	and before all those who stood by him he
17:56	cried make everyone go out from me so no
17:58	one stayed with him when joseph made
18:00	himself known to his brothers
18:02	and he wept aloud so the egyptians heard
18:05	it and the household of pharaoh heard it
18:07	joseph said to his brothers and i love
18:10	the hebrew here ani yosef i am joseph
18:14	is my father still alive
18:18	no revenge
18:19	a tender
18:21	moment a moment where
18:23	he’s let down his guard his brothers
18:26	couldn’t answer him they were all
18:27	dismayed at his presence the thing they
18:30	dreaded the most was now happening to
18:32	them but they weren’t getting what they
18:33	dreaded joseph said to his brothers come
18:36	near to me please
18:38	so they came near
18:39	and he said i am your brother joseph
18:41	whom you sold into egypt and now do not
18:44	be distressed or angry with yourselves
18:46	because you sold me here for god sent me
18:49	before you to preserve life for the
18:52	famine has been in the land these two
18:53	years and yet there are five years in
18:55	which there will be neither plowing or
18:57	harvest
18:58	god sent me before you to preserve for
19:01	you a remnant on earth and to keep alive
19:04	for you many survivors so it was not you
19:07	who sent me here but god
19:10	he has made me a father to pharaoh and
19:12	lord of all of his house and the ruler
19:15	all of the land of egypt
19:18	christ has sent us into the world
19:21	as his ambassadors
19:23	that’s our job as well and he has given
19:26	us the task of proclaiming repentance
19:28	and the forgiveness of sins and you’re
19:30	going to note the parallels between
19:31	joseph and jesus are profound
19:34	it says in john
19:36	the opening uh chapter of the gospel of
19:38	john talking about christ the true light
19:40	which gives light to everyone was coming
19:42	into the world
19:43	he was in the world
19:45	and the world was made through him and
19:47	yet the world did not know him what a
19:50	tragic thing our god comes to tabernacle
19:53	with us comes and joins humanity is
19:56	incarnate of the holy spirit in the
19:59	virgin mary and he himself is born and
20:02	grows to be a man and we didn’t even
20:06	recognize
20:07	god among us i remember that song from
20:10	the 1990s the song goes what if god was
20:13	one of us
20:14	just a slob like one of us a stranger on
20:17	the bus trying to find his way home
20:20	the reality is i always found that
20:22	particular song from the 90s to be
20:24	eerily
20:26	interesting because
20:28	christ was
20:29	is one of us
20:31	and yet we did not recognize him he was
20:34	our brother in humanity he came to his
20:37	own his own did not receive him but to
20:40	all who did receive him who believed in
20:42	his name he gave the right to become the
20:44	children of god people who were born not
20:47	of blood or of the will of the flesh nor
20:49	the will of man but truly born
20:51	of god the word became flesh and dwelt
20:54	among us we have seen his glory glory is
20:57	of the only son from the father full of
20:59	grace and truth this is christ
21:03	god the father has sent him to us and
21:07	what did we do to him and notice i’m
21:10	saying we’re guilty of this all
21:12	we murdered him
21:15	what joseph’s brothers
21:18	did not have the guts to do
21:21	we did to jesus
21:23	we are responsible for putting him on
21:25	the cross
21:26	your sin and mine is what nailed him
21:28	there he came among us and we said
21:32	crucify him
21:34	and rather than selling him into slavery
21:36	making a profit of it we killed him and
21:38	you’re going to note then that god takes
21:41	the murder of christ the most wicked and
21:44	evil
21:45	event in all of human history we murder
21:48	our own god
21:50	and what we intended for evil
21:53	god now has worked for our salvation so
21:56	that we can for be forgiven and pardoned
21:59	that’s really what’s going on in our old
22:01	testament text when joseph’s brothers
22:05	saw that their father was dead this is
22:07	israel
22:08	they thought that joseph would hate them
22:10	and pay back all the evil they had done
22:13	to him
22:15	listen to what happens here israel when
22:18	he was still alive his brothers couldn’t
22:20	believe that joseph had actually
22:22	forgiven them and that he had overcome
22:24	their evil with good and so that now
22:27	that dad was dead they sent a message to
22:29	joseph saying you know your father gave
22:31	this command before he died say to
22:33	joseph please forgive the transgression
22:35	of your brothers and their sin because
22:37	they did evil to you they totally made
22:40	that up knowing full well that nobody
22:42	can say no to the dying wishes of a
22:45	patriarch right your father’s dying and
22:47	on his deathbed he says it is my dying
22:50	wish that you do this right
22:52	so they’re totally manipulating joseph
22:53	but joseph doesn’t need to be
22:55	manipulated and so they beg please
22:57	forgive the transgression of the
22:59	servants of the god of your father and
23:00	joseph as a result of this he wept and
23:02	he spoke to him
23:04	and his brothers they came and they fell
23:05	down before him said we are your slaves
23:07	but joseph said to them do not fear
23:09	am i in the place of god
23:13	as for you
23:14	you meant evil against me
23:16	but god meant it for good
23:19	to bring about that many should be kept
23:21	alive as they are today so do not fear i
23:24	will provide for you and for your little
23:26	ones and so no those words of joseph
23:29	those sound so much like christ
23:32	what we intended against christ for evil
23:36	has now been worked for our salvation
23:38	god made jesus to be sin who knew no sin
23:42	so that we might be the righteousness of
23:44	god and now we are the ambassadors of
23:47	this good news that christ died for our
23:50	sins and as ambassadors we have been
23:54	told by god that we have no right to
23:57	vengeance vengeance belongs to god
23:59	therefore christ tells us in our gospel
24:02	text be
24:03	merciful
24:05	even as your father
24:07	is merciful
24:09	judge not
24:10	it’s not your job to put condemn
24:13	somebody to hell that’s what he’s
24:15	talking about here it’s not your job you
24:17	never know your enemy may repent and be
24:19	forgiven just like you are so do not
24:22	judge condemn not and you will not be
24:24	condemned forgive and you will be
24:26	forgiven
24:27	give and it will be given to you
24:30	and so you’ll note
24:33	our epistle text
24:34	makes sense then only in light of the
24:37	gospel each and every one of us knowing
24:39	that christ has borne
24:41	our sins in his body on the cross we
24:44	murdered him and he rather than exacting
24:47	vengeance gives us eternal life all as a
24:50	gift and so as christians it makes sense
24:53	then the forgiven forgive the loved
24:56	loved and the persecuted they do not
24:58	persecute they bless
25:01	so
25:02	if your enemy is hungry
25:05	even if he’s in your own household
25:07	feed him
25:09	if he’s thirsty
25:10	even if he’s in your own household you
25:12	give him something to drink for so doing
25:15	you will keep burning coals on his head
25:18	and just like christ just like joseph
25:20	before him just like all that god does
25:25	do not be overcome by evil instead
25:28	overcome evil with good
25:32	so show mercy
25:34	and peace and love
25:36	and care for even those who hate your
25:39	guts and want you dead that’s exactly
25:42	what christ did because you were one who
25:44	was born dead in trespasses and sins and
25:47	had you gone the way of the world and
25:49	not been converted by the mighty hand of
25:52	the holy spirit in the preached gospel
25:54	and in the waters of baptism you too
25:56	would hate god
25:58	and want him dead
26:00	but god has had mercy on you he’s
26:02	forgiven you given you a new heart in
26:04	christ he has overcome your evil with
26:07	good and these are our marching orders
26:09	and i know they’re not easy you cannot
26:11	do it in your own strength it can only
26:13	be done by the power of the holy spirit
26:15	who produces within you his fruit
26:18	so repent of your anger
26:21	repent of your desire to seek vengeance
26:23	and justice even against those who are
26:25	your enemies in your own household
26:27	you have been loved well in christ
26:30	love well as well
26:32	do not be overcome by evil overcome evil
26:36	with good in the name of Jesus
26:38	amen

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