LutheranLectionary.org

Series C – Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost – Sunday, August 14, 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
0:26	The
0:29	holy Gospel According to Saint Luke
0:30	chapter 12 verses 49-53
0:34	I came to cast fire on the Earth
0:37	and I would that it were already kindled
0:40	I have a baptism to be baptized with and
0:43	how great is my distress until it is
0:45	accomplished
0:47	do you think that I’ve come to give
0:48	peace on Earth no
0:51	I tell you but rather division
0:54	from now on in one’s house there will be
0:57	five divided three against two and two
0:59	against three
1:00	they will be divided father against son
1:04	son against father
1:06	mother against daughter daughter against
1:09	mother mother-in-law against her
1:12	daughter and daughter-in-law against
1:14	mother-in-law
1:16	in the name of Jesus
1:18	beloved I wish I could bring to you
1:20	better texts than these
1:23	everything seems so dark with these
1:25	texts what’s this about Jesus bringing
1:28	fire and Division I mean didn’t the
1:31	Angels sing on Jesus’s birth you know
1:35	peace to you right peace what is this
1:40	fire sword conflict division talk
1:44	well
1:46	this has to do
1:48	with the division that’s caused by the
1:50	separation of light from Darkness
1:53	let’s return again to our Old Testament
1:55	text
1:57	you’ll note that although the words of
1:59	the Prophet Jeremiah were written more
2:01	than 2500 years ago
2:03	they could have been written well today
2:07	this morning
2:08	the state of the visible church today is
2:10	abysmal false teachers false prophets
2:13	abound and there’s no way to check them
2:17	they fill the hearts and the minds of
2:19	people with absolute nonsense they do it
2:23	on Christian TV Christian radio
2:24	Christian churches
2:26	it’s like watching the world become
2:28	darker and darker as the light of the
2:31	church
2:32	well the light of one church after
2:34	another is extinguished and snuffed out
2:39	that’s our context
2:41	Jeremiah writes
2:42	thus says Yahweh he is truly speaking
2:46	the word of the Lord Jeremiah unlike the
2:48	people he is now writing about is not a
2:50	false prophet he is a true prophet and
2:52	here’s what the Lord says do not listen
2:56	to the words the prophets who prophesy
2:58	to you filling you with vain hopes
3:03	they speak visions of their own minds
3:05	not from the mouth of the Lord
3:09	they say continually to those who
3:11	despise the word of the Lord it shall be
3:14	well with you you’ll have your best life
3:17	now no I put that in the text
3:20	but it fits doesn’t it
3:23	everyone who stubbornly follows his own
3:25	heart they say no disaster will come
3:27	upon you
3:29	love wins
3:32	right
3:33	Luther
3:35	in his introduction
3:37	the Prophet Jeremiah says this
3:40	few comments are needed for an
3:43	understanding of the Prophet Jeremiah
3:45	if one will only pay attention to the
3:47	events that took place under the Kings
3:49	and whose time he preached for his
3:51	preaching had reference to the condition
3:53	of the land at the time
3:56	in the first place the land was full of
3:58	vices and idolatry the people slew the
4:02	prophets and would have their own vices
4:04	and their own idolatries go unrebuked
4:10	this is in
4:12	well the land where they claimed that
4:16	Yahweh was their God and King
4:19	Luther continues we learn from Jeremiah
4:21	among others that as usual the nearer
4:24	the punishment the worse people become
4:28	and that the more one preaches to them
4:30	the more they despise his preaching thus
4:34	we understand that when it is God’s will
4:36	to inflict punishment he makes the
4:38	people to become hardened so that they
4:41	may be destroyed without any mercy and
4:43	not appease God’s Wrath with any
4:45	repentance
4:47	those are some sharp words
4:53	and it should cause us to take pause and
4:56	check Luther continues so the men of
4:59	Sodom long ago
5:01	had to not only despise righteous lot
5:04	but even afflict him because he taught
5:06	them even their own Affliction was at
5:09	the door likewise Pharaoh when about to
5:13	be drowned in the Red Sea had to oppress
5:15	the children of Israel twice as much as
5:17	before and Jerusalem had to crucify
5:19	God’s son when its own final destruction
5:22	was on the way
5:24	so it goes everywhere even now
5:27	now that the end of the world is
5:29	approaching the people rage and Rave
5:31	most horribly against God they blaspheme
5:35	and damn God’s word
5:37	though they well know
5:39	that it is God’s word and they know it
5:41	is the truth besides so many fearful
5:44	signs and wonders are appearing both in
5:46	the heavens and among all creatures
5:48	which threaten them terribly it is
5:50	indeed a wicked and miserable time even
5:53	worse than that of Jeremiah
5:56	and note Luther pen these words 500
5:58	years ago how much worse has it gotten
6:02	but so it will be
6:03	and it must be
6:05	the people begin to feel secure and they
6:08	sing peace all is well love wins they
6:12	simply persecute everything that Accords
6:14	with the will of God and they disregard
6:17	all the threatening signs until
6:19	destruction suddenly surprises them and
6:23	destroys them before they know it
6:26	but Christ will be able to sustain his
6:28	own for whose sake he causes his word to
6:31	shine forth in this shameful time of
6:33	ours just as at Babylon he sustained
6:36	Daniel and those like him for whose sake
6:40	Jeremiah’s prophecy had to shine forth
6:42	the same dear Lord be praise and thanks
6:45	the father and the Holy Spirit one God
6:48	over all
6:49	to Eternity
6:51	amen
6:54	sobering words are they not
6:57	you think preaching the gospel is about
7:00	making people feel happy
7:02	boosting their self-esteem
7:05	the gospel is the good news of Christ’s
7:07	death for sinners
7:09	that’s you
7:10	that’s me
7:12	each and every one of us deserves the
7:14	wrath of God because of our sinful
7:17	Rebellion against God
7:22	and when the word of the Lord comes to
7:24	us what do we do
7:26	we fall asleep we ignore it
7:29	ah things will be fine I mean things
7:32	have been getting better and better all
7:33	along
7:35	I mean look at we now have iPhones and
7:38	iPads we can talk to each other over the
7:40	Internet the world is getting better
7:42	haven’t you seen the Olympics look how
7:44	happy everybody is in the whole wide
7:46	world we’re all heading towards Utopia
7:49	the kingdom of God is just on the cusp
7:53	and yet look at Society
7:56	how many Untold Millions
7:59	of unborn infants have we slaughtered
8:01	clinically
8:03	as a nation we are so guilty it’s not
8:06	even funny
8:08	and you wonder why has God’s judgment
8:10	tarried but has it
8:13	has God’s judgment tarried
8:15	look long and hard how difficult is it
8:18	to hear the gospel being preached today
8:22	how hard is it to find a church where a
8:25	pastor preaches the word of God how easy
8:28	is it to find a church where God’s well
8:30	word is treated like a balloon animal
8:33	twisted and bent into every kind of
8:35	shape that pleases and entertains people
8:40	anything different in our society than
8:43	it was in the time of Jeremiah
8:46	the parallels are Stark
8:48	the sobering it makes one wonder that
8:51	the Judgment of God is not just around
8:53	the corner
8:56	Jeremiah continues for who among them
8:59	has stood in the counsel of the Lord
9:00	these false prophets to see and hear his
9:03	word or who has paid attention to his
9:05	word and listened the obvious answer is
9:08	none behold the storm of the Lord wrath
9:12	has gone forth
9:15	this is dark stuff
9:17	a whirling Tempest a tornado is burst
9:21	upon the head of the wicked the anger of
9:23	the Lord will not turn back until he has
9:25	executed and accomplished the intents of
9:28	his heart in the latter days you will
9:30	understand it clearly
9:32	and these false teachers and false
9:33	prophets assure us oh no no no no no no
9:35	no no God really isn’t this way there is
9:38	no wrath in God God is love
9:41	there is no Wrath this was a
9:44	misunderstanding on the part of that
9:46	cranky guy named Jeremiah
9:48	he clearly had gastrointestinal problems
9:52	and was probably not potty trained
9:54	correctly
9:56	ignore those words no no God is love you
10:01	will be prosperous God wants to make you
10:03	a millionaire didn’t you know that he
10:05	has the secret dream destiny that he
10:07	wants to give you
10:08	it’s come to church apply these
10:10	principles your life will get better and
10:13	better and better
10:18	and then you have that nagging part of
10:19	you saying but what if he isn’t crazy
10:23	what if he actually is saying saying the
10:25	truth
10:27	Jeremiah says that God says I didn’t
10:30	send those teachers I didn’t send those
10:33	prophets yet they ran I didn’t speak to
10:36	them yet they prophesied
10:39	if they had stood in my counsel God says
10:41	then they would have proclaimed my words
10:43	to my people they would have turned them
10:46	from their evil way and from the evil of
10:50	their deeds
10:52	no no no no you’re fine it’s okay
10:55	it’s okay
10:56	you go ahead and
10:59	do whatever you want
11:00	surf into websites and look at porn no
11:03	problem
11:05	sleep with your girlfriend no big deal
11:08	cheat your boss
11:09	steal and steal stuff from his till go
11:12	ahead
11:14	do whatever you like
11:16	you deserve it
11:19	right
11:23	something’s off here
11:25	these teachers are telling us everything
11:28	is fine with God and we can just stay
11:30	the way that we are and yet Jeremiah
11:32	says that if they had my words God’s
11:34	words they would have turned from then
11:36	turned from their evil
11:38	who talks about that anymore evil sin
11:42	you got to be kidding me right they’re
11:44	oopsies they’re slipsies they’re
11:46	mistakes I’m broken it was an accident
11:49	sin evil nah
11:53	and yet the Lord speaking to the Prophet
11:55	Jeremiah says am I a god at hand
11:56	declares the Lord and not a god far away
11:58	can a man hide himself in secret places
12:01	so that I cannot see him declares the
12:03	Lord
12:04	do I not fill Heaven and Earth declares
12:07	the Lord
12:08	I have heard what the prophets have said
12:10	who prophesy lies in my name
12:16	wise it’s a lie yeah a lie they say I
12:22	have dreamed a dream I have dreamed how
12:26	long shall there be lies in the heart of
12:28	the prophets who prophesy lies and who
12:31	prophesy the deceit of Their Own Heart
12:34	you mean God doesn’t have a dream
12:37	Destiny thingy for me you mean God
12:40	doesn’t intend for me to go out and be
12:43	the most amazing person ever the one
12:45	who’s going to change the world the one
12:48	who everybody says at his death wow
12:51	that one was amazing
12:56	you mean Jesus isn’t telling us to dream
12:58	bigger to be imaginative to go and
13:02	conquer the world with our great dreams
13:04	and Visions for making the world a
13:05	better place
13:08	Jeremiah says all of those people who
13:10	speak this way they’re speaking deceit
13:14	these words do not come from the mind of
13:16	God
13:17	these words come from the deceit of
13:19	their own blackened
13:22	sins
13:23	infested pus ridden hearts
13:30	they think that they can make my people
13:31	forget my name
13:33	by their dreams
13:35	they tell one another even as their
13:37	fathers forgot my name for by all
13:40	but let the prophet who has a dream tell
13:42	the dream but let him who has my word
13:46	speak my word Faithfully
13:49	brothers and sisters we have God’s word
13:53	you will not find it here
13:55	you will find it in your Bible
13:59	that’s where God’s word is and God’s
14:02	word his written word all of it they a
14:04	news to us God breathe none of it says
14:08	oh don’t worry about your evil just go
14:10	about doing what you like
14:12	instead
14:14	Jesus who is the word of God incarnate
14:19	his voice is added to the voice of the
14:21	prophets of the Old Testament and what
14:23	does his voice say
14:25	repent
14:27	repent
14:29	you are not good
14:30	you are wicked you are evil you have
14:34	sinned Gravely against Heaven and Earth
14:37	you stand guilty before God you are not
14:41	good
14:42	you are the opposite of that
14:44	you and I both have all deserved the
14:46	wrath of God
14:48	and Christ’s word comes to us and says
14:51	repent
14:52	change your mind
14:53	say God you’re right
14:56	I’m wrong
14:58	and then hear these words
15:00	Christ is bled and died
15:02	for your Rebellion
15:04	for your wickedness for your evil
15:08	now be forgiven
15:10	and live
15:12	now keep this in mind
15:15	that the idolatry that is today
15:19	all of these words these prophecies
15:21	these dreams these Visions these
15:24	teachings that have their origin in the
15:26	hearts of these people and then have
15:28	well God’s name slapped on it if you
15:31	would
15:32	right this is a common thing and it goes
15:34	way back by the way way way back
15:37	remember the incident of the golden calf
15:40	let me remind you from the book of
15:42	Exodus Exodus chapter 32. when the
15:45	people saw that Moses was delayed to
15:46	come down from the mountain the people
15:48	gathered themselves together to Aaron
15:50	and they said to him up make us Gods who
15:53	shall go before us as for this Moses
15:56	fella the man who brought us up out of
15:58	the land of Egypt we don’t know what has
16:00	become of him
16:01	so Aaron said to them
16:03	take off the rings of gold that are in
16:06	the ears of your wives your sons and
16:08	your daughters and bring them to me
16:10	so all the people took off the rings of
16:12	gold that were in their ears and brought
16:14	them to Aaron and he received the gold
16:16	from their hand and fashioned it with a
16:18	graving tool and made a golden calf and
16:21	they said
16:22	these are your Gods o Israel who brought
16:26	you up out of the land of Egypt now
16:28	watch these Pious words from Aaron and
16:32	when Aaron saw this he built an altar
16:34	before it and Aaron made a proclamation
16:36	and said tomorrow shall be a feast to
16:40	Yahweh
16:43	that’s what the text says
16:47	golden calf Idol
16:50	we’re going to worship the way we want
16:51	to worship we’re going to believe what
16:52	we want to believe and then we’re going
16:54	to slap God’s holy name onto it
16:58	a golden calf named Yahweh
17:01	really
17:02	that’s cute
17:04	but it’s deceitfully sinful
17:07	many people lost their lives for this
17:09	sin
17:12	and all of this comes from their own
17:13	heart
17:14	none of it comes from God
17:18	now a little bit of a turn here
17:21	I want you to think of this
17:24	you who know the truth
17:26	you who are baptized into Christ were
17:28	given who trust Jesus for the
17:31	Forgiveness of your sins
17:33	who daily
17:34	walk in the waters of your baptism
17:37	penitent forgiven
17:39	that when you speak the truth of God’s
17:42	word
17:43	do you not know that you get yourself in
17:45	trouble you do I’ve talked with many of
17:48	you and you say things like yeah but if
17:50	I say that to this person they’re going
17:52	to get upset
17:54	right we all know this we now know that
17:57	if we say these words this message this
18:00	word of God to people that you’re evil
18:02	repent be forgiven Christ is bled and
18:04	died for that that’s going to send some
18:06	people over the edge the word nowadays
18:09	is triggered
18:11	right
18:12	I’m triggered I’m triggered
18:15	right
18:16	consider the words of our Psalm today
18:19	listen to what it says my soul Longs for
18:22	your salvation
18:24	I hope in your word my eyes long for
18:27	your promise I ask when will you comfort
18:30	me for I have become like a wine skin in
18:32	the Smoke yet I have not forgotten your
18:34	statutes
18:35	how long must your servant endure when
18:39	will you judge those who persecute me
18:41	the insolent have dug pitfalls for me
18:44	they do not live according to your law
18:46	your Torah
18:48	all of your Commandments are sure they
18:50	persecute me with falsehood help me
18:55	you see here’s the issue
18:58	is that every single one of us is born
19:00	dead in trespasses and sins and as long
19:03	as you remain in that state you are
19:05	hostile to God
19:06	you hate his word you do not want to
19:09	hear anything about turning from your
19:10	sin and being forgiven that whole
19:13	crucified and risen Jesus is very
19:15	impractical and quite offensive and so
19:18	when somebody comes to you speaking
19:19	those words what do you do to that
19:21	person
19:22	you treat them the way the Pharisees
19:24	treated Christ
19:26	right
19:27	and since well murdering somebody
19:29	physically could land you in prison for
19:31	a very long time and in Texas might
19:34	result in you being killed we come up
19:36	with ways of murdering people without
19:38	actually leaving a mark
19:40	and how do we do that we murder their
19:43	names their reputations when they show
19:45	up we turn our backs on them we make
19:48	sure to be on the phone and gossiping
19:50	about them right
19:54	and you know what I’m talking about we
19:55	unfriend them on Facebook we let
19:58	everybody know that person’s drunk the
20:00	Kool-Aid
20:01	they’re religious now we don’t invite
20:04	them to our parties and we make sure
20:06	that they know that they’re not invited
20:10	and all of this is because you would
20:13	dare to speak the truth to them they
20:16	despise
20:18	God’s word
20:20	and this is why Jesus in our text says
20:22	today I came to cast fire on the earth
20:26	and would that it were already kindled
20:29	right now it’s quite out of control
20:33	but Jesus said gave us these words I
20:35	have a baptism to be baptized with
20:38	and how great is my distress until it is
20:40	accomplished
20:41	these are good words for us because
20:43	Jesus truly was baptized baptized into
20:48	death
20:49	baptized in the fires of the wrath of
20:52	God baptized so that we might live
20:55	and so we now in our baptisms Esther you
20:59	today join to Christ in the waters of
21:01	baptism
21:02	we now do not get what we deserve we get
21:06	the Forgiveness of our sins
21:08	rather than face the fires of hell for
21:11	our crimes and Rebellion against God
21:14	we hear from Christ Our judge
21:16	that you are forgiven
21:18	all because he has gone to his baptism
21:21	but in the meantime for those of us who
21:23	have the audacity to believe and
21:25	proclaim the words of God and do it
21:28	Faithfully
21:29	Jesus says from now on one house there
21:32	will be the people who are divided five
21:34	against three two against four do the
21:37	math it just is awful
21:40	some of you even in this congregation
21:42	have suffered that kind of division
21:44	division in your own family division
21:47	with your own friends
21:48	but again Christ has been baptized with
21:51	the baptism of God’s Wrath he is bled
21:53	and died for all of your iniquities and
21:55	all of us who have come to the Waters of
21:57	baptized have been baptized into Jesus
22:00	and we are all now in him
22:03	Jesus was The Prophet prophesied by
22:06	Moses he is our Prophet our priest and
22:09	our King and he does not fill our heart
22:11	with vain words
22:14	no vain words keep us in slavery
22:17	no Jesus who is the truth you see Jesus
22:21	isn’t just it’s not true about Jesus
22:24	Jesus is the truth
22:26	he who is the truth
22:28	and who cannot and will not ever lie to
22:30	you or to me has spoken The Truth About
22:32	Us
22:33	and he has correctly spoken to us his
22:35	law that we are by Nature sinful we have
22:39	rebelled against God our merciful and
22:41	kind Creator and his word and his
22:43	commands and rather than live in Freedom
22:45	as children of the light we’ve become
22:47	slaves to the Dominion of Darkness with
22:49	the Devil Himself as I as our tyrannical
22:52	dictator but rather than throw the whole
22:54	lot of us into the fires of hell as we
22:56	rightly deserve scripture says that God
22:59	sent forth his son born of a woman born
23:02	under the law to redeem to purchase
23:04	those who were under the law so that we
23:06	might receive adoption as sons and
23:09	because you are all now sons of God God
23:12	has sent the spirit of his son into our
23:13	hearts so that we cry out Abba Father
23:16	you are no longer slaves
23:18	you are sons and heirs through God
23:22	now that we’ve been set free
23:25	those who are blinded by the devil in
23:27	his ways mistakenly think that we’ve
23:29	joined with evil and because of this
23:31	they persecute us and they hate us
23:34	and the reason for this is that they
23:36	hate the light
23:37	John chapter 1 says this all things were
23:40	made through Jesus without him was not
23:42	anything that was made that was made in
23:44	him was life and the light was the light
23:46	of the world and the light shines in the
23:48	darkness and the Darkness is not
23:50	overcome it
23:51	there was a man who was sent from God
23:53	whose name was John he was a he came as
23:56	a witness to Bear witness about the
23:58	light so that all might believe through
24:00	him he was not the light that came to
24:03	bear witness about the light the True
24:05	Light which gives light to everyone was
24:06	coming into the world he was in the
24:09	world and the world was made through him
24:10	and yet the world did not know him he
24:13	came to his own and his own people did
24:14	not receive him
24:16	but to all who did receive him who
24:18	believed in his name he gave the right
24:20	to become children of God who were born
24:23	not of blood nor of the will of the
24:25	flesh nor even of the decision of a man
24:27	the born of God
24:29	and John chapter 3 says no one has ever
24:33	ascended into heaven except he who
24:34	descended from Heaven who is the son of
24:36	man and just as Moses lifted up the
24:38	serpent in the wilderness so must the
24:40	son of man be lifted up that whoever
24:42	believes in him may have
24:44	a gift eternal life
24:46	for God so loved the world that he gave
24:48	his only son
24:50	that whoever believes in him would never
24:51	perish
24:53	but have eternal life
24:55	God did not send his son into the world
24:57	to condemn the world but in order that
24:59	the world might be saved through him
25:01	and there’s where the Folly is those who
25:03	hate and despise God’s word
25:05	do not understand that Christ has not
25:08	come to condemn them but to save them
25:10	and the good news is is this that
25:12	whoever believes in him is not condemned
25:15	whoever does not believe is condemned
25:16	already because he has not believed in
25:18	the name of the only son of God and this
25:21	is the judgment
25:22	light has come into the world
25:25	and people love the darkness rather than
25:28	the light because their Works were evil
25:31	everyone who does wicked things hates
25:34	the light and does not come into the
25:37	light
25:37	lest his Works should be exposed
25:41	Christ Jesus was baptized into our sin
25:43	and death to accomplish our salvation by
25:46	his cross and Resurrection so that all
25:48	that so would all whom he has sealed by
25:52	the holy spirit with a sign of his
25:53	sacrifice so that we would no longer
25:55	live according to the lying enslaving
25:57	words of the Dominion of Darkness
26:01	and our own sinful hearts
26:03	instead that we would live in true
26:05	freedom
26:06	in the light of his word
26:08	and that’s the dividing line
26:12	the dividing line is light
26:14	and darkness
26:16	you hate his word despise it
26:20	you are in the dark
26:23	if you truly believe in trust in Christ
26:26	the light of the world
26:28	then you will never be in darkness and
26:30	you have been set free
26:32	from the Dominion of Darkness
26:35	in the name of Jesus
26:37	amen
26:38	[Music]

If you would like to support the teaching ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church, you can do so by sending a tax-free donation to: Kongsvinger Lutheran Church 15950 470th Ave NW, Oslo, MN 56744 We thank you for your support. All of our teaching messages may be freely distributed as long as you do not edit or change the content of the message, and, again, thank you for listening.