Drowning Myself Whenever I Can

Rev. Charles Lehmann + Matthew 13:44-52 + Pentecost 10

     In the Name of + Jesus.  Amen.

     The world loves to listen to Jesus' parables because it hears in them some sort of basic worldly wisdom instead of what the Lord is really teaching.  Since the world does not believe the Word of God, it is able to find in the parables a Jesus who is just a good moral teacher.  The world wants Jesus to be a first century Oprah or Dr. Phil.  The world wants him to give advice on relationships and make them feel good about themselves.  The world might even listen to Jesus for some basic financial advice, but it doesn't want God in the flesh.

     The world doesn't want God to come into our sinful world to redeem us from what eternally separates us from Him.  The world doesn't want to learn about the kingdom of heaven.  The world wants Aesop or the brothers Grimm.

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Rev. Charles Lehmann + Matthew 10:34-42 + Pentecost 6

 In the Name of + Jesus.  Amen.

 “The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.”

 When Saint Paul wrote those words to Timothy, he may have had today's Gospel lesson in mind.  Jesus tells us today that if we do not take up our cross and follow him that we are not worthy of Him.

 This doesn't come as a surprise.  We know we're not worthy of Him.  We know that we are, as Paul says, faithless.  We live our lives as if God does not exist.  If we truly believed that God exists and is the sort of God He says He is, we would never for a moment wonder what to do in a moment of trouble.  We would pray.  We would remind God of His promise to provide us with daily bread.  We would know with absolute unfailing certainty that whatever was happening, no matter how evil, God was working it for our good.  We would know that because we would always have in mind that God loves us.

 But too often, that's not the way we live.  Too often we allow our fears to rule us.  We become afraid that God isn't who He claims to be and that He won't do for us what He has promised to do.  In those times, we look to the world and our sinful flesh for what we need in life.  It is in times like this that the saying “God helps those who help themselves” starts to make sense.  We become impatient.  We want God to work on our timeline instead of His.  But more than that, the saying “God helps those who help themselves” says that God's word is worthless.  It doesn't matter what He's promised, it's still all up to you.  But we've all heard the saying.  It's so popular that a lot of people think it comes from the Scriptures.

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If any have toiled from the first hour,
let them receive their due reward;
If any have come after the third hour,
let him with gratitude join in the Feast!
And he that arrived after the sixth hour,
let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss.
And if any delayed until the ninth hour,
let him not hesitate; but let him come too.
And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour,
let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.

For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first.
He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour,
as well as to him that toiled from the first.
To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows.
He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor.
The deed He honors and the intention He commends.

Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord!
First and last alike receive your reward;
rich and poor, rejoice together!
Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!