John 1:1-14 Sermon

Just Words

Grace Mercy and Peace from God our Father, and Savior Jesus Christ.  AMEN

In the Beginning was …

1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.  3 And God said, “Let there be” and there was.  Words have power.  Words have so much power that we teach our children sayings like, “Sticks and Stones may break my bone, but Words will never hurt me.” Or, “I’m rubber, You’re Glue, Whatever you say bounces off me, and sticks to you.” Or, “Don’t worry, they didn’t mean anything by that, it was just words.”  If it were really true that what others said did not affect us, would we really need those sayings.  Words can hurt more than cuts, and words can heal more than a bandaid.  We as Christians especially need to remember that the Word, is more than just words.

A few years ago there was a TV show called Firefly, which managed to create a future that combined the genres space and cowboys.  The show didn’t last all that long, but it was interesting how the shows creator took a view on traditions and faith.  One of the characters was called Shepherd, and he could be likened to a future Franciscan monk.   His order does not believe in possessions or marriage, he has rules on how he must dress and look, and he is called to reach out to the lost.  In his travels, he ends up on a space ship of questionable morality and one of its passengers is a girl who is a genius in her own right, but is unable to function in normal everyday life.  He sees it as his mission to reach to this crew and this girl.  Unfortunately for him, to the girl, his bible was broken.  In one of my favorite scenes with these two characters, he walks in and she is furiously trying to “fix” his bible by ripping out pages, scratching out sections that don’t make sense, and rewriting other parts, mumbling and babbling things like "So we'll integrate non-progressional evolution theory with God's creation of Eden”  and "Noah's Ark is a problem - "We'll have to call it early quantumstate phenomenon - Only way to fit five-thousand species of mammal on the same boat -" In her highly logical mind she had to try and make the words make sense in her own special way.  Shepherd attempts to tell her " You don't fix the Bible!" "It's not about making sense. It's about believing in something, and letting that belief be real enough to change your life. It's about 'faith'." "You don't fix faith, River. It fixes you."  In the end though the girl just responds,  looking up at him, sweet, sincere, deadpan. "It's broken. It doesn't make sense."

The show’s writer, who claims to be an atheist, reveals a lot about how we view the bible, and what happens when we underestimate God’s Word to be “just words”.  Churches that focus on the pretty stories and leave out the non-politically correct, do so in the name of education and academic learning. The popular phrase, “the bible is just a book”  attempts to reduce the Scriptures down to just words, words that can be picked and chosen, and if they disagree with you, discarded for something else.  Learned professors, and average people are attempting to figure out which words are just words, and which words are worth listening to.  They are trying to use reason to understand the unknowable, because so often we as human beings hide behind the defense of “its just words”.

Our Words

We us the defense of “just words” because many of our own words, whether intentional or not are words of destruction, words of misrepresentation, and literally just words, words without actions. 

Words of destruction

The whole point of the children’s rhymes at the beginning of this sermon is to protect ourselves from words of destruction.  Children say some mean things, and it hurts when you are the subject of that criticizing.  As bad as children can be, Adults can be much worse though.  A child will call someone a “Meany Face” to their face, but an adult may not be quite as direct.  A few words here and there out of ear shot of the victim can be much worse than any direct insult.  Even the truth can be used to destroy someone unfairly.  Words and truths can be used as weapons, and it is not a pretty sight.  A fist fight lasts at most a couple minutes, but words of destruction last a very long time.  We destroy each other with our words, but it’s ok, it’s just words. 

Words without actions

Then there are our words of promises but without actions.  The popular, “I promise to be better about picking up after myself honey.”  Is almost always followed by a, I’m sorry, I forgot.  For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.  It is easy to make quick promises to ourselves, to each other, and to God, but if they’re not followed through, we might as well have said no.  The empty promises lead only to heart ache.  They were only just words.

Words of misrepresentation

Finally  there are the words of misrepresentations.  These is important because some of the biggest deceptions come not from bold face lying, but a simple twisting of the truth.  White lies, omissions, and exaggerations, all still misrepresent the truth.  Jesus said, “Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.”  One the first “minor” deceptions was Adam to God  “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.”  While this was technically truth, it was not the whole truth.  Many white lies are intended to protect someone.  But what happens when the truth comes out?  It is much worse on the person than finding out in the first place.  What does it matter, its just a white lie, its just words.

God’s Word

God’s word is different though.  John 1 is very clear what that word is like.  1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  They are words of creation, words of Life, and words of light. 

Words of Creation

The First spoken words of the bible, come from the mouth of God.  “Let there be light,” and there was light.  When ever God says, let there be, there is the result of his words.  Not only did he simply create, he sustains, comforts and protects.  He sent his spirit to be the counselor.  We have his WORD.  And just his Word brought forth a new creation, the heavens and the earth and all that dwells in it.

Words of Life

            And his words to his creation Adam and Eve were words of life and promise. “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” This was not a hollow promise, instead we are the children of our first father and mother.  When the actions of humanity brought forth death, God declared the truth, that death had entered the world.  But he did not leave humanity alone.  He sent his prophets into the world promising a messiah that would lift them out of their despair, and he would be called, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Where our words reveal our inaction, his words reveal his actions. All of his Words bring life.

Words of Light

The light of God reveals the truth of his words. “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  The light that shines into the darkness reveals our sinfulness, our inability to bring forth goodness or light.  The light that shines reveals that not everything is as good as we want to believe it is.   He promised death if Adam and Eve ate of the fruit, and death did come.  But the light that reveals our brokenness also reveals himself to us.  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  His powerful word calls us his own.

Jesus is God’s Word

It was in this power of speaking the Word of creation, life, and light that god spoke to his people.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

That true and faithful Word, is Jesus Christ our Lord, the one who came as a baby in a town called Bethlehem, raised by the virgin mother and carpenter who adopted him as his own.  This was the Word of God clothed in the flesh of man to fulfill his promises to all people that a new heaven and a new earth shall rein.  Where there are no words of destruction, words without action, and words of misrepresentation.  And this cannot truly make sense to us, because what have we done to be worthy of the grace of God in Jesus Christ?  Can we claim that we found him through our own ability? No.  Can we claim an inherent goodness?  No.  Can we claim anything? Never.  But it is through the Word that calls us by the Gospel into new life that we have fellowship with him.  He has washed us clean in the blood of the lamb, invited us to his supper, and through the mysteries of the Word and Sacraments, we have been made into a new Adam, we have life, and we have the light that shines for all to see.

Our words really are just words.  They have no truth or power.  But the Word of God goes beyond anything that we can understand.  Our understanding may be broken, but his Word never will.  When he speaks it is more than just words.  Amen

June/July Newsletter Article - Preparing for Change

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?... Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25, 34, ESV)

Life goes by way too fast, that we have a hard time keeping up with it. Seasons come and seasons go and the greatest conflict that we face is struggling to find the time to fit everything in. We spend most of our lives preparing for the next big change in our lives. If we are young we look toward the beginning of the next school year, whether in eager anticipation or in fearful dread. As we age we look toward our first job, our first house, our first … anything. We want to be ready for these firsts, whether having the right skills or having enough saved up, we attempt to be prepared for anything. And then As we have children and as our children age, we look forward to their firsts, trying to prepare them for their own firsts. We prepare our minds, our bodies, and our hearts for the changes that are set before us.

In my own household we are busy already preparing for the next big change. Something happened during pastor’s time away that seemed to turn the corner upon this year. One moment we are in the middle of vicarage, and then suddenly we are near the end. We are preparing to leave and return back to Fort Wayne for one more year, God willing. We are preparing for Lydia to continue growing and developing, often a little quicker than we are really ready. We are preparing for change. And we are not alone in our preparation. The church too is looking forward to change with the coming for the next Vicar, Vicar elect DeBlieck. As one person disappears a new one appears. It is the way of things, life changes, never staying the same from one moment to the next.

It is easy to grow uneasy in the midst of so much change, to wonder what is going to happen. We try to be prepared for everything, but there always seems to be the one thing that we didn’t think about, or we didn’t have enough time to prepare for. Jesus spoke to his disciples about these things in Matthew 6:25-34 telling them not to be anxious or worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will come as it will. We take comfort in the knowledge that even though we do not know what comes, that God will continue to care for us through all situations. He sent us His son for our salvation, so that we would be prepared for life everlasting through His actions. We cannot ask for anything more than that.

It has been a joy to serve here this short time that I have dwelt among you, and I will always remember this year. Many things will change, but as we in the church move forward, we know that God’s love will never change. We trust in the Lord, for He has taken care of all our preparations.

God’s Blessings,

Vicar William J. Shupe, #42

Day of Pentecost - Come, Holy Spirit

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012 | PENTECOST
              Old Testament       Ezekiel 37:1–14
             Psalm       Psalm 139:1–12 (13–16)
             Epistle       Acts 2:1–21
             Gospel       John 15:26–27, 16:4b–15


EPISTLE - Acts 2:1–21

2 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:

            17       “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,

                  that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,

                  and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

      and your young men shall see visions,

      and your old men shall dream dreams;

            18       even on my male servants and female servants

      in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

            19       And I will show wonders in the heavens above

      and signs on the earth below,

      blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;

            20       the sun shall be turned to darkness

      and the moon to blood,

      before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.

            21       And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

GOSPEL - John 15:26–27, 16:4b–15

26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Come, Holy Spirit

Grace, Mercy and Peace be unto you from God our Father and Savior Jesus Christ, His Son our Lord. AMEN

Today is the fiftieth day after easter, Pentecost. Throughout the season of Easter, Jesus demonstrated that he is risen, and he taught his disciples before ascending up into heaven. He made them a promise throughout his forty days, that he would send them a helper and they were to witness of what he has done. And ten days after His ascension the Apostles went out and confessed and witnessed speaking in tongues. Pentecost is often associated with tongues of fire, and the Apostles speaking out in tongues, but the true focus this day is the Holy Spirit. For the holy spirit was sent into the world, as a comforter, councilor, and as a witness so that all humanity could hear and believe that Jesus Christ is Lord.

It is easy to set our focus on the big and flashy things, because they draw our attention, they keep us coming back for more. And so for this Pentecost Sunday we of course give note to the sounds of the rushing winds and the tongues of flame that rest upon all the witnesses of God the incarnate Son. Also the speaking in tongues is a great attention getter. To speak in tongues is to speak a language that the speaker does not already know and the hearers understand. To speak but not be understood would be worthless. The Lutheran Church is a church that boasts in the confessions of the historic church, but we don’t still confess, Credo in unum Deum, Patrem omnipoténtem,Factórem cæli et terræ,Visibílium ómnium et invisibílium. Et in unum Dóminum Iesum Christum,Fílium Dei Unigénitum,Et ex Patre natum ante ómnia sæcula. We confess this whenever we have communion, yet most here do not understand it even though Latin was the language of the church for centuries. Well we are good Lutherans, so perhaps another option of german would get a few more people, Ich glaube an Gott, den Vater,den Allmächtigen, but seeing as I don’t even know German, I dont think it would help all that much. No while these and other languages are the languages of the church historic, they mean nothing without understanding. True the church has spoken many languages over the years, but they mean little outside of their context. The substance of the message is lost without translation. But when the Apostles spoke in many languages appearing drunk to some of the passersby, there were not speaking gibberish, they were not speaking dead languages that only scholars knew. No. they were speaking the tongues of the people so that all could hear and understand the message. They were guided through the gifts of the spirit.

Speaking in tongues is considered a gift of the spirit. And, there are many churches that put special emphasis on receiving the gifts of the spirit. Some see it as a sign of truly believing, a sign that God has chosen them for a special calling. Some of these churches even have their new members fill out spiritual gifts inventories, so that their special skills and desires can be fully realized. It is good to recognize that you are a good teacher, or someone that is good at maintenance, but attempting to focus only upon our skills puts our thoughts not on above, but below. Trying only to receive the Holy Spirit is awefully short sighted and narrow focused.

It is perhaps unique that we speak about the holy spirit in the lutherand church, because of what the role of the holy spirit is according to the biblical accounts. Bbecause the holy spirit’s entire purpose is to direct our gaze upon the Father and the Son. In fact, if our focus did not turn to the Father and the Son, but focused solely upon the Spirit, we would be misunderstanding the spirit. For when Jesus spoke about the Spirit he said, “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, the will bear witness about me.” Yes the winds, and the flames, and the spoken tongues are good right and salutary, but the truly impressive thing that the holy spirit did was a lot more subtle. He gave the words to the apostles to preach. For while it was prophesied that a great signs and wonders would be done in Joel, the focus was not upon the deeds, but upon the result. ““ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’” (Acts 2:17–21, ESV)

In our gospel Jesus knew that he would be leaving the disciples soon, but he was promising that they would not be left on their own, instead the helper, the Holy Spirit would proceedeth from the Father and witness to them about the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13–15, ESV) If any spirit comes and preaches about himself or about the Jesus revealed through the scriptures, that is a false spirit, one of deceit and not of God. Instead the helper came to direct us to the one and only saving faith in Jesus Christ.

We many never receive an experience quite as visually stunning as the apostles and the tongues of flame or the impressive sounds of rushing winds to herald witness in Chirst. Most of us, including myself, have a hard enough time speaking in English that we probably will never experience speaking in tongues either. But we have received spirit of truth through the washing in the blood of Jesus Christ through the waters of Baptism. We may rejoice and know that the Spirit moves in us, often quietly, so that we may know and confess that Jesus Christ is our lord and savior, that through love and grace he died on the cross, was laid in the tomb, and rose eternally defeating death, the devil, and all the powers of sin and darkness. All this he did for our sake. AMEN.