Sermon Text: I Timothy 1:2
"Three Little Words"
IN HIS LETTER TO YOUNG TIMOTHY SAINT PAUL GREETS HIM WITH THESE WORDS: "UNTO TIMOTHY, MY OWN SON IN THE FAITH: GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE, FROM GOD OUR FATHER AND JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD." 1 Timothy 1:2
For almost 30 years, I have Greeted you with those words prior to each sermon. I did it again just a few moments ago.
I suspect if you heard me reading these words on the radio, you would immediately recognize my voice and know I was about to preach a sermon.
"GRACE, MERCY, AND PEACE BE UNTO YOU FROM GOD OUR FATHER AND FROM OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!"
I grew up hearing those words each time my father preached and have heard or spoken them almost every Sunday of my life.
With extra services for Advent and Christmas and Lent and Holy week and a few funerals, we average about 70 services each year.
If you average 50 times a year that you are here, you can quickly figure out that you have heard them more than a 1000 times - and most of you many more than that.
Pastors FOR THE PAST 2000 YEARS HAVE GREETED THEIR CONGREGATIONS WITH THESE WORDS BEFORE DECLARING THE WORD OF GOD IN THEIR SERMONS.
But HAVE THESE WORDS BECOME SO WELL KNOWN TO US THAT, to PASTORS AND LAY MEMBERS ALIKE, that WE FAIL TO REALLY HEAR WHAT GREAT POWER AND BLESSINGS ARE BEING SPOKEN?
MARTIN LUTHER UNDERSTOOD WELL THAT SOMETIMES WHEN WE BECOME VERY FAMILIAR WITH PARTS OF WORSHIP WE ALSO MIGHT FAIL TO FOCUS FULLY ON WHAT GOD IS SAYING TO US IN HIS HOLY WORD.
You may have heard this short story ascribed to MARTIN LUTHER. IT GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS…
"TWO PRIESTS WERE ARGUING DOWN AT THE LOCAL PUB. THE FIRST PRIEST SAID TO THE OTHER "YOU’RE SO SELF CENTERED I BET YOU CAN’T EVEN PRAY THE LORD’S PRAYER WITHOUT THINKING ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE!" THE SECOND PRIEST REPLIED "I’LL TAKE THAT BET. WHAT WILL YOU GIVE ME IF I SUCCEED?"
THE FIRST PRIEST THEN SAID, "SEE MY HORSE I HAVE TIED OUTSIDE THE DOOR? I’LL GIVE YOU THAT HORSE IF YOU SUCCEED."
SO THE SECOND PRIEST STARTED PRAYING "OUR FATHER, WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HOLLOWED BE THY NAME…..…. SAY, DO I GET THE SADDLE WITH THE HORSE TOO?"
He obviously didn’t get very far into the prayer before he proved the 1st priest’s point.
SAINT PAUL WAS PROBABLY WRITING THIS LETTER TO TIMOTHY FROM MACEDONIA FOLLOWING HIS FIRST IMPRISONMENT IN ROME.
THESE WORDS OF GREETING were USED BY SAINT PAUL to VERY POWERFULLY PROCLAIM THE FACTS OF OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH.
So LET’S TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO CONSIDER EXACTLY WHAT ST. PAUL WAS DECLARING TO TIMOTHY IN THESE THREE LITTLE WORDS, GRACE, MERCY, PEACE
FIRST WE LOOK AT THAT WORD GRACE. IF WE CHECK OUR DICTIONARY WE MIGHT FIND THAT GRACE IS DEFINED AS UNMERITED, DIVINE ASSISTANCE OR LOVE.
ALL CONFESSING CHRISTIANS ARE QUITE FAMILIAR WITH THIS WORD "GRACE".
EVEN PEOPLE YOU MEET ON THE STREET THAT HAVE NO FAITH IN THE GOD Of THE BIBLE, WHEN THEY SEE SOMEONE CRIPPLED OR SUFFERING, CAN BE HEARD SAYING THE EXPRESSION "THERE, BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD GO I"
BUT WE LUTHERANS, IN PARTICULAR, HAVE AN EVEN CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT WORD "GRACE".
That word was prominent in one of the great truths of the Reformation that Martin Luther brought to light. The truth that God chose us without any merit or worthiness on our part. God chose to give us love and forgiveness, freely, as a gift.
Yes, I am once again referring to Ephesians 2:8,9
"FOR BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH; AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD: NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST."
OUR MONEY, OUR DEEDS, HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH US RECEIVING THAT GIFT OF "GRACE" FROM GOD.
THAT SAME VERSE IN EPHESIANS TELLS US THE ONLY WAY WE GET THIS UNDESERVED LOVE FROM GOD IS "THRU FAITH".
"…BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED THROUGH FAITH:"
AND, HOW DO WE OBTAIN THIS FAITH THAT, IN LOVE GOD, OFFERS US? GOD ANSWERS THAT QUESTION FOR US IN ROMANS 10:17 WHERE IT IS RECORDED "FAITH COMETH BY HEARING, AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD"
GOD SENDS FORTH HIS HOLY SPIRIT TO WORK THIS FAITH IN OUR HEARTS THRU HIS HOLY WORD, THE INSPIRED BIBLE. AND THRU THE WORD , THE SACRAMENTS, PASTORS, AND LAY MEMBERS ALIKE, CONTINUE TO GROW IN FAITH AND LOVE TO GOD.
Well, next we want to consider that Word MERCY.
AGAIN if we LOOK-UP THIS WORD "MERCY" IN ONE OF our dictionaries WE FIND MERCY BEING DEFINED AS BEING "UNDESERVED FORGIVENESS"
None of us here today are strangers to the word "Mercy." We know that we have original sin which is not something we have done but something we inherited. We were by nature sinners and even enemies of God. What we deserve in our human natures is death and eternal separation from God.
But, notice that I said "what we deserve" not what we will receive. Because, thanks to the good news of God’s Holy Word, we know that we receive "not what we deserve" but instead receive Mercy.
There is a story that I read that helps explain mercy.
It seems there was a struggling widow in France who understood the true meaning of "Mercy."
In an hour of desperation she taught the meaning of this word to none other than the famous General Napoleon Bonaparte.
Now at this point, I can’t resist telling one of my favorite jokes which teaches us that someone can always top you.
A man was visiting the psych. ward at a hospital when a man stood up on his bed, stuck his arm into his pajamas and loudly declared - "I’m Napoleon!"
When another patient asked "Who told you that you are Napoleon?" The man said "God did."
To that a man in the next bed said, "I did not!"
Any how . . . . . . This struggling widow taught Napoleon a lesson about Mercy.
As you recall Napoleon had a mighty army, a army that made his enemies tremble. His march across Europe struck fear in the hearts of kings and queens as well as in their armies.
The approach of his army sometimes led many soldiers to desert and run away from their Army.
But Napoleon’s army never retreated - they stood and fought to the death.
One of the reason his soldiers always stood and fought was because Napoleon had issued a "Standing Order" to his commanders that any deserter would be shot.
When deserters were caught, they were to be held captive over night and then shot the next morning. No trial, no exceptions. Caught and then executed. He wanted the message to be clear - you might as well stand and fight because if you desert you will be shot for sure.
Now war was an on-going event for the French Army so Napoleon, who was emperor as well as General, kept a large number of people employed going with him and taking care of his needs. Among those "needs" was that he demanded to be the very best food, prepared just the way he liked it. So among those following his army was a large number of chefs and cooks.
The widow I mentioned was one of his many cooks and she had a son, who at the age of 19 was serving in Napoleon’s Army.
After one gruesome and gory battle, this 19 year panicked and could not face another battle and he took off and deserted the army.
But again, no one deserted from Napoleon’s army and he was soon caught and in accordance with the standing order was to be kept overnight and then shot at sunrise.
This young man’s mother, because of her job had access to Napoleon himself and so she fell down at his feet and begged for mercy for her son.
In disgust Napoleon shouted at her that her son was a deserter and thus did not deserve mercy. And he ordered his staff to take her away.
But, as she was being dragged away she is said to have shouted to the General. "Excellency, you are right, my son does not deserve mercy, for if he deserved mercy, it would not longer be mercy. "
The truth of what she said struck home with Napoleon and for one of the only recorded times in history, he ordered her son be set free and returned to her.
That is the a picture of the Mercy that Almighty God shows us. In His Mercy, He forgives us each and every sin, not because we deserve it or have earned it, but simply because of His great love.
We note that God doesn’t say, "Oh well, we’ll just forget about those sins." No, God promised all through the Scripture that He would punish sin.
God doesn’t just toss out sin. In Romans 6:23 it says, "The wages of sin is death!" and in Ezekiel it says, "The soul that sinneth, it shall die."
The price of sin, death, must be paid, but not by you and me. The full reading of Romans 6:23 says, "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord!"
In 1 John 1:7 we read "And the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanses us from all sin."
How beautiful the word, Mercy, is when it is used to describe what our loving God shows to each and everyone one of us. Shows to us,
again and again and again.
Grace, Mercy, and Peace. We want to look at the word peace as Paul uses it when writing to Timothy.
This time when we consult our dictionaries we come up with phrases like "Freedom from disturbance," or Harmony in personal relationships.
And those who do not have faith in Jesus Christ do not know of any other kind of peace than the kind described in the dictionary.
But Jesus tells us some startling news about that kind of peace. He says in Matthew 10:34, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword."
And in Luke 12 we read "Do you suppose that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you no, but rather division."
The peace that we Christians are promised has nothing to do with earthly riches or the lack of problems and suffering.
It doesn’t take long when we look at the events of the world that there many divisions, cause of strife and conflicts in our world.
Many don’t like this fact as mentioned in Scripture. They refuse to accept God at His Word and believe that a loving God would allow suffering in our world.
Their reasoning says that a loving God would not allow his people to suffer. A loving God would not allow His Son to be crucified on a cross. They reject the good news of Salvation that Holy Scripture says came through the suffering and death of His Sons, Jesus.
Let’s be very clear - of course, you and I want peace in our own world. Peace in our families, peace in our relationships. Peace in our lives.
But we realize that real peace, lasting peace, eternal peace, can only come from knowing that we are loved and forgiven by God.
Knowing that the "peace that passes all human understanding, means we can have peace in all situations, but only through faith in Christ. Knowing He has our future, we can face the present.
The world seeks peace in money or power or fame and fortune but they will not find lasting peace there. Fame is fleeting. Money can be lost. Relationships can end.
But the Bible says,
"..ALL THINGS WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THEM THAT LOVE GOD, TO THEM THAT ARE CALLED ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE." Romans 8:28
When struggle in life, and we all do, we know that God is with us and will sustain us. And knowing our eternal peace and joy is secure through faith in Christ, we can face whatever the world brings to us.
In John 16 we hear Jesus say.
"THESE THINGS I HAVE SPOKEN UNTO YOU, THAT IN ME You MIGHT HAVE PEACE. IN THE WORLD You SHALL HAVE TRIBULATION: BUT BE OF GOOD CHEER; I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD."
In Romans :5:1,2 Paul SAYS IT BEST… "THEREFORE BEING JUSTIFIED BY FAITH, WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST: BY WHOM ALSO WE HAVE ACCESS BY FAITH INTO THIS GRACE WHEREIN WE STAND, AND REJOICE IN HOPE OF THE GLORY OF GOD."
Martin LUTHER SAID OF THIS PEACE… (Luther's works, vol. 25 )
"THIS IS THE SPIRITUAL PEACE OF WHICH ALL THE PROPHETS SING. AND THIS IS THE REAL PEACE OF mind AND TRUST IN GOD."
St. Paul was inspired by the Holy Spirit to use the words we all need to hear. Grace, Mercy, and Peace.
Three little words that have a powerful message to convey to us each time we hear them. Three little words that give us a picture of our lives with Jesus Christ.
Three little words that we want to accept from God and then share with each other and the world.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the Word. Jesus Christ came into the world and lived a perfect life to fulfill the law completely.
Jesus Christ suffered and then died on the cross of Calvary to pay the price of sin, once for all time for all people who would believe.
Jesus arose victorious over sin and death and come out of the tomb on Easter morning.
Jesus lives and reigns and rules right now and always will.
Because of Jesus, you know grace. Love freely and fully given.
Because of Jesus, you know mercy. Undeserved love and forgiveness.
Because of Jesus, you know peace. Perfect eternal peace that the world cannot understand. Peace that your loved ones are already with the Lord and peace that you will one day join them.
So I end by again declaring to the words of St. Paul to Timothy … (and I pray these words will be more meaningful each time you hear them in the future)
Grace, mercy and peace be unto you from God the Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Sunday, April 29, 2012
4th Sunday of Easter - Gravy
April 29, 2012
OSLC Paradise
Title - "It is all gravy"
Theme - Blessed by the good news of salvation - the rest of life is just "gravy", blessings from God.
"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 I Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
Ephesians 3:17-19
I have to preach at the Circuit Pastor’s Conference on Tuesday and I came across a message I had preached here 4 years ago and I decided to rework it for the Pastor’s conference. And, as I worked on it and made some changes, - I decided it might also be worth sharing the thoughts with you today. In our reading, Paul prays for the people of Ephesus and for us .
Different versions of the Bible say it these ways:
"That you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
"Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."
"I am praying this so that you may be completely filled with God."
Suppose for a moment that you are on death row. I don’t know what you did, you can even be innocent if you want to be - it isn’t important for our discussion. But suppose you are death row and the warden asks you what you want for your last meal. What would you choose for your last meal on earth?
I would have to think about it for a little bit. Growing up in Nebraska with all that good beef, I would certainly have to consider a nice thick steak. Probably have them send away to "Omaha Steaks" to get it. Later in life, I have come to love crab, so I could certainly be tempted by a big pile of Alaska King Crab. But I think for my last meal, I Just might go with a ‘Thanksgiving Dinner." I love Thanksgiving Dinner. And, I don’t need a lot of things with my Thanksgiving Dinner. Just give me roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, and lots of mashed potatoes. I don’t need stuffing, I don’t need green bean casserole, I don’t need a corn dish, I don’t even need hot rolls.
Just turkey, cranberries, and mashed potatoes. .... And, Oh yes, lots of good turkey gravy. Gravy - most of us love good gravy even though we seldom have it anymore. We have expressions about gravy don’t we?"Everything else is gravy." or "The rest is all gravy now." or ‘Its all gravy now." With a good meal, - it means we have had a lot of good stuff to eat, and we even get gravy on top of it.We use the expression to say that "what we have had has been good, and now anything extra will be a bonus." For example, on a Monday morning I might say something like. "It is a beautiful morning, I am on the golf course, I am with friends, . . . if I play a good round - that will just be gravy.
"Gravy" - Well, listen carefully to what I am about to say. "I have reached a point in my life, where it almost seems to me that almost everything is gravy." What do I mean? I mean that although I am only 63 years old, I feel like I have been able to enjoy much of what is good in life. I have been so blessed, - that all further blessings in this life will just be gravy.
There is a movie called "the Bucket List." As you probably know, it is about two old men who learn that they have cancer and will die. So they make a list of things they want to do before they "kick the bucket" and die. Then they went out and did things like skydive, and visit Africa and India, and eat great meals everywhere they went. Thinking about that idea, I realized that I don’t have much of a "bucket list." Maybe I am just to lazy to want to do anything, but I am very content with my life, and feel I have been blessed with so much of what is good.
Proverbs 31:10 says, "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies." For many years, on the gages screen of my car I have had an old black and white photo of Ellie when she was about 21 years old. A picture of how she looked when we are married. I will probably need to remove it at some point, but for now it is still there and I see it every time I get into my car. For almost 40 years, I had the love of a wonderful woman. She was my partner and companion and friend and lover and encourager. No man has ever been loved more than I was loved by Ellie. I had obviously hoped the Lord would give us many more years together. I had looked forward to growing old with her, but Lord did give almost 40 years of a wonderful marriage. I do not know what the future will bring. The Lord may choose to bless me again with the love of a wonderful woman and that would be a joyous bonus for my life. But I have already been blessed and whatever else the Lord brings would be all gravy. . .
I have known the joy of being a father. The ups and downs, the joys and sorrows, the disappointments and the successes. The thrill of victory, if you will, and the agony of defeat. But it is all part of being a father and I have experienced it and loved. I am enjoying getting to love my daughters as adults and look forward to sharing life with them in the future - but it is all gravy now. If I were to be gone, I have already experienced the full joy that being a father brings.
I have been a grandfather - the past ten years have brought me so much joy. There is nothing like the tears of pure joy the first time you get to hold a grandchild. I loved making baby bottles and changing diapers and watching first rollovers and first steps. I love it with my grandchildren in a way I didn’t seem to have as much time to appreciate with my own daughters. I love being a very important Papa and having guys wanting me to do things with them and spend time with them. I love holding and tickling and reading stories to little Nala and having her hold out her arms and want to "see Papa" many times each day.
I look forward to enjoying so much more with them, but I could never love them more or feel more loved by them than I already do. It is all gravy from here on out.
I have been privileged to be a pastor. I have felt the joy of graduating from seminary, and the excitement of being ordained, and privilege of being installed as a pastor of congregations. I have been blessed to share the lives and important experiences, good and bad of so many people. I have served three congregations early in my career and now I have been the pastor here for almost 30 years. I could never be more loved by a congregation than I have been loved here. And there is no greater joy for a pastor than to be able to proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to the people of God and know that they listen, and hear, and respond. Know that they respond to God’s love but reaching out to others and by giving love and honor to your efforts to serve them as pastor. The Lord may Call me somewhere else someday, I may serve some years part-time somewhere after I retire, but I could never know more joy that I have experienced right here in this place. It is all gravy now.
I could go on and on. I have been so loved by my parents, and I include Ellie’s parents, whom I have always called mom and dad, because that is what they have been to me. I love the relationship I now have with my brother and sister as we have grown older and matured and grown to appreciate each other even more than we did as kids. I get to play golf - I have been blessed to play some really great courses - but, more importantly, I love the course I play routinely . I have played some really good golf, but more importantly I really enjoy playing. Would I enjoy playing an Augusta National or other great courses? - sure - but it would only be gravy - I already have the blessings. I don’t really have a bucket list of things I desperately want to do. Any other good things, any other blessings, are all gravy.
But I have just been listing earthly blessings haven’t I. There is a reason I can feel so content in this life. It is because I have confidence in the next. The apostle Paul grew up rich and privileged and well educated, but listen to what he wrote to the Philippians
Phil 3:7-11
I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.* For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
Paul says that all the blessings of this world cannot compare to the blessings of knowing God.Again, There is a reason I can personally feel so content in this life. It is because I have confidence in the next. I have been baptized. When I was two weeks old, my pastor-father baptized me in front of the congregation at Trinity Lutheran Church in Woodward, Oklahoma.
I was baptized. God reached down from heaven and claimed me as his child. God adopted me and claimed me for all eternity. God promised to keep his covenant with me even though I would break mine with Him, even though I would never earn it or deserve it. In a sense, everything in life has been gravy since then. At that moment, God forgave my sins and claimed me for all eternity. He promised to love me every day of my life and one day take me to heaven to live in perfect joy and happiness for all eternity.
I was raised in a Christian home. I got to go to Sunday School and Vacation Bible School and sit in church every Sunday. I got to spend 5 of my elementary years in Lutheran schools. I was confirmed, I got to stand in front of the congregation at Trinity Lutheran Church in Madison, Nebraska and confess (publicly state) my faith in Jesus Christ and promise to strive to be faithful unto God even unto death.
I have been blessed that all of my life I have known that Jesus Christ was the Lord and Savior of the world.I was taught that I was a sinful human being in need of salvation. I was taught that I could not earn nor deserve the forgiveness of sins - but that God gave it to me as a free gift.I have always known that God knew who I was and everything about me, and still loved me. I have always known that although I would disappoint God - He would never disappoint me. I have always known that the minute, I close my eyes in this world, I would awake in heaven and spend eternity with God.
But let me pause here for a moment. I know that many of you have been echoing my thoughts. You have been reflecting on all your blessings and on the joy of knowing that God loves and forgives you. But maybe someone is saying, "I didn’t grow up so blessed." "I was an abused child." "I was a battered wife." "I lost a young child." "My spouse left me." "I didn’t always have a decent job." "I struggled with alcohol or drugs." "My health has been terrible." "A cherished loved one has died." And I could go on and on - there is a lot of ugliness and hurt and pain in our world. Not everyone can look back on life and feel they have been blessed.
If that is your situation, in a way, you can cling even more to the words of Paul and say that the things of this world are not worth comparing to the things of God. The things of life on earth are not worth comparing to the joy of knowing you are a baptized child of God, that your sins are forgiven, and that one day you will live in the perfect joy of heaven. In some ways, "How much more will you enjoy the perfection of heaven, if you have not enjoyed many of the blessings of this world?"
Paul said, "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
God is in control for this life and the next and God is able to do far more than all that we ask or think." Jesus Christ came into this world to live a perfect life and fulfill the law. Jesus Christ came into the world to suffer and to die to pay for the sins of the whole world. Jesus Christ arose from the grave victorious over sin and death.Jesus’ death and resurrection assures us that we have the forgiveness of sins and we have the gift of eternal life.
If we can say, "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know" - The rest is all gravy.
On this joyous day, as we continue to celebrate Easter, as we pause to reflect and give thanks for the gift of salvation. . . We have much more we can look forward to in this life. There is much more we can look forward to as we try to live and put our faith into action.
Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."
You are baptized.
Your sins are forgiven.
You have the assurance of eternal life.
You have been so blessed by God.
So, let us enjoy our blessings, and please - Keep on "Passing the gravy." Amen.
OSLC Paradise
Title - "It is all gravy"
Theme - Blessed by the good news of salvation - the rest of life is just "gravy", blessings from God.
"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge — that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 I Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
Ephesians 3:17-19
I have to preach at the Circuit Pastor’s Conference on Tuesday and I came across a message I had preached here 4 years ago and I decided to rework it for the Pastor’s conference. And, as I worked on it and made some changes, - I decided it might also be worth sharing the thoughts with you today. In our reading, Paul prays for the people of Ephesus and for us .
Different versions of the Bible say it these ways:
"That you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God."
"Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God."
"I am praying this so that you may be completely filled with God."
Suppose for a moment that you are on death row. I don’t know what you did, you can even be innocent if you want to be - it isn’t important for our discussion. But suppose you are death row and the warden asks you what you want for your last meal. What would you choose for your last meal on earth?
I would have to think about it for a little bit. Growing up in Nebraska with all that good beef, I would certainly have to consider a nice thick steak. Probably have them send away to "Omaha Steaks" to get it. Later in life, I have come to love crab, so I could certainly be tempted by a big pile of Alaska King Crab. But I think for my last meal, I Just might go with a ‘Thanksgiving Dinner." I love Thanksgiving Dinner. And, I don’t need a lot of things with my Thanksgiving Dinner. Just give me roasted turkey, cranberry sauce, and lots of mashed potatoes. I don’t need stuffing, I don’t need green bean casserole, I don’t need a corn dish, I don’t even need hot rolls.
Just turkey, cranberries, and mashed potatoes. .... And, Oh yes, lots of good turkey gravy. Gravy - most of us love good gravy even though we seldom have it anymore. We have expressions about gravy don’t we?"Everything else is gravy." or "The rest is all gravy now." or ‘Its all gravy now." With a good meal, - it means we have had a lot of good stuff to eat, and we even get gravy on top of it.We use the expression to say that "what we have had has been good, and now anything extra will be a bonus." For example, on a Monday morning I might say something like. "It is a beautiful morning, I am on the golf course, I am with friends, . . . if I play a good round - that will just be gravy.
"Gravy" - Well, listen carefully to what I am about to say. "I have reached a point in my life, where it almost seems to me that almost everything is gravy." What do I mean? I mean that although I am only 63 years old, I feel like I have been able to enjoy much of what is good in life. I have been so blessed, - that all further blessings in this life will just be gravy.
There is a movie called "the Bucket List." As you probably know, it is about two old men who learn that they have cancer and will die. So they make a list of things they want to do before they "kick the bucket" and die. Then they went out and did things like skydive, and visit Africa and India, and eat great meals everywhere they went. Thinking about that idea, I realized that I don’t have much of a "bucket list." Maybe I am just to lazy to want to do anything, but I am very content with my life, and feel I have been blessed with so much of what is good.
Proverbs 31:10 says, "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies." For many years, on the gages screen of my car I have had an old black and white photo of Ellie when she was about 21 years old. A picture of how she looked when we are married. I will probably need to remove it at some point, but for now it is still there and I see it every time I get into my car. For almost 40 years, I had the love of a wonderful woman. She was my partner and companion and friend and lover and encourager. No man has ever been loved more than I was loved by Ellie. I had obviously hoped the Lord would give us many more years together. I had looked forward to growing old with her, but Lord did give almost 40 years of a wonderful marriage. I do not know what the future will bring. The Lord may choose to bless me again with the love of a wonderful woman and that would be a joyous bonus for my life. But I have already been blessed and whatever else the Lord brings would be all gravy. . .
I have known the joy of being a father. The ups and downs, the joys and sorrows, the disappointments and the successes. The thrill of victory, if you will, and the agony of defeat. But it is all part of being a father and I have experienced it and loved. I am enjoying getting to love my daughters as adults and look forward to sharing life with them in the future - but it is all gravy now. If I were to be gone, I have already experienced the full joy that being a father brings.
I have been a grandfather - the past ten years have brought me so much joy. There is nothing like the tears of pure joy the first time you get to hold a grandchild. I loved making baby bottles and changing diapers and watching first rollovers and first steps. I love it with my grandchildren in a way I didn’t seem to have as much time to appreciate with my own daughters. I love being a very important Papa and having guys wanting me to do things with them and spend time with them. I love holding and tickling and reading stories to little Nala and having her hold out her arms and want to "see Papa" many times each day.
I look forward to enjoying so much more with them, but I could never love them more or feel more loved by them than I already do. It is all gravy from here on out.
I have been privileged to be a pastor. I have felt the joy of graduating from seminary, and the excitement of being ordained, and privilege of being installed as a pastor of congregations. I have been blessed to share the lives and important experiences, good and bad of so many people. I have served three congregations early in my career and now I have been the pastor here for almost 30 years. I could never be more loved by a congregation than I have been loved here. And there is no greater joy for a pastor than to be able to proclaim the love of Jesus Christ to the people of God and know that they listen, and hear, and respond. Know that they respond to God’s love but reaching out to others and by giving love and honor to your efforts to serve them as pastor. The Lord may Call me somewhere else someday, I may serve some years part-time somewhere after I retire, but I could never know more joy that I have experienced right here in this place. It is all gravy now.
I could go on and on. I have been so loved by my parents, and I include Ellie’s parents, whom I have always called mom and dad, because that is what they have been to me. I love the relationship I now have with my brother and sister as we have grown older and matured and grown to appreciate each other even more than we did as kids. I get to play golf - I have been blessed to play some really great courses - but, more importantly, I love the course I play routinely . I have played some really good golf, but more importantly I really enjoy playing. Would I enjoy playing an Augusta National or other great courses? - sure - but it would only be gravy - I already have the blessings. I don’t really have a bucket list of things I desperately want to do. Any other good things, any other blessings, are all gravy.
But I have just been listing earthly blessings haven’t I. There is a reason I can feel so content in this life. It is because I have confidence in the next. The apostle Paul grew up rich and privileged and well educated, but listen to what he wrote to the Philippians
Phil 3:7-11
I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ 9 and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ.* For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith. 10 I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, 11 so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!
Paul says that all the blessings of this world cannot compare to the blessings of knowing God.Again, There is a reason I can personally feel so content in this life. It is because I have confidence in the next. I have been baptized. When I was two weeks old, my pastor-father baptized me in front of the congregation at Trinity Lutheran Church in Woodward, Oklahoma.
I was baptized. God reached down from heaven and claimed me as his child. God adopted me and claimed me for all eternity. God promised to keep his covenant with me even though I would break mine with Him, even though I would never earn it or deserve it. In a sense, everything in life has been gravy since then. At that moment, God forgave my sins and claimed me for all eternity. He promised to love me every day of my life and one day take me to heaven to live in perfect joy and happiness for all eternity.
I was raised in a Christian home. I got to go to Sunday School and Vacation Bible School and sit in church every Sunday. I got to spend 5 of my elementary years in Lutheran schools. I was confirmed, I got to stand in front of the congregation at Trinity Lutheran Church in Madison, Nebraska and confess (publicly state) my faith in Jesus Christ and promise to strive to be faithful unto God even unto death.
I have been blessed that all of my life I have known that Jesus Christ was the Lord and Savior of the world.I was taught that I was a sinful human being in need of salvation. I was taught that I could not earn nor deserve the forgiveness of sins - but that God gave it to me as a free gift.I have always known that God knew who I was and everything about me, and still loved me. I have always known that although I would disappoint God - He would never disappoint me. I have always known that the minute, I close my eyes in this world, I would awake in heaven and spend eternity with God.
But let me pause here for a moment. I know that many of you have been echoing my thoughts. You have been reflecting on all your blessings and on the joy of knowing that God loves and forgives you. But maybe someone is saying, "I didn’t grow up so blessed." "I was an abused child." "I was a battered wife." "I lost a young child." "My spouse left me." "I didn’t always have a decent job." "I struggled with alcohol or drugs." "My health has been terrible." "A cherished loved one has died." And I could go on and on - there is a lot of ugliness and hurt and pain in our world. Not everyone can look back on life and feel they have been blessed.
If that is your situation, in a way, you can cling even more to the words of Paul and say that the things of this world are not worth comparing to the things of God. The things of life on earth are not worth comparing to the joy of knowing you are a baptized child of God, that your sins are forgiven, and that one day you will live in the perfect joy of heaven. In some ways, "How much more will you enjoy the perfection of heaven, if you have not enjoyed many of the blessings of this world?"
Paul said, "Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."
God is in control for this life and the next and God is able to do far more than all that we ask or think." Jesus Christ came into this world to live a perfect life and fulfill the law. Jesus Christ came into the world to suffer and to die to pay for the sins of the whole world. Jesus Christ arose from the grave victorious over sin and death.Jesus’ death and resurrection assures us that we have the forgiveness of sins and we have the gift of eternal life.
If we can say, "Jesus Loves Me, This I Know" - The rest is all gravy.
On this joyous day, as we continue to celebrate Easter, as we pause to reflect and give thanks for the gift of salvation. . . We have much more we can look forward to in this life. There is much more we can look forward to as we try to live and put our faith into action.
Jesus said, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you."
You are baptized.
Your sins are forgiven.
You have the assurance of eternal life.
You have been so blessed by God.
So, let us enjoy our blessings, and please - Keep on "Passing the gravy." Amen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)