Hold to the Truth (CC)

LET US RISE. WE JOIN TOGETHER IN LUTHER'S PRAYER BEFORE THE SERMON. WE PRAY: ETERNAL GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, GIVE US YOUR HOLY SPIRIT WHO WRITES THE PREACHED WORD INTO OUR HEARTS. MAY WE RECEIVE AND BELIEVE IT AND BE CHEERED AND COMFORTED BY IT IN ETERNITY. GLORIFY YOUR WORD IN OUR HEARTS AND MAKE IT SO BRIGHT AND WARM THAT WE MAY FIND PLEASURE IN IT, THROUGH YOUR HOLY SPIRIT THINK WHAT IS RIGHT, AND BY YOUR POWER FULFILL THE WORD, FOR THE SAKE OF JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, OUR LORD. AMEN. (PRAYER TEXT BY MARTIN LUTHER) OUR SERMON TEXT FOR THIS MORNING IS RECORDED FOR US IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, WHERE WE READ FROM CHAPTER 8, BEGINNING WITH VERSE 31: TO THE JEWS WHO HAD BELIEVED HIM, JESUS SAID, "IF YOU HOLD TO MY TEACHING, YOU ARE REALLY MY DISCIPLES. THEN YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE." THEY ANSWERED HIM, WE ARE ABRAHAM'S DESCENDANTS AND HAVE NEVER BEEN SLAVES OF ANYONE. HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT WE SHALL BE SET FREE?" JESUS REPLIED, "VERY TRULY I TELL YOU, EVERYONE WHO SINS IS A SLAVE TO SIN. NOW A SLAVE HAS NO PERMANENT PLACE IN THE FAMILY, BUT A SON BELONGS TO IT FOREVER. SO IF THE SON SETS YOU FREE, YOU ARE FREE INDEED. HERE ENDS OUR GOSPEL LESSON. PLEASE BE SEATED. [TEXT TAKEN FROM THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 BY BIBLICA, INC.] DEAR FOLLOWERS OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST: IT'S APPARENT FROM YOUR GUSTO AND VOLUME THIS MORNING THAT THE HYMNS THAT WE'VE BEEN SINGING TOUCH YOUR HEART. TOUCH YOUR EMOTIONS. THERE'S A SENSE OF PRIDE WHEN WE SING THOSE WORDS. THERE'S A SENSE OF URGENCY IN THOSE WORDS. THERE'S A REMINDER TO US OF WHAT IT IS OUR CALLING IS AS THE PEOPLE OF GOD. BUT HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT IN THE MAJORITY OF THOSE HYMNS THERE CERTAINLY IS AN OVERRIDING THEME. THE THEME OF WARFARE. WHEN WE SING "ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIERS" THAT'S ABOUT ME! I AM THE SOLDIER OF GOD - GOING OUT INTO WAR. WE THINK OF THOSE BEAUTIFUL WORDS OF "A MIGHTY FORTRESS". OR MAYBE THOSE THAT WE DON'T RECALL RIGHT AWAY. HATE. STEAL. HURT. OR KILL. [PAUSE] THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING FOR ME. THAT IS THE WORLD THAT IS COMING FOR YOU. WITH HATE, TO STEAL YOUR CONFIDENCE. TO HURT YOU AND TO KILL. AND EVEN IN THE MIDST OF THE HYMN THAT SO CLEARLY DECLARES THAT THE CHURCH WILL STAND FOREVER ON THE FOUNDATION OF JESUS CHRIST - IT STILL TALKS ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES OF WAR. MY WAR. YOUR WAR. THE WAR THAT WE AS THE CHILDREN OF GOD FACE EACH AND EVERY DAY OF OUR LIVES. IT IS THE BATTLE THAT WE GET UP IN THE MORNING TO PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD TO FACE WITH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE STRENGTH OF THE WORD. IT'S SUCH A REMINDER TO US OF OUR FAITH ACTIVE IN OUR LIFE EACH AND EVERY DAY. I WAS AMAZED A FEW WEEKS AGO AFTER THE TRAGIC SHOOTING IN OREGON. AND ALL OF THE CUTE LITTLE PHRASES THAT CAME OUT FOLLOWING THAT. A LOT OF CHRISTIANS POSTING THINGS LIKE: THE BRAVEST CHRISTIAN IN OUR COUNTRY WAS THE SECOND ONE WHO SAID THAT THEY WERE A CHRISTIAN THAT DAY. THAT PERSON WAS REALLY BRAVER THAN THE FIRST? OR THE THIRD? OR BRAVER THAN YOU? OR BRAVER THAN ME? WHO CONFIRMED IN THE FAITH. STOOD BEFORE OUR LORD. MOST OF THE TIME IN FRONT OF HIS ALTAR, AND MADE AN OATH TO HIM; A VOW TO HIM. REMEMBER THAT CONFIRMATION VOW THAT YOU MADE WHEN YOU PROCLAIMED TO GOD THAT YOU WOULD FACE EVEN DEATH RATHER THAN FALL AWAY FROM THE TRUTH. THAT VOW THAT YOU MADE IS DAILY UNDER ATTACK BECAUSE SATAN WANTS YOUR SOUL. AND JESUS HIMSELF EVEN REMINDS US NOT TO FEAR THOSE WHO CAN HURT OR HARM OUR BODY OR TAKE OUR PHYSICAL LIFE. WE HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT FOR OUR SOULS. THAT SATAN WANTS US FOR ALL ETERNITY. HE WANTS US FOR HIMSELF. HE WANTS US OUT OF THE GRASP OF GOD AND ALL OF HIS BLESSINGS. TO HURT GOD. TO HURT US. ANYTHING THAT HE CAN DO TO DESTROY THE WORK OF CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH, IS WHAT HE IS AFTER. AND THAT'S THE WAR AND HE USES PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD WHETHER THEY'RE HOLDING A GUN TO A CHRISTIAN'S HEAD AND SAYING: ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN? OR USING A MOCKER THAT YOU KNOW WHO SAYS: YOU KNOW, I JUST CAN'T UNDERSTAND YOU AND THEY MAKE FUN OF YOU FOR YOUR FAITH OR EVEN THOSE PEOPLE WHO JUST IGNORE US. BECAUSE WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD SATAN IS GOING TO USE WHATEVER HE CAN AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR US TO HEAR TODAY WHAT JESUS SAID TO THE DISCIPLES AT HIS TIME AND TO US. TO HOLD TO THE TEACHINGS OF CHRIST. IT IS ONLY THROUGH CHRIST THAT WE HAVE SALVATION. IT IS ONLY THROUGH CHRIST THAT WE FIND FREEDOM FROM CONDEMNATION. AND, YES, WE TALK ABOUT HOW MANY SOURCES OUTSIDE OF OURSELVES ARE AT WORK TO ATTACK OUR FAITH. BUT SOMETIMES LIKE THOSE PEOPLE WHO WERE STANDING IN FRONT OF JESUS IT REALLY COMES FROM OURSELVES. IT COMES FROM WITHIN US. IT COMES FROM OUR OWN ARROGANCE OR OUR OWN SELFISH PRIDE. OR OUR OWN THOUGHTS THAT SOMEHOW WE ARE GOOD ENOUGH. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH. OF COURSE GOD IS GOING TO LET ME INTO HEAVEN. DOESN'T MATTER WHAT I DO. DOESN'T MATTER WHAT I THINK. DOESN'T MATTER THAT I TAKE THAT GRACE THAT HE HAS AND THROW IT AWAY AS IF IT DOESN'T MATTER BECAUSE I CAN LIVE HOWEVER I WANT. I AM THE GOD OF MY LIFE. I AM THE ONE WHO CONTROLS MY DESTINY. I AM THE ONE WHO MATTERS. AND WHEN JESUS CAME TO THOSE PEOPLE, AND SAID: "IF" YOU HOLD TO MY TEACHING, YOU ARE REALLY MY DISCIPLES. AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE. THEY STARTED TO ARGUE WITH HIM. WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WE'VE NEVER BEEN SLAVES TO ANYONE. WE'RE THE DESCENDANTS OF ABRAHAM. WE'RE THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. WE ARE THAT SPECIAL NATION THAT GOD CALLED TO HIMSELF THAT CARRIED US, THOSE PEOPLE, OUT OF EGYPT. FED THEM WITH MANNA AND GAVE THEM MOSES TO LEAD THEM. WE ARE THE WONDERFUL PEOPLE OF GOD. WE REMEMBER THAT GREAT KING DAVID, AND SOLOMON AND ALL THE WEALTH THAT WAS OURS. GOD HAS SHOWERED HIS BLESSINGS UPON US. HE'S LOVED US FOREVER. WE ARE ABRAHAM'S DESCENDANTS. WE'VE NEVER BEEN SLAVES TO ANYONE. [PAUSE] THE ARROGANCE OF THAT STATEMENT. THE ARROGANCE OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD TO SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WHEN WE THIS MORNING HAVE THE WORDS OF THE PROPHET JEREMIAH ECHOING IN OUR HEADS. SO GOD CAME TO THEM AND SAID: IF I SELECT YOU. AND TELL YOU THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO DO WITH YOU, AND YOU DON'T FOLLOW ME, DON'T THINK I CAN BE JUST LIKE THAT POTTER WHO'S MAKING THAT BEAUTIFUL VASE AND STICKS HIS FINGER THROUGH THE SIDES TOO MUCH. HE PUTS A HOLE IN IT. I CAN PICK THAT PIECE OF CLAY UP AND PLOP IT DOWN AND MAKE A WHOLE NEW ONE. THE ONE I WANT. I AM ... THE LORD - RETURN TO ME. LISTEN TO ME. MY TEACHINGS ARE IMPORTANT. HEAR THEM! OBEY THEM! AND WORSHIP ME! IT WAS A STERN WARNING TO GOD'S PEOPLE. YES, AND SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE TRUSTED IN HIM AND BELIEVED HIM AND THAT REMNANT HE SAVED FOR HIMSELF. THERE WERE STILL BELIEVERS OF JESUS CHRIST WHO WERE LOOKING FOR THE MESSIAH. WHO UNDERSTOOD THAT IT WAS THE MESSIAH WHO HAD TO COME - TO BRING THEM SALVATION. BUT IT DIDN'T COME FROM THEIR HERITAGE, IT DIDN'T COME FROM WHO THEY WERE OR WHAT THEY HAD DONE. BUT IT CAME THROUGH CHRIST. AND WE WANT TO WATCH THOSE SAME TENDENCIES IN US. AND FIGHT THOSE TENDENCIES IN US WHEN WE WANT TO THINK THAT WE HAVE DONE SOMETHING THAT GOD SHOULD LOOK DOWN ON US AND FAVOR US! I'M A PARENT. I'VE DONE EVERYTHING THAT GOD HAS ASKED. I BROUGHT MY KIDS TO SUNDAY SCHOOL; I HAD THEM CONFIRMED. I'VE DONE IT ALL! GOD HAS TO BLESS THEM. GOD HAS TO BLESS ME. NOT IF YOU'RE NOT HOLDING TO HIS TEACHING. HE'S BEEN VERY CLEAR: I WILL TAKE AWAY THE BLESSINGS. IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THIS LIFE AND SOMEHOW THAT'S WHAT WE GET CONFUSED WITH. IN OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH. WE'RE NOT FIGHTING JUST FOR BLESSINGS HERE IN THIS WORLD AND THE SUPPORT OF GOD THROUGH OUR DAILY LIFE. WE ARE FIGHTING FOR OUR ETERNAL HOME. WE ARE HOLDING TO THE TRUTH BECAUSE IF WE LET IT GO IT MEANS WE'RE PUTTING OUR ETERNAL WELFARE IN DANGER. IT'S VERY EASY FOR US NOT TO LIKE THIS ABOUT THE CHURCH, NOT TO LIKE THAT ABOUT THE CHURCH, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO GOD'S WORD AND WE START SAYING: I DON'T LIKE THAT, WELL THAT PART I JUST IGNORE. YOU'RE NO LONGER HOLDING TO GOD'S TRUTH! YES, SOME OF THOSE THINGS WE DO NOT LIKE TO HEAR! SOME OF THOSE THINGS UPSET US BECAUSE IN THERE WE SEE OUR DEPRAVED STATE. AND WE KNOW THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO OTHER THAN TO TRUST AND RELY ON JESUS CHRIST, THE ONE WHO HAS SET US FREE. AND IT'S SO INTERESTING THAT JESUS COMES BACK TO THOSE ARROGANT PEOPLE SAYING: WE'VE NEVER BEEN SLAVES TO ANYONE. THAT JESUS SAID: YOU WERE SLAVES TO SIN. YOU WERE BORN IN SIN. YOU CONTINUE TO SIN. AND THAT SIN CONDEMNS YOU. THAT BREAKING OF THE LAW SAYS: YOU DESERVE ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. HELL IS YOURS. THAT IS WHAT I DESERVE AS A HUMAN BEING. THAT IS WHAT I CONFESS WHEN WE USE THOSE WORDS OF OUR CONFESSION. THAT I DO NOT DESERVE ANYTHING FROM GOD BUT HIS WRATH AND HIS PUNISHMENT. AND OUTSIDE OF THE GOSPEL, THERE IS NO HOPE. AND WHEN I REALIZE THAT I AM HELPLESS, AND THAT I NEED A SAVIOR, IT IS THE WORD THAT COMES TO ME AND COMFORTS ME THAT GOD SENT HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST, TO SAVE ME. BECAUSE IF I AM A SLAVE TO SIN ... HEAR THOSE WORDS OF JESUS: IF YOU ARE A SLAVE IN SOMEONE'S HOUSE, YOU DON'T OWN IT. THERE'S NO JOY THERE. THERE IS NO PARTNERSHIP THERE. YOU CAN LIVE AND WORK IN THAT MILLION-DOLLAR HOME AND TOUCH THOSE GOLD PIECES AND THOSE WONDERFUL WORKS OF ART AND CLEAN THOSE MARBLE TOILETS, BUT IN THE END IT IS NOT YOURS AND IT WON'T BE YOURS. BUT IF YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY, IT'S ALL YOURS! IT'S YOUR INHERITANCE. AND JESUS HAS TAKEN US FROM THAT STATE OF SLAVERY TO SIN BY LIVING THE PERFECT LIFE FOR US. BY SACRIFICING THAT LIFE IN OUR PLACE, AND ON OUR BEHALF SO THAT WE COULD BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD. AND THAT'S THE WONDERFUL NEWS THAT HAS COME TO US. THAT WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF GOD. I AM A CHILD OF GOD. I AM A CITIZEN OF HEAVEN ... TODAY! IT'S NOT LIKE I GOT SOME PASSPORT SO AT THE END OF MY LIFE, OOH, YAY! NOW IT'S MINE! AFTER I GET OFF THE PLANE THERE I AM AND I GET TO STAY. I AM A MEMBER OF THE ETERNAL HOME TODAY! IT IS MINE. NOT BY MY BIRTHRIGHT. NOT BY ANYTHING I HAVE DONE. BUT BECAUSE OF JESUS CHRIST AND HE HAS REMOVED THAT CONDEMNATION OF SIN. AND I LIVE IN HIS GRACE! I LIVE IN THE JOY OF MY SALVATION WHICH IS FOUND ONLY IN THE TEACHINGS OF GOD'S WORD. AND THE IMPORTANCE OF HOLDING TO THOSE TEACHINGS TO WHAT WE WERE TAUGHT IN OUR CATECHISM CLASSES. WHAT WE'RE TAUGHT EVERY SUNDAY IN THE WORD OF GOD. THAT WE'RE TAUGHT IN OUR BIBLE CLASSES. THAT WE DISCOVER ON OUR OWN IN OUR PERSONAL STUDY OF GOD'S WORD. TO HOLD TO THOSE TEACHINGS BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT. IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S THE WAR THAT WE FACE. NO, THE WAR THAT I FACE. BECAUSE IT MIGHT BE PRETTY EASY FOR US, EVEN NOW IN AMERICA TODAY, TO THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE A MILITARY FORCE. WE SHOULD ACTIVELY SUPPORT AND RECRUIT AND TRAIN AN ENTIRE MILITARY ARSENAL. [PAUSE] AND THAT WE CAN SEND PEOPLE THERE. MAYBE THAT WE SHOULD EVEN SEND PEOPLE TO PLACES ON THE GLOBE TO FACE DEATH. TO FIGHT OUR ENEMY. BUT IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY WHEN WE SAY: I'M GOING. I'M ENLISTING. I'M GOING TO FIGHT. [PAUSE] AND SOMEHOW THEN IT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT PICTURE AND A WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY. SO THIS MORNING IT MIGHT BE EASY FOR US TO SEE THE CHURCH, THE SOLDIERS OF GOD, GOING OUT INTO BATTLE INTO THE WORLD. BUT DON'T THINK THAT YOU'RE KEEPING THE HOME FIRE BURNING. DON'T THINK THAT YOU'RE THE ONE WHO'S ON THE SIDEWALK AS THE PARADE OF THOSE SOLDIERS GO BY. BECAUSE YOU ARE THE SOLDIER. YOU ARE THE CHILD OF GOD FACING SATAN AND HIS EVIL EVERY DAY. BUT WITH THE STRENGTH OF CHRIST AND THE POWER OF HIS WORD. SO IT TRULY IS A REMINDER TO US OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE VOW THAT WE MADE BEFORE GOD. THAT HE TOOK SERIOUSLY. THAT WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO TAKE SERIOUSLY. TO REMAIN IN THE FAITH - EVEN TO THE POINT OF DEATH. AND WHILE WE DO THAT WE HOLD TO THE SCRIPTURES TEACHINGS! AMEN. LET US RISE. WE JOIN TOGETHER IN THE PRAYER AFTER THE SERMON PRINTED IN YOUR SERVICE FOLDER. M: WE PRAY: C: DEAREST LORD CHRIST, YOU HAVE ENLIGHTENED OUR HEARTS WITH YOUR TRUTH. GRANT US YOUR SPIRIT THAT WE MAY DO WHATEVER PLEASES YOUR GRACIOUS WILL, AND REFRAIN FROM THOSE THINGS THAT CAUSE YOU DISPLEASURE AND GRIEF, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD. AMEN.