Hold to the Truth (CC)
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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.