Sermon - 2013-06-23 - The Kingdom's Fall

Isaiah 62:1-12

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch. 2The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. 3You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. 4You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. 5For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.

6Upon your walls, O Jerusalem, I have posted sentinels; all day and all night they shall never be silent. You who remind the Lord, take no rest, 7and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it renowned throughout the earth. 8The Lord has sworn by his right hand and by his mighty arm: I will not again give your grain to be food for your enemies, and foreigners shall not drink the wine for which you have labored; 9but those who garner it shall eat it and praise the Lord, and those who gather it shall drink it in my holy courts.

10Go through, go through the gates, prepare the way for the people; build up, build up the highway, clear it of stones, lift up an ensign over the peoples. 11The Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to daughter Zion, “See, your salvation comes; his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.” 12They shall be called, “The Holy People, The Redeemed of the Lord”; and you shall be called, “Sought Out, A City Not Forsaken.”

Psalm 22:19-28

19But you, O Lord, do not be far away! O my help, come quickly to my aid!

20Deliver my soul from the sword, my life from the power of the dog!

21Save me from the mouth of the lion! From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescued me.

22I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

23You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him; stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!

24For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him.

25From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before those who fear him.

26The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord. May your hearts live forever!

27All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord; and all the families of the nations shall worship before him.

28For dominion belongs to the Lord, and he rules over the nations.

Jeremiah 23:1-8

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. 2Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. 3Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord. 5The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.” 7Therefore, the days are surely coming, says the Lord, when it shall no longer be said, “As the Lord lives who brought the people of Israel up out of the land of Egypt,” 8but “As the Lord lives who brought out and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the land of the north and out of all the lands where he had driven them.” Then they shall live in their own land.

Pacing back and forth in the waiting room, Barbara wondered what the results would be.  Would they be negative, oh that would be such a relief.  After all the events in the past few months, this would be a welcome blessing in our life.  But if it is positive, she would have to face several weeks of treatments. Many hours in the hospital, sleepless nights, and everything that the family had planned would be put on hold.  

Waiting, wondering and more waiting without the knowledge of certainty can cause a person to doubt so much within their life.  

Why did this have to happen now?  

Who caused this to happen?  

Why did God allow this happen?

We often hear of what God wants us to do and what God does not want us to do.  We hear from people who attempt to interpret God’s Will within the world, often times blaming natural disasters on a group of people.  The ones who stand in opposition to the message to the way of life that they are against.  There are people within the world who will point out Scripture and say, “God’s Judgement is black and white.”  This is what we must do and what we need to stay away from.  Yes, God’s Judgement is black and white but we are not the ones who make that determination.  

Is there anything that can save you from the Judgement of God?  NO!  For that is why it is the Judgement of God.  God is the one who determines who shall be destroyed and who shall be saved.  For only God knows what is truly upon our hearts, minds and souls.  We have covered a lot, from creation and today, we arrive at the destruction.  The lowest of the low for the people of God in Israel, in Judah and now being sent out into Exile.  We hear the cries of their laments.  We hear of the pleading to be saved for the people can not do it themselves.  We feel their pain, tears, and heartache.  

What can we do?  Name it and we shall do it.

Today, we bear witness to a Baptism, will this save this child?  No, this one event will not save this child.  A Baptism is not a free ticket into heaven, but the work that God has done for this child will indeed save her.  However, within Baptism, we are given the full promise of Christ.  What is that promise?  I declare that you are now a child of God.  I have taken that sin, guilt, shame, and punishment that was suppose to be upon you.  I give to you forgiveness, new life, a new heart and a new purpose within this world.  People will know that you have been given this because you will want to live out this new life, new heart and purpose within the world filled with joy and happiness.

So what is that promise that these parents, sponsors and we as a congregation promise for this child?  What does that new life, new heart and purpose within the world look like?  

You will live and love God’s faithful people.  You will hear the word of God, share in the Lord’s Supper, pray the Lord’s prayer, the Creed and the Ten Commandments.  You will read the Bible, grow in faith and prayer so that you may trust God.  Announce to the world what Christ has done through what you say and what you do.  Care for others and the world that God has made striving for justice and peace for all within the world.  

All of this that is spoken here is something that you will want to do because of the gift that you have been given.  It is not something that you choose to do because if you choose it, you would run away from it.  More  than likely you would chose something far worse, so God gives it to you.  God delivers to you this judgement and promise here and now within your Baptism.  

It is for this reason that we continue to return to our Baptismal promise within our faith.  For our Baptismal promise takes a lifetime to receive and a lifetime to do.   However, that does not look the same for all of us.  We do not all have the same gifts, we are not at the same pace of life and yet, we all have the same path.  The path of Jesus Christ.  

How much will Baptism wash away? How much will Christ’s blood atone for?  ALL OF IT!!!  All that you have done and all that you have not done.  And if you say that you do not need this water and blood with God’s Word of promise, than the truth is not in you. For this is your promise, your gift, and your future.  And thanks be to God it is. Amen.