Sermons

Author: Pastor Charles Schultz 

Text: 

O Holy Spirit, open our ears, our eyes, our hearts so that we may, through the Word proclaimed this day, receive grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and His Son, Christ Jesus, Amen.

The theme for the message this morning is the idiom "A clean slate". This idiom has its roots in the 19th century when slate boards were used as a medium for writing. For example, in a classroom setting when a lesson was complete the slate was wiped clean, ready for a new lesson.

According to usdictionary.com, “A clean slate” refers to a fresh start or beginning anew without considering past actions or events. It suggests an opportunity to begin again without any negative history influencing the present. 

Since the fall into sin by Adam and Eve in the Garden, mankind’s slate has been nothing but filthy. It is littered with sin, sins against God. It is stained with the worship of other gods including the gods of convenience and self which are worshiped today. It is stained with the misuse of God’s name, including the proliferation of OMG’s all over social media. It is stained with the failure to worship God including the apathy of many Church members today.

Mankind’s slate is littered with sins against others. It is stained with the dishonor of parents and those in authority, today it is evident in nearly every classroom in this country. It is stained with adultery as today the good gift of sexual intimacy has been twisted in so many evil ways. It is stained with theft, which today is evident in large cities where the theft of stores goes unpunished. It is stained with false-witness as today slander and gossip is so easily spread on social media. It is stained with covetousness as today so many do whatever it takes to live up to the economic standard of their neighbors.

Mankind’s slate in the days after Adam and even still today is filthy, stained with all kinds of sins. And yet God in His great mercy and steadfast love provides ways for His people to start anew with “A clean slate.” The Old Testament book of Leviticus describes one of those ways; it is called the Day of Atonement which occurred on the tenth day of the seventh month. 

Leviticus 16 describes actions done on that day which include Aaron, the first High Priest, making atonement for himself by the offering of a bull and the sprinkling of some of its blood on the mercy seat which was over the Ark of the Covenant. He was also called to take two male goats from the people for a sin offering. He was to cast lots over the two goats, one lot for the Lord and the other lot for Azazel. The goat on which the lot fell for the Lord was to be sacrificed and its blood sprinkled on the mercy seat as a sin offering for the people. And Aaron was to lay both his hands on the head of the live goat and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins. And he was to put them on the head of the goat and send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a man. The goat, bearing all their iniquities, was taken to a remote area and then was set free in the wilderness. 

And thus, each year the people of God were given a visual sign that as far as the east is from the west, so far does [God] remove our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12) Each year that these actions were done by the High Priest on the 10th day of the 7th month the people started with “A clean slate”. This Day of Atonement was a foreshadow of a future, more significant Day of Atonement.

Christ Jesus fulfilled all of the foreshadows and types given to us in the Old Testament, including the Day of Atonement. John the Baptist, when he saw Jesus coming toward him said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29) Jesus wouldn’t take away only the sins of the people of God but the sins of the whole world. As the goat was taken away from the people, in a similar way Jesus was taken out of the city of Jerusalem to be sacrificed. Peter wrote in his 1stletter that Jesus bore our sins in his body on the tree. Just as the sins of the people were confessed over the goat, so Jesus took upon Himself our sins. On the cross His blood was shed, His blood made atonement for all our sins. On that dark Friday afternoon, when Jesus gave up His life, breathing His last breath on the cross, the words of Psalm 103 were fulfilled once and for all – as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12) Mankind was given “A clean slate”.

This morning the benefits of that dark Friday afternoon were bestowed upon you once again as you confessed your sins, and a called and ordained servant of the Lord Jesus spoke in His stead and by His command forgiving you all your sins. You were given a “A clean slate”! As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12)

And the benefits of that dark Friday afternoon are more than our sins being forgiven, more than God wiping our slate clean. God’s forgiveness frees us, inspires us to forgive each other. St. Paul wrote in Ephesians 4 – Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (V.32) It was these words and all the words of the New Testament that speak of forgiveness and reconciliation that inspired me to include in our confession and absolution this morning an opportunity to confess our sins to each other and forgive each other. This action, I felt, was necessary for two reasons.

First, you as beloved members of this congregation, need a “A clean slate”. If this congregation is going to be healthy and full of vitality in the future, then you need to be prepared for when your next pastor arrives by having “A clean slate”. Certainly, I wouldn’t expect you to wipe your memories clear of everything that has happened in the last 15 plus years. What I hope for you is that you remember the good, forgive the bad, and learn from both. What I hope for you is that when your next pastor arrives that you start with “A clean slate” – that you allow him to begin his ministry without any negative history influencing it. Let the past remain in the past, look to the future days, the future ministry opportunities, with joy and excitement knowing that the Lord guides it all.

Second, as a shepherd guiding the Lord’s flock, I need “A clean slate”. If my ministry in Wisconsin or wherever the Lord guides me is to be healthy and full of vitality, then I need to begin my next chapter of ministry with “A clean slate”. The past 15 plus years of ministry here have provided many days and people who are forever cemented in my memory. Days at the bedside of those sick or dying. Days comforting the grieving. Days listening to the struggles in this life. Baptism days. Confirmation days. Wedding days. Times of fellowship and laughter. I too will work to remember the good times, to forgive and forget the times of pain, and to learn from both. I will let the past remain in the past, look forward to the future with joy and encouragement knowing that the Lord guides it all.

As the Lord wipes the sins and filth from our slate may we also do the same for each brother and sister in Christ. May our loving and merciful God, through the working of His Spirit, lead us to be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving each other as Christ forgives us. 

“A clean slate”! The Lord gives us “A clean slate” every Lord’s day in which we receive His forgiveness in the absolution, when we remember the blessings given in Baptism, when we receive the body and blood of Christ Jesus our Savior. As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. (Psalm 103:12) Amen.

Author: Pastor Charles Schultz 

Text: Mark 13:1-13

O Holy Spirit, open our ears, our eyes, our hearts so that we may, through the Word proclaimed this day, receive grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and His Son, Christ Jesus, Amen.

In 1971 The Five Man Electrical Band released a song called “Signs”. The chorus begins with these words – sign, sign, everywhere a sign. And those words are fairly accurate aren’t they; signs are all around us. On your way to worship this morning you surely passed countless street signs. And add to that number, the numerous business signs, including our own church sign. Maybe some of you passed the large billboard signs that dot the landscape of our highways. And even creation gives us signs – the trees at this time are a sign that summer has ended and fall has begun.

The main theme in our Gospel text for today is signs. Jesus’ closest disciples, Peter, James, John, and Andrew, ask Him privately what the sign will be which will indicate the destruction of the temple. The belief at the time was that the destruction of the temple was a sign that the end of the world was near. Throughout this text Jesus mixes His teaching on the destruction of the temple with teaching on the end of the age. History tells us that the destruction of the Jerusalem temple took place in 70 A.D. and did not bring about the end of the age.

In our text Jesus teaches about numerous signs that will indicate the coming end of the age.

• Jesus begins with a warning concerning false teachers. He says, “Many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray.” (Mark 13:6)
  • Even before Jesus day, some claimed to be the Messiah. 
    • Acts 5 teaches us a little about Theudas and Judas the Galilean who drew people to themselves and were rebellious against Roman authority. 
  • Many since the time of Jesus have claimed to be the Messiah and have led many away from the true Messiah.
    • A simple internet search of “Christian Messiah” claimants produced a lengthy list of names with David Koresh being the most notable.
  • Others haven’t made such a claim but because of the false beliefs that they have proclaimed have proven themselves to be false Messiahs.
    • For example, Joseph Smith and the Mormon Church
    • Charles Russell and the Jehovah’s Witnesses
    • L. Ron Hubbard and the Church of Scientology
• Jesus continues teaching:  And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. (V.7-8)
  • This sign was also proclaimed nearly seven hundred years before Jesus by Isaiah who wrote, “I will stir up Egyptians against Egyptians, and they will fight, each against another and each against his neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.” (Isaiah 19:2) 
  • History teaches us that many kingdoms have risen and fallen through the ages; the Romans, Greeks, Persians are ancient examples.
  • Recent examples include empires in Germany, the Soviet Union, and Iraq.
  • Today we hear of the wars in Russia and Israel and wonder if they will lead to another world war.
  • And we can only imagine what national empires will fall before the end of time.
• Jesus continues His teaching: There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. (V.8)
  • St. Paul reminds us that all of creation has been affected by sin in his letter to the Romans where he wrote: For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. (Romans 8:22) 
  • We see this very thing every year of our lives.
    • Tens of thousands are still trying to recover from the recent hurricanes in North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
    • The current list of wildfires includes 80 in Texas covering over 1 million acres, 32 in Oregon covering over 700,000 acres, and 12 in Idaho covering over 140,000 acres.
    • Each year in spring and fall numerous tornadoes bring destruction and death to our country.
    • Each year brings flood waters, even to our own county, causing death and destruction of property.
    • And famine, this rarely happens in our country but is a real concern in Africa.
• Jesus continues His teaching:  But be on your guard… And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. (V.9, 13)
  • Between those two verses, Jesus teaches about the trials they will face, namely beatings and death.
  • The People’s Bible Commentary explains Jesus’ words in this way: The Gospel is a divider; those who hear it are either for it or against it. And so the preaching of the Gospel would pit brother against brother, father against child, children against parents… It is always only a few who accept the Gospel testimony. The great majority rejects it and hates those who confess it. (Mark, P.184-5)
  • We see this very thing in our time! 
    • There are political forces active today who want to silence the Christian message – 
    • Who want to punish Christian business owners who live according to Christian ideals –  
    • Who want to remove the tax exemptions for religious entities and tax breaks for clergy.

These signs, which Jesus indicated signaled the coming of the end of time, are certainly present in our day. And none of these signs are positive things.

And yet some of Jesus’ teaching on the end of the age is positive. We can find in this teaching words that proclaim God’s love and mercy.

• Jesus says in verse eight of our text; “These are but the beginning of the birth pains.” (Mark 13:8) 
  • If you’re really quiet you can hear the murmuring of some of the mothers here today as they question – “What does a man know about birth pains? How can he even suggest that they are positive? 
  • Jesus’ words recorded in John’s Gospel guide us; “When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.” (John 16:21) 
  • The Reformation Heritage Bible Commentary explains these words of Jesus in our text beautifully: Instead of seeing these events as disaster, Jesus compares them to the birth pains which ultimately bring joyous life. Certainly war, earthquake, and famine are bitter and dangerous. However, Jesus’ analogy of birth pains shows that these disasters last for a limited time and have a much greater purpose than painful destruction. (Mark, P.239)
  • The analogy of birth pains reminds us that these signs point to the end of the age, which is a time when all believers in Christ will receive everlasting life. A new life! A joyous life!
• Another positive sign can be found in verse 10 of our text: And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations. (Mark 13:10) 
  • The Lord desires that all people be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4)
  • The Lord wants all to hear of the forgiveness and life that Jesus brings. 
  • The Lord wants all people to repent and turn from their sinful ways.
  • A profound example of this truth is Jonah’s preaching in Nineveh. 
    • This city was the capital of the Assyrian Empire and they were known for their wickedness and cruelty to their captives.  
    • Jonah’s preaching led these evil and sinful people to repent.
• A third positive sign can be found in the last verse of our text: But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Mark 13:13) 
  • We Lutherans know that we are saved by faith and not by works therefore it isn’t our endurance that saves but rather faith which receives the strength to endure.
  • Just as Jesus took up His cross, enduring the pain and scorn so we too are called to take up our own cross of pain and scorn, enduring to the end.

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign.

• Signs are all around us.
  • They guide us as we travel the roads of this great country.
  • They are used to help us locate businesses and places of interest.
  • They are used to advertise products and services.
  • They can even indicate the change of seasons.
• The signs of the end of the age in our text are there to prepare us, to guide us to our final destination, namely eternal life.
  • Jesus warns us and guides us with His words.
    • “See that no one leads you astray.” (Mark 13:5) 
    • “Do not be alarmed.” (Mark 13:7) 
    • “But be on your guard.” (Mark 13:9) 
  • Jesus wants us to be aware of these signs so that we can watch our every step so that we would not be led astray into unbelief. 
    • He doesn’t want us to be startled or afraid when these things happen but rather receive strength from faith in Him to endure to the end.
• May we be prepared as these signs of the end of the age become more numerous.
  • May we be strengthened in faith during the times of tribulation that we face so that together we may remain faithful and receive from our Lord and Savior the crown of life. Amen.