September 11, 2022 – Christian Education Sunday                Text:  Deuteronomy 6:4-15

Dear Friends in Christ,

    Who’s your teacher?  When you are in grade school that is a question that comes your way.  Within the past month our young people were finding out who their teacher was going to be for the coming school year.

    On this Christian Education Sunday that is a good question for all of us – “Who’s your teacher?”  Who do we imitate?  Who are our role models?  Who do I like to sound like or dress like or act like?  

    There are many people competing to be our teachers.  They want to instruct you and your family.  They want you to follow their example.  So . . . 

“WHO’S YOUR TEACHER?”

    God has always desired to be the teacher of his people.  He gives this command in the opening verses of our text, “Hear, O Israel:  The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” (vs. 4-5).  God is not making a suggestion.  God knows that what we hear influences what we think and do and believe.  God wants to be your teacher and your children’s teacher.  God wants our ears open and attentive as He speaks His Word to us.  “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.” (v. 6)

    Now we get to a portion of Scripture that has always had an important place for us as parents and grandparents.  “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be frontlets between your eyes.  You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”  That is a huge responsibility, is it not?

    God gives the primary teaching job to the parent.  Sitting at home – family devotions.  Walking – look around at God’s creation.  Lying down – a Bible story and prayers before bed.  When you rise – prayers for the day, a word of advice.  Bind them on your hand – you live what God’s Word says because “they shall be as frontlets for your eyes.”  Our children are always watching.  Are we living what we are saying?  Do we back up our words with actions?  Who’s our teacher in the eyes of our children and grandchildren?  Write them on the doorposts of our house?  Does your home reflect your Christianity by what is hanging on walls, or on your bookshelf or the words we speak to one another?  

    We stray from this command when we are not proactive.  The world is happy to teach your children and grandchildren.  And they have quite an influence, haven’t they?  If our commitment to Christ and His Church is an hour or two a week, well, there is a lot of time left to fill.  Are we hearing, marking, learning, and inwardly digesting the Word of God?  Is it a prime source of nutrition in your home?  

    God desires that his Word be constantly in front of us.  He desires that the Word fill our homes and our hearts.  Here at Good Shepherd, both young and old hear that Word, which is then meditated upon throughout the week – whether we are sitting or walking or standing or lying down or rising.  It is that Word of God that should be in front of us on a consistent basis.

    In this Word of God, you are receiving great gifts and blessings.  Your mind is being enlightened by the Gospel.  In the Word, the Holy Spirit is working mightily to forgive sins, delivering the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection to you.  In the Word, the Holy Spirit is strengthening your faith.  When you read or hear that Jesus died for your sins, you are not only learning that truth, but in and through these words, Christ’s forgiveness is being given to you.

    I cannot guarantee that if you do all these things that your children will not leave the reservation.  Many of you in the pews this morning are hurting because of this truth.  The world and its ways can be quite the seductress.  You pray for the Holy Spirit’s work.  Then remember this:  you never stop teaching.  With God as your teacher you continue.  Verse 7 says as parents we are to “teach them diligently.”  The Hebrew word is shaman, which is the verb that’s used to describe sharpening a blade by continually running it over a stone.  Through the Word we are sharpened, and we need this sharpening continually.  Sharpened by the Word we can discern truth from error, withstand the attacks of the evil one, and wield the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.  Be strengthened by God’s Word this morning.  Forgiven, loved, able to withstand trial and temptation, He empowers you and I in good works to glorify God and serve our neighbor and family members in love.

    Who’s your teacher?  I pray you know.  God desires to be your teacher and your children’s teacher.

            Amen.       

September 4, 2022                                    Text: Deuteronomy 30:15-20

Dear Friends in Christ,

    A few months back when Roe v Wade was overturned, I was privileged to be part of a webinar that featured brief talks from pro-life leaders throughout our nation.  Over 50 speakers were lined up in just a few days.  They each were given 2-3 minutes, though some went a little longer.  I remember that Tuesday night sitting at the laptop for 2 ½ hours.  

    Two main themes came from almost every speaker.  1).  We thank God for the decision.  2).  There is still more work to do.  Right on both accounts.  The patience of God put in place men and women who understood this was bad law.  As has been proven these last few months those who want a culture of death, led by the devil who is working even harder, will do some evil things to keep their power.

    We are people of the Word of God.  It is easy to get into the political debate and lose the focus.  We have been chosen by God.  We have had breath breathed into us from God the Creator.  Our text is not about abortion, it is about who we are as God’s people.  We do what we do because . . .

“GOD HAS CHOSEN US”

    It is interesting isn’t it how both sides of this issue used v. 19.  One side just takes two simple words, “Choose Life,” and makes it a rallying cry.  The other side can’t print “choose death” on bumper stickers because that isn’t inspiring or wise.  So, they use a form of the word choose and they want to be positive, so it becomes – “pro-choice.”  Clever, right?  Who doesn’t want a choice?  And since 1973 the semantics of those words have been effective.

    In our text the same people God is addressing he once called “stiff-necked.”  But he also said of these people, “The Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your faithers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”  (Deut. 7:7-8). They were not chosen because they were special; they were special because they were chosen.

    Peter tells us in the New Testament Church that we are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.” (1 Pet. 2:9)  Let’s go one step further.  Each of you were chosen by God before the foundation of the world.  In baptism, made a child of God.  Each of you is special because you were chosen.

    We’ve got some choices in our text.  Life/death, good/evil.  Fundamentally the choice is this:  trust God or turn away to other gods.  That was a constant problem with Israel.  “If your heart turns away, and you will not hear, but are drawn away to worship other gods and serve them.” (v. 17). This is when the evil and curses will come. 

    We have had a lot of curses on our land as we have continued to de-value life both in utero and with our aging population.  In the last fifty years these are all up:  child abuse, suicides, mass killings.  As we erode the value of life, these are the consequences.

    Has death ever led to life?  Watch your answer.  Jesus chose suffering and death to pay the price we owed God because of our sin and destroyed death once and for all through His resurrection from the dead.  Jesus chose death to rescue us.  Jesus chose you, and you have been baptized into His death and resurrection.

    You have the assurance.  You can trust God because He promises that nothing can separate you from His love.  You can trust God because He promises to work in every aspect of your life.  You can trust God because He loved you so much that he gave His only Son as a payment for your bad choices.  You can trust God because He sets His love upon you every time you receive His Holy Meal. 

    When life is chosen, then generations will live as our text states, “you and your offspring will live.” (v. 19).  Your faith will grow as you obey the voice of the Lord.  Holding fast and clinging to the Lord you dwell in His promises.  Your voice, along with millions of others has made a difference.  You walked for Life, or you spoke out for Life, or you did a vigil in front of a clinic.  You maybe even gave life to a child that was unexpected.  We need to continue to be there for those in life situations.  The issue will always be with us.

    Most of you are aware of my personal story.  One of my Godchildren became pregnant as a teenager before marriage.  She wrote me a very personal letter at the time.  I cried.  Two weeks ago, Toni and I had dinner with this extended family – 12 of us in all.  The child that was born sat right across from me.  She is now a sophomore in high school.  I was privileged to catch up on her life.  She is a tiny person who went out for football last year.  Courage.  You think about these things when you know the backstory.

    Her mother is married with another child and works to help others through her work with the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services.  I am blessed as are others by what the Lord is doing in her life.  

    The prayer is you see the same thing.  You are chosen by God.  Chosen for life.  Chosen to make a difference.  Loved by Creator God for a purpose.  Live knowing that you are His.

                                                Amen.