April 25, 2021                                                                                   Text:  Psalm 23:2-3

Dear Friends in Christ,

            A little shaver liked to help his dad and mom around the house.  He would dust and try to vacuum and do what he could at his tender age.  One day, his father was brushing his teeth with one of those toothbrushes with a row of blue bristles.  As the blue fades away it is time to get a new brush.  But his was not fading, it was getting bluer.  In asking his wife she knew nothing about it.  They asked their young son if he knew anything about it and he replied, “that’s my ‘ty-ty’ brush.”

            Mom was getting the picture while dad was still a little confused.  As they asked more questions of their helpful child he went into the bathroom and came out with a toilet brush in one hand and his dad’s toothbrush in the other.  Holding up the toilet brush he said, “Mommy’s ‘ty-ty’ brush is too big, so I use daddy’s ‘ty-ty’ brush!”

            Everything in this world is designed for a purpose:  a toothbrush for brushing teeth; a toilet brush, for brushing porcelain.  It is the same way with God’s creation.  The fruit tree gives fruit.  The sun gives warmth and marks time.  When it comes to man and what his purpose is, well, things start to get a bit unclear.  May the Holy Spirit help us this morning as we look at the Creator’s plan . . .

“LIVING WITH PURPOSE”

            One thing we learn about God today from Psalm 23 is that God is a real ‘He’ man.  Yes, He is almighty, but we are not talking bustling biceps here.  Listen and see if you notice.  “HE makes me lie down in green pastures; HE leads me beside still waters.  HE restores my soul; HE leads me in paths of righteousness for HIS name’s sake.”

            Who is the one He makes lie down? Leads?  Restores?  It’s me.  It’s you.  “He makes ME lie down in green pastures.  He leads ME beside still waters.  He restores MY soul.  He leads ME in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

            God in Heaven has a longing desire to give you a purpose and He is deeply involved in the life of man.  You are the object of that purpose.  You are still breathing air because God “ain’t finished with you yet.”  He has a purpose for your life.

            Hasn’t man had these questions since God breathed into Adam?  Why am I here?  What is my purpose?  Someone went to a lot of trouble to turn a small seed into a redwood tree or to take one small cell from a man and one small cell from a woman and create a beautiful infant child.  What does it all mean?

            To get that answer we must check the Manual.  We have to go to the Source, and find out what the Creator has said about His creation, and that source is the Word.  It’s the Holy Bible.

            We find there that God had a purpose.  “He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters.” That is God’s provision.  He provides what we need to support this body and life.  He gave Adam and Eve the garden.  He sustained the Israelites in the wilderness for forty years.  God still wants us to trust Him.  He provides abundantly and daily.  He gives live purpose.  He wants to be our Shepherd.  Look at His blessings even in the past year.  Did anyone see the financial security God provided many churches and charities?  We have seen it at Good Shepherd and the Pregnancy Center Walk For Life set a record this year.  In the midst of chaos, isn’t it great our Creator leads us beside still waters?

            Then man needs his soul restored.  So many souls are lost and confused.  What’s going on?  My life has no direction.  Suicides are exploding.  When people don’t even know their sex, we know the train has jumped the tracks.  God’s people have let “worry” encompass their existence.  They have lost sight of the end goal of the Good Shepherd. 

            Christ cares for every human need.  Christ alone restores our soul as He sacrifices His life for the sheep.  Jesus did that for us so that our sin-broken souls would be restored and fixed and then He might lead us on the path to heaven.

             That word “leads” comes up again.  The Lord is leading our path.  Do you see that?  Do you see His Almighty hand in everything?  Do you see His purpose even as people turn their back on their Creator?  The Shepherd leads us on the righteous path.  As Christians the path we take must be above the fray.  The Lord grants us kindness and compassion and understanding as we feed on His Word, as we graze in his pasture. 

            Remember Deuteronomy 8:  “Man does live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”  Digest the Word.  May the Holy Spirit put the Scriptures inside you.  Too many people forget on Monday what they had to eat at the 9:00 a.m. Sunday meal.  Let the banquet last throughout the week.  Supplement it with Bible study, devotions, personal Bible reading.

            All of this helps to restore our soul – mending our broken lives, reviving hurting marriages, giving strength for life’s challenges.  We are restored back to our original purpose to know our Savior – to know our Shepherd.  He seeks to lead and guide.  Loved ones, your lives have a great purpose.  Follow Him, won’t you?    Amen.  

April 18, 2021                                                                                   Text:  Luke 24:36-49

Dear Friends in Christ,

            I think you’ll recognize the last name.  Charles Ponzi became infamous in the 1920’s.  Before he perfected his pyramid scheme he had already been in trouble with the law.  He had gone into a Montreal business with no one in the office, found their checkbook, and wrote himself a nice bonus though he didn’t work there.  He served three years and when his mother, who was living in Italy inquired about his employment he wrote home and said, “I’ve got a job as the assistant to the warden at a prison.” 

            Ponzi’s scheme promised returns of 50 and 100 percent.  He used postal coupons and he kept it going as long as he had investors.  When that house of cards fell apart his investors lost 20 million dollars about 250 million in today’s dollars.  His name is known for this type of swindle.  You know it as a “Ponzi Scheme.”

            Most people do not fall for this scheme anymore because they see it as too good to be true.  We are suspicious and distrustful . . . but people still get duped every day.

            We might think of the Gospel in the same way.  God gives up His only Son to die and come back to life.  This seems too good to be true.  People have been there before.  Look at the disciples in our text, they “disbelieved for joy.” (v. 41)  However, as we will see in our sermon for this morning, the gift of the death and resurrection of Jesus is one promise that we can absolutely take to the bank.

“DISBELIEVED FOR JOY”

            Other than reading those words in our text, I don’t believe I have ever used those words in that order.  Have you?  I disbelieved for joy when the Cubs won the World Series.  I disbelieved for joy when Illinois won the Big Ten Tournament.  I disbelieved for joy when Toni said “yes” to my marriage proposal.  We just don’t talk that way. 

            So how would we define “disbelieved for joy?”  The heart is too small to take in all the joy at once.  Maybe the reality is not real.  Luther calls this a curious statement.  Fear and fright first hold up faith, it is then held up by the very opposite, joy.  Grace is altogether too great and glorious to take it all in. 

            Let’s see what led the disciples to get to that point.  The disciples were gathering and wondering.  In steps the Savior.  Hold it – it’s a spirit.  “Guys, it’s me Jesus.  Why do you doubt?  Look at me.  Touch me.  I have flesh and bones.”  This is what prompts the “disbelieving for joy.”

            A few years back we changed banks.  The boys and I went in to make the change.  In the course of our conversation, the bank employee said I could do online banking.  I blurted out something that gave a little embarrassment to the sons.  “I told the guy I don’t do online banking.  I want to touch.  I want to feel my money and come to a branch.”  Most of you know I am that way about a lot of things.  I want to see and interact.  I would have fit in well with the disciples.

            What do you need to see to believe?  Do you need to see Jesus eat?  Many of you like meals together.  Would this have you “disbelieving for joy?”  Here, sit next to Jesus and have some fish.

            Would you “disbelieve for joy” once Jesus started telling you how the Scriptures needed to be fulfilled?  Here He is the living proof of everything the writers in the Old Testament were pointing towards.  He is sharing the peace with them.  He is sharing that peace with you. 

            The message is “that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” (v. 47)  Don’t we have great joy in knowing that for the sake of the death and resurrection of Jesus our sin against God has been forgiven?  He spared no expense.  This is no Ponzi scheme.  This is flesh and blood sacrificed on a cross.  This is flesh and blood come back to life.  This is flesh and blood dining with disciples.  This is flesh and blood that appeared to many in the next 40 days.  “You are witness of these things.” (v. 48)

            The resurrection of Jesus is for your joy.  Repent of your sin before God.  Repent of your sin before one another.  Live in the joy of the Gospel.  Live in the joy of restored relationships with one another.  It is not too good to be true.  It is true.  Christ has come back to life . . . and you have “disbelieved for joy.”

                                                                                                                        Amen.