Luke 6:20-31

Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! Welcome! Let’s say good morning to our friend Sammy. Ready? One, two, three: Good morning, Sammy!

Sammy: Good morning, everyone! Pastor, I noticed that the paraments on the altar are white today. Why is that? Is today a special day at church?

Pastor: Yes, today is All-Saints Sunday.

Sammy: Go Saints!

Pastor: What do you mean, Sammy?

Sammy: Go Saints! Kick the ball! Run the ball! Tackle the guy! Touchdown! Woooo!

Pastor: We don’t live in Louisiana, Sammy. Our football teams around here are the Ravens and the Commanders.

Sammy: Oh.

Pastor: ….

Sammy: Go Saints!

Pastor: Let’s move on, Sammy. We are not celebrating a football team today. We are remembering the Saints in Heaven today.

Sammy: Like St. Peter and St. Paul?

Pastor: Yes, but not just St. Peter and St. Paul.

Sammy: Who else?

Pastor: All Christians in Heaven are Saints.

Sammy: Woah. That’s really cool. You mean when we get to Heaven, we get upgraded to Sainthood?

Pastor: That’s right. Martin Luther teaches that we are both sinners and saints. We are not perfect people, but we are redeemed by the blood of the lamb—by Jesus! By Jesus. He’s the lamb. I wasn’t talking about your blood, Sammy.

Sammy: Okay good. I was a little bit worried there for a second. I thought I might need another band-aid.

Pastor: Boys and girls, can you share with us someone you know who is now a Saint in Heaven?

[Allow time for responses]

Sammy: I like hearing about your families and friends. I have a lot of peace knowing that Jesus is one day going to welcome me into Heaven with him, and I will get to join the Saints of Heaven, too.

Pastor: There will be rejoicing on that day, Sammy. What a gift to get to worship our Lord. Boys and girls, will you please pray with me? Let’s fold our hands and bow our heads. Dear Jesus, thank you for your blood. Thank you for welcoming us into Heaven. Thank you for your great love. Amen.

Sammy: Bye, everyone!

“Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they would fall down before Him and shout, “You are the Son of God!”  And He earnestly warned them not to tell who He was” (Mark 3:11-12).

The wicked ones know who Jesus is.  They will do whatever they can to thwart the Father’s will.  Be aware of that.  We are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against forces and principalities of darkness.  Be led by the Lord and not by the voices of this age who are hostile to the Lord.  In discovering who Jesus is ourselves, we find the great love the Father has for all of us.

Lord God, You have revealed the truth in the Son.  Help all who call upon Your name to simply and humbly understand that You alone are God.  Lead Your faithful ones in the way You know we need to go and help us hear Your voice above all, shutting out those voices which are hostile to You.  Guide us ever deeper into the mystery of faith.  You are our leader.  Help Your church to stand firm and serve all others as You have served us.

Teach me, Lord Jesus, and make me a disciple who willingly learns from You.  Amidst all the noise of this age, guide me to humbly follow where You lead and do what You give me to do.  You are my Lord and Master, and I need to listen and  learn how to follow Your commands.  Thank You for the abundance of grace and mercy which You provide, which I need.  Thank You for leading the way through this noisy and rebellious world.  Amen.

“And He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the crowd, so that they would not crowd Him; for He had healed many, with the result that all those who had afflictions pressed around Him in order to touch Him” (Mark 3:9-10).

Crowds can be difficult to handle.  People get riled up and get out of control.  There are so many needs, and one person cannot meet them all.  Yet, the Gospel tells us that through the one man, Jesus, death has been overcome.  See the very human circumstance here.  Jesus was helped so that the crowd did not overwhelm Him.  On Good Friday the crowd would overwhelm, which led Him to Golgotha, but even then, He overwhelmed death.

Lord, we are often demanding and press in.  Driven by inner thoughts and fears, we become concerned only for ourselves.  Your salvation takes away fear.  You grace works from the inside  out.  Lead us to be aware and be concerned for others as much as we are concerned with ourselves.  Teach us how to live loving our neighbors.  Teach us patient waiting upon You rather than pressing in for what is desired.

Lord Jesus, You know all that is needed.  Lead me in the way You know I need to go.  Guide me according to the Father’s will to live into the kind of life that You will teach me to live.  Remind me, when I am pressing in and demanding, to be humble such that I care for others as You care for others.  Guide me in the way You know I need and grant me a heart that follows You first and foremost.  Amen.

“Jesus withdrew to the sea with His disciples; and a great multitude from Galilee followed; and also from Judea, and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, a great number of people heard of all that He was doing and came to Him” (Mark 3:7-8).

For a diverse range of reasons,  people came to see who Jesus was.  The more He did, the more curiosity there was.  There are many today who do not even want to know who Jesus is.  Jesus is still with us and He brings healing.  Is there a possibility that the faithful are not being faithful?  Are we living the life which shows the works of Jesus in our lives?  Jesus withdrew and they came to Him.  Now Jesus comes to us and people withdraw.

Lord, I do not understand many things, but I do know that You have come to save all who will believe.  How can they believe if what they see is no more than another idea among many?  You are the Savior and the One through whom all things were made.  May the lives of Your faithful ones reflect You!   All things are in Your hands.  We know very little, but You have revealed enough for there to be faith.

Lord Jesus, You wandered around the countryside serving others.  The crowds were curious and from among them came disciples who followed You.  Help me, Lord, so that I come to You just as I am and follow You as You call me.  Help me to learn humility from You and live it all the time.  Be the One who is directing my days and my deeds.  Bring me from being one of the crowds to being Your disciple.  Then help me to reflect Your grace that others may come to You. Amen.

“After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored.  The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him” (Mark 3:5-6).

Yes, one can be angry, but see the object of His anger, He is grieved by the hardness of their hearts.  He moves beyond the grief to do what the Father would have Him do.  He heals.  Despite the unbelief and vitriol of those who do not believe, He acts righteously.  We too may be angry at unbelief, but we are to step forward and do what the Lord gives us to do.  Do so even if others conspire against you.

Lord, help me to be ruled by Your love and not the hatred of this world.  This world seeks for us to forever be conformed to ever-changing ideas that run us in circles.  You have come so that we may live in the sanity of the truth which You have revealed.  Be the One who guides us through all the pitfalls of this world so that the path we walk is one of faithfulness.

Lead me, Lord Jesus.  Let my anger be only righteous anger and then, lead me through all I feel to do the Father’s will.  Help me in every circumstance to abide in the Father’s will, seeking to do that which is pleasing in His sight.  Bring my mind to the place of constant prayer and doing things for the sake of Your kingdom.  Lead me according to Your goodness and mercy to humbly walk with You always.  Amen.

“He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!”  And He said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent” (Mark 3:3-4).

Is the law meant to keep us in a trap?  Are we penned in so much that we cannot do good because the law says we ought not act at a certain time?  We are human and have compassion.  The law provides the boundaries, and the Holy Spirit gives us the directions.  There is freedom in the territory of the Lord.  The world hems us into insane predicaments, but the Lord who created life gives us freedom to live more abundantly.

Lord, help me see that Your law is good and not a trap.  You have set boundaries around me so that I may live in Your goodness.  When You ask me to do something, it is always okay to do what is good.  Life is to be cherished and supported, although the goal is not life itself for You who are the creator of all life.  You have spoken the words of eternal life.  Help me to hear them amidst the noise of this world.

Lord Jesus, in You alone there is hope.  Sabbath or not, if You ask me to get up and go, help me to get up and go.  Help me to be directed by You alone.  You are the author of the Sabbath.  Help me to unlearn this world’s misunderstanding of things.  This world is filled with sin.  You are filled with goodness and mercy.  Guide me up and out of the insanity of this world to humbly live according to Your word.  Amen.

John 8:31-36

Pastor: Good morning boys and girls! Welcome! Let’s say good morning to our friend Sammy. Ready? One, two, three: Good morning, Sammy!

Sammy:

Sammy: Good morning, Pastor. Good morning boys and girls. Hey Pastor, why do you look like you are looking for someone.

Pastor: I am expecting a friend come today. I thought he would be here at worship. But I can’t find him.

Sammy: What does he look like? Maybe I can help you find him.

Pastor:  Well, you can’t really miss him. He’s a really big guy. He’s in a strange outfit, and he’s really grumpy. And his name is Martin Luther.

Sammy: Oh, I thought you were talking about Santa Clause for a moment. But he’s not grumpy. You really know how to disappoint someone Pastor.

Pastor: Sorry to disappoint you, Sammy. But Martin  Luther is as fun as Santa Clause.

Sammy: Pastor you really shouldn’t lie in church.

Pastor: No really. He always brings pretzels and cider with him. So that means snacks Sammy.

Sammy: Okay, I think I like him now. But why is he visiting today?

Pastor: Well today is reformation Sunday. It’s a day when we remember Martin nailing the 95 theses on the door of his church. This moment caused a movement to spark reformation within the church.

Sammy: Oh okay. So he was really important. And I just realized something pastor. His name is Luther. Aren’t we part of a Lutheran church?

Pastor: Good job Sammy. We are a Lutheran church. He is the person that wrote a lot of what we teach here at St. Paul’s. His courage is why we are here today. Let us pray now: Dear Jesus, Thank you for reformers like Martin Luther. Thank you for teachers that followed his lead by teaching people the true gospel. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

“He entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered.  They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him” (Mark 3:1-2).

Legalists seek whom they may accuse.  The devil is an accuser.  Our Lord knows we have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.  He does not need to accuse, for He came not to condemn but redeem and save us.  In the church, there are those who love to point and accuse.  The Gospel is about love and forgiveness.  See things as they are, and be freed by the truth of the grace of Christ which comes to those who believe.

Lord, I see wrong and remain silent.  There have been times when it was I who pointed the finger at another.  I get all wrapped up in my own thoughts and feelings and do not live according to the truth which You have proclaimed.  Guide me out of the pit of wickedness that rules this age to live according to the goodness of Your grace and mercy.  Help me now and always to humbly abide in and with You.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, for standing against the accusers of this world.  You did not confront pride with pride but humbly paid for all sins with Your body on a tree.  You have paid the price so that I do not need to live in the arrogance of self-righteousness.  Help me to learn how to live this new life which You have given me by grace.  Lead me on the upward journey to be willing to face all accusers and remain faithful to You.  Amen.  

“Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.  So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28).

We humans need to rest.  Our minds, bodies, and souls need a time out.  Especially in our fast-paced culture, we need to take time and rest.  God knows us and gives us a weekly opportunity to rest ourselves so that we do not overdo things.  We may anyway, but this law was given to provide a purpose for resting.  Learn how to take time out and rest with the Lord.  Learn to rest on the Sabbath.

Lord, it seems as though our sinful nature moves from one extreme to another in a blink of an eye.  Help us to learn what it means to rest in You.  Teach us what this means when You tell us that this commandment is a gift.  Guide us all, Lord, in living according to Your Law, knowing that we can do so only by Your grace.  Help us to learn what it means to seek faithfulness with the liberty You give.

Lord Jesus, You are constantly teaching as You guide us forward.  Help me to walk with You with my eyes and ears open to Your Word.  Help me move when it is time to move and to rest when it is time to rest.  You are the Lord of lords, and all things are under Your authority.  Teach me how to respect Your authority Jesus, learning to rest in Your commands to love my neighbor and myself in a way that pleases the Father.  Amen.

“And He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions became hungry; how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the consecrated bread, which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests, and he also gave it to those who were with him?” (Mark 2:25-26)

Jesus is a good lawyer.  There are examples of the interpreted minutia of the law being interpreted in another way.  Who knows, maybe Jesus had David do this preparing for this very circumstance.  The laws are boundaries for living in a right relationship with the Lord.  The laws are not shackles to bind us in a legal prison.  Living our lives, we all know that a certain amount of balance is always necessary.

Lord, there is a fine line here and sometimes I do not understand where it is.  Show me the difference between the freedom You grant me and the line which crosses over into rebellion.  Help me not to build a trap for myself or others by being the one who interprets things according to my will, but show me the better way of living by the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Be the One who leads me always.

Lord Jesus, I need to learn from You.  I do what I think is right according to my desires.  Grow in me the desire to do what is pleasing to the Father.  Lead me, Lord, in the way You know I need to go.  Teach me how to be attentive to Your direction as You speak to my heart.  Show me what is lawful and where You have given me liberty.  Through all things, help me learn how to be faithful. Amen.