Don't Underestimate the Power of the Seed

Title: Don’t Underestimate the Power of the Seed By Pastor Lohn Johnson
Text:  Mark 4:30-32  30 And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?  31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth,  32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade." INTRODUCTION:  My dear friends in Christ, In 1992, Disney came out with the movie Aladdin. In it, Robin Williams, brought great humor to his part, as the genie. The genie in Aladdin had great power. As shown in the movie, he could break the laws of nature, change his shape into virtually anything, and lift the palace of Agrabah with no problems. He could do anything except kill anyone, make people fall in love, or revive the dead. And yet, with all these powers, he had the most humble living quarters. He was confined to a bottle. [Video: To emphasize this contrast, at one point in the movie the genie came out of the bottle, grew to immense size, and with a booming voice yelled that he possessed "phenomenal cosmic powers," then he said immediately with a small, squeaky, mousy voice in an "itty -bitty living space." referring to his bottle. You would never think that something of great power could come out of a little bottle. And yet Jesus talks about something very similar when He talks of a mustard seed. He said,  (strong voice): "THE KINGDOM OF GOD (small voice) is like a mustard seed" (v 31). An insignificant, unimpressive seed, quite obviously looks incapable of doing anything great. It seems difficult to reconcile the words of our Savior with a tiny seed.  But that's what Jesus teaches in our text today.
I. THE KINGDOM OF GOD, LIKE A MUSTARD SEED, IT MERELY APPEARS INSIGNIFICANT, UNIMPRESSIVE,  INCAPABLE OF DOING ANYTHING GREAT.
	A. It's important to understand that the kingdom of God here is a reference to Jesus and his saving work. Scripture tells us that Jesus sat with people, taught or healed them, and then proclaimed, "the kingdom of God is in the midst of you" (Lk 17:21).
				1. But just as the puny mustard seed can't be seen from more than five feet away, Jesus often appeared insignificant, unimpressive, incapable of doing anything great.
								a. At first glance, this "Kingdom" didn't seem like much of a kingdom at all. Christ had no armies. Instead, he had twelve ordinary looking fellows following him around, smelling like fish. b. Apparently, this Kingdom didn't even include Nazareth, as Jesus was thrown out of his hometown. c. This Kingdom included the least desirable people around: sinners, prostitutes, tax collectors. He invited just about anybody into it. Some Kingdom this was. Insignificant, unimpressive, and by all appearances, it seemed incapable of doing anything great.
				2. Especially it seemed unimpressive when its King was hauled off, hung up.
								a. Jesus, it appeared, was no match for a few lightly armed temple guards, to say nothing of the mighty Romans. b. He seemed to have no answer to his accusers. c. Hanging on the cross, he looked helpless. And then He was dead, well, nothing was going to come from that.
				3. Of course, Jesus knew all this. That was exactly his point when he spoke of the mustard seed. Though that seed was tiny, from it would grow the largest plant in the garden. From something so insignificant, unimpressive, seemingly incapable of doing anything great would come a plant so wonderful that living creatures can find shelter and refuge in it.
	B. And when it comes to the kingdom of God, Christians would do very well to remember and believe this lesson, because not much has changed to this very day.
				1. For the kingdom of God is among us. The kingdom of God is here. Jesus is as active today among us as he was when he healed the paralytic man and forgave his sin (Mk 2). He is as active today among us as the day He fed the five thousand (Mk 6).  For Jesus comes to us via the Means of Grace, his Word and Sacraments, to forgive, renew, and give life.
								a. We are called to faith by his Gospel. He washes our sin in Baptism. b. He feeds us his Supper for our salvation. The kingdom of God is here, reigning through the ministry of his Church.
				2. And yet, to the naked eye, this kingdom of God, doesn't look like much. Bread is just bread. Water is water. Wine is wine. Spoken absolution is just a bunch of words. And the only thing that sermons heal is bad cases of insomnia. You can go through the entire Sunday paper and find nothing that happens here has been deemed worthy to print—not even in the "Life" section.
									a. But perhaps what's even worse is that the kingdom of God, when viewed by Christians, still seems insignificant, unimpressive, and incapable of doing anything great. I'm sure you've heard the list of concerns: the people just aren't coming in; the offerings are going down; our witness seems to fail; and, more than that, my child's behavior doesn't seem to be improving, even though I bring him to church! b. It's at these times that Christians may lose faith and be tempted to dress up the Good News to make it more appealing or water down the Word to make it more palatable or even censor the cross to make it less offensive. This is what happens when Christians lose heart, believing the Kingdom presented here is just an insignificant mustard seed. When that is all we can see, we're in trouble.
II. So we need to be reminded that The Kingdom merely appears insignificant, unimpressive, and incapable of doing anything great. Jesus meant that while He described the mustard seed as the smallest of the seeds, when it's planted it grows and becomes the largest plant in the garden, perhaps as high as ten feet, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade. Though human wisdom and logic can never believe it, the eyes of faith see it clearly.
		A. In faith, we see things as they are. Even though Jesus looked insignificant on that cross, He was doing something monumental.  He defeated the devil.  He took the punishment for our sin.  He earned forgiveness for all of us.
			1. And now every Sunday morning, the seed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is sown. People hear. Some, in faith, repent. And in that very moment, the host of heavenly angels is rejoicing. Here the almighty and merciful Creator speaks to us by his Word.
					a. And we speak to him in our prayers—and in the name of his Son, He listens. b. We praise the strong name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in song. Together, we stand as one Body baptized in Christ and boldly confess our one faith in one voice. Here we state who God is and the deeds he's done in the words of our historic creeds. c. And, oh, yes, sins are forgiven. My sins, your sins, are paid for in the death of our Savior, Jesus. Pronounced to us in absolution, received by us in the Supper of Christ's body and blood. Guilt is replaced by peace. Death is replaced by life. And through all these gifts, the Holy Spirit is at work strengthening faith and love toward our God, and he moves us to love our neighbor. That's the mustard seed growing, and that, by the power of the Spirit, is what happens here.
			2. To miss this kingdom of God through the ministry of the Church would be like looking into the manger and seeing only an unfortunate baby. To dismiss the Word and Sacraments as only superstition would be like someone looking to the cross and seeing only the execution of a religious idiot. In this life, in this world, the kingdom of God will appear to be just a mustard seed: insignificant, irrelevant, and incapable of great things.
						a. But as we know, that wasn't just another baby in a manger, and that wasn't a religious sap on the cross. So also we know that the power of God is hidden in common earthly means. Power that has forgiven our sins, called us to faith, and given eternal life is here. b. This ministry started on the other side of the world now provides us a refuge of grace and peace here today.
		B. And like those birds that Jesus talked about, seeking shelter in the shade of a mustard plant, when our Lord returns, we and all the world, will see just how great the kingdom of the mustard seed is.
			1. But until that day, we who live in and with knowledge of the mystery of the mustard seed have lives of extraordinary hidden significance.
							a. No one may take notice of a parent who teaches his child the Bible or how to pray.  But remember the mustard seed and rejoice in what you do in Jesus' name. b. Likewise, a simple invitation extended to someone to come to church, where the gifts of Jesus are given. It won't make the nightly news, but it could cause rejoicing in heaven. c. Recently an author asked a pastor in a large and influential congregation what had inspired him. "Oh, it was a Sunday school teacher!" he replied. "I don’t remember a thing he taught us. But he is the reason I am in the ministry. Five other students from that class are also ministers." “That Sunday school teacher died a long time ago. I buried him.” He said.  “There were only about fifty people present at the funeral; most of his friends preceded him in death, but he was a very special person to many people.”  That man was No "great shakes" by the world’s standards, but he was like a little mustard seed planted in an obscure place in the world, but spreading his branches in all directions.
			2. Rarely, if ever, will someone esteem us or praise us for living by faith in Christ. Your Sunday paper or evening news won't report on this. And it's not their job. But for you and me, who own this glorious mystery, it's a great significant thing and angels rejoice as we live out our faith.
CONCLUSION:   CONCLUSION: The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. It looks small and insignificant but it’s effects are huge.  And don't forget it. Behold it in faith, and then live in its grace. Invite people to come to this place, where the precious seed is sown, that they will see the significance of that small seed. And let us pray that God will make it grow among us all. Amen.

God Seeks Us

Title: God Seeks Us By Pastor Lohn Johnson
Text:   Genesis 3:9-10 9 But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?"  10 And he said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself."… 14 The LORD God said to the serpent,… 15 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." INTRODUCTION:  My dear friends in Christ, one of my favorite Christian singers is Don Francisco – most of you have probably never heard of him.  But he has many great songs one of which pertains to our text for today.  It goes like this: That’s a great question: “Adam, where are you?” God came to the garden and called to Adam: “Where are you?”  Not that God didn’t know, but it was as if to say: “Do you think that I do not see you?” But it’s key to note that God takes the initiative.  He doesn’t wait for us to come to Him.  He comes to us.  That’s the picture we have in our text:
I. Here is a picture of God Pursuing the Sinner.  He pursues the sinner in order to save us from our sin and guilt.
	A. “Where are you?”  God takes the initiative.  He doesn’t wait for us to come to Him.  He comes to us.
				1. But you see what happened.  The sinner tries to hide from God.  He knew that He had sinned and that he was guilty.  2. But he was not yet ready to confess his sin and take the consequences.
						a. For that is the nature of sin; it causes the sinner to attempt to deny his wrongdoing.  He tries to run away and hide.  But where shall he hide?  The whole world is too narrow to be a safe hiding place.  Little children will try to hide in a closet, but there is no closet which God will not find. b. God Himself  says: “Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him?  Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord”  (Jer. 23:24).  Deep down in our hearts we sinners know this, and as a result we can find no peace in denying our sin. We need a Savior.
	B.  Adam was the first to discover that he could not hide from God.  God found him.
				1. But still Adam would not face up to his sin.  He made excuses: “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
						a. But what kind of an excuse was that?  Adam had heard God’s voice before, and he had not been afraid.  He had been naked before, and there had been nothing shameful about it.  b. Why should it be different now?  But that again is the nature of sin.  It can think of the most stupid excuses.
				2.  But God cuts right through all the excuses, and He asks: “Who told you that you were naked?  Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”  Here we are getting to the heart of the matter.
						a. But even now Adam wouldn’t break.  He wouldn’t confess. b. Instead he did what has been so typical of all sinners since that time; he tried to pin the blame on someone else.  “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” c. It’s like Adam was saying: “It’s her fault, Lord.  Why don’t You talk to her?  And besides that, it’s really Your fault, Lord.  If You wouldn’t have given her to me, this wouldn’t have happened.”  And would You believe that Eve had the same kind of an excuse?  “The serpent beguiled me, and I ate.”  It’s all is an attempt to pass the blame on to God.  If God had not given the woman, this wouldn’t have happened.  Adam is not responsible because God gave him a gift--it’s God’s fault.  But Adam is responsible; it was his decision.  Eve attempts to blame a part of God’s creation, but it was her decision.
					3. And we today are just like Adam.
						a. In New York where a tourist from Utah was stabbed to death by eight young muggers, Time magazine says the eight belonged to a gang, membership in which required that they mugged someone.  Uly Mirales, the founder of the group, is believed by police to be the Sunday stabber.  He blames the dead tourist.  He tells police that the tourist “ran into” his knife.  b. We are much like this gang member passing the blame--we blame the devil, saying the devil made me do it. We blame others person saying, “He convinced me.”  We withdraw from God saying, “Someone has offended me,” but we are making the decision to withdraw.  We say that pastor has offended me, but we made the decision.  We say everybody’s doing it as if that made it right.  We try to excuse ourselves in any way possible as if our excuses hold any validity. c. We will even blame God as Adam and Eve did.  I don’t know how often I’ve heard people say, “If God were a god of love, then people would not starve or other bad would not happen.”   We are trying to blame God for the effects of our sin.  God does not cause these things, we do--our sin does.
II. But God’s pursuit does not end at a confrontation because of our sin, though God judges and must judge us, that is not His primary purpose in confronting us.  He comes also Promising a Way of Escape.
	A.  He comes not only in judgment to condemn, but He also pursues us in mercy.  That is something that is so hard for sinners to comprehend.
					1. Adam would never have guessed that it was mercy which compelled God to come to him.  2. We must be brought to realize that judgment Law prepares the way for the love of the Gospel.  For how could we get excited about our salvation if we did not first know that we were doomed to damnation?
		B. God pursues Adam and Eve to give them The First Gospel Promise—that’s mercy.
					1. God said to Satan: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” There is going to be a war.
						a. On one side is Satan and all his hosts, all his devils, and all those who ally themselves with him. b. On the other side is the woman and all her descendants.
					2. And every one of us would go down to ruin if it were not for that One, that one Seed of the woman, who came to do battle for us and win the victory.  This Seed of the woman was to be the God-Man, whom we from fulfillment know to be Jesus Christ.
					3. Only God could help us, and he went into battle for us.
							a. But Even for Him it was no easy victory.  In the battle His heel was bruised.  He had to suffer intensely for us.  It was a fierce and dreadful strife.  He was nailed to the cross.  In untold agony He hung there.  b. In a way it’s like this: A man was successful in business, and had a well-educated son who was highly respected and honored like his father.  But one day to everyone’s surprise the young man was charged with embezzlement.  At his trial he appeared nonchalant and arrogant about his sinful actions.  When the judge told him to stand up for sentencing, he still seemed unrepentant.  Then hearing a slight scuffle on the other side of the room, he turned to see that his aged father had also risen.  The once erect head and straight shoulders of that honest man were now bowed low with shame.  He had stood to be identified with his boy and to receive the verdict as though it were being pronounced upon himself.  Suddenly his son realized the terrible grief he was inflicting on him, and tears welled up in his eyes.  He had tarnished the family name by his behavior.  Now his poor father was caught in the backwash of his son’s evil deeds, although he had done everything he could do to keep him on the straight and narrow path.  In a way, God planned to do a very similar thing.  He was about to take the punishment for sin upon himself.  This is the promise he makes. c. Jesus is God doing just that. In our place Jesus died.  And, momentarily, Satan, thought that he had won.  Ah, but it only seemed that way.  In reality the serpent’s head was crushed-- not his tail, but his head.  That means he has been vanquished.  For what is worse, to have the heel bruised or the head crushed?  d.  Three days later our Savior came forth victoriously from the grave.
III. “Where are you?” God calls out to you today. “Where are you?” It’s not that He is in need of knowing where you are. He sees us among the trees in our hiding places.
		A. He’s pursuing you.  He wants you to consider just exactly where you really are.
			1. And where we really are is to blame God, too. But who does God blame? He blamed His Son, Jesus Christ in our place. God sent Jesus to take the blame for what Adam and Eve had done, for what you have done. 2. Jesus offered no defense. He opened not His mouth. He took your blame, your sin, your guilt, your punishment. Jesus allowed Himself to be mastered by death. He died for you. But now He lives.
		B. Now He pursues you in mercy.
			1. And when you call out from your distress, “God, where are you?” Jesus says: Here I am in the water of Baptism for you. Wherever you go in life, you carry Me with you, for you are baptized into Me. 2. When you call out from within the clutches of your guilt, “God, where are you?” Jesus says: Here I am in the bread and wine of the Sacrament for you. I do not hide from you. I comes to you with mercy and forgiveness, for this is My promise: “Take eat...Take drink...My and body and blood...for the remission of your sins.” Yes He has come to you in mercy to give you forgiveness and life.
CONCLUSION:   Adam and Eve hid in the wrong place. They hid among the trees of the Garden. But God found them and promised them that a tree was coming--a tree upon which His Son would die, and under that tree every sinner may truly hide. Hide yourself in Jesus’ cross, and your sins cannot find you there, for you are forgiven. Hide yourself in Jesus’ cross, and Satan cannot master you anymore. He is defeated by Him who died on that cross for you. Hide yourself in the tree of Christ Jesus, and there God always knows where you are--safe with Him, your Savior--today, tomorrow, and forever.

Don't Forget All His Benefits

Title: Ascension – Do Not Forget All His Benefits By Pastor Kloha
Text: TEXT: Deuteronomy 9:7 Remember and do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the Lord. Psalm 78:6-7 6 that the next generation might know them,     the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children, 7     so that they should set their hope in God and not forget the works of God,     but keep his commandments; Psalm 103:2 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,     and forget not all his benefits--
1 [In 1923 Japan suffered a devastating earthquake that destroyed major cities and killed and left homeless millions of people. The USA responded with tremendous generosity. The Japanese responded with: “We will never forget.” Eighteen years later they bombed pearl Harbor] 2. One of the clearest marks of humanity’s fallen nature is seen in how easily we fall into convenient “forgetting” of persons who have been good to us. 3. Have you forgotten to obey God in all your responses to Him? 4. Remembering the fickleness of [the people of Israel] in the past, Moses now says: “be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe His commands.”
5. As His people through Christ, our obedience to God’s commands should center on two actions:
	a. One is:“witness” about God’s love to others. b. The other is: to “love” people in the same self-sacrificing way that Jesus has loved us.
6. God’s goodness shown through love is the center of His dealing with us. 7. Praise God, you and I know and celebrate the freedom God has worked for us through the sacrifice of Christ on His cross. 8. While we are thinking of God’s goodness toward us, it is only natural that we consider also the way He bountifully provides for us and lovingly cares for us in our physical life. 9. Do you use His gifts in your daily life in such a way as to bring honor and glory to the giver? Or have you “forgotten” God? 10. As Christians and as Americans we share in enormous prosperity both spiritually and materially. 11. Oh Lord, forgive our forgetfulness! 12. Lord, renew our remembrance of You!
The Athanasian Creed proclaims that its teachings concerning the Holy Trinity and our Lord’s incarnation are the catholic* faith (*universal, Christian). In other words, this is what the true church of all times and all places has confessed. More than 15 centuries later, the church continues to confess this truth, confident that the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, has given himself for our salvation. Whoever desires to be saved must, above all, hold the catholic* faith. C: Whoever does not keep it whole and undefiled will without doubt perish eternally. And the catholic faith is this, C: That we worship one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the substance. For the Father is one person, the Son is another, and the Holy Spirit is another. C: But the Godhead of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit is one: the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit: C: The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, the Holy Spirit uncreated; The Father infinite, the Son infinite, the Holy Spirit infinite; C: The Father eternal, the Son eternal, the Holy Spirit eternal. And yet there are not three Eternals, but one Eternal, C: Just as there are not three Uncreated or three Infinites, but one Uncreated and one Infinite. In the same way, the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, the Holy Spirit almighty; C: And yet there are not three Almighties, but one Almighty. So the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God; C: And yet there are not three Gods, but one God. So the Father is Lord, the Son is Lord, the Holy Spirit is Lord; C: And yet there are not three Lords, but one Lord. Just as we are compelled by the Christian truth to acknowledge each distinct person as God and Lord, C: So also are we prohibited by the catholic religion to say that there are three Gods or Lords. The Father is not made nor created nor begotten by anyone. C: The Son is neither made nor created, but begotten of the Father alone. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son, neither made nor created nor begotten, but proceeding. Thus, there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. C: And in this Trinity none is before or after another; none is greater or less than another; But the whole three persons are coeternal with each other and coequal, so that in all things, as has been stated above, the Trinity in Unity and Unity in Trinity is to be worshiped. Therefore, whoever desires to be saved must think thus about the Trinity. But it is also necessary for everlasting salvation that one faithfully believe the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. C: Therefore, it is the right faith that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is at the same time both God and man. He is God, begotten from the substance of the Father before all ages; And He is man, born from the substance of His mother in this age: Perfect God and perfect man, composed of a rational soul and human flesh; …equal to the Father with respect to His divinity, less than the Father with respect to His humanity. C:Although He is God and man, He is not two, but one Christ: One, however, not by the conversion of the divinity into flesh, but by the assumption of the humanity into God; one altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person. For as the rational soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ, C: Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead, Ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, God Almighty, from whence He will come to judge the living and the dead. C: At His coming all people will rise again with their bodies and give an account concerning their own deeds.** And those who have done good will enter into eternal life, and those who have done evil into eternal fire. C: This is the catholic faith; whoever does not believe it faithfully and firmly cannot be saved. **Note that these deeds are the deeds that flow from faith. Faith is required before any deed is a deed in God’s eyes.
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