Pearls From Peace

Text: Deuteronomy 7:6–9; Romans 8:28–39; Matthew 13:44–52 The Lord our God has chosen us to be “his treasured possession,” not because of any strength in us, but solely “because the LORD loves” us (Deut. 7:6–8). He is faithful, and He “keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments” (Deut. 7:9). He has searched for us and found us in love, and He has bestowed on us “great value” by the great price that He has paid on the cross (Matt. 13:45–46). In His joy, He has redeemed us by His cross and gathered us into His kingdom by the Gospel. Now we are “hidden in a field,” covered by the cross and subject to the persecution of the world (Matt. 13:44), not for destruction, but “to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom. 8:29). Since we “are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28), and because Christ Jesus died, rose again and lives to intercede for us “at the right hand of God” (Rom. 8:34), there is nothing in all creation that can separate us from “the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:39).

Text: Isaiah 44:6–8; Romans 8:18–27; Matthew 13:24–30, 36–43 The good Seed, which is “the Son of Man,” Jesus Himself (Matt. 13:37), brings forth a harvest of faith and bears good fruits in “the sons of the kingdom” (Matt. 13:38). Whatever is sown apart from His Word is of the devil, who plants the weeds of unbelief and sin, even among the people of God. Thankfully, the Lord is patient and He does not uproot the weeds, lest the plants also be destroyed. He lets “both grow together until the harvest” (Matt. 13:30), while He continues to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins. Thus, He preserves His Church in righteousness, because He alone is “the King of Israel and his Redeemer” (Is. 44:6). Since all things are in His gracious care and keeping, “fear not, nor be afraid” (Is. 44:8). For “the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God” (Rom. 8:19), and in this hope we also wait with patience. Though we do not yet see it, “the Spirit helps us in our weakness” (Rom. 8:26) and, in truth, “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom. 8:18).

Preacher: Rev. Harald Schoubye - As “the rain and the snow come down from heaven” and “water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout” (Is. 55:10), so the Word of God accomplishes the purpose for which He speaks it, granting joy and peace through the forgiveness of sins and producing the fruits of faith and love in those who are called by His name. Christ Jesus, the incarnate Word, has established the name of the Lord as “an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off” (Is. 55:13). He opens our ears to hear, our minds to understand and our hearts to believe His Word, lest the evil one come and snatch it away. He thus transforms our rocky hearts into good soil, which clings to the Gospel and “indeed bears fruit” (Matt. 13:23). He is Himself the firstfruits of all who “have received the Spirit of adoption as sons” (Rom. 8:15). Thus being “led by the Spirit of God,” we are not afraid, but we cry out in faith to our Father in heaven (Rom. 8:14–15). For as we suffer with Christ, the beloved Son, so shall we “also be glorified with him” (Rom. 8:17).

Preacher: Rev. Harald Schoubye - Though we have died with Christ in Holy Baptism, and we are raised to new life in Him, we find “another law waging war” in our body and life, that is, between our old Adam and the new man (Rom. 7:23). By the Spirit of Christ, we “desire to do what is right,” but we are not able to do so because “nothing good” dwells in our sinful flesh (Rom. 7:18). “Thanks be to God,” therefore, “through Jesus Christ our Lord,” who delivers us from “this body of death” (Rom. 7:24–25). We rejoice in Him, our gentle King, who comes “righteous and having salvation” (Zech. 9:9). He speaks peace to our embattled hearts, and by His blood of the New Testament He sets us “free from the waterless pit,” and He returns us to the stronghold of our Baptism (Zech. 9:10–12). Though we “labor and are heavy laden,” He calls us to Himself and gives rest to our souls through His free and full forgiveness (Matt. 11:28), not because we are “wise and understanding,” but by the “gracious will” of God the Father, whom “the Son chooses to reveal” in love (Matt. 11:25–27).

Preacher: Rev. Mark Smith - False prophets preach what their hearers want to hear, promising peace even when the Lord has spoken “war, famine, and pestilence” (Jer. 28:8). But if “the LORD has truly sent the prophet,” he speaks what the Lord has spoken, and “the word of that prophet comes to pass” (Jer. 28:9). The preaching of God's Law is hard, because it confronts sin, brings it to light and makes it worse, “sinful beyond measure,” thereby “producing death” in the sinner (Rom. 7:13). But through our Baptism into Christ, “we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive” (Rom. 7:6). Now we belong “to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God” (Rom. 7:4). Belonging to Him puts us at odds with the world and divides us from all earthly ties, not only from our human family, but each person from his own life. For Christ does not come “to bring peace, but a sword” (Matt. 10:34). Yet, whoever takes up his cross to follow Christ, and “loses his life” for Christ's sake, finds new life in Him (Matt. 10:38–39).

Pastor Glenn's farewell to Peace.

We sometimes hear (or say) that phrase "over my dead body" when someone is going to do something that someone else REALLY does not want them to do.  Whether it's because it's dangerous, or because it is not a positive or beneficial thing to their life.  As we hear Paul speak in Romans that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life, we see that that path to heaven through Jesus Christ and His dead and risen body, and the path to hell goes over Christ's dead body rejecting His death and resurrection.

Matthew the tax collector is called to come and follow Jesus, and then they gather at Matthew's house with other tax collectors, and sinners for a meal.  The Pharisees see this and question the disciples of Jesus why Jesus would eat with tax collectors and sinners?  Is Jesus doing this to show that He cares about them?  Is being with them condoning their behavior?  Or is there a greater reason why Jesus associates and eats with tax collectors and sinners.  And what does that mean for how Jesus connects with us?

On this Trinity Sunday we think about God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Three persons, one God.  In the beginning we see all three present, and that man is created in their image, the image of God. Much has happened since that time, and that begs the question: Are we created in the image of God?  And that might make us first ask this question: What is the image of God? As we see Jesus who is fully God and fully man, maybe He can provide an answer for us.

As we celebrate the day of Pentecost, we know that many were baptized that day after they heard the Gospel of the death and resurrection of Jesus.  The death and resurrection of Jesus is what we are baptized into.  And in Baptism we receive forgiveness of sins, we are rescued from death and the devil and given eternal life.  Faith is also present in Baptism as given by the Holy Spirit.  As we also celebrate Confirmation, we see these young people who had been brought to the baptismal font confirm their faith that was given to them in their baptism.

When Jesus prays the High Priestly prayer on the night He was betrayed, He prays "this is eternal life, that they know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." Sometimes the question can come up of whether or not Jesus is saying that He is not God because He separates Himself from God in this prayer.  And whether or not Jesus is God will depend on what that eternal life actually is.  So, did God, and Jesus, actually say?

As Paul was in Athens he found many objects of worship, including an altar to an unknown God.  As we remind ourselves of Peter's words to always be prepared to make a defense of our faith, Paul takes the opportunity to tell the people of Athens about the true God that is unknown to them, that he will make known: the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  As we go about our daily lives, walking in faith, Christ is in us, has given us the Spirit of truth, and He helps us to do that same: share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with others.

Jesus tells the disciples in the Gospel that He is going to prepare a place for them in His Father's house.  And He will come back and take them to be with Him.  The same applies to us.  Christ has prepared a place for us.  Peter tells us that we are a "chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."  Jesus has chosen us, prepared a place for us, and done everything possible to make sure we end up there, with Him.  

The Lord is my Shepherd.  These famous words of Psalm 23.  We are the sheep of the Shepherd.  The Gospel of John talks about hearing the voice of the stranger versus the voice of the Shepherd.  In the world we live in, there are many voices that try to lead us astray from the Shepherd, from the rest of the flock, into dangerous places.  Amidst all the other voices, amidst all the lies, how can we hear the Good Shepherd's voice? 

A revelation is a type of revealing.  On Easter Sunday, on the road to Emmaus, Jesus walks with some disciples who do not know that it's Him, and they invite Him to stay with them.  In the breaking of bread, their eyes are opened and Jesus is revealed to them as risen from the dead.  Has God revealed Himself to you recently?  As we think about how God has revealed Himself in the past, we look at how He reveals Himself to us today: specifically in His means of grace.

The resurrection is the greatest and most important miracle for us.  It means that we have forgiveness for our sins, and we who believe have eternal life.  It means that because Jesus lives and is risen from the dead, we and eternal life and will have our own resurrection.  As we see Thomas not believing Jesus is risen from the dead unless he sees and touches Him, do we also make requests from God that we have to see in order to believe? Or are there other miracles that happen in our where God is working even if we cannot see and touch Him?

We live in a world that makes promises full of emptiness.  That is, we make promises that we cannot or do not keep, and so they become empty promises.  God is the exact opposite.  He keeps His promises.  And as we explore the empty tomb of Easter, and see the empty cross where Jesus was crucified for us, and now risen from the dead, in means Jesus completed the work He was born to do.  In the cross and tomb, we see emptiness full of promise.  The promise of forgiveness and eternal life.

Good Friday is just that.  Good.  Good for us.  Bad for Jesus, because He is the one who has to endure all the pain, the suffering, the punishment, the wrath of God, for us.  He takes death to bring us life.  He takes hell to give us heaven.

On Maundy Thursday we think about Jesus instituting the Lord's Supper, we think about Him praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, ultimately being arrested there.  Amidst all these events the disciples are there, but they are betraying Him, sleeping while He is praying, fleeing from Him, and denying Him.  If were in their shoes, do we think we would respond the same?

Imagine being part of the crowd that sees Jesus riding a colt into Jerusalem.  Are you shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"? And then fast forward to the end of the week.  Are you part of the crowd shouting "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"?  Now, imagine being Jesus, and seeing those same people at different times who change their tune.  How do you feel?  Finally, think of yourself today, many years after these moments.  What does Palm Sunday and Holy Week do for you?

The Gospel reading is 45 verses long.  45 verses to see how Jesus handles the sickness and death of his friend Lazarus.  45 verses of how Jesus interacts with the sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, and for us to think about their previous interactions.  45 verses to learn just about who Jesus is in this moment of sorrow and death.  The He IS the resurrection and the life, and everyone who believes in Him though they die, yet shall they live. 

The Gospel reading is 41 verses long. 41 verses about a man born blind that Jesus heals, and many people do not believe that he was born blind, and so there are many questions asked of him and even his parents. When the blind man finally meets Jesus, He worships Him. We who are born spiritually blind because of sin, who have had Jesus die and rise for us. What is our response to Jesus?

There is a difference between wants and needs in our life.  The things we want are not always the things we need.  As Jesus makes His way through Samaria and talks to the woman at the well, there is something that He wants and there is something that she needs.  As we look at ourselves, Jesus came not because of our wants, but because of our needs.

Jesus says to Nicodemus, "unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."  As we hear Jesus' words, we ask the question, is Jesus talking about baptism here?  And if He is talking about baptism here, does this mean that baptism is necessary for salvation?  As Lutherans, we have a view of baptism as God's work and not ours, and we baptize ALL people, from infants to the elderly.  How do we answer this question?

Rev. Jacob Quast, Director of Domestic Missions for Lutheran Church-Canada joins us to share God's Word from Genesis chapter 3 regarding deceptive words.

As Jesus is transfigured on the mountain, He appears with Moses and Elijah, the representative of the Law and the Prophets.  The Law and the Prophets that Jesus comes to fulfill.  As they are on the mountain Peter thinks it a good thing that they are there (he, James, and John) and wants to put up three tents for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah.  While this is a good moment, they cannot stay there, because Jesus needs to continue His journey to the cross.  Maybe in our own lives we want to stay in the good moments, the safe moments, rather than the more difficult ones in life.

When we think about callings in life, sometimes we might ask God for a sign, a direction, a word spoken to us to help us figure things out, what He wants for us.  God does speak to us, in His Word, and His Word tells us that there are those who will come along and give false words and false signs to lead us astray.  His Word does tell us what He wants, and His Word also tells us who we are.  In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus says you are salt and light.

As we further talk about callings in life, Jesus gives the Beatitudes.  Each of them start with the word "blessed."  As Jesus calls us to faith, calls us to follow Him, we are blessed whatever we go through in life, even if it means persecution.  What He has also promised us in our callings in life, whatever they may be, is that He is with us always, every step of the way.

As Jesus begins His public ministry, His message is one of repentance and belief.  He then calls disciples to follow Him.  Fishermen who were called to be fishers of men.  There are many different callings in life.  As we explore the call of the disciples, we can also look at how God calls us, because when people come up to Jesus and say, "I will follow you" most of the time it doesn't work out in their favor.

John the Baptist calls Jesus "the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."  Two of John's disciples then begin to follow Jesus.  Jesus says to these disciples of John, "what are you seeking?" In other words, why are you here?  They ask where Jesus is staying, and He responds with, "come and you will see."  As we gather for worship, we might ask the question, "why are you here?"  To which, Jesus responds, "come and you will see."

As we see Jesus baptized by John in the Jordan, sometimes we wonder why this was done. And is John's Baptism the same as Jesus' Baptism? And what does the Bible mean when it says "one baptism"? Jesus wasn't baptized because He needed forgiveness, so why did He do it? He said that He did it to fulfill all righteousness. What does that mean, and what does this mean for our own Baptism?

We don't hear much about Jesus' childhood, except that time as a twelve-year-old boy where He stays in Jerusalem, unbeknownst to His family, in His Father's house, listening to the teachers, asking them questions, and answering questions.  This happened at Passover.  If we fast forward many years to Jesus' ministry, we see Him again celebrating the Passover, with His disciples, right before HE becomes the Passover Lamb for us, so that death will pass over us, and we will be given eternal life. 

Guest preacher Rev. Dave Haberstock speaks on the slaughter of the innocent boys two years old and younger as Herod sought to kill the Christ-child, and what it means for us?

In the beginning was the Word.  That Word is Jesus, because the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  That Word was also rejected by men, crucified, and died.  But the Word, Jesus, did that in order to bring us life.  Because the Word of Life IS life.  And that Word rose from the dead on the third day.  Faith, which comes through the hearing of the Word, given by the Holy Spirit, believes this.  And eternal life comes through faith, therefore the Word brings eternal life. 

When you think about gifts being given at Christmas, they may not always appear to be fair, based on the size or the number of the gifts.  But does that mean they are not equal, based on the amount of money that was spent on each individual regardless of size or numbers?  When we think about Jesus coming for us at Christmas, does He come in order to deal with us in a fair and equal way, or does he NOT deal with us in a fair way?  And how does He deal with us today?

As we get closer to Christmas, we all have things going on in our lives.  What does God want us to do?  Be in worship.  Where does God want us to be?  In worship.  Why?  Because He's here, after all, He is Immanuel, God with us.  He's here in the means of grace, the Word, the Sacraments, to give us what we need.  And where He is, there salvation is.

As John is in prison, he sends his disciples to Jesus to ask Him if He is the One who is to come or should they expect someone else.  Jesus responds with, "the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up." Now, because John sends this question along, we might think that John is experiencing doubt while in prison.  Is this true, is John the Baptist doubting John, before we ever hear about Doubting Thomas?  Or might there be some other reason for asking this question?

Two things that we are told to do.  Two things that we are not able to do because of sin.  We cannot repent of our sins and change our sinful ways on our own.  And we cannot believe in Jesus on our own.  So, whether this was John's message or Jesus' message, it is the same.  The call to repentance is the call for God to repent us, and the call to believe, is the call for the Holy Spirit to create faith in us.

Advent means coming.  And in the season of Advent we prepare ourselves to celebrate the coming of Jesus in His birth that first Christmas.  We also think about Jesus coming on the Last Day.  And for those who believe, who have been called to walk in the light of Christ, Advent brings hope, sure and certain hope in what Jesus has done, when He continues to do, and what He will do.  And we who believe, are called to be ready at all times for the days of Christ's second coming. 

When you think about paradise, what is your idea of paradise? As the thief on the cross asks Jesus to remember him when He goes into His kingdom, Jesus responds with, "today you will be with me in paradise." We could say that wherever Jesus is, that is where paradise can be found. And so, when we take a look around our worship service, we find Jesus in the Word, in the Absolution, in Baptism, in His Supper. So, when we gather together as God's people, that might just be paradise on earth.

We often hear that "the end is near!"  And it is true that the end is near, or at least the end is nearer today than it was yesterday.  And there are "signs" that we can see to know that the end is near, yet these signs have been present since Jesus told us what these signs would be.  What Jesus wants us to know as we get closer to the end, is that our redemption is drawing near.  That is, the final redemption, when eternal life, the salvation of our souls, will be fully realized, and for those who believe, this is Good News.

The Sadducees ask Jesus a hypothetical question about a woman who had seven husbands who were also brothers and who all died.  The question was which one would be her husband in the resurrection.  The problem with this question is that the Sadducees do not believe in the resurrection, which is why they're sad... you see... For those who believe in Jesus Christ who did die AND rise from the dead, there is no reason to be sad because they do have eternal life and will rise again.

As we remember the saints who have gone before us in the faith, we know the picture of heaven is described as a place where there is no more pain, no more suffering, no more crying, no more mourning, and no more death.  Those saints in heaven proclaim, "salvation belongs to our God."  We too, by faith, are saints on earth, and while we still face pain, suffering, crying, mourning, and death, we can still proclaim "salvation belongs to our God" because of Jesus' death and resurrection, who will one day join all the saints, in heaven and on earth, to Himself.

On this Reformation Sunday, we take a look at the context of God's Word to find out some of the issues that led to the Reformation happening over 500 years ago.  Much of that has to do with context, and how one reads the Word of God.  As Martin Luther read through the book of Romans he found the truth of God's Word: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24).  We are justified not by our own works, rather we are justified by the words of Christ.

As we think about the use of our time, talents, and treasures during this October Stewardship month, we find ourselves hearing about the unrighteous judge and the persistent widow.  The unrighteous judge does not give justice to the widow because justice is what she deserved, rather because he did not want to be bothered by her anymore.  As we see that we are not always persistent with the use of our time, talents, and treasures to God, we see that God serves justice to us as Jesus goes to the cross.

As Jesus heals the ten lepers of their leprosy, only one returns, the Samaritan, to thank Jesus. That's not to say that the other nine lepers were not thankful for the healing, but they were going to show themselves to the priests like Jesus had told them to do. The Samaritan return to thank Jesus directly, because it was from Him that the healing came. We might think that there are certain things in our lives that ONLY we can do. But when it comes to our forgiveness, our salvation, that ONLY comes through Jesus.

As we think about the end of our life, whenever that may come, we want to hear those words from Christ, "well done, good and faithful servant."  As we think about our lives, our struggles with sin and temptation, we may find that we are unworthy servants.  Worthy to be called good, and faithful, and... worthy of eternal life.  This is where Christ steps in and is good and faithful on our behalf, and through His death and resurrection makes us worthy.  Worthy to be forgiven, worthy to receive eternal life, not because of anything we have done, but all because of what Christ has done.

The rich man, who is in torment (hell), sees Lazarus in paradise with Abraham.  The rich man wants Abraham to send Lazarus back from the dead to warn his brothers so that they do not join him there.  Abraham says, "If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead."  The Word of God is enough, and the Church is called to share the Word of God with others, so that they hear, believe, and receive eternal life.  This is the work of Peace Lutheran Church.  This is the work of those who serve the people of Sachigo.  Bringing the Good News of peace and joy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the young and old of our hurting and troubled world.

When we hear the Parable of the Dishonest Manager, it makes us think the emphasis is on the one after whom the parable is named.  Similar to the Parable of the Lost/Prodigal Son (which takes place right before this one).  Sometimes what we think a parable is about, isn't always what the parable is about, because a parable (an earthly story with a heavenly meaning), is sometimes more about how God works in and through fallen humanity compared to how humans deal with their own selfish/sinful decisions.

The National Youth Gathering that took place from July 4-8 in Waterloo, ON where Peace sent youth and youth leaders to go and learn what it means to be UNBREAKABLE with the whole armour of God.  And in the life of the church, the first place where we see that we would see the armour of God being placed upon us, is in the waters of Baptism, where God calls us as His own dearly loved child, marks us as ones redeemed by Christ the crucified one, clothes us with Christ, gives us the forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe, and we know that parts of the armour we hear about like faith and salvation are given in baptism. And it is HE who makes us UNBREAKABLE.

As we continue to look at divisions between those who believe in God and those who do not, and the divisions between Christian churches, we find that when we bear the cross, as Jesus says in Luke, it means that we will end up in opposition to some of the people closest to us: parents, siblings, spouses, children, ourselves.  As we count the cost of standing firm on God's Word, it means we might lose all of those people we hold dear.  Is it worth it?  Sometimes it doesn't seem like it.  But we must remember that Jesus counted the cost and still went to the cross for us.