Services/Sermon in ElkRiver 17.05.2020

In the name of the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, let's quieten our hearts and minds this evening in opening prayer and thanksgiving.

Dear Heavenly Father, we again this evening come before your Holy Word. And we come this evening, dear Father, longing for that time when we can again gather together as your congregation, as we have been so accustomed to do. But, dear Father, even in this time when we experience this longing to gather with our dear brothers and sisters, we are yet thankful for the many blessings that you have provided. We yet have been able in this time to pause around your Holy Word.

Lord, we also thank you for the temporal blessings which you have continued to provide. You, who know our needs, have even met these temporal needs that we have. And we offer our humble thanks again this evening.

Dear Father, as we gather, we ask for your service blessing. Open your word according to your will. Comfort and instruct and encourage each one of us in our own personal place of watching so that we would be strengthened and continue yet to take those steps on the pathway of life that one day leads to your home in heaven.

This evening we enclose these and all our unspoken thoughts in the prayer that your Son taught. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Amen.

This evening, as we gather here again before God's holy word, the few of us that are here at the church, along with you, dear listener, dear brother and sister who are there listening remotely, we heard through our dear brother this morning, God opened so preciously to him from his word around the theme of this Sunday, the fifth Sunday after Easter, which is also Prayer Sunday.

And if God so allows, I thought we would yet continue around that theme that's set aside for this Sunday. And this time we will read from Paul's letter to the Romans, from the eighth chapter, verses 24 through 28. And we read these words in Jesus' name.

For we are saved by hope. But hope that is not seen is not hope. For what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought. But the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is in the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. Amen.

This morning, already in the Sunday school lesson, which we were able to participate in there from our homes and again at the morning service, we recalled how there's many examples in the Bible of prayer and how the Old Testament traveler, Daniel, in his life, there when he was separated from believers, he had those three acquaintances there, three believing brothers there, where he lived with him in the land of Babylon.

But we also heard from the life of Daniel the example of prayer. How he, when he had grown older and as a man served there in the king's courts and in those duties there that he had been given, some of the others there in various positions began to be jealous of Daniel. And they had convinced the king to make a decree or put a law in place that only prayers that could be offered or spoken would be prayers to the king. And if someone was to defy this decree that they would be put there in the lion's den.

Daniel, as a believing man, couldn't abide by this decree which those others had convinced the king to make in this way that they could trap Daniel. But Daniel, as he was accustomed to and as faith taught him to do, he continued to pray to God.

And it so happened that the king couldn't go back on this order and Daniel was there placed in the lion's den. But God protected him there. The angels came and closed the mouths of the lion. And Daniel was there protected by God as a believer there in his time.

When we consider this matter of prayer, as Luther taught about prayer, he taught in this way that we should feel that we can approach our Heavenly Father in prayer in the same way a young child might come and approach their own father with confidence and with that understanding and knowledge and faith of a little child that when they even come to their own daddy they know that he will listen to them and care for them and give him or her what they need.

Luther instructed that this is how we should freely approach our Heavenly Father in prayer. That we would ask of him anything. Carry to him in prayer our thoughts, our concerns, our worries, and even our needs. We can freely, dear brothers and sisters, talk to our dear Father in Heaven through prayer.

Our text began in this way: For we are saved by hope, but hope that is not seen is not hope. For what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? For if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

The writer to the letter of the Hebrews says in this way and describes faith in this way that it is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report.

What is it, dear brother and sister, that we hope for? Isn't it this that one day when we are able to close our eyes to this life that we will open them again on the shores of our home in heaven? Our hope is that one day we will reach heaven and faith is what will take us there.

When we remain believing on the merit work of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, through faith we will be taken one day to our home there in heaven.

In the next couple verses of our text we then move to this matter of prayer. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities, for we know not what we should pray for as we ought.

When Jesus traveled here on this earth there was a time there when he was with his disciples that they asked of Jesus. He was praying and as is recorded in the gospel of Luke that as he was praying in a certain place when he ceased one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray as John also taught his disciples.

Do we often, brother and sister, feel like the disciples, weak and poor and stumbling, uncertain, not knowing how to pray, what we should pray for? The disciples came to Jesus with this request that he would teach them how to pray and then he taught them the Lord's prayer, that familiar prayer that we already as a child learned by heart. We recite it many times for sure in Sunday school each time we gather, but it is a familiar prayer for us and it is a perfect prayer because it was taught by our Lord and Savior.

Luther in writing about the Lord's prayer says that this is a prayer that contains everything. And we heard through our dear brother this morning how we approached the matter of prayer and that gospel text where he spoke from. We were reminded how we humbly approach our heavenly father and not as those that would make a work of prayer, for Jesus reminded of them that they certainly also have their reward when they there pray out in the open and are seen by many. They have the recognition of man; that is their reward.

But we approach our heavenly father in humility and often in a very quiet matter. And God's word even records for us how even the sighs that we make go up as prayers to our heavenly father, Father.

But we often find we're slow to pray, especially when things are going well. Maybe it's easy or maybe it's often that we forget to pray to our heavenly father and thank him for the many blessings that he has provided it. But maybe it's so that when trial and difficulty come then we turn to our heavenly father more often.

But we're no different than the disciples were in their time. We as weak and poor travelers today are often forgetful to pray and maybe turn to prayer when we feel a need that we have something to ask for. And this is certainly good that even at those times we would turn to our father, our heavenly father in prayer.

But our text here spoke such a comforting reminder to us as Paul had written to the believers there in Rome. He goes on to say in this 26th verse, but the spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

So even if we don't know what to pray for, the spirit offers those petitions on our behalf. And later in this same chapter Paul also reminded in the 34th verse, who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather that it is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who maketh intercession for us.

So the Holy Spirit offers prayers and Christ there in heaven in glory on the right hand of his father also makes those intercessions on our behalf.

Jesus, when he taught the Lord's prayer, he reminded us and we pray each time when we recite the Lord's prayer how we pray that God's will would be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Not only did Jesus teach this that when we pray we pray that God's will would be done, we may at times go with a certain request, take that in prayer before our heavenly father, and we may even with this request have thought of what the answer to our prayer might be.

But other brothers have spoken in this way that God can answer in three ways: he might answer yes, he might answer no, or he might answer at another time or later.

Sometimes it may seem like our prayers aren't answered, but our heavenly father who is recorded up in God's word knows each of us so closely that he knows the number of hairs on our head and knows when one of these hairs would fall off of our head to the ground. And he knows what we need even before we would ask of him.

There may be times in our lives where we pray for something that God knows that it would be something that isn't needed, even though we may closely feel that need. But we want to when we pray remember that we're praying to God our father and that we're praying that his will would be done.

Jesus not only taught this but he also gave the example for us in his life there in the garden of Eden or the garden of Gethsemane when he prayed there before he was taken away to be crucified. He knew what was before him. He was in great agony and he prayed in this way: Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless not my will but thine be done.

Our Lord and Savior God here in the second person on earth when he prayed also prayed that not his will would be done but the father's will.

So it is good, dear brother and sister, that we remember this also that we ask and we pray that God's will would be done both here in the world and also on our own behalf.

I have thought now in this time when we experience these many changes, many in some ways difficult changes, I've thought often how even this matter of prayer is an important matter in these days that we are living.

And on a personal level I have recently had some health difficulties and during these times when I was there spent those few days even in the hospital where no one could be with me, I believe it's James and his epistle writes that the prayers of a righteous man avail much.

During those times, those days that I spent there in the hospital, I certainly was carried in the prayers of the believers, those short messages that I received and I know Mary, my wife, also received there at home that we were remembered during that time.

When we pray often we first maybe consider our own part but it is certainly so and it was my experience then at that time that as believers, brothers and sister, we pray on each other's behalf and those prayers that are offered on behalf of each other are certainly heard by our heavenly father and he answers those prayers by sending his comfort to the one that we are remembering.

Isn't it a good matter, dear brother and sister, that we can remain traveling as a child in God's kingdom where we have our dear brothers and sisters as our escorts here on the way to heaven?

When we consider this time that we are living, Paul later in this letter to the Romans in the 13th chapter reminded us how we're supposed to approach and consider the government and the rulers that are here and lead and govern at this time.

In the beginning portion of that chapter he writes in this way: Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers, for there is no power but of God. The powers that be are ordained of God.

Who so ever therefore resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

For rulers are not a terror to good works but to the evil.

Will thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good and thou shalt have praise of the same.

For he is the minister of God to thee for good.

But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid, for he beareth not the sword in vain.

For he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

Wherefore ye must be subject, not only for wrath but also for conscience sake.

Here in this portion Paul reminded the believers there in Rome and it is a reminder for us also today how the government that is in place, be it here on a federal level or more locally on a state level and also those that are entrusted to keep law and order, they also are ministers of God for good.

God has ordained that they have their place to serve in society and we're supposed to respect and this doesn't just mean when those leaders that we might personally agree with are in authority but it's for all time that we are supposed to honor and respect and those laws that are put in place when they are laws that don't war against faith and good conscience.

We want to do our best to abide by those laws.

And why is it that we wish to abide by the laws that are in place? There are many of the laws if we consider even our speeding laws, other laws in place, we know that if we would break those limits there might be a ticket that is issued because we weren't obedient to the law.

Many of the laws in place have these type of punitive damages to deter people from going against the law.

But we were reminded here why as believers we want to live in obedience to the laws of the land. It's also for conscience sake.

When we break the laws knowingly and willfully this becomes a matter of conscience. It causes those wounds of conscience in this life as Paul records in another portion how we would wish to travel with our conscience void of offense before God and before man.

And Paul then also writes in his first letter to Timothy when we consider this matter of prayer he says, I exhort therefore that first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

Here we are reminded that we're also to pray for our leaders that we could live a quiet and peaceable life.

And isn't our prayer this that God would give the leaders that wisdom and strength to do those duties that they have been asked so that they would uphold the laws of the land and act on our behalf from that place where God has placed them even in their duty.

And often it is this way that our prayer would be that we would always be able to gather as God's children, that we would be able to freely worship as we do.

And at this time even we may feel that these freedoms are being removed and some have even stated that and I've even thought there have been these protests that have happened in various places.

But I've pondered and wondered, is this the place for a believer where these protests are arranged in such a way in some fashion are a form of civil disobedience? Is this the place where a believer wants to be found?

We certainly live in a country where we can freely express our opinions and thoughts and there are avenues where we can do this in a peaceable manner and we can certainly have that freedom to do so.

But we are also instructed in God's word that we are to uphold and respect our leaders.

And I think it even applies as Luther taught how we are to put the vast construction on all that another would do.

Our leaders are also at this time in a difficult position. May they be given that wisdom and that strength to lead and guide our nation, our countries, our states, our local areas to the best of their ability and that even this would be according to God's will.

And we can certainly feel the burden. We feel that longing for those times when we can gather with our brothers and sisters.

But we have experienced even in this time that God has yet led and guided. We have these opportunities where we can yet pause around his word. His spirit yet opens his word and offers that support and comfort in this time and we can be so thankful for these opportunities and even the blessings that we've received in this way in this time.

And when we start to ponder and consider this matter of freedom, dear brother and sister, may we also remember that even though our constitutions and those bills of right that are written that guarantee our freedom are there as also part of the law of our land, this freedom that we experience is also a gift from our heavenly father.

We can look around and we can know from other countries in this world where people suffer much hardship and even persecution from their government that it is not so that every place and even us for all time are guaranteed these freedoms which we are so thankful for.

This is even by the hand of our heavenly father. He determines the fate of nations and we can read for sure in the bible and also maybe even in history of more closer former saints who have gone before that the believers have needed to live even at times and in locations where they have suffered under the rule of the government that they are living under.

May we remember, dear brother, dear sister, in this time when we pray to our heavenly father that we also remember to pray that he would continue to grant us this blessing of the freedoms that we have in the lands where we live.

And when we consider these matters, let us also remember our leaders and our government in prayer that they would lead and guide and do those duties on our behalf, that God's will would yet be done and that those decisions that they made would be in accordance to God's will.

But how has it been, dear brother and sister, in this time? Have you experienced along with me that maybe when they have attempted to make these guidelines and these decisions some of it doesn't seem to make practical sense?

It would be pretty easy to begin to question and I'm sure along with you as it has been for me there can even be that frustration and impatience that comes.

And it for sure is certain that there is a variety of opinion on these matters and when we meet our dear brothers and dear sisters and we would visit about these matters may we approach these matters with a heart of love one toward another.

The opinions can be very different and even when we have in place these matters of sheltering or being there more at home and we're starting to see that these are being relaxed in some way, some may feel that maybe it's relaxing or things are opening up too quickly.

Another one might feel that these orders should never have been put in place right from the beginning.

We all approach these things and we have developed our own guidelines and approaches how personally we're attempting to abide by these guidelines.

But wouldn't the enemy also be there so close, dear brother and sister, that if we see another one maybe doing things a little bit differently than we have done, our flesh which is so corrupt can be there that we would begin to look at one another cross-eyed and begin to question that why aren't they following the guidelines when they in their own circumstance have attempted and wished to abide by those same guidelines?

May we, dear brother and sister, carry each other with much love and patience in this time that the enemy who always is there as Peter described as a roaring lion going about seeking whom he may devour, that he couldn't even use these matters in this time even where those wedges would become begin to be there between one another.

And if it has so happened that these even matters and very directly of our time have caused those offenses one toward another, what are we instructed to do? We're to approach one another. Care for those offenses with the gospel. Put those matters away and continue then in love and unity.

Even though these are those matters that are temporal matters, we wish to yet visit about them and consider one another in a way that we would approach each other with much love and much patience.

This morning on our Elk River group where we're able to in some way communicate our thoughts at this time, a dear sister had reminded us how these matters in this time that feel so uncertain and restless, turbulent, she had reminded how the songwriter recorded in our songs and hymns of Zion number 541 in verse 3.

We recalled this morning and again briefly this evening old testament traveler Daniel and when we consider our time we know that others before have experienced trial and affliction on the journey to heaven.

And this verse which she reminded us of speaks even for us today. It gives those reminders of the old testament travelers, brothers and sisters who have gone before and have experienced hardship on the way.

But when they were able to remain believing, putting sin away as sin attached, we're left with that testimony that they there are sleeping awaiting for that glorious resurrection.

They have that testimony that they died in faith and one day will awake there on the shores of heaven.

And the songwriter so preciously has written:

Saints long ago had all of your afflictions, wandering in deserts, tempted, blind and lame, fighting their flesh and facing roaring lions, friendless and cast alive into the flame.

The Son of Man is with us in that fire when with his own by mercy we endeavor.

In this time of uncertainty and the additional trials and burdens that this time has brought, doesn't it remain this evening a precious matter, dear brother and sister, that we are yet traveling here in God's kingdom?

These uncertain times in the matters of this world are also known by our heavenly father. He holds the earth and all of us in the palm of his hand.

None of this goes without his knowing. None of it happens without his allowing it to happen.

And we are so small that we don't even begin to understand in all of this or in many aspects of our life what is the will of our heavenly father.

But of this we can be assured that even though we don't understand even this time that we live and are experiencing is for his purpose.

But dear brother and sister, have you along with me felt that impatience, felt the burden of being alone at this time, felt even the frustration that comes with trying to abide by these guidelines that have been put in place, wishing it were different?

From the heart of our dear heavenly father this evening he wishes to approach each and every one of you just as you find yourself lacking and poor in yourself.

You have permission this evening to uplift your heart and believe all sins, all doubts are forgiven in Jesus name and precious atonement blood.

And as I speak of these matters which are so close to each and every one of us in this time that we are living, I find myself poor and lacking and sinful and would yet ask this evening, can I believe my sins and doubts forgiven?

I want to believe along with all of you.

And isn't it so comforting here is this chapter from Romans which we read our text this evening.

Later on in that chapter Paul comforted and reminded: What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

God knows each and every one of us and he cares for us.

And isn't it the most important matter that although we may suffer different trials in this life that we are found as a child here traveling in his kingdom on earth and that our names are written there in the Lamb's book of life.

Dear brother and sister, it pays yet this evening to remain believing.

We have those many gifts and treasures as God's children of which one of them is this gift of prayer which we have paused around today as it is the theme on our church calendar.

But we have those many, many gifts, those gifts that are given here to help us on our way to heaven, those gifts that help us to preserve faith.

And when we wish to travel believing, we wish to care for those matters that would cause those wounds of conscience, putting sin away, traveling here, putting sin away with the gospel of forgiveness of his dear son.

It pays to continue, dear brother and sister, the journey here sometimes feels long but it's a short journey compared to eternity there in heaven, that home which we wait and long for.

Remain, dear brother, dear sister, this evening believing sins and doubts forgiven in Jesus name precious blood.

And if this message of God's kingdom would reach one this evening who has found that they don't own peace of conscience and have this peace in their heart, this same gospel message which frees the child of God from the burden that is caused by sin is that same gospel message which is offered to you also when you in your heart believe that your sins, even the sin of unbelief, are forgiven in Jesus name and precious blood.

The gospel contains that power that it translates you from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God, into the kingdom of his dear son here on earth.

And when the heart has opened and received this forgiveness, no matter where your station in life might be, God will lead and guide you there to the other believers, to those of us that travel as weak and faulty but as your escort also.

We close this evening leaving everything into the care of our dear and rich heavenly father in Jesus name. Amen.

Let us close with the Lord's benediction:

The Lord bless us and keep us.

The Lord make his face shine upon us and be gracious unto us.

The Lord lift up his countenance upon us and give us peace.

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.