8.17.25 Sunday Drive to Church

[00:00:00] Good morning, St. Paul Luther Church. It's the Sunday drive to church for the 10th Sunday after Pentecost. That means August 17th. This is Pastor Wolfmuller. What a Sunday. Beautiful. We continue to hear the. We're kind of reading along in Luke, reading along in Hebrews chapter 11 and 12, reading along in Jeremiah 23. Some beautiful texts and a beautiful collect. I was looking at this collect and it's a. [00:00:22] We'll start with it. It's a bit of a surprise. The two things that we're asking the Lord to do are to cleanse and defend, which are not, you know, like it's not really two pictures that go together like clean your room and defend the castle. [00:00:39] It's two very different kind of realms of activity. But they both are here in this collect where we ask the Lord to cleanse his church and defend his church. [00:00:50] Well, let's pray. Merciful Lord, cleanse and defend your church by the sacrifice of Christ, united with him in holy baptism. Give us grace to receive with thanksgiving the fruits of his redeeming work and daily follow in his way through the same Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. [00:01:14] Amen. [00:01:16] Our lessons are Jeremiah 23, Hebrews 11:12 and Luke 12. We've really, I think we mentioned this before, but during the summertime, what's sometimes called the non festive half of the church year, we sort of break off. [00:01:36] It's more of a lectio continua, a continual reading of the text. I think the people who crafted the three year lectionary like to do this. They like to bunch up text as much as you can. So we'll notice this a lot during the epistle that we'll read through the whole Epistle. So you might have four weeks through Galatians or five weeks in. In Ephesians or something like that. Well, during the summer it's almost like that. Also through the gospel lessons as well. So we had Luke 11, Luke 12. Now this week we had Hebrews 11, Hebrews 11, continued again this week. So we have this lectio continua and we're getting to hear these long passages of scripture together, which is really wonderful. Now let's start. Oh, I didn't mention the psalm. The psalm is Psalm 119. 81, 88. [00:02:30] Now Psalm 119. This is quite beautiful. It's called the Golden Acrostic. [00:02:37] Acrostic is. [00:02:39] We have it in English too, where you start a. You can have a poem and if you look at the first letter of each line, that letter spells a word. Or. I think we used to do this. I used to do it in elementary school. You'd have to say. You'd have to write Brian at the top of the page. And then you'd have to come up with a word for each letter. Like B is boring and R is running and Y is. [00:03:11] I don't even know what I would. What would I put as elementary school for Y? [00:03:15] Yelling. [00:03:18] Anyway, that's an acrostic. Well, there's a lot of acrostics in the Psalms. In fact, it's one of the marks of Hebrew poetry. Lamentations is this big acrostic. Beautiful acrostic. Acrostic. Threefold acrostic. Acrostic. [00:03:32] So you see in the chapters of Lamentations, it's 22 verses, 22 verses, 66 verses, 22 verses, 22 verses. It's these big acrostics. Psalm 119 is an acrostic. [00:03:43] It's called the golden acrostic because instead of having one verse for each Hebrew letter, it has eight verses for each Hebrew letter. So if you're ever trying to figure out what the Hebrew Alphabet is, you can actually open your English Bible. And depending on what version it is, like the ESV and the new King James, they'll actually have the Hebrew letter at the beginning of the section. Aleph, Beth, Gimel, Daleth, and so forth and so on. So. [00:04:08] So Psalm 118. [00:04:11] I keep saying it. 119, verses 81 to 88, is Kaph, the. Oh, I don't know what number. I guess it's 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11. Am I counting right? The 11th letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, Kaph. And it even says it right there in the hymnal. You can see there's the Hebrew letters. That's kind of cool. So that if you were looking at the Hebrew now in English, they all start with different letters, like my soul M. My I's, M for I have become F. How long? H. But if you were looking in the Hebrew, that first letter of all of those verses would be the same letter. And, boy, the Hebrews thought that was beautiful. My soul longs for your salvation. Now, here's the other thing about Psalm 119. It's the longest chapter in the whole bible. [00:05:00] It has 22 times eight verses in it. [00:05:03] And every verse, except for maybe one or two, talks about the Lord's Word, different words for it, like this verse 81. I hope in your word my eyes Long for your promise. I have become like wineskin and smoke, but yet I have not forgotten your statutes, etc. So that the whole psalm is a prayer to the Lord, thanking Him for the Word and praying that he would teach us His Word through our lives, through prayer, through suffering. In fact, it's Luther who says that the three things that make a theologian meditation on God's Word, prayer and suffering, that he learned those three things from Psalm 119. Now, one more thing about the psalm. This is handy to remember. There's three psalms that really focus on the Lord's Word. They're called the Torah Psalms, and they are Psalm 1, Psalm 19, and Psalm 119. So you actually only have to remember 1 119. And you've got all three memorized. 1 and 19 and 119. [00:06:06] Someone's going to say, what about Psalm 11? Nope. [00:06:10] Okay, that's Psalm 119. Beautiful Psalm. [00:06:13] For a couple of years, this is maybe four years ago, I would try to read a section of Psalm 118 every day. [00:06:19] So that I had this perpetual reading of Psalm 118, 1:19 for a couple of years. And that was really good. I should do that again. The Old Testament passage Jeremiah 23 is really important. [00:06:32] Now, the context, Jeremiah, remember, is the prophet of the exile. It's when the Assyrians are attacking the south and they're going to destroy him. And he ends up going down to Egypt and then back and kind of wandering around during this great tumultuous time. He's the weeping prophet. They throw him in prison, all this sort of stuff. [00:06:50] But at his time, there was all of these false prophets hanging around. [00:06:55] And the Lord sends Jeremiah to directly confront the false prophets. And Jeremiah 23 is so important because it tells us how to tell the difference between a false prophet and a true prophet. [00:07:11] Now, Moses had already given us instructions how to do that back in Deuteronomy. The false prophet will tell you lies. So they'll prophesy something, but it won't come to pass. [00:07:21] It won't happen. That's a mark of a false prophet. But Jeremiah is going to give us another angle in how to determine between the true prophet and the false prophet. And the question is, have they stood in the counsel of the Lord? [00:07:38] Verse 18, Jeremiah 23:18. This is our part of our lesson. For who among them has stood in the counsel of the Lord to see and to hear his word? Or who has paid attention to his word and listen? And then skipping a few verses down to verse 22, but if they had stood in my counsel, then they would have proclaimed my words to my people and they would have turned them from their evil way and from the evil of their deeds. [00:08:06] So the question of the prophets is, have they stood in the counsel of the Lord? Now, when the Lord says that the lying false prophets have not stood in his counsel, then what we can take from that is that the true prophets have stood in the counsel of the Lord. [00:08:20] That means that Jeremiah and Elijah and Elisha and Ezekiel and Isaiah and Moses and Noah and all the prophets which have been since the world began, they have stood in the Lord's counsel and the Lord's counsel. This is his throne room, where his will is made known through the conversation and speaking that's happening there. [00:08:45] So Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are sitting in this council chamber discussing how they're going to save us. [00:08:54] And the prophets are invited into that room and they get to listen to a little bit of that conversation, and then they come down to earth and make it known. [00:09:02] That's the idea. Now, the false prophets, they speak whatever they want. They speak, I have a dream. I have a vision. I have a vision of my own mind. I have a word for my own heart. So he says at the end, let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully. What does straw have in common with wheat? Declares the Lord. My word is like fire, like a hammer breaks rocks in pieces. [00:09:25] So the difference between the prophets who speak their own words and the prophets of the Lord is it's like straw and fire. [00:09:34] Amazing. [00:09:35] So the true prophets have been to hear this counsel and then to make it known. Now, this is Joel 2. This is how we understand Joel 2, especially when Peter is preaching about it in Pentecost. My young men will dream dreams and old men will see visions that all the Lord's people have been in his counsel. [00:09:52] Because we as Christians have seen the plan of the Lord unfold in the death and resurrection of Jesus. [00:10:00] So in the Old Testament, the Lord was planning how this was going to happen, incarnation and suffering and resurrection. And the prophets got to hear part of that conversation. And then they come down to earth and they make it known. [00:10:12] It's great, really important passage, Jeremiah 23. In fact, Jeremiah has all these passages, like when Jeremiah goes to the potter and the Lord says, what if I. I'm like the potter and I'm making something and I make something different. [00:10:26] It's all these really important passages about how to read the Bible itself. It's really good. [00:10:32] Alright, the epistle is Hebrews 11, 17, 23. It talks about the faith. Remember, this is the hall of faith. [00:10:40] And here in this section it talks about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, again, Moses, the people, Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, all the prophets. [00:10:52] So Paul or whoever's preaching the sermon here for Hebrews is talking about all these people of the Old Testament, the Old Covenant, who had faith and trusted in the Lord and the Lord blessed them. [00:11:05] It's so amazing. Do you know that we named all of our rooms in the school building after the characters in Hebrews chapter 11, the people in Hebrews 11. So there's the Abraham room, the Isaac room, Noah Hall, Joseph, Jacob, the Jephthah room, we named it. We were trying to figure out names for the people because nobody knew what we were talking about when we said the old third grade room. [00:11:28] So he said we need to give these rooms some names. And so this was the best list of names that we came up with. So they're all Hebrews chapter 11. And that's why Jonathan, it was just pretty cool, one day showed up and Jonathan had printed out the verse that has the name in it and put it on every room. [00:11:44] So that if you look at all the rooms in the old school building, they all have a verse from Hebrews chapter 11 in there, which is pretty amazing. Except for the Cranach Art Studio, that's named after Lucas Cranach, painter of the Reformation, mayor of Wittenberg, friend of Luther, etc. Okay, now what did all these people for faith do? Well, Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. Jacob, when he was dying, blessed the sons. Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the Exodus. [00:12:13] They all were living not for themselves, but for the thing that was on the way. [00:12:17] Listen to what it says about Moses. This is verse 26. [00:12:21] He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt. [00:12:29] Now that is an amazing passage because we hear of the life of Moses and how he, remember how he broke up to fight and killed the Egyptian and then he had to run in the wilderness. What's going on? What was he thinking? Well, here Hebrews tells us what he was thinking. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than than the treasures of Egypt. Now that's even. It's not like Moses considered the reproach of Christ as well. [00:12:58] It's not like, oh, I have to endure this reproach and so maybe I have to lose the wealth. No, the picture here is if you put in one hand all the wealth of Egypt, and then you put in the other hand being mocked and rejected because of Christ, Moses chooses the mockery and rejection. [00:13:19] He considers it more valuable. [00:13:22] He desires that. [00:13:24] That verse 22:26 is an amazing passage. By faith. He left Egypt not being afraid of the anger of the king. He endured as seeing him, who's invisible, so that Moses had faith in Christ. All these guys did. [00:13:40] Now then it gets to the end, and I might preach about this. I'm trying to figure this out. [00:13:46] You know, sometimes I wish. Well, I don't wish, all right? Sometimes I do wish that there was just one text. So then I say, okay, I can preach on that one text. But when there's three texts, how are you. Do you know that that means that every sermon I'm deciding to not preach on two texts. [00:14:02] How is that fair, I ask you? [00:14:06] Anyhow, I know you guys feel sorry for me. Poor pastor. [00:14:10] There he is, trying to decide what text to preach on. [00:14:14] Well, you can pray for me. Okay, now listen to what it says here. It says all these guys, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, the prophets. And it has this list of their triumphs through faith, conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouth of lions. This is a pretty impressive list. And it's getting more quenched. The power of fire escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to fight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. [00:14:50] And then it keeps going. [00:14:52] You think, how could it get even? How could it get more glorious than that? How could it be more triumphant than that? [00:14:58] But the list keeps going. Listen to what happens. [00:15:01] Some were tortured, refusing to accept release so that they might rise again to a better life. [00:15:09] Others suffered mocking and flogging, even chains and imprisonments. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with a sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute of afflicted, mistreated, of whom the world was not worthy. [00:15:32] I just about get chills on my arms every time I read that passage. Of whom the world was not worthy, wandering around in deserts and mountains and in dens and caves of the earth. [00:15:45] So some stopped the mouths of lions, others were eaten by lions. Some escaped the edge of the sword. Some were cut in two. [00:15:53] Some were made strong out of weakness. Others wandered about in caves, all by faith. [00:16:02] So this life of faith is sometimes glorious and sometimes humiliating. [00:16:10] It's sometimes triumphant and it's sometimes lowly and afflicted. It's sometimes the crown, it's sometimes the cross. [00:16:21] And it seems like the cross is actually what's more glorious. [00:16:27] I mean, we read it and we're like, wow, this seems like I'd rather be on the receiving the dead back from resurrection side than on the being stoned and sawn in half side killed by the sword. [00:16:44] But I actually think that this is presented to us as an ascending list of glory. [00:16:51] So here's Daniel, he's like, I stopped the mouth of lions. We're like, and then here's Perpetua who was eaten by a lion. Wow, it's even more glory, you see? [00:17:06] And then this passage, this text, it goes. I mean this text is like my grandmother who does not understand when you've had enough to eat and keeps giving you more and more food. [00:17:22] That's what this text is because it's like, wow, that is enough. And then you get to 12:1. [00:17:28] Therefore, since we're surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside the weight and the sin that clings so closely and run with endurance the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith. [00:17:41] This is the picture of the end of the cross country race. And you're coming into the stadium and you see in the stands the pastor who baptized you and your great grandparents and the people that have died before you. And there's Walter and there's Luther and there's Augustine and there's Chrysostom and there's Peter and there's Paul and David and Noah and Moses and Adam and Eve and they're cheering you on. You can do it. Keep the faith. There's Jeremiah, there's Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, Gideon, Barak, Rahab, Jacob. They're this great cloud of witnesses. You can do it. And you're running and you turn the corner and there Jesus is waiting at the end, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God, waiting for us at the end. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or faint hearted. Oh, so beautiful. [00:18:51] Luke 12. [00:18:53] Starting with verse 49, we're in the sermon of Jesus and he's raging here. [00:19:00] I came to cast fire on the earth and would that it were already kindled. I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it's accomplished. It's his death, by the way. And it's not just this baptism of blood that he endures by his crucifixion, but the baptism of fire. It's the baptism of wrath. [00:19:21] It's the being buried under the anger of God. [00:19:24] Do you think that I've come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you. But rather division. [00:19:30] For from now on, in one house, there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. [00:19:36] They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter, daughter against mother, mother in law against daughter in law, and daughter in law against mother in law. [00:19:47] The name of Jesus brings division. As much as. Oh, boy. As much as we hate. [00:19:55] Cannot be otherwise. [00:19:58] This is the risk of God making himself known that there would be those who would receive him and those who would not, that there would be divisions in the world. [00:20:13] The disciple and the unbeliever and the Lord. [00:20:18] I mean, as much as it sort of pains us, he says it is better. It is better for this division to happen because if I don't make myself known, then there is no salvation. [00:20:30] So Jesus said to the crowds, when you see a cloud rising in the west, you say, shower's coming. So it happens. That's because the west, to the west of Jerusalem is the Mediterranean. So that's the rain coming over the sea there. [00:20:45] When you see the south wind blowing, you say, there'll be scorching heat. That's over the desert. That's the Sinai Peninsula. So I guess it's the same for us when we get the. [00:20:55] For us, when the wind comes from the west or from the southwest, it's going to be a hot one. When it comes from the. [00:21:02] From the east or southeast, then it's going to be full of moisture. [00:21:07] Jesus says, you hypocrites, you know how to interpret the appearance of the earth in the sky. [00:21:13] But why do you not know how to interpret the present time? [00:21:17] So we pay attention to the weather. But there is a call here to be. [00:21:25] To have our eyes open to the things that are going on around us. [00:21:30] Now, this is hard because there's a lot of things going on around us and things are swirling and it's difficult to know where we are. [00:21:39] But the Lord has called us, and this is important for us to remember. The Lord has called us to this time and this place. He has appointed difference for you and for me to be in Austin, Texas, in 2025. [00:21:54] So part of our vocation is that we were not born in 1900 or we were not born in 10 AD in Egypt or something. We were born right here. We're alive right now and we're in this place. And so the Lord has appointed us to this place to watch and to pray. [00:22:16] It's part of our vocation and part of our calling, and we should rejoice in it. Sometimes I think, especially us conservative Lutherans were like, oh, man, how, how much better it would have been to be alive in, like, Wittenberg in 1530. Oh, it would have been rough then, I'll tell you what. [00:22:32] Or, oh, we long for the days, you know, we remember whatever it is that we remember. Nostalgia takes over. But there's a little bit of idolatry in nostalgia because all the wickednesses or the, the, the, the. [00:22:47] The bad things are kind of purged out. And so we have this perfect memory like the past was better. Well, anyway, it doesn't matter because the Lord has called us to right now, this day. This is the day that the Lord has appointed to us. So we got to know the present. We know how to interpret the present time. [00:23:08] That's what the call the gospel is. I should probably preach about that. All right, you'll know in a few minutes. The hymn of the day, Lord, keep us steadfast in thy word is a hymn, hymn that Luther wrote for his kids to sing at home. [00:23:20] So it's a children's hymn. It's a beautiful one. Three stanzas. It's a prayer to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. [00:23:26] So it's a good thing to notice, to pay attention to, because you could miss it. God, Lord, keep us steadfast in your word. And then Lord Jesus Christ thy power make known. And then comforter of priceless worth, send peace and unity on earth. So that it's a prayer. Father, Son and Holy Spirit that the Lord would. [00:23:45] Would keep us trusting and rejoicing in his word and promise and his kindness. [00:23:51] All right. [00:23:54] Didn't last week we had O Little Flock, Fear not the Foe. That's what I think is a Luther hymn. But is it. This is. This is a Luther one. And I think those hymns go together. I wonder if Jonathan gave them to us back to back for a purpose. I think they belong together. Okay, we'll see in a few minutes. Sunday school today Dylan's going to finish his candidate Smith. [00:24:17] Lord willing, soon to be Pastor Smith is going to finish his Pastor Smith. [00:24:22] I got to get used to that. [00:24:24] Is going to finish his study on. On Ruth. [00:24:28] He's got us all worked up hating the Moabites. And then he's going to. I think he's going to do a little Jiu Jitsu or let the Holy Spirit do his Ruth Jiu Jitsu on us. [00:24:38] That'll happen in Bible class. That'll be absolutely wonderful. We'll see you in a bit. God's peace be with you.