St. Paul’s Sermon 2004

The Fourth Sunday of Pentecost - June 27, 2004

Lessons: 1 Kings 19:15-21; Galatians 5:1; 13-25; Luke 9:51-62

“A God With Surprises Up His Sleeve”

Introduction:

It looked like Napoleon had won another battle in the Belgian campaign. Wellington, the British and their allies seemed have been dealt the final defeat. Then, at the last moment, over the hill came the Hessians. The Prussian allies of the British came over the hill after a whole day’s fast march. Nearly exhausted but substantial in number, the sheer weight of their attack changed the outcome of the battle. It changed the outcome of the war. It changed the course of history. The battle was at Waterloo.

Over and over again, a surprise turn at the last moment has changed the course of history.

I) Elijah Was Spent

A) People of Israel were double-minded; served YHWH & Baal-

Israelites- Open minded; tolerance! kept their options open- took a bit of the faith in YHWH, enjoyed the sexual pleasure and passionate commitment of Baal worship-sex with male and female temple prostitutes.

Watched the passionate, exciting, committed worship -where they burned babies alive to fulfill vows asking their gods for prosperity.

The wicked king & queen- Ahab & Jezebel approved- Baal worshipers!

Really true? Archeologists have found the remains of thousands of tiny burnt babies.

B) YHWH tried to call his people to repentance. He sent them many prophets.

Finally Elijah- stood up- had showdown with the prophets of Baal- sacrifice set up; Baal prophets cried out for hours for their god to answer- no answer

Elijah stood up; had them pour water all over his sacrifice and wood three times- God sent fire from heaven and it disappeared.

The people rose up and destroyed the prophets of Baal-

That put Elijah all alone to face the wrath of the King and the whole government of Israel.

Hid out in desert- afraid- He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

C) YHWH speaks- key 1 Kings 19:18 Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel--all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."

Elijah thought he knew everybody in town. He thought he was the only believer left. He thought there was no chance for things to change. He lacked a very important ingredient for believers- hope.

He was firmly convinced that nothing more was possible. Even though he had just seen the mighty power of God, he still thought the underlying situation was beyond hope.

II) The Destructiveness of Hopelessness

A) Hope is faith reaching forward.

Hope is faith flexing its muscles into the future.

Hope is trusting God into a future we can’t see.

B) We live at a time with many voices-

Any point of view must be honored, no matter how bizarre

The concept of truth is scorned.

A time when the grossest, most life-destroying immorality is flaunted as a virtue;

A time when babies are sacrificed for the sake of personal gain.

C) Exactly the situation of Elijah.

These are the days of Elijah.

We live in a day of many voices;

No truth;

Gross immorality destroying people;

Families in horrible pain & chaos.

People of God stand up to bring joyful hope

A message of wholeness and truth

A trust in a loving Lord who calls us to wholeness and discipleship

A Lord who calls us to Truth.

There is something called Truth. His name is Jesus.

He leads us into joyful discipleship, based on truth.

Just because somebody screams an idea with shrill voice doesn’t mean it’s right.

Just because someone is insistent or feels something deeply, doesn’t mean they have any truth.

It’s not loving or kind or nice to let people have their way when they are leading others into pain, brokenness and sin.

God’s Word leads us to wholeness and hopefulness

III) The Days of Elijah Here

A) Eight years ago this neighborhood looked hopeless-

bullets; crack; needles everywhere

Today- new neighbors, building everywhere

U4C- colleges- new house

God was up to something in 1996. He had surprises up his sleeve!

B) ELCA looks apostate

God raising up faithful ones-

New constellation- God raising up faithful people in leadership - Bible camps- Wapogasset; Lake Okoboji; Faith Inkubators; Youth Encounter; Word Alone; Solid Rock Lutherans; Calvary Golden Valley; Zion Lutheran Anoka; Roseville Lutheran, Hosanna Lakeville; Redeemer Fridley- New direction at WMPL-

We are not alone; more than 7,000!

I believe we are poised for renewal.

God is up to something in 2004. He has surprises up his sleeve.

C) Our congregation faces a new day

Open the doors and see all the people

Babies!

Rejoice; you are not alone; in the midst of great darkness Jesus is Lord;

and a at time that everything is changing;

Everything looks too hard

A time when people’s hearts melt with anguish;

Jesus is still Lord

We have a surprising God.

A God with surprises up his sleeve.

We have a Gospel word that Jesus sets people free, he fills them with love and hope.

A God of hope when the world is hopeless

We have a God with surprises up his sleeve.

In the midst of a broken world, God’s ability is enough.

You can trust him.

Amen.

June 27, 2004- Pentecost 4

1 Kings 19:10-21

He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

[11] The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by."

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. [12] After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. [13] When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Then a voice said to him, "What are you doing here, Elijah?"

[14] He replied, "I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too."

[15] The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. [16] Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. [17] Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu. [18] Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel--all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."

[19] So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. [20] Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. "Let me kiss my father and mother good-by," he said, "and then I will come with you."

"Go back," Elijah replied. "What have I done to you?"

[21] So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his attendant.

Galatians 5:1; 13-25

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery...

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. [14] The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." [15] If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

[16] So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. [17] For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. [18] But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

[19] The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; [20] idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions [21] and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. [24] Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. [25] Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Luke 9:51-62

As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. [52] And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; [53] but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. [54] When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" [55] But Jesus turned and rebuked them, [56] and they went to another village.

[57] As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."

[58] Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."

[59] He said to another man, "Follow me."

But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

[60] Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

[61] Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."

[62] Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."