“Kingdom Prayer” (Luke 11:1-13)

Luke 11:1-13

Listen to Sermon

Pastor Tom Johnson, July 28, 2019

"The Lord's Prayer" James Tissot (1836-1902)

Jesus is a great model of prayer. His disciples are watching him. In previous chapters, Jesus hikes up a mountain to pray. Sometimes he goes to a body of water. Other times he goes somewhere desolate. Today he prays in a certain place. He sets aside time and space to pray. When he is done the disciples ask him to teach them to pray. He has already been teaching them by his powerful example. And being the brilliant Teacher that he is, he tells them what to pray and then how to pray. He teaches them what we call “The Lord’s Prayer” or what some call “The Our Father” or “The Disciples’ Prayer.”

The prayer begins with approaching God as our heavenly Father. It is a Kingdom-centered prayer where we ask that the whole world and ourselves glorify God by how we approach him and speak of him. We pray that his Kingdom would reach us in our daily lives here and now. We pray that God forgive us our sins and that we would see the connection between the forgiveness we receive from God and the forgiveness we offer others. And we conclude by asking God to direct our paths away from the things that distract us, harm us, or ensnare us. Jesus models prayer by his example. He gives us a scripted prayer that is genius—a prayer that will stretch us and build us up. And then he anticipates the obstacles that may keep us from prayer.

Sometimes we learn to take the healthy path when we see how unhealthy the other paths are. Sometimes we need to know what not to do in order to more confidently and more joyfully to know what to do. Remember that the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. So Jesus gives them a powerful prayer to pray. And then he gives them two examples of what prayer is not. He knows that a devoted life of prayer will be a struggle for each of us. I believe that if do not get Jesus’ sense of humor in this passage, we will not understand the power of his message.

“Imagine,” Jesus says, “that prayer is like waking your friend in the middle of the night and pestering them to help you with unexpected guests. Even your annoyed friend will cave in and help you if you are persistent enough. Because they know that in order to get rid of you and get back to sleep, they must send you on your way with what you want.” So, Jesus says, “Ask, search, and knock.” Prayer is asking. Prayer is finding our way through the darkness. Prayer is making noise and clamoring for the attention of God our Creator and heavenly Father.

“Imagine,” Jesus says, “that prayer is like your children who are hungry and ask for a simple, nutritious meal—eggs and fish. Are you twisted and sadistic enough to give them snakes and scorpions for breakfast?” If a young child asked for a bowl of cereal, would you give them a bowl of crunchy insects instead? Jesus says, if we as parents who are sinful still are able to give our children good things despite our propensity toward evil—how much will God answer our prayers who is without sin and evil—how much will he whose goodness overflows prevail toward us because of his perfect and holy love.

Jesus says what we all need to hear. God is not irritated by our knocking on his door in the middle of the night. He is our divine Friend who does not sleep nor slumber. He does not want us to go away and stop pestering him. Our heavenly Father does not toy with us or treat us like pawns in a sick game. “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Rom 8:37). So Jesus gives us his example to set aside time and to go to our sacred places to devote ourselves to prayer. He gives us a prayer to pray and a model of a God-glorifying prayer and a human-edifying prayer. And then he gives us two ridiculous examples of what prayer is not like—a crabby friend and a terrible parent.

Our motive to pray now is the joy and confidence we have that God want us to come to him. He is not bothered but delights to hear our prayers. He wants us to approach him as a loving and devoted child would approach a loving and devoted parent. We do not pray to get his attention or earn his favor. We pray because we already have his attention and favor. Everyone one of us should presume that God smiles, his arms spread wide to welcome us, and he wants to give us the best gifts—his Holy Spirit to guide us and to empower us in him. He has already given us the gift of himself when surrendered his life on the Cross and rose victoriously from his three-day slumber in the grave. He has made his move toward us, taught us to pray, and now he loves to welcome his beloved children into sweet prayerful devotion and communion with him.

Oh, what peace we often forfeit;
Oh, what needless pain we bear—
All because we do not carry Ev’rything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a Friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our ev'ry weakness—
Take it to the Lord in prayer.

In His arms He'll take and shield thee:
Thou wilt find a solace there.”                     (LSB 770 “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”)

“Christ in You” (Colossians 1:15-28)

Colossians 1:15-28

Listen to Sermon

Pastor Tom Johnson, July 21, 2019

In our Scripture from Colossians, Paul reminds us of some of the deep truths about Jesus what theologians call a “high Christology”: Jesus makes visible the invisible God. He is the Firstborn of all creation—defying time and chronology. Christ made everything we can observe and everything that we cannot observe. Jesus precedes time itself. And he holds the entire universe together by the word of his power. He is the head and we are his body. Together, we are a single organism by the power and mystery of God.  He is the firstborn from the dead. His resurrection makes all other resurrections possible—past, present, and future. Our eternal life is assured through him our Forerunner. All divine attributes are found in him. In other words, he is fully God and human even though our minds cannot fully grasp it. God reconciles everything and everyone through his eternal Son. He does so through the power of the blood of Jesus which he shed on the cross of Calvary.

Paul gives us this very high Christology not to make us smarter or merely more informed. He does so for us to cultivate the life of Christ within us. God has plan to make a miracle to happen in each of our lives through the power, person, and work of the Gospel. God expands his Kingdom through the Gentiles to make his mystery known to the whole earth—and that mystery is “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” And the goal is to help everyone grow in their maturity in Christ. The word “you” in “Christ in you” is plural. “Christ in y'all.” “Christ in you guys.” The great mystery is Christ in the midst of all of us who believe. Christ in all our individual hearts, yes. But Christ in our collective heart together as the people of God and the body of Christ. In other words, as followers of Jesus we are called to be bearers of Jesus. We are to be Christ’s light to the dark world around us. Jesus commands us to love the world as he loved the world—selflessly and sacrificially. I remember in third grade halfway through the day we would switch from one classroom to the next. We had to carry our chairs with us. And I thought, “I am carrying Jesus with me.” I do not know why I thought that but that is exactly what Paul is getting at—that Jesus is with us and among us whether we have chairs or not.

The bad news is when we do not fully realize just how transformative our lives can be to those around us when we are able to let Christ, the Lion of Judah, out of our cage of our ignorance, fear, and unbelief. Do we really know the power and full potential of the life of Christ within us and among us? Do we truly believe God has brought us together and sent us out into the world to pour out his amazing grace through us? It may just be an encouraging word to your coworker or friend that will lift them out of despair. It may be a prayer for someone who is sick and miraculously assures them of God’s presence and love. You and I are the signs and letters written by the hand of Christ to tell the world they are loved by God, that they matter to God, and that God’s Word and Holy Spirit are still in the business of transforming lives.

That is the point of the account of Mary and Martha. Martha is more concerned with making food for Jesus as her guest. Jesus is more concerned with becoming their host and nourishing the faith and life of both Martha and Mary so that we would all choose the better portion. Jesus’ plan is to be host of our lives individually and collectively. He serves us and serves through us—Christ in us, Christ in you, Christ in me. Christ through us—challenging, blessing, and manifesting the love of God in Christ Jesus.

4. Nothing have I, Christ, to offer,
You alone, my highest good.
Nothing have I, Lord, to proffer
But Your crimson-colored blood.
Your death on the cross has death wholly defeated
And thereby my righteousness fully completed;
Salvation's white raiments I there did obtain,
And in them in glory with You I shall reign.

5. Therefore You alone, my Savior,
Shall be all in all to me;
Search my heart and my behavior,
Root out all hypocrisy.
Through all my life’s pilgrimage, guard and uphold me,
In loving forgiveness, O Jesus, enfold me.
This one thing is needful; all others are vain--
I count all but loss that I Christ may obtain!                     (LSB 830 “One Thing’s Needful” vv. 1 & 3)

“Lambs among Wolves” (Luke 10:1-11,16-20)

Luke 10:1-11,16-20

Listen to Sermon


Pastor Tom Johnson, July 7, 2019

Jesus sends us out these seventy disciples into the world as lambs among wolves. At first it may sound like he is sending them out for certain defeat and death like snow cones into the scorching July afternoon sun. Lambs are innocent, helpless baby sheep. They are adorable. But to wolves they edible—an easy and delicious meal—especially if they leave the fold of the adult sheep and care and protection of the shepherd. It almost sounds like Jesus is intentionally sending out his sheep to be devoured by wolves. But if we look at the context it is quite the opposite. He sends them out two by two like Noah. Noah sends out his animals to be fruitful and multiply and rebuild a world that almost experienced total self-destruction.

Jesus is rebuilding our world by sending out his disciples two by two to extend the reign of his power. He does it in a way that is perplexing and counter-intuitive. He sends them out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Jesus is keeping it real. He does not sugar coat what it means to be a disciple. He prepares them for the physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges ahead. It is going to feel like we are helpless lambs among ravenous wolves.

And it is not just a feeling. It is a fact. Evil is palpable. Wolves are gunning down lambs on our cities streets and in our nation’s places of worship. Wolves are persecuting and killing our sister and brother lambs around the world. Jesus is clear that not everyone will welcome the good news we Christ followers preach—that we are all loved, accepted, and forgiven in the person and work of Jesus. But as the Shepherd’s lambs we will face misunderstanding, rejection, and violence. It is in the very nature of wolves to go after the weak and vulnerable. And that is exactly who we are as the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand (Ps 95:7)—weak and vulnerable. We are powerless in and of ourselves. When we step out into the world in the name of Jesus we are vulnerable to misunderstanding, rejection, and even worse.

Jesus asks us to trust him just as he sends out the seventy barefoot and bare handed. He asks them to depend on the hospitality of others. He encourages them not to take rejection personally but that their struggle is really with the good news of Christ’s Kingdom that is difficult to understand. “I send you out like lambs into the midst of wolves,” Jesus says. “I am sending you out in what will often feel like certain defeat and the Shepherd’s absence.” I admire the courage of the seventy who go out to do exactly what Jesus tells them to do. They come back surprised, overjoyed, and excited about participating in the spread of God’s reign. They participate in and witness what Jesus does through them—extending God’s healing, forgiveness, and love to the world. Jesus even cures the demons that haunt and plague the people they come across. They are surprised that Jesus has the power to defang the wolves and take away their appetite for fresh lamb. This is the kind of power Jesus promises in the Kingdom.  It is what the Prophet foretold of God’s Kingdom—that the wolf will take an afternoon nap with the lamb—that both wolf and lamb will share a salad bar together when God brings them to his green pasture (Isa 11:6; 65:25). The wolf’s appetite will change from carnivore to herbivore.

We are lambs that go out to do the Shepherd’s work in his name and by his strength among wolves. It is by his power that even the demons that plague us are finally driven out of our lives. The greatest surprise is that we are rewarded for something that we did not deserve or earn—that our names are written in heaven. He does not ask us to do anything more than he has already done for us. He is the Lamb of God who was sent out into the midst of our wolf-infested world and wolf-infested hearts. He took upon himself the ravenous violence. He is the sacrificial Lamb who surrendered his life to the wild dogs and wolves on the Cross of Calvary. He is also the Lamb who was slain but now has risen victorious over death, sin, and evil. In the name of Jesus our sins are forgiven. In the name of Jesus we have the assurance of eternal life. In the name of Jesus he has taken our names off the wolf’s menu and written our names into the Lambs book of life. In the name of Jesus our names, our selves, and our souls are secure in the Good Shepherd’s hands as we get to participate in extending his reign to those around us.

Spread the reign of God the Lord
Spoken, written, mighty Word;
Ev’rywhere His creatures call
To His heav’nly banquet hall.

Tell of our Redeemer’s grace
Who, to save our human race
And to pay rebellion’s price
Gave Himself as sacrifice                    (LSB 830 “Spread the Reign of God the Lord” vv. 1 & 3)

“Follow Me” (Luke 9:57-62; 1 Kings 19:15-16,19-21)

Luke 9:57-62
1 Kings 19:15-16,19-21

Listen to Sermon

Pastor Tom Johnson, June 30, 2019

Some of you may remember the bumper sticker, “God is my copilot.” The idea is that we are in the driver’s seat, God is our companion and helper along our life’s journey. Our Scripture today reminds us that God is not our copilot. He calls us to follow him not the other way around. Or the country song, “Jesus, take the wheel   Take it from my hands   ‘Cause I can’t do this on my own    I’m letting go    So give me one more chance    And save me from this road I’m on    Jesus, take the wheel.” Today, Jesus calls us to stop putting our hands on the wheel and deluding ourselves that we are doing the driving.

In our first reading, Elijah passes Elisha plowing a field.  He calls him to follow and be his successor as a prophet. Elisha asks to go back to say goodbye to his parents first. He takes wooden plow to barbecue his oxen in order to leave his old vocation as a farmer behind and to celebrate his call to become the Lord’s prophet. This story of Elisha having his whole life, work, and family reordered around his relationship with God would be very familiar to God’s people in Israel when Jesus called them. In fact, those Jesus’ calls to follow him first reference the call of Elisha—the prophet passing by in the country and desire to say goodbye to family.

Jesus’ challenge may come out of their arrogant presumption that they are like the great prophet Elisha who takes the mantle of the great prophet Elijah. Jesus reminds them that Elisha’s call is a divine call. God calls the humble. So when Jesus passes someone on the road and he says he will follow wherever he leads, Jesus tells him that he may not truly know what he is signing up for. When Jesus says, “Follow me” to another he wants them to know that it will reorder their whole lives—work, family, and worldly concerns will all be transformed. That is what the Kingdom of God does. The reign of God extends into every facet of our lives. Following Jesus puts all earthly relationships and concerns into a whole new perspective. And we get to become ambassadors of a whole new reality that transcends this life and human understanding. Jesus reminds us in this Scripture to not look back as we move forward to follow him. If we look back, our path will be crooked and chaotic. Jesus also refers to Lot’s wife who with her family leaves Sodom behind. She looks longingly to the past and turns into a pillar of salt. Jesus references this again in Luke 17 (vv. 31-32).

We have all received this divine call to follow Jesus—not just pastors and prophets. To follow Jesus has a real impact on all our other calls—our call to be parents, children, spouses, friends, bosses, employees—whatever our vocations may be. When Jesus challenges those who want to follow him to change their thinking about family, he challenges us all to put our relationship with God before our relationship with others. It will not complicate but enhance our other relationships.  Just as Jesus connects the great commandment to love God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind with the commandment to love our neighbor which includes honoring our parents. In other words, Jesus does not want to be our copilot. He wants us to get out of the drivers seat. He doesn’t want us to back seat drive either. He does not want to just take the wheel. He wants us to take our whole lives and lead us down a better path. The problem comes when we do not want to let go of our control. We do not want to surrender all our responsibilities, possessions, and relationships to the Creator who is responsible for all the good things we enjoy in the first place. He made all things. He is the provider of every good gift. He makes us stewards not owners. Like those who were called to follow Jesus that day, we too can underestimate how full of an impact he will have on our individual lives. He puts all our relationships and worldly concerns into a whole new perspective.

Our priorities line up as we put our hands to the plow, look straight ahead, fixing our eyes upon Jesus, and sow the seeds of the Kingdom by his wisdom and strength. Like those who were called to follow Jesus that day, we too can underestimate just how much of a blessing it will be. It’s what we pray in the Lord’s Prayer when we pray, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”  “Follow me,” Jesus says. “You will discover the deeper truth of life. Follow me and all your earthly relationships and possessions will come into the bright light of my heavenly Kingdom. Follow me and you will find absolute forgiveness as I go to the Cross. Follow me and you will inherit eternal life as I rise from the dead.” Jesus says, “Follow me. Trust me to lead you safely through the complexities of life. Follow me and surrender your lives to me. I will lead you to eternal life.”

“Come, follow Me,” the Savior spake,
“All in My way abiding;
Deny yourselves, the world forsake;
Obey my call and guiding.
O bear the cross, whate’er betide,
Take My example for your guide.

“I teach you how to shun and flee
What harms your soul’s salvation,
Your heart from ev’ry guile to free,
From sin and its temptation.
I am the refuge of the soul
And lead you to your heav’nly goal”           (LSB 688 “Come, Follow Me, the Savior Spake” vv. 1 & 4)