If you do not believe a real spiritual assault against you exists, then you're toast right out of the starting blocks. It's real. The devil attacks you via 1) temptations; 2) discouragement; and 3) fear. If you know this, then you also take God's protection seriously. You run to the Word of Christ, and live in the life of Christ: His forgiveness and His wisdom.

Tomorrow you will be equipped as to how the Word describes the key to your not losing heart and living with boldness. That's what the sermon is about.

Also, we will show "Irreplacable" for the FAMILY a second time. It is an AMAZING documentary. This time we will show it in the conference room to the high school youth. If any adults missed it last week and would like to see it, you are welcomed to join us.

We are still taking sign-ups for the new study beginning on Thursday, February 26th at Todd and Shannon Gallina's residence (baby sitting WILL be provided).

Come and be fed tomorrow. Not only will you receive a meat-oriented sermon, but you will receive Christ coming to you through His body and blood.

Here is tomorrow's sermon outline:

“We Do Not Lose Heart”
(2nd Corinthians 3:12-13; 4:1-6)
Pastor Espinosa

Introduction: The Christian is very bold:
(1) Having conviction about what life is all about!
(2) That is because of the true source of life, we know vitality even when we are tired, pressed, or going through difficulties!
Why? Hope
(1) Certain hope, objective hope! Not a wish, but something real.
(2) Based on the risen and glorified Savior, the Lord Jesus!
How is this hope FORMED? Christ’s doxa (glory; splendor)
(1) The doxa of His crucifixion
(2) The doxa of His resurrection
(3) The doxa of His second coming (we get a glimpse today, Transfiguration Sunday)!
One of a Kind: Why? Answer: Not like Moses
(1) Moses’ was a fading covenant. The law which condemned was being replaced with a new covenant that would forgive sins!

Romans 10:4: “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”

(2) Ours is a lasting covenant!
 In Christ, there is no limitation.
 In Christ, nothing can cancel it or make it fade! It is too glorious! This is what makes us bold!

Part 1: So we do not lose heart:
(1) In the face of the positive reasons: having this ministry!
(a) Our own salvation.
(b) Our mission to serve others for their salvation.
(2) In the face of the negative reasons: even when many people reject the gospel.

Part 2: So we live a new life:
(1) Renounce disgraceful ways!

Gregory of Nyssa: “Lives filled with light” = it is necessary for our lives also to be illuminated by the rays of the true light. (Ancient Christian Commentary, Volume 7, pg. 227-228)

Clement of Alexandria: “We must try, then, to resemble Him in spirit as far as we are able.” (Ibid., pg. 229)

We esp. strive to avoid intentional or deliberate sin!

(2) Refuse cunning (trying to be spiritual or religious through man’s efforts, not God’s) or adulteration of the Word (changing the Word in order to please people).
(3) Stick to the open statement/publishing of the Truth!

“It is the plain unadulterated gospel of the grace of God revealed supremely in the death and resurrection of Christ that alone strikes home to his conscience.” (Buls, B, Festival Epistles, pg. 68, Buls quoting Tasker)

Part 3: And we understand the battle:
(1) Veiling is going on in those who are perishing...only applies in this text to those who hear the gospel.
(2) So this is also a warning to us since we hear the gospel.
(3) But what is really veiled?
(a) Not really the gospel itself (though it seems this way and that’s why Paul says what he says at 4:3).
(b) But nothing can actually veil the glory of the gospel itself.
(c) Nothing could veil the glory of Jesus at the Transfiguration!
(d) So what is really being veiled are hearts and minds towards the gospel.
(4) Who does the veiling?
(a) The “god of this world” actually the “god of this age” or “god of this aion/this time”.
(b) This is a reference to the devil, not a reference to God.
(c) He is called “god” lower case because he is powerful and can deceive us, but he is not God!
(d) Similar references to the devil in other Scriptures: John 12:31: “the prince of this world;” Ephesians 2:2: “the prince of the power of the air.”
(e) The Lutheran theologian Calov called the devil “the ape of God”...he apes God, tries to imitate God’s authority, but he is a fraud, a fake, a deceiver.
(f) His realm or stage of operations = Aion = “all that floating mass of thoughts, opinions, maxims, speculations, hopes, impulses, aims, aspirations at any time current in the world.” (Buls, C, Festival Epistles, pg. 62, Buls quotes Rienecker who quotes Trench)
(g) So the devil relies on change and instability to deceive you. The gospel, however, is unchanging!
Lenski, pg. 960: “the god of this eon blinded the thoughts of the unbelieving so that the illumination of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, did not get to dawn...”

(5) Elements of his strategy:
(a) He wants you to deny his existence. This is the most direct and effective, because if you deny his existence, then why would you ever be worried about him trying to deceive you?! In our sin we act like he’s not real. But the Christian knows better: when we are confronted with temptation, or fear, or discouragement, then we are confronted by the devil. He tries to take you away from your faith -- that conviction and vitality that we mentioned previously -- in Christ.
(b) He also wants you to deny the foundation of absolute truth: the world hates the notion and wants us to capitulate to relativism; that truth has many versions. If there is no single truth, then who are we to say this is true and that is false; or this is right and that is wrong?! In our sin we make exceptions to God’s Word and this is a slap in the face to the Lord. We say we believe in Him, that we follow Him, but then choose to ignore or violate His Word when it is no longer convenient to us. When this happens, we lose our conscience and we give in to sin. This can destroy faith.
Lenski, pg. 961: So though the truth is presented “all...thinking and reasoning are as if it does not see it at all. The thoughts are blinded.”

Warning: remember that all of this “perishing” refers to some who are receiving the gospel! One of the most vivid pictures of this is the parable of the sower (Luke 8:12):

“The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they many not believe and be saved.”

(c) This is isn’t God’s fault; or the gospel’s fault, but the fault of the person whose heart and mind is veiled or covered towards the gospel!

Part 4 & Conclusion: The Source of Glory/Keeping Us Faithful!
(1) Vs 5: the proclamation of Jesus Christ/the gospel!

Lenski, pg. 964: “In him [Jesus Christ] now shines forth forever all God’s love for us, and in him we are to behold all that this love has wrought for our salvation.”

(2) Vs 6: Light = Knowledge of the Glory of God = Jesus Christ.

Think of how God shattered the darkness at creation. The universe has been bathed with light ever since!
In the same way, your darkness has been shattered! God has “come to shine” in your heart; His light coming through the knowledge of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord!

Lenski, pg. 970: “Mere nature shines with light; the center of our personal being, shines with the knowledge of the glory of God, with his living, gracious presence in Christ.”

(3) So we get back to the gospel, the source of God’s light in your life to keep you bold without losing heart! And this is your source Christian:

(a) The doxa of the Lord’s crucifixion!
(b) The doxa of the Lord’s resurrection!
(c) The doxa of the Lord’s second coming! (remember The Transfiguration)

This is why we have hope; this is why we do not grow weary. Ambrosiater says that is why we do not lose heart: the mercy of God which cleanses us and makes us righteous; adopts us as the children of God and endows us with a glory like the glory of Christ! And Chrysostom says that this is all attributed to the loving kindness of God so that we do not sink under trial, but we rejoice and speak boldly! (Ancient Christian Commentary, vol 7, pg. 227)

In Jesus' Love,

Pastor

What of the power of words? They -- words -- make all the difference in the world. They can make or break a marriage; they determine the quality of the relationship parents have with their children; they can build up or they can tear down. But if OUR words are this powerful, then what of God's words?

It is true that the blood of our saving PRIEST Jesus saves us from sin and death, but what of His ministry to us as our saving PROPHET? His words -- through His preaching, teaching, and praying -- also make all the difference in the world for YOUR life. Come and be equipped and blessed through this proclamation of Jesus' saving ministry to us through His words. Tomorrow, God's Word will be given to you and His life will overflow into yours!

ALSO: after church we are showing a FANTASTIC documentary on the FAMILY called "Irreplacable"...our families are under attack in the world today and I would like for all of our member families to see this. This is also introducing our upcoming Bible Study called "The Family Project" that starts later this month. Please stay from 11 am to 12 pm for the documentary. Dr. Geisler's study will be back next Sunday, February 15th.

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow's sermon:

“Our Savior Who Heals As He Prays and As He Preaches”
(Mark 1:29-39)
Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany, February 8th, 2015
Pastor Espinosa

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

It is a well known concept that words are very powerful. We tried to protect our fragile childhood psyches by relying on the mantra: “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never harm me.” Wishful thinking. How easy it was for us as children to be completely devastated by something we heard about ourselves…how hard it is now that we’re all grown up to pretend we don’t care, but even now we do and we are effected! Gary Chapman in his book The 5 Love Languages identifies the languages – ways of communicating love – that different people need to know or at least feel that they’re getting love/being loved from those they care about. Chapman has ingeniously identified that some folks are affirmed in believing they are loved through quality time, physical touch, receiving gifts, acts of service, and the fifth one is – personally – my most important one: “words of affirmation”…no one knows this better than my wife Traci. She knows how to lift me up; she knows how to encourage me and how to inspire me. Her words are powerful and as I get older and while her words have always been very influential, as of late in the last several years, her words have become extremely influential. Not long ago when I was a little shaky due to some anxiety coming upon me, she put her hands on my face and looked at me with those tender ocean-blue eyes and said with gentleness and yet with great conviction (as she stared into me): “You’re going to be ok.” Her words seeped into my soul and they were as a medicine to me. I calmed down. Her words helped me and they continue to help me a great deal. Indeed, the words we use will either make a marriage stronger than one can imagine, or words can rip into the fiber of a marriage…it matters what we say and do not say; and how we say it or do not say it! It matters, it matters, it matters!

We underestimate the power of our words and we do not watch the portal of our mouths…and we sin…we cut up people and pull them down closer to destruction. And some people wonder why Jesus associated murder (the violation of the 5th commandment) with words (Matthew 5:21ff.).

And words can most definitely destroy right? The LORD warns us about the potential damage that the human tongue can cause: “How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell…It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not be so.” (James 3:5b-6, 8b-10)

Words, words, words…we underestimate their power. Last week was a big one for me. I traveled to serve our Lutheran Church Missouri Synod on the national level and while attending meetings for the Board for National Mission I was also equipped with tools that I am able to bring back to serve our congregation here in Irvine…I received equipping words. During that week I also traveled to see my daughter Esbeydi on one day and then my son David on another…we shared words at both visits that were loving words and words of grace! I received healing words and I extended healing words and by the grace of God, they were seemingly well received. Then there was a meeting with the CTCR (Commission on Theology and Church Relations) on a draft I’ve been working on to serve the church – and esp. her pastors – through the gift of private/individual confession and absolution. The commission gave me affirming words and the work is 95% complete…but the week was also busy, so as I was driving in between all of this, I needed to hear some good words, so I started scanning all the radio stations and I was reminded of how shallow the words in our music can be: words of desperation, lost desire or corrupt desire, conflict, sadness from the idols of the world that people blindly pursue, on and on and on…so I turned off the radio and opened up a hymn…when it was safe – as I drove -- I put these words into my mind and they became my words for travel last week: “Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace; Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise. While the hope of endless glory Fills my heart with joy and love, Teach me ever to adore Thee; May I still Thy goodness prove.” (LSB 686 “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing)

Good, good words! Energizing words, words that make all the difference.

But think about this: if your words are powerful (and they are), and if my words are powerful…and if the words that we hear on the radio can influence us…if all words from all people are significant by virtue of the fact that they affect us, how much more impacted are people when God speaks?

We have to be careful because we get accustomed to certain terminology and we start to take it for granted. You all know that when we refer to the Holy Bible, we often say “The Word of God,” or “The Word of The Lord”…this is a true designation, but we mustn’t permit these words to be taken for granted; to be cheapened, because if your words are powerful…how much more powerful is the Word of The Lord? If when you speak, you impact lives, how much more are lives impacted when God speaks? But perhaps part of the problem is that we forget that that is exactly what is happening when the Word of The Lord is proclaimed and shared…God is speaking. GOD is speaking!

When He speaks, He creates. What He says comes to be. “Let there be light” He once said (Genesis 1:3) and there was light. He spoke to dead Lazarus and dead Lazarus was no longer dead (John 11), but restored to life. He spoke at your baptism, and you came to new life. He spoke at your absolution this morning and you were completely restored in the forgiveness of sins…for absolution is not a wish, but a bestowal; God gives you His grace; He bestows His mercy and love upon you (you receive it as new clothing)…it becomes yours…again, no mere wish, no “hoping for the best;” absolutely is God giving and absolutely you are receiving forgiveness over and over again! This is how powerful His Word is! He will speak again for Holy Communion, and these words of God will guarantee the real body and blood of Christ given to you. I have recently spoken to some grieving people and once again it was celebrated that when we receive Christ in the Sacrament we experience a reunion with all the heavenly host…how precious is this gift? How invaluable are these words that bring heaven and earth together in one place; here through the Words of Christ the veil of heaven is lifted and God comes to you…how fantastically invaluable is that?!

In Jesus' Love,

Rev. Dr. Alfonso O. Espinosa

The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (our synod; Saint Paul's is one among 6000 + congregations in the country) has a national life ministry committee that I serve on in my role with the synod's board for national mission. It is an amazing and blessed service to our national church. I had the privilege to join in the recent Life Conference at Washington D.C. last week and to take part in the national walk for life along the national mall right up to the steps of the Supreme Court Building on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade in 1973. Since that time some 57 million babies have been lost to abortion and countless parents have suffered the affects emotionally, physically and spiritually.

Jesus calls us to have compassion and to serve all parties involved.

We are called to speak for all who need a voice: the elderly, the disabled, and of course the unborn. Life ministry also remembers the family and is bold to defend biblical marriage even as we are upholding all religious liberty that is so threatened in our country today.

It is recommended by the synod that congregations hold a "LIFE Sunday" once per year to remember our call to serve all of these who need the love and mercy of Jesus Christ and who need a voice in our great country.

Our service will be dedicated to this theme tomorrow and I will share the sermon I had the privilege to proclaim in Washington. The readings, the hymns, the prayers, and again the sermon will all put forth this vital theme.

The culture would have us be quiet and avoid all such things since these are said to be "political issues," but if one were to actually read the Word of God, this is a "separation" that was never intended by our original framers of the constitution.

Come be equipped, inspired, and fed. Come and receive the Holy Sacrament that fills you and equips you with the very life of the Redeemer who stands for all those helpless and hopeless...even like us poor sinners.

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow's sermon:

“The Redeemer Will Stand”

(Job 19:23-27)

Life Sunday, February 1^st, 2015

Pastor Espinosa

 

[Pastor originally preached this sermon at the 2^nd LC-MS life conference in Washington D.C. which took place on January 22^nd-24^th of this year in conjunction with the national walk for life (on January 22^nd) from mid-point the national mall to the supreme court building. About 600,000 people participated in the march remembering the approximately 57 million babies aborted since the 1973 Roe v. Wade landmark decision. LC-MS life ministries also focus on compassion ministry to parents who have aborted in the past and need the healing grace of the Lord Jesus. Pastor’s role on the LC-MS Board for National Mission is to support the synod’s Life and Health Ministries and we’re excited to be building bridges with Concordia University Irvine on both these fronts. Pastor hopes that Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church of Irvine will conduct its own life ministry that might support a local pregnancy help ministry that stands for God’s gift of life. Note that the life ministry of the LC-MS is well-rounded and extends care to our elderly and disabled; and is working with the overall synod to stand for biblical marriage and to advocate religious liberty.]

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ who takes up the little ones in His arms to bless them. Amen.

 

Job presents himself – even as one with a fallen nature – as nevertheless righteous and innocent. You know the story of this godly man: he was a man of prayer; a man of faith, but he was also overwhelmed by the seeming injustice of this terrible suffering. What had he done to deserve it? Thus it was for him a burning priority to find some way to defend his integrity. Who would stand for the innocent? Who will stand for the innocent?

 

I imagine that if the holy innocents could speak that they might sound a lot like Job! We probably grossly underestimate their energy and dare I say “passion?” to live. John while in the womb and in close proximity to the LORD (who at the time was Himself in the womb), had a faith which caused him to leap for joy (Luke 1:44)! His life in the womb was uncontainable! But the LORD is always near to each of us. Indeed, who else but Jesus knits us together in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139)? The LORD is near and especially present with the weak. We must be bolder in this confession and not underestimate the grace of God who delights to be found in the things treated as nothing in the world. Nothing is more dignified than what is despised; and nothing is holier than what is forgotten.

 

So I hear the babies speak as Job: “Oh that my words were written! Oh that they were inscribed in a book! (v 23) Oh that with an iron pen and lead they were engraved in the rock forever! (v 24)...My heart faints within me!”

 

The innocent ones created for life deserve at the very least what our great nation has done and is doing for so many others neglected. One of the current exhibits in the magnificent Library of Congress highlights the civil rights movement and presents an overview about so many who have been vindicated. The powerful testament to defend the inalienable rights of those treated as if despised is a hall-mark of America.

 

That same Library of Congress is marked by the word “theology” on the ceiling of the Great Hall which displays two monumental copies of the Word of God (the Giant Bible of Mainz and the Gutenberg). We are primed to speak of “the right thing to do” (even as our president did in his last state of the union address), because truth, the very Word of God is etched into stone throughout our nation’s capital (and indeed throughout our nation)! So I was not surprised when our president – who we are called to love and pray for – said in his state of the union address week before last, “In America we respect human dignity.” But the statement betrays our narrow view because the babies are left out, so much so that they don’t even have their own designation as people who need defending. They are the forgotten citizens as our politics replace the rights of the unborn with the “right to choose.”

 

Nor am I suggesting that you and I point fingers, as an LC-MS pastor going on 24 years I have done very little to speak for the unborn; and as self-absorbed sinners we would rather remain quiet and “not get into it” than live out true faith that is dying to remember the forgotten. We desperately need to pray that the LORD would open our lips so that we would speak for the helpless ones; we must confess our terrible pride which seeks to preserve our reputations while seeking the approval of men over the approval of God. We are called to not simply get over ourselves, but to crucify ourselves, so that “Pro-Life” is a really really good thing to say!

 

And if we cry out to the LORD that we would not be forgotten in our helplessness, what of the innocent ones?

 

O – like Job – they assuredly want someone to make their case; they want to be remembered because they too were gifted with life! They want an indelible record; a durable cast. They want it written in lead so that when the sun shines on their defense, the letters would be caused to glisten. They want their lives remembered on a rock that will stand forever! They want their gift of life to be lasting and it consumes them with longing within them – but unlike John who lept for joy – his little sisters and brothers feel their kidneys fail...they kick against and feel the pain of being slaughtered and robbed of life.

 

Who will vindicate them? And who will restore us who fall short of doing what we ought to do and renew us so that we may do what is beyond our ability?

 

Job and the innocent ones and the other children of Adam like you and me are lifted up by the words given to Job which make the brightest biblical scholars scratch their heads. How can Job find in God who has seemingly abandoned him, the same God who would also vindicate him? This is a paradox; and human reason fails in the face of it, but Job holds the Judge to another one of His offices: He is also the REDEEMER!

[come and get the rest tomorrow!]

In Jesus' Love,

Pastor Espinosa

p.s. All members: please stay for the voter's meeting right after worship and refreshments. Your voice as a confirmed member is very important to the life of our congregation! Thank you!

Christ -- the whole Christ -- saves us wholly. In Him we have both forgiveness of sins and new lives. There are forces, however, that are very upset about your new life. Your sinful nature doesn't like it, the world doesn't like it, and the enemy -- the devil -- most certainly doesn't like it. So you are assaulted by things in the world that serve as potential "masters"...things that try to take your life over, away from God, away from faith, and away from peace. God's Word in 1st Corinthians 6 recognizes this threat, but then St. Paul says, "I will not be enslaved by anything!"

How can we live with this kind of confidence? What is the basis for abiding in the light of Jesus Christ and remaining protected from all that threatens our lives in Christ? These things will be the focus of tomorrow's proclamation of Law and Gospel.

Most importantly, come and receive the body and blood of our Savior. "The life is in the blood." (Leviticus 17:11) In the Sacrament, you receive God's blood. Talk about life received! There is nothing better!

Tomorrow we are also presenting a special prayer and blessing...someone who was baptized in our congregation as a little baby (back when we were in Laguna Beach) is now ready to embark in full-time ministry...that's all I'm saying for now, but I hope you will there tomorrow to share our joy!

The Lord bless you dear Christian as you continue to abide in the saving faith and may this faith be fed and nourished through Christ's Word and Sacrament tomorrow morning!

Bible Study and Sunday School:

1. We now have two children's Sunday School classes.

2. The high school class will continue our examination on faith and science.

3. The adults are being treated to a study by Dr. Geisler on "Music Among Christians Is..."

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow's sermon:

“Not Enslaved By Anything”

(1^st Corinthians 6:12-20)

Pastor Al Espinosa

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. The Epiphany light of Christ cannot be confined to ancient history. It is sometimes easy to get the impression that being stuck in history is what the Church is doing in that our Epiphany Gospels recount such events as the Magi following the miraculous star, the baptism of our Lord at which the Father spoke from heaven and the Holy Spirit descended upon Christ in the form of a dove, the wedding at Cana and our Lord’s first miracle in changing the water to wine, and of course the glorious transfiguration of the Lord Jesus Christ. All of these were “epiphanies” in and through which the glory of God was revealed in and upon the Lord Jesus Christ. The teaching is clear: this is no mere man, but the very Son of God, true God, true man! He is the God-man, He is the Creator of heaven and earth, He is our brother, and He is the head of the Church!

 

But again the epiphanies cannot be exclusively relegated to the past. The light of Christ showing Christ to the world continues to shine, so we have Scriptures such as these that make this truth abundantly clear:

 

Matthew 5:14-16: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

 

Jesus Christ is indeed the living God, and as the Light of the World, Jesus intends also to shine today, so that His epiphanies are not limited to history. They include this time and this place! They include your life! Point blank: God intends to shine through you! But given this, doesn’t it make sense that that which fights against God, would also fight against your ability to be the modern-day epiphanies of Jesus that you are called to be?! Yes of course it makes sense and furthermore there is a ferocious spiritual battle that includes enemies of God trying to keep you from shining the light of Christ.

 

1^st Corinthians 6:12-20 is perhaps one of the most practical Scriptures in making you aware of what is capable of shutting down the light of Christ inside of you and in your life. It is a common problem and it is – make no mistake about it – a problem that relates to your sin, the influences of the world and the evil one. The problem is often purported to be “addiction” in the realm of psychology, a “societal ill” in the realm of sociology, or just “the way of the world”  in the realm of culture, especially our country, the United States of America. But all of these are sometimes ways of re-labeling exactly what we are being warned about here in 1^st Corinthians chapter 6.

 

This spiritual threat is summed up by St. Paul: it is the possibility that something in this world could “enslave” you. This is why St. Paul is so adamantly against the possibility: “’All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be enslaved by anything (v 12).” He then goes on to mention food and more importantly, he goes on to mention sex. The list of course could have been much longer than just these two things, but the point is that God is teaching through St. Paul that we have the potential – the constant and real potential – to allow something in life to master us, to grab hold of us…our affections and desires; our alliances and our commitments; our so-called “needs” and “wants” so that before we know it, we act, live and breathe as if we are completely attached to that thing. And we begin to treat that thing as that which is necessary for us to go on.

 

When this happens, dear Christian, we have on our hands a false god, an idol. And these false gods and idols come in all shapes and sizes! They are as varied as human personality. It behooves us to step back and conduct an inventory of our own lives. What is it in our lives that we are tempted to allow to master us? Don’t underestimate what those things may be! For myself, I even need to consider how something like my theological library can get out of hand, though I think as I get older this is less of an issue. However, back in the day when my older children were just little babies, I was tested to say the least! Sometimes they would crawl around make a b-line to one of my books. They were known to do things like grab a pretty valuable book and either rip out a page or put a crayon to it. The first couple of times this happened, you would think the sky was falling! In a nutshell: I was over-reacting. At the end of the day, it was just a book.

 

I’ve shared the story before, but one time the test went up a notch: one of my little girls just old enough to walk, made it into the garage where our brand-new mini-van was sitting. Ingeniously she got a hold of a stone and figured out that she was able to sketch lines into the paint of the brand-new mini-van; the side, sliding door made a great surface and it was so shiny! When I walked into the garage I almost started choking and had to take a deep breath! What happened next must have been from God. Though I was tempted to go nuts, I didn’t. Instead, she turned around and saw me. All by herself she got this guilty look on her face. When I saw that, my heart melted, I smiled and picked her up as I calmly explained that her drawing needed to be confined to paper. All was well. I actually survived. Everything was going to be ok. Yes, we are supposed to manage and care for those things the Lord puts into our lives. Our stewardship counts! But on the other hand, we are also called not to be mastered by anything!

 

But things like books and cars are just the top of the cake. What if we get to the point when a bottle becomes our life? When it just feels that we can’t make it through the day without drinking? What if sexual addiction becomes real? When a person goes back over and over again to this objectivising habit feeling as though they cannot stop? What if it goes even further and invades hallowed and sacred relationships? The world wants to rationalize: “How can anything that feels so right, be so wrong?” This is one of the most popular ideas of someone being on the cusp of losing their soul.

 

We have freedom in Christ. You don’t have Old Testament dietary laws binding you. Go forth and enjoy your steak and potato; have your shrimp, eat your chocolate cake, and if you’re able and old enough, enjoy your beer or wine (after all, the Lord lists in His Word several legitimate reasons for alcohol like celebrations -- e.g. weddings -- medicinal purposes (1^st Timothy 5:23), helping those who are grieving (Proverbs 31:6-7), and of course in the reception of the Holy Sacrament). Great! Enjoy your freedom, but the Lord’s message is don’t let any of these things master you (not including the Sacraments)!

 

Know where to draw the line. I was at a restaurant that advertised a chocolate desert called “Death By Chocolate,” and being the theologian that I am realized that that was a real possibility! The same is true for other things, but the Lord is good and has given us ways for us to be protected. Take for example the area of sexuality: the Lord came up with this great plan thousands of years ago to protect us called “marriage”! His call is clear: “Honor it!” Look at Hebrews 13: “Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous (v 4).” In the very next verse the Lord warns against “the love of money” and commands us to be content with what we have.  The Lord gives us these words to protect us because He cares for us & also because He wishes to have His light shine through you!

[Here ends the Law portion of the sermon...come tomorrow and get the Gospel too!]

Hope to see you in Church!

In Jesus' Love,

Pastor Espinosa

Christ also appears in His people. Romans 6:1-14 presents our new life in two ways: (1) Who are ARE (the indicative); and (2) What you are to DO (the imperative). Sometimes Christians try to jump to the doing without beginning with the being (fully supported by the promise of God! The Christian life begins and ends with what God makes you to BE!

Come and learn more about how it is we are to LIVE as Christians. Come and receive the body and blood of Jesus! Come and receive the greatest gift and resource at NO cost! For FREE!

Come to be blessed.

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow's sermon:

“Under New Ownership”

(Romans 6:1-14)

Pastor Al Espinosa

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Everything in God’s Word must be believed in. That is the proper response to God’s Word is faith. But not just in the “big things” like creation, or the incarnation of the Lord – when God took on flesh – or like when Jesus took upon Himself the sins of the world (and all of your sin) when He died for us on Calvary’s cross, or His resurrection from the grave, but all the “rest” of it too. And perhaps “the rest of the story” is much more important than we give it credit to be. For example what Romans 6:1-14 is all about…the absolutely crucial rest of the story! Please do not miss it!

 

Let me assure you that this text is indeed most appropriate for Epiphany: when Christ showed His glory so that we would know that the babe born on Christmas is actually God in the flesh. He let out glimpses of His glory – many of them -- actually – so that we would know that this baby and this man was no mere human being, but true man who was also true God, the Savior of all of His brothers and sisters…all of the other true humans like you and me. That is, the bible texts during Epiphany are about Christ showing or revealing Himself to the world so that people would see that God is alive and well…and even more than alive and well, but actively and powerfully working among us and to this day rescuing people from the clutches of sin, death, and the power of the devil.

 

All of the bible passages of Epiphany are about this, esp. as is our Gospel today, but so is our epistle from Romans even though it seems so much about our Christian lives today…but this is what makes it so special, because it means that Christ is still “appearing” but now He is doing so through poor sinners like you and me and demonstrating that we are much more than just poor sinners.

 

Romans 6:1-14 is a gold mine on the Christian life. In studying this text I was reminded of why the Christian life can seem so unnecessarily frustrating. Let me start off by presenting this crucial fact about Romans 6:1-14: when God teaches about the Christian life in these verses, He does so by putting forth two crucial components to be aware of:

 

First: The Christian Life is described as an indicative: what you ALREADY are in Christ as a result of what Christ has ALREADY accomplished! These things are true. These things are factual. They go in the category of those objective truths of the faith which are quite simply to be believed in: God created the heavens and the earth; Jesus died and rose again to save you; Jesus is true God and man…AND You have died to sin (6:2); AND You were baptized into the death of Christ (6:3); AND You have been buried with Christ (6:4); AND You shall certainly be united in a resurrection like His (6:5); AND Your old self has been crucified with Jesus (6:6); AND You are now in the position of no longer being enslaved to sin (6:6); AND You’ve been set free from sin (6:7); AND You will also live with Christ (6:8).

 

Let’s soak in this first part: we have a terrible time starting our Christian lives with these Epiphany facts! They seem counter-intuitive. We know about our sin, we feel our sin, we experience our sin…God’s Word teaches about our sin and we know it’s there. We confirm it. And it’s so easy for us to do so that while it is enormously healthy and beneficial to confess our sin (1^st John 1:8-9) – and if we don’t, we’re liars and the truth is not in us – on the other hand, sometimes we never get to “the rest of the story.” Christ has forgiven us our sin and this means that we have objectively and truly – actually and factually – received a new position in life; these things are true: you’ve died to sin; you have His resurrection life. And yes, part of St. Paul’s meaning here in Romans 6 is referring to the future resurrection of the body that is yet to come; his meaning, however, also includes the enduring new status that is the life of the Resurrected Lord Jesus already yours!

 

So what? Well, the “so what” answer is everything to the Christian and I hope you will absolutely soak in this truth Christian: the “so what” is that the domination, the mastery, the tyranny of sin has been destroyed. This is a fact. So while it may be so that because you are still in the world, you must still deal with the presence of sin, what has changed is the predominance of sin! Sin is still around, but it is no longer your master. You Christian are now under new ownership. When Christ died, and the life of God entered into the veins and arteries of death itself, death received its terminal cancer; it received its thermal nuclear warhead and it died and sin lost its mastery. This is true, this is factual; this is actual because when Christ died He died to kill sin and you benefited (this is a fact) and when Christ rose He rose to give you life unending (and this is a fact). And those who have been baptized into Christ Jesus – like you have – now have entered into this true status. Sin is no longer your master. That’s a fact!

In Jesus' Love!

Pastor Espinosa

p.s.

1. New Adult Study begins at 11:00 am with Dr. Herb Geisler on "Music among Christians is...."

2. High School Study continues on the relationship between faith and science.

3. Tomorrow for the first time we begin offering TWO Sunday School classes for our children. One class for the little ones AND a separate class for the confirmation aged youth led by Dr. Mary Hobus.

4. Parish Council meeting at 12 pm.

5. Confirmation at 3:00 pm.

When my dad was nearing the end of his life he had to be in a full-time residential care facility. He always wanted to "come home." This was a very difficult time for the family. One day he told us why "home" was so important to him. "Home" was where my mom was; his "home" was where his wife was. Home was associated with a person. His words were a testimony to his love for my mother.

Our greatest home is also associated with a person. We forget that our Lord Himself designated a special place where He is found and where He has chosen to meet us. When He was on earth, He Himself kept coming back to this home. For us this home is an earthly paradise. This home is where Jesus is.

Come to this home tomorrow morning and connect with Jesus Christ. In this home gathering you will be fed and nourished with His Word and with His Sacrament. This home is offered and accessible to you every Sunday in 2015. It is here to bless you.

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow's sermon:

“Where Christ Is Found”

(Luke 2:40-52)

Pastor Al Espinosa

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Our Church, the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, is the only Christian Church body officially represented in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade. What a magnificent witness the Lord has permitted us to give to the world every year on national television! But how does one present the saving faith on a float? In 1997 I had the honor to be on our theme-winning float that year and the saving faith was shown through the stages of our lives highlighted by our being in the Father’s house. There was a scene of a baptism, when we were brought to the Father’s house to be born again. It showed confirmation, when we were brought to the Father’s house to confess our faith at about 12 years of age (this was the same age that Jesus was in the temple as recorded in our Luke 2 Gospel: the age at which Jews began advanced training in the Scriptures/the Word of God). And there was a scene of holy matrimony when we came to the Father’s house to become one with our beloved in the Name of the Triune God. That float did not include our funeral (I suppose for understandable reasons: not wanting to dampen the New Year celebration since the world does not see death through the lens of faith). But hopefully our funerals will be in the Father’s house…always in the Father’s house, the best place to be on earth…the Father’s house.

 

The Psalmist wrote, “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.” (Psalm 84:10)    We learn to emphasize all of this in the third commandment and its meaning as taught in Luther’s Small Catechism. Let’s review these. As I ask the questions, please read the answers back (or do so by memory).

 

What is the third commandment?

 

“You shall remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.”

 

What does this mean?

 

“We should fear and love God, so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.”

 

This holy commandment is vital to keep before us. God is taking good care of us by commanding us to be in the best place throughout our lives so that our faith is kept alive and caused to grow in a healthy way. This happens because in the Father’s house the Lord Jesus comes to us to feed and nourish our faith in Him through His Word and Sacrament. Even in the New Testament, we are admonished therefore not to give up gathering in the Father’s house so that we may encourage one another and all the more as the Day of Christ approaches (Hebrews 10:25). To be sure it’s a big deal to be in the Father’s house!

 

The problem dear Christian is that this is not at all obvious to us. This is quite simply not our way of thinking. Our first inclination and natural way of reasoning is not to be in the Father’s house. There are many reasons for this, but the main one is because by nature we don’t believe God’s Word that this is where the Lord is to be found. We want to find God and try to find God in other places; in so many places other than in the Father’s house!

 

We act this way – in sin against the Father’s house – for a wrong internal reason and a wrong external reason. The wrong internal reason is that we want to go along with the idea that “God is in our hearts.” So if God is in your heart, then why in the world would you ever need to connect with Him in His house? You see, if God is in you, then you don’t need the Father’s house! The problem here is that in-spite of how religious and spiritual we might think ourselves to be, our hearts are in themselves in bad shape. Jeremiah 17:9 states that “the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” It is a bad move Christian to ever substitute your heart for the Father’s house. Not a good idea!

 

The external excuse is the supreme cop-out that equates the Father’s house with the institutions of man. How many of us have heard the objection against attending worship since this is a giving in to “man-made institutions.” The implication is obvious: the church = a man-made institution. Now while it is true that men have created institutions, the Church however is not man’s creation, but God’s. The Church is God’s holy bride; in the Father’s house God has arranged to meet us in order to save us from sin and death. Don’t let the “man-made institution” deception and logical fallacy get you off track in coming to the Father’s house!

 

In the meantime, don’t ever think that it is mere coincidence that one of the basic attacks against our faith is when our minds list all of the reasons why we shouldn’t come to the Father’s house! This is not coincidental but part and parcel the battle that is constant in our lives. Now this is not to say that the Church is not to strive to be as faithful as it can be and avoid unnecessary roadblocks. We are to show Christ and the love of God. When we do a poor job of this, we create obstacles for people to be in the Father’s house. But having said this, we also must be aware that -- at the same time -- our sinful nature generates excuses to avoid the Father’s house.

 

Nowadays the younger generation is challenged in wondering if the church is even relevant anymore. We need to be aware of the current issues that challenge how we present ourselves as the Body of Christ. Tony Cook in his Next Gen. presentation about reaching today’s millennial generation (those born between the early 80’s and the early 2000’s) wants to make us aware of these things that are on the hearts and minds of millennials today. They desire a Church that:

 

• Focuses on Jesus and his teachings
• Connects to daily life
• Provides models of maturity and character
• Demonstrates love, mutual respect, and unity
• Doesn’t compromise doctrine
• Provides supportive intergenerational community
• Address issues of equality and justice
• Serves community and world
• Allows diverse leadership and participation
• Listens to perspectives and allows discussion
• Utilizes Internet as educational platform
• Connects stewardship to mission not administration

 

That is we should do all that can – as long as it is consistent with the Word of Christ – to be faithful to what it means to offer the Father’s house to people for whom Jesus shed His precious blood! We need to do this, because so many people – even those without faith in Christ – know that Christmas is about the birth of Christ, but it is easy for us to miss the rest of the story: the Savior who was born kept coming back to the Father’s house. Have you noticed this about the Word of God? Jesus was only 8 days old when He is brought to the Father’s house to be circumcised. The world celebrated New Years on January 1^st, but the Holy Church remembers that this was the 8^th day; the day of our Lord’s circumcision. To even mention it seems weird and detached and the skeptic will say, “No wonder people view the Church as irrelevant!” But people often complain about what they don’t understand.

 

Jesus had to go to the Father’s house, the holy temple in Jerusalem to have done to him what the Old Testament Law required. It was the sign that Jesus was truly a son of Abraham, a member of God’s covenant people. But much more occurred that day. Again, this happened in the temple – the Father’s house – where all of the holy and bloody sacrifices were offered up to God, but now an 8-day old baby came and his blood was shed for the first time in the Father’s house…Jesus was not merely keeping the Law of God for you, but He was already showing why He came. He came to shed His blood so that all who come to the Father’s house trusting in Jesus’ blood shed for their sin would be acceptable in the sight of the Heavenly Father. Then 32 days later, Jesus is brought back to the Temple/The Father’s house again. This time for the holy presentation and this was when Simeon sang his song. This was when He said that Jesus was the salvation of God, the long-awaited Savior -- God with us -- hiding in a baby who came to give Himself in the Father’s house for all sinners. And now here we are again – in our Gospel today – Jesus comes back at age 12…and where is He? What is the Biblical message for us Christian? Where is Jesus to be found? Where do we find Him AGAIN?! Answer: in the Father’s House!

In Jesus' Love,

Rev. Alfonso Espinosa, Ph.D.

The Lord has given us one last Sunday to prepare for Christmas. That's tomorrow. In our Gospel from Luke 1:26-38 we will hear of THE preparation for that first and original Christmas: the Virgin Mary conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit which is evidence of the glorious Incarnation (when God took on flesh and became one of us).

Christmas comes because God entered into our lives. God is not far away and detached. He joined our lives by His will and by His Word...it happened out of His great love for you and me.

Come let us receive the Word of Christ as we make our final preparations for Christmas...not just through decorating, and gifts, and parties...but through spiritual preparations: confessing our sin, receiving absolution, receiving the Word proclaimed, and partaking in the Holy Sacrament. Christ comes to prepare us for His coming. That's God's plan for us, keeping our faith alive and growing.

Also, let us rejoice as we receive 19 new members to our congregation! This is indeed a time of great celebration! Along these lines, remember that every individual member has a constant mutual-ministry opportunity: reach out to one another, build bridges, be friendly. If you see someone who is alone, greet them, introduce yourself (even if you've done it before as we live in grace). Let's be one of those congregations that guests will talk about: "they are a friendly church; a loving church!" It makes all the difference in the world.

By the way, this is not a random tag to our theme. God is not just a theological idea of love and mercy...no, He actually came to us in the flesh. We don't just talk and study theology...we live in love. The Christian loves the Word and -- remember -- loves people. Put the two together and now we are on to something!

In Jesus' Love,

Pastor Espinosa