We are approaching the end, including the end of the Church Year. Towards the end of our Lord's public ministry, people were gathering to try to discredit our Lord; religious leaders tried to trap Him. Tomorrow's text is about one of these instances, but through it the Lord Jesus -- before His glorious resurrection -- taught about our resurrection, aboutyour resurrection.

This teaching, however, is not limited to impacting only your future, but also most definitely your NOW. There is law from Luke 20 to reveal what threatens you today; and there is amazing Gospel from Luke 20 to encourage and strengthen you today. I hope you'll come to be fed through Word and Sacrament as you receive this sermon "The God of the Living" and the life-giving Holy Communion.

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In the face of the typhoon that has taken at least 1,200 lives in the Philippines, I reached out to and have already heard back from Rev. James Cerdenola, president of The Lutheran Church in the Philippines. The typhoon struck the central island of the three main islands where there are three LCP congregations. Please keep these in prayer. At tomorrow's parish council meeting we will discuss how we might extend help to LCP.

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Dr. Charles Manske, the founding president of Concordia University Irvine (when it was founded as Christ College), preached before a packed-chapel at CUI yesterday. In his sermon he shared his diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and it was obvious that he was physically weak. However, he was amazingly strong in spirit and in the Holy Spirit! His proclamation was tremendously inspirational as he encouraged all of us to make the most of the short time we have here to serve the Lord and to share the Gospel. In the sermon he shared about the long process to establish the university. Against many odds, one of the first priorities he enacted was the formation of a prayer team. I sat there realizing that this is something we should be doing as we seek our own facility at Saint Paul's. Effective immediately, I would like to form -- apart from the site committee -- a team whose sole focus is prayer for our future facility. 

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Our "stewardship program" has not been about time, treasures, and talents...the typical approach to many programs, but has been about our stewardship in the Word of Christ. My interest is for you to experience the benefit of being in the Word more often (which includes the possible formation of more Small Group Bible Studies). What might follow is to grow in our stewardship of vocation, thinking more about our service to the Lord in our everyday life, without putting more on your plate so that you can feel more religious. Let's celebrate our vocations today: loving your spouse, your children, your grandchildren, your neighbors, your co-workers...these are the golden opportunities to love and share Christ's Gospel right now...all of this comes as the Word of God fills us more and more.

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow's sermon:

“The God of the Living” (Luke 20:27-40)

Twenty-five Sunday after Pentecost

Pastor Espinosa

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. We are quickly moving towards the end of the Church Year and today is the 25^th Sunday after Pentecost and also the third-to-last Sunday of the Church Year. Themes of the end are properly put before us and our Gospel this morning from Luke chapter 20 records some of the events before the end of our Lord’s public ministry. It seems surreal that the precious Son of God sent to save all people, full of love and mercy; full of compassion and grace would be attacked by so many trying to trip Him up, trap Him in his words, and discredit Him. The assaulters of the Lord line up in this section of Saint Luke’s Gospel. And though the scribes or Pharisees opposed the teaching of the chief priests or Sadducees; the two parties nevertheless found common ground in their goal to kill Jesus.

 

In our particular Gospel at Luke 20:27-40, it is the Sadducees who are taking their shot at Jesus. These particular Jews traced a proud lineage to the high priest under King David, they included lay people from wealthy and privileged families devoted to the temple cult and cut off from other Jews. At the same time they had a tendency to be “free thinkers” and “loose livers” (Lenski, 992), embracing Greek culture and were at the end of the day theological liberals. As a result of their weak Scriptural understanding they rejected the teaching of the bodily resurrection after death and they also rejected the teaching of the existence of angels, both of which of course are major teachings of the Christian faith.

 

Why would they reject such things? That’s a good question, but the ancient testimony of Ephrem the Syrian states that as “Sadducees” meant “the just [ones],” they had a tendency to take pride in their self-image that did not need a reward in order to trust in God (Ancient Christian Commentary, New Testament III, 312). Resurrection is a reward. It is also certainly true that angels are of great benefit.  The Sadducees prided themselves, however, on needing none of this. They were the just ones who believed in God without needing any reward or benefit!
That is to say they were very proud of themselves and it is this of course that is the basic reason for their rejecting Christ and the teaching of God’s Word. They considered themselves above the Lord and above His Word!

 

But the more specific explanation for their rejection of the resurrection is revealed in the way they tested Jesus as recorded in Luke 20. The basis for their hypothetical scenario about the woman and the seven brothers all of whom became her husband was for them to be able to ask Jesus a climatic question which they believed was unanswerable and would in the final analysis demonstrate why Jesus was not be followed: “In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be?”

 

Furthermore, the other characteristic of the Sadducees was to hold to the code of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Old Testament, the books of Moses). Moses was authoritative, not Jesus. They had in mind Deuteronomy 25:5-6 which is part of the Mosaic Law that was simply given to not allow the dead, childless brother’s line to die out; the first son of the new marriage would be regarded as the dead man’s child and thus his name and heritage would be preserved. But the Sadducees stretched this teaching out to the extent that they made a grand assumption and this is the real problem revealed: they assumed that the conditions of this world dictate the conditions of the next. If all seven husbands rise from the dead, then you face a ludicrous situation because the woman would have seven husbands after the resurrection! They therefore rejected the bodily resurrection.

 

Fast forward to the 21^st century and you soaking all of this in today: In a way, who can blame us for feeling extraordinary detached from this text in God’s Word? After all, the last time I checked our church roster, none of us here are Sadducees and if you really are, then please see me after divine service, but wait a minute, it may be possible that all of us will need to see me after divine service and I’ll need to see my pastor this week as well. Why? Because it is clear that our sinful nature shares all of the key points of concern this Word of God reveals about the Sadducees:

 

1)      They were fundamentally proud and regardless of their peculiar cultural and biblical positions, their sinful nature is a reflection of our own: we look for ways to qualify God’s Word in order to justify ourselves…both our core beliefs and our core behaviors. Ancient Sadducees aren’t the only human beings who have ever done this. We do this whenever we decide that defending our pride is more important than following God’s Word. I once had a parishioner who did not remain a parishioner for long who very carefully and sincerely explained to me why it was ok for her to commit adultery since she loved the man she was having an affair with and did not in fact (feel) love for her husband. Our flesh engages in this insanity. We are all in this respect happy Sadducees by a different name in 21^st century America.

 

2)      But this isn’t the only way that we relate to their situation: once God’s Word is qualified to suit our own agenda: we miss out in the power of God that is intended to be known and lived out through His Word. For example when the teaching of the forgiveness of sins is embraced, we experience “the power” and the liberation to share that forgiveness with those who offend us, and even if they do not confess their sin -- and we are forced to wait until we can give absolution -- we can still rid ourselves of the bitterness in our hearts and forgive them in our hearts as we pray this liberating power coming from our Living Lord who forgives us every day: “and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.” But when we change the Word, we forsake its power. In the case of the Sadducees, their pride against God’s Word caused them to reject the resurrection! Does this happen anymore? I would like to suggest that it happens more often than we care to admit. No, we cannot say that this is always the manifestation of the sinful flesh, but it is certainly a very common one, because to reject the resurrected Christ is to accept compromises of what happens after death.

Tomorrow is a very sacred and holy day. We will celebrate All Saints' Day and also celebrate the commemoration of the faithful departed. We will remember the martyrs and all the saints, the faithful who have died in the faith. It is a very precious annual observance for us at Saint Paul's.

We will also proclaim the Gospel from Matthew 5:1-12, the portal to the Sermon on the Mount and a spectacular Scripture known as "The Beatitudes." It is a phenomenal text in which Jesus commences His public words in His saving, public ministry. They are words which establish that Jesus came to impart GRACE! Unfortunately, these words are often treated as new Law, making Jesus into a second Moses. We will proclaim the true meaning and lift up those who are "poor in spirit."

In addition, we will receive the life-giving body and blood of Jesus and experience first-hand the great gift given to those who "thirst and hunger for [God's] righteousness." Come and be fed; come and be nourished!

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow's sermon:

“Blessed Are You” (Matthew 5:1-12)

Pastor Espinosa

     Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus saw “great crowds” (Mt 4:25) – some of whom came to hear Jesus (Mt 7:28) as they saw him sit down (as Rabbis typically did when they taught), his disciples also came to Him (Mt 5:1) and at this juncture in Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus spoke the very first words of His public ministry; the very first words out of His mouth to reach all people (members of the crowd back then), as well as those already following Him (disciples = mathetes means “learner,” or “hearer,” and translates into one who follows); and these very first words are to the “crowds/all people” today; and to His present-day disciples like you…these are the very first words which mark Jesus’ ministry, which reveal why Jesus came! What would they be? What words would set the entire tone and main content for His saving ministry and the reason for His coming into the world?

 

Jesus’ first words are nine sentences declaring and imparting His blessing upon sinners. These “blessed” (markarioi) statements proclaim and impart grace dear Christians, they are Gospel words! Much to our great shame, however, we treat them over-and-over again as Law words, as man-made, cause and effect words: “If you are this, then you are blessed.” This is wrong and treats Jesus as a new Law-Giver. This false understanding implies that Moses once went up to the mountain for the first set of tablets called the Ten Commandments, and now Jesus goes up to this New Testament mountain to give us a new set of tablets, this time containing a more spiritual law in the Beatitudes.

 

So plain and simple: the words of grace and blessedness are mistreated as ethical prescriptions like these:

 

“If you are poor in spirit, then you will get the kingdom of heaven.”

“If you mourn, then you will be comforted.”

“If you are meek, then you will inherit the earth.”

“If you hunger and thirst for righteousness, then you will be satisfied.”

“If you are merciful, then you will receive mercy.”

“If you are pure in heart, then you will see God.”

“If you are a peacemaker, then you – with other faithful ones -- will be called sons of God.”

Etc.

 

So again with this orientation -- and according to this misinformed view -- Jesus is teaching you and me how we can earn the kingdom of heaven. That is, He is teaching us about how to train our attitudes. “I need to be more humble, more contrite, more righteous, more merciful, more pure, more apt to make peace…and if I am these, then I shall be blessed.”

 

But if this is anything “blessed,” then it is a blessed catastrophe in interpretation and we totally misunderstand our Savior! If this were the case, then the true beauty of poor sinners beholding their gracious Savior – as they will also do in heaven (Rev. 7) and at the end of the world (1^st John 3) – and receiving His free love and mercy is denied and replaced with a picture that isn’t about beholding Jesus, but is a picture of beholding ourselves: looking upon ourselves, and our potential for moral improvement. This view, however, is an affront to everything that our Lord meant in starting His saving ministry with the nine declarations of “blessed.”

 

Besides can you imagine the hypocrisy involved if we actually took the view that our sinful flesh wants to take? How lowly and humble do you make yourselves in service to others really? Perhaps there is a level of some sort of humility in how you treat others, but only when they are kind to you and especially if they agree with you! But how lowly and humble are you towards those who disagree? How lowly and humble are you to those you’ve determined ahead of time don’t serve your lowliness and who do not deserve your humility? And how much do you hunger and thirst for righteousness when you hunger and thirst for the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions (1^st John 2:16)? And how merciful are you towards those you’ve convinced yourself are not deserving of mercy so that you can be like the unforgiving servant who received mercy, but then tried to choke out of another servant what was owed him (Mt 18:21f)? How pure in heart are you when by nature you easily permit the things of this world to become the idols which command your time and energy? If this was the message of Jesus in the commencing His ministry, then He is surely a “Savior” we do not want to know; that is He would be no Savior at all, but only a new task-master intent on magnifying the misery of helpless sinners!

 

But the true Savior, the real Jesus began His great sermon with this portal of grace: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” This is a proclamation of universal grace to you sinner and to all sinners (like me and the rest of humanity). The “poor in spirit” is a description of the status of human beings, it is a description of what we are: spiritually deprived. The poor in spirit have not the spiritual resources to save themselves. On account of sin, they are spiritually bankrupt and lost; they are dead in their trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1). But in your lost and spiritually dead – spiritually poor – condition, Jesus comes and the very first words out of His mouth is to bless you! And there is but one reason: for YOURS is the kingdom of heaven. The first beatitude and the eighth beatitude are distinct from the 2^nd through 7^th beatitudes. The 2^nd through 7^th describe blessings to come in the future; but the 1^st and 8^th describe THE blessing that is already yours: the kingdom of heaven is yours right now sinner! Why? Because the King of the kingdom has come FOR YOU! Jesus was presenting Himself back then as the Savior of sinners and Jesus is presenting Himself right now – right this moment – as the Savior of sinners. The King comes to you – as helpless as you are – to save you.

 

And this is the significance of the word “blessed,” it is not an attitude – like “be happy” – but a status: you’re saved! You’re rescued! You’re forgiven! You’re given the kingdom with all of its blessings in tow! Not because you’ve made yourself poor in spirit, but because Jesus came for what you already are: Jesus has come for sinners. This message is 100% unadulterated grace for sinners! It is the Good News that saves and blesses us while were enslaved to the sin that made us spiritually bankrupt. You are blessed because Jesus comes for the helpless, period!

In Jesus' Love,

Pastor Espinosa

Tomorrow we celebrate the Feast of the Reformation! In the 16th century the Lord led our confession back into alignment with the early, catholic (universal Christian) confession based on God's Word apart from man-made doctrine:

You are saved (rescued from sin, death, and the power of the devil)...

It's a big day for our congregation and we are soooo thankful for the blessings the Lord is pouring out upon us at Saint Paul's. YOU are a vital part of what is happening and we rejoice in our fellowship in the Lord.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God." -- Ephesians 2:8-9

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow's sermon:

“Constant Reformation and Knowing the Truth”

(John 8:32)

Reformation Sunday, October 27^th, 2013

Pastor Espinosa

 

            Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. A highly influential figure in the Church of England, John Henry Newman stunned the Anglican community in 1843 when he left his position as vicar of St. Mary’s, Oxford, to join the Roman Catholic Church. He was an accomplished theologian who desired to identify himself with the truest tradition of the Christian faith. In his mind the question was between the Anglican tradition which took its stand upon Antiquity or Apostolicity vs. the Roman tradition which took its stand upon Catholicity. That is the Anglican Church holds that its true church status comes through their holding to apostolic tradition whereas the Roman Church is confident in her fidelity based on the fact that they view themselves as never having left the original church itself. In the meantime -- in Newman’s mind -- Lutheranism was a Protestant heresy (Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua, New York: Dover Publications, 2005: 94).

 

            It is perhaps somewhat understandable that the Lutheran Church might be viewed this way since we have not bound ourselves so much to the traditions Newman was concerned about per se, as much as our striving to rely on the apostolic tradition and the catholic foundation that both of the other two traditions also claim: the holding to the Word of God. But for us Lutherans we say a little more than the others do: we say “the Word of God alone,” is the basis for our Reformation emphasis also known as sola Scriptura. We believe that nothing is more apostolic since it was this Word that the apostles themselves lived and died for; and nothing else is more catholic (as in representing the universal church) than this Word of God which true Christians throughout all ages have always confessed with their mouths and believed on in their hearts!

 

              So on April 17^th, 1521 Luther was ushered into the Diet of Worms at about 4:00 pm. “He was visibly awed by what he saw. There was Emperor Charles V himself, heir to a 1000-year-old empire. Near him on the raised dais were his advisers and the representatives of Rome. All around were Spanish troops decked out in their parade best. The rest of the hall was filled with the politically powerful of Germany – the seven electors, the bishops and princes of the church, the territorial princes, the representatives of the great cities. In the midst of this impressive assembly there was a table, piled high with books (Kittelson, Luther The Reformer: The Story of the Man and His Career, 160).” Those books were written by Luther and had gotten him into a lot of trouble to the extent that his very life was on the line at Worms. The books contradicted the evolving doctrine of the Roman Church. This was considered an insidious sin so in front of all to hear, Luther’s examiner declared, “you must give a simple, clear, and proper answer to the question, Will you recant or not?” Luther did answer, and it was an answer that, in his words, was without “horns or teeth”:

 

           “Unless I can be instructed and convinced with evidence from the Holy Scriptures or with open, clear, and distinct grounds and reasoning – and my conscience is captive to the Word of God – then I cannot and will not recant, because it is neither safe nor wise to act against conscience.”

 

He then added: “Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me! Amen (ibid, p. 161).”

 

            This is what we know and confess as Lutheran Christians: the Word of God as our source of life and truth because it is that Word which reveals the Lord Jesus Christ our light and our life; and it is only Christ who truly reveals God and His heart towards us which is one of love and mercy leading us to the forgiveness of our sins and eternal life in and through His Son Jesus Christ. If you take away this Word, you take away Christ and if you take away Christ, you take away the only hope for sinners in a Gracious God.

 

         But my dear brothers and sisters in Christ, what does it mean “to know?” It’s easy to throw these words around. Some folks want to equate knowledge with awareness, but that won’t cut the mustard when it comes to really knowing something. The word “know” is used for example to describe the intimacy between a husband and wife. It would be insulting to a wife for her husband to say that he was “aware” of his wife. Or – as another example – let’s say someone asks you if you “know” how to do something. They are probably seeking out detailed knowledge and expertise. If a person’s car breaks down and you come along to help and then you’re asked if you “know” about fuel injection systems, it should be easy to answer that question. Most people would never say that they know fuel injection systems if they had simply heard of them. We are all to a certain extent, experts in that we know about something that we experience or do on a regular and frequent basis. This is true even of children who could teach many of us about a game or two that we would have no clue on how to play. This is real knowledge; it is intimate in that it is so familiar that it amounts to substantial insight into whatever it is being discussed.

 

            Well this word “know” is the word Jesus used in our Reformation Gospel today in John 8:31-32: “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”

              Jesus is saying that there is something every disciple; every follower of Jesus just “knows.” And he was not talking about sophisticated theology, but about what is most important to know from the Word of God; that which is the very center of Scripture. Whether that follower of Christ is in high school, is a real estate agent, runs a restaurant, is a professional athlete, works at Cosco, Walmart or Target, is a preacher, a nurse, an attorney, or is a full-time domestic engineer, what all disciples of Christ have in common is this: they KNOW the teaching of Jesus; they know the truth!

 

            Last Sunday I had an extended discussion with our confirmands that Jesus did not come to be a new law-giver or a new Moses. So many folks think that Jesus came to show us how to live so that in imitating Him we might save ourselves from sin. This is the single most popular and natural concept about Jesus. It is wrong. True disciples rather know the Gospel:

 

1. That Jesus lived for us to keep the Law of God in our stead.
2. That Jesus died for us to cover our sins with His blood.
3. That Jesus rose for us to have eternal life.

Hope to see you tomorrow!

In Christ,

Pastor Espinosa

The parable of the unrighteous judge and the persistent widow is completely unique to Luke 18:1-8 in God's Word. This is the only place that we encounter it. It is a very special part of God's holy revelation. It is an amazing teaching.

The widow is a picture of the Church and of every true member in it like you and me. We are helpless and without power and yet the Word and the Spirit leads us to a stubbornness and tenacity marked by a constant crying out to God. We refuse to give up. This is a challenging word for us, because this same widow is forced to wait for "a while," and this is the part that causes us to really struggle. We cry out, "how long O Lord, how long?" Furthermore, we know that we often see the inconsistency and failure of our persistence...we are not as persistent as we ought to be.

We are, however, led to an amazing comparison that our Lord Jesus Himself makes: He compares God to the unrighteous judge. In what way? And how is this comparison used as a startling comfort for us as we strive in the face of our real burdens?

Come to Church and hear the Good News. I think you're going to like it! And it is the Word of Life that will give you hope that is real hope, hope that does not disappoint.

The Gospel text also describes the coming of the Lord as coming "speedily." We will also proclaim how this is true. In knowing this, we are greatly encouraged. In the meantime know that the Lord comes speedily tomorrow morning to feed you with His body and blood so that you are strengthened and given hope even now in the midst of your struggles.

What a joy it is to serve you dear Christian. I look forward to the feast of victory we will celebrate tomorrow morning!

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow's sermon:

“On Account of God’s Speedy Vindication, We Don’t Lose Heart” (Luke 18:1-8)

October 20^th, 2013

Pastor Espinosa

 

            Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. It is so easy to lose heart. I was receiving a prayer request from a Christian friend this past week who told me about his old friend who is going through more than one crisis in his life at this time. My Christian friend tried to encourage his old friend to call on the Lord during the storm (after all it is often the case that people are most willing to seek the Lord when they are going through hard times). But my Christian friend was extremely saddened – and I with him – as he told me how his old friend responded. He said in what sounded like a bitter and hopeless response: “[God] and I are not friends.” Why did he say this? The answer was simple. This man had prayed to God before, but he perceived that his prayer was not answered and so the old friend is acting as if he has lost all hope in God.

 

            This is a shocking state of affairs, but it is probably more common than we realize because the Lord Himself in our Gospel this morning -- Luke 18:1-8 -- is addressing this very problem. This is the only place in the entire Bible that we see this parable of the unrighteous judge and the persistent widow and the evangelist Saint Luke begins the presentation of our Lord’s parable by stating the purpose of the parable up front: “[Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that [the disciples] ought always to pray and not to lose heart (v 1).”

 

            This is a staggering and wonderful gift from God in a very simple and straight-forward manner in His precious Word to us: persistence in prayer is the church’s posture until the glorious second coming of Christ (Just, Luke 9:51-24:53, 671); the Lord was teaching that a “constant prayer life is the opposite of growing weary or tired (Buls, Exegetical Notes: Gospel Texts Series C Luke-John Sundays after Pentecost, 71).” The Word of God is also straight-forward in other places about His divine strategy for keeping us in the kingdom: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer (Romans 12:12).” This constancy in prayer means that prayer in your life Christian is to be regular and frequent and in light of why it is so urgent (as in warding off losing heart) prayer is quite simply presented as a necessity in the life of the disciple of Jesus Christ.

 

            We need prayer so that we do not become discouraged or give up if our petitions are not answered immediately (Just, 671). True prayer continues to pray in such a way so as to wrestle with God even as Jacob did as recorded in Genesis 32 and insisting unto the Lord, “I will not let you go unless you bless me (v 26).”

 

             Along these lines of faithful persistence in prayer is the widow in this parable. The scene is absolutely striking (and in a second you’ll see why the word “striking” is so appropriate)! This judge has all the power; and the original audience would have been shocked by this judge’s shamelessness: he did not fear God – he was a real pagan absolutely unmotivated for doing the right thing – and he did not respect man (so he didn’t even care about what others thought about his cold heart). Again, he had all the power, but he was also shameless. What was anyone going to get from this guy? Absolutely nothing!

 

            To make matters worse is that this wasn’t just anyone asking the judge for vindication, but a widow. In the Hebrew culture this meant that the woman – having lost her husband – had also lost all of her rights; she was powerless; she was a nobody. What chance did this widow have in the face of a shameless judge? The ancient church father Ephrem the Syrian is great at this juncture: “These two were stubborn, but persistent prayer was even more stubborn. The persistence of the widow humiliated both the iniquity that was rebelling against God and the boldness that was behaving arrogantly towards human beings…Persistence transformed these two bitter branches, and they bore sweet fruit that was against their nature (Ancient Christian Commentary New Testament III, 277).” Translation? The persistent widow beat up the unrighteous judge! He could not withstand her; she was too much! The verb here at verse 3 “kept coming” is in the imperfect…she came and she kept coming; she wouldn’t stop!

 

          “[This widow] is a different kind of widow. She fights back (Concordia Journal, Vol 24, Num 4,  October, 1998: 373).” She was probably widowed as a young woman. She was healthy and strong and would not be complacent in the face of her troubles. Verse 5 uses the words “beat me down”…the Greek concept comes from the world of boxing. This is confirmed by 1^st Corinthians 9:27, the only other place in the entire New Testament that uses this same verb. In speaking of what he does to his body to keep it under control while using this verb, Saint Paul’s words in 1^st Corinthians 9:27 are translated by the KJV as “I keep under my body and bring it into subjection,” by the NAS as “I buffet my body and make it my slave,” by the Williams translation, “I keep on beating and bruising my body and making it my slave,” and the Beck translation, “I beat my body and make it my slave.”

 

            In high school I had a friend who came to me explaining that she was being harassed by some scary guys. I told her that she should let me take her to my former Karate dojo. I met up with her one evening and introduced her to my former sensei. She became an amazing student eventually advancing to black belt and became the California state Karate kumite or tournament fighting champion. I was considerably bigger and stronger than my friend, but there was no way I ever wanted to get into a fight with her!

 

           In this parable the unrighteous judge met up with a widow with a black belt. The Word of God at verse 5 is that the unrighteous judge is concerned that this widow is going to “strike [him] under the eye.” This is the actual original language translation!

 

            Well, this can be all very exciting and as the Law is always good at doing, you can start to hear the Rocky song “Eye of the Tiger” in your mind as you psych yourself up to be fighting in prayer like this widow (the widow does after all stand for the church and all of her members like you); or to be wrestling in prayer like Jacob, but be careful, because if this is how we leave Luke 18 we are all going to be in a lot of trouble. We’re only half-way there.

[come and receive the most important part, the GOSPEL tomorrow morning!]

Invite a friend!

In Your Service and To Christ's Glory,

Pastor

p.s. tomorrow during adult Bible Study at 11:00 am I am presenting a power-point study on Individual Confession and Absolution. What in the world is this anyway? Why do Lutheran Christians offer it? What is it for? Come find out. It is a powerful gift of the free Gospel of Christ.

Tomorrow's Gospel text is a text that is often used for Thanksgiving Day, but we have to recall that long before the national holiday in the United States, this godly theme was given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ 2000 years ago. Recall also that Pentecost elaborates on what it means to live as disciples and this one virtue (and action) -- thanks -- is generated by the Holy Spirit to show the life of Christ.

The benefits of a life lived with thanksgiving is easy to underestimate; it is the Lord's prescription for squashing the complaints of our soul and it is a virtue which guards our minds in the peace of God (see Philippians 4).

However, there is much more to the text as this theme can never be reduced to the theme of a legalistic pep talk. This text depicts the incredible misery of the leper which reduces him to the cry, "Have Mercy!" To truly see Jesus' response is to see the magnificent love and mercy of our Savior. It is amazing; it is overwhelming; and it is a picture of the grace that He has towards us spiritual "lepers."

That is this Gospel shows how thanksgiving is formed. It is not the result of mental manipulation (though this is the popular construction), but it is the result of the Gospel...it is the result of the Lord forming your faith...it is the result of what will be given to you through His body and blood tomorrow morning!

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow's sermon:

“At Jesus’ Feet, Giving Him Thanks”

(Luke 17:11-19)

Pastor Espinosa

 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. One of the greatest joys and privileges I get to enjoy as your pastor is to make visitations. In my estimation while preparing and then delivering sermons in order to proclaim the life-giving Word of Christ is crucial in the holy ministry, there are certain other tasks which are indispensable for keeping pastors as pastors. If not for visitations, pastors become distant and detached from the people of God. If a pastor does not conduct visitations with his people he loses his identity as a shepherd. Visitations keep the spirit of pastoral ministry alive and I have discovered over the years that no matter how challenging those visitations may be, I am always blessed through them. God’s people bless me when I visit them. You bless me when you permit me to visit you.

 

It’s an interesting state of affairs, because it’s one of those things that tempts us to say, “Oh, but we’re all just so busy and I don’t want to be a burden!” But the fact of the matter is that when you permit me to visit you; permitting to at least try to answer your questions; and when you allow me to pray with you, to share God’s Word with you while applying it to your unique circumstances, or when you allow me to share God’s holy absolution with you, you bless me; and you help me to remain a pastor and not just someone who stands in front of you on Sunday mornings. I cannot begin to describe how there is really nothing better than spending time with God’s people, esp. from the standpoint that these visitations represent ongoing training to say nothing of living in the Spirit’s love. Think about it: the Holy Spirit who created the heavens and earth and who is the author of the gift of faith lives in His people, He lives in you. So when I see you and we share our faith, the Holy Spirit is molding and training us, refining our faith and making us stronger in Christ. He continues to train me through you.

 

In our Lutheran Confessions we teach that one of the means of grace – how God comes to us in His Word to feed and strengthen our faith – is through “the mutual conversation and consolation of the brethren (Tappert, ed., The Book of Concord, Smalcald Articles, IV, p 310).” That is, all that I’ve said about my visiting you, is also true when you visit another brother or sister in Christ. How good it is for us to live as God’s people when fellow church members become friends and meet each other in order to encourage and love one another!

 

This past week was no exception for me. I was seeing Gladys Geisler and once again I was extremely blessed. Without getting into personal details, let me just say that Gladys has not had an easy go of it as of late. She’s battling with some physical ailments and what confronts many people in their 90’s; she has spent a lot of time in bed. But with all of this going on and while having every reason to complain but refusing to do so, after some hymns and receiving the Holy Sacrament, I asked her for her prayer requests that I could take with me as I left the Geisler residence. She thought about it for a second with a smile on her face and then with sincerity and joy she said to me: “Pray that we would be thankful for all the Lord’s gifts to us.” I’m sure Gladys doesn’t realize what an impact her words had on me. What an example! What a shining light of faith! With all of her troubles and with all of her weaknesses, her concern, her prayer, her meditation was and is thanks to God; thanks for all of His gifts; thanks in-spite of all the hardships, thanks. I was blown away and suddenly felt ashamed that I should complain about anything. I was immediately inspired and trained by my mother in Christ, Gladys Geisler. Her prayer request is that we would be thankful!

 

This leads me to think more carefully about the spiritual battle we face every day, so I challenge you this week dear Christian that when your own sin and the evil one tempts you to complain: think about what you have to be thankful for. If it helps, take a piece of paper and write down ten things that you’re thankful for and rejoice! There is nothing like thanks to squash the complaints that fill our soul. Saint Paul writes in Philippians 4: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things (v 8).”

 

What is more, I learned from Luther that we can even be thankful when the devil himself assaults us. I continue to love this quotation from Luther:

 

“When the devil accuses us and says: ‘You are a sinner; therefore you are damned,’ then we can answer him and say: ‘Because you say that I am a sinner, therefore I shall be righteous and be saved.’ ‘No,’ says the devil, ‘you will be damned.’ ‘No,’ I say, ‘for I take refuge in Christ, who has given Himself for my sins. Therefore, Satan, you will not prevail against me as you try to frighten me by showing me the magnitude of my sins and to plunge me into anguish, loss of faith, despair, hatred, contempt of God, and blasphemy. In fact, when you say that I am a sinner, you provide me with armor and weapons against yourself, so that I may slit your throat with your own sword and trample you underfoot. You yourself are preaching the glory of God to me; for you are reminding me, a miserable and condemned sinner, of the fatherly love of God, who ‘so loved the world that He gave His only Son, etc.’ (John 3:16). You are reminding me of the blessing of Christ my Redeemer. On His shoulders, not on mine, lie all my sins. For ‘the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all,’ and ‘for the transgressions of His people He was stricken’ (Is. 53:6, 8). Therefore when you say that I am a sinner, you do not frighten me; but you bring me immense consolation’ (Luther, Luther’s Works, AE Volume 26, 36-37).” Luther practiced being thankful even when he was reminded of his own sins! That’s the way to live!

Come to be blessed with Jesus' Word! Come to be strengthened by His body and blood!

Invite a friend, invite two friends! The Lord is blessing us!

In Jesus' Love,

Pastor Espinosa

According to our Savior and Lord what we say and what we do not only has a great impact on ourselves, but upon others. Furthermore, Jesus warns that what is typically translated as "temptations," "offenses," or "stumbling blocks" in Luke 17:1 can in fact be faith-killing death-traps! How many people have had their faith in God crumble due to the actions or words of others?

Conversely, the Lord teaches us that our words and actions can have an amazing impact for HELPING our fellow Christians! We are actually called in this Gospel to serve each other through a prescription of words designed to save the souls of those around us through Jesus ministry in and through His people! This call can be daunting! But the apostles knew just how to respond. "The apostles said to the Lord, 'Add to our faith!'" (Luke 17:5)

And in response Jesus gives a fascinating response: "If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed..." (Luke 17:6). This is the same faith that the Lord gave to you in and through your holy baptism; and it is the same faith that our Lord adds to in and through the Sacrament. This is a miraculous faith that shares the Word of Christ leading to the transplanting of people from the kingdom of the world to the kingdom of God!

Tomorrow morning we gain further insight on this faith the size of a grain of mustard seed!

We will also be fed with Holy Communion as Jesus is both host and guest in the Divine Service!

In addition, we will offer a children's message and then continue to serve after Divine Service with Sunday School for the children and Bible Study for all adults! Invite a friend to be blessed in the comforting and liberating Word of Jesus!

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow's sermon:

“Even Faith Like A Grain of Mustard Seed” (Luke 17:1-10)

October 6^th, 2013

Pastor Espinosa

 

            Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. We remain in the season of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit through the Word of Christ also teaches us how to live as disciples of Jesus. We are being reminded that while faith in Jesus alone is our salvation, that such genuine faith is never alone; a real life follows. We pray that the Lord would open our eyes and lead us to live as we are called to live in Christ, through the power of His Word which creates and nourishes faith, and of course through the Holy Spirit given to the Church at Pentecost and given to you personally at your little Pentecost when you were baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus. This morning’s Gospel -- Luke 17:1-10 -- is another place in God’s Word describing your new life. By God’s grace, may these words be more than just words to us; may we live them out!

 

            The practical concern that Jesus expressed as recorded in Luke 17 is that the Pharisees and the scribes were causing dangerous offense to the people who were inclined to believe in Jesus and who were in fact already coming to faith in Him (Lenski, Interpretation of Luke’s Gospel, 862). These precious “little ones” of Jesus, however, were now being threatened by the false teaching of those attacking Christ. These attacks are variously translated as “temptations,” “stumbling blocks,” or “offenses,” and Jesus said that it is impossible that these would not occur. They do occur and will continue to occur, because of the evil in the world. You must count on this Christian, you must be prepared and you must be on high alert. However, these translations might not be severe enough to get the point across. What was happening here and what still happens to this day is that these “temptations” and “stumbling blocks” are like deathtraps that can destroy another person’s faith.

 

            Francis Pieper gives a good definition of what the issue is: “Seducing others to sin the Scriptures call ‘giving offense,’…We may define it thus: To give offense means to teach or to do something by which we lead another not to believe or to believe error or to lead a wicked life and thus cause him, as far as we are involved, to perish eternally (Christian Dogmatics, Vol. I, 561).”

 

                All of this teaches us dear Christians that how we live – what we do and do not do – and how we speak – what we say and do not say is very important indeed. We are not islands unto ourselves. It matters what we do and say. The Christian who says, “What I do is nobody’s business!” is speaking in ignorance. Cain asked God the terribly ignorant and sinful question, “Am I my brother’s keeper (Genesis 4:9)?” Answer: As a matter a fact, yes you are! We are called to encourage each other, not tear each other down; we are called to protect each other, not harm each other. Ask any parent who understands their high responsibility: “Does it matter what your children hear you say? Does it matter what your children see you do?” Answer: absolutely! Does it matter what your children say and do at school since they represent their family, their church, and their Lord? Answer: you betcha! Can our words and actions lead others to sin? Answer: yes! Is it possible for our words and actions to negatively impact someone so much that that other person could lose their faith (a terrifying prospect)?! With fear and trembling, we must admit the truth: the answer is yes.

 

                 Judas was tempted for possessions and the love of power and it led to his apostasy (Just, Luke 9:51-24:53, 643). I once knew a woman who was so terrified by what a pastor taught in Bible Study about predestination, that she said she would never go back to Bible Study again (thank God that she did come back). But how many people have we heard of who were so hurt and offended in a church, that they have declared that they will never go back?! In 2006, Richard Dawkins released his atrocious bestseller The God Delusion. Afterwards I was watching an episode of 20/20 (if I’m thinking of the right program): There were two Christian pastors -- with cloaked faces and altered voices -- testifying that they had lost their faith from reading this book (the really terrifying thing is that they continued to be pastors)! By the way, Alister McGrath with his wife Joanna wrote an effective Christian apologetic in response to the Dawkins’ book entitled The Dawkins Delusion. Michael Ruse, Professor of Philosophy, Florida State University states on the cover: “The God Delusion makes me embarrassed to be an atheist, and the McGraths show why.”

I look forward to seeing you in God's house tomorrow morning!

In Your Service and To Christ's Glory,

Pastor Espinosa

Angels! For whatever reasons, people are very much challenged in relating to them. Some go TOO FAR and violate God's Word: don't worship them, don't pray to them, and do not give them what is only due the Lord! On the other hand, many don't go FAR ENOUGH, living as though they do not matter, but the Lord decided to include them in sacred revelation.

Tomorrow, we will put forth the balance. They serve and worship Christ and they do the Lord's bidding. The exciting part is to elaborate on that bidding which includes serving and helping YOU! This service is part and parcel an expression of God's grace to and for you...the angels amplify knowing God's love and mercy; the angels highlight how precious you -- the "little ones"/God's children -- are to the Lord.

Come and once again receive the Lord's service to you through Word and Sacrament (which will include the service of the holy angels at Christ's bidding for you)!

For the children's service, I will be sharing two fascinating pieces of art with the children, one, a beautiful icon, the other a powerful statue.

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow's sermon:

In our Gospel text this morning from Matthew 18, the main focus is on the “little ones.” And while the Lord brings forth an actual child (v 2), he is teaching us that the little ones are God’s children who emulate the way of a real child who is dependent on and who trusts in a superior; that is they live in humility (The Lutheran Study Bible, 1621). You are the little ones Christians. God is your Father and He loves you as His child. You humble yourselves as you trust in God and depend on Him through Christ! Now what does this have to do with angels?

 

Towards the end of this same Gospel today we hear these words: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven (v 10).” Complementary to this is Luke 15:7 on the great joy in heaven over the sinner who is constantly living in repentance. The angels are associated with the relationship between humble servants and being in the very presence of God, because to truly worship God and to know God is to know His grace for sinners. The angels witness the God of grace who receives you as His child! As a result, the angels are supreme examples of how to live: to seek God’s presence, to behold His salvation, and to live humbly as servants of the Lord.

 

Yes, even the mighty angels – just one of them being more powerful than a human army (2 Kings 19:35) – (these angels) humble themselves before the Almighty God from whom they derive all of their power and glory. They know that they too like you and me are totally dependent on the Lord and it is their delight and purpose to serve God. And in their surging power, they know and practice humility (it is the right way to live). In Isaiah 6:2 the mighty seraphim (whose titles mean “burning ones” or “fiery ones”), these great angels have six wings. In Isaiah 6, however, when they come before the Lord to cry out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory (6:3),” two of their wings are used to cover their feet, and two of their wings are used to cover their faces (v 2). The picture is stunning and magnificent. These powerful, powerful servants of God that would send any of one of us to the ground trembling with fear yet cover themselves in deepest reverence and humility before the Lord! Oh, to be like the angels!

 

 

Again, oh, to be like the angels! And yet in our sin – we who are lower (Psalm 8:5) in stature and power – are so proud. Instead of covering ourselves in humility, our sin leads us not to be considerate of standing before the Lord in proper covering. Our sin, however, leads us to be reckless and to use even the meager powers the Lord has permitted us not in service to the Lord and not in His worship (as the angels do), but to serve ourselves; not to reverence the Lord, but to seek honor for ourselves; not to cover ourselves in humility, but to clothe ourselves in pride. And while angels cover their feet and their faces, our feet rush to sin and our faces – in accord with our sinful flesh – are covered with shame. But thanks be to God, the angels bring glad tidings to us just as the poor shepherds received on Christmas Eve: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).”

 

The word “angel” – whether presented in the Hebrew mal’akh or the Greek angelos – means “messenger.” This word is about their office and tells us about they do (Lockyer, 3). And even in their vast and exciting ranks and hierarchy which includes the Seraphim, Cherubim, Thrones, Dominations, Principalities, Powers, Virtues, Archangels, and Angels, what they “message” more than anything is Jesus.

Divine Service begins at 9:30 am. Let us gather, we are the body of Christ!

In Jesus' Love,

Pastor Espinosa

Tomorrow we present what is often purported to be the most difficult parable in the Bible: the parable of the dishonest manager. He is -- to an extent -- praised by Jesus. But there is a very specific reason for this commendation and the focus is not upon the manager himself, but upon the MERCY of the master. All the while, the Lord is teaching about how disciples view and treat money and possessions.

The sermon is immensely practical in teaching about something we handle practically everyday: money, but it will present the Lord's liberating teaching that leads us to the riches of Christ, instead of the riches which fade. Still, even the "unrighteous" riches are important, and we must know how to use them. You won't want to miss this proclamation and teaching from God's Word.

Also, we will receive once again the true riches of the body and blood of Christ which assures us that we are blessed with the Kingdom of God and the riches which do not fade nor are approached by robbers. The Holy Sacrament keeps you rich in Christ and the forgiveness of sins!

Here is an excerpt from tomorrow's sermon:

“Trusting in Christ, Not Money”

(Luke 16:1-15)

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, September 22^nd, 2013

Pastor Espinosa

            Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Last Sunday we heard about the parables of what was lost: lost sheep which picture us sinners who wander from the Lord (thank God the Lord seeks us and finds us); and the lost coin picturing the faithful woman (the church/the bride of Christ) seeking those who wander and become lost and which coins/Christians are entrusted into the care of the faithful church.

 

But why do we get lost to begin with? The answer is through our own sin, the evil influences of the world, and on account of the adversary, the devil. But in the context of our Gospel this morning in Luke 16 (and in other sections of Luke), we disciples (like the original disciples being addressed in this section) are given a major head’s up on a key reason/threat that leads to getting lost and for that matter giving reason as to why the church would not concern herself (a terrible sin) for the lost. The reason is money. And our Lord Jesus is teaching a very basic – and yet profound and critical lesson – that we must learn: you can’t have two masters:

 

1)      You will either love money and possessions and be attached to them.

OR

2)      You will love God and His mercy in Christ and be attached to Him.

 

But the Lord teaches us in many ways that people get lost from God and stray from how life should be really lived  (i.e. following the Lord) because of money and possessions. Early on in Luke’s Gospel we read this:

 

Luke 8:14: “And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.”

 

Even one who hears and apparently receives the Gospel of Christ, can become distracted by “the cares and riches and pleasures of life,” and they can get lost, and many do. How often dear Christians are we consumed by these things: either on the one hand, so afraid and worried because we do not have enough money; or so consumed by all that we can get when there is much money. After a while, it is the money that we carry in our minds and hearts, and not the Lord. We get lost and we do as the servant in today’s parable did: we start “wasting” our lives and neglect the proper use of God’s gifts.

Hear the words of wisdom from Proverbs 30:7-9 (NIV): “Two things I ask of you, O Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say ‘Who is the Lord?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God.”

 

The Proverb is not saying that a Christian cannot be materially rich nor materially poor, but he is cognizant of the tremendous temptations and distractions that accompany one or the other situation.

 

So again Jesus taught in the Gospel of Luke:

 

Luke 12:33-34: “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

 

God is clear on this matter and He lovingly warns you and me:

 

1^st Timothy 6:6-10: Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment. For we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.”

 

            Again, don’t take this mean that a believer cannot have money and possessions. It is not money itself that is the root of all evil, but the love of money. Abraham, King David, and rich Zacchaeus in Luke 19 were materially rich and they were also rich towards God. What counts is who you serve and what you do with God’s gifts; what you do with the money. If you love God by His grace, then money is used to glorify God and to help your neighbor period.

Finally, may you continue to be blessed as you remain steadfast in reading and/or listening to the Gospel of John. Here are the summaries for chapter 18 (from the Lutheran Study Bible):

18:1-11: "Jesus takes charge and powerfully confronts those who come to arrest Him in the garden, even while He voluntarily accepts the suffering that lies before Him. Jesus suffered and died not as a martyr for a noble cause but as the Savior whose sacrifice atoned for our sin. I give You thanks, O Redeemer, that I am counted among Your own. Amen."

18:12-14: "Jewish officials arrest Jesus with the assistance of Roman soldiers and lead Him to the high priest Anna for questioning. The arrest of God's Son reveals the depths to which sinful humans will go to remove Him from their lives. God used those who led Jesus to His cross as His instruments to accomplish our salvation. O Lord Jesus, I praise You that You died not only for my sins, but for the sins of all people. Amen."

18:15-18: "Despite Peter's 'brave' promise to lay down his life for Jesus (13:37), Peter denies that he is Jesus' disciple because of his concern for self-protection. Tragically, our mouths with which we confess Jesus as Savior can also quickly deny Him. Our loving Lord did not begrudge His atoning sacrifice even to those who had denied and abandoned Him. The living Word saves us. 'What wondrous love is this That caused the Lord of bliss To bear the dreadful curse for my soul!' Amen. (LSB 543:1)"

18:19-24: "After Jesus' arrest, Annas conducts the preliminary interrogation of Jesus. As in the case of Jesus' accusers, sinful human beings are prone to dealing unfairly with others. Jesus calls us to honest dealings. He became the innocent victim of oppression and judgment in order that He would endure the just punishment of our sin (Is 53:7-9) and become our Savior. O Lamb of God, who went to the cross with no complaint, remind me always of Your unfailing mercy. Amen."

18:25-27: "In sharp contrast to Jesus' forthright self-disclosure ('I am,' vv 5, 8), Peter denies Jesus a third time ('I am not'), leaving Jesus alone on the way to suffering and death. Jesus warned that whoever denies Him before others, He will deny before His Father in heaven (Mt 10:33). But Christ's love is greater than our sin, and with His forgiveness He will restore a broken heart. Lord Jesus, be patient with me and forgive me, that I might live by Your promise. Amen."

18:28-32: "To avoid religious contamination, the Jewish leaders refuse to enter Pilate's residence, but they unjustly seek to use Pilate's authority to put Jesus to death. Even religious people are capable of manipulating others to advance personal agendas. Remarkably, Jesus' death at the hands of unjust accusers became the very means through which our gracious God took away the guilt of sin. 'Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me' (Ps 51:10). Amen."

18:33-40: "Pilate tries to dismiss the case before him by accommodating a Jewish custom calling for the release of a prisoner at Passover -- in this instance, an insurrectionist called Barabbas. The story of Jesus' Passion is filled with people refusing to accept responsibility for their own sins, a failure that afflicts us all. But God willed that the guilt of sin be laid on His innocent Son so we might receive God's forgiveness. Teach me to confess my faults, O Lord. Rule my heart with Your most gracious favor. Amen."

Let us gather tomorrow morning in God's house to receive God's Word and Sacrament and to thereby receive God's blessing upon our lives...and to encourage one another and all the more as the Day approaches!

In Jesus' Love,

Rev. Alfonso O. Espinosa, Ph.D., senior pastor, Saint Paul's Lutheran Church of Irvine

Let us gather around the Word and Sacrament of the Lord Jesus Christ tomorrow morning to receive the forgiveness of sins once again and to have our faith fed and nourished so that we may share Jesus' joy and love to those God has put in our lives!

Too often God is depicted in popular imagery as a cosmic kill-joy and when His true advocates live for him they too must become so austere and disciplined in religious mandates that they inevitably lose all joy and compassion. These images do NOT represent the Christian faith...they're not even in the same galaxy of what it means to belong to Jesus!

The True God pursues that which is lost. The True God desires to bring joy to those confronted with being confounded. The True God wills to give peace and restoration to those who are broken. The True God assigns the angels in heaven to rejoice over the lost soul who comes to know -- by God's grace -- Jesus' love and restoration. God seeks the lost to perpetuate joy and celebration.

In the same way, He calls us and never gives up on us who know something about being lost in sin. Come and receive His grace once again to rejoice that He has found you for salvation and for joy!

ALSO, today I will conduct my daughter's wedding (my precious Danielle who marries seminarian Simon Volkmar today). Yes, we need love in marriage, but we also need to know our God-given roles as taught in Ephesians 5. Here is the sermon:

Wives...Submit; Hubands...Sacrifice (Eph. 5:22-33)

By Rev. Espinosa

            Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. And may the Lord pour out a double portion of His blessings upon you Simon and  you Danielle as you go forth in holy matrimony as husband and wife in the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

            Of all my children – and those who are married have had and have very high standards – nevertheless, I’ve always felt that you Danielle might be the most particular. I‘ve often thought to myself that you would have a hard time finding the right guy. But ever since you were a little baby girl, I prayed that the Lord would send you a faithful Christian man. Well the Lord answered my prayer (and your prayer Danielle) and sent you Simon who is not only a man of true faith in the Lord who desires to dedicate his life to the service of the Gospel of Jesus, but a man who has in my estimation the perfect temperment for my Danielle.

            Simon, I’ve never been able to properly express myself to you about how I feel -- and I know that we Latinos are more emotional than you good Germans -- but I can’t begin to tell you how much love and admiration I have for you. You are truly perfect for Danielle. You have a high IQ, but also an  exquisite EQ demonstrated by your ability to understand people and to be exceptionally considerate. You have a servant’s heart. You respect your elders and you assume the best construction. You are witty, and yet humble; you are bold, and yet do not take yourself too seriously. You have a wonderful sense of humor while also possesing a diamond-like purity in your desire to know and to be faithful to the Word of the Lord.

            In other words, my answer to people who ask me the question, But isn’t it hard for you that Danielle is moving 6000 miles away to Germany? is simple: When the Lord sends the right man, then distance does not matter. You are the right man for Danielle so I know that everything else will be alright.

            I think you’re perfect for Danielle, and I know that she is perfect for you. You will balance each other out and together make a formidable team in serving in the Kingdom of God and in fighting against forces which are contrary to the truth.

            But in spite of the supposed wisdom of the Beatles back in the day when they sang the song All You Need Is Love, and even contrary to poor interpretations of 1st Corinthians chapter 13 – the Love Chapter in the Bible (and yes while we certainly need love) -- we also need to be clear about it’s application. We need to understand that God has indeed called you to love each other all of your days, but He has also called you to know how you fit together, how you’ll function together, how you will complement each other, and the respective roles you are called to live in.

            Yes, both of you are to love and to worship and to forgive, but you are also to be -- Simon -- what only a husband can and should be; and you are also to be -- Danielle -- what only a wife can and should be.

            Without getting into a theological dissertation, I am going to try to be very practical about all of this and very simple: In Ephesians 5 the role of the wife towards her husband is to be in emulation of the Holy Church and the role of the husband is to be in emulation of the Holy Savior.

            So let me say that while there is a reason that St. Paul begins with wives first, let me also point out that this does not mean that it is always Ladies‘ First. Many relationships (not all, as friendships are side-by-side), but many relationships require a leader. So let me share with you what most of our politically-correct world is afraid to say anymore: Simon, you need to be the leader. Jesus is our leader. He is our Savior, but He is also our Shepherd; He is the Lover of our soul, but He is also our King. He leads. And what I want to emphasize about this is that when there is problem, when the sheep get themselves into trouble (like when humanity fell in the Garden), Jesus in His leadership doesn’t wait around and deliberate who should take the initiative to fix things. No, we are saved and we are protected precisely because the Leader who is the true Leader goes first.

            If you get into argument, Simon go first towards reconcilation; if you feel stress in the family, Simon go first towards bringing a sense of calm and safe-haven; if you feel confusion, Simon go first in leading your family to call on the name of the Lord. Be a leader. But don’t be one alone and in isolation. When you become a good Lutheran pastor, even then have a Father-Confessor, have a pastor for yourself, so that you can always be a leader who is himself fed and nourished. Be fed through the same office that you will serve in, so that you receive strength to lead. Take the first step, deny yourself, take up your cross, be tender, and gentle, and loving towards your wife, and lead by following Jesus. This leadership is not harsh, but it is sacrificial and it goes first. Jesus put His Bride before Himself and took the initiative to save her by dying for her and covering all of our sins on the cross with His blood. We’re saved and we’re forgiven by God, because Jesus took the lead! That’s the model for the husband Simon and it is powerful!

            Danielle, be like the Holy Church, the Bride of Christ! The dynamic described in Ephesians 5 is that when you have a husband who is committed to laying down his life for you; when he lives to lead through sacrificial service to his wife, then give this man what the Word says: respect and submission (even when he has entered a moment or even a season when it might be tempting to think he doesn’t deserve it). Now here’s the thing about this state of affairs: your submission has nothing to do with a tyranical slavery. This Word from the Lord describes the willful submission of the bride. Just think of what it’s like to be a Christian: We don’t moan and groan and say, We gotta! But rather we rejoice in the Lord who pours out His love upon us – even in those seasons that we might have difficulty seeing it – and we go forth not because We gotta! But because We get to! And by the Spirit’s leading, we choose to. By God’s grace, we are willing to submit to Him!

            We have the high honor as Christians of serving the Lord who renews our wills to choose to follow Him. We are free and are simply called not to use our freedom in a bad way, but to use our freedom in a good way.

            And here’s the good way when it comes to marriage: While wives thrive on tender, loving care, the husband is designed to thrive on respect and support from his wife. The man who believes that his wife is always for him is encouraged and strengthened to do whatever needs to be done for the good of the marriage and for the family. Husbands derive a mysterious and yet tangible power from their wives. The wife is able to lift up her husband in ways that only she can. And if the husband knows that his wife is on his side, lifting him up, stroking his pride (in a good way), respecting him, encouraging him, then he derives an energy that paves a road which includes the ability to continue to lead with a sacrificial love.

            That’s the plan; the roadmap; the relationship dynamic that spells success in a marriage, but one last thing: you’re not going to be the perfect example of these things. You will falter and you will drop the ball along the way. You won’t always do it right. When this happens, run to Church together. Get absolution; get the Supper; get forgiven and then share that forgiveness with one another. I am utterly convinced that the Lord in His infinite wisdom permits the difficulties in marriage so that we become more and more like Jesus. So that it becomes more important in our marriages to forgive than to be the perfect couple.

            Get forgiven, get back on track. SACRIFICE for Danielle Simon; SUBMIT to Simon Danielle. And when you tire and stumble, get forgiven again...share that forgiveness...and start all over again. The Lord has blessed you and He will continue to do so. In Jesus‘ Name. Amen!

In Jesus' Love,

Pastor