Who’s At Work Here

Who’s At Work Here?

based on Psalm 119:113-120

Pentecost 16 – August 31 and September 4, 2005

The last in the series Summer Psalms by Pastor Richard Mau

Immanuel Lutheran Church – Des Plaines, IL

Today’s Scripture:

Psalm 119:113-120            Ezekiel 33:7-9             Romans 13:1-10            Matthew 18:15-20

Read in unison Psalm 119:113-120

            This weekend is Labor Day. We celebrate the works of our hands. The focus is on the person in the shop, at the desk, in the field, and not the shareholders or the corporate bosses.   We observe parades and celebrations where workers’ organizations hold up tools and samples of their product. Service organizations hold up examples of their good deeds. Politicians hold up evidence that they represent you and what they have done for you lately. We take great pride in what one can do with his own abilities, skills, talents and energies.

            Labor Day. When you ask about how one earns salvation and achieves heaven, what do people so often rely on? The name “I” comes up as the one who does the work to get into heaven. People rely on their own work in regards to getting rid of sin or making one’s self back into God’s image again. We so often neglect that all of this work is not done by “I” but by the great “I Am.” (explanation to 1^st article).

            “I believe that I cannot, by my own strength, come to believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord, or come to Him…” (Luther’s Small Catechism; Explanation to the Third Article of the Creed). It is a humbling fact that even the one thing that does save, faith in Jesus Christ, is not our own work, but is God’s work in each one of you. You are called by the Gospel, hearing the true gift of love God gives in Jesus. You are convicted by God’s law, hearing his commands and looking into your heart, your thoughts, your words, your actions, you know how terribly you have sinned and continue to sin against God in your worldly flesh. Knowing and believing God loves you and gave his one and only son to die for you saves you from an eternity in hell for denying God.

            This past week we saw evidence of God’s almighty power. The devastation by a hurricane simply wiped out an entire city, part of our nation, from simple homes to elaborate infrastructures that were supposedly built to withstand the fiercest of storms. Who can create a tree? Who can form a fertile plain? Who can change the direction of a gentle breeze let alone stop it entirely? Who can create 100% faith in the unknown, something eyes have not seen? Not one of the six billion people on this earth today, nor any who have gone before or those yet to come. Only Jesus could overcome the laws of nature healing the sick, blind and crippled. Only Jesus could feed thousands from a simple lunch box. Only Jesus could calm the wind and waves. Only Jesus could turn simple water into the richest of wines. Only Jesus could give himself up to die contrary to Satan’s will and burst Satan’s grasp over the grave, proving to all he conquered even death.   He bodily ascended into heaven, not by the will of men, but by his own divine power as he is True God and true man in one.

            v. 113a I hate double-minded men. We know that even the best of intentions get lost in our sinful selves. “Do what I say and not what I do,” reminds us how weak our flesh is, not able to fulfill our spirit’s will to live without sin, to live without flaws. James writes that in our double-mindedness we are unstable in all of our ways [1:8]. We abhor those who have forsaken God’s law [Ps. 119:53].

            v. 113b …but I love your law. v. 47 …I delight in your commands. As we sway back and forth unable to determine the right course in life, we see God’s word, his commands always the same, always unchanging, and always faithful to bring you nothing but good. From “…but do not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, to have no other gods to I will give this land to your descendents as an inheritance to I will give you a son to I will give you my son to this is my son to I will come to take you to be where I am.

            v. 114 You are my refuge… A refuge is a place to hide where no one can see you. We want to hide from Satan. He finds us everywhere but cannot touch you when you find refuge under God’s wings. When do you want to hide? When bad things happen or when you have done a bad thing. Adam and Eve tried to hide in Eden but could not hide themselves nor disguise their shame before God. They tried to hide their bodies with simple leaves. God graciously covered them with something more substantial – animal skins. Yet God clothes you in his righteousness, in Jesus’ likeness to be pure and holy in his presence for eternity. You cannot do that, but God does it to you because he loves you and wants you to be his forever.



            v. 114 …you are my shield. We cannot deflect the attacks of evil on us. But God’s word shields us as knowing his commands we follow those commands, fending off the assaults that come in all forms in our lives.

            v. 114 …I have put my hope in your word. Again, the words of men are meaningless and control nothing. It is God’s word that creates, that gives live, that sustains life, that pronounces forgiveness and eternal life. Christians put all of their hope for eternal life in Jesus’ hands because there are no other hands that can deliver from death and the grave. All other religions of the world put faith and hope in what the “I” can do. Let’s get real, who can pick you up from the grave alive and in Jesus’ likeness again?

            v. 115 & 116 & 117 Away from me you evildoers…Sustain me…uphold me. Jesus taught us to pray, “lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil. Martin Luther closes morning and evening prayer with, Send your holy angel to be with me that the evil foe will have no power over me. It is God through his strength in his word alone that he protects and defends you from all harm, danger, and evil. No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. [1 Corinthians 10:13]

            On the contrary, God does reject all who stray from his decrees. [v. 118] His is doing as he has promised, to save and punish alike. There is no middle ground with God. In today’s world so many try to “ride the fence” giving credit that one faith is as good as another’s. God never says that. He discards like dross the wicked and the wicked are those who reject God. God purifies you by forgiving your sins. He makes you holy like him again. He throws away all that is unholy. Those who hold on to the unholy are thrown out as they are the impurities. Christians love God because he is faithful and gives only good. That is why the Psalmist writes, “…therefore I love your statutes.” God’s statutes are his word. He is forever faithful to his word because he cannot change himself.

            v. 120 My flesh trembles in fear of you… Yes, our flesh should tremble because our flesh is sinful and worthy only of God’s punishment. But Jesus’ flesh fulfilled all of this for you. You and I could never and will never fulfill his commands perfectly. But God puts Jesus’ likeness on you in your baptism as he washes away all of your sins and makes you holy again. [Galatians 3:27] Christ, who died for you, also intercedes for you because you and I cannot approach the father except through him.

            What can I do to earn eternal life? Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved [Acts 16:31]. That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved [Romans 10:9].

            Do I earn eternal life? No, it has all been done for you.

            Please turn to hymn 361 and together sing verses 2

Not the labors of my hands, could fulfill thy laws demands.

Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears forever flow,

All for sin could not atone. Thou must save, and thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring; Simply to thy cross I cling.

Naked, come to thee for dress; Helpless, look to thee for grace;

Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Savior, or I die.

While I draw this fleeting breaht, When mine eyelids close in death,

When I soar to worlds unknown, See thee on thy judgment throne,

Rock of Ages, cleft for me, Let me hide myself in thee.