Do Good to All - Galatians 6.9-10

Do Good to All

Galatians 6.9-10

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

 

Introduction

 

     Freedom is God's gift to us. Freedom is the forgiveness of sins in Christ. As we believe and do good, that freedom is preserved and given to others. John F. Kennedy was the youngest American elected to the office of president. On January 20, 1961 he gave his inaugural speech* to set out his goals. He boldly stated that the rights of man come from the hand of God not from the state. He said we would pay any price to assure the survival of liberty. He called our country to confront the problems of tyranny, poverty, disease and war.  He famously said: "My fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country." He concluded by appealing to God's blessing and help, "knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own." What is God's blessing? What is God's help? And what is God's work that must truly be our own? The Bible beautifully answers all those questions, and shows us how the Christian life is exactly the life that every country on earth needs. 

 

Faith and Freedom

 

     God created all human beings to live and to thrive. He wanted Adam and Eve and all their decendents to “be fruitful and multiply.” He also wanted them to fear, love and trust in Him. In this way they would always have His blessings and do well in life. But sin breaks the bond between God and men. As soon as this bond is broken, men begin to try to dominate other men and to control them. Just as they refuse to love God, so they refuse to love their neighbor as themselves. This is the beginning of tyranny, and it takes at least two forms. First, there is material tyranny. Egypt enslaved Israel and forced them to labor until Moses led them to freedom. The Midianites plundered Israel until they were stopped by Gideon. Material tyranny robs people of their livelihood or life itself. The second, which often goes along with the first, is spiritual tyranny. This is a forced system of belief and worship. Daniel was forced to worship an idol and was thrown into a den of lions for refusing. Peter and John were put in prison for preaching in the name of Jesus. Spiritual tyranny robs a person or people of their conscience and faith. Why do these kinds of evil happen in this world? 

 

     Let me answer with a parable: A farmer once bought a herd of cows. They were not very healthy and had not been cared for in the past. He gave them food, water and good bedding until they regained their health and strength. But as they regained their strength a couple of the cows began bullying the other cows. They tried to get more of the food that the farmer gave to all of them. They deliberately butted and kicked the other cows in order to subject them to their own will. The farmer didn’t appreciate this because he wanted all the cows to thrive, not just a few who decided they would dominate all the others. Therefore the farmer had to ship these bullies off to the butcher.  

 

    Tyranny arises when men deny God's rule over them. They write their own rules for their own benefit. God told Israel that their kings must read the Bible all the days of their lives so that they would fear the LORD and "not lift up their hearts above their brothers" (Deuteronomy 17.19-20). This command applies to all of us at every level. Jesus taught us not to "lord it over" each other but to be servants to one another (Mark 10.42-44). A pastor, an employer, a father, a mother, a brother, a sister, a friend -- must all treat others as God wants them to be treated. 

 

     Paul wrote the letter to the Galatians to teach them that freedom is founded upon a loving relationship with God which is brought about through His mercy and the forgiveness of sins. Whenever we turn from this gospel, we deny our sin, become dominated by it, and inevitably begin to tyrannize each other. False teachers had come to the Galatians telling them that a good relationship with God must be achieved by obeying the Law. Humility, repentance, and forgiveness were being replaced by self-righteousness and pride. In chapter five Paul said, "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit to a yoke of salvery” (5.1). The "yoke of slavery" is the denial of the gospel of forgiveness. As soon as this happens sin comes back to dominate our lives. As soon as we stop praying, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us," we are no longer delivered from evil but instead ruled by it. If you really want freedom, focus on forgiveness. 

 

Freedom for All

 

     Just as we do not want to suffer the tyranny of sin in our hearts, so also we do not want to suffer the tyranny of others around us and especially of our leaders. What God does for us in our own hearts doesn't stop there. It is meant to spread and to benefit others. Our freedom in Christ is the freedom that God wants for all. President Kennedy said that one of the goals of his presidency was to fight against tyranny. He said he would do it with God's blessing, God's help, and "knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own." What is God's work that we do to push back against tyranny? Paul also addresses this very thing in Galatians.

 

     It is found toward the end of his letter. Having explained that sin is the beginning of all slavery, and that Christ has ransomed us from this slavery in His own life, death and resurrrection, now he also mentions the importance of simply doing good: “Let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Galatians 6.9-10).

 

     First, God wants us to believe this faith and hold onto to it a thousand people call us evil for doing so. At the beginning of the letter Paul said, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed" (1.8). Jesus warned us not to follow false prophets, "who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7.15). Those who teach any other kind of "liberty" are setting us up for tyranny, and we must resist. 

 

     Second, if people are to find freedom through the forgiveness of sins, it is important that they hear the message of repentance and forgiveness in Christ. Not long ago Phil Robertson, the patriarch of the "Duck Dynasty" family died. Several years ago I read the story of his conversion to Christ. Phil described the point of his conversion by simply saying "When I came to repentance..." Matthew and Mark both summarize Jesus' preaching with one sentence: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4.17). One of the best ways to share the gospel with people is simply to describe what the gospel has done for you. "I have been brought to repentance. I have believed in the forgiveness of Jesus.  I am free from the bondage of sin." That is the simple message that the world needs to hear because that is the message that will put them on the course of true freedom. 

 

     Those who tyrannize others will do all that they can to turn us from our faith in Christ. They will do all they can to suppress the teaching of the gospel. But the one thing they have the most trouble suppressing are the good works of faith. This is why Paul concluded his teaching to the Galatians about freedom with the importance of good works. This is what President Kennedy meant by God's work being our work. Peter urged us “Have your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good works and glorify God on the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2.12).  Good works do not cause us to be saved. It was the good work of Christ that did that. Nevertheless our good works done by faith have a way of opening the eyes of the lost to see Christ in us and to hear the word of Christ that they would otherwise reject. We may work for an unbelieving person. But when we do a good job, it gets noticed. It can’t be denied. Your neighbor may not like your faith, but when you help them and make their life a little easier they will see that your beliefs have a good outcome. When someone says something ugly and unkind to you but you do not retaliate with the same thing, they notice.  It is true that some, those who are very hardened against God, may only be angered by good works done in faith. But there are many who God still wants to call. He calls them through us as they see us holding steadfast in our faith – even suffering for it, telling them what that faith is, and showing them the good that comes from that faith. 

 

Conclusion

     On this fourth of July weekend you might do some nice patriotic things like say the Pledge of Allegiance, read the Constitution and Bill of Rights, listen to patriotic music, watch fireworks, or even pay your property taxes. But one of the best things you can do for the sake of freedom is to believe in the true God, the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit – to the God of forgiveness and salvation. Sharing Christ's repentance and forgiveness with others, begining with your own household, spreads the true freedom of faith. Finally, doing good to all, whether friend or foe, points sinners to God that they might glorify Him. May God bless America and every country with many Christians who do this work of God. Amen. 

*John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Speech, January 20, 1961

 

Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman, Reverend Clergy, fellow citizens:

We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom--symbolizing an end as well as a beginning--signifying renewal as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forbears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago.

The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe--the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.

We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans--born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage--and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

This much we pledge--and more.

To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do--for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.

To those new states whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny. We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom--and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.

To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required--not because the communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.

To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge--to convert our good words into good deeds--in a new alliance for progress--to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of poverty. But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of hostile powers. Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas. And let every other power know that this Hemisphere intends to remain the master of its own house.

To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support--to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective--to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak--and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.

Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.

We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.

But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course--both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind's final war.

So let us begin anew--remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.

Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.

Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms--and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.

Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths and encourage the arts and commerce.

Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth the command of Isaiah--to "undo the heavy burdens . . . (and) let the oppressed go free."

And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavor, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.

All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.

In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.

Now the trumpet summons us again--not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need--not as a call to battle, though embattled we are-- but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation"--a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease and war itself.

Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility--I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it--and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.

The Battlefield of the Heart - Galatians 5.17-18

 

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Galatians 5.17-18

Youtube Video

Introduction

    Christian friends and all who are listening - Today's worship service encourages us to "walk in the Spirit." In the battle of the heart, the Spirit gives us victory, from vice to virtue, through the cross.

 

Battlefields

 

     When I was a boy our family visited the national park at Vicksburg, Mississippi, which commemorated the famous Civil War Siege of Vicksburg. I remember visiting the museum where we saw many artifacts and a canon being fired. Battlefields have always given me a sense of awe when I realize how forces of good and evil clashed and how the outcomes determined the future. There are also other kinds of battlefields such as the scientific, political and cultural battlefields that have helped shape the course of this world. But none of these battlefields are as important to you and me as the battlefields I see sitting in front of me in the pews and the battlefield you see standing before you right now. I'm talking about the battlefield of the heart.

 

     Last Sunday's service focused on the devil and the demon Legion and Jesus' power over demons past and present. In that service I also mentioned other enemies of faith: The world and the flesh. The battlefield of the heart is the battle that goes on in our hearts between our flesh, that is, our sinful nature and the Spirit of God. This is the most important battle of all. If it is not won, then no other battle on earth matters. For the remainder of the sermon we'll look at the two opponents on this battlefield.

 

The Flesh

 

     The New Testament uses the word "flesh" to describe our human nature when it is under the control of sin. The two most important things to know about the "flesh," or our "sinful nature" is that it is evil and that we cannot overcome this evil without the grace of God. 

 

     It is not popular today to say that humans are by nature evil. But it is true. One of the main problems with human nature is that it is deluded to think that it is good. Most people will admit that they are not perfect, but overall, they believe their good outweighs the bad. There are three things wrong with this. First, if this were true, the world itself would be basically good. We would need a relatively small number of police and soldiers to protect us. We would need just a few number of lawyers to prevent and inadvertent lie slipping into a contract. Second, if this were true marriages would almost always be "happy ever after," and we wouldn't have to listen to so many songs about unhappy relationships. Third, and most important, very few of us would ever feel guilty or depressed or unsatisfied with the way our lives were going. We would almost always be happy. There would be very few tears in this world. But this is not reality at all. 

 

     The Bible clearly says that the flesh, human nature is over all bad. Solomon said in Proverbs 20.6 "Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man?" Jesus said, "No one is good but God" (Mark 10.18). The Apostle said, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3.23). Both human experience and the Bible tell us that human nature is not good by itself. Not only that, we cannot cure this problem on our own. Over an over again people think they can solve this problem with better education, better government, better technology, or a new and better false religion. Generation after generation the problem continues and often gets worse. Especially in our own hearts we know that we cannot overcome our sinful thoughts and desires. Jeremiah famously asked, "Can a leopard change its spots? Then may you do good who are accustomed to evil" (13.23). And here in Galatians Paul said that "You do not do the things that you wish" (5.17). 

 

     All people are in this darkness until the light of God's grace and Spirit enters their heart. Even after that the battle against sinful thoughts, desires, feelings and actions continues. In Romans chapter seven Paul complained about this when he said, "Oh wretched man that I am, who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (7.24-25). Notice he says "that I am," not "that I used to be." In fact the more we grow in our faith and the more we grow closer to God, the more we realize our sinful condition and regret it. But we are still sinners, and we must still pray every day, "Forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us" (Matthew 6.12). 

 

    Paul goes on to describe life under the power of the sinful nature. He starts with sexual sins probably because these were common and acceptable practices among the Galatians as they are among us today. The word "sensuality" refers to the lack of constraint, and that is the very excuse that the world gives - "I can't help myself." Yes, that is true when you are a slave to sinful nature. He mentions idolatry which, as I mentioned on Trinity Sunday, is the way we create our own gods to worship. Sorcery is pharmacea in Greek and gives us the Engish word "pharmacy." It is very similar to our drug problem today. Although they were not as advanced as we are today, the ancient people had a great desire for potions to control their feelings. Last of all he mentions "orgies." When you get to this, you know you are at the bottom of the pit. Sadly, America is almost there. Within a decade I predict that Christian parents will be telling their children, "You can't go to the orgy." And the children will say, "But everyone is doing it!" Paul warns us all not to be controlled by the flesh saying, "Those who do such things (without regret, repentance or resistance) will not inherit the kingdom of God." They will find themselves in Satan's orgy of eternal suffering and death. 

 

The Spirit

 

     Now, thankfully, he turns us to better things: Walking in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the third person of God along with the Father and the Son. The Spirit's special work is to come into our hearts through the word of God. The Spirit helps us realize our sin and repent of it. The Spirit gives us faith or trust in the forgiveness of sins which God promises through Jesus' perfect life and His death on the cross for us. This begins to change things in our bodies. To the Corinthians Paul said, "Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, whom you have from God. You are not your own. You were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit which you have from God" (1 Corinthians 6.19-20). The power of sin is great. But the power of God is greater. This is how we win the battle of the heart. 

 

     Now the apostle describes the life of the Spirit which he calls the "fruit of the Spirit." He lists nine, but to really understand them I think it is best to really concentrate on the the first one: Love. The Bible says that love is the greatest gift of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 13.13). This love is a love for God and for our neighbor. It is the realization that these things matter most in this life. We love God because He first loved us even while were still sinners (1 John 4.19; Romans 5.8). This love is centered in forgiveness, the washing away of our sins. The fruit of the Spirit continues to flow out of this gift of love. We have joy rather than sorrow because our sins are forgiven. We have peace instead of conflict because of our sins are overcome. We can afford to be kind, good and faithful to others because we know that we have been given an endless supply of God's love and support. As we give to others we don't worry about what we are losing because we know that the giving only increases the receiving. This what Jesus meant when He said, "Freely you have received, freely give" (Matthew 10.8). Last of all Paul says the Spirit produces the fruit of "gentleness and self-control." The Romans understood self-control. They desired it, but the did not really have it. On the other hand gentleness was a mystery to them. Most would have probably considered it a vice rather than a virtue. Gentleness in their mind was weakness and weakness was death. But their great failure as is the great failure that our world teaches today is that you can muster the strength to live on your own. This approach will fail every time. To the Romans, famous for their self-confidence and self-determination Paul said, "For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live" (8.13). Jesus taught "Whoever would come after Me, let Him deny himself and  take up His cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it" (Matthew 16.24-25). In all our weaknesses of this life we put our faith in God, and therein we find our strength (2 Corinthians 10.12). There is no law against these things. That is, there is nothing bad in them that you should avoid them. These things we pursue, and in them live.

 

Conclusion

 

     I mentioned the Siege of Vicksburg earlier. It ended on July 4th, 1863. This Tuesday, July 1st marks the beginning of the Battle of Gettysburg. That battle ended on July 3rd. Both battles together marked a huge turning point in the Civil War. It was virtually over at that point. When Jesus successfully battled all the forces of evil on Good Friday and gave His life as a holy ransom for the sins of the whole world, the battle between good and evil reached a tremendous turning point. For Christians this war is virtually over. The only thing left is for us to walk in the Spirit and to follow Jesus. The Holy Spirit is directing the battle for us and winning it. In the battle of the heart, the Spirit gives us victory, from vice to virtue, through the cross. Amen.  

Michael P. Walther

Sermon for Third Sunday After Pentecost, July 29, 2025

Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Greenville, Illinois

When Our Demons Meet Jesus

When Our Demons Meet Jesus

Luke 8.26-31

 

Then they sailed to the country of the Gadarenes, which is opposite Galilee. 27 And when He stepped out on the land, there met Him a certain man from the city who had demons for a long time. And he wore no clothes, nor did he live in a house but in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out, fell down before Him, and with a loud voice said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg You, do not torment me!” 29 For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For it had often seized him, and he was kept under guard, bound with chains and shackles; and he broke the bonds and was driven by the demon into the wilderness.

30 Jesus asked him, saying, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” because many demons had entered him. 31 And they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss. 32 Now a herd of many swine was feeding there on the mountain. So they begged Him that He would permit them to enter them. And He permitted them. 33 Then the demons went out of the man and entered the swine, and the herd ran violently down the steep place into the lake and drowned. 34 When those who fed them saw what had happened, they fled and told it in the city and in the country. 35 Then they went out to see what had happened, and came to Jesus, and found the man from whom the demons had departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. 36 They also who had seen it told them by what means he who had been demon-possessed was healed. 37 Then the whole multitude of the surrounding region of the Gadarenes asked Him to depart from them, for they were seized with great fear. And He got into the boat and returned. 38 Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you.” And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.

Introduction

    Christian friends and all who are listening - Today's worship service encourages us to be with Jesus.
When we are with Jesus in His holiness, our demons will run away.

 

There Met Him a Certain Man

 

     St. Luke tells us that one day Jesus and His disciples came to a region called "The Gadarenes" opposite of Galilee. Jesus didn't do this very often, but on a few occasions He did venture out beyond Israel to the regions of the Gentiles. The city of Gadara at this time was under the control of the Romans, and it was a prosperous area. But the first thing to meet Jesus in this region was a man possessed with demons. This is a reminder that hidden within all the world's wealth and seeming civility is evil activity. 

 

     The man was naked, strong, lived among the tombs, and (as Mark tells us), was fond of crying out at night and cutting himself. Why did he of all people, come to meet Jesus? We soon find out that he is possessed by demons, a lot of them. What is a demon? The Bible tells us that God created animals, angels, and human beings. Originally all the angels were servants of God, messengers. But at some point before the fall of Adam and Eve a large number of them followed one particular angel in a rebellion against God. Cast out of the presence of God, losing all their holiness, they were banished to an abyss of darkness and eternal death. But God did allow them to cause temptation and trouble in this world while at the same time always giving His people protection and deliverance from them. Unfortunately, many people, like the fallen angels, were deceived by their lies and fell under their control. Some, like this man, were severely possessed by all their powers. Others, maybe not as severe, were, nevertheless, under their influence. God tells us that all people who do not fear, love, and trust in Him are under the influence of demons. When Jesus called Paul the Apostle, He told him that his work was to: "open their (Gentiles) eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me" (Acts 26.18). 

 

     Luke doesn't tell us right here, but he told us already at the temptation of Jesus, that Satan "departed from Him until an opportune time" (4.13). These demons approached Jesus in the hope of frightening Him or hurting Him. This is what they did to everyone else around Gadara. The devil's work is always to hinder and stop the work of God. Unfortunately for them they encountered something in Jesus that overpowered them. Notice that they were not afraid of Jesus because He was the strongest man in the world. He wasn't. They weren't afraid of Him because He was the richest man in the world. He wasn't. They were afraid of Him because He was the holiest man in the world. Isn't it amazing that the things the world thinks are so powerful: strength, riches, intelligence, etc., are no match for the forces of evil. But holiness by faith in God is. It is more than a match for evil. 

 

     Let me digress on this a little. The demoniac was the worst case of the powers of evil at work. He was naked. Why? Because God was the one who taught us to wear clothes. Clothes are not only protection from the weather, they are also a symbol of our need for forgiveness. They are part of our modesty and our self-control. Notice that the world, under the influence of Satan, constantly wants to "get naked." That is, the world wants to throw off all self-control and doesn't want to live within the boundaries that God has established especially the boundaries of marriage. What's that all about? Nakedness itself is not evil. But God wants it reserved for husbands and wives. Adam and Eve were naked and not ashamed. The Devil, on the other hand, wants us to throw off all constraints. He wants us to play around with all sorts of temptations that he knows will wreck our lives if we give into them. The demoniac was also strong, impossible to bind, lived among the tombs, and hurt himself. People scoff at the Bible's teaching of demons. But they stop scoffing when they hear about the murderous rampages and suicides that occasionally take place in this world. They have no explanation for these things. The Bible does. This is the end result of selling yourself to the devil. 

 

     Back to the encounter with Jesus. After realizing who Jesus was, the demons begged to be sent to a herd of pigs. I suppose they thought that somehow they could terrorize the world by being demonized pigs. Jesus let them, but only because He knew the pigs would be destroyed. These demons were done. Back to the abyss. 

 

Sitting at the Feet of Jesus

 

     Now we see one of the most beautiful images of the New Testament. This man, formerly under the control of a legion of demons, is sitting at the feet of Jesus, dressed and in his right mind. He is no longer trying to kill himself or anyone else. Above all, he is not seeking to hurt Jesus or to hinder His work. Instead, he has become a disciple of Jesus. He wants to be with Jesus and to serve Him. This is what we say in the Small Catechsim after we have confessed that Jesus, "true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord. Who has redeemed me a lost and condemned creature purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and the power of the devil (and here's the reason), that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousnes, innocence and blessedness. This is most certainly true." 

 

     I titled this sermon, "When Our Demons Meet Jesus." I'm not saying we are all demon possessed. There is, however, an important distinction between being possessed and being oppressed by demons. As I said before, before we become Christians we are under the power of the devil. Paul said, "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins" (Colossians 1.13-14). When we are baptized we renounced the devil and all his works. But that doesn't mean the devil and all his demons aren't eager to tempt us as they tempted Jesus. We are constantly engaged in spiritual warfare whether we realize it or not. 

 

     As a pastor for many years, I am thankful that I don't think, or at least I don't know, that I have had a direct encounter with a demon. I did have a bad experience as a youth in junior high that I know was demonic in some way. There was a popular movie at that time called the Exorcist. I didn't see the movie, but I found the book in the library and began reading it. I couldn't put it down. I read the book into the early hours of the morning. As I read about this terrible experience (It is based on a true exorcism that occured in St. Louis), I started to wonder if I could be possessed? I was young, and my understanding of evil and the Bible was limited. I know now, as I said before, that no true Christian can be possessed. But they can be oppressed. I started to become very frightened. I didn't want to wake my parents, so I started walking down the hallway of our house. I felt cold and scared. In that hallway we had a large picture of Jesus, a famous one called "The Head of Christ." I had just passed the picture in the dark when suddenly it slid down the wall and hit the floor. Now I was literally frightened to death. But I didn't faint. I finally did what I should have been doing all along. I prayed the simplest prayer of all "Help me Jesus." Instantly the fear went away. I went to the picture and picked it up. I checked to see if the hook had come loose. It hadn't. Nor had I touched it or knocked it off the wall. But none of that mattered now. I was safe in Christ. I hung the picture back on the hook, went to bed, and fell right to sleep. 

 

     All of us, to one degree or another, are going to be affected by the forces of evil. Peter taught us, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith..." (1 Peter 5.8-9). It could be a direct encounter with a demon or even the devil himself. It could be the other enemies of faith - the flesh and the world. These latter elements of evil may seem weaker and less spectacular than the devil and demons, but God warns us not to underestimate their power either. Again Peter said, "Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul," (1 Peter 2.11). 

 

     All these forces of evil are the cause of our discontent if we let them. For you it may be the temptation to pride that causes you to only care about yourself and your accomplishments. It may be the temptation to vanity, the desire to receive attention and to be liked by all. We may struggle with laziness, anger, lust, or hatred. Worst of all, we may be lulled into spiritual sleepiness, lack of interest in God's word, lack of prayer, lack of love; and all of this is leading more and more to a lack of holiness. All of these demons lead us to one place - the tombs of insanity and the abyss of eternal death. 

 

     But this morning you have come to be with Jesus in worship. In doing so all your demons have come to meet Jesus as well. How do you think they like that? They like it not at all, and I guarantee that they would like to go somewhere else, anywhere else. They would rather live in a herd of pigs than live in you IF you are going to be with Jesus. When you are in worship hearing the word of God or at home reading the Bible, all the holiness of God is coming to you. This holiness drives evil away, and it would drive you away also except that the Holy Spirit has worked repentance and faith in your heart. Holiness is not something that any of us can create on our own. It is only a gift of God. We have that gift of holiness in the cross of Christ - the forgiveness of sins! The goal of His life, death, and resurrection was our forgiveness, and the goal of His forgiveness is our holiness and deliverance from all evil.

 

Conclusion

 

     Every Sunday whether I'm preaching from the pulpit or listening from the pew I try to boil everything down to one sentence that I take with me for the rest of the week. This week, as I remember the encounter of the Demon Legion and Jesus, I'm going to remember how those demons were terrified at the holiness of Jesus. For myself personally, I'm going to remember this: When we are with Jesus in His holiness (holiness of the cross), our demons will run away. That's something to think about. That's something to go and tell others about. Amen.

Trinity = Salvation

 Trinity = Salvation

John 8.48-59

 

The Jews answered him, Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon? 49 Jesus answered, I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. 52 The Jews said to him, Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be? 54 Jesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, He is our God. 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad. 57 So the Jews said to him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

Introduction

 

    Christian friends and all who are listening - Today we are remembering and rejoicing that God is the Triune God - The God of our salvation. This morning I will show you how this truth comes from the Old and New Testaments. But most importantly I want to show you WHY the Trinity is important. Only this God, the Triune God is the God of salvation and the God who gives us forgiveness and eternal life. When you hear the word "trinity," you shouldn't just think "mystery." It is a mystery. It is something that cannot be understood, and it must be believed. But more than that, when you hear the word "trinity," you should think, "salvation." Because that is what the Triune God is all about. 

 

The Old Testament Points to the Trinity

 

     Let's begin with the Old Testament. We can say without a doubt that the Old Testament points to the Trinity and the New Testament reveals the Trinity. How does the Old Testment point to the Trinity?  It does so in several ways.

 

     First, the Old Testament emphasizes that God is not just another one of the many false God's that men have imagined. The Old Testament teaches that there is only one true God who created the world, who established the laws of nature and the laws of the soul, and who alone saves. Ancient people believed in multiple gods often associated with certain powers such as power over the weather, power for war, power for life, etc. Some modern religions still teach that their are mulitple gods for multiple purposes such as the Hindu religion. All of these gods were thought to coexist and often compete with each other. Leviticus 19.4 tells us that anything that claims to be God, other than the true God is an "idol." The Hebrew word it uses for "idol" is also the word for what is "worthless" or literally, a "nonentity." ln Deuteronomy 6.4 Moses gave one of the most important passages about God when he said, "The LORD our God, the LORD is ONE." 

 

     But the word for "one" that is used here can also include more than one person. So in Genesis 2.24 we read that when Adam and Eve were married, the "two" became "one ( אֶחָד echad) flesh." This is the same word. But when the Bible wants to emphasize only one person, it uses a different word as in the case of Isaac, the "one and only" (Genesis 22.2 יָחִידyachid) son of Abraham and Sarah. This broadens our understanding of God. So in the creation we read about God who created the world and the Spirit of God who hovered over the waters. Last Sunday we heard God say regarding the Tower of Babel, "Let Us go down there and confuse their language" (Genesis 9.7). Some say this has nothing to do with God being more than one person. It is, they say, a figure of speech, a "plural of majesty." But if that is so, then why do we continue to hear of mysterious persons, beings in the Old Testament who are neither men or angels. I'm referring to the "Angel of the LORD," and to the person called "Melchizedek." These are neither men nor angels. They are the persons of God. Finally, the prophecies of the Messiah point not to a heroic man or an angel, but to God as in Psalm 110.1 "The LORD said to my Lord, 'Sit at my right hand.'" Or Isaiah which tells us "My righterous Servant shall make many righteous, for He will bear their iniquities" (53.11). In all these ways the Old Testament prepares us for and points us to the Triune God which is revealed fully to us in the New Testament.

 

The Trinity Revealed in the New Testament

 

     Right now many people are planting and tending to vegetable and flower gardens. First the seeds are planted, and the vegetables begin to sprout and leaf out. Next they flower and create buds that will eventually turn into fruit - tomatos, peppers,  cucumbers, etc. The verses of the Old Testament that tell us about the Trinity are like those buds. The New Testament takes what the Old Testament taught us about God and fills it out. When the angel Gabriel came to Mary to announce the conception of Jesus, He told her: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God" (Luke 1.35). See how beautifully the bud of Old Testament verses comes to full fruit. We have the Holy Spirit, the Highest One, and the Son of God all in one verse. At Jesus' baptism He is affirmed by the Father as the Beloved Son with the Holy Spirit hovering over in the form of a dove (Mark 1.10). On almost every page of the New Testament we have either the Son and the Father or the Spirit or all three. Jesus said that He and the Father are one (John 10.30), and that He sends forth the the Holy Spirit (John 15.26). Finally, Jesus commissioned the apostles to make disciples baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 28.19).

 

     The New Testament beautifully reveals to us the reality and the truth of the Trinity. But there is one thing it doesn't do. The New Testament does not explain it. How is it possible for three to be one or one to be three? People have tried conceptualize it or illustrate it with a three leaf clover that has three leaves but one stem or as an apple with three parts: The seeds, the fruit, and the peel. But none of these things really explain the how God is three persons yet one God. The Apostle Paul tells us that all of this is a great mystery that can only be believed: "Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifested in the flesh (Father & Son), justified in the Spirit (Holy Spirit), seen by angels (not an angel), preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world (for salvation), received up in glory" (1 Timothy 3.16). The Trinity is like many other divine truths such as God being eternal, all-knowing, and all-powerful. We can't understand these things, but we are able to believe them. And, most of all, we are able to be blessed by these divine realities. 

 

The Trinity = Salvation

 

     In our Gospel lesson today, we heard of a heated argument between Jesus and the Jews who did not believe in Him. The argument began after Jesus had fed the five thousand people with loaves and fishes. He then claimed to be "the bread which came down from heaven" (6.41); "the light of the world" (8.12); and that those who did not believe in Him would die in their sins (8.24). It came to a climax when Jesus said, "Before Abraham, I AM." The Jews who didn't believe in Jesus knew that Jesus was referring to the Old Testament name of God, Yahweh, which means "I Am." But the argument wasn't just a question of who exactly is the Messiah. The main part of the argument had to do with what people believed the Messiah would do. Jesus said that the Messiah came to save us from our sins. This is why the Trinity is so important. God gave the world the forgiveness of sins because His Son gave His life as a sacrifice on the cross. It is the blood of Jesus, the Son of God, that "cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 2.7). When we hear the word "trinity," we shouldn't think so much about the mystery of it. Rather, we should think about, believe, and rejoice in the miracle of it. It is because of the Trinity that we have forgiveness and salvation. This is why I like to say "Trinity = Salvation." The Jews who were arguing with Jesus didn't believe they needed His forgiveness. They believed, as many people today believe, both Jews and non-Jews, that they can earn their salvation - that kind of salvation is a reward not a redemption. 

 

     This is the heart of my message today. Please do not fall into this temptation of thinking that you are good enough for God without His forgiveness, or that on the last day heaven will be a reward to you from God for being a decent person. This deception will keep more people out of heaven than anything else. Satan does not have to turn us into murderers. All he has to do is convince us that we don't really need to be sorry for our sins and seek God's forgiveness. This leads to a life of complancecy or pride - but not to a life of faith, hope, and love - a life of joy in Jesus and in God's salvation. We should leave worship today rejoicing in the truth that God is a triune God who saves us from our sins in Jesus, a God who send us His Holy Spirit to live new lives of faith and obedience not because we expect to be rewarded, but because we know we are redeemed. 

 

Conclusion

 

     Today we will confess the long Athanasian Creed. This creed was written to impress upon us - despite all the different attacks against the true God down through the ages - that God is Three Persons and One God - the God of our Salvation! The creed emphasizes that each person of the Trinity has divine names, divine attributes, divine works and is to be worshipped. As we come to the end of the creed you will notice that the creed sounds more like the Apostles' or Nicene creeds with an emphasis our salvation in Jesus. But it also emphasizes good works without which we cannot be saved. These works are not the efforts of men trying to earn a reward from God. The whole point of the long creed is to show that the Trinity is our salvation. Therefore our works are important because they are the evidence of our faith and our joy in God's salvation. They are the fruit of the Trinity loving faith in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as Isaiah so beautifully records for us in these words: "And there is no other God besides Me, A just God and a Savior; There is none besides Me. 'Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! For I am God (the Triune God), and there is no other."  Amen. 

God Came Down from Heaven Genesis 11.1-11

God Came Down from Heaven

Sermon for Pentecost June 8, 2025

Faith Lutheran Church, Beaufort, South Carolina

The Tower of Babel, Genesis 11.1-11

(NKJV) 1 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as
they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt there. 3 Then they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. 4 And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.”

5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. 6 And the LORD said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. 7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.” 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. 9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

Introduction

     Today, as we celebrate the giving of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, I would like to bring your attention to the important Old Testament lesson of the Tower of Babel. I want to focus on several important questions that this lesson brings up. But the most important question is whether or not God comes to us, and if so, how and why? 

Is Genesis Real?

     Before we get to that we have to wrestle with the question about the reality of the Book of Genesis itself. A hundred years ago this wouldn't have bothered many Christians at all. But today many people think this book is a book of myths. We are told that Genesis is just stories which might have some useful meanings for us, but they are not real. I completely challenge that with a few very important questions of my own: If you deny the account of Creation, of the Great Flood, and the Tower of Babel, you have a lot of explaining to do. Will your explanations be any better than those of Genesis? If God didn't create the world, who did, and how? Of course we are told it all happened by accident through a process of random chance over millions of years. But the reality is that nothing gets built by accident. We all know that. If God didn't destroy the world through the Great Flood, then why do we find fossil graveyards where many creatures all died at once, and all their remains were fossilized at the same time? Why do we find layers of sediment that span continets? If God didn't confuse the languages at Babel, then why are there over seven thousand languages in the world? Wouldn't nature have taken a different approach? Wouldn't it be much better for the survival of human beings to have a better way to communicate with one language? Isn't this the way animals communicate all over the world? 

     These ideas are the real myths, not the records of Genesis. These are the myths that men imagine because they are determined to think of the world without the presence and the involvement of God. If they did that, their souls would be involved. They would have respond to God's call to repentance. They would have to receive His forgiveness. And they would have to live their lives according to His will. It is because they want none of this, and want life on their own terms that they imagine the myth of a world without God. In many ways they are like the men of Shinar that we hear about in Genesis chapter eleven. 

What Is Our Identity?

     Before we get to the main question, "Does God come to us and how?" there are a couple of important questions that God wants us to notice. First of all, the men of Shinar were confused about their identity. They said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves..." (11.4). The Bible always warns us "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16.18). Having cut themselves off from God, they were lost, drifting, and they hoped to find an anchor by accomplishing something that everyone would think is great. We are certainly tempted to this ourselves. We want to be recognized for something: our hobby, our career, our accomplishments, our enthusiasim for certain things. None of these are necessarily bad until they become the main identity and focus of our life. 

     A Christian's main identity is in their relationship to God. John the Apostle spoke about this in his first letter. Four times in that short letter he identifies Christians as "the children of God." In chapter three he said, "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!" (3.1). Paul said, "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God," (Romans 8.16). This is a good identity because it's not really about us. We didn't make ourselves the children of God. We became the children of God as He called us, forgave us, and put His name and His pride and joy upon us in our baptism. Our significance is that God loves us, and nothing can ever destroy that or take it away from us.

The Fear Factor

     Notice, also, that the men of Genesis eleven are afraid of something. They said, "let us make a name for ourselves lest we be scattered over the face of the earth" (11.4). Within five or six generations from Noah and the Great Flood, many people were forsaking God. God had commanded them to spread out and repopulate the world. In Genesis nine, God repeated the same command he gave to Adam and Eve, to "be fruitful, to multiply, and to fill the earth" (9.1). That command still stands today. It was never taken away. But the men of Shinar did not care about this. They only cared about themselves. When that happens, when men forsake God, initially they think everything is going to be great, all will be happy. But there is really no joy without God. Gradually fear begins to lay its grip upon them. In Psalm fourteen David describes the fools who say "there is no God" (14.1). They have "turned aside," (14.3). "There they are," David said, "in great terror" (14.5). 

     As Christians we are also tempted by fear. But there is a difference between the person who trusts in God and the person who does not. The Christian may be bumped off his firm foundation of faith by the troubles of life: sickness, accidents, or violence. But he has a foundation to climb back to. The unbeliever has nothing but to sink into the abyss of doubt. The men of Shinar were trying to create a sense of security by building this huge tower. They put their trust in themselves, and that never ends well. Psalm 146 tells us: "Do not put your trust in princes, Nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; In that very day his plans perish" (3-4). We have to be careful not to fall into the same trap thinking that our money, our strength, our government, or our technology will save us. 

Does God Come to Us and How?

     We've seen how Genesis is a book of realities - very important realities. We've seen how important it is to have our identity with God and how that saves us from fear. Now let's look at the main question: "Does God Come to Us and How and Why?" 

     Here we begin with what is probably the funniest verse of the Bible. God sometimes uses humor to make a point. So far everything has been about the men of Shinar and their famous building project. They are proud of this. This is going to save them. This will make a name for themselves. It will reach to the heavens. Then comes verse five: "But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built." Psalm two describes something similar. The kings of the earth set themselves agains God but then verse five: "He who sits in the heavens shall laugh. The LORD shall hold them in derision." So Moses said that God has to "come down" to see the this tower that the men have built. Here God is showing us His infinite majesty and power by using a familiar human experience. It is as if God is looking down from heaven like we might look down upon a tiny ant colony. They are building something which in their eyes is great. But from God's perspective He can barely see it. He has to "come down" to see it. 

     God does come to us in many ways. For the men of Shinar God came in judgment by confusing human language and making it impossible for them to do all that they might try to accomplish. In the very next chapter we read that God came into this world in a much different way. He came to Abram and promised to make him a great nation - a nation that would in fact bring a blessing to all the families of the earth (12.3). This was part of God's ongoing plan of salvation - His plan to come back into this sinful world in order to save it. Down through the ages God came into this world through His prophets speaking the ringing words of truth. The heart of that message was always the same: Repent and Believe. Repent of the sins that destroy, and believe in the grace of God that saves. 

     The prophets all pointed to a special person who would accomplish this salvation for the world. They called Him the Messiah, the Christ. When Jesus came into the world at His birth, Matthew quoted Isaiah, "Behold the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name 'Immanuel,' which is translated, 'God with us'" (1.23). 

     As we remembered last Sunday, Jesus lived and died and rose again for our salvation. He then ascended to the right hand of God. Today we remember what happened just ten days later. Jesus' disciples were gathered together in prayer in Jerusalem. As Jesus had promised, the Holy Spirit came upon them and enabled them and all Christians to believe in and proclaim the presence of God. The miracle of Pentecost is similar to the miracle a Babel. There God came in judgment to confuse languages and to slow the spread of evil. At Pentecost that judgment was reversed as God enabled Peter to speak in his language and yet be understood by people of many different languages. 

Conclusion

     Yes, God does come to us. He came through the prophets, through Jesus, through His apostles. We are living in a very special time as Peter said in his Pentecost sermon. These are the last days. "And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh..." He goes on to say that our sons and daughters, young and old, menservants and maidservants shall prophesy. The word "prophesy" means much more that saying things about the future. It is simply speaking the words of God. This is happening all the time. Mothers and fathers are teaching their children about Jesus. This church is proclaiming the Gospel. You are bearing witness to Jesus in your words and deeds wherever you go in the world. The world around us may act like the men of Shinar trying to live without God. But we, the children of God are here, and we are here to bring them the saving presence of God. Amen.