YouTube -- 16th Sunday after Pentecost (September 17, 2023)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, September 17, 2023.

Sermon -- 16th Sunday after Pentecost (September 17, 2023)

GENESIS 50:15-21

FORGIVENESS COMES FULLY, FREELY, AND FERVENTLY.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Our Old Testament lesson is the end of the story.  To appreciate the magnitude of Joseph’s mercy, let’s review.

     Joseph was one of twelve brothers, and clearly the favored son of Jacob.  Jacob gave him a lavish coat, suitable for royalty.  Joseph also gave his father a bad report about his brothers who were tending flocks.  Then Joseph had dreams which foretold that he would reign over his brothers.  All this stirred up Joseph’s brothers to hatred and jealousy.  They planned to murder Joseph, saying, “Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits.  Then we will say that a fierce animal has devoured him, and we will see what will become of his dreams” (Genesis 37:20).  Cooler heads prevailed as Reuben, the oldest, intended to send him back to his father.  But while Reuben was away, the other brothers sold Joseph to a passing caravan.

     Joseph ended up being sold as a slave in Egypt.  He was falsely accused of raping his master’s wife and was banished to a dungeon.  There, he interpreted the dreams of some prisoners.  Eventually, Pharaoh learned of Joseph’s interpreting skills and called on him to interpret some his dreams.  Joseph told Pharaoh that God was informing him of seven years of bumper crop followed by seven years of famine so severe that no one would remember the good ol’ days.  He advised Pharaoh to appoint a wise man to prepare for the days of famine.  Pharaoh appointed Joseph as that man.

     The days of famine came as promised.  They also afflicted Jacob and his family.  Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to get food.  And who do they buy their food from?  Joseph!  Only they did not recognize him.  He looked like an Egyptian, dressed like an Egyptian, and spoke through an interpreter like an Egyptian.  Besides, they never expected to see Joseph again, let alone ruling over Egypt!  Joseph put his brothers to the test to see if they were the same hateful, petty, jealous men he had known.  Once they demonstrated repentance, he made himself known to them.  He told them to bring their families down to Egypt so they would survive the famine.  After all, if Jacob’s family dies, the promise of the Messiah dies, too.  After decades of separation, Jacob was reunited with Joseph.  Jacob lived for several more decades, and then he died. 

     That brings us to our Old Testament lesson.  Joseph’s brothers reasoned, “Joseph would not dare do anything to us while Dad was still alive.  But now Dad is gone.  There is nothing standing in the way of Joseph getting his revenge.”  So, they sent messages to beg for mercy.  This reduced Joseph to tears.  Rather than seek revenge, Joseph assured them of forgiveness.  Forgiveness comes fully, freely, and fervently.

     First, forgiveness comes fully.  Joseph forgave his brothers with no strings attached.  There was no, “I forgive you this time, but if you cross me again you will pay.”  Joseph did not bear a grudge or harbor resentment.  He did not reduce them to servitude or make them grovel.  He cancelled their debt.  There was no payback at all.

     Joseph also forgave freely.  He did not do this out of any sense of obligation.  He did not say, “Oh, you’re my brothers, so I guess you deserve it.”  Quite the opposite, Joseph told his brothers, “You meant evil against me” (Genesis 50:20).  They did evil, and they meant to do it.  The brothers acknowledged it, too.  No one tried to downplay their sin.

     If you have ever had someone sin against you and then later came to apologize, you may have said, “Oh, it’s okay.”  But it wasn’t okay.  If were okay, no one would have had to apologize.  Sin is never okay.  It is an offense against God, and it inflicts harm upon others.  Besides, no one deserves to be forgiven.  By its very definition, forgiveness is not deserved.  Mercy is never shown because it was earned.  It is simply given.  So, if someone sins against you and comes to confess, do not say, “It’s okay,” rather, tell him, “I forgive you.”  This means that you do not hold anything against him.  You will not bring it up at a future date.  You seek no revenge and hold nothing over his head.  Forgiveness comes fully and freely.

     Joseph’s forgiveness of his brothers is but a glimpse of the mercy that God the Father has shown to us.  Our sins have offended God and harmed others.  We have betrayed confidences.  We have sold out friends by casting blame on them rather than taking responsibility for our own faults.  We have held grudges which have spawned into hatred.  We have assumed God’s forgiveness but have demanded satisfaction from those who have sinned against us.  There is nothing praiseworthy about holding a grudge.  Only in our minds is it considered righteous.  If someone has done evil to you, what is noble about responding with evil toward him?  Repent.

     Forgiveness comes fully and freely.  That is how our Lord delivers forgiveness to you.  Jesus came to release you from all guilt, to cancel all your debt, and to purge your record of any wrong-doing.  Jesus did none of this because you promised better behavior or  because you are sorry now that you’ve seen the harm you’ve done.  You and I should be sorry.  Any promise we would make to God to pay him back for our sins is laughable.  Repay how?  The slave in Jesus’ parable pledged to pay back to his master what amounted to millions of dollars.  On a slave’s wage?  Right!  He could never repay the debt.  Out of mercy, the master simply cancelled the debt—the whole debt.

     God the Father cancelled your debt, fully and freely.  Well, free to you anyway.  Jesus covered the cost for you.  God the Son, in obedience to his Father and out of love for you, came to pay the full price for our sins.  He who is eternal paid the price for all people of all time.  He who is immortal subjected himself to death for us who earned the sentence of eternal death.  He who is from heaven suffered the torments of hell for us.  He who is forever blessed was divinely cursed when he hung from the cross.  Jesus made the full payment for all sin.  Every last one. 

     Forgiveness comes fully and freely.  That is what Jesus’ resurrection from the dead proves.  Jesus’ resurrection assures you that the payment for you is complete.  The wages of sin is death, but the wage has been paid in full.  Therefore, Jesus lives.  Therefore, you will too.  Jesus lives and holds no grudge against you for what he had to suffer for you.  On Easter night, Jesus appeared to his apostles who were hiding in fear, guilt-ridden over abandoning Jesus, ashamed of their failures.  Jesus appeared to that sorry group and declared, “Peace be with you” (John 20:19).  There was no resentment.  There were no strings attached, as if Jesus said, “Peace be with you, but not for long if you don’t shape up.”  Forgiveness came fully and freely.  And it still does for you.

     Forgiveness comes fully, freely, and fervently.  It has to because we are still hounded by guilt and shame.  The devil makes sure that we remember our sins.  He continues to accuse and taunt us over them.  Consider Joseph’s brothers.  Do you think they ever forgot how they treated Joseph?  Could they ever forget selling him into slavery?  Joseph was a teenager when he was shackled to chains and dragged away by a caravan, looking at his brothers in disbelief, crying out for mercy, trying to understand why they would do this to him.  His cries for mercy got quieter and changed to sobs.  The sobs got quitter as the caravan slipped into the distance.  Meanwhile, the brothers coldly counted their money as they even more coldly ignored Joseph’s pleading.  I am sure that day was seared in their minds.  What else could explain their own pleading, falling on their knees before Joseph, and offering themselves as his slaves?

     But listen to Joseph’s response.  Twice he said, “Do not fear” (Genesis 50:19,21).  Then he said, “I will provide for you and your little ones.”  Thus he comforted them and spoke kindly to them” (Genesis 50:21).  I am sure this was not a one-time incident.  Joseph would have assured them again and again, “I forgive you.”  He continued to provide and to care for them.  He continued to demonstrate kindness to them.  His forgiveness was not mere words.  Our Lord does the same.  Forgiveness comes fully, freely, and fervently. 

     See how our Lord pours out his mercy upon you!  It was poured upon you in your baptism where Jesus washed away all your sins and clothed you in his own righteousness.  It is declared to you in the absolution each Sunday.  And for those sins that will not stop haunting you, it is applied personally to you in Private Absolution.  There, Jesus’ voice speaks through the mouth of his minister: “I forgive you in the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.”  He pours it into you again as you eat and drink his body and blood which were given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.  Our Lord comes again and again to sinners to assure you that you are redeemed, restored, and forgiven through Jesus precious blood.  For our Lord desires you to be his and to dwell with him forever.  He tells you so again and again.  Forgiveness comes fully, freely, and fervently.

    Now, if forgiveness has come to you this way, it shall also come from you this way.  Others have sinned against you.  It is not okay.  It is evil.  Perhaps it has left a scar.  Perhaps the wound has never healed.  Whoever has done this to you does not deserve to be forgiven.  But forgiveness is not about being paid back; it is about cancelling the debt fully, freely, and fervently.  It is about having the mercy of our Lord pour over from us so that we are God’s people not only in name, but also in practice.  St. Paul encourages us, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.  Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children” (Ephesians 4:31 – 5:1). 

     Is that hard?  Yes, because we are not God.  But we are recipients of God’s mercy.  We have the benefits of Jesus’ forgiveness.  We have been relieved of guilt and have had our shame replaced with God’s peace and joy.  What a privilege to bestow those blessings upon others, to reflect the mercy of God, and to release them from fear, guilt, and shame—not because it is deserved, but because it is good.  This is how wounds are healed, burdens are lifted, and broken relationships can be reconciled.  Forgiveness comes fully, freely, and fervently.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Today's Earworm -- Life of Illusion by Joe Walsh

My earworms often come to me inexplicably.  I can't remember the last time I heard this song, and I have not heard it recently.  So, why did it pop into my head?  Is it because of a different song by Joe Walsh I had heard?  Is it the lyrics?  Do they have anything to do with my subconscious?  Do I have a hankering for the mariachi type trumpets there?  No idea.

But today's earworm is Joe Walsh's Life of Illusion.  Here you go:

Update from Good Shepherd (September 14, 2023)

Greetings!

REGULAR SCHEDULE 
     Sunday School -- Sundays at 9:00 AM.
     Adult Bible Class -- Sundays at 9:00 AM.
     Divine Service -- Sundays at 10:00 AM.
     Bible Matters -- Wednesdays at 6:30 PM (NOTE: There will be NO CLASS on September 20)
     For a calendar of events and meetings, click here.

FALL EVENTS

          These events serve both to unite our own members better and to connect with people from our community. Look for ways that you can help out to make each event a success. Let’s make the most of the opportunity for each event.
          OCT 6     -- Indian Restaurant outing
          OCT 22   -- Trunk or Treat (3 – 5 PM)
          NOV 5     --  Presentation on how a Christian may deal with Anxiety
          DEC 3     -- Church Decoration
          DEC ?     -- Christmas for Kids (TBD)
          DEC 24 / 25 -- Christmas services

NEW VIDEO FOR GOOD SHEPHERD

          Here is a video to introduce people to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of Novi. Feel free to share it as much as you can.
          Shout out to Kaitlyn Cole for her work on its production!

ADULT BIBLE CLASSES

SUNDAYS at 9:00 AM.  We are studying St. Paul's letter to the Ephesians. 
          09/17       Ephesians 1:15-23     Enriched by Christ
          09/24      Ephesians 2:1-10       Alive in Christ
          10/01       Ephesians 2:11-22     Founded upon Christ

WEDNESDAYS at 6:30 PM.  We will be studying the life of Joseph: Humbled and Exalted Servant of God's People. 
          Sept 20      NO CLASS
          Sept 27       Joseph sold into slavery (Genesis 37)
          Oct 4          Fleeing from temptation; Suffering for faithfulness (Genesis 39)
          Oct 11         Dreams and Prophesy; Joseph is exalted (Genesis 40-41)

CHURCH COUNCIL HIGHLIGHTS (August)

> We have arranged a presentation by a WELS member who authored a book (“Whatever Is True” https://online.nph.net/whatever-is-true.html) about dealing with anxiety in a Christian context.  He will talk about his own struggles and how he has coped with his challenges with the word of God and prayer.  Mental health has become an increasingly common issue.  The presentation will be Sunday, November 5 at 6:30 PM, and will be presented virtually.  We welcome anyone from the community to join us for this presentation.  Let your friends know.

> We need to replace the trees which were removed from our property.  Bob Wozniak has done the research to determine which trees and shrubs can be planted.  There are a few ways you can help make this replanting more cost-effective.  You can sponsor a tree (or trees).  Cost and sign-up will be made available in the coming weeks.  OR You can be here to assist in the planting around the church grounds.  Look for a work bee date later this summer.  Your support is appreciated.

LONG-RANGE PLANNING MEETING
          THIS SUNDAY (September 17) after church, we will resume our Long-Range Planning meetings. We are working to establish a vision for what we want our congregation to look like in three years, five years, and/or ten years. Once we have a goal in mind, we can take the steps necessary to get there. The steps will be delegated to the committees we have. All are welcomed and encouraged to be a part of the Long-Range Planning meeting and the committees that will follow up to see that our plans are put to work. Planning great things only goes so far. We need our members committed to doing them and praying that God will bless them. If you have question about the Long-Range Planning committee, please speak to Pastor Schroeder.

DID YOU KNOW????
          People who have vision challenges can listen to Meditations, Forward in Christ, many volumes of The People’s Bible, Deutschlander’s Theology of the Cross and much more? These and many other resources can be found at: https://listen.wels.net/ . Share this with any who have vision issues.

 

GOOD SHEPHERD ON YOUTUBE
          Services are uploaded to YouTube each week. Feel free to share the videos. Here is the service from Sunday, September 10: (168) Good Shepherd Novi, Divine Service, September 10, 2023 - YouTube

REGULAR OFFICE HOURS
          The pastor will try to maintain regular office hours are Monday – Thursday, 9:00 AM - Noon. To ensure the pastor’s availability, it is best to make an appointment. He is available by phone or text (248-719-5218). You may also email (welsnovi@aol.com), but the response may be slower. 

DO YOU LIKE US?

          Look for Good Shepherd on Facebook. Then “LIKE” us for updates and other postings. Be sure to share posts with friends.

SHARE THIS POST!
          We desire as many as possible to rejoice in the Gospel which we proclaim and confess. Share the information from our weekly email blast, links to our web page, and even to the pastor's blog to let others know that we have a space in our congregation for them!

In Christ,
Pastor Schroeder

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REGULAR SCHEDULE
DIVINE SERVICES are on Sundays at 10:00 AM.
Sunday School -- Sundays at 9:00 AM
Adult Bible Class -- Sundays at 9:00 AM
Bible Matters -- Wednesdays at 6:30 PM

GOOD SHEPHERD’S WEBSITE
www.GoodShepherdNovi.org

PASTOR SCHROEDER’S BLOG
www.LutheranSubject.blogspot.com 

Hymn Notes -- Fall 2023

With our new hymnal, we will encounter many new hymns.  This post will enable you to preview some of them in order to get acquainted with them.  I intend to not introduce more than one new hymn on any given week, but a few goofs may have made it into the hymn selections.  In addition, a few hymns which appear to be familiar by looking at the title have had their tunes either altered or changed entirely.  I will do my best to limit the surprises.

Below is a list of new hymns which we will encounter throughout the fall.  The YouTube versions of these hymns are generally much more elaborate than we will hear on Sundays here.  They are professional recordings rather than congregational hymns.  The purpose of this post is to make you aware of the melodies so that, if you choose to view them, they will be somewhat familiar when you come on that particular Sunday.

We will still be encountering new Psalm settings.  I hope to have more challenging settings introduced by members from choir.

Here you go.

Sunday, September 24 -- Jesus, Ever-Abiding Friend (text and music by Keith Getty; Steve Siler)

Sunday, October 15 -- His Robes for Mine (text by Chris Anderson; music by Greg Habegger)

November 26 -- See, He Comes, the King of Glory (written by Laurie Gauger, music by Jeremy Bakken).  This rendition is just the tune, no lyrics; but it will sound similar to a Sunday service setting.

YouTube -- 15th Sunday after Pentecost (September 10, 2023)

Here is the Divine Service from Sunday, September 10, 2023.

Sermon -- Christian Funeral for Sylvia Campbell

+ Sylvia Jeanette (nee: Simmons) Campbell + 

(January 18, 1934 – September 10, 2023)

1 CORINTHIANS 15:42-49

JESUS HAS PLANNED A GLORIOUS RESURRECTION.

In the name + of Jesus.

      Throughout our lives we make plans.  They don’t always work out like we hope—which could be good or bad.  Sylvia Campbell was in God’s plans all along.  She was born into a Christian family and baptized into God’s family.  She had plans to become a nun, but those plans changed.  Instead, God worked it out so that she got married and raised a family.  For everyone here today, that ended up being a very good change in plans.

     Plans continued to change.  Sylvia did not plan to be a widow at age 45.  She knew her share of hardships long before the hardships of failing health.  I know your family has been dealt other blows, too.  All our plans are guesswork.  You’ve never known a world without your mother or grandmother.  Even though you knew this day would come, how do you plan for that?  All tragedies, great and small, happen because we live in a world that has been marred by sin.  And every death, whether  car accident or peacefully slipping away in hospice, happens because of sin. 

     The Bible reminds us, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).  As sweet as your mother was (and she was), as kind as she was (and she was), she was still a sinner.  I know you don’t think of her that way, and that is fine.  Your memories should be endearing.  You loved her for good reason.  But Sylvia freely confessed that she was a sinner.  She recognized that no one lives up to God’s commands for perfection.  For that reason, she knew that the day of her death would come, just as it will for all of us, and for the same reason: “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). 

     But Sylvia was in God’s plans.  God never planned to let people perish in their sins.  God made a plan to take away the sin of the world.  God announced his plan to restore life from death and to restore sinners to saints.  That plan was announced to Adam who first brought sin and death into the world.

     The first perfect man, Adam, rebelled against God by taking fruit that God had forbidden and trying to steal glory from God.  We all inherit that sinful nature from the moment we are conceived.  No one has to teach us how to be selfish; we just are.  So, we are like that first man who sinned.  And just as the first Adam died and his body turned back to dust, so shall we.

     But Jesus is the second Adam, the second perfect man to walk the face of the earth.  He is God in the flesh.  And he came to rectify what was fouled up by the first Adam.  The second Adam did not give in to a single temptation.  He was perfect in mercy, in generosity, in patience, and even in thoughts and motives.  Even though Jesus satisfied God’s Commandments in every way, he went to the cross to die for sins—ours.  Jesus took into his body all our guilt and suffered the cursed death sinners deserve.  So, the Son of God was condemned, but through him we receive a full pardon.  This is God’s plan to save you, and Jesus has completed it.  God’s plans never fail.

     To the grandchildren: I understand that your grandmother liked to arm wrestle with you.  Wild guess: She let you win.  Even if it was obvious that she could have pinned your wrist to the table, she probably pretended to struggle mightily and then cheered as you celebrated your big victory over her.

     We celebrate Jesus’ glorious victory over death.  However, Jesus’ death was not pretend.  Jesus’ death was real, just like Sylvia’s is.  Jesus’ lifeless body was place in a grave, just like Sylvia’s will be.  But listen to this: Jesus has planned a glorious resurrection for her, and he guaranteed it by his own resurrection from the dead.  Death had done its worst to Jesus, but Jesus had the last word.  Jesus rose from the grave on Easter morning.  He cannot die again.  Death has no mastery over him; rather, Jesus rules over death and the grave.  Since Jesus has charge over death, he will summon us back from the grave to live with him.  So, death does not have the last word today.  It may seem like it.  It may feel like it, but Jesus has planned a glorious resurrection for Sylvia and for all who believe in him.

     The glory of the resurrection is explained by St. Paul.  “So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.  It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. … Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven” (1 Corinthians 15:43-44,49).  These bodies, like that of the first Adam, are corrupted by sin.  They age, break down, and die, no matter how much we try to put that off—perhaps with medicine, perhaps exercise.  I remember on one visit I had with her, Sylvia showed me her treadmill.  She said, “I dust it from time to time.”  Even if she had been relentless with it, this day would have come. 

     But bodies that are weak will be raised strong.  Bodies that grow frail will be raised incorruptible.  We will bear the image of the second Adam and will never die again.  At the resurrection of the dead, Jesus will restore everything to perfection.  There will never again be mourning or sorrow or crying or pain.  We will never experience any rift or spat.  All things will be made right by Jesus.  That is the glory Jesus has planned for Sylvia.  That is the promise she confessed in life, and it remains firm even in death.  And it is the promise that comforts us even in the sadness of a cemetery.

     Sylvia had plans throughout her life.  But plans change.  As much as she used to bake, I don’t recall that happening for quite a while.  I think I would have enjoyed her chocolate chip…, well, you name it.  But following recipes was reduced to reading them.  Age and frailty caught up with her.  I know she also tried to keep up with current events, but the more she stayed informed, the more anxious she got.  She prayed for a better world.  She did not get it here.

     But Sylvia had better news, an unbreakable hope, and greater comfort than anything this world has to offer.  She delighted to hear about God’s love for her every time we met.  She was eager to hear how God’s plans included her—that she would receive a glory that she had not earned and would enjoy heavenly bliss that goes far beyond any joys we know here.  In holy communion, she feasted on the body of Christ which has overcome death, and she drank the blood of Christ which purifies us from all sin.  She could rest secure in God’s plans because they do not fail. 

     Sylvia had plans to enter heavenly glory, and for good reason: Jesus Christ promised it to her.  Sylvia is still in the Lord’s plans: Jesus has planned a glorious resurrection for her.  And not even death can disrupt Jesus’ plans.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.