What Can Man Do to Me?

Welcome to the teaching ministry of Kungsvinger Lutheran Church. Kungsvinger is a beacon for the gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone.

And now here's a message.

Matthew 10:5a, 21–33 and the Cost of Confessing Christ

From Pastor Chris Roseberg. The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew the 10th chapter. These twelve Jesus sent out instructing them. Brother will deliver brother over to death and father the father his child and children will rise against parents and have them put to death.

And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in one town flee to the next. For truly I say to you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel for the Son of Man comes.

A disciple is not above his teacher nor a servant above his master is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul how much more will they malign those of his household.

So have no fear of them. For nothing is covered. That will not be revealed or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark say in the light and what you have here whispered proclaimed on the housetops.

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell are not two sparrows sold for a penny and not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father.

But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not. Therefore for you are more of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men I also will acknowledge before my father who is in heaven.

Whoever denies me before men I will also deny before my father who is in heaven. This is the gospel of the Lord in the name of Jesus. Hear the words of our Lord. Brother will deliver brother over to death.

Father his child child will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated all hated by all for my name's sake. What a lovely religion we're part of here. Wow that's. I've never heard Joel Osteen preach on this.

Now that I think about it could you imagine that I can do this. You know his kind of twangy draw that he has. Brother will deliver brother over to death. Right. It just doesn't work. You'll. And the reason why he would never preach a text like this is because it's so.

Well they would say negative. But is the truth necessarily negative. Do you think that as Christians that we have the luxury of just believing the bits that we like and then leaving on the table the parts that make us uncomfortable.

Isn't that really the reason why family members will persecute each other. Some family members will embrace the truth of scriptures and others will not. And well do the cancel culture thing become offended by the truth.

I would note that a few weeks ago we had a pastor Klein from the Aletheia Synod do pulpit supply here at Kongsvinger while I was on the road. He lives in the state of Victoria in Australia. And I want you to think about this in the state of Victoria.

Just recently they passed a law and it is illegal to catechize your kids into the Christian faith in the state of Victoria. If you teach your children that the scriptures say that homosexuality is a sin that is considered in the state of Victoria a crime against the state.

Think that out for a second here if that's what's happening in Victoria how long before the rest of Australia falls. How long before Canadia falls. That's where the Canadians are from. By the way about here in the United States you can see the writing on the wall you can see things kind of pressing in upon us.

I was recently scrolling through social media and saw a group of college students mocking mocking an anthropologist because the anthropologist said that they could look at human bones skeleton of a human being and determine whether it was male or female.

And the mocking basically went along the lines of this. You believe that there are only two genders. You idiot you stupid person. Right. You'll know that this is now the new orthodoxy. You know I I don't know how I survived as a kid.

What they're only being two genders. In fact you'll note if you put it on a timeline you know all of human history until yesterday there were only two genders. Right. But this is this is the world we live in.

And as a result of it there is pressure being put upon Christians to deny the scriptures to deny Christ to deny the faith. And you'll note that the the current coercion kind of goes along the lines of you want to keep your job you want to keep your job.

Then we expect you to toe the line and to use the pronouns that that person has invented for themselves. Right. Of course if you don't want to keep your job just go ahead and keep doing what you're doing standing on the Word of God.

And it's just a matter of time before we're gonna make sure that you're not fit to work on this project or with this company will invite you to play on somebody else's team. But as this thing continues to grow I mean you'll note that we are facing exactly what Christ promised.

And here's the thing this has been with us the entire time. A recent UN report noted that of all the religions of the world the one that is persecuted the most on planet Earth shock of shocks is Christianity.

And there's a reason why it's because in Adam we all did fall and in Adam we have become sinners bent in on ourselves. And sinners do not like to be rebuked for their sin. How dare you tell me I'm a sinner.

How dare you tell me that that is wrong. I like that thing. I like doing that stuff. How dare you tell me that God is gonna judge me for that. Where do we get these ideas. By the way the Word of God. And so you'll note that Christ admonishes he admonishes his disciples to not fear people who are threatening us who are raging against us.

And you'll note how the tactics work. By the way have you ever had that feeling like you know what I don't understand. How come there's so many people who call themselves Christians and yet they're buying into all of this nonsense the gender pronoun thing the LGBTQ XYZ LMNOP people.

Right. Well they're buying into all of this stuff and they're saying that this is consistent with Christianity. But when I read the Bible it condemns this stuff. And you'll note there's so many more of them and there's like one or two of me.

And so you get this this this anxious feeling inside of you. And that basically says maybe there's something wrong with me. Right. Isn't that how you feel. In fact they might say things like who do you think you are.

The majority of the church completely disagrees with how you're reading that text the problems you but is it. But is it because I would note that is a Gen X. Er you know again snark is my spirit animal I.

We grew up in a world where this stuff didn't exist. It just showed up on the doorstep like yesterday. And it shows up with threats and demands of allegiance. And I could sit there and go. No. I remember when the church never believed any of this stuff and the majority of people would have disciplined you.

Right. And so you'll note how do we know. Because you'll note the pressure is on and Christ promised this pressure. The answer is is that because Christ promised this we must continue to listen to Jesus when the world rages and Christianity comes down to this micro minority.

Right. And this remnant of those who actually continue to believe the words of scripture you are in good company. In fact the Old Testament text is really one that we should consider in this regard. Remember Jeremiah.

We did a whole study of Jeremiah. Let me remind you of just how off the rails the the tribe of Judah had become. These are the descendants of King David. These are the descendants of Judah. These are the ones this is the tribe that Christ is going to come from.

And in the time of Jeremiah let me remind you of just how bad things had gotten. They began worshiping every every false God that you can think of of the ancient Near East including and not exclusive to this would be a Shira a fertility deity female fertility deity they had set up in a Shira pole in the Holy of Holies.

Because in the pagan way of thinking having just a male deity and not a female deity makes no sense. Okay. Because if you only have a male deity well then you have toxic patriarchy. So they made sure to give Yahweh a wife.

Right. They of course they worshipped Baal and Molech which would include human sacrifice terrible religions if you think about them. Right. And people were in the majority obeying and believing these false gods and breaking the first commandment left right and center.

And don't even talk about pride month pride month in Jeremiah's time. Let's talk about that. They didn't just celebrate you know that kind of sexual diversity. They had set up a male cult prostitute brothel in the temple complex.

They didn't just celebrate it. They participated in it as a religious worship activity. Right. And so when God comes to Jeremiah the people of God are religiously in complete shambles total rebellion against God.

And Jeremiah just happens to be the last prophet that is sent before God acts in judgment. And he in our Old Testament text is crying out because the pain the psychological anguish the isolation that he felt.

In fact here's what he says. Oh Yahweh you have deceived me. And I was deceived now a little bit of a note. God didn't deceive Jeremiah in Jeremiah's commissioning. In Jeremiah chapter 1 God made it very clear what was gonna happen.

But Jeremiah here is having a little bit of a pity party for himself. But he says but God you're stronger than I. You've prevailed. And he says I have become a laughingstock all the day. Everyone mocks me.

That's not hyperbole. Read Jeremiah. Jeremiah had it hard. And he's really in good company. And you're in good company as a Christian when people make you the laughingstock you believe in Jesus. Oh you're so silly.

Or as my aunts would say bless your heart all. Right. Oh you know you poor stupid person. Oh yeah. You believe in Jesus. And you believe he's the only way of salvation. And you believe that everyone who worships other gods are gonna perish.

And you believe that homosexuality is a sin. And you think it's a sin for a guy and a girl to shack up before marriage. Oh you are so behind the times. What is wrong with you. And you don't smoke pot.

What's the problem with you. Right. You're the laughingstock. You're the. But Jeremiah was. But no Jeremiah was given words by God and he was told by God to proclaim and to preach God's judgment against their idolatry call them to repentance.

And in Jeremiah's preaching he didn't just preach the law. He also assured people that if they would repent of their idolatry their wickedness their sexual immorality and other things that God would pardon them that he would forgive them that he would restore their fortunes.

This is this is the message of Jeremiah. And it's the same message that we as Christians are called to proclaim repentance in the forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus Christ. Here are the words of Jeremiah.

Once that you we can exonerate God. God made it very clear what was going to go down. And here's the thing. There's some very important words that God spoke to Jeremiah that that echo are echoed in our gospel text.

It says in Jeremiah chapter 1 verse 4 the word of Yahweh came to me saying before I formed you in the womb I knew you. And before you were born I consecrated you and I appointed you a prophet to the nations.

Now a little bit of a note here you're not Jeremiah and I'm not Jeremiah. And we aren't called to be prophets in the same way that he was called to be a prophet. But over and again I hear people twist this text and basically say oh see yeah God before you were born he knew you to be a prophet as well.

That's not how this works. Ephesians 2 10 basically says that we are God's workmanship. We are created in Christ Jesus for good works which God has prepared in advance that we should do them. And so our good works are done in our vocations and in the offices in which that we are placed.

So if you are a husband you do your good works as a husband. If you're a wife you do your good works as a wife. If you are a husband and a father well now you got to do your good works as a husband and a father.

And if you're a mother and a wife well you got to do your good works in those as well. Are you an employee. Did you work for people for a living. Do you exchange your time for money so that you can pay your bills.

Yeah you need to be a good one of them too. These are where our good works are done and God is prepared for us to do them in advance. But then Jeremiah goes on says ah Lord behold I do not know how to speak.

I'm only a youth. But Yahweh said to me do not say I'm only a youth. For to you. For to all to whom I send you you shall go and whatever I command you you shall speak. So do not be afraid of them. Isn't that what Jesus said about those who would persecute us.

Don't be afraid of them for I'm with you to deliver you declares Yahweh. And here's where the parallel exists between us and Jeremiah. We as we hear in our gospel text are not to fear man. We are not to fear those people who can only at the end of the day take our physical lives.

In fact the attitude of Christians throughout Christian history has embraced this idea that basically says do your worst. Because the worst you can do to me is to take my life. Instead we are to fear the one who can destroy both our body and our soul in hell.

Human beings can only destroy your body. And let me remind you of this that there is a baptismal reality and that shows up in our epistle text that because you've been baptized into Christ's death and into his resurrection you are already dead.

And as a result of that sin does not have dominion over you. And you are no longer slaves of sin. You are slaves of righteousness. You are slaves of God. So that being the case embrace your deadness. Dead people have all kinds of freedom to do stuff that living people don't have the freedom to do.

Because the living people the living pagans of our world they are obsessed with food and drink and house and things like that that are focused in on this world. Being dead gives you freedom to do all kinds of stuff.

So embrace the freedom that comes from being dead in Christ. And as a result of it don't fear when people are threatening and raging against you and saying if you don't toe the line we're going to fire you.

And then you're not going to be able to pay your bills. Our response to that is whoop-dee-doo. Right. That's really what it should be. I don't fear you. I fear God. And you should too. So Jeremiah's admonished don't fear them.

I will deliver you. Then Yahweh put out his hand. He touched Jeremiah's mouth. And then Yahweh said to Jeremiah behold I put my words in your mouth. See I've set you this day over nations and over kingdoms to pluck up and to break down to destroy and to overthrow to build and to plant.

And then the word of the Lord came to me saying Jeremiah what do you see. He said well I see an almond branch. And then Yahweh said to me you've seen. Well for I'm watching over my word to perform it.

Pay attention to that God performs his word. God never reneges on a promise. God's Word does what he says. It's going to do the word of the Lord. Then came to me a second time Jeremiah writes. And what do you see.

He said well I see a boiling pot facing away from the north. And then Yahweh said to me out of the north disaster shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land. For behold I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north declares Yahweh and they shall come.

And everyone shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem against all its walls and all around and against all the cities of Judah. And I will declare my judgments against them for all their evil in forsaking me.

And you're going to note here today is the day of salvation. Christ has bled and died for all of your sins in mind. We can rejoice and take comfort in the fact that we are forgiven and pardoned all for the sake of Christ.

And yet in our Nicene Creed confession today we confess that Jesus is coming again to judge both the living and the dead. The day of salvation will come to an end. There will be a time when mercy runs out when forgiveness and grace have run their course and are no longer meted out by God for the sake of Christ.

And that end is a cataclysmic. And when Jesus comes again in glory to judge the living and the dead and God's judgments against Judah are a type and shadow of Christ coming in judgment. So we need to always keep this in mind.

And we must pray that the Lord would give us the strength that we would never forsake him that we would never take his word and toss it behind our backs and engage in this kind of idolatry. And if and when we do these things we need to cry out to God to forgive us and pardon our sin.

And he does so freely. They God says of Judah they have made offerings to other gods. They've worshipped the works of their own hands. But you you dress yourself for work put on your uniform Jeremiah rise and say to them everything that I command.

You do not be dismayed by them lest I dismay you before them. And I behold I make you this day a fortified city an iron pillar and bronze walls against the whole land against the kings of Judah its officials its priests and the people of land.

And then he says this they will fight against you but they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you declares Yahweh to deliver you. Well Yahweh made good on his promise. He stood with Jeremiah.

But Jeremiah he still had to become the laughingstock. The people just as God promised did fight against him did rage against him. And he had a lonely terrible job. He was beaten he was thrown into a cistern.

He was made to go to Egypt against his will. Poor fellow. I mean it's just all kinds of calamities came against this guy. But here's the thing he persisted to the end he endured. And where is Jeremiah today at the throne of Christ worshiping in his presence waiting for the resurrection with all the Saints.

Where are those who persisted in their idolatry and refused to hear the words of God in the mouth of prophet Isaiah. They are all there awaiting God's final judgment. And there is no hope for them. Salvation is salvation from the wrath of God.

So Jeremiah crying out there his close friends are screaming at him. Denounce him denounce him. They're watching for his fall his his close friends some some friends these are. Perhaps he will be deceived and then we can overcome him and then take our revenge on him.

But even Isaiah Isaiah Jeremiah recognizes that the Lord is with him. He said this. But the Lord is with me as a dread warrior. Therefore my persecutors they will stumble they will not overcome me. They will be greatly shamed.

For they will not succeed and their eternal dishonor will never be forgotten. Oh Yahweh of armies who tests the righteous who sees the heart in the mind. Let me see your vengeance upon them. For to you I have committed my cause.

Sing to the Lord. Praise the Lord. For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hand of the evildoers. Indeed he has. And that's the whole point that Christ is making to us as well today. So Christ makes it clear.

And here's a little bit of hierarchy. Patriarchy. If you would you'll know that the universe is run by a king. Can you imagine that a male king. Yeah. Yeah. I know. And he's not toxic at all. But Jesus says this.

A disciple. That's what you and I are. We are all disciples were learners under Jesus Christ. A disciple is not above his teacher. Nor is a servant above his master. And we all recognize that this is the case.

Yep Jesus is our master. He's our teacher he's our Lord he's our God he's our Savior. He's all of that. And we are definitely not above Jesus. He says this. Then it is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher and the servant like his master.

Now if they have called the master of the house Beelzebub if they called Jesus Satan how much more will they malign those of his household. Oh wait. What. Yeah you see the the Jesus treatment that Jesus got.

Can can you point to anything that Jesus did wrong. Can you point to anything that Jesus didn't say it was a sin that it was unjust. I want you to think about this. What is the life of Christ marked by teaching the truth.

Proclaiming sound doctrine calling people to repentance. And then Jesus. How does he treat people. Well lepers. He cleanses them of their leprosy and heals them. Those who cannot hear he gives them the ability to hear.

Those who cannot speak he opens their mouths so that they can praise God. Those who cannot walk because they're paralyzed Christ heals them. And they spring up from their mats. And they are able to jump for joy in Jesus Christ.

The hungry Christ feeds them. The poor Christ gives them money. The dead Jesus raises those who mourn he comforts. Can you point to anything that Christ hasn't done. Well but what did we do to him. We all cried out crucify him.

Does that make a lick of sense to any of you. But now that we are repentant sinners and we are listening to this kind Jesus who has forgiven us of all of our transgressions our idolatries and all the ways in which we've rebelled against God and thought word and deed now that he is truly our Lord and we fear him and listen to his voice.

Don't you think that you're gonna get the Jesus treatment too. That's what Jesus is saying here. If they called him Satan incarnate don't you think they're gonna call you worse. Of course they are. So what does Christ say.

So have no fear of them. And then listen to this next part. Let me give you an interpretation. This is kind of interesting. Have no fear of them. For nothing is covered. That will not be revealed or hidden.

That will not be made known. That's an interesting statement. Doesn't that sound a lot like conspiracy stuff. I mean when you look at how bad the world has gone there's people out there who sit there and go.

Well it's it's the Bilderbergs. It's the Illuminati. It's it's these secret groups that are plotting the takeover of the entire world and to institute a global government. And here's the thing they might be.

Right. I don't know if they are not. But you know what Jesus basically says. Don't sweat it. Who cares if there really is a secret global cabal to enslave the whole world under a one world. False satanic religion.

Whoop-dee-doo. What they're doing in the dark. Jesus says. Don't worry. You're gonna get. You're gonna get to know what's going on. All their little secrets are gonna be thrown right out into the light on the day of judgment.

You go. Ah that's what was really going on. Aha. Right. So Jesus says have no fear of them. What they're doing in the dark will be thrown into the light. What you. But note here Christianity isn't like a secret society.

It isn't like the Illuminati. We don't whisper things. Right. In fact Jesus makes it clear by the way if you want to know what Christianity teaches okay go on to a website like BibleGateway .com and look at a Bible that you can look at for free.

Right. And everything that Christianity believes teaches and confesses is right there for you to examine and for you to consider. Not so with certain secret societies I think of the Gnostic initiatic societies.

You know. And there's a whole bunch of them the Rosicrucians and others figuring out what they believe. Oh you have to be part of the group before they reveal to you the secrets and the secret knowledge and stuff like that.

Christianity isn't like that. Jesus says what I tell you in the dark. You go ahead and you say in the light what you hear whispered. You proclaim on the housetops. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.

Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. And then he says this are not two sparrows sold for a penny. I guess that's a thing. Yeah I guess so. And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father.

But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. And I would note I have no idea how many hairs I have on the top of my head. I do know that I have more than Don Matson. Right. David Fagerland. Right.

Yeah. And others. But the last I don't know the number. And before you guys lost your hair you didn't know the number either. But God knows always known what that number is. Long before it was the number zero.

Right. And that's the point God truly cares for us so much that sparrows that were bought and sold for a penny. Note this that you were you were purchased from slavery to sin death and the devil. Not by pennies or by silver or gold.

You were purchased by the shed blood of Christ. God laid down his life so that you can be pardoned and redeemed and reconciled. And Jesus rose bodily from the grave so that you can know with certainty that his sacrifice for the forgiveness of your sins truly was efficacious for you.

You can take comfort in this. So you need not fear God in the way that people cringe when they think that they're going to be punished. The fear that's talked about here is that fear that comes from respect.

Fear from knowing what is true and who is true and knowing who is lying and who is not. That's the kind of fear that is being discussed here. And so Christ says everyone who acknowledges me before men I will acknowledge before my father who is in heaven.

Whoever denies me before men I will also deny before my father who is in heaven. And so brothers and sisters as the world rages and calls and demands that you deny the scriptures and that you deny Christ don't listen to them don't fear them.

Instead take on the attitude revealed to us in the book of Hebrews chapter 12. And here's what it says. Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses let us also lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely.

And let us then run with endurance the race that is set before us. As Christ says the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this great cloud of witnesses that is being referenced here are all the Saints who've gone before us.

You know this past week we put to rest Reuben Cleven and it was sad to see him go and I got choked up. I knew I would because he was such a kind hard-working humble man. But now I can say that Reuben is part of that great cloud of witnesses.

We are still on the field we are still in the game if you would. But now Reuben rests from his labors. And now Reuben is in the stands watching us cheering us on witnessing as we struggle and contend for the faith once delivered to the Saints.

And so because of the great cloud of witnesses those who have gone before us you know we think of Isla Lind and Arlen Stengram and others who've gone before us right. They are part of that great cloud of witnesses.

So let us lay aside every weight and sin which clings so closely. Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us looking to Jesus he is the founder he is the perfecter of our faith. And who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

These are words that are familiar to us. Who for the joy set before him endured the cross despising the shame. Well we recognize what's going on here. Christ on the cross he was willing to lay down his life for the joy of being reconciled to you and to I so that we can be forgiven and experience the joys of the new heavens and the new earth.

And seeing our God face to face knowing that this is what it would take in order for us to be reconciled to him. And without his sacrifice there would not be that joy. In the same way then we looking forward to the joy of seeing our Jesus face to face of once and for all seeing his nail scarred hands and feet of being able to look him in his eyes and of hearing those words from him.

Well done good and faithful servant of the joy of being reunited with those who have gone before us in faith the joys of enjoying the new earth a world without end without pain or suffering or disease or death where even lions eat grass.

Oh boy the pets that we're gonna have in the new earth are going to be strange. Right. My grant my yard will be full of bunnies that are not afraid of me. It'll be awesome right. But here's the thing keep that in mind.

For the joy set before us knowing that God is capable of destroying both our body and our souls in hell. Yet he is not deemed that for us. Instead he has laid down his life so that we can be forgiven and pardoned so that we would not suffer shame.

Therefore when people shame us for believing in Jesus we are to follow Christ's example. Are they calling you a bigoted homophobic whatever narrow dwelled nincompoop. Right. Despise that shame. Who cares.

You have the joys of heaven and the new earth awaiting you and the reuniting of the Saints have gone before us. So who for the joy that was set before him Jesus endured the cross despised the shame. And he's now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

And then the divine author of Hebrews writes. Consider then him who endured from sitters such hostility against himself so that you may not grow weary or faint-hearted. And that's the point. Consider the love of Christ.

Consider the mercy of Christ. Consider how Christ humbled himself all for you. And consider the hostility that he suffered. And then note this. Don't grow weary when you are suffering that same thing Christ told you it was coming.

I don't think I can add to this. May Christ grant us then the ability to not grow weary or faint-hearted in the face of growing hostility and persecution. And may he give us boldness in proclaiming Christ in him crucified for our sins.

And if it means that we lose our jobs in our lives then so be it. Because we do not fear man we fear God in the name of Jesus. Amen. If you would like to support the teaching.

Ministry of Kungsvinger Lutheran Church. You can do so by sending a tax-free donation to Kungsvinger Lutheran Church 15950 470th Avenue Northwest Oslo Minnesota 56744 and again that address is Kungsvinger Lutheran Church 15950 470th Avenue Northwest Oslo Minnesota 56744.

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