2nd Sunday of Easter Service

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April 8, 2024

Date: 2nd Sunday of Easter Text: John 20:19–31 www.kongsvingerchurch.org If you would like to be on Kongsvinger’s e-mailing list to receive information on how to attend all of our ONLINE discipleship and fellowship opportunities, please email [email protected]. Being on the e-mailing list will also give you access to fellowship time on Sunday mornings as well as Sunday morning Bible study.

3rd Sunday in Easter Service

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55:55: We're on a five minute delay here today. We're on a five minute delay here today. You are intending to bring his blood upon us.
56:03: I can hear at this point a quote from Macbeth out damn spot.
56:24: I can hear at this point a quote from Macbeth out damn spot. kind of doing a little bit of research on this and I found a couple of historians who say the reason why it works is because Shakespeare didn't speak today's
56:35: Queen's English. That was a later development in dialect in the UK and that the
56:40: English that Shakespeare spoke was probably closer to a southern accent. So I'm just saying, okay,
56:47: Google it, check it out. It's a fascinating thing. So out, out, damn spot, right?
56:52: You know, you get the idea. So here they are speaking words that show that their guilt regarding the murder of Christ is there on their heart.
57:06: Remember when the crowd, when they, when, when Pilate said, his blood be upon you and they shouted back, his blood be upon us and on our children, right?
57:15: And so the blood of Christ is truly on the hands of the chief priests and he's showing by his statement here that he's, his conscience is really still bugging him about it.
57:27: And every time he hears the disciples preaching Christ, he's reminded of his murder that he committed and still he has to be fearful as all get out because Jesus, he, the report is, is that he rose from the dead and he knows he can say that the disciples had stolen the body.
57:46: Guilty conscience indeed and there's nothing that he can do to stop it. So having heard this strict, direct threat from the chief priests and this order given by the chief priests,
57:59: Peter stands up and the Apostles and they answered, we must obey God rather than men.
58:09: This is what it looks like to overcome. We must obey
58:15: God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised Jesus whom you killed by hanging him on a tree.
58:21: God exalted him at his right hand as leader and Savior to give repentance to Israel in the forgiveness of sins.
58:27: Isn't that awesome? Peter preaches the gospel here to them, even offering them the forgiveness of their sins.
58:32: But are they going to hear it? No. We are witnesses to these things and so is the Holy Spirit whom
58:38: God has given to those who obey him. What a change at this point.
58:44: And here Christianity hangs in the balance and that is not an overstatement. Christianity hangs in the balance as a religion because at this point they are so enraged by what they hear
58:57: Peter and the Apostles say they wanted to kill them all on the spot.
59:07: Now, isn't that interesting? Just a few weeks earlier, they were hiding out in an upper room, not one week, but two full weeks in an upper room with a locked door for fear of the
59:17: Jews and now they don't fear them at all. How is that possible?
59:24: Well, it has to do with how we started the sermon. Christ is risen. He's risen indeed. Hallelujah.
59:31: They know it and they are willing to suffer even death for what they know is true.
59:39: Have you ever heard the phrase you can't unsee what you've seen or you can't unring that bell?
59:45: Usually it's used kind of in terms of like you had your eyes open and you saw the truth about something that's ugly.
59:51: Over and again, I receive emails from people who tell me that they've been in abusive churches and once they saw what they saw they can't unsee it and that's generally how people are.
01:00:02: And so you're gonna note here the disciples can't unsee what they've seen. They've seen the risen Savior.
01:00:07: They know that Christ has been raised from the dead and they know full well that in him there is the forgiveness of sins.
01:00:13: They've touched his hands. They put their fingers into his side. They've confessed him to be Lord and God.
01:00:19: They know full well he is risen from the grave. They can't unsee it and nobody can talk him out of it.
01:00:27: So they were enraged and they wanted to kill them and at this point Christ intercedes.
01:00:33: I consider this to be one of those moments where the disciples had no defense at this point.
01:00:39: They were utterly defenseless and God then steps in and uses of all people a
01:00:45: Pharisee by the name of Gamaliel. Rabbi Gamaliel happens to be one of the fellows who was instrumental in training
01:00:50: Saul of Tarsus. Okay, very notable Pharisee. Not a friend of Jesus if you would.
01:00:58: But he then speaks and he gives counsel that then frustrates the plans to kill the disciples and I would note as Christians we do not need to follow his advice and I'll explain it.
01:01:11: But let's just listen to what Rabbi Gamaliel had to say. A Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in honor by all the people, stood up and gave orders to put the men outside for a little while and he said to the men of Israel take care what you were about to do with these men.
01:01:27: For before these days Thutis rose up claiming to be somebody and a number of men about 400 joined him and he was killed and all who followed him were dispersed and came to nothing.
01:01:37: After him Judas the Galilean rose up in the days of the census and drew away some of the people after him.
01:01:43: He too perished. I would note Gamaliel at this point is speaking in an understatement because we know about Judas the
01:01:50: Galilean that he and his followers were crucified. Okay, and they were made an example of.
01:01:57: He perished and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case, I tell you keep away from these men and let them alone.
01:02:03: If this plan if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail.
01:02:09: But if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found to be opposing
01:02:15: God. Now a little bit of a note here. Gamaliel's advice frustrated the plans to kill the disciples and that's what
01:02:23: God used to save them. But his advice is not something we are to follow and I must make that clear.
01:02:31: Here's the reason why. I'll give you an example. So back in the days decades ago, I was invited to actually teach at a
01:02:37: Baptist Church and I did. Don't ask me why. It was a long... It was an interesting opportunity.
01:02:43: They knew I was Lutheran. They said it wouldn't be a problem. It did become a problem. But I was teaching a group of older seniors at this particular church and it was during that time when
01:02:54: Joel Osteen's father died and Joel Osteen became the head pastor of Lakewood.
01:03:01: And he then wrote that famous book that became a New York Times bestseller, Your Best Life Now. And I began to warn the people in that Bible study class about Joel Osteen and said he's not a solid teacher.
01:03:13: You should not be watching him. He's twisting the scriptures and he's filling your heads with things that are false and mythologically untrue.
01:03:21: And one lady came up to me after I had given that warning and said, well, don't you think we should take the
01:03:26: Bible's advice? What advice is that? Well, if Joel Osteen is of God, then couldn't we be opposing
01:03:34: God by opposing him? Shouldn't we wait and see? And let things pan out?
01:03:40: I'm all, no. That's not advice that we are to take. Instead, we are to follow the clear passages of Scripture that tell us what to do with false teachers, that we are to rebuke them, to silence them, and to warn about them.
01:03:53: The clear passages say these things. So we don't follow Gamaliel's advice. I would also note that the heretic,
01:03:59: Harry Emerson Fosdick, who was notable in the early 20th century in the United States as one of the ones who was spearheading modernist liberalism, the denial of miracles, the denial of the resurrection, the denial of the virgin birth of Christ, and claiming that because we live in an age where we have electric razors, that that means we shouldn't believe in the resurrection of the virgin birth.
01:04:22: He, in his famous sermon, Shall the Fundamentalist Win, he argued that the church needs to just leave the modernist liberals alone.
01:04:31: If it's from man, it'll fail, and if it's from God, then you all would be opposing God in opposing what the message that we're bringing.
01:04:38: He used that same argument. So don't follow Gamaliel's advice when it comes to false teachers.
01:04:44: When it came to the apostles, who are true, that God used this particular line of reasoning to frustrate the plans to kill the disciples, but it is not advice that we are bound to.
01:04:57: We are bound by the Scriptures and the clear commands of the Holy Spirit as how to deal with false teachers. So Gamaliel speaks his opinion, and God uses his opinion to frustrate them.
01:05:09: And then, as a result of that, they took his advice, and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them, and then charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then they let them go.
01:05:23: So, at this point, these disciples, who just a few weeks earlier were hiding for fear of the
01:05:29: Jews, now get their first physical beating. Were they caned?
01:05:35: Were they whipped? It doesn't give us exactly the details as to what that had to be, but each of them received a good thrashing, physical harm, and violence against them for preaching
01:05:47: Christ. Now, I can assure you, at my age, if I receive a beating for preaching
01:05:53: Christ, I'm going to be seeking medical attention and things like this, and I may not be acting victorious or like an overcomer at all.
01:06:01: Hopefully, you'll understand that's the case. But watch what these disciples then do. They left the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.
01:06:17: What has gotten into these men? Well, they're overcoming the world, and this is what it means to be an overcomer.
01:06:28: Rejoicing, worthy. But what about the command not to speak in the name of Jesus?
01:06:37: It says, then, from every day in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching that the
01:06:43: Christ is Jesus. Hmm. I would say that the resurrection seems to have changed everything.
01:06:51: So, brothers and sisters, again, hear the words of our epistle text. Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world, and this is what we're talking about.
01:06:59: And this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith, our Jesus. Who is it that overcomes the world except for the one who believes that Jesus is the
01:07:07: Son of God? And brothers and sisters, you do. And so, as the world continues to plummet further and further into insanity, and the days get darker and darker, and the light of Christian churches that are preaching the truth begins to shine brighter and brighter against that darkness, that note here, there's a good chance that you will be called to make the good confession of faith and be threatened with violence, threatened with the loss of your job, threatened with imprisonment, or persecution, or whatever, if you don't tow the new dark line.
01:07:38: You know what you're supposed to do in that circumstance? Understand exactly this. You are in Christ. Christ has overcome the world, and through your faith, you overcome the world as well.
01:07:47: You basically say, that's cute. No, thank you. I'm going to obey Jesus, not you. That's what we're called to do as Christians.
01:07:57: And the apostles here have shown us the power of Christ's resurrection in their own life.
01:08:04: And remember this, you and I are blessed because we have believed that Jesus is the
01:08:09: Christ, and that he has risen from the dead, and that he is our Lord and God, not because we have seen with our eyes, but because we have believed with our ears, what the scriptures have told us.
01:08:20: So live in that blessedness. Know that your sins are forgiven, and know that those who are going to lose their minds and get angry at you and make you suffer for preaching and proclaiming
01:08:31: Christ, and believing that their time is short on this earth, and that our time on the new earth is forever.
01:08:40: Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia. We rise to confess our faith together in the words of the
01:08:48: Nicene Creed. I believe in one
01:09:03: God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible, and in one
01:09:11: Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of his
01:09:16: Father before all worlds, God of God, light of light, very
01:09:21: God of very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the
01:09:27: Father, by whom all things were made, who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the
01:09:36: Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
01:09:44: He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the
01:09:54: Father, and he will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead.
01:10:00: I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and giver of life, who proceeds from his
01:10:07: Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets, and I believe in one holy
01:10:17: Christian and apostolic church. I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins, and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.
01:10:28: Amen. Let us pray for the whole
01:10:50: Church of God in Christ Jesus, and for all people according to their needs. Heavenly Father, in holy baptism, the children of your church are born again to a living hope.
01:10:58: Feed and nourish our faith, bring us through every trial, and lend strength and joy to our praises of the risen
01:11:04: Christ. Lord, in your mercy. O Lord, God of Israel, you sent your spirit upon your people of old and brought them back from exile.
01:11:13: Breathe on your church again to renew our faith and fellowship, so that we may stand as your holy army.
01:11:20: Lord, in your mercy. Gracious Lord, give courage to all pastors as they preach and teach the word that all who hear may believe, and that believing that they may live in righteousness and godliness until the day that Christ returns as judge and Lord of all.
01:11:35: Lord, in your mercy. Merciful Father, remember those who have wandered from the household of faith.
01:11:41: Faithful to your promises, work all things in their lives to remind them of their need for your unending grace and your steadfast love, so that they might return to the faith and delight in your
01:11:52: Son, the crucified and raised for them. Lord, in your mercy. Almighty God, you appoint rulers and officials for the sake of order and peace.
01:12:02: Bless those you have placed in authority in the federal, state, and local governments. Give to them the desire to serve with integrity and honor and work for the benefit of all.
01:12:11: Lord, in your mercy. Blessed Lord, as your son's wounds brought gladness and peace to the troubled disciples, give your presence and comfort to the troubled in our midst.
01:12:21: Today we pray for Judy, we pray for Louise, Deborah, Rachel, Mara, and Gloria, and those whom we now name before you within our hearts.
01:12:39: We also ask that you would comfort those who weep. We especially remember today the Leslie family. We ask that you would bless them, comfort them with the blessed joy of Easter morning.
01:12:49: Lord, in your mercy. Father in heaven, you gave the testimony of your spirit in the water and the blood that poured from Christ's wounded side.
01:12:57: Granted, having received this testimony in the water of baptism, we may also receive it in the body and blood of Jesus in the
01:13:04: Holy Supper, and so overcome the world by our faith in him. Lord, in your mercy. Lord, give us all things good and beneficial to us and to our salvation, and keep us from all things harmful.
01:13:16: Through Jesus Christ, our crucified and risen Savior, who lives and reigns with you in the Holy Spirit, one
01:13:21: God, now and forever. Amen. We continue with the offertory.
01:14:36: Pastor Anderson. Pastor Anderson and his wife are transferring their membership to Kungsinger Lutheran Church, and we've received their letters to do so.
01:14:57: So, beloved in the Lord, our Lord Jesus Christ says to his apostles, whoever confesses me before men, I will also confess before my
01:15:04: Father who is in heaven. Whoever denies me before men, I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven.
01:15:10: So lift up your hearts, therefore, to the God of all grace, and joyfully give answer to what I now ask you in the name of our
01:15:15: Lord. Do you this day in the presence of God and of this congregation acknowledge the gifts that God gave you in your baptism?
01:15:21: If so, say, yes, I do. Do you renounce the devil and all of his works and all of his ways?
01:15:27: If so, say, yes, I renounce them. Do you believe in God the Father Almighty, God the
01:15:34: Father Almighty, in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord, and in the Holy Spirit? If so, say, yes, I believe in God the
01:15:39: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Do you hold all the prophetic and apostolic scriptures to be the inspired
01:15:49: Word of God and the doctrine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, drawn from them and confessed in the small catechism to be faithful and true?
01:15:56: If so, say, I do. Do you intend to hear the Word of God and receive the Lord's Supper faithfully?
01:16:02: If so, say, I do by the grace of God. Do you intend to live according to the
01:16:07: Word of God and in faith and word and deed, remain true to God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit even to death?
01:16:14: If so, say, I do by the grace of God. Do you intend to continue steadfast in this confession and church and to suffer all, even death, rather than fall away from it?
01:16:25: If so, I say, I do by the grace of God. Do you desire to become a member of this congregation?
01:16:32: If so, say, I do. Will you support the work our gracious Lord has given this congregation with your prayers and the gifts that God has given you?
01:16:41: If so, say, I will with the help of God. I will with the help of God. Upon this, your confession of faith,
01:16:47: I acknowledge publicly that you are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and of this congregation.
01:16:53: Receive the Lord's Supper and participate with us in all the blessings of salvation that our Lord has given to his church in the name of the
01:16:59: Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Let us pray. Lord God, Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you for your great goodness in bringing these, your sons and daughters, to the knowledge of your
01:17:12: Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, and enabling them both with the heart to believe and with the mouth to confess his saving name.
01:17:19: Grant that by your word and spirit they may continue steadfast in the one true faith and in the fellowship of this congregation as together we await the day when all who have fought the good fight of faith shall receive the crown of righteousness through Jesus Christ, your
01:17:32: Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
01:17:38: I welcome you as members of Kongsbinger Lutheran Church. Thank you. The grace of our
01:17:44: Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. You may be seated. The Lord be with you.
01:18:43: Lift up your hearts. Let us give thanks unto the
01:18:55: Lord our God. It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to you,
01:19:11: Holy Lord, Almighty Father, Everlasting God, and most especially are we bound to praise you on this day for the glorious resurrection of your
01:19:18: Son, Jesus Christ, the very Paschal Lamb who was sacrificed for us and bore the sins of the world and by his dying he has destroyed death, and by his rising again he is restored to us everlasting life.