OFFRE D'UNE DURÉE LIMITÉE | Obtenez 3 mois à 0.99 $ par mois

14.95 $/mois par la suite. Des conditions s'appliquent.
Page de couverture de Sermon: Blessing People on the Way to Heaven

Sermon: Blessing People on the Way to Heaven

Sermon: Blessing People on the Way to Heaven

Écouter gratuitement

Voir les détails du balado

À propos de cet audio

 Text: Luke 9:51-62Liturgical Date: Pentecost 3, Proper 8 CCalendar Date: June 29, 2025Location: Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church in Door County; 316 W Main St, Forestville, WI 54213; 920-856-6420Preacher: Rev. Dr. Christopher D. Jackson Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church in Door County serves Northeast Wisconsin communities like Sturgeon Bay. TRANSCRIPT Opening Prayer and Introduction In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Our gospel lesson today centers on the theme of blessing people on their way to heaven. About 23 or 24 years ago, I found myself with a couple of friends in a small West Texas diner at 5:00 a.m. It was a quintessential West Texas scene: ranchers and cowboys in Stetson hats and tight-fitting blue jeans gathered around the breakfast table. They looked like they had been awake long before dawn and still had a long day ahead. As we ate our breakfast, on our way back east from a backpacking trip in the Gila Mountains of southern New Mexico, one of the cowboys at a nearby table looked over and asked, “You boys from Australia?” It was clear we didn’t belong. We replied, “No, sir, we’re from Indiana.” Close enough. Our speech, haircuts, clothes, and car made it evident we weren’t West Texas boys. Jesus as a Stranger Jesus Christ, our Lord, was also a stranger in a strange land. He walked this earth for our sake, yet He was not of this world. His true home was heaven, making Him a sojourner here. Because of this, He could bless us in a way only an outsider could. As Christians, brothers and sisters in Christ, we share this calling. Our true citizenship is in the kingdom of God, and in this world, we too are strangers. Praise be to God, for through this, the Lord blesses others through us, just as He blessed the world through Christ Jesus. Turning Point in Jesus’ Ministry Today’s gospel marks a turning point in Jesus’ life and ministry. Commentators on the Gospel of Luke, from ancient times to today, note that Luke 9:51 draws a bright line in the narrative. Here, Jesus sets His face toward Jerusalem, initiating the journey that will lead to the cross, the tomb, the resurrection, and ultimately, His ascension, which is mentioned in this very verse. Jesus, a Galilean from the north, centered around the Sea of Galilee, turns His back on His homeland. You’ve heard the saying, “You can never go back home.” That’s what’s happening here. Jesus leaves the region of His early ministry in Galilee and heads south to Judea. The Journey Through Samaria To reach Judea, He must pass through Samaria, a region inhabited by Samaritans. The Samaritans and Jews differed significantly, particularly in their views on worship. Jews believed God was rightly worshiped only in Jerusalem, at the temple on Mount Zion, the center of their religious life, no matter where they lived. Samaritans, however, worshiped the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in their own land. When they saw Jesus’ face set toward Jerusalem, not their land, they rejected Him. He didn’t belong. Rejection in Jerusalem Jesus was a stranger not only in Samaria but also in Jerusalem. Though He was welcomed with fanfare upon entering the city, the cries of “Hosanna, save us!” soon turned to “Crucify Him!” Instead of being embraced, He was cast out and crucified outside the city gates—an ultimate act of rejection. Jesus didn’t belong in Galilee, Samaria, or even Jerusalem. His true home was heaven. Luke 9:51 notes that “the days drew near for Him to be taken up.” When a man approached and said, “Jesus, I will follow you wherever you go,” Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” He was a stranger on this earth. Salvation Through Christ Praise be to God for this. Because Jesus didn’t fit in, He brought what only someone from the heavenly kingdom could: salvation. This world is captive to sin, which, as Romans describes, is enmity against God—opposition to His will. Jesus, however, loved the Father with His whole heart, soul, strength, and mind. He trusted the Father even to the point of death, commending His spirit into His Father’s hands. The wages of sin is death, for turning away from the Giver of Life leads to destruction, chaos, and darkness. But Jesus, through His absolute love, faith, and service in His death, conquered death. It had no hold on Him. This world, consumed by sin, is marked by death and chaos, but the brilliant light of the empty tomb testifies that Christ has defeated these forces. Christ’s Ascension and Intercession Because Jesus was not at home in this world, He ascended to the right hand of the Father, where He belongs. As the writer of Hebrews says, we have a sympathetic High Priest who bears our prayers to the Father, interceding for us even when we falter. Reigning with all authority, Christ works all things for the good of those who love Him, as St. Paul assures...
Pas encore de commentaire