First Lesson: Haggai 1: 15b- 2:9
Responsive Reading: Psalm 98
Second Lesson: 2 Thessalonians 2: 1-5, 13-17
​Gospel Lesson: Luke 20: 27-38

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
​
Let me begin with a few questions which anyone can shout out the answer if they have guesses[1]

1. What goes up and never comes down (no matter what)[2]?  (Age)
2. Once upon a time, there was an airplane crash, every single person on board died, but two people survived. How is this possible? (The two who survived weren’t single but married)[3].
3. How could a man go outside in the pouring rain without any cover, and not have a hair on his head get wet? (The man was bald)[4]
4. What has a head, a tail, but does not have a body? (A coin)[5]
5. Some months have 31 days, others have 30 days, but how many have 28 days? (All months have at least 28 days)[6]. 

 
What these questions indicate is that human beings can be quite good at fooling others.  It can certainly be this way when it comes to religion.  When I was in high school, my grandma had a boyfriend named Irv.  Irv wasn’t a regular church-goer.  Irv’s reasons for not attending were people in the church according to him, didn’t know anything.  He said most of them couldn’t tell you whether the Book of Hezekiah is in the Old Testament or the New Testament.  I was convinced that I knew the right answer.  I loudly proclaimed The Book of Hezekiah was in the Old Testament[7]. 
 
I had fallen victim to Irv’s trick question.  Hezekiah is a king within the Book of Isaiah.  A good and faithful king, but he was not a prophet for whom the majority of Old Testament books are named.
 
Now twenty plus years after falling victim to Irv’s trick question.  I’ve come to realize that Jesus is smarter in the presence of any religious trick questions than I’ll ever be.
 
My evidence of this is our Gospel lesson for today.  Let me set the stage.  A group of Sadducees approaches Jesus with a question.  To understand the question, here’s a little bit about the Sadducees. 
 
The Sadducees were one of the primary religious groups within Jesus’ day. 
What made the Sadducees' unique was their belief that there is no such thing as the Resurrection of the Dead.   You’re dead, and then your body merely decomposes within the ground. The  Sadducees derived their belief from the First Five Books of the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy[8].   These books alone were the Sadducees Bible, so if these books didn’t say it then the Sadducces didn’t believe it.
 
So the Sadducees like my Grandma’s boyfriend Irv put their heads together and come up with a seemingly brilliant trick question for Jesus to try to answer.
 
Let me re-read their question from Our gospel: “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 29 Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30 The second 31 and then the third married her, and in the same way, the seven (brothers) died, leaving no children. 32 Finally, the woman died too. 33 Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven (brothers) were married to her[9]?” 
 
Now the practice they cite is what’s known as Levirate Marriage.  Within Levirate Marriage, when a woman became a widow, she would marry her husband’s brother next.   This type of marriage is a concept that arises in the earliest days of the nation of Israel[10].   Women having children was a matter of not only economic survival but benefitted the nation’s military survival.  So  Levirate Marriage as strange a concept as it might seem  to us was a long-standing social welfare program within Ancient Israel.  Woman who were not married, tended to have limited means to earn an income to support themselves.
 
So with this in mind, The Sadducees think they have Jesus trapped by getting him to admit that either Resurrection of the Dead is foolish because of things like Levirate Marriage or Jesus doesn’t go by the First Five Books of the Old Testament.  The Sadducees figure that once they trap Jesus than every one gathered for Holy Week will turn on him.
 
How does Jesus respond to the Sadducees? Simply, by telling them, they got their understanding of what the afterlife will be like all wrong. 
 
Jesus declares:  “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage[11].”
 
Jesus’ response to the Sadducees is they don’t understand the nature of the afterlife.  How it cannot be compared to our relationships within the here and now.
 
Now, as Christian people, when we think about relationships within the afterlife.  For many of us, the first image that pops up is people like Frank and Shirley Moschet, couples that are happily married for years and years where one spouse longs to reunite with the other spouse after both their deaths. 
 
Yet human relationships for many of us are more complicated than this. 
 
Let me tell you the story about a couple that I’ll call Curt and Julie[12].  Curt and Julie had been fighting for months and months.  They had both began to gather facts for their upcoming divorce case.  When Curt and Julie were together, the situations would quickly blow-up into screaming matches.  One day, Curt got a phone call saying Julie had been in a terrible accident.  Julie’s life was hanging in the balance.  Now let me ask you this, what would  Curt and Julie’s relationship as husband and wife be to each other within the afterlife?
 
Now let me pose a second scenario:  Nathan lost who appeared to be the love of his life,   Louise, unexpectedly at a young age.  A few years go by,  Nathan meets another woman named Kim.  Kim had been previously divorced .  Nathan and Kim then find many years of happiness together until Nathan’s death.  Now let me ask you this: “To whom is Nathan married to within the afterlife his first wife Louise or his second partner, Kim?”
 
Now let me lay out a third scenario for you.  Scott was a good man. He was gainfully employed and a churchgoer.  Scott had a few girlfriends when he was young.  These girlfriends would go on to marry other people.   Pretty soon, Scott was the only one of his friends not to be married.  Scott would then never marry.  Scott’s years on Earth were marked with loneliness.  Scott then dies.  Now let me ask you this: “Does Scott remain forever alone within the Afterlife?”  
 
After considering each of these scenarios, which probably describe people you know, perhaps what Jesus is getting at within our lesson for Today begins to make sense.   Resurrection Life will not be like life in this world. 
 
Our relationships in heaven cannot be compared to our relationships Today.  We cannot exactly say what our various relationships might look like within the Resurrection.  What we can say is that the brokenness and sin which divides us as people shall be no more, as we’re gathered into the arms of our savior. 
 
Our Lutheran Book of Worship within their Marriage ceremony has couples pledge commitment to each other until the moment that death parts them[13].  What happens beyond death, this was a question that the Sadducees thought could trick Jesus on.  What Jesus points out to the Sadducees is Resurrection life is beyond what we can imagine within this world.  What might this exactly look like, is not something that I can say for sure whether one is single, happily married, unhappily married, divorced, widowed, or remarried. 
 
 
I believe that all martial statuses are included in Paul’s powerful promise from Romans 8: “neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.[14]”
 
The point of our lesson is this. Our Savior’s promises of eternal life given to people throughout the course of their often imperfect lives are more powerful than any trick questions about marriages that even the seemingly most clever can throw at us.  Amen


[1] Hoezee, Scott. “Luke 20:27-38.” Center for Excellence in Preaching. Calvin Seminary. Grand Rapids, MI. 31.Oct.2016. Web. Oct.30.2019.
[2] Zhang, Allen. “What are some examples of trick questions and answers?” Quora. 15.June.2019. Web. Oct.30.2019.
[3] Editor. “114 Trick Questions with Answers [Funny Mind Trick Questions].” Icebreaker Ideas. 17. Apr.2019. Web. Oct.30.2019.
[4] Editor. “114 Trick Questions with Answers [Funny Mind Trick Questions].” Icebreaker Ideas.
[5] Editor. “114 Trick Questions with Answers [Funny Mind Trick Questions].” Icebreaker Ideas.
[6] Zhang, Allen. “What are some examples of trick questions and answers?” Quora.
[7] “Hezekiah.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 29.Oct.2019. Web. Oct.30.2019.
[8] Lose, David. “Commentary on Luke 20:27-38.” Working Preacher.
[9] Luke 20:29-33.
[10] Deuternomy 25:5-10.
[11] Luke 20:34-35.
[12] Zingale, Tim. “Life After Death.” Sermon Central. 5.Nov.2001. Web. Oct.30.2019. 
[13] LBW pg.203. 
[14] Romans 8:39. 

First Lesson: Daniel 7: 1-3, 15-18
Responsive Reading: Psalm 149
Second Lesson: Ephesians 1: 11-23
​Gospel Lesson: Luke 6: 20-31

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

“Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. .. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.”-Revelation 2:10.

Let me begin with a story.  About five years ago, Shirley Moschet from our congregation was in the hospital down in Duluth.  Frank (her husband) wanted to be in the hospital room with Shirley.  I was encouraged to drive Frank down. 

Frank, I believe was 96 going on 97 at the time.  Frank reluctantly agrees to the ride.  Now, Frank must not have cared for driving very much.  By the time I turned off on Superior Street, Frank turns to me saying: “Next time, I can drive myself.”

Frank being a social butterfly, even was able to find a different ride home.  Anyone who spent time with Frank knew that he had a stubborn side to him.

Last year, I visited with Frank for a newspaper article.  I had been blown away that at 101, Frank was still driving himself to church.  Frank then admitted to me that on a nice day,  he would drive up to his land on the Sonju Road.  But I was not to tell his boys or else he’d be in trouble. 

The problem was anyone who knew his boys would call as soon as they saw Frank drive out of town.  Frank was going to see to it that he made his own decisions about when to drive and where to live as long as possible.  Frank would die at home just hours before turning “102” years old.

Today we gather as a congregation for All Saints Sunday to remember  those who have left our presence over the past year. We remember like Frank how Saints come in every type imaginable.

Roy Borges would appear to be Frank’s opposite in every way.  Roy was sentenced to 45 years in prison for violating Florida’s three-strike law[1].  Roy’s rap sheet is long: theft, assault, drug possession, burglary, illegal carrying of firearms, and robbery with a deadly weapon[2].  Roy had been in and out of prison numerous times before receiving his forty-five-year sentence.

Something happened though as Roy descended towards rock bottom. Roy heard another prisoner talking about Jesus.  Roy decided that he was going to attend a chapel service on Christmas Eve in 1989[3]. This service would be the beginning of Roy’s testimony. Roy would spend his days in prison reading everything that he could about his new ‘faith”.  Roy begins a writing career for the prison newspaper, which eventually leads to Roy publishing two books about his faith found in prison.  Roy now spends his days between reading, writing, working in the prison kitchen, and sharing with his fellow inmates the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Roy’s greatest comfort was found in believing that God looked at him with a different set of eyes whereas nearly everyone else in the world merely sees him as a “convict”, our Lord declares Roy to be a “forgiven sinner”  one of his “saints” [4]”

Frank, Roy,and our Gospel lesson remind us that Saints come in all forms.  Saints are stubborn, they are poor, they weep, they hunger, and they might even end up in Jail[5].  Saints come in the form of rowdy middle school boys, they come in the form of an underemployed worker, and they come in the form of all sorts of failed Christians.   Saints are those who, like Roy Borges manage to somehow find God during those times of their lives when their circumstances seem devoid of all religious hope.  Saints are those who God claims in Baptism to carry out the work of his Gospel upon the Earth[6].

Earlier this summer, I was tasked with eulogizing my grandmother.  What story best describes what it was like to know her?

Some years back, Grandma was living in senior housing.  She noticed that she had ants in the kitchen.  She doesn’t reach for the Raid; she instead figures that the Ants are hungry.  So she proceeds to make a feast for these ants involving all the potato chips and sugar that she had lying around the apartment.  My Dad and I eventually show up; it’s like she was running an ant farm in the kitchen. It doesn’t matter where I go or what I do; I will never see more ants in my life.  Grandma reacts to the apartment being overtaken by ants as the absolute funniest thing in the world.  

But here’s what I can say for certain about Grandma. When I was in Confirmation, I would have skipped class when the opportunity presented itself. Grandma though was always going to see that I left her house and was at Trinity Lutheran at 3:15 P.M. on Wednesday.  Despite her numerous quirks, I am convinced that I’m not standing here today without her constant encouragement in the faith.   

As we reflect on the faith which brings us here this morning, we are reminded that the most influential saints in our lives aren’t super heroes of the Christian faith like Peter, Paul, Matthew, and John but rather people like my grandmother who have never been afraid of a few kitchen ants roaming[7].

So as we gather on this day, we remember the Saints of Sychar who have left us in this last year.  Those who our savior declared on Easter Sunday that their tombs should not be permanently occupied, rather they are merely awaiting the Reunion of the Saints that is to come on the last day.

Red Nordin: My most vivid memory of Red comes from two winters back.  The weather turned nasty on Saturday night.  Nearly a foot of snow fell on the ground; the wind was whipping, drifts were happening all over town.  I got calls from congregational members with snowplows, saying the weather was too treacherous for them to make it to services.  It was the first church service in my life that I believe that no one was going to show up. Red, though, shows up right on time for Choir practice.  Even as he struggled walking down the sidewalk.  Sixty eighty years ago, Red met the love of his life Pat at the Soo Hotel in Moose Lake.  Something immediately struck Pat about Red.  Red was always calm, no matter the prognosis of this life. This was tested for Red many times over the years.  The great hope that Red drew from his Christian faith that no matter which obstacle life throws our way,  Red believed that his savior would never abandon even as Cancer broke down his body.

Dorothy Ives: We will forever remember Dorothy for her sense of  style and social grace. This was on display within the area for many years as she ran the Dot Clothing shop.  At Sychar,  Dorothy took great pride in the social room of the Church because of all the events that it hosted throughout the years[8].  Dorothy’s longest-lasting legacy at the church will be her quilting here at Sychar. Dorothy was a mentor to other quilters.  Dorothy’s quilts hang on the walls of our social room and during the upcoming Advent season her Cradle to the Cross design will hang in our sanctuary.   

Irene Schlatter: When Irene was in good health, she’d rarely not be in church.  Irene had previously been active on the Board of Fellowship and Board of Worship.  Irene’s arthritis made it tough for her to get here on Sunday mornings.  So I would spend lots of time visiting with Mel and her down on Burk over the last few years of her life.  Irene and Mel were married sixty-eight years.  Irene and Mel had a unique relationship.  Mel said they got along so well because they were both perfectionists for how things should look. What made their relationship so unique as an outsider is they would constantly playfully tease each other with both having huge smiles on their faces. 

Frank Antilla: Frank and his wife Berdie are the last two charter members of this congregation.  Frank will be remembered for his many passions in life. Frank’s first passion was for his country. You could never find Frank without his World War II veteran hat, having served this country in the Europe and losing his hearing in one ear in the process.  Frank was passionate about photography; he was a passionate athlete competing in five Grandma’s marathons and six Birkebeiners. Frank was passionate about his family, even running a gift shop with his wife Berdie for many years. Frank was passionate about his faith.  The first time I went to visit Frank, he shocked me when he pulled out a Book of Sermons that he had collected over the years.  Whenever a preacher had said something that struck Frank, he would go home and write it in the book to reference later.

Jim Northagen: We will remember Jim for his numerous years serving the community working as a police officer for Beaver Bay, Lake County, and finally Silver Bay, along with helping multiple people with carpentry projects serving as a mentor to other builders within our community.  

Ron Larson: I’ll forever remember Ron for his sense of humor.  A visit with Ron would be one joke after another of various degrees of appropriateness.  Ron leaves this world behind with one of the greatest legacy that a Saint can have in seeking to continually bring a smile to the face of others.

Julie Marquardt:  Julie was a long-time cook at the Café, where she worked alongside Sychar member Deb Johnson.  What impressed Deb most of all about Julie was that her house was always an open the door to friends and family.  My greatest memory of Julie was her devotion as a caregiver to her husband, Gordy.  Julie did everything she could to the point of physical exhaustion to keep Gordy home as long as possible.  When Gordy was down at the Veterans Home, she’d go down three times a day to help keep him company.   
Peg Johnson:  Peg loved to visit, and I can still hear Peg’s distinct laugh.  I could never forget Peg’s laugh.  Whenever Peg was at church, working in the kitchen.  I couldn’t help but be amazed at the intensity in which she worked.  But Peg’s most significant legacy is how nearly every conversation that she had with those around her would circle back to how grateful that she was to have her daughter-in-law Wendy in the family and how proud she was of her son John and grandchildren: Craig, Kelsie, and Amanda. 

Frank Moschet: My last visit with Frank took place about a week before he died.  Frank’s mind was still amazing recalling details about the church’s architecture plans drawn up by Armstrong/Slicthing out of Minneapolis.  Frank gave back to the worship life of the congregation in many ways from the baptismal banner bought by him and Ardelle Orvik after their daughters deaths.

“I have called you by name. You are mine.”-Isaiah 43:1

Frank’s contributions went beyond this banner.

Frank looked forward to trying to set up a Christmas tree with Fred Mismash every year at Sychar[9].  The one thing that you never wanted to argue with Frank about was how the sanctuary should be decorated for Christmas.   In his last months, Frank would still get on me about not holding the communion cup emphatically enough for his liking. After hearing Frank out, I would give him communion to which he always had tears in his eyes as he awaited the Reunion of the Saints that is to come with his beloved Shirley.    

Doreen Larson: What I will forever remember about Doreen is her sense of selflessness.  Every year, Mission Circle would have a Christmas party. Doreen would always see to it that my meal was always paid.  I remember one year, telling Doreen that she didn’t have to do that.  Doreen looked at me before declaring: “I’m sorry, I can’t give you more.”   I was embarrassed, but this was just Doreen’s nature.  Whenever I would go see Doreen at the Two Harbors nursing home, the conversation never centered on her various ailments, the conversation always centered around Doreen asking about others from her grandchildren’s sporting events to the Mission Circle ladies, to Reynold and Margaret, or anyone else whom she was thinking about on that day.

Doreen, like others, could also be set in her ways, but God still used her in numerous ways throughout our congregation (Wedding planner, Mission Circle) and community such as the community closet dispersing medical supplies to those in need. Doreen reminds us how people of whom we heard the Saints of Sychar come indeed in all forms: tall, short, young, old, model citizens, rebellious, responsible, irresponsible, forgiven, redeemed, inheritors of eternal life through Christ Jesus.  Amen
 
 


[1] Stier, Leon. “Mutts.” Email Mediatations. 15.Oct.2019. Web.  Oct.29.2019.
[2] “Roy A Borges-029381” Flordia DOC Felony Records. Found on hireexfelon.com. Web. Oct.29.2019.
[3] Stier, Leon. “Mutts.” Email Mediatations.
[4] Stier, Leon. “Mutts.” Email Mediatations.
[5] Luke 6:20-31.
[6] Ephesians 2:18-20.
[7] Stier, Leon. “Believing in the Communion of Saints (a).” Email Mediatations. 20.Sept.2015. Web. Oct.29.2019.
[8] Graham, Joan Claire. Sychar Remembers 60 Years. Graham Megyeri Books. Albert Lea, MN. 2013. Print. Pg.29.
[9]   Graham, Joan Claire. Sychar Remembers 60 Years. Graham Megyeri Books. Page 50. 

First Lesson: Joel 2: 23-32
Responsive Reading: Psalm 65
Second Lesson: 2 Timothy 4: 6-8, 16-18
​Gospel Lesson: Luke 18: 9-14

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
 
Last month, I was at a Vikings game versus the Oakland Raiders.  The Vikings were up 31-7 with little time left in the game.  Oakland sends out their kicker Daniel Carlson with the only goal to make Oakland’s loss just a little bit smaller.  The stadium erupts with “boos,” as soon as Daniel Carlson takes the field.
 
Now Daniel Carlson hadn’t done anything criminal nor said anything against the fans.  Daniel Carlson used to be the Vikings kicker until he had the worst game of his life against the Green Bay Packers.  So the Vikings failed to win the game. 
  
Now a relatively meaningless kick would serve as a reminder for fans to remind Daniel Carlson, how bad he messed up with the Vikings.   Carlson proceeded to bounce his kick off the uprights, to the fans great cheers.  The Vikings would end up winning the game 34-14.  The tale of Daniel Carlson reminds us how we live in a world that often delights in the failures of others. 
 
Now, as we hear the story of Daniel Carlson, let me ask you this? How many of you would like people from the worst parts of your past standing over you, reminding you of everything that you’ve done wrong for the rest of your life?”
 
As we reflect on Daniel Carlson and the following question, it leads us into Today’s Celebration of Reformation Sunday.   Luther was like Daniel Carlson in many ways.  Luther’s whole life was defined by hearing voices telling him everything he had done wrong.
 
You see, when Luther was young.  His father dreamed of young Martin pursuing a lucrative career in the law.  One night though, Martin, on a trip back to school, got caught in a thunderstorm.  Luther cried out in a moment of desperation for his survival: “Help! Saint Anna, I will become a monk!  Luther’s dad Hans thought this was a foolish move, but Martin could not break his vow[1]. 
 
Luther, as a monk, was as dedicated as any monk could be.  He would fast for days on end.  He would spend hours in prayer.  He would seek to confess every individual sin that he committed[2].   Luther would appear to have been the best Christian around.  Luther had a problem, though; he kept feeling worst and worst about himself.  The more committed that Luther got to his faith, the more unlikely it was that he believed that God could save him. 
 
Luther heard every dark and spiritual force reminding him of everything he had done wrong in his life and then consigning him to the fires of hell. These voices within Luther’s life were even louder than 60,000 Vikings fans booing Daniel Carlson over his past mistakes.
 
What ends up happening to Martin Luther, thereby making us all Lutherans, we’re going to get back to him in just a little bit. 
 
Today’s Gospel lesson comes to us from the 18th Chapter of Luke’s Gospel[3].  Let me set the stage.  Two men go up to the Temple to pray.   One man was a Pharisee; the other man was a Tax Collector.
 
The Pharisee was a good man[4]; he was generous; he was religious; he prayed nearly every day. The Pharisee was the type of man any father would want their daughter to date.  The Pharisee had plenty of admirable qualities to be thankful for in this life, and the Pharisee let God know this by praying the following:
 
“God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get[5].”
 
Now another man comes to pray a tax collector.  Now picture your daughter coming in home amid the Revolutionary War, announcing she’s dating Benedict Arnold[6].  No parent in Jesus’ day would ever want thier daughter dating a Roman Tax Collector. If a parent had a choice between their daughter dating a guy with face tattoos, a Mohawk, and a massive nose ring currently unemployed or a tax collector.  Mohawk man would be receiving an invitation to dinner.   These tax collectors sold out their faith to the Romans.  They helped collect money to pay for the Roman Army, courts, and the Roman Governor[7].  The tax collector basically engaged in organized crime on behalf of the godless Romans. They were locals who had turned their backs on the people of their hometown.
 
So now it’s the tax collector’s turn to pray after the Pharisee.  No one would point to the tax collector as anything other than an example of bad religion.  As for the tax collector’s prayer, it’s direct and straightforward.
 
The tax collector is so ashamed that he is unable to lift his eyes in the direction of heaven.  He struggled to get the words of his prayer out of his mouth.  The Tax Collector finally mouths the words: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner[8]!”
 
A few weeks back, Sychar did adopt a highway.  So Fred Mismash and I go down to the Split Rock wayside.  I start wandering and collecting trash.  What did I continually find alongside Highway 61, cigarette butts.  So I had to bend down, again and again and again, picking up cigarette butt after cigarette butt.  After about a mile of this, my back was hurting.  The thought goes through my head, why can’t those who throw liquor bottles and cigarette butts out the window be more like me.”   Why can’t they be in bed at a reasonable hour reading a book.
 
Such thinking is nothing new among the religious.  When I was growing up, my Grandma would always let me know what exactly thought about those who had children outside marriage using one of her favorite bad words.
 
Every Viking fan can remember Daniel Carlson not winning a football game versus the Green Bay Packers. 
 
Jesus instead has a different message for us within our Gospel lesson for Today: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted[9].”
 
The whole point of our lesson is other’s people sins are not your problem.   Your next-door neighbor might be the one throwing cigarette butts alongside Highway 61; Our God will determine the level of grace and mercy that they will be given.  If there are people in heaven that you don’t think should be there like your neighbor or the tax collector, then don’t make this your problem rather than Christ Jesus’ problem. 
 
What happened to Martin Luther, once he nearly reached a breaking point on account of his spiritual despair.  Luther kept studying the Christian scriptures trying to escape God’s judgment.
 
Luther comes across Romans 1:17: “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[a] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
 
Luther came to realize that the Gospel was for this tax collector not just this Pharisee.   Luther realized that the great Christian hope was that Jesus heard him call out on Easter Sunday: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”
 
The only thing that Luther required to be brought into the arms of his savior was his own, unique sin in need of saving. 
 
It was at this moment of encountering God’s forgiveness that the stadium of voices reminding Luther of everything that he had done wrong in his life had gone silent.  

Luther, because of this Gospel revelation saw a whole new world open before his eyes.  Luther came to see Baptism as the ultimate example of this salvation by God taking what is weak and vulnerable and claiming us as his own, lost and sinful thought we might be. 
 
What we celebrate on this day of Reformation is not the Birth of the Lutheran Church, what we celebrate instead is God using Martin Luther’s broken life and pointing into the direction of the Cross of Christ. 
 
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.”

Let me close this morning with a Modern-Day re-telling of this parable.  Dan Crenshaw was a Navy Seal who served five deployments in Iraq,  Afghanistan, Bahrain, and South Korea[10]. On his third deployment in Afghanistan, a bomb cost him his right eye[11].  Crenshaw’s service was held in such high regard that he was elected to the U.S. Congress from the state of Texas.   Dan Crenshaw is the definition of American hero.
 
Pete Davidson spent years struggling with drugs before eventually getting clean.  Davidson’s claim to fame is his work as stand up comedian, where he makes fun of things that people hold in high regard, such as the church[12]. 
 
Last year, upon Lieutenant Crenshaw getting elected to Congress, Pete Davidson appeared on Saturday Night Live to make fun of Lieutenant Crenshaw’s eye patch by declaring that he “looks like an actor from x-rated movies[13].”  Davidson told the most inappropriate of unfunny jokes concerning  Lieutenant Crenshaw’s lost eye from the war. 
 
Pete Davidson’s outburst took place the week of Veterans Day.  People’s outrage at Pete Davidson made Vikings fans greetings of Daniel Carlson seem friendly. 
 
Lieutenant Crenshaw, though had a remarkable reaction to Pete Davidson.   Crenshaw declared “I wasn’t outraged when people were shooting at me; why should I start now[14].”
 
The next week Lieutenant Crenshaw went on Saturday Night Live to meet Pete Davidson. There was no dramatic confronation between the two very different men.   Lieutenant Crenshaw used his moment in the spotlight to remember the loss of Pete Davidson’s father, a firefighter in New York, on September 11th.  Common humanity, forgiveness, and grace were found on national television between the modern-day equivalent of the upstanding Pharisee Congressman Dan Crenshaw and the obnoxious Tax Collector comedian Pete Davidson[15].
 
 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.” Which one are you like? Here’s what Martin Luther realized at the start of the Reformation.  It doesn’t matter whom you think you’re like.  What matters is that the Gospel is given to both Pharisee and tax collector alike.  No matter how loud the voices are telling us otherwise.   I’ll remember this the next time that I go to a Vikings game.  Happy Reformation Day!! Amen



[1] “Martin Luther.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 9.Oct.2019. Web. Oct.9.2019.
[2] “Martin Luther.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation.
[3] Luke 18:9-14.
[4] Sylvester, Emily. “The Pharisee and the Tax Collector.” Sermon Writer. 2010. Web. Oct.9.2019.
[5] Luke 18:12.
[6] Sylvester, Emily. “The Pharisee and the Tax Collector.” Sermon Writer.
[7] Sylvester, Emily. “The Pharisee and the Tax Collector.” Sermon Writer.
[8] Luke 18:13.
[9] Luke 18:14.
[10] “Dan Crenshaw.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 8.Oct.2019. Web. Oct.9.2019.
[11] “Dan Crenshaw.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation
[12] “Pete Davidson.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 7.Oct.2019. Web. Oct.9.2019.
[13] Stier, Leon. “Where is the Kingdom of God? (part three of three).” Email Mediatations. 5.July.2019. Web. Oct.9.2019.
[14] Stier, Leon. “Where is the Kingdom of God? (part three of three).” Email Mediatations.
[15] Stier, Leon. “Where is the Kingdom of God? (part three of three).” Email Mediatations

First Lesson:Jeremiah 31: 27-34
Responsive Reading: Psalm 119: 97-104
Second Lesson: 2 Timothy 3: 13- 4:5
​Gospel Lesson: Luke 18: 1-8

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
​
“Pray continually.”-I Thessalonians 5:17.

Once upon a time down south, there was a young boy.  The boy was an only child as his twin brother didn’t survive his mother’s womb[1].  The boy was so poor growing up, that at the age of three his father got sentenced to three years in prison for forging a four dollar check[2].  The family would frequently be forced to move from home to home. 
When the boy was eleven years old, he asked his parents for a bicycle[3].  They couldn’t afford a bike, so he’s given a guitar instead.  The family eventually moves to the big city.  The boy who always carried a guitar would be frequently mocked and bullied by his classmates.  One of his friend's parents wouldn’t let him into their house declaring him to be nothing more than “white trash[4].”
 
The boy with the long black hair remained an outsider . Despite the boy’s love of country and blues music, he failed a music class in high school[5].  After graduating, the boy bounces between jobs including working as a truck driver.  The boy seemingly eventually gets a big break in music being hired on at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN. After his first show, the Opry’s manager Jimmy Denny fires him declaring: “You ain’t goin’ nowhere, son. You ought to go back to drivin’ a truck[6].”
 
The boy who was now a young man preserves at this point.  Fifteen months after being fired by the Grand Ole Opry after one performance, the young man recorded a single of which you’ve maybe heard titled “Heartbreak Hotel[7].”
 
The young man who preserved despite the toughest of childhoods and bouncing between jobs would eventually sell more of his music over 600 million record sales than any other artist in history [8].  Elvis Presley is one example of the power of perseverance.

But there are even more significant examples of perseverance out there.  A few years back at Washington D.C.’s Reagan Airport, a change in flight patterns began to inconvenience nearby residents[9].   Planes would take off earlier, land later, and fly at lower altitudes significantly affecting the quality of life for nearby homes.  The first year of the change was 2015.  The airport received 8700 complaints that year. What made that so remarkable is one individual filed 6500 of these complaints[10]. One individual was so persistent that they complained an average of 18 times a day, every day for one whole year. 
 
Now, this was just one individual versus one of the world’s largest airports, yet their persistence paid off as Reagan Airport officials eventually began working with local residents to address the problem “noise.”
 
Now let me ask this question, how many of us would dare be so persistent.  The following  brings us to Our Gospel Lesson for Today from the 18th Chapter of Luke’s Gospel[11]. 
 
In our text, Jesus begins by making the following point to his Disciples: “Pray always” and “Do not give up[12].” Jesus proceeds to give them an example of persistence like Elvis Presley or the Airport neighbor to whom they could relate.
 
Once upon a time, there was a widow.   The widow longed for justice against her adversary.  The widow approaches a particular judge.  This judge was not the type that the widow would have wanted.  The text says he “neither feared God nor cared what people thought[13].”  The judge having no concern for this certain widow’s plight kept ignoring her requests.  This judge was not going to be moved to act by any sense of compassion for the widow.  What did the widow, do? She kept going back to the Judge again and again.  Eventually, the Judge realizes that he needed to respond to the widow’s plight, or else she would keep approaching him no differently than the individual who filed 18 noise complaints a day[14].
 
So as soon as Jesus tells this story, he interprets it for the Disciples[15].
 
Now if this Unjust Judge can be moved by such persistence, how will Your God in Heaven respond to similar persistence in prayer.
 
Jesus then declares: “Will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off[16]?”
 
Now as Jesus points out, God will respond “quickly”,  but often not quick enough for our liking, so Jesus ends our lesson by declaring: “when the “he” Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth[17]?”
 
So Jesus closes our lesson by declaring  how God’s timetables and plans in prayer might be very different from our own.   So what are we to do in the midst of all this, persist like the widow within our lesson.  Pray day and night, even when the cause seems to be hopeless.  Perseverance and faith, like displayed by the widow within our lesson, have a way of eventually paying off.
 
Once upon a time, there was a certain young man.  He saw an ad in the newspaper to work as an understudy to a local statistician. He saw an address to which he should apply PO Box 1720[18]. 
 
The man responds to the ad, receives no answer.   The young man would not be easily deterred, he writes again, again gets no reply.  Writes a third time, nothing, yet again. Finally goes down to the local post office, asks the clerk for the name of the box holder, is told “no.” Requests for the postmaster,  receives same response of “no”[19].
 
The young man finally had an idea which seemed like a breakthrough.  He was going to get up early, fix a big breakfast, go back down to the post office, and stand outside Box 1720[20].
 
Finally, someone comes to get Box 1720’s mail.  The young man follows the mailboy to a nearby brokerage firm.  He proceeds to ask for the manager[21]. 
 
The young man begins to explain to the manager, everything he tried to do to hear back from the company, the manager is stunned at his persistence[22]. 
 
The manager finally turns to the young man before declaring: “You are just the kind of persistent fellow I want.  You are hired[23]!”
 
Now how many of us would dare be so persistent in our daily life? What would people say?  Now let me you ask this how many would dare be so persistent with God? How many times would we pray for the church?  How many times would we pray for a job?  How many times would we pray for a relationship? How many times would we pray for a child?  Before, figuring prayer is powerless when we don’t get exactly what we want. 
 
The most interesting thing about our lesson is this.  Jesus uses a widow as an example of the power of prayer[24].  There were very few widows within the land of Israel.  Women who lost spouses were expected to remarry, often to their husband’s brothers.   Widows were women who had long outlived the childbearing age.  They would often lose their husband’s property against any family member who would claim it instead.  Widows would often seek out male relatives to defend them as carrying more credibility with a judge[25].  This widow though boldly choose to represent herself.  Nearly every judge would seemingly ignore her pleas.  The following background wasn’t going to matter to this lone widow; she believed her pleas would eventually bring about the change for which she longed. This brings us the following question for Today:  “ What might happen as Christian people if we persisted just like this?” 
 
Let me close this morning with one final story.  Some years ago there was a woman named Monica[26].  Monica was trapped in a miserable marriage. Her husband drank and drank. He had a violent temper and was continually unfaithful to Monica.   On top of this, Monica had a son that I’ll call Augie.  Augie was as rebellious a teenager as there was around.  Augie engaged in theft for the enjoyment of it[27] and took frequent female lovers against Monica’s objections. 

Monica tried everything that she could to get Augie to turn his life around.  When all of Monica’s solutions failed to work, she turned to prayer.  Monica began praying for Augie night after night.  Even as Monica kept praying for him, Augie drifted further and further from her Christian faith. Monica shed tear after tear over her lost child.  Monica prayed for Augie night after night for nearly twenty years. 
 
Eventually, Augie hears a well-known preacher, gets converted and is ultimately baptized.   Monica’s perseverance in prayer would subsequently lead to her being given the name of Saint Monica[28]. As for Augie, he would become one of the most influential Christians to ever live as Saint Augustine. There was no more prominent Christian voice in  nearly fifteen years than Augustine[29].  Augustine’s most well-known work The Confessions would declare Monica as the one whose prayers would lead to not only Augustine’s salvation but the salvation of countless others in the years since.
 
Monica was not an extraordinary woman.  She just believed that her God would come through within her life, just as Christ came through death upon a cross.  If an Unjust Judge eventually relented to the pleas of a persistent widow, how will a loving, and faithful God finally respond to the prayers of his people?  Amen
 


[1] Fujioka, Kuromi. “Elvis Presley's Perseverance.” Prezi. 25.Sept.2012. Web. Sept.19.2019.
[2] Nix, Elizabeth. “7 Fascinating Facts About Elvis Presley.” History.com. 7.Aug.2019. Web. Sept.19.2019.
[3] Graceland. “Elvis Presley’s Early Childhood.” Graceland. Web. Sept.19.2019.
[4] Aurandt, Paul. “You Can’t Come Inside.” More of Paul Harvey’s: The Rest of the Story. William Morrow and Company. New York. 1980. Print. Page 20-22.
[5] Nix, Elizabeth. “7 Fascinating Facts About Elvis Presley.” History.com.
[6] Eberle, Kevin. “10 Famous People Who Proved Perseverance Pays Off.” Business 2 Community. 3.June.2015. Web. Sept.20.2019. 
[7] Graceland. “1954-1957.” Graceland. Web. Sept.19.2019.
[8] “List of best-selling music artists.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 18.Sept.2019. Web. Sept.19.2019.
[9] Tabor, Chuck. “Persistent prayer pays off.” The Times-Gazette. Hillsboro, Ohio. 10.Oct.2018. Web. Sept.19.2019.
[10] Baskas, Harriet. “One Person Filed 6,500 Noise Complaints for Reagan National Airport.” NBC News. 11.Mar.2016. Web. Sept.20.2019.
[11] Luke 18:1-8.
[12] Luke 18:1.
[13] Luke 18:2
[14] Tabor, Chuck. “Persistent prayer pays off.” The Times-Gazette.
[15] Wilson, Brittany. E. “Commentary on Luke 18:1-8.” Working Preacher. Luther Seminary. 20.Oct.2019. Web. Sept.19.2019.
[16] Luke 18:7
[17] Luke 18:8
[18] Sunshine Magazine. “PO Box 1720”. Found on moreillustrations.com under persistence. Sept.19.2019.
[19] Sunshine Magazine. “PO Box 1720”. 
[20] Sunshine Magazine. “PO Box 1720”. 
[21] Sunshine Magazine. “PO Box 1720”. 
[22] Sunshine Magazine. “PO Box 1720”. 
[23] Sunshine Magazine. “PO Box 1720”. 
[24] Sylvester, Emily. “The Unjust Judge and the Persistent Widow.” Sermon Writer. 2010. Web. Sept.19.2019.
[25] Sylvester, Emily. “The Unjust Judge and the Persistent Widow.” Sermon Writer.
[26] Phillip, Dr. Babu. “Persistent Prayer.” Christian Moral Stories. 11. Feb.2013. Web. Sept.19.2019. 
[27] “Confessions (Augustine). Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 3.Sept.2019. Web. Sept.19.2019.
[28] “Saint Monica.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 28.Aug.2019. Web. Sept.19.2019.
[29] “Augustine of Hippo”. Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 19.Sept.2019. Web. Sept.19.2019. 

First Lesson: Lamentations 1: 1-6
Responsive Reading: Psalm 137
Second Lesson: 2 Timothy 1: 1-14
​Gospel Lesson: Luke 17: 5-10

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

“Since my youth, God, you have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds.  Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.”--Psalm 71:17-18

I have a friend named Tim, who is a pastor just outside Atlanta.  I want to begin by telling you about Tim’s Grandma Marie, who recently passed.

Marie blessed Tim’s life in many ways over the years from her cooking to her listening.  What was most remarkable about Marie was what she taught Tim about God’s grace as a child[1].

When Tim was young, his dad took him not only to visit Grandma but go to the local county fair to see monster trucks.  On top of the excitement of the monster trunks, Tim’s dad said he could have the biggest soda that they sold.  Tim went to bed that night as excited over his evening as any boy could be.  Overnight though there was an accident,  Tim’s bladder couldn’t handle all the soda.  Tim woke up with wet bed sheets[2].

Tim has to break the news to Grandma Marie at breakfast that next morning.  Tim was thoroughly embarrassed as he was at the age where boys weren’t supposed to wet the bed anymore.  So as soon as Tim sees his Grandma, he starts bawling, shedding crocodile tears[3].  What Grandma Marie said to Tim next were words that he would never forget:
“What could you have possibly done to make you cry this hard[4].”

Tim sat in church many Sundays as a child, but he never got a better sermon than that one sentence from Grandma Marie.  She was willing to forgive, even before he admitted his wrong-doing.  Grandma Marie’s love for Tim far surpassed anything that he could or would do wrong.

Tim’s Grandma Marie leads us into our lesson today from 2 Timothy 1[5].  2 Timothy is a personal letter written from the Apostle Paul to his fellow worker in the Gospel Timothy.  The New Testament paints Timothy as one of Paul’s closest friends.  Timothy and Paul were so close that he’s listed as a supporting author to many of Paul’s letters to the First Christian churches[6].

So our lesson for Today addresses the original source of Timothy’s faith. 

Paul declares to Timothy: “I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also[7].”

So who were Lois and Eunice of which are lesson speaks as remarkable women of faith?

We know that in the Book of Acts that Paul had visited Lystra (listra) where Lois and Eunice lived.  We know that when Paul visited Lystra that Timothy was already well, respected within the Christian Community[8].  Paul appears to have met Timothy’s mother Eunice and grandmother Lois during this visit and praises them both as remarkable woman of faith[9]. 

What else can we say about Eunice and Lois?  What we know about Timothy’s family tree from the Book of Acts is that his mother was Jewish and his father, Greek[10].  So this seems to indicate that Timothy was raised in a mixed-faith home.  Eunice appears to be Timothy’s spiritual influence within his immediate family when growing up. 

Lois’ mention is perhaps even more noteworthy.  Lois is mentioned as the one who not only helped teach Eunice the scriptures but help raise Timothy in the Christian faith[11].  The reference Paul makes seems to indicate that Lois either lived in Timothy’s household or very nearby as I did to my Grandmother growing up, eventually making her a part of numerous sermons.

Later in the Book of 2 Timothy, Paul makes the following mention:
“But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which can make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus[12].”

So Paul’s reference points out how Timothy never travels throughout the world preaching the Gospel if it wasn’t for both the influence of his mother, Eunice and grandmother Lois.

While both Eunice and Lois are important in Timothy’s life, I want to highlight the Lois' of this world a bit more this morning as we’ve got a lot of people with us who have grandchildren or even great-grandchildren, or even other children within this community that they can influence for the better.

How might we exactly do this in 2019??

Today is a milestone sermon that I’m giving as it’s the last Sunday morning that I will preach in my 30’s.  So as I prepare to turn 40 later this week, who do I want to be when I enter the Lois generation.

Many of you from within this congregation know John Sandstrom.  For those of you who don’t, John  previously worked for the railroad with North Shore Mining.  John currently substitute teaches and is the Girls Basketball Coach for Silver Bay.  John described himself as the only first-year basketball coach in the state on Medicare.

What does John do that is so remarkable? 

I want to tell you about a basketball game last winter between Silver Bay and Chisholm.   Neither team’s girls talents in life lie in the game of basketball.  They both had way more losses than wins on the season.   Silver Bay went into the game thinking they could get a victory!

 As soon as the ball is tapped, everything that could have possibly gone wrong for Silver Bay did.   By the 2nd Half, Chisholm was up over “30”. 

Coach Sandstrom was all out of ideas; he admitted that for the first time all season, he actually “yelled”at the team during half-time to his later regret.

Coach Sandstrom though would proceed to give one of the most remarkable post-game speeches that I’ve ever heard. 
Coach Sandstrom stands before the team declaring: “While things didn’t go our way tonight, I want to let you know that I wouldn’t trade you for any girls basketball team in the State of Minnesota.”

The girls on the Silver Bay basketball team will never receive a more powerful sermon  about how their value in life and God’s eyes goes beyond wins and losses on the Basketball court.  John saw to it that girls left one of the worst losses of the season with tears of joy in their eyes. 

Here’s the reason that I want to be like John Sandstrom when I get older.  Nearly everyone can praise great athletes or straight-A students.  John though goes out of his way to notice and praise the gifts of students who don’t even see their own talents.   John is so popular with Silver Bay students that was named graduation speaker last year. 

John certainly doesn’t have to do any of these things with his time.  He would be plenty content spending his days fishing and watching baseball.  John understands though that just like Lois and Eunice, there is no more important calling as Christian people than raising the next generation.

Without the presence of Lois and Eunice, no Timothy is bringing  Jesus Christ unto the ends of the Earth.

What might this mean for us as a congregation? We get a lot of gray hairs here on Sunday morning, every time we meet as a Church Council; we talk about how we can get younger heads of hair to join us.  We might assume there’s a great evangelistic strategy involved.  What if the solution though is more straightforward? What if what God is calling us to do is being an extra set of grandparents to a kid in need.
Gunnar Frahm from our congregation lost his dad at the age of 4[13].  Two years later, his grandpa E.J. died.  Frank Moschet afterward approached Gunnar saying: “I’ll be your Grandpa if you’d like.” 

Frank reaching out to Gunnar formed a special friendship between the two of them.  When Frank passed at the end of August, Gunnar was one of the last people to visit him.  As long as Gunnar lives, he’ll never forget Frank’s influence over him. 

What we can be as a congregation is like Frank, the best set of extra parents and grandparents in town.  Lois wouldn’t’ usually have been the one to raise her grandchild Timothy in the faith.  But God had a reason for keeping Lois within Timothy’s life.  Timothy doesn’t become such a passionate spokesperson for the Christian Gospel without her.

Grandparents whether biological or not as in the story of my friend Tim, the Biblical Timothy or any number of adopted grandchildren throughout Silver Bay can serve as the sources of God’s grace who shape others as Christian people long after we’ve left this earth behind.

With this in mind, let me close with one final story[14].  Once upon a time, there was a young man named Geoffrey.

Geoffrey grew up in a tough part of the Bronx.  Geoffrey was going through such a hard period in life; he had nearly reached his breaking point. Geoffrey had lost his infant son, his beloved brother, and now he was visiting his dying Grandmother.  Geoffrey came to believe that this was evidence that no God could exist and be so cruel. So Geoffrey goes to see his Grandmother shortly before her death[15].   

Geoffrey proceeds to ask: “Grandma, do you still believe in God?”

Grandma responds: “Of course I do.  Why do you ask me that?”

Geoffrey says: “Because you are sick.  You have cancer.”

To which Grandma replies: “Being sick doesn’t have anything to do with faith[16].

Grandma proceeds to set Geoffrey on a course that would affect him for the rest of his life: “Geoffrey, listen to me.  I know you’ve been through so much with the loss of your son and your brother.  But don’t lose faith in God or yourself…God has a plan and you’re part of it, so you can’t give up…Do you hear me?  Your problem is that you think if you study your books hard enough, you will find all the answers.  All the answers aren’t in books.  They never will be.  So do I believe in God?  Yes.  More now that ever before[17].”

The following would be the last time that Geoffrey and his Grandmother visited each other.  As Geoffrey struggled with her passing, he would seek to borrow his Grandmother’s faith to lift him up[18].”

Geoffrey came to realize something after her loss that every child needs a Grandma Lois, a Grandma Marie, a Grandpa Frank, or a Grandpa John in their life.

They need someone to look up to in the faith, someone to forgive, someone whose example they can cling to in their darkest of days.  So this is why God gives us Grandparents [19].    Amen
 
             
 


[1] Wrenn, Tim. “My Grandma.” Facebook. 17.Aug.2019. Web. Aug. 27.2019.
[2] Wrenn, Tim. “My Grandma.” Facebook.
[3] Wrenn, Tim. “My Grandma.” Facebook.
[4] Wrenn, Tim. “My Grandma.” Facebook.
[5] 2 Timothy 1:1-14. 
[6] “Saint Timothy.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 20.Aug.2019. Web. Aug.27.2019.
[7] 2 Timothy 1:5.
[8] Acts 16:1
[9] “Lois.” All the Women of the Bible. Zondervan Publishing.1988. Web. Aug.27.2019. Found on Bible Gateway.com
[10] Acts 16:1
[11] Shay, Kim. “Women in Scripture.” Out of Ordinary: Blogger Publishing. 15.Feb.2017. Web. Aug.27.2019.
[12] 2 Timothy 3:14-15.
[13] Frahm, Renee. “God puts people in your life when you need them the most.” Facebook. 23. Aug.2019. Web. Aug.27.2019.
[14] Stier, Leon. “Leaning on Grandma’s Faith.” Email Mediatations. 22.May.2015. Web. Aug.27.2019. Story appears both in Geoffrey Canada’s authobiography Reaching Up for Manhood:  Transforming the Lives of Boys in America.  quoted in James Dobson’s Bringing Up Boys.
[15] Stier, Leon. “Leaning on Grandma’s Faith.” Email Mediatations.
[16] Stier, Leon. “Leaning on Grandma’s Faith.” Email Mediatations.
[17] Stier, Leon. “Leaning on Grandma’s Faith.” Email Mediatations.
[18] Stier, Leon. “Leaning on Grandma’s Faith.” Email Mediatations.
[19] Stier, Leon. “Leaning on Grandma’s Faith.” Email Mediatations.

First Lesson: Jeremiah 32: 1-3a, 6-15
Responsive Reading: Psalm 91: 1-6, 14-16
Second Lesson: 1 Timothy 6: 6-19
​Gospel Lesson: Luke 16: 19-31

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
​
Let me begin with a story.  Once upon a time, a funeral home called a young preacher.  A man had died who had no family living in the immediate area.  The funeral home wished for the preacher to do a graveside service with only the cemetery workers present.  The preacher agreed[1].

There was a problem though, as the preacher had never been to the cemetery.  On the way, the preacher got lost.  Finally, off in the distance, he saw a little church with what appeared to be a cemetery and three guys just standing around. The preacher gets out of the car, sees shovels and a large pile of dirt, and figures he’s in the right place. He then proceeds to walk towards the grave site. 

He tells the workers, I can see you’ve already done the burial, though let me say a few words.  The workers figured they should remove their hats as the preacher began to pray. The service then starts.  The young preacher gave a beautiful sermon about finding Christian hope upon a cross in death.  The service then concludes[2].

 Afterward, one of the men approaches the preacher with a big smile on his face before declaring: “Preacher, I gotta say that was the best funeral for a septic tank that I’ve ever heard[3].”

Why were the Preacher’s words so powerful for a septic tank? The reality is as Christian people; there is no more important topic than death or “What happens when we die?”

The following story leads us into a question for this morning? What do we really know about death and dying?

In 1989, Don Piper was a Baptist minister driving home from a church conference in Texas[4].  Upon crossing a bridge, Piper’s Ford Escort was struck by a semi-truck.  When medical personnel arrived at the scene, Don Piper appeared to be dead.  He was covered by a tarp while waiting for the medical examiner to arrive.  Don Piper’s body would show no signs of life for 90 minutes.  What happened in these 90 minutes?  Don Piper believes that he visited Heaven.  Piper reunited with long-lost family members and sang alleluias with the heavenly choir[5].  After these 90 minutes, Piper is prayed back to life.  Piper proceeds to write a very popular book called 90 Minutes in Heaven[6]. 

Piper’s story is not unique, several years back, a Nebraska Pastor named Todd Burpo described the experiences of his three-year-old son Colton who was forced to undergo an emergency appendectomy[7]. While on the operating table, young Colton Burpo described leaving his body and visiting heaven. What Colton described amazed his family, he was able to give in-depth explanations about family members of whom he had never met or even heard[8]. 

In 2012, an accomplished neuroscientist named Eben Alexander described his own experiences in a meningitis-induced coma where he describes his brain visiting another realm of existence which would appear to be proof of a visit to heaven[9].

So what can Christian people take from these near-death experiences? It’s worth noting that none of these people were biologically death.  It’s also worth noting that these experiences tend to have different descriptions of what they “each” call heaven..  For example, the Baptist preacher describes people in heaven looking like they did when they died, whereas the other preacher’s son the little boy Colton describes everyone as looking young, like in the prime of their life. 

When thinking about death, here’s what we do know. Near-death experiences take place across a wide swath of religious traditions.  Muslims describe being greeted by 70 virgins in Heaven, Hindus describe themselves as meeting Vishnu, Mormons get to meet Joseph Smith, Catholics place a lot of emphasis on meeting the Virgin Mother.  Now, I’m sure all people who claim to have had near-death experiences are sincere in their faith, but at the same time, I would caution against accepting these stories as giving literal truth about the afterlife. 

 So if near-death experiences don’t shed answers into the afterlife, we turn instead to our scriptures.  Today’s Gospel from Luke 16 begins to answer our questions about life everlasting[10]?

Within our lesson, two men die.  Lazarus and a Rich Man who goes unnamed.  Lazarus is a poor man.  Lazarus spends his days as a panhandler asking for money[11].  Lazarus is so poor that his ideal meal is whatever he can find in other’s people trash[12].  Lazarus had as rough a life as a person could have then Lazarus dies.  As for the Rich Man, he had everything he could want, yet he also dies.

So what happens upon the death of both men? Lazarus and the Rich Man are both transported to Hades.  While in Hades, the Rich Man is tormented while Lazarus is comforted.  The Rich Man can see Lazarus residing in a much, better part of Hades[13]. 

The Rich Man cries out for mercy from the Father of the Nation of Israel in Abraham:
“Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony in these flames[14].”

Abraham then informs the Rich Man that the divide between these two parts of Hades where Lazarus and the Rich Man reside within eyesight is so great they cannot be crossed[15].  The Rich Man then begs Abraham to go to warn his five brothers about their pending fate[16].  Abraham then informs the Rich Man that the dead aren’t meant to communicate with the living apart from the Word of God[17].  Abraham tells the Rich Man how some won’t even believe if they witness a Resurrection from the dead such as Jesus own’[18]. 

So how should we interpret this Gospel tale??  The question to ask is, how would people in Jesus’ day have understood the Afterlife?

The Old Testament doesn’t place a lot of emphasis upon the Afterlife.  The two most prominent Jewish groups in Jesus’ day the Pharisees and the Sadducees were divided on this issue.  The Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead, and the Sadducees didn’t.

So the reason for the divide between the Pharisees and the Sadducees has to do with how little the Old Testament describes life after death.

Sheol in brief reference within the Old Testament is the common destination of the dead.  When our lesson for Today refers to Hades, Hades would be the Greek term in which the New Testament was written for Sheol in which the Hebrew language Old Testament was written.  Sheol was understood to be the destination of both the faithful such as Lazarus and unfaithful such as the Rich Man both living and dead[19].  The Book of Revelation refers to Death, Sheol, and Hades as the same.

So the Gospel lesson for Today describing Lazarus, and the Rich Man visiting the same place of Hades as a common grave right after their death would have been consistent with the understanding of the day[20]. 
Another common understanding in Jesus’ day is that upon death, the faithful such as Lazarus will be comforted in a place called Abraham’s bosom[21].  Our lesson is the only place in the scriptures where such a place is mentioned, but other writings in the Early Church point to the widespread belief that Abraham’s bosom served as a waiting area of sorts between Death and the Resurrection of the last day. 

How should we interpret our Gospel passage?  There is no passage within the Christian scriptures that I’ve spent more time discussing with fellow ministers than this one.  I would caution against interpreting it as the final description of the afterlife. 

For when the scriptures describe the afterlife, the emphasis is not on the time immediately after a believers’ death.  The focus is instead on Christ’s return to Earth and the final resurrection of the dead.  When the Book of Revelation describes the famous images associated with heaven: pearly gates and streets paved with gold[22].  These are realities meant to describe what the New Heaven and the New Earth will be like. 

So what happens at the moment of our death? I believe that those like Lazarus who cling to God’s great promise given in Christ Jesus will have their every earthly fortune reversed as they enter the presence of God.  I look to the famous encounter from later in Luke’s Gospel where Jesus hangs alongside a common thief on his cross?

Jesus declares to the thief: ‘Today, you shall be with me in Paradise”- Luke 23:43.  
 
I believe that all our loved ones who cling to Christ’s promises are currently just like Lazarus in a state of comfort and bliss awaiting the great reunion that will eventually take place at the second coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

The great Christian hope is laid out in the 14th chapter of John’s Gospel as Jesus is seeking to prepare the Disciples for his upcoming death.  The words that Jesus speaks are famous for having been spoken at countless Christian funerals: “In My Father’s House are many rooms[23].”

 The words from this passage that we tend to gloss over though might be the most comforting words for those who mourn :  verse 3 has Jesus promising “And if I go to prepare a place for you, I WILL COME BACK for you to be with me that you also may be where I Am[24].”

As Christian people, we will all experience loss.  We will lose grandparents, parents, spouses, friends and perhaps even children.  We want the absolute best for our loved ones after their death. 

Whenever I go back to Lindstrom, there is a void knowing that I’m no longer able to visit my grandma not only for newspaper and sermon material though. 

I recall my last visit, being taken back when she was polite saying “please” and “thank you” rather than her usual colorful outspoken self that I miss so much.  What brings me comfort is this.

I don’t know quite what the afterlife looks like for us.  Whether Grandma is merely resting to be awakened at the second coming of Christ or whether she is actively being comforted, such as Lazarus within our lesson. My comfort comes from her being entrusted to the continual care of our Savior, whose love and grace know no limits.  I can still hear Grandma’s distinct laugh as she hears tales like the preacher leading the funeral service for a septic tank. Amen
 
 


[1] Hamby, John. “What Happens When We Die?” Sermon Central. 13.Sept.2004. Web. Sept.5.2019.  
[2] Hamby, John. “What Happens When We Die?” Sermon Central.
[3] Hamby, John. “What Happens When We Die?” Sermon Central.
[4] “90 Minutes in Heaven.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 28.July.2019. Web. Sept.5.2019.
[5] 90 Minutes in Heaven.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation.
[6] Challies, Tim. “Don Piper’s 90 Minutes in Heaven.” Challies. 10.May.2007. Web. Sept.5.2019. The following serves as a critical critique of Piper’s book.
[7] “Heaven Is for Real.”  Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 23.Aug.2019. Web. Sept.5.2019.
[8] “Heaven Is for Real.”  Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation.
[9] “Eben Alexander.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 18.July.2019. Web. Sept.5.2019.
[10] Luke 16:19-31
[11] Hoezee, Scott. “Luke 16:19-31.” Center for Excellence in Preaching. Calvin Seminary. Grand Rapids, MI. 19. Sept.2016. Web. Sept.5.2019.
[12] Luke 16:21.
[13] Luke 16:23.
[14] Luke 16:24
[15] Luke 16:26.
[16] Luke 16:28.
[17] Luke 16:29.
[18] Luke 16:31.
[19] “Sheol.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 20.Aug.2019. Web. Sept.5.2019.
[20] “Christian views on Hades.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 22.July.2019. Web. Sept.5.2019.
[21] “Bosom of Abraham.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 20.Aug.2019. Web. Sept.5.2019.
[22] Revelation 21:21.
[23] John 14:2.
[24] John 14:3. 

First Lesson: Jeremiah 4: 11-12, 22-28
Responsive Reading: Psalm 14
Second Lesson: 1 Timothy 1: 12-17
​Gospel Lesson: Luke 15: 1-10

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way;and the Lord has laid on him the(sin) iniquity of us all.”--Isaiah 53:6.

Let me begin this morning by talking about something really important America’s “Bill of Rights.”  The United States is unique because of the first ten amendments to the Constitution. “Freedom of Religion.” “Freedom of Speech.”.  Now let me ask you the following question: “What if the Bill of Rights was lost?”
Here’s a story that you might not know.  The Bill of Rights has been lost!

The year was 1789- President George Washington sent handwritten copies of the Bill of Rights to each of the thirteen colonies for ratification[1].  North Carolina’s copy of the Bill of Rights was then kept in its state capitol in Raleigh. 

In 1865- when General William Sherman’s army occupied the Confederate capitol, a Union solider wanting a souvenir from the war stole North Carolina’s copy of the Bill of Rights.  The solider kept the Bill of Rights for about a year[2] when he sold it for five dollars to a Charles Shotwell of Troy, Ohio[3].   

North Carolina was clueless as to the Bill of Rights’ whereabouts until 1920 when Shotwell’s son approached them about buying back North Carolina’s copy.  North Carolina refused to pay for stolen government property.   So North Carolina’s Bill of Rights remained missing for 75 more years. 

The document eventually gets into the hands of a prominent antique dealer from the famous Antiques Roadshow who had purchased the Bill of Rights from Charles Shotwell’s heirs[4]. 

When North Carolina was again approached about buying back their copy of the Bill of Rights, they still refused to negotiate.  The Bill of Rights was then offered to the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia for four million dollars[5].

 The F.B.I then sets up a sting operation in response with the antique dealer.  North Carolina’s copy of the Bill of Rights was then seized.  After a series of legal challenges, North Carolina 140 years after the conclusion of the Civil War possessed its original copy of the Bill of Rights once again[6]. 

Now think of every bit of frustration that you’ve spent in your life over lost items.  Now imagine that you had a lost an original copy of the Bill of Rights.  Now let me you ask this “What if you lost something even more valuable than the Bill of Rights?”

The following reflection brings us to our Gospel lesson for Today from Luke 15[7].  Let me set the stage for Luke’s lesson.  Jesus is speaking before a gathering crowd.  The crowd in front of Jesus was mixed.  A lot of Jesus’ audience consists of tax collectors and sinners.  Remember, the worst thing you could be as a Jew in Jesus’ day was a tax collector because you were collecting revenue for the hated Romans who worshiped all sorts of false gods including the Emperor Caeser.

Sinners as described in our lesson would appear to be the term for everyone else who had a questionable reputation: criminals, adulterers, and just plain old social outcasts of various stripes.

Wandering across this scene was the Pharisees.  The Pharisees were the most upstanding citizens of the Sabbath day crowd.  The Pharisees couldn’t quite make sense why Jesus would waste his time with such seemingly lost causes as these Tax Collectors and Sinners[8]. 

So Jesus responds by telling them two parables about the nature of the Kingdom of God.  The first parable is the Parable of the Lost Sheep.

“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it[9].”

Jesus’ point is that the is heaven’s greatest priority is finding those who have wandered far off God’s original path for them.

“I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent[10].” 

The second parable is the parable of the lost coin where a woman has a similar reaction about finding one silver dollar among ten[11].

Jesus tells this parable to illustrate further that absolutely no one is a lost cause for God’s grace, whether the Pharisees who can’t believe that Jesus associates with tax collectors and sinners wish to believe this or not. 

I have an uncle whose name is Jim.  My mother’s long-deceased parents used to have a condo in Port Aransas, Texas, right on the Gulf of Mexico.  So every one of my grandparents eight children would make the occasional trip to South Texas over the winter.  Jim had been to Port Aransas before, Jim was convinced that he knew the way.  My Aunt Sue thought was growing increasingly concerned that they weren’t on the right road.  Jim though refused to stop and ask for directions.  Pretty soon they were entering Laredo, Texas over 150 miles away from their intended destination.

The Pharisees in our lesson are not unlike my Uncle Jim when it comes to asking for directions.  They were absolutely convinced that only they knew and had found the way to God’s presence.  These Tax Collectors and Sinners would appear to be permanently “lost.”   The point that Jesus is making is that within the Kingdom of God, there is no such thing as forever lost.

The year was 1938[12].  Eighteen-year-old Jesse  Mattos was working at a butcher shop in Dunsmuir, California[13]. Mattos dropped and accidentally flushed his high school class ring down the toilet.  . Decades pass with Jesse Mattos’ ring appearing to be “gone for good”.  One day a city crew was doing routine maintenance in the sewer mains when they noticed large amounts of debris which they started to pull by hand.  One city worker noticed a ring.  The ring had two defining marks the year “1938” and the initials “J.T.M[14].” The city worker has the ring cleaned and goes to the school library to study old yearbooks.  There was one student in the 1938 yearbook to whom the ring’s initials matched. Jesse. T. Mattos.   The worker tracked down one of Mattos’ classmates who luckily had the phone number for the now ninety-year-old Jesse T. Mattos.  Seventy-two years after graduating high school, Jesse. T. Mattos’ long-lost class ring still fit[15].

What Jesus is seeking to make known within our lesson to the Tax Collectors, Pharisees, and Sinners is that like in the case of the missing ring there is not one person who has been apart from God for so long that they can’t eventually be found.  Jesus wishes to illustrate how the God who created us will stop at nothing to bring us back to his presence.

To illustrate this, let me close with one final story for this morning. 

Once upon a time, there was a child that ran away from home[16].  He ended up in the big city.  His family was dumbfounded as to his whereabouts.  Much like the Biblical tale of the Prodigal Son, the young man indulged himself in every pleasure of the world that he possibly could especially drugs.  The young man’s life because of the drugs begins to spiral increasingly out of control.  He begins to live life out on the streets.  The seasons started to change so that the young man would seek shelter on various nights out of the cold.  The young man’s life was seemingly growing worse by the day, and he began plotting out to take his own life[17]. 

One day though a voice called out at a shelter he was staying: “Is Allan Roberts here[18]?”

The man was confused.  No one had called him this for quite some time.  At first, he didn’t answer.  The voice called out again: “Is Allen Roberts here?”   The room stayed silent.  Finally, the man spoke up: “I’m Allan Roberts.[19]”

The shelter worker said, “Your mother’s on the phone[20].”

The man started shaking his head. “My mother, no, you’ve made a mistake. I don’t know where I am, how could my mother know where I am[21]?”

The shelter worker just shrugged before declaring: “If you’re Allan Roberts, then it's your mother on the phone[22].”

The man was so confused at this point; he decided he better take the call.  The shelter worker hands him the receiver; “Allan, it’s time for you to come home.” Said a voice that he immediately recognized[23].

Allan cried out: “Mom, I don’t know where I am, I have no money, you don’t know what I’m like anymore. I can’t go home[24].”

Allan’s excuses didn’t matter to his mother. “There’s a Salvation Army officer who’s coming for you with a plane ticket. He’s going to take you to the airport to get you home[25].”

You see Allan’s mother didn’t know where he was.  She just kept calling every shelter and hostel that she could for month after month until she found him[26]. 

Allan Roberts did go home.  His mother was joyous at having found her long-lost son.  Allan’s life slowly began to piece itself back together free of the drugs.  He went back to the church and was eventually baptized.  Allan Roberts was lost, but he was now indeed found. 

There was much rejoicing not only by his mother but also within the Kingdom of Heaven[27].  The story of our Gospel reminds us that no person has been lost and missing for so long that our God can’t possibly find them.  Amen. 


[1] Nix, Elizabeth. “5 Lost and Found Historic Treasures.” History.com. 22. Aug.2018. Web. Aug.13.2019. 
[2] Nix, Elizabeth. “5 Lost and Found Historic Treasures.” History.com.
[3] Mitchell, Fay. “Recovering North Carolina’s Bill of Rights.” North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. 15. Dec.2018. Web. Aug.13.2019.
[4] Mitchell, Fay. “Recovering North Carolina’s Bill of Rights.” North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
[5] Mitchell, Fay. “Recovering North Carolina’s Bill of Rights.” North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
[6] Mitchell, Fay. “Recovering North Carolina’s Bill of Rights.” North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
[7] Luke 15:1-10. 
[8] Hoezee, Scott. “Luke 15:1-10.” Center for Excellence in Preaching. Calvin Seminary. Grand Rapids, MI. 5. Sept.2016. Web. Aug.13.2019.
[9] Luke 15:4.
[10] Luke 15:7.
[11] Luke 15:8-10.
[12] GABI319. “10 Fascinating Stories of Lost and Found.” Listverse. 5.Sept.2011. Web. Aug.13.2019.
[13] Mercury News. “Ring finds owner 72 years later.” Bay Area News Group. San Jose, CA. 13. Aug.2016. Web. Aug.13.2019. 
[14] Mercury News. “Ring finds owner 72 years later.” Bay Area News Group.
[15] Mercury News. “Ring finds owner 72 years later.” Bay Area News Group.
[16] Wilson, Paul Scott. Setting Words on Fire: Putting God at the Center of the Sermon. Abingdon Press. 2008. Pg.159-160. Analogy comes from  a sermon by Hugh Reed found on Scott Hoezee’s earlier cited reflection for the Center for Excellence in Preaching.  
[17] Wilson, Paul Scott. Setting Words on Fire: Putting God at the Center of the Sermon. Abingdon Press. Pg.159-160.
[18] Wilson, Paul Scott. Setting Words on Fire: Putting God at the Center of the Sermon. Abingdon Press. Pg.159-160.
[19] Wilson, Paul Scott. Setting Words on Fire: Putting God at the Center of the Sermon. Abingdon Press. Pg.159-160.
[20] Wilson, Paul Scott. Setting Words on Fire: Putting God at the Center of the Sermon. Abingdon Press. Pg.159-160.
[21] Wilson, Paul Scott. Setting Words on Fire: Putting God at the Center of the Sermon. Abingdon Press. Pg.159-160.
[22] Wilson, Paul Scott. Setting Words on Fire: Putting God at the Center of the Sermon. Abingdon Press. Pg.159-160.
[23] Wilson, Paul Scott. Setting Words on Fire: Putting God at the Center of the Sermon. Abingdon Press. Pg.159-160.
[24] Wilson, Paul Scott. Setting Words on Fire: Putting God at the Center of the Sermon. Abingdon Press. Pg.159-160.
[25] Wilson, Paul Scott. Setting Words on Fire: Putting God at the Center of the Sermon. Abingdon Press. Pg.159-160.
[26] Wilson, Paul Scott. Setting Words on Fire: Putting God at the Center of the Sermon. Abingdon Press. Pg.159-160.
[27] Wilson, Paul Scott. Setting Words on Fire: Putting God at the Center of the Sermon. Abingdon Press. Pg.159-160.

First Lesson: Jeremiah 2: 4-13
Responsive Reading: Psalm 81: 1, 10-16
Second Lesson: Hebrews 13: 1-8, 15-16
​Gospel Lesson: Luke 14: 1, 7-14

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

“God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”- Hebrews 13:5

Let me begin this morning by telling you the tale of a family-like you might know in a town, not unlike Silver Bay.

Once upon a time, there was a little girl whose grandpa would give her mother $100 at the start of each December to buy whatever Mom wanted. 

Well, this December was different.  Christmas was coming.  Unlike most children, the little girl and her sister were dreading the upcoming Holiday.  Their Dad’s business had been struggling, finding the money for food was a challenge, let alone money for presents.  Every holiday advertisement would make the girls feel worse and worse.  Being teenagers, they would see their classmates adorned with new clothes that they knew they couldn’t afford.   Pretty soon, the girls just wished for Christmas to be over, so they wouldn’t have to think about it anymore.

One day Mom took the girls for some odd reason to the mall.   She took her daughter to her favorite clothing store, for some unknown purpose as they wouldn’t be able to afford anything.   She had her daughter try on a dress that caught her eye.   The fit was perfect and the dress looked amazing.  The daughter understood though that she could never own it.

Christmas kept approaching. The family for the first time the daughter could remember didn’t even purchase a Christmas tree. One day the girl noticed something about her mother.  Her mother’s shoes had holes in them that she wore every day over snow and ice without complaint. 

Pretty soon Christmas day came! There were no presents within eyesight.  The family then gathers for breakfast, when a huge smile comes over mom’s face “Time for presents.”

She goes into her bedroom, comes out with present for each of her children.  She hands a box to her daughter inside was the very dress that she had tried on at the mall.  Mom had spent every one of the 100 dollars that her father had sent on her children’s presents.  The daughter had a new, most popular outfit in her wardrobe that she wore again and again.  Every time she wore that dress, tears would come to her eyes as she remembered the depth of her mother’s sacrifice so that she could wear it.

Today’s Epistle Lesson comes us to from the 13th Chapter of the Book of Hebrews.  Hebrews was a letter written to a group of Jewish Christians in Jerusalem which seeks to give new meaning to the major Old Testament themes because of Christ’s death and resurrection. 

The last few weeks, we’ve studied major themes within Hebrews.  Three weeks ago, I reflected upon on how the major heroes of the Old Testament: Noah, Moses, David, and Abraham clung to the faith in their various trials awaiting the long-promised hope of the Messiah Jesus.  Two weeks ago, I preached on present-day Martyrs who were even willing to die for their faith, because their Lord had triumphed over the grave.  Last week, I preached on the major Old Testament theme of “Covenant.”  How God kept laying out major covenants within the Old Testament: Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, and Moses., how covenants differ from contracts because of the unconditional grace they give to their recipients. 

Today’s lesson as laid out in the story of the little girl, her mother, and the new dress deals with another significant Old Testament theme of sacrifice.

Now stories of sacrifice are prominent throughout the Old Testament. The Old Testament’s most important event The Passover in Egypt centers on instructing each household to sacrifice a lamb, so all the Israelite's may escape the plague brought on by the Angel of Death. 

Such instructions would not have seemed odd to Israelite's living in Egypt during the days of Moses. Sacrifice to as a way to bring about personal transformation was the central act of Old Testament worship.  The first seven chapters of Leviticus go into great detail describing five main types of sacrifice, including guilt and sin sacrifices.  The purpose of each of these sacrifices was to redeem someone’s previous flawed relationship with God. 

The most famous story of sacrifice takes place in Genesis 22.  Abraham waits for years and years to have a son with his wife, Sarah.  The son (Isaac) is born when Abraham is already an old man; then God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac right when Isaac is ready to enter adulthood.  Abraham is so faithful to God’s promises that he takes Isaac to the top of a mountain with tears in his eyes and puts a knife to Isaac’s throat. 

At first glance, this appears to be a terrible story about God.  In the year 1976, radio broadcaster Paul Harvey debuted a new radio series titled The Rest of the Story.  Harvey’s tales which ran until his death blended history and mystery made Harvey a millionaire many times over.  Harvey had a gift for finding the most unlikely of outcomes in which seemed like hopeless situations.

So as Abraham put a knife to Isaac’s throat, this merely begins the Rest of the Story.  An angel immediately diverts Abraham attention’s to a ram caught in a bush.  Abraham is instructed then to sacrifice the ram instead.  What this event pointed to is how God would soon put an end to the Old Testament sacrificial system upon a cross.   What exactly is the rest of the story for each one of us?

Once upon a time a Red Cross Blood Donor Center in Oakland, California received an unexpected visitor in a frail, older man.  What stood out even more than the man’s age was his wardrobe.  He had on finest clothes as he requested to give blood.  The nurse begins shaking her head. “You’re too old to give blood.”  A sad look comes over the man’s face.   The man responds to the nurse: “I know I would not be able to survive a blood donation.  So I dressed for my funeral.  I should have died happy, knowing my death might mean life for some boy (one) somewhere far from home.”

Human life is ultimately connected to sacrifices like the one attempted by this older man.  You’re not raised in this world without the sacrifices of your parents.   One’s last days are dependent on the time and talents of others so they may leave this world in comfort.  Life after death only comes from the sacrifice that Jesus made for you.  Sacrifice is rooted in love. 

Jesus declares within John’s Gospel: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

Christ sacrificing his life upon the cross is the rest of our salvation story both now and forever.   The point of our lesson is that Christ, because of his great love for you, is willing to go further for you than you can even imagine. 

The father of Afghanistan was a man named Ahmed Shah.  Afghanistan had been divided for generations in tribal conflict until Shah’s rules brought peace to the land.   Shah’s secret to peace was showing the Afghan tribes a secret valley he had discovered.  This valley had one hidden entrance through a ravine cut of a rock.  Keeping the hidden entrance secret would not only build unity among the Afghan tribes but keep them safe from all foreign invaders.  Keeping this secret would be the Afghan’s most important law.    Under Ahmed Shah’s reign, Afghanistan began to flourish both culturally and economically.  One day Ahmed Shah’s world would be turned upside down.  One of his officers declared a major problem as someone had broken the most important law and disclosed the location of the secret passage.   The lieutenant explained that spies who got the secret were immediately captured and put to death.  As for the Afghan traitor, the Shah was asked: “What should I do?”  The Shah declared: “make an example of him. Tie him to a column in the middle of the city square and have him beaten to death for everyone to see. We must show that no man can put his desires over that of the whole community. Do you hear me? One hundred lashes in the city square.”

A very nervous look comes over the lieutenant’s face.  He then begins to nervously declare: “Sir, your mother was the traitor.” There was no potential more significant crisis for Ahmed Shah.  He knew that if word of this got out that he would be ousted as ruler and Afghanistan could internally collapse.  He would be forced to choose between his mother and his nation.

Ahmed Shah couldn’t sleep as he wrestled with his decision.  The next morning, he announces his verdict, “The prisoner must endure the 100 lashes.” Everyone gasped as they saw a little, old lady dragged to the center of the square.  A big, scary-looking man stood next to her, ready to dole out punishment.  The first lash left a welt.  The second lash drew blood.  Her legs began to tremble.  There was no way Ahmed Shah’s mom could endure a half-dozen of these blows, let alone 98 more.

As the executioner prepared for a third strike, Ahmed Shah yelled out, “Stop.” “The penalty for my mother's crime was one hundred lashes. She has paid two of them. I will pay the other ninety-eight.”  Those in attendance were speechless as they watched 98 strikes be applied to the ruler of the Afghans.  Afterward, Ahmed Shah’s fate hung in the balance for weeks before eventually surviving.

After this day, Ahmed Shah was held in such high regard among the Afghans that subsequent kings would be called “Shahs” after him. 

You see what happened on Good Friday is this, Jesus saw a world that had received two lashes, and he went forth to take 98 additional lashes in our place, Reminding us that there are no limits to God’s grace. So no matter your sin, no sacrifice even unto death can be “ever” more complete than Christ for you upon a cross.  Amen
 
 

First Lesson: Jeremiah 1: 4-10
Responsive Reading: Psalm 71: 1-6
Second Lesson: Hebrews 12: 18-29
​Gospel Lesson: Luke 13: 10-17

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
 
If there was one day that I dreaded as a child, it was “Report Card.” Day.  My Mom was a really good student growing up.  When she was in high school, she was a National Merit Scholar which was awarded to those who excelled both in grades and test scores.   After having children, she went back to school and earned a Master’s in Education.  I never remember a time when she hasn’t had a pile of books near her. 
 
Well, all my trouble began at a young age.  I was asked to take the Iowa Basic standardized tests.  I did well . So according to my parents,  anything less than straight A’s would be a disappointment.  The problem was that like a lot of twelve-thirteen year old boys I lacked focus and study skills.  So B’s and C’s would soon decorate my report card and I never looked forward to the report card arriving . If I thought today was the day, I would try to be able five miles away from home by the time my Mom picked up the mail. 
 
My parents did as much for me as any parents possibly could to improve my grades.  They would offer rewards, they would enlist tutors, and they even willing to drive me to a new school.   So did I ever really get my act together?  Not really, at least while I living underneath my parents roof.  Here’s the thing, my parents through all this keep referring to me as their son, regardless of whether I had ever been the perfect son. 
 
My imperfect school days lead us into today’s Lesson coming to us from the Book of Hebrews[1]. Hebrews is a book written to the earliest Jewish Christians residing in Jerusalem. It’s meant to serve as a history of God’s activity beginning in the Old Testament with which the Hebrew Christians were familiar into the current age when the New Testament was written.
 
It’s the third straight Sunday that I’ve preached on the Book of Hebrews.  Two weeks ago, I preached on the story of the Father of Jewish people in Abraham who clung to the great hope of the long-awaited Messiah, even if Jesus would not be born for nearly 2000 years[2].
 
Last week, told the story of the persecution of Christians in the present age how they would prevail within all their trials even death itself[3].  This week’s lesson explores one of the most major Old Testament themes of Covenant. 
 
While Covenant might not be a familiar term, let’s begin by thinking about  a term in better known term of  “Contract[4].”
 
When I moved to Silver Bay, I had a satellite dish installed, so I needed to sign a contract vowing to be a customer of the Dish Network for two years.  I could have broken the contract by not paying.  Dish would have stopped providing me T.V. service at that point, plus being legally entitled to more money on top of this.  You order a pizza, but don’t hand the delivery driver money then “No pizza for you."
 
On the other hand, if the delivery driver fails to give “pizza,” You’re not going to chase
them with money as they drive off.
 
So contracts are two-way agreements that can be broken when either party fails to keep their promise.  So what makes a covenant different than a contract? Think back to the story of my parents and my disappointing grades.  My parents were never going to disown me for getting a “c” in math; they were going to do everything they possibly could to support. 
 
The best distinction  between a contract and a covenant? Would be that contracts are agreed to based on the commitment of both parties such as paying bills for goods, whereas covenants are dependent on the unconditional commitment of on the one establishing the Covenant.
 
If one wants to understand the Old Testament, it is a book of Covenants[5]. 
 
The First Covenant establishes Adam and Eve within the Garden of Eden.
 
Genesis 1:28, “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
 
After Adam and Eve eat the Forbidden Fruit, they try to hide like me on report card day, but  a Second Covenant is established:
 
Genesis 3:19: “By the sweat of your face; you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust,  and to dust you shall return.”
 
The following verse might not have at first seemed like a Covenant; it would have been the equivalent of my parents permanently grounding me on account of grades.  What good could possibly have come from being returned to the ground from which Adam and Eve came? But it was when Adam and Eve fell into the Sin, that the first promise of the eventual savior was set in motion.
 
The next famous covenant comes in Genesis 8 given to Noah after the flood.  God declares Genesis 8:21: “Never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.”
 
The most important Covenant given to the people of Israel of whom Hebrews was written takes place in Genesis 12 where God declares to Abraham’s descendants
 
“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you[1];”

It would be through Christ Jesus that Jewish Christians would receive this blessing, also known as “The New Covenant[7].”  The New Covenant made upon a cross would not have any conditions, and it would be an covenant unto eternal life. 
 
What might this covenant mean for us?
 
Earlier this Summer, the Baseball Hall of Fame had its induction ceremony in Cooperstown, New York.  Three hundred twenty-three individuals had previously made up the Baseball Hall of Fame; no one had been unanimously voted in until this year with the election of former New York Yankee Mariano Rivera[8].
 
Rivera had the most high-stress role on the Baseball team as the closer.  The guy assigned to get the final outs with the game on the line and the pressure at its highest[9]. 
 
Rivera was most known for two things throughout his career, his nearly unhittable cut fastball and his Christian faith[10].
 
How were the two connected? In the year 2001, Mariano Rivera lost not only a game for the New York Yankees but the final and deciding game of the World Series in the 9th Inning[11].
 
Mariano Rivera was able to quickly see this loss as a tool for the good.   You see the Yankees never got a World Series celebration that year.  So a teammate of his Enrique Wilson got to take home an earlier scheduled flight.  Wilson’s originally scheduled flight if they had won the World Series crashed, taking the lives of everyone on board.

 The following led to Rivera declaring: “I am glad we lost the World Series,” “because it means that I still have a friend[12].”  So Mariano Rivera was able to see God’s hand in his life even after his high profile disappointment.


What it means to be a Covenant people is to understand that God is still your God even at those moments of your life when like Mariano Rivera you experience your greatest failures.  God will not abandon you, even when you seemingly think you find evidence that he has. 
 
My Mom was a Middle School English Teacher for twenty years.  She would encounter often encounter a certain type of mother when she was teaching.  The mother would have had a boy in 7th grade.  The boy was sloppy, he wouldn’t always turn his work in on time, he struggled with staying focused in class, staying out of trouble, and wouldn’t always have the best grades.  These mothers would be at their wits ends over what lied ahead for their child.  My Mom would then tell them the tale of a former student of hers, who had all these same qualities: sloppy, disorganized, would get in trouble and didn’t always have the best grades.  My Mom would then declare that this boy now years later is a Lutheran Minister and her son.
 
The power of covenant is such that were many times that I could have easily gone down a much different path.  My parents on the toughest days of my life have continually vowed never to stop supporting me.  A parental covenant such as this one,  can be one of the most profound influences for us, but our lesson declares that as Christian people we live under an even more powerful covenant.   
 
Our lesson for Today describes the fulfillment of all God’s covenants upon Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.  The day when the Angels finally surround us[13]. 
 
On this day, we will look into the eyes of our savior, deep down, we might be scared and afraid because of our failures and disappointments of this life, like myself on the day of receiving my report card.  But the nature of being a covenant people reminds us that God’s goodness, mercy, and grace are way more powerful than any bad grades we’ve maybe received
 
Amen

[1] Genesis 12:2. 
[1] Hebrews 12:18-29. 
[2] Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16.
[3] Hebrews 11:29-12:2. 
[4] Shelley, Bruce. “Contract vs Covenant.” Sermon Illustrations. Web. Aug.1.2019. 
[5] Unger. F. Merrill. The New Unger’s Bible Hand Book. Revised by Gary N. Larson, Moody Press, Chicago, 1984, p. 595. Found on Sermon Illustrations.com.
[6] Genesis 12:2.
[7] Unger. F. Merrill. The New Unger’s Bible Hand Book. p. 595.
[8] Stonestreet, John and Roberto Rivera. “Unanimous.” Break Point. 11. Feb. 2019. Web. Aug.1.2019. Found on E Mail Mediatations.
[9] Stonestreet, John and Roberto Rivera. “Unanimous.” Break Point.
[10] Stonestreet, John and Roberto Rivera. “Unanimous.” Break Point.
[11] “2001 World Series.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 13.July.2019. Web. Aug.1.2019. 
[12] Stonestreet, John and Roberto Rivera. “Unanimous.” Break Point.
[13] Hebrews 12:2.  

First Lesson: Isaiah 5: 1-7
Responsive Reading: Psalm 80: 1-2, 8-19
Second Lesson: Hebrews 11: 29 - 12:2
​Gospel Lesson: Luke 12: 49-56

Grace and Peace from Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
 
A few years back, with Gunnar Frahm’s encouragement, I had an idea.  The school needed a Silver Bay Mariner flag for sporting events.  The school happened to think this wasn’t a terrible idea. 
 
The flag arrives in time for a Girls Basketball game down at Duluth Marshall.  The Mariners were heading into the game heavy underdogs, even before losing their best player.  But, every Silver Bay basket, I would start enthusiastically waving that Mariner flag.  There weren’t a lot of Silver Bay baskets that night as they lost 68-14.  The Marshall fans we not bothered by the flag in any way.  
 
Sometime would soon happen with the Mariner flag!  Games would get closer.  Silver Bay would win a number of games with the Mariner flag flying in the background.  The most dramatic of these was a Boys Basketball game down in Two Harbors which the Mariners won at the buzzer.
 
 In the last few years, I’ve multiple students from Two Harbors high school tell me how much they can’t stand the sight of that flag.  
 
Going into potentially hostile territory with such an eye-catching witness for Silver Bay was bound to bring some potential jeering?  Whenever you put either your self, your team, or your belief system out there, you have no idea how people might respond.  But the worst-case scenario for the Mariner Flag pales in comparison to many peoples worst case scenarios (Especially within the Early Church).
 
Polycarp was born in 69 A.D[1].  He grew up during the last days of Jesus’ disciples.  Legend has it that he was baptized by the Apostle John.  Polycarp’s faith eventually leads him to be the Bishop of the Greek coastal city of Smyrna. One of the primary issues that Polycarp dealt with during his reign was seeking to settle the date that Christians should celebrate Easter[2].  
 
What Polycarp though might be most remembered for is his death. Polycarp was an old man of “86” when word came that Roman officials desired to arrest him.  Polycarp retreated to a place of prayer[3].  Polycarp, while in prayer, decided he could not hide from the Romans.  So Polycarp appeared before a Roman trial.
 
The charge against Polycarp was “being an Atheist, for refusing to worship the Roman Gods including the Emperor[4].  Polycarp knew that denying Roman Gods would lead to certain death, either at the hands of a wild beast inside an arena or being burned alive[5].  Polycarp was given multiple chances to deny his Christian faith, Polycarp refused.  Polycarp then declared: “Eighty-six years have I served him (Christ), and he has done me no wrong: how then can I blaspheme (deny) my King who saved me[6]?”  Polycarp was then placed upon a stake, he told the soldiers that nails would be unnecessary[7], he began to pray,   Polycarp’s flesh would be consumed by fire.  Even the non-believers attending would forever remember Polycarp’s witness as he passed through death before entering the presence of his fellow Christian witnesses who had gone before him. 
 
The story of Polycarp leads us into our lesson for Today from the Book of Hebrews.  Last week’s lesson from the Book of Hebrews told ofthe earliest heroes of the faith from Abel to Enoch to Noah to Abraham clinging in their most challenging of times to God’s eventual promise of great hope in Jesus Christ[8]. 
 
This week’s lesson, transitions to more recent heroes of the Christian faith[9].   These heroes were men and women who the Jewish Christians living in Jerusalem had heard or knew that went to their grave for like Polycarp declaring: “Jesus saves[10].” 
 
For you see, the first persecution of Christians within the church had taken place within Jerusalem shortly after 3,000 converts were received on the Day of Pentecost[11].  So Hebrews was written to an audience who understood what it meant to be living in continual danger on account of their faith.  Legend has Hebrews written[12] a short time after Jesus’ brother James was put to death for his faith as Bishop of Jerusalem[13].
 
So Hebrews is written as a means as to try to encourage the Jerusalem Christians amid their persecution. 
 
What does Hebrews author declare?
 
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God[14].”
 
So what did these witnesses do? Their lives remind us of the great confidence they had in Jesus Christ even unto their own death.  As they left the struggle of this life behind, their testimony and witness encourages us to be bold in following in their footsteps. 
 
How exactly might this happen? A number of years ago, a young man tried out for the Columbia University football team. The young man wasn’t very good, but was so enthusiastic the coach decided to keep him around to sit on the bench to encourage his teammates[15].
 
The young man never waned in his enthusiasm all year-long.   The coach one day notices the man walking arm in arm around campus with his visiting father.  The coach was tremendously touched by this father/son bond.
 
 One day, the coach receives a tragic call informing him the young man’s father had died.  The coach has to break the news.  The young player leaves for the funeral.  Upon his return, the coach asks, “Is there anything that I can do for you[16]?”  The young man declares: ‘” Let me start the game on Saturday.”
 
The coach didn’t know how to respond.  It was the final and biggest game of the year.  But the coach decided to let him start.  The coach figured he’d give him a few plays as a tribute to his dad.  The team was shocked that the coach would start a bench warmer for a big game.  The game begins, the young man takes the field, he played the most inspired game that anyone had ever seen, the coach never took him off the field, the young man was voted the outstanding player of the game[17]. 
 
Coach takes the young man aside after the game asks: “What happened out there?” The young man declared: “You see the reason, my father and I walked arm and arm around campus is because he was blind, but Today was the first time that he could see me play.[18]”
 
This young man had seen the death of his father.  It did not defeat him, though.  The young man drew strength and encouragement from his father’s loss.  
 
What those who died for confessing Jesus remind us is that we can indeed walk unafraid just like Polycarp because Jesus went to the grave ahead of us[19].  We are now called to share the same faith that the witnesses who came before us shared with us. 
 
Sharing one’s faith can be hard.  It was certainly hard for the Jewish Christians to whom Hebrews was written.  It can hard in our day even if our life isn’t necessarily on the line; we can still face social rejection and ostracism.  So we must remember why the First Christians were so willing to risk their own lives. 
 
Let me close with one final story to illustrate why we witness as Christian people.  It was London at the end of the 19th Century.  Charles Bradlaugh was widely considered one of the most brilliant men in all of London; he was a lawyer and a member of parliament.  His claim to fame as a member of parliament was to try to get around parliament’s oath to the Christian faith as Bradlaugh was an outspoken atheist[20]. 
 
On the other side of London was a gentleman named Hugh Price Hughes.  Hughes had a ministry focusing on London’s downtrodden: the poor, battered women, and alcoholics[21].  
 
As one of London’s most prominent Christians,  the Atheist Charles Bradlaugh challenged Hugh Price Hughes to a debate.  Hughes wasn’t sure if he could match Bradlaugh the lawyer in a debate on Christianity until an idea came to him.  Hughes told Bradlaugh that he had one condition for agreeing to this debate[22].
 
Hughes wanted like one of Bradlaugh’s court trials to be able to call witnesses. Hughes requested that he bring 100 witnesses. Each of these 100 people would have had their lives forever changed by Christianity.  Hughes said each of these 100, would even be willing to let the lawyer Bradlaugh cross-examine them on how their life had changed[23].
 
Hughes then gave Bradlaugh the same offer[24].  He could bring forth 100 non-believers whose lives had been changed by their lack of faith.  Hughes wanted the debate to take place based on evidence of lives that were once dark and deep in sin.
 
Hughes then proclaimed to Bradlaugh: “If you can’t bring 100, then you can bring 50; if you can’t bring 50, then you can bring 20; if you can’t bring 20; then you can bring 10.  Mr. Bradlaugh if you can’t bring 10, then I challenge you to bring one person whose lives has been forever changed by their lack of faith[25].”
 
Charles Bradlaugh then considered the offer.   The atheist Bradlaugh then backed away from his offer to debate Hugh Price Hughes over the truth of Christianity[26]. 
 
What the Book of Hebrews reminds us is that the church had everything go against it in its earliest of days.  They had the most powerful empire in the world seeking to burn them alive to the presence of cheering locals.  There was something though that kept men like Polycarp, and the First Christians going.  The Christian church survived because those first believers weren’t going to be scared off by nasty words or a little jeering.  They were being cheered on by a great cloud of witnesses that had gone before them.  Amen  


[1] Packer, J.I. , Mark Galli, and Ted Olsen. 131 Christians Everyone Should Know.Holman Reference. 2000. Web.Taken from  Christianity Today: “Polycarp: Aged bishop of Smyrna.”  Church History. July.25.2019.  
[2] ChrIstanity Today. “Polycarp: Aged bishop of Smyrna.” Web. July.25.2019.
[3] ChrIstanity Today. “Polycarp: Aged bishop of Smyrna.”
[4] Higgins, Scott. “Polycarp’s Martyrdom.” Stories for Preaching Web. July.25.2019. Taken from J.B. Lightfoot’s Apostolic Fathers cited in A New Eusebius. Documents Illustrating the History of the Church to AD 337.
[5] Higgins, Scott. “Polycarp’s Martyrdom.” Stories for Preaching.
[6] Higgins, Scott. “Polycarp’s Martyrdom.” Stories for Preaching.
[7] ChrIstanity Today. “Polycarp: Aged bishop of Smyrna.”
[8] Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16.
[9] Hebrews 11:29-12:2.
[10] Hoezee, Scott. “Hebrews 11:29-12:2.” Center for Excellence in Preaching. Calvin Seminary. Grand Rapids, MI. 7.Aug.2016. Web. July.25.2019.
[11] Acts 4:1-3.
[12] “Epistle to the Hebrews.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 29.June.2019. Web. July.25.2019.
[13] “James, Brother of Jesus.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation.. 21.July.2019. Web. July.25.2019.
[14] Hebrews 12:1-2. 
[15] Lane Butts, Rev.Dr. Thomas. “Look Who Is Watching.” Day 1. 1.Nov.1998. Web found on Text Week. 25.July.2019. 
[16] Lane Butts, Rev.Dr. Thomas. “Look Who Is Watching.” Day 1.
[17] Lane Butts, Rev.Dr. Thomas. “Look Who Is Watching.” Day 1
[18] Lane Butts, Rev.Dr. Thomas. “Look Who Is Watching.” Day 1
[19] Lane Butts, Rev.Dr. Thomas. “Look Who Is Watching.” Day 1
[20] “Charles Bradlaugh.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. 18.July.2019. Web. July.25.2019. 
[21] Stier, Leon. “Challenge Accepted.” Email Mediatations. 26. May.2017. Web. July.25.2019.
[22] Stier, Leon. “Challenge Accepted.” Email Mediatations.
[23] Stier, Leon. “Challenge Accepted.” Email Mediatations.
[24] Stier, Leon. “Challenge Accepted.” Email Mediatations.
[25] Stier, Leon. “Challenge Accepted.” Email Mediatations.
[26] Stier, Leon. “Challenge Accepted.” Email Mediatations.