“Failing Flesh, Faithful Father”

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“Failing Flesh, Faithful Father” (Matthew 10:21-33)

Series: Say it Out Loud!

by Pastor Nate Walther

Fourth Sunday of Pentecost, 06/21/2026

                This weekend’s holiday gets us thinking about fathers, and one of my favorite things about being a dad over the years has been building the “legend of dad”.  When my boys were little and they were afraid of monsters under their beds or hiding in their closets, I assured them that the monsters couldn’t possibly get them: not when monsters had nightmares about little boys’ dads under their beds and hiding in their closets!  Along those lines, I always told my boys growing up that dads were the strongest force on earth, and that’s why Jesus gave dads to families: to take good care of them. 

            The thing about legends is they aren’t always accurate, even if they contain some semblance of the truth.  It’s why, as my boys have gotten older, they have seen their father’s failures.  One small example of it?  For all the things I’ve managed to fix around the home, they’ve also seen many things I’ve failed to fix with our vehicles.  For as much as my heart swells with pride when they call Menards our second home, it deflates with disappointment when they call the mechanic’s our third home.

            It’s a minor example of what we see in our sermon text today: FLESH FAILS.  Massively, in fact.  Issues “home & auto” are the least of our concerns when we think about all that we’re up against.  In those moments we need a FAITHFUL FATHER, who can do for us all the things we cannot do for ourselves, including us dads.

Jesus describes just such a father in our sermon text today in Matthew 10.  Before he does so, he gets into a serious topic.  If home & auto are the least of our worries in this world, verse 21 is about as bad as it gets: relationship problems among flesh and blood.  And we’re no strangers to such issues.  But notice that Jesus doesn’t really describe a case of common family feuds – involving the budget, or chores, or who left the toilet seat up.  No, in verses 22-23 Jesus makes it clear that these are divisions caused by faith.  When some people don’t accept Christ or follow what comes from him, that itself becomes reason for division.  Jesus made it clear his Disciples would face that in the future, and in verse 24 he makes it clear we should expect this too.  If ever we think we must be doing something wrong when we have turmoil in our own lives and in our own families, remember that Jesus experienced it too.  One of his own disciples—the closest thing he had to family—betrayed him!  As he adds in verse 25, if that happened to the master of the house, it will happen to those under him also.

All of which makes verse 26 striking. Still, Jesus says, “don’t fear.”  Don’t let this stop you!  In fact, Jesus continues by encouraging us to embrace our faith and to be even more bold with it.  The reason for it is simple. Verse 28, “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”For as much as our flesh may fail, and for as many problems we face in this word, there’s still the soul and there is only one “threat” to that.  Who alone can destroy both soul and body in hell?  You might think of the devil, but remember that hell was actually created to destroy him!  No, this is talking about God the Father.  As we think of our struggles, what’s most important is that we’re square with a Heavenly Father who alone can save body and soul in heaven.

Fortunately, that’s exactly what God wants for us.  It’s what this whole bit about the sparrows reminds us in verse 29.  Think of it, God takes care of birds.  Sometime when you’re out hunting, or mowing the yard, or working your garden, watch the birds fly around.  See how they have everything they need.  Then think, “Those are birds!  I matter more than birds!!!”  So, no matter the cost, follow the Lord.  He will take good care of you, no matter what problems you face.  Finally, he proved that in his Son Jesus, to whom the final verses direct us.  Everyone who confesses Christ’s name, He will confess before his father in heaven. 

            There’s so much in these words we could dig into—there are a million sermons I could preach here—but as we consider Father’s Day this weekend, it focuses our attention uniquely.  How often do we see what Jesus describes among families?  Kids not in church.  Siblings not getting along.  Family members no longer interested in doing things God’s way; maybe you know you will invite their ire if you try to talk to them about it… And dads, maybe you bottle it all up.  These and other failings eat at you.  You feel like you should be doing more to correct these issues among your families and for those under your care.  But you’re not sure what to do, so you just try to keep the peace and remain silent.

            Is there any greater proof of sin in this world?  Seriously.  We see sin in all the small things that go wrong, but at least we can find refuge in family and in our relationships with others.  So when that’s not right?  What a serious problem our sin is if it can lead to conflict among flesh and blood!  Especially if that conflict is caused by faith itself!  It’s a powerful reminder that sin is an issue beyond our ability to fix.  Sin infiltrates all good things in this world, even family, even faith.   It proves all too well the first half of our theme today, FLESH FAILS. 

            It’s why the second half of our theme is so important.  We need a FAITHFUL FATHER.  One who handles not just the little stuff – like sparrows, like home & auto – but one who handles all the big stuff too.  That leads to the end of our sermon text about confessing Christ…  I can’t even imagine it.  Let’s say sacrificing one of my two boys would save the world?  If I gave one of them up up—to suffer body & soul in hell—I could redeem everyone from sin, from conflict, from all things that are wrong?  I don’t know how I could ever do it!  Wouldn’t I instead sacrifice the whole world if only I could rescue them?!… But God did it.  Our Father sacrificed his one & only Son to save us from our flesh.  It’s why, when we confess Jesus as Savior, God delivers us from sin, death, and hell – from every problem and conflict that we face.

God was faithful, even when we have failed.  Now in thanksgiving, he asks us to mirror his faithfulness in lesser ways.  And there are so many ways we can all do that.  I think of you women out there, for example, who so often pick up our slack as guys – thank you for your faithfulness!  But today, let me speak especially to you guys: dads, grandparents too, and you men that God has placed into various callings in this fallen world…  While there’s room to use some of your strength on hobbies, on hunting, on yourself – spare the largest portion of your strength not in personal pursuit but in service to those God has placed under you.  Be present for them. Act for them when they cannot act for themselves.  And maybe the hardest thing to do—but Jesus emphasized it for us today in his Word—speak up for the truth, even when it’s hard, even when others don’t want to listen.

Here’s an example that may resonate with you, either directly or indirectly. I think about raising my boys and all they’re up against in this world.  The thing is, my wife can provide 90% of what my boys need, the majority of it in far better manner than I ever could!  But for the remaining amount?  They need their dad.  They need a strong figure in their lives who is wired differently, yet who still love them unconditionally.  When they have both in their life–gentle, compassionate love like that of a mother and strong, unyielding love like that of a father—it will irresistibly draw them to a Savior who more perfectly demonstrated both.  That’s what will set our kids up for success in this life, and in the life to come.  And indeed, if you were thinking earlier that our Christian families so often don’t resemble the mess that Jesus described in our sermon text, this is why.  When we faithfully follow the example of our heavenly father, it can overcome our failing flesh.

This makes a real difference in our lives! More than that, it makes a bigger difference when our flesh still fails.  Because despite the “legend of dad”, there’s plenty I can’t do for my family.  I may be able to provide for their flesh–even then, I can’t protect them from everything–but what about their soul?   So, more than anything else we do, lead those under your care to the faithful Father… Do you know what’s not a legend?  God gave his Son on a real, wooden cross 2,000 years ago, and he died to rescue those under him by making make the ultimate sacrifice of strength.  That is what our loved ones need even more than us.  And that is why I’m so glad you’re here, because that’s what this place is all about, pointing people to Jesus. But let me add: if regular church attendance is a little more of an exception rather than the rule—all of you, but especially you men—work hard to make regular church attendance the standard for your family.  And if going to Bible Study or Sunday School in addition to worship is more the exception rather than the rule for those under your care—all of you, but especially you men—take steps to correct it for you and them.  And if prayer and a devotional life at home is a little more the exception rather than the rule—all of you, but especially you men—speak up! Finally, if we don’t do these things, we’re really trying to take God’s place as the Father.  Then, we’d have to provide all things, body and soul for those under our care.  And we can’t it.  You don’t have it in you.  I don’t have it in me either.  But if we use our limited strength to lead others to their Heavenly Father and to his Son Jesus, we will be found to be faithful fathers too…

Dear brothers and sisters in the faith, there’s truth here for everyone today, but especially you men: God has made us guys differently.  Despite what the world would say, that’s not something to be ashamed of, nor should you apologize for it.  Instead, it’s a call to faithfully reflect the strength, love and sacrifice of the greatest father ever.  Do so.  Do so especially by leading those under your care to Jesus and what he teaches.  Amen. 

“What do you think of your Pastor?”

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“What do you think of your Pastor?” (1 Corinthians 4:1-7)

Series: Say it Out Loud!

by Pastor Nate Walther

Third Sunday of Pentecost, 06/14/2026

                What do you think of your pastors?  I don’t mean to brag, but at my first call in North Dakota I was a pretty big deal.  Some people literally said I was the reason they were there, and why the church was growing when it was growing! Now, just to burst the bubble of that big head of mine, I should also add that I was told the opposite at other times.  Others literally said I was the reason they were leaving, and why the church was shrinking when it was shrinking.

            Now that I’m a little bit older & wiser in my second call, I’m wary of the matter of what people think of their pastor.  Oh sure, I still think about it.  I want you to have positive feelings about me, and I’m sure Pastor Horton would say the same!  But do you think about your pastor, “He’s a good preacher”?  Or do you think, “He puts me to sleep”?  Do you feel like your pastor really cares about you?  Or do you wonder whether he even knows your name?  Do you see the church heading in the right direction under our leadership?  Or does it seem things are falling apart?

            Today, the Apostle Paul addresses the topic of what we should think of pastors, but not by looking at any of these things we tend to look at.  Because even for a famous pastor like him, or leaders like Joshua & Moses in our first reading, or the Twelve Disciples in our Gospel reading, it wasn’t about that.  As we revisit our sermon text from 1 Corinthians, we’re stepping into a bit of a situation.  It’s why Paul mentions not just himself but a pastor by the name of Apollos in verse 6.   Like us they were a larger church that had multiple pastors, and they also had their favorites!  Some proudly followed Paul, others Apollos, still others Peter.  And I’m sure they had their reasons.  Maybe those reasons even made sense.  But how does Paul instruct them to think about their pastors? Verses 1 & 2, “This is the way a person should think of us: as servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries.”  In this connection, moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful….”   As I study God’s Word,I often find it beneficial for myself to ask what’s not there, so notice what’s not in our sermon text.  There’s nothing about how innovative a pastor is, no hint of how captivating his preaching style, not a whisper of his talents, not any mention of his ability to make people laugh.  Instead, it’s all about being faithful to God and being a steward over his affairs.  That’s just it: a steward doesn’t focus on his own affairs; rather, he manages what has been given to him.  It’s all about his master’s business.

            It mirrors our first reading (Numbers 23:15-23).  Joshua had basic qualifications for being a leader—just as a pastor must meet basic qualifications, the Bible is clear about that elsewhere–but what was the substance of Joshua’s leadership?  Did you catch that curious passage about the Urim?  That was how the leader would make important decisions back in those days.  He would consult the Urim (& Thummim) that the high priest possessed, which essentially meant casting a lot.  i.e. It wasn’t about the leader’s decision or knowledge, it was about leaving things in God’s hands and following God’s will. That’s really what we heard in our Gospel reading too (Matthew 9:25-10:8).  Jesus chose simple fisherman who had no wisdom of their own–to whom no one would listen on their own–and they preached a basic message about sin and grace that could only be effective if God’s power made it so.

            Now I’m sure we’d all nod along with this, but let’s be honest with ourselves: we don’t want to hear this.  I don’t.  In my heart of hearts, I want ministry to be all about me.  Of course I do!  I’m a sinful man. I want people to like me and be impressed by me, which leads to the temptation to act and speak in a way that will yield such a result.  Don’t be surprised by that.  In fact, you want this too.  You want to be able to think highly of your pastors, perhaps because that’s what will naturally happen if they give you what you want.  We all want to choose leaders and decide what they would say & do based on our criteria, not God’s. 

Paul highlights a couple of ways we struggle with this in our sermon text in verse 5. For one, he reminds us that we are to wait until Judgment Day for God to make all things right.  That’s fair, of course God is going to make everything right in the end.  Yet don’t we want all of our problems figured out now and sorted out long before Jesus returns?  So maybe we don’t want our pastors to be patient with others, or we don’t want to show grace to others if it gets in the way of what we want… Along those lines, as the verse continues, it is implied that since we cannot know what’s on a person’s heart we should really just let some things be. Yet how often do we assume we know what a person is thinking, we assume we know all they know, and then we assume the worst –whether it’s with pastors or others above us? 

            So often we’re just wrong as we go down these paths.  There’s a reason the Bible is constantly calling us sheep—we heard a couple examples of that again in our readings earlier! God doesn’t mean that as some throwaway expression, it means something.  Sheep tend to wander, and we wander too.  My soul and your soul were born into sin, which means we tend not to choose what is best for ourselves, but what will ultimately harm us in the end.  That’s why God sends us shepherds: pastors to lead us—even us pastors have pastors above us as a circuit or district level—because we all need to be led.  There are things we need that we will not hear unless someone else says it.  There are dangers that threaten us which we simply don’t see.  Jesus put it bluntly in our gospel: we face the effects of sin, we face demons, we face death itself.  Even when we don’t see these dangers, God sees them! 

            It leads to a reminder in all of this: forget what we’re thinking.  What does God think of us?  God, who can see our hearts & who knows our every intention?  God, who sees that we do things only for ourselves, no matter what it may look like to others?  God, who sees every way we wander when nobody else sees it?  God, who judges sins and who can save or condemn—no pastor has that power, no matter what you may think of them!—no, what does God think of us?… It’s a mystery he has since revealed in his Word.  Despite all of our sin:  “I love you.  I forgive you.  I sent my Son, the great shepherd of the sheep, to die for your sins!  You are mine.” 

That’s where your pastors come in.  More than anything, we are stewards of this great mystery revealed.  Our job is nothing more and nothing less than sharing such good news with you and your loved ones.  That’s the standard by which God wants us pastors to judge ourselves, and that’s what you should judge us by too. That we freely give what has been freely given to us: that although we are sinful, selfish, wandering creatures, God loves us always in Christ.

 By the way, that explains exactly why we treat the ministry as we do.  Take as an example the call system: this is why our churches don’t interview candidates like other businesses, and we don’t just try to fill a spot in our church or school with the most convenient option. (At least, we shouldn’t do this!)  Likewise, us pastors shouldn’t just go where we want to go.  (If we did, I imagine I’d be a ski bum living out west and Pastor Horton a beach bum living in Hawaii!)  But no, this is a calling, which means it’s about trusting and being faithful to the one who calls.  As another way of looking at it: this is the same reason why, when I was ordained into the ministry at Grace in Minot, and then when I was installed here at Eastside, I had hands laid on me (like our first reading).  That’s our tradition as a church body to show we don’t possess this on our own as pastors, it must be given to us. Finally, it all reflects what we heard today in God’s Word.  The ministry is about following God’s will.  It’s not about a pastor’s whims or will.  It’s not about Apollos or Paul, Walther or Horton, your favorite pastor ever or your least favorite. It’s about following Jesus & his Word, period…  And that’s why your pastors are delighted when you do catch Pastor Mike on Time of Grace, or if another pastor is able to baptize, confirm, or marry someone.  However you can get more of Jesus as Savior from sin, that’s a good thing.  But make no mistake, that’s what this is all about – not the pastor who’s doing it.

As I think back on my ministry, if I could be doing the same things and people could have such varied opinions on it—mutually exclusive viewpoints, mind you: that I’m such a phenomenal pastor OR that I’m such a bum!—they can’t both be right.   In fact, neither is the right approach.  Instead, say it out loud: “I follow Jesus!… and that’s why I love Pastor Walther.  That’s why I love Pastor Horton.  That’s why I loved Pastor Schmiege, or Pastor Mike, or any other pastor I’ve ever had.”  Think of us in terms of whether we lead you to the shepherd, Jesus.  Because if all you had was Pastor Walther, or Pastor Horton, or Pastor so-and-so, you’d be lost. You’d languish in hell for ever along with us.  None of us can save you from your sins or get your kids or grandkids to heaven.  But Jesus did.  Think of Jesus when you think of us, and then (only then) we can be of some good to you.  Amen.

On the Road Again

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“I lift up my eyes to the mountains. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot stumble. He who watches over you will not slumber. The Lord will watch to keep you from all harm. He will watch over your life. The Lord will watch over your going and your coming from now to eternity.”  – Psalm 121:1-3,7-8

On the Road Again

With great apologies to your family, go ahead and sign along with Willie Nelson….“On the road again, Goin’ places that I’ve never been, I’m seein’ things that I may never see again, And I can’t wait to get on the road again.” As I sit down to write this month’s newsletter I can’t help but notice how empty the church and the school currently seem. No more moments of excitement echoing from the classrooms, no more handbell practices ringing out in the church, and no more buzzing hive of copy machine copies next to my office. Our faculty and our families are on summer vacation, and many of you are currently somewhere out there, traveling on the road again.

Psalm 121 is for you.  It is a travelers’ psalm entitled a “psalm of ascents”.  It may have been sung upon the steps of the temple in worship, or perhaps while the people literally traveled on the road again up to Jerusalem for one the main festivals celebrated in the Old Testament. We still, as modern believers today, carry on our minds and in our hearts and on our lips, our favorite songs from God’s house as we exit worship and continue home. You may carry God’s praise with you even if your travels are taking you far away from Eastside, as we catch ourselves humming our favorite hymn tune or incorporating our favorite hymns of praise around the family campfire.

Why sing such songs of praise in church and abroad?  We can’t help but rejoice over the great works attributed to our God.  As travelers through the hills and valleys of life we know that there is danger in the mountains in what is seen and unseen. We know that not all of life will involve a light and carefree downhill stride. The environment’s conditions are not always pleasant, the devil is lurking, and our sinful flesh often objects to God’s guiding direction. And yet, in those trying moments of traveling through life, we can look up. There we find in the Bible a God who created the snowclad heights and is stronger than even the magnificent mountains.  We find security and safety in his eternal promises to help, defend, guide, and provide for us in a very personal way, all while we are on the road again in life’s walk of faith.

Here in Psalm 121, we find God’s guarantee that he remains on the alert and able to help with his 24/7 roadside assistance.  In Christ Jesus, we find God actively fixing the greatest issue we had: being born into and plagued daily by our sin, which leads us only away from God and off an eternal cliff to destruction.  In Jesus, full and free payment was made at his cross.  He walked through the jaws of death to life for us.  And now the ascended Lord continues to oversee and keep secure our salvation in him.  Following the Father’s plan, the Holy Spirit has helped us recognize the perils of our former pathway, turned us from the sin that so easily entangles and endangers, and directs us to walk alongside the footsteps of our Savior.  Better than a tight fitting pair of hiking boots, Jesus promises to secure our footing until home in heaven.

Knowing this we can “come and go”, or as the original Hebrew language phrases it, “go out and come in” with our God.  This picture involves the traveler finding a home with the Lord. There at the temple in Jerusalem, a believer would hear the living God of creation speak his saving truth and find peace and joy for their souls.  They would then travel back to their cities, to their families, and to their homeland with a renewed spirit.  They could then live in the joy of knowing that their salvation was secure in the promise of a Messiah.  And then, when it was time to travel once again, they would “come back in” and journey to God’s house.

Whether you are on the road again this summer or not, your spiritual home is here with your Lord.  Return regularly to his house as he graciously forgives and builds up your faith in word and sacrament.  Let the gospel promises Jesus gives to you be your joy and your delight.  And know with confidence that your life is kept secure with him, until Jesus calls you to “come in” from this fallen world to his eternal kingdom forevermore.  We just can’t wait to be on that road again!