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“Don’t Confuse Weeds with Wheat”

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“Don’t Confuse Weeds with Wheat” (Romans 1:18-27)

Series: What Makes Christians Different?”

by Pastor Nate Walther

Eight Sunday of Pentecost, 07/19/2026

            Don’t confuse weeds with wheat.  That might sound like strange advice, as if there’s some epidemic of people weeding out fruits and vegetables from their garden instead of dandelions and thistles!  But back in Jesus’ day, a certain kind of weed could easily be mistaken for wheat, especially if it was still some time before harvest when the wheat produced its full head and could be identified.  And there’s truth in that picture for us today as we consider the harvest God wants to get from us.

            Our sermon text provides an example that hits home for Christians living in the Madison area. I didn’t have to look hard for this topic, it’s right there connected to our regular, three-year set of readings that samples the entirety of the Bible’s teachings: homosexuality. Having just completed “pride month”, it’s the kind of thing that lots of people excuse: “this is how God made me, and there’s nothing wrong with love!”  It’s also the kind of thing that lots of churches excuse: “the problem with homosexuality in Bible times was that it was practiced in a loveless way, and it was associated with idolatry.” 

            The only problem with those excuses?  As we return to our sermon text, it’s clear God does not excuse it.  To be fair, God does talk about idolatry in verse 23, but notice how it’s something that leads to such sins in verse 24.  That tells us this isn’t a matter of guilt by association where “it’s only a problem if it’s practiced lovelessly”; rather, it’s a matter of cause and effect where “one bad thing leads to another.”  In fact, there’s no other way to interpret it when God goes on to call homosexuality in verse 26 a “disgraceful passion”, where “natural relationships” are given up.  To put it in another way, what we’re talking about today isn’t a case of “this is how God made me” but the opposite.  God is the one who calls it “disgraceful”.  God says it goes “against nature.” God calls it an “indecent act” that earns a “penalty.”  Those aren’t words the Bible ever uses to describe God’s good creation. They are words the Bible uses to describe sin. And anyone who says otherwise is equally perverting God word. 

            Dear brothers and sisters in the faith, there’s no doubt about it: homosexuality is sin. God doesn’t make people this way—just like he doesn’t make someone violent or impatient or an addict—the fall into sin led to all of this.  Which makes it equally sinful to downplay it or excuse it.  It’s one of the surest signs of our fallen world: that mankind celebrates this today, that they confuse weeds with wheat. 

            Yet it’s only one example of idolatry that people place before the Lord.  How often do people place other created things and what they want above God and his will?  Because the sixth commandment isn’t just about hot-button issues like homosexuality or transgenderism.  Just because a young Christian couple consisting of one man and woman is sleeping together outside of marriage does not somehow make it sanctified.  So also, whether it involves the sixth commandment or any other commandment, what might someone place above the will of the creator?  How often do we also worship and follow other things as idols, rather than the Lord?  How often do we likewise confuse weeds with wheat?

            That’s the real problem here.  Where we are so quick to pin problems only on certain people or certain situations—So you just need a special month to bring awareness to the matter, that will finally solve it! But at best the issues are never solved, and at worst the approach is totally misguided (as it is in this case)—No, the real problem runs deeper with all people.  You and I deserve just as much penalty from God for sins that run just as contrary to his will.  Finally, what makes us different as Christians?  Do we realize, by nature and because of our sin, the answer should be nothing. 

            It’s why only one answer will do: the answer perfectly found in God’s plans to save the world through his Son.  Think of how Jesus didn’t just do what would have been easiest, or what he wanted to do, or what would have felt good.  He followed his Father’s will to the end, even though it meant death on a cross where he suffered hell.  For every time we have committed sin or excused sin, for any time we have raised an idol above God and what he wants, Jesus suffered for that too.  It’s why we can ask that question again, what makes us different as Christians?  And although the answer should be nothing, because of Jesus and through faith in him, the answer is actually everything.

By the way, as we think of what Christ was willing to sacrifice to save us from God’s judgment which we heard about in each of our readings, it is all reflected so well in God’s plans in the sixth commandment.  In the end, we’re not prudes as Christians.  Sex itself isn’t the issue.  That’s why God had to label this is a “disgraceful” passion, because there is such a thing as a good passion!  But that doesn’t automatically excuse every passion.  Case in point, when it becomes all about getting what you want and what feels good, that’s idolatry.  But anything can be a good thing if it’s about getting what God wants and it leads to good things for others.  Likewise, when this is found in the right context – where kids whom God uniquely gives by this union will benefit from having mom and dad both be there for them, where husbands and wives are meant to sacrifice for each other and be there for each other until death parts them – can you see how reserving this gift for marriage will serve those purposes? On the other hand, every other sexual sin ultimately works against God’s plans to build up the family and the blessings he wants to protect there.

As we think of God’s blessings – whether that’s in the sixth commandment or any other commandment that we struggle with – how might that make a difference in our lives?…   First, we repent of our own sin and live our lives differently!  If God has truly pardoned these same sins and made such a difference for us in eternity, we want to live our lives differently here on earth!… Then, unlike our world that condemns anyone for not sharing in their viewpoint, we do things differently there as well.  To be clear, we still condemn sin.  That’s just saying what God is saying, and there is nothing wrong with that, don’t let anyone tell you there is!  But even more ardently, we do what God did for us and share forgiveness for that sin as we seek to rescue a soul, and we continue to love them.  It’s why you don’t disown a child for cohabitation, a friend for homosexuality, or anybody else for any other sin.   Sure, you talk to them and warn them about their sin, but then you love them more than anybody else.  That includes those who affirm their sin!  As Christians we should be better friends and do more for those caught up in sin than those people who say their sin is OK!

Like Jesus said in our Gospel, we live as wheat among weeds.  We don’t rip ourselves away from others at risk of tearing them up.  We live peacefully with those around us.  So much so that we may even look like those around us at times, but as people closely examine your fruit they will be able to see that you’re different.  In other words, it’s OK if people glance at you and don’t immediately think “Christian!”  We don’t have to wear our faith on our sleeves like that.  But what’s not OK is if people get to know you and they’d still never know you’re a Christian.  So speak and act according to the truth, but don’t feel like you have to rain down fire and brimstone on them. That day will come, but God will worry about it.  You and I only need to concern ourselves with being wheat in his fields.

Or, perhaps an example we can relate to a little more than weeds which look like wheat is the example of salt & sugar.  Think of how the two can look exactly the same, but once you get a taste of them you realize they are completely different! (You’ll know that if you’ve ever confused cups of salt for cups of sugar in a cookie recipe!)  Similarly, even as you and I share strong viewpoints in a world of strong viewpoints, they should taste something sweet that comes from us.  They realize that both sides have their viewpoints, their thoughts of what’s right and wrong.  But where one side attacks me for not sharing in their viewpoint, the other still loves me even while disagreeing with my viewpoint. 

That’s what we’re talking about today.  It’s  heavy stuff, but we need to hear it.  If we don’t, Satan will try to convince us that it’s ok, that God’s wrong on this one, just like he’s convinced people in many other places.  Only he won’t stop sowing weeds there.  He’ll eventually try to get you to doubt everything God ever told you, including that you’re a sinner who needs a Savior, and that only Christ will do. To be clear, he’s done that elsewhere too… So don’t confuse weeds with wheat.  Just like it would be foolish to confuse the two in your garden, the same danger is possible here.  It doesn’t change just because something looks good or sounds loving on the outside.  The world’s ways and God’s ways are completely different.  One promises a good life here, but really fails to deliver.  (Those political initiatives never work!)  But the other delivers eternal life, and through it a better way to live here.   It’s just one more example of what makes Christians different… any why that’s such a good thing.  Amen.

“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.

“The Only Requirement is Thirst”

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“The Only Requirement is Thirst” (John 7:37-39)

Series: What Difference Does It Make?

by Pastor Nate Walther

The Festival of Pentecost, 05/24/2026

            Happy Pentecost!  Today we celebrate the birthday of the Christian Church.  It’s a day that gets us thinking about the church growing with all those amazing events in our reading from Acts.  It’s a day that especially gets us thinking about the work of the Holy Spirit…  How does all of this compare to us and to our lives?  How does it compare to Eastside and whether our church growing like it should be?  Finally, how can we be sure we have the Holy Spirit, and that our faith is in the right place? 

            In answer to those questions, some churches pour everything into programs that promise to transform your life, or into numerical growth, or into miraculous signs like healings or tongue-speaking.  It’s a tangible way to say, “My faith is solid! We’re doing something right as a congregation! We’ve got the Holy Spirit!”  It’s why some of these churches even emphasize that they are “Holy Spirit”-driven, or “Pentecostal” churches.  But what’s really important for our faith?  What are the true requirements for faith? 

            Today in his Word, God shows us that faith isn’t really about what we see physically in our lives or in our church.  Nor is it even about some obvious, outward way we can see the Holy Spirit at work.  We certainly adore and worship the Holy spirit as a member of our Triune God—it’s why we have a special day like today to focus on him!—but at the same time, we don’t focus on him like some churches do, often to the exclusion of other members of the Trinity.  In fact, today we hear something curious from Jesus himself: the only requirement for our faith is thirst.

            That’s what Jesus effectively says in our sermon text from John chapter 7.  Like he often did in Parables, here Jesus uses physical images to describe spiritual realities.  Particularly, Jesus uses “thirst” as picture of spiritual need.  And did you notice how Jesus encourages us to resolve our thirst?  It’s not a matter reforming your behavior or doing things a certain way, nor is it a matter of how your life looks.  Instead, it’s simply a matter of drinking deeply from Jesus, and that’s where Jesus also says you can find the Holy Spirit is at work.  Granted, by this point Jesus hadn’t yet sent the Spirit to the Disciples—that’s because he was still with them at this time, and they didn’t yet require additional help from the Holy Spirit—but Jesus was prophetically looking ahead to that time after his Ascension when the Holy Spirit would come upon the church at Pentecost.

            As for us, we tend to think of thirst as a bad thing, because thirst is a lack of what you need.  It’s why we naturally long to resolve the thirst of our souls.  But how do we do that?  Some people look for “signs of the Spirit” – something big or powerful to assure them they’ve done so.  Others try to work harder to be better people and overcome their problems – all in an effort fill them up! But does that fill us with the right thing?  For example, when you’re thirsty there’s nothing quite like water to quench your thirst. Sure, you can get out of the heat and stop sweating, but you’ll still be thirsty.  Or you can have a drink of iced coffee or a cold beer as a substitute to quench your thirst, but you’ll only end up dehydrating yourself further in the end. Or you can try to work even harder to overcome your thirst and push through it, but you’ll just get thirstier… OR you can drink water and actually quench your thirst.

Don’t miss the simple lesson in that picture. Jesus offers the only thing that overcomes the thirst of sin.  Jesus once said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.”  We can be so quick to move past thirst that we don’t realize there’s blessing in it.   That’s what we mean today when we say the only requirement is thirst. Spiritual thirst leads us to the one thing that will satisfy our spiritual needs: Jesus, the “water of life.” Because you can have the biggest, best church yet still have problems.  Or you can avoid all sorts of sins yet still struggle under the burden of sin.  Or you can enjoy all sorts of gifts & blessings yet still face depression because it’s never enough…  That’s because you’re still dehydrated.  You still need forgiveness as only Jesus provides it from the cross, meaning that is uniquely found in the resurrection of the dead that will be ours someday as well, and a sense of contentment like no other that is found in Word & Sacrament in a restored relationship with the Lord Almighty of the Heavens. 

            That’s what Pentecost is all about. And that’s what the Holy Spirit is all about.  He’s all about leading people to Jesus as the water of life.  Or, to put it another way, think of the Holy Spirit like the operator behind the spotlight in a big Broadway production.  If he’s doing his job, he doesn’t want anyone looking at him–in fact, he doesn’t want anyone thinking about him at all!–he only wants people looking where he directs their attention. Similarly, the Holy Spirit intends to make a difference in our lives, just maybe not the one we think.  Sure, on Pentecost that resulted in tongues of fire and miraculously speaking in languages.  But if we read farther in Acts 2 we realize it was all about putting Jesus in front of others.  Peter used all these miraculous signs to call the Pentecost crowd’s attention to Jesus.  And today, the Spirit makes that same difference through whatever means ot may be–miraculous or mundane–all to connect more people to Jesus.

            Thirstis the only requirement.  You lack nothing if you have a thirst that drives you to Jesus as the water of life. As Jesus said in our sermon text, that’s where the Spirit is at work.  The Spirit is not found in those obvious things that fill our lives (that’s just the spirit of this world).  He’s found absence of something so important in our souls that we’re driven to the only one who can fill it (that’s truly a Spirit that comes from God).  Yes, he may be accompanied by other things too—the disciples were able to speak in tongues and perform miracles–but in the end it’s all about more people finding good news in Jesus.  Then, like Jesus said in our sermon text, we become springs of water: where these things in our lives point other people to Jesus as the water of life.  On the other hand, when the focus turns to those gifts and those signs and the measurables themselves, it’s no longer about Jesus and we’ve completely lost his Spirit.

            As we return to our sermon text once more, I want you especially to consider the background of these words.  Jesus is celebrating the Festival of Tabernacles for the last time during his life on earth.  It was a holiday that recalled how the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years after the Exodus, relying on God to care for them while they dwelled in tents.  Additionally, by Jesus’ time the priests celebrated each day of the festival by going down to the pool of Siloam in Jerusalem and drawing water, which they would then return to the temple and ceremonially pour out.  It became a powerful image of God providing for his people as they were about to enter the rainy season and prayed that God would bless the crops they had just sown…  Now, can you imagine Jesus watching all of that, then crying out—as our sermon text describes him doing on the final day of the festival—saying something like, “Don’t you see?  This is all a picture of me and what I can do for you!  I am the water of life!”  So also, Jesus cries out to us in his Word and says, “Don’t you see?  As you sojourn on this earth, as you thirst for something more, as you pray that the Lord to bless your labors as a congregation… it’s all about me and what I can do for you!  I am the water of life!”    Never forget that.  Your lives, the work of this congregation, everything about our faith… it’s about Christ filling us up.  If we have that, we’re doing everything right.  If we have that, we have the Holy Spirit in full measure.  Amen.

“Justice for All”

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“Justice for All” (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10)

Pastor Nate Walther

Sunday, November 16th, 2025

How do you like it when they get away with it?  Maybe it’s an “open and shut” court case where everyone knows who did it, but there’s a technicality and a key piece of evidence is rendered inadmissible, so the judge throws the case out. Or perhaps it’s at the scene of a grisly crime, but it’s a matter of “he said, she said” with no concrete evidence, so the police can’t arrest anyone.  In either case the end result is the same: a crime was committed and nobody pays the price…  It’s the kind of outcome that leaves us outraged!  It’s why crime series like Law & Order or documentaries like Making a Murderer suck us in.  We want justice.  It’s just how we’re wired.  And do you realize we want this because God has hardwired this into our hearts?  In fact, he wants it so much that he promises in our epistle reading there will be JUSTICE FOR ALL.

Before we dig into our sermon text, let’s make sure we’re on the same page with the difficult topic God has placed before us today.  As we think about things like justice and punishment for sin: hell is a real place, where real people will go, including some people we know.  And maybe that needs to be said.  Perhaps you struggle with that thought, even though you know it’s what our churches teach; or even if you agree with it, perhaps you just don’t like to think about it!   But regardless of how any one of us may feel, God clearly says hell it is real, and he clearly puts it before us to think about.  Today’s readings mentioned hell in a couple of different ways.  There are even times where Jesus talks about it more directly. So, if we want to dispute what Jesus himself says or don’t want to think about something God certainly wants us to think about, we may as well throw the whole book away, we obviously aren’t interested in what it has to say!… On the other hand, if we’re not ready to do that, can we take it a step further with our theme of justice and see that hell is a necessary, even sensible teaching?  Again, we live in a world of justice!  Actions matters. Everyone feels there should be consequences for sin!  Finally, we all know deep down, that must mean hell.  When pressed, who wouldn’t agree that a serial killer, or a child rapist, or a genocidal racist dictator like Hitler should go to hell?  If not, we are really making the case that these horrible crimes don’t really matter – not in the grand scheme of things, not if you could just get away with them and there are no lasting consequences for them.  If you believe in any kind of afterlife, that will just never sit right with you. And the God who created our eternal souls agrees.  He wants JUSTICE FOR ALL!

With that in mind, consider what we heard earlier.  In verse 6 when God talks about justice, he clearly describes it as something that is earned by evil deeds.  It’s not just something God arbitrarily dishes out.  Rather, to use the example of the Thessalonian congregation, those who troubled these Christians would earn trouble for themselves.  However, verse 7 talks about such justice being handed out on Judgment Day.  We miss that sometimes.  We crave justice, and when we don’t see it we figure something must be wrong!  But God doesn’t promise justice today.  Instead, he promises it will be “when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his powerful angels.”  That’s when, verse 8, He will exercise vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. That’s critical to our understanding of hell.  Hell is earned as retribution for things done wrong, but that’s not the only reason God says some people will go there.  What other reason is there?  God doesn’t say it will be because the people here persecuted Christians of all people, or because their sin was bad enough.  Instead, God says they would suffer hell because they didn’t follow the instructions of the gospel, which is to believe in Jesus; and they didn’t have a relationship with God the Father where they really knew him and what he wanted: namely, the salvation of their souls. 

Moving ahead to verse 9, we are given a definition for hell.  This just penalty, as it is called here, is ETERNAL destruction away from the PRESENCE of the Lord and from his glorious strength.  First of all, hell is a place of destruction.  But we see some destruction already in our world, so it has to be more than just that.  What sets hell apart is that it is everlasting destruction, and everlasting destruction where you no longer have the presence of God with his glorious strength to curb sin.  Under those circumstances, what will prevent sin from getting worse and worse?…  Finally, verse 10, God describes people who will avoid this fate – people like the Thessalonians, and by extension, you and me! – and why do we avoid it?  Again, notice what God doesn’t say.  He doesn’t say it’s because they avoided particularly bad sins.  In fact, he doesn’t talk at all about their deeds.   He doesn’t even talk about them being wronged more than others.  Really, the only difference?  They believed.  They believed the Apostles’ message, whom Jesus had sent out to testify about him.

Some of this lines up well with our sense of justice, but there’s one thing that doesn’t line up: how can this be justice for all? Isn’t it a double standard if some can just believe and receive a “get out of hell free”-card, no matter what they’ve done?  Except, whom are they believing in? It’s Jesus. Jesus who already paid the fiery penalty of everlasting destruction that God requires for sin.  It’s why there is justice for all.  This is no double standard. God agrees in his Word that sin must be punished.  The only question? Will you believe in Jesus so that he may receive that punishment for you?  Or will you take punishment for yourself?…

What we so often fail to see is that JUSTICE FOR ALL does not just mean justice for others and their sin in hell… what it should also mean is justice for me and my sin in hell.  And that’s exactly where we try to find the same loopholes we hate that others find when they try to get away with it.  “My sin is not so bad.  I had a good reason for what I did!  I didn’t know it would turn out like that…  I didn’t mean to hurt anyone, and at least I didn’t kill anyone, others have done so much worse!”  As we think this way, we think our sins don’t warrant hell.  But what we cannot deny is that we still have sin, and what happens if that sin remains unchecked? 

The thing about sin is that it only makes things worse, even if it doesn’t seem so bad at first.  I’m just getting to know you as my new congregation, and I don’t know what sins each of you struggles with.  But one example I can imagine from 11 years of ministry experience is that some of you have struggled with sexual sin.  Think of how that one works. It only gets worse.  Lust leads to pornography, which is such an ugly addiction, it can take even a blessing like sex within marriage and destroy it!  In other cases this particular sin can lead to sex outside of marriage, which people may excuse as “consenting adults” or (a slightly more “sanctified” viewpoint) “trying things out” before you make such an important decision, but what these loopholes actually do is devalue the blessings God wants to give to bind husband and wife together, or they even make marriage based on something other than an unconditional promise.  Studies even show this mindset can make divorce or adultery more likely.

Granted, maybe you don’t struggle with that particular sin, but where do we see this sin in our lives?  Is it laziness, which may not seem like a big deal until it destroys a job and a means of providing for a family? Is it drunkenness, where “it’s only a few beers!”, but we’ve all seen how the bottle can ruin people themselves or destroy their relationships with others?  Is it in greed, whichis never content, and the pursuit of which can prevent people from being around for their families when they need them even more than the money they are providing?… Whatever sin that is for you and for me, perhaps we still think, “Yeah, but I’ve got my sin in check, it hasn’t turned out so bad!” Even if that is true, why is that?  Isn’t it only because God graciously stepped in?  Maybe he led you to repentance and new life in Christ so that your marriage, your addiction, your vice – whatever may be! – wouldn’t turn out so bad.  Or, maybe he simply had pity on you and spared you these consequences without the repentance! In other words, it’s kind of like a governor on an engine that prevents it from going too fast or too hard.  So also, God only lets our sin spin so fast and go so far in this world.

Consider the alternative.  What if God just let that engine go until it overheated, until we threw a rod, until our soul was destroyed?  Do you realize, that’s hell?  That’s exactly what we heard in our sermon text! Hell is the removal of God’s gracious presence and power, which means there’s nothing to keep our sin in check.  Hell is not God unfairly punishing people, gleefully throwing the book at them as some people imagine.  If anything it’s the opposite: it’s God saying, “If you don’t believe in me and you reject me, then I’ll give you what you want: I’ll leave you alone so that I won’t help you with your sin at all… though, I will have justice for that sin.” In other words, hell is simply our soul with sin, on a trajectory that goes into eternity.  And that will only get worse and worse. No one with sin – which by its very nature only grows and consumes and destroys – is somehow immune from this. 

But God tells us a solution. We heard it in our sermon text: the difference faith in Jesus makes.  Not as a loophole or a code; just real justice, really met. The only question is where and when?  Will justice have been met for you on a cross on a dark Friday afternoon 2,000 years ago, where a man at Golgotha died for your sin?  Or will it be on another day to come at some point in the future, when that same man returns to bring judgment on those who rejected the brand of justice that he wanted to offer them all along?… Dear fellow sinner, see it today: our day of Judgment has already passed.  Jesus has suffered your hell already.  That’s no exaggeration, just everything sin would do to you and to me and for all eternity, only crammed into three miserable, wretched, unfathomable hours on the cross.  No governor on it for Jesus, just God turning his gracious presence away from him.  “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”, and do you know the answer to that question?  It was so that God wouldn’t ever have to ever remove his gracious presence from YOU.  That’s how much God loves YOU. He made sure justice was met for all people, so that he would save YOU too. 

Now, since there is JUSTICE FOR ALL, how can we settle for having it when others don’t?  Whether it’s those we know and love dearly, or others we don’t know at all (but they don’t know Christ), we must do whatever we can to bring the good news of Jesus to others.  Then, they can find justice already met for them on Judgment Day as well, just like us.  May that always guide what we do as Christians and as a church!… And after we do that, if people still persecute us, if we are still wronged, if this world still lacks justice, God tells us today what he tells the Thessalonian, “Be at peace…  Judgment Day is still coming.”  Because this isn’t like one of those situations where a cold case doesn’t get resolved.  Rather, this is like one of those situations where the murderer is caught, and he’s brought to justice, and the family finds peace in that.  Even better, this is the only situation where your dead family member will be returned to you alive in the end, or your destroyed property will be fully restored, or whatever wrong you could possibly incur will be made right – in fact, it will be better than you had before. That’s God’s idea of justice.  And is it fair?  No!  It’s actually, completely unfair that God would give us so much more than we ever deserve.  So don’t ever look at hell, see the justice there, and let anyone tell you God is being unfair. But do look to the cross, see the justice there, and tell everyone how unfair God is as he brings JUSTICE FOR ALL.   Amen. 

“Christ With Us”

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Series:  “Christ Through Us” (WELS 175th Anniversary)

Theme: “Christ With Us” (Revelation 3:7-13)

Pastor Nate Walther – Sunday, October 26th, 2025

Eastside Lutheran Church – Madison, WI

            Christ with us.  It’s a fitting theme today as we celebrate the Lutheran Reformation and as we conclude our celebration of our synod’s anniversary.  Christ has certainly been with the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod over the past 175 years, just as he has been with all true confessional Lutheran churches over the past 500 years – as we look back on the past, there’s just so much to be thankful for in connection to this theme… but we’re not going to be focusing on the past in this sermon.  Instead, as we live in the present and as we look at the future, do you appreciate what this means for you dear WELS Lutheran, dear believing Christian, dear precious soul bought back from the fires of hell by the blood of a Savior who loves you dearly?  Christ is with you.

            That may have been true in the past, that may be true for others, that may even be how we comfort people who are hurting in our lives, but what about me?  Do I always believe it’s true for me? What about when people ridicule you for agreeing with the Bible’s Creation account: “you don’t believe in science”, even though you do believe in science – that is, real science, not empty hypotheses about things long ago that no one observed? Or, what about when people attack you for calling something a sin: “you’re so unloving”, even though you do believe in love – that is, real love, which starts with God’s unconditional love for us no matter how we sin, and you’re always ready to share that with anyone who confesses their sin, as a fellow lost & redeemed sinner yourself?… Are we OK when that happens?  Are we certain we’re right?  Do we feel Christ is with us in those moments?  Or, if things aren’t going so well, do we wonder what we’re doing wrong?

            Let’s up the ante a little bit.  Do any of you know what it’s like to have your life in danger?  Do you know what it’s like to live in fear of death because of some serious illness, or fast-spreading infection, or a cancer you’re battling? Do you know what it’s like to have a loved one go through that?  Or, do you know what it’s like to worry that someone close to you with mental illness or a substance abuse problems will come busting through that door, because you know what they’re capable of? Do you even know what it’s like to live like our soldiers who have survived warzones and threats to their lives?  Have you had the experience of falling asleep with a loaded pistol in your hand, and every noise outside or in the house at night wakes you up in a cold sweat with your finger on the trigger?… When this becomes our lives, when we experience the evils of this world, when our suffering gets so severe, where is Christ in all of it?  What are we doing wrong?!

            You’re not alone… these fundamental matters of faith & doubt (ultimately, of life & death) are what our spiritual forefathers faced throughout the past.   For our Lutheran forefathers in America 175 years ago, did you know that, more than anything, they came here from Europe because of persecution.  The government was forcing them to unite with Reformed Christians, even though the two groups believed different things!Meanwhile, for our Lutheran forefathers in Germany 500 years ago, you may already know the story: when told to renounce his teachings that agreed with Scripture if not with the Church of his day, Luther took his stand against the Holy Roman Emperor at the Diet of Worms and refused to compromise on a biblically-bound conscience… so what did the Holy Roman Emperor decree as the most powerful man in the world at his time? He basically had a “hit” put out on Luther.  For the remainder of Luther’s life he lived with the distinct threat that any one of his enemies could simply kill him as an outlaw, and there would be no legal ramifications to dissuade them. Finally, it’s the same thing true believers have always faced, going back to our Christian forefathers in the “O.G. city of brotherly love”, ancient Philadelphia from 2,000 years ago.  As we heard earlier, the first audience from our sermon text was being persecuted for their faith.  Bitterly so.  By this point Christians were being killed for what they believed.  It had happened in nearby Pergamum, to which this letter of Revelation was also written.  It would happen in Philadelphia as well.  And in all of this… seriously, was Christ still with them? 

            Listen again to what we God told them in our sermon text.  “8Look, I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”So, in the following verses,the Apostle John (who wrote these words to them) goes on to explain how God would work all things for their good as they continued to place their faith in him… which is great, but it’s in the future, it’s not reality yet.  Instead, for the time being, he simply says “11Hold on to what you have so that no one takes your crown. 12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never leave it again…” What we have here is not a message of immediate gratification, but it is a certain message of hope.  Whatever you face in life, however evil has assaulted you, now matter how it causes you to question and worry and doubt, God’s message is crystal clear: “Hold on to what you have.”  Why?  Because if you are with Christ, God says this is doorway.  It will simply get you where you need to go.  That’s why you want to stay on that path. 

Finally, I can’t share an answer with you that will make all the challenging moments in your life easy.  I can just share the answer that’s always worked for God’s people.  It’s what worked for the founders of our church body.  Just think of how their situation turned out: how blessed are we now as Lutherans in America with the religious freedom we enjoy!  It’s what worked our namesake as Lutheranism also.  Despite how dark his things looked at one point – where Luther even had to go into hiding, holed up in a castle while he translated the Bible – still, Luther had a happy and productive life, he even got married and had kids, he died several decades later as an old man surrounded by friends and family. God worked that situation out for good.  It’s even what worked for those Philadelphian Christians.  Yes, including those of them who were killed for their faith!  Because they immediately got to heaven to be with Christ.  No one could shut that door.  In fact, if anything death only allowed them to pass through that door faster.

In a broken world where sin invites such difficult situations, such challenging problems, such pain into our lives, Jesus provides a different kind of solution.  Not searching for something else that still won’t put an end to the bad.  Not trying harder when our efforts are less than perfect and will still yield less than perfect results. Not treating the symptoms, all while ignoring the cause.  No, in fact, where do we find Jesus in all of it?  There, himself in the midst, of it.  He faced that darkness too.  He encountered those threats as well.  He was even killed by them on the cross… And God says, “Hold on to that,” which he has already given you: a substitute who died for your sin and a Savior who conquered your death, a God whose love for you is never in question and whose future for you is never in doubt.  That’s what will work, even if it doesn’t currently seem to be working! 

What else can we say when, in this very last book of the Bible that was written, this is what God says?  His final message through the Apostle John here isn’t to try this new spiritual craze when things don’t seem to be working out for you, nor is it to make new changes in your life. It’s simply to “Hold on to what you have!…”  That may be so hard to do at times, but it doesn’t make it the wrong answer.  Granted, when you’re persecuted or threatened, when you’re sick or suffering, when those questions or doubts creep in, the hardest thing to do is to do nothing.  We want to take matters into our own hands and fix it!  But sometimes there’s just nothing else to do.  Not when you are on the right path.  Because the door is open in front of us, even if the path is hard.  Other paths may be easier along the way, but how often do we fail to raise our eyes and see: there is no open door at the end of those paths, only dead ends!  It’s why – like the difficult daily exercise that eventually gets you to your fitness goals – we need to stay on this path, the same path Christ went on himself.  And he’ll get you through it;  somehow he’ll even spare you even worse trials, just like he promised in our sermon text.  That’s what he’s done for the past 175 years for our synod.  That’s what he’s done for the past 500 years for all true Lutherans.  That’s what he’s done for the past 2,000 years for all true Christians in every congregation.  That’s what he’s done for the past 6,000+ for all believers in the one true God of Israel who always made this the center of his promises: Christ with us. From the beginning of the Bible – as we heard two weeks ago in Genesis 3 – to the end of the Bible – as we hear in Revelation 3 today – that has always been God’s answer.  He’s not going to stop now.  Dear fellow brother or sister in Christ, whatever you face, know that this is true for you.  Christ is with you.  Be comforted by that always and in all things.  Amen.

October 19, 2025 Sermon

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Pastor Horton

175th Synod Anniversary #2

What does success look like?  For the young entrepreneur, it might be creating a product that goes viral in popularity and finding instant global success and establishing their business as a household name and into a legacy.  For the garage band (or college band), it might involve a few lessons learned at the school of hard knocks and maybe some heartbreak to put together a raw and relatable album and in a few years finding their fanbase now filling concert arenas.  Or for the NFL QB plagued by injuries, it might mean having that one bounce-back year where the team comes together and he leads them to a Super Bowl win with great appreciation and joy.  These are the kids of stories, docuseries, and ESPN specials we like to see – because they lift us up.  They encourage us.  They inspire and motivate us.  Stories of success fill us with hope that anything is possible.

I wonder how a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee (aka the Lake of Gennesaret) might define success?  Because what Jesus accomplished in our Bible reading for today was probably more than a success story – it was a downright dream come true.  Retelling what happened would be hard to believe and passed off as just another fisherman’s tall tale.  And yet with the backdrop of this miracle, as we find Jesus calling ordinary fishermen for an extraordinary purpose.  And we are reminded that Christ still calls and works Through Us.

That is our focal theme this Sunday as we consider the 175th anniversary of the Wisconsin Synod.  Last Week we pondered the important truth of: “Christ FOR Us”.  This week?  “Christ THROUGH Us”.  And does that ever give us relief!  Think back to the lowly beginnings of our synod and to the German missionaries who arrive in this state.  In the eyes of the world, our synod’s beginning was far from a glorious chapter of human history.  But there was God’s glory present in his gifts of Word and Sacraments.  The synod did not start with glamor, but it had God’s grace.  And through the years God grew this collection of believers: from one world mission in 1893 to world missions today in 45 countries, from 800 congregations in 1965 to 1200 congregations today.  Such accomplishments are only to the credit and honor and work of our God.  We are reminded in our own history of the Father’s plan to save souls, the Holy Spirit’s guiding work and oversight of his church, and in Jesus a willingness to do the extraordinary through what seems to be the very ordinary.  Just take a look at our reading.

Peter and the disciples witnessed his desire to work “through us” from their first calling.  In fact, Peter would get an eternal-life-lesson on who Jesus was and he worked.  Early on in his ministry, we find Jesus being surrounded.  The Word works and the people get pushy – feeding on Jesus’ message of life.  And yet the crowd wouldn’t turn into a frenzy.  Jesus taps Simon on the shoulder for a little help as he gets into his boat.  And Simon was willing to help since he had already met Jesus – previously Jesus had healed his mother-in-law.  The least he could do would be to return a favor.  But after teaching the crowds from the boat, Jesus makes a unique request, vrs 4”When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water, and let down your nets for a catch.”  According to those who know the Sea of Galilee well, this body of water could at times yield larger amounts of fish, but at night and in the shallows off the coastline.  Professional fisherman, like these disciples, knew that fishing in the heat of the day in the deep waters sounded like a bad decision.  Add into the mix the human element of these guys probably being exhausted and frustrated after a failed 3rd shift of fishing and they were probably not excited to go back out.

And yet…5 Simon answered him, “Master, we worked hard all through the night and caught nothing.  But at your word I will let down the nets.”  In humble faith there is no objection or complaint.  Even if Peter’s reasoning expects the exact opposite result – he goes.  And listen again to what happened!

6 When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their nets were about to tear apart. Wow!  7 They signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. They came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.  The Lord God was able to act in awesome and miraculous ways to provide for his servant.  The Lord God still acts in awesome and miraculous ways to provide for his servants.  Through ordinary resources and ordinary people God does the extraordinary to catch and to save.  The nets packed with fish are a picture of the great catch of souls Jesus wants in heaven one day.  Behold the heart of God in this miracle.

And he gives people like you and me his gospel and uses us in his kingdom!  And isn’t that incredible!  Because who are we?  Peter had a realization as he stood face-to-face with the author of life and salvation.  8 When Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Go away from me, because I am a sinful man, Lord.”  9 For Peter and all those with him were amazed at the number of fish they had caught.  I appreciate that the inspired author uses his full name here, “Simor Peter”.  Whenever I heard my full name I was in trouble or at the least being called to account.  You get the sense of that here, only it’s Peter by faith calling himself out and admitting his rightful standing before Jesus, the living God.  “Who am I, Lord?  “I am a sinful man.”  

Jesus has an answer abounding mercy and grace and peace for his servant.  Jesus said to Simon, “Have no fear. From now on you will be catching people.”  Christ will be working THROUGH you.  And how much did that mean to this fisherman dependent on this profession for his livelihood?  They left everything and followed him.  Life was different now with Jesus.  Success wasn’t the way the world described it, but rather success would be found in those nets of souls filled for heaven.  And Simon Peter would be one who would get to cast Jesus’ kingdom-nets to the nations.  We find Peter preaching on the day of Pentecost as 3000 were baptised, and writing as an inspired author letters which still encourage us today in our walk of faith.  Oh he was not perfect and like us would still need teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness through Scripture.  But his ministry would be marked by Christ THROUGH Us.  He would be sustained by Jesus and forgiven, encouraged, and equipped by his words. 

What does Christ THROUGH you look like?  Sometimes it’s Christ through us…in spite of us.  May we like Peter be brought through the clear teaching of the law to lay our sins at the cross of Jesus.  May God the Holy Spirit help us see and repent of our wrong.  Because our stubborn hearts find offense in Jesus.  We turn a deaf ear to his calling.  We don’t like to admit our sinful state.  We object and complain when he tells us what to do.  We would rather point a finger and blame other kingdom-things around us.  “That synod of yours won’t let me do this” “or that church or that pastor won’t let me do that.”  But it is God’s law that calls out our Old Adam by full name and we often don’t want to look Jesus in the eye or confess that we are sinful and need his help.  

And yet the same Lord there for Peter and the same Lord there for the previous generations of our synod remains the same Lord today who is a compassionate God at work on our hearts and intent on saving our souls and getting us fish caught up to heaven with him.  Christ paid our way with his dying on the cross.  Christ gave eternal life to us by rising, and through his word gives spiritual life to the lifeless.  That priceless gospel of salvation is ours today as it continues to be proclaimed in truth and purity.  

So what now does Christ THROUGH you look like?  It looks like reconciliation with our heavenly Father through Jesus.  Our reading from 2 Corinthians reminded us of that.  It looks like casting those nets out again because Jesus calls us to do so, and forgiving even if we don’t want to or praying again even if we think it’s not that fruitful.  It looks like embracing the Means of Grace, being students of the Word, so that we might be better equipped to fish.  And it means casting nets and trusting Christ even if it’s in deep waters and away from our comfortable shoreline.   And some of those nets, as our reading from Deuteronomy reminds us, are to extend even into the future generations of your family line so that our homes may thrive in the love of God in Christ Jesus.  Christ THROUGH Us has been seen for 175 years of kingdom work in our churches, school, and missions.  God works through his word to call us fish to faith, providing us with opportunity to serve in the work, and blessing the efforts.  Who will Christ catch through you and through our congregation as we cast the gospel?  Let’s find out – in fact, let’s pray that Jesus continues to grant success and make his future catch great until we’re home with the Lord.  Amen.

“Christ For Us”

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Genesis 3:8-15

Pastor Nate Walther

            Last month we celebrated the 100th anniversary of this congregation.  This month we are celebrating another anniversary, an even lengthier one at that: the Dodransbicentennial of our Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod – i.e. the 175th Anniversary of our Lutheran Church body here in America. That’s kind of remarkable, and it gets me thinking about why our collection of churches has lasted.  Is it truly phenomenal preaching?  (All us pastors think we’re good preachers… but such longevity makes me wonder whether I’d make the cut!)  Or is it having a good, Christian day schools?  (Historically, that’s been a staple of our church body, and we are certainly no exception.)  Or what kinds of programs and ministries does a church offer?  Or what kind of a difference are churches actually making in the lives of their parishioners? 

            Initially, our sermon text may not seem to answer those questions or have anything to do with the topic, but it really does get at the heart of the matter. You may know the background.  When God first created Adam & Eve and placed them in the Garden of Eden, he gave them one command, “Don’t eat from the tree of knowledge of good & evil.”  Yet they ate from it.  And it may not seem like a big deal, it’s just one tiny act of disobedience.  Yet there’s no denying the results

            8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they HID from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.  Immediately it’s clear something is wrong.  Never before did Adam & Eve have reason to hide from God, but now something has separated them from God.  So,  9 The Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”  As if God didn’t know!  10 (Adam) answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was NAKED; so I hid.”  That’s a sign that something is wrong also. God made Adam and Eve perfectly in his image, and how could anything that ourperfect Lordcreates elicit shame?  Unless, Adam & Eve’s bodies somehow had been corrupted and changed into something less…  and they were. 11 (God) said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”  That would be disobedience to God’s expressed will.  That, by its very definition in the Bible, is sin.  Sadly, it’s not hard to see their sin in what follows: 12 The man said, “The WOMAN you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”  Instead of accepting responsibility for his action, Adam deflected blame to his wife and even to God, if you noticed!  Likewise, Eve followed her husband’s lead: 13 The Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”  As they point the finger at each other, it’s just an ugly attitude, it’s never what God intended…

            And that’s just the start of it.  In the verses immediately after these God shares that their sin would result in pain: 1) physical pain, like a woman’s pain in childbirth or a man’s painful labor; 2) emotional pain too, of the sort you see that divides families and destroys relationships; 3) finally, there’s the pain of mortality, there’s just nothing as bad as what you find at a gravesite… Speaking of which, in the chapter immediately after this we meet the world’s very first children, Cain & Abel.  What happens to them?  One of them kills his brother!  How serious was their problem with sin if this is what was happening only one generation after God made everything perfectly!?… But the worst part? These aren’t just empty threats or idle warning for us.  This is real for us too.  This is exactly what we see in our world also.  This is sin we are complicit in as well.

            We may try to tell ourselves this story doesn’t really apply to our lives: “Some of what the Bible says is old fashioned!”  Or we may try to rationalize our sin: “A little disobedience isn’t a big deal, it didn’t hurt anyone!” Or we may point the finger: “It’s the people around me who made me to do this, and they’ve done much worse!…”  What we cannot deny is that sin is simply alive & active in our lives.  It’s there in every awful word we let slip out of our mouths that we immediately wish we could take back.  It’s there in the terrible things we’ve done that we wish we could just scrub from the pasts.  It’s there in the pain we suffer in our own bodies, more and more so every year. It’s there in the horrible ways that people have treated us, that we just can’t forget.  It’s there in the depravity we all see on the news or on social media, there’s always something worse!  Even when we try our best to live a good life and do what’s right and push through all of this, still we mess up, still bad things happen to us, still we die… Yet how often do we go to church for something less?  “Don’t actually fix my sins, Lord, or the sins of others! Don’t concern yourself with this eternal chasm that would forever separate us from the good and perfect things you want us to have!… Don’t worry about it because I don’t really want to address this dreary topic, not when it would mean actually confronting my sins, and confessing them, and repenting of them, and changing my life.  Instead, just give me a little less pain on this earth, a little more money in my bank account, a few less problems to deal with – a little more recognition for my (mostly) good deeds – that’s all I’m asking!…” As if that’s gonna cut it in the end! We’re as shallow as Adam & Eve pointing the finger at each other.

            But God wasn’t shallow.  Think about God’s immediate reaction to sin. It wasn’t just to smite Adam & Eve (or you & me) for ruining his perfect plans.  Nor was it to give us all the things we’d like to distract us from the real problems in our soul, but which wouldn’t matter when we’re gone in 175 years (if they even matter next year).  It wasn’t even to spell out all the consequences for their actions (that was important and it needed to be dealt with, but that would come later, only after our sermon text).  Instead, immediately,

14 the Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals!—That being Satan, who had taken the form of a snake. You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your offspring—that being unbelievers—and hers… HE—that being an individual among Eve’s offspring—will CRUSH your head, and you will crush his heel…” 

With anniversaries, we sometimes use Latin phrases to highlight their significance.  In a similar manner, theologians call this promise from God the protoevangelium – “the first promise” – first because this great promise that would be repeated many times.  Just as the Bible highlights man’s sin one generation after another, God promised this same solution to sin again and again: A descendant from Eve’s own line to crush Satan’s head.  It’s a picture of totally destroying the evil work of sin that the devil helped introduce into the world.  In the process this figure would be wounded – his heel would be crushed – but of course, that’s not a mortal blow… It’s exactly what we see in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who also took on human flesh as a descendant of Eve, who lived a perfect life without sin as our substitute, who could therefore overcome this work of the devil on the cross.  Granted, Jesus was killed in the process, but it would be no mortal wound.  Jesus rose on Easter morning, and he promises the same final victory for us over sin’s worst consequence.

It’s the last thing Satan wants us to know, so with one last lie he tries to get even Christians distracted, and he succeeds in many churches! Oh, he’ll give us Christ, sure, he knows he can’t take that from Christians… but it’s not as we really need Jesus: as a Savior from sin.  Instead, Satan will give us Jesus as a cheerleader, or Jesus as an example for us to follow as we do our best, or Jesus as someone who will make your life better on earth as you follow him – all without pressing on the more pressing matters of sin and salvation. 

But God doesn’t get distracted.  Right from the start, God was ready with something better: CHRIST FOR US. Christ taking our place as a man himself, but doing what we could not do ourselves: a life of perfect obedience without sin, then his work on the cross to crush this work of Satan.  That’s what our brand of Lutheranism is all about.  Not empty promises that can never be certain in a fallen world, nor happy thoughts that simply ignore the reality of sin, just a real Savior with a real solution to the very real effect of sin that we see around us. Thank God for 175 years of that message, and 100 years of it personally as a congregation.  Finally, that’s what truly phenomenal preaching, and a truly good Christian school, and truly fantastic programs boil down to: not distractions, just the cross.  It’s not about what we do, but about what Jesus has already done.

So if you happen to be new here, if you’re looking for a church home to truly settle into, if you’re not sure who would do your funeral when you die… this is what we’re about and this is what we offer.  Talk to us pastors about how we can get you more connected to Christ.  No, I can’t fix all the problems in your life, but I can point you to the one who fixes your soul, and that will help with everything else.  On the other hand, if you have been here a long time, if this was your grandparents’ church, if you’ll be in that pew until you die… don’t forget this is what we’re still about and this is what we always offer.  Finally, Eastside Lutheran isn’t about this building or that school; it’s not defined by an excellent June Jumble Days or an Arts & Craft Fair; we don’t go here because our family has always gone here or our friends go here now.  There may be blessings in these things, but in a far greater way Eastside Lutheran is about CHRIST FOR US.  As we enter our second hundred years as a congregation, and as we march toward two hundred years as a synod, we should keep asking what we can do to further that mission.  You’ll hear more about that next week as we continue this celebration and see that Christ doesn’t just work for us… he works for others too.  But as he does so, that’s where he graciously chooses to work THROUGH us. Amen.

October 5, 2025 Sermon

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Pastor Horton

The 17th Sunday of Pentecost

Travel with me into a church called the Notre Dame in Paris, France, back to December 2, 1804.  Inside that majestic cathedral we’d find Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine draped in white satin as the soon-to-be-crowned emperor and empress of the French.  Pope Pius VII was also in attendance, and as was customary, he would place the crown onto the new emperor’s head.  But that’s not what happened.  When the time came, Napoleon removed the laurel wreath he had begun the ceremony with and set that down, took the crown from out of the pope’s hands and placed it on his own head, and then crowned his wife.  It was a pointed and symbolic move.  Napoleon wanted it to be known through his actions, that he had gained this kingdom through his own power and to his own credit and was not subject to the Church or tradition or divine rite.  He made a statement.

Travel back now if you will once more to Jerusalem, approximately 1000 years before the coming Christ.  King David is nearing the end of his reign and he gathered all of the leadership there before him in Jerusalem: the military generals, palace officials, and the strong men of the nation.  David had been informed by God that although he had a heart for the Lord and a desire to build the great temple in Jerusalem, David would not be given that opportunity.  He was a man of war and had blood on his hands.  The temple-building privilege would be given to his son Solomon.  What would King David do?  Would he act like Napoleon and make the moment about himself and his kingdom? 

I mean he had a case, didn’t he?  He was the youngest of his brothers and yet God handpicked him to be king – you may remember his anointing by the prophet Samuel.  He was the man who had that legendary victory one v. one against the giant Goliath.  He claimed numerous battlefield victories, keeping the Philistines back, capturing Jerusalem, and bringing the ark back to the city of God with dancing.  And he would have his name connected to the everlasting throne of the Messiah.  It would have been easy for David to make a case before the leaders, take the crown into his own hands so to speak, and say, “I know God told me to do something but I’m going to do what I want instead and build the temple anyways.”

But what did David actually do?  We’re told in our chapter for today. “King David said this to the whole assembly: My son Solomon, the one God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The work is great because this citadel is not for a man.  It is for the Lord God.  According to all my strength, I have provided these things for the house of my God: gold…silver…bronze…iron…wood…onyx stones…antimony (a mineral that looks like a mix between silver metal & diamonds)…every kind of precious stone, and alabaster in abundance.”  He then, in the next verse, offers to go above and beyond, and fund this building project with his own wealth.  To help us better understand this offering, kings back in this day and age would keep a personal treasury which served more than as a rainy-day-fund, it was to help raise and pay for an army if their crown and their kingdom was in danger of attack.  What David is offering is the security of his own throne to build a worship space where God would be enthroned before the people.  And then he goes above and beyond even that, by challenging Israel’s leadership to give generously as well and set an example.  David’s words and actions reflected his heart, and he set the crown not on himself, but upon the altar of our God.  

And the people responded in abundance.  Our verses skip down to David’s awe-struck response at the outpouring of their gifts.  And yet the king looks to the heavens and says thank you to God for his kingdom reign.  Let’s walk through a few of these verses picking back up at verse 10, “David blessed the Lord in the presence of the entire assembly.  He said: Blessed are you, Lord, the God of Israel, our father, from eternity to eternity.”  Remember that Jacob was renamed Israel.  The same God who was there and acted on behalf of those previous generations of believers – is here today continuing to fulfill what he promised!  “To you, O Lord, belong greatness, power, glory, victory, and majesty, because everything in the heavens and on the earth belongs to you.”  What can we give you that is not already yours!  “You, Lord, are exalted as head above everything.  The kingdom belongs to you. Riches and honor come from you. You are ruling over everything….Who am I?  Who are my people that we are able to offer willingly like this? For everything comes from you. What we have given to you came from your hand.”  What an incredible understanding from his heart of faith!  All things I can give you you have given me first!  All good blessings come from you!  All things in heaven and on earth, all the achievements you have graced me with serve you, and your good plan, to ultimately save souls.  David’s life was a living testimony to the mercy and might of our loving God in heaven.  This episode from the Bible models a believer’s heart when it comes to freely giving not just of our treasure, but of our time, talent, and daily opportunity today in the kingdom of the Lord. 

I need such a perspective found in the word of God, because I am often missing that viewpoint – and I’d guess that you are often missing out on that perspective as well.  Because we like the attention and the glory when it comes to the might of our hands.  You might say we stumble and fall and are not thinking in Davidic ways (when it comes to these verses) but Napoleonic ways.  We want our kingdom our way.  We want to be the ones to chisel out for ourselves a nice little palace of comfort and live by our own rules and take the crown off the altar and crown ourselves and celebrate our own coronation.  But minds and hearts and actions that are not moved by the freedom of the gospel and the joy of salvation are minds and hearts and actions that are driven by vanity and delusion, and by fear and worry.  If we ignore the kingdom of our God and the eternal providence he provides through his wondrous word, we waddle around and obsess over earthly consumptions of popularity, money, and prideful achievements.  At no time while traipsing about this globe will we ever have enough or be enough for long enough.

Napoleon’s personal reign?  He found himself facing more war (with Waterloo yet to come), more exile, and death.  Napoleon’s kingdom of the French?  They’d keep fighting with folks until well into the next century.  King David reminds us of something better.  

Through his own line and from his own throne, God would provide salvation through Christ Jesus.  His kingdom is an eternal one.  His redemption is a personal one.  Through the saving work at his cross Jesus would pay for each and every sin – even the ones that involve our death grip on his crown.  Thanks to his rising, we will have life with him forever.  We pray for this message of his kingdom to continue to come and to extend to our hearts and lives through Word and Sacraments (all of which is ours this weekend).  Come Lord Jesus indeed, and by the works of your hands bring us home to your heavenly kingdom! 

Homecoming!  This weekend was homecoming for both high schools we support as a church: Lakeside Lutheran (go Warriors) and Luther Prep in Watertown (which both of your pastors graduated from).  I happened to get to a Prep volleyball game and definitely understood the homecoming feeling.  My step daughter and mother were talking next to a pastor and his wife I served with in MN.  My dad was down by the court jibberjabbering with new friends.  In the row in front of me was my cousin, her husband, and next to me his parents who had served in the world mission fields.  In walked my former professors, Pastor Boggs, and former classmates with both their children and parents.  Memories and multigenerations were there under the same room.  It was homecoming.  How much better will be heaven!  Maybe you experienced this sliver on Thursday morning as grandparents and grandkids sang hymns side by side in the pews – what a special moment!  Just a peak at the kingdom!  Or last Sunday at our 100th as former church leaders, school staff, and friends joined us as we fixed our eyes on the cross of Christ and life eternal to come through him.  Such homecoming events give us but a momentary reminder, a tiny twinkle, a fleeting glimpse at the neverending glory that is far beyond our understanding in the throne room of heaven.  Where believers and angels sing in resounding triumph to the Lamb on the throne!  And you will get to come home and be home in God’s kingdom forever!  We can’t wait for that unending celebration that Jesus has made possible!Napoleon in all his pomp and celebration at the Notre Dame will pale in comparison.  For there in heaven our victorious king, who served us as the sacrificial Lamb will reign over us in perfect love, providing for all our needs forevermore.  It is why David could say in verse 18, “Lord, the God of our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, preserve forever this purpose and way of thinking in the heart of your people. Direct their heart to you.”  Your kingdom, o Lord, on heaven and on earth, is built by your hands.  Amen.

“Money: A Means, Not A Master”

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Passage: Ecclesiastes 5:10-20

Pastor Nate Walther

September 21, 2025

            Which financial gurus do you trust?  Maybe you have a particular financial podcast or personal financial guy you always listen to. Perhaps it’s someone like Dave Ramsey – He’s a popular one, and he has some good things to say.  Myself, I thank God for my dad – who learned these lessons from his dad, a banker – so also, he taught me life lessons about saving money, living within my means, and giving richly with my offerings and trusting that God will provide. 

            Today God gives us an even better financial guru to listen to: King Solomon.  I say that because Solomon spoke from experience; he was the wealthiest man of his times!  But even more importantly, Solomon spoke from God; he wrote the words of our sermon text under inspiration of the Holy Spirit!  And today he (God!) shows us that we should think of MONEY AS A MEANS, NOT AS A MASTER.

            As we go back to what we heard earlier in our first reading in Ecclesiastes, Solomon clears up a misconception we can easily get as Christians.  Namely, is money a bad thing?  Solomon’s answer definitively is, “no!”  While Solomon speaks poorly about money at the beginning of our sermon text, he speaks highly of it by the end…  which goes to show, money is neither good nor bad in itself; rather, it’s a question of how we look at it.  And verse 19 hints at how we can properly look at money: “Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.” Just like Jesus warned in our Gospel reading today, money is not to be our master… God is!  As Solomon says here, God is the one who “gives wealth and possessions” in the first place. 

            That builds on a second important point.  We need it to be this way because money is a really poor master.  Solomon explains that for us too.  Verse 15 gives us the most significant proof “Everyone comes naked from their mother’s womb, and as everyone comes so they depart.  They take nothing from their toil that they can carry in their hands.  Finally, what good is a master who leaves you with nothing in the end?  Spiritually speaking, then, money does nothing for us…  And Physically speaking, it’s not much different!  Verses 10 & 11, “Whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income…  As goods increase, so do those who consume them.”  That’s true!  With more money comes more stress, it doesn’t just fix everything!  Or, how about verses 13 & 14, which talks about how “wealth (can be) hoarded… (then) lost.” It’s not just when we die that we lose money, there are many ways we can lose it here as well!   Likewise, verses 16 & 17, “what do they gain, since they toil for the wind? All their days they eat in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger.”  Money can truly affect your ability to enjoy life, such as when you’re up late slaving for it instead of letting it serve you.  Then it’s no longer a means to enjoy God’s other blessings, like Solomon describes in verse 18 & following…

            As Christians we don’t need statistics to prove what the Bible says… but those exist too.  They once did a study of which social class was happiest, and do you know what they found?  If you run a chart with one axis being how happy people are, and the other axis being how much money people make, what does the graph look like?  You might think that the more money you make the happier you will be, and that’s true!… to an extent.  However, they found that once you make enough money to get by comfortably – i.e. you’re not worried about where your next meal is coming from or how you’ll pay your bills; and you have a little money saved up and you’re sort of in that middle class region – after that it’s all downhill.  Of course, that’s speaking generally. There are exceptions to these statistics, and maybe you are an exception to this.  But there’s a lot of truth in this also!  As they say, “Mo money, mo problems.” No, I’m not talking about the rappers who popularized that phrase in the 90s.  Rather, as we just heard in our sermon text, 3,000 years ago Solomon knew this was true by virtue of his experiences – God knew it was true too by his omniscience.  

            Money is not the answer our world thinks it is.  I imagine we’d all agree with that sentiment.  But would the amount we spend on vacations, or restaurants, or clothes tell a different story?  Or what about the story our offerings would tell, or lack thereof?  As Solomon talked about in our sermon text, do concerns about money rob you of sleep, and prevent you from enjoying the blessings God has given to you? Or, as Paul said in our epistle reading, are we truly content with what we have, or do we feel like we need more – only then can I gave more in offerings, only then can I stop worrying, only then can I serve the Lord!  Finally, as Jesus himself said in today’s Gospel, do we primarily see money as something to use to gain friends for eternity, or do we primarily see it as something to waste on the breath of this life? 

            Too often – far too often! – money has instead become our master.  In our affluent society – in some way or another! – Satan has ensnared every one of us with this.  Yet again, God’s law reveals our sin.  And it will only purchase for us the wind, as Solomon vividly pictured it in Ecclesiastes: an emptiness & nothingness.  In fact, when Solomon talks about this as “meaningless” (a phrase he famously repeats throughout the book), literally translated that means, “vapor.” It’s like the breath of your mouth that you see on a cold Wisconsin morning, which disappears in an instant and never comes back.  So also, that’s what our sin leaves us with.

            There’s a better way.  A way to sleep well at night without any worry.  A way to enjoy labor & work, and to find some satisfaction & meaning in it; at least, more than you ever thought you could in a fallen world.  A way to “eat, drink, and be merry,” but not because – as it’s been said before in our world – “tomorrow we die!”; rather, it’s because we no longer fear death and being left with nothing… that way is found by having the Lord God of the Bible as our master.  And I know you know that.  But let God speak that truth to your soul this morning.  Whether it’s through money or not, God will provide.  Whether you have lots of wealth or very little, God has already provided for you his Son, Jesus, who became poor for our sake so that we through his poverty become rich. Christ purchased for us eternity through his death on the cross for our sins, regardless of what we can or cannot purpose for ourselves here on this earth.  Now, when all is said and done, through faith in Jesus as our Savior from sin, the only emptiness Christ will leave us with is an empty tomb on earth, and our cups will overflow with everything in heaven.  It’s why we no longer have to squeeze everything out of this life.  This world is not all there is.  We can simply enjoy this world for what it is, then we can enjoy so much more in the life to come. 

            Dear friends in Christ, if you & I are willing listen to other financial gurus when it comes to our money, listen to God more: money is not our master, God is; and that means we must think of money as a means to accomplish His purposes.  Finally, that’s why Jesus talked about money like he did in our Gospel reading.  He wants us to use our possessions in a way that ties into his work as the master of all.  And think about this now: what an amazing thing that we can put money in a box at the back of church, or we can press a button on our phones to conduct a financial transaction… and more people wind up in heaven forever through the work it supports, since it leads to them hearing about Jesus.  That’s incredible! Our ministry here at Eastside needs your offerings and mine – that’s the way ministry in our affluent world works! – and God has given us the ability to support it.  So, support the work of the Church as God has enabled you to.  It will be a blessing for others… and it will be a blessing for you. 

First of all, God wants you and me to have the joy of contributing to something more meaningful than the “stuff” of our homes, or the “stuff” that lasts for day.  That’s what we get in our offerings.  Secondly, that’s also how we can truly enjoy the lesser things that money purchases us.  Think of it: since money it no longer has to purchase what it could never afford – salvation, eternity, things that last forever; you already have that in Jesus! – now you can enjoy that Badgers game, you can enjoy that vacation home, you can enjoy that well-earned break, you can enjoy those nice clothes, you can enjoy that good food and drink… not because these things are your master; but because they are gifts from your master who loves you, whom you’re even more invested in, who has already given you everything in his son Jesus… In other words, these things are just the “frosting”, but who doesn’t like a little frosting, especially when you’ve already got the whole cake?… In other words, through faith in Jesus, we can have our cake and eat it too!  God is too good to us!!!  It was more than we could ever ask that God would pay the price to sacrifice his only beloved Son to save us from our sins.  But not only does he give us that, he gives us these other things we can enjoy with our money as well.  Thank God!  And give back generously to him with your offerings. Amen.