What I Will Do As an Heir of Heaven
By James Wiese on August 23, 2024
Sermon for the Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity August 25, 2024
Lessons: Luke 10:25-37 Historic Series 24:2458
Theme: What I Will Do As An Heir of Heaven
We are driving down a street. I am at the wheel. I see a sign: “Speed Limit – 2 mph.” What will I do?
The first thing I would do is laugh. “You’ve got to be kidding! No one drives at 2 mph. I could walk faster than that!” Then I would “race” down the street at 25 or 30 miles an hour.
Suppose that a policeman is standing next to the sign, radar gun in hand, and it’s pointed at us. What will I do? I dare say that I won’t race down that street now! I see myself creeping along ever so slowly at 2 mph because, with a policeman and radar gun upon me, I better take the sign seriously or I’ll pay.
Such a scenario helps to illustrate something about ourselves and that which God’s Word and the Law teaches us. God demands that we be holy – that we love the Lord God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind. Love Him with your entire being – everything you have, everything you are, everything you do. Let nothing interfere in your day-to-day relationship with Him. After that, love your neighbor as you love yourself – nothing less.
Should we review the commandments and all that we have done against them this past week? By looking at my failures to keep God’s Law, I’ve got as much of a chance of getting to heaven by what I do as I have of being able to obey a speed limit of 2 mph – even less. What Will I Do? How shall I approach this? Let’s start with the young man’s answer to Jesus’ question about the law in our text.
(I. I didn’t do anything!)
The so-called expert in the law asked, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life.” An odd question because one doesn’t do anything to inherit something. An inheritance is a gift determined by the giver. As an heir of heaven, one doesn’t earn it. In fact, you can’t earn eternal life in heaven because the only way you could earn it is through a life of perfection. Now who is perfect? The words “heir” and inheritance emphasize the gracious nature of God’s salvation.
To emphasize that, Jesus replied, “What is written in the Law? What do you read there?” The scribe replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.” “You are right,” Jesus replied. “Do this, keep on doing it without fail, and you will live.” Oh, right there the young man realized that he was in trouble. Deep down inside, he, like all people, knew he hadn’t kept God’s commands perfectly. So, he sought to ease his conscience, avoid the issue, and worm himself out of a problem by asking Jesus to define a “neighbor.”
How do I know that the young man was squirming internally? The lesson says he tried “to justify himself.” What does that mean?
Go back to the speed trap analogy. Suppose I got caught speeding. What would I do? I could admit it and accept the consequences. But we often try to get out of such situations by “justifying” our actions: “Oh, I didn’t see the sign.” “Sorry, the children drew my attention away for a minute.” “Why are you stopping me? Everybody else is doing it.” So many excuses we can give. They all have the intent of claiming, “I didn’t do anything.” That’s one way of trying to justify what we know we’ve done wrong. How about that. We know we’ve done it, yet we seek to justify it.
Think of a different example. A little boy sits at the breakfast table eating his cereal when his brother hurries by and knocks over the milk. The little boy continues eating his cereal, watching the milk pour out. Mother enters and shouts, “Eddie, what are you doing?” “I didn’t do anything!” he exclaims. “My brother did it.” Sometimes, sitting and not doing anything is wrong, too. We’ve omitted doing what we could have done and seek to justify our negligence.
That is especially true of our life of love, or rather, lack of it towards others. Our selfish, sinful natures would rather sit and let someone else pick up the pieces of the hurting lives of others. Then we seek to justify ourselves for our inactivity with Cain’s age-old question: “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Whatever the specific way in which the young man sought to “justify himself” in our text, it’s clear that he knew he had done wrong yet tried to ignore it. How good we can get at justifying our behavior and lack of love towards God and those around us!
Can we really love God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind to earn eternal life before Him? How about our neighbor? On some days I might love those around me as much as myself – but all the time? How about the unfriendly neighbor, the unkind coworker, the addict on the corner? Love them as much as I love myself? “Do this and you will live,” Jesus says. But in human weakness, we can’t. And we can’t excuse or justify ourselves for our lack of doing it.
Thank God that He has done what we failed to do. He’s done it in Christ Jesus who justified us through His death on the cross as He paid the price for our lack of love. God’s love found the way to bring me back to Him when I couldn’t earn it. As He promises in His Word, “The just shall live by faith” (Rm.1:17). It is a “righteousness from God,” found in the Gospel, not the Law. It is “the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.”
When it comes to salvation and earning heaven, I didn’t do anything! I can’t do anything to affect it. God’s compassion, grace, and mercy reached out to us. It’s a gift that makes one an heir of heaven by faith. With it He draws us to Himself in love.
(II. I can’t do anything. I don’t have the time or the means.)
Jesus now illustrates that truth and our grateful response to God’s love by teaching the Parable of the Good Samaritan. In it He answers the question, “Who is my neighbor?”
In this case, it’s the poor soul, mugged, attacked in life that lies dying in the ditch. Ironically, that’s the way I looked to God when He looked on me, a sinner. I was mugged by sin and the devil and lay dying when Christ intervened. His merciful intervention for me is the example for my intervention and love for those around me. In it He turns the question around from “Who is my neighbor?” to “Whom can I show myself to be a neighbor to?” It doesn’t just mean the person who lives next door. The Greek word means “one who is nearby,” wherever I may be. Love cares for people in their need.
As you look at our world today, caring for people in need seems to be an impossible task. There is no end to the hurting and needy people everywhere – the homeless, the sick, the downtrodden, the addicts, the loveless, the poor woman on the street who has nothing to eat…. We could go on endlessly. But Jesus isn’t calling us to serve everyone in the world – only He, as the Savior, can do that. He does, however, want us to care for those who are “nearby,” “down the road” in our lives. Sadly, all too often we don’t care to help them when they are right in front of us. Perhaps like the parable’s temple workers, we detour around them.
“I don’t have the time. I don’t have the means.” Or even, “I don’t want to because of who they are and have done.” I wonder if that’s what the temple workers here said to themselves. We see two people who just didn’t have time for the victim lying on the road.
The first was a priest (today Jesus might say a pastor) who was going down the road from Jerusalem. He was heading home. He noticed the beaten man. Did he think to himself: “He is probably dead anyway. I can’t do anything! My family is waiting for me.” He didn’t have the time, and he surely didn’t have the love that would stop for someone in need. He just passed by on the other side.
Next came a Levite (today Jesus might say an elder or deacon in the church). Again, he was heading home from his time of service in the temple. He saw the man in need. Did he think to himself, “I can’t do anything. If I help this guy out, how long will it take? I’ve got things to do.” No time; no means, and surely no love to help, so he also passed by on the other side. Can’t get involved.
But there was one who took the time; one who was least expected to stop and help since Samaritans and Jews did not get along. He probably didn’t have the time either. But he made the time and offered his own means to help. It cost him more than time. It cost him money and effort.
The first person I see in that compassionate Samaritan is Christ Jesus, who took the time and effort for me. That God’s Son should help me out in my dire need, when sin and Satan had robbed me of life, that was least expected! Why should God’s Son take the time for people who turn away from Him and pass by on the other side of the road from where He is? But He did. And so, Christ Jesus cleansed me of my sin with His blood and bandaged up my wounds. He gave me life – eternal life – an heir of heaven through faith in Him. How great His love for us!
And how great an example of merciful love to display towards those to whom I can be a neighbor in life! Like the Bible encourages, “As God so loved us, so we should love one another” in “looking not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others” (1Jn.4:11; Phlp.2:4). I can do something. I can take the time. God has given me the means. I can help. God help us see it and Do It As Heirs of Heaven.
It won’t earn heaven for me; only Christ could do that. But it is something I Will Do As An Heir of Heaven that reflect His love for me and reveals my love for Him who says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.” God grant it in our lives of faith for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
Zion Lutheran Church of Springfield
(A member congregation of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod)
4717 S Farm Rd 135 (Golden Avenue)
Church phone: 417.887.0886 Pastor’s cell phone: 417.693.3244
www.zionluthchurch.com email: revelehmann@gmail.com
You can also find us on Facebook
The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity August 25, 2024
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27
Welcome: The family of Zion welcomes you as we worship the Lord today. We encourage children to worship with us. However, if you need to leave with your child, there is a nursery room to the right as you exit the sanctuary. The rest rooms are located in the hallway between the sanctuary and the fellowship hall. Visitors, please sign our guest book to the right, just outside the sanctuary. We’re glad that you are here and pray that through our worship the Lord grants you peace.
U p o n E n t e r i n g G o d’ s H o u s e
I will bless the LORD at all times. His praise will always be in my mouth. In the LORD my soul will boast. The humble will hear and rejoice. Proclaim the greatness of the LORD with me. Let us exalt His name together. Blessed is everyone who takes refuge in Him” (Psalm 34).
W h a t T h i s S u n d a y i s A b o u t
Love Is the Fulfillment of the Law. There are many robbers in this world and not so many Good Samaritans. Others pass by those in need without stopping. They don’t have the time. Still others will not reach out to help unless there is something to be gained. Alas, there are many robbers and not so many Good Samaritans.
It stems from a lack of love. But there is hope. In the heart where Christ’s redeeming work is born and nourished, faith lives and love flourishes. In gratitude for God’s remembrance of him, beaten down in sin, the believer seeks to fulfill God’s command to love Him above all and one’s neighbor as oneself. It’s what motivated the Good Samaritan to act as he did. Love is the fulfillment of the law. God grant it to us all.
To that end we pray: Almighty and everlasting God, give us an increase of faith, hope, and love. Inspire us in faith to love those things which You command us to be and to do so that we may obtain that which You promise through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
– T h e W o r d o f G o d f o r T o d a y –
(The Lessons of the Day are from the Historic Pericope Series of the Christian Church.)
The Old Testament Lesson: Zechariah 7:4-10
The Lord, through His Prophet Zechariah addressed His people’s hypocrisy. Their works were not done out of love for God. He admonished them to carry out acts of love and compassion toward each other.
The Epistle Lesson: Galatians 3:16-22
The Old Covenant, based on the Law, cannot give life to wayward people. Neither does it annul God’s earlier covenant of grace with Abraham. Abraham’s inheritance of the land, even more, the blessing of the Savior, was given to Him as a promise from God. It was based in love and is received by Abraham’s descendants by faith in the Gospel.
The Gospel Lesson: Luke 10:25-37
Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan. It reveals the aspects of life under the two covenants. The priest and Levite were doers of the Law in the strictest sense. Yet, they failed in keeping it through its essential ingredient – love. The Samaritan was “outside” of the Law, yet he served God and his neighbor in love.
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The Organist: Jane Rips The Preacher: Pastor Edwin Lehmann
Points to Ponder: “Learn what it means to love God. This Samaritan loved God. Not that He gave anything to God, but he showed his love in that he helped the poor wounded man as much as he could. For thus says God, ‘If you want to love me and serve me, give your neighbor loving service; he needs it; I do not need it.’ That is why this Samaritan is serving our Lord in heaven with his money, with his beast, with his oil and wine. Not that our Lord God is personally in need of these, or that the Samaritan served our Lord God directly. He does these things to his neighbor, and this is called doing them to God.”
“God requires no good works from us for Himself; He wants everything to yield to the use and welfare of our neighbor. The glory of such works is enough for God…. Being justified by faith, we neither can nor should offer anything to God other than the sacrifice of praise…for the grace we have received….Then let us show mercy to our neighbor.”
— Martin Luther on How to Prove Love to God.
Outline of Our Worship
Lord, Hear Us
Opening Thoughts on the Service
The Entrance Hymn: #633
The Order of Service Morning Prayer: Hymnal pg.207
Lord, Feed Us
Psalm of the Day: #25
Zechariah 7:4-10
Galatians 3:16-22
Hymn Response: #643 st.1-2
Luke 10:25-37
Sermon Hymn: #737
Sermon Text: Luke 10:25-37 What I Will Do As an Heir of Heaven.
Lord, Accept Our Response
The Te Deum Laudamus Hymnal page 210
The Offering Hymnal pg.213-214
“Lord, Have Mercy”
Prayers, Lord’s Prayer
Lord, Bless Us
The Benediction Hymnal page 214
Closing Hymn: #929
WELS Connection: Mission churches (100 mission churches in 10 years)
Silent Prayer
The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity – Historic Series
Old Testament Lesson: Zechariah 7:4-10 – Why the Land Was Desolate.
4 Then the word of the Lord of Armies came to me: 5“Speak to all the people of the land and to the priests: “When you fasted and lamented during the fifth and seventh months for these seventy years, was it really for me that you fasted? 6 And when you eat and drink, is it not for yourselves that you eat and drink? 7 Weren’t these the words that the Lord proclaimed through the earlier prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and prosperous, with her cities around her, and when the Negev and the Shephelah were inhabited?” 8 Then the word of the Lord came to Zechariah: 9”This is what the Lord of Armies says. Execute true justice. Each man is to show kindness and compassion to his brother. 10 Do not oppress the widow, the fatherless child, the foreigner living among you, or the poor. Make sure that none of you plan evil in your heart against your brother.”
Epistle Lesson: Galatians 3:16-22 – The Promise Came First.
16 The promises God spoke referred to Abraham and to his seed. It doesn’t say, “And to seeds,” as if it were referring to many, but, as referring to one, “And to your seed,” who is Christ. 17 What I am saying is this: The law, which came into being 430 years after the covenant established earlier by God in Christ, does not annul that covenant, with the result that it invalidates the promise. 18 In fact, if the inheritance is by the law, it is no longer by the promise. But God graciously gave it to Abraham by a promise.
19 Then what about the law? It was added for the purpose of revealing transgressions, until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. It was transmitted through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not needed for one party, but God is one.
21 Then is the law against the promises of God? Certainly not! If there had been a law given that could give life, certainly righteousness would have been derived from the law. 22 But Scripture imprisoned all things under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ would be given to those who believe.
Gospel Lesson: Luke 10:25-37 – The Good Samaritan.
25 Just then, an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 “What is written in the law?” he asked him. “What do you read there?”27 He replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and, love your neighbor as yourself.” 28 He said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He fell among robbers who stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 It happened that a priest was going down that way. But when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 In the same way, a Levite also happened to go there, but when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 33 A Samaritan, as he traveled, came to where the man was. When he saw him, he felt sorry for the man. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. He put him on his own animal, took him to an inn, and took care of him. 35 The next day, when he left, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him. Whatever extra you spend, I will repay you when I return.’ 36 Which of these three do you think acted like a neighbor to the man who fell among robbers?” 37 “The one who showed mercy to him,” he replied. Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.” ® (EHV®) © 2019
Calendar & Announcements for Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
| Today
Aug.25 |
Monday
Aug.26 |
Tuesday
Aug.27 |
Wednesday
Aug.28 |
Thursday
Aug.29 |
Friday
Aug.30 |
Saturday
Aug.31 |
Next Sun.
Sept.1 |
| 9:00 am
Divine Worship Service online -Facebook 10:15 am Fellowship & Bible Study
Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity |
7 pm
Call Meeting at Zion
|
No Midweek Bible Class
|
|
9:00 am
Divine Worship Service With Holy Communion online – Facebook 10:15 am Fellowship & Bible Study
Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity |
A Brief Bible Study on God’s Word for Today
How can we know whether someone else has Christian faith or not? Since we can’t read people’s hearts, we can only discern Christian faith by its fruits in words and actions. The Scriptures tell us what the fruits of faith are (see Galatians 5:22,23) and those fruits can be summarized in one word: love. Our own faith-life is hidden from the eyes of others. But a life of faith reveals itself in love for others, as St. James has written: “I will show you my faith by what I do” (James 2:18).
The Gospel Lesson: Luke 10:25-37 (the answers are found below)
- Why were the priest and Levite in Jesus’ parable unwilling to help the man victimized by robbers?
- What’s surprising about the Samaritan’s willingness to help this Jewish man, and what do his actions teach us about true Christian love?
Those We Remember In Our Prayers: Greg Miller; William & Laurie Moon; Kirsten Jaster (Laurie Moon’s sister); Libya, (Jodi Milam’s granddaughter); Barbara Long; Norine Richardson; Melissa Morlock-Jaeger; Liz Lisenby; Barbara Long; Robbie Woessner (Bob & Geri’s son) now under hospice care.
Meditations next series of devotions beginning next Sunday will be found in the narthex. There are plenty of copies for you to take as outreach efforts to family, friends, and acquaintances.
Divine Call Meeting Last week Pastor Peter Hagen in Maumee, OH, informed us that he was returning the divine call that our congregations had sent him to be our next pastor. We will hold our seventh call meeting this coming Wednesday evening, August 28th, at 7 pm. It is Zion’s turn to host the meeting. It will be held in Zion’s fellowship hall in Springfield. All members and friends of our congregations are invited to attend.
Notes from the Planning Committee Ideas are taking shape for fall outreach efforts. In the next couple of weeks, we will begin to resurrect our food pantry ministry. A box will be erected near the driveway where those in need may stop to pick up items. Soon we will ask our members if they can help with non-perishable items: food, diapers, toiletries, etc. At the end of October, a Thursday morning women’s Bible study will seek to target those in nearby neighborhoods around church. We will distribute door hangers and send out letters in the fall, inviting women to join us. Finally, we will again help in preparing meals for the Ronald McDonald House several times a year. Look for more specific information in the upcoming weeks on these and other outreach efforts. Pray that these efforts will bear fruit for the Kingdom and join with us as you can.
Upcoming Services and Events
Wednesday, August 28, 7 pm – Divine Call Meeting for Zion and Peace in Zion’s fellowship hall
The Week in Review
Last Sunday Worship: 31; Communed: 25; Bible Study:18; Midweek Bible Class: no class this week; Offerings: $1,571.
Next Sunday’s Lessons:
The 14th Sunday after Trinity: Proverbs 4:14-23; Galatians 5:16-24; Luke 17:11-19 (Historic Pericope Series)
Answer to Today’s Gospel Lesson Brief Study:
- The priest and Levite were more concerned about their service in the temple, which would bring them honor (self-love), than they were concerned about the fulfillment of God’s will, that we love our neighbor as ourselves (love of others). The life of faith reveals itself in love for others, not in love for oneself.
- The Samaritan’s willing involvement would have been a surprising twist to Jesus’ listeners and a slap in the face to many since most Jews looked down on their Samaritan cousins as unreligious, half-breeds. But the Samaritan’s actions are a model of Christian love, which strives to serve our neighbor, yes, even our enemy (see Matthew 5:43-48).