Will Preach For Food Podcast

So far, in the first five chapters of the book of Romans, the Apostle Paul has talked about sin, salvation, and suffering—all of us in the same boat, bound to sin and saved by grace, apart from any works of the law, including theories like substitutionary atonement. Suffering is neither a sign of blessing or disfavor. Suffering mostly just, well, is. Today, Paul addresses a fourth universal human experience: death. I’ll begin today by reading a few verses of Romans 6, then pivot to a story about a man named Lazarus, in John 11. Understanding the story of Lazarus will help us understand Paul, death, and baptism.

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. 13 Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. 14 For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

“Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase?” If I’m saved by grace, if there are no guaranteed direct consequences for my actions and choices, does that mean I can do anything I want? No, Paul says, after all, how can we who have died to sin go on living in it? If you are a bit confused at this point, you aren’t alone. Let’s read about a dead man named Lazarus in John 11, then we’ll circle back around to Romans 6 at the end.

Support the show

Today’s big idea is Paul’s claim in Romans 5 that we have “peace with God.” This is by grace, through faith, apart from works of the law. By grace we have peace with God, forgiveness of sins, and courage for life. Let’s read Romans 5:1-8 and dive in.

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

The word of God. Amen. Sisters and brothers in Christ, grace to you and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Here is that song, "Blessings" by Laura Story.

Support the show

This podcast is being recorded for the 2nd Sunday in Lent, March 5, 2023. I’m preaching through the book of Romans this spring. “By Grace Through Faith” is my series title, and today is Part Two, looking at Romans 3-4. 

Here Paul articulates his proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, that we are justified by grace, through faith, apart from works of the law. To this day, this is a radical and liberating message, one that because it sounds too good to be true, most folks, including well-meaning Christians, attempt to misuse God’s law and limit God’s grace. And like Martin Luther did 500 years ago, it is up to the Lutherans today to call for reformation, to submit to the word alone, and let God be God. We begin, as always, by reading the Bible, listening to what it says, then we’ll try to figure out what it means, and what it means for us today. 

Now we know that, whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For no human will be justified before him by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.

21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed and is attested by the Law and the Prophets, 22 the righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, 23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a [sacrifice of atonement] by his blood, [effective] through faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; 26 it was to demonstrate at the present time his own righteousness, so that he is righteous and he justifies the one who has the faith of Jesus.

27 Then what becomes of boasting? It is excluded. Through what kind of law? That of works? No, rather through the law of faith. 28 For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of gentiles also? Yes, of gentiles also, 30 since God is one, and he will justify the circumcised on the ground of faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we then overthrow the law through this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.

Support the show

Hello, welcome to the Will Preach for Food podcast. I’m Doug, a pastor here at Faith Lutheran Church, based out of Shelton, Washington, a congregation of the ELCA. You can learn more about Faith at our website, www.faithshelton.org. This podcast is being recorded for the 1st Sunday in Lent, February 26, 2023. Over these next few weeks, I think I’m going to try my best to preach from the book of Romans. “By Grace Through Faith” is my series title, and today is Part One, looking at Romans 1-2. 

So we’re going to spend some time getting to know a man named Saul of Tarsus, whom we know as the Apostle Paul. Paul was a Jewish teacher and tentmaker turned Christian missionary, theologian, reformer. Paul introduces himself to the Romans as simply “a servant of Christ Jesus.”

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 

After twenty years of missionary work around the Mediterranean, Paul has on his heart to bring the gospel all the way to Spain. To get there, he’s going to need support from a cluster of little churches in Rome. He needs donors, backers, companions, prayer. He writes a letter to a group he’s never met. It is an ambitious attempt to summarize and demonstrate his message, his vision, and his mission strategy. He is coming to visit them in person, and he wants to be ready and receptive to his vision. 

To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people:Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.

History tells us that Paul makes it to Rome, although as a prisoner, not a missionary. And he never makes it to Spain.

But we have his letter to the Romans, arguably the most important of Paul’s writings if not the entire Bible. Paul wants to let them know about what he calls “the gospel,” the euangelion, the good news that was promised in the Hebrew Scriptures and finally revealed and realized in the person of Jesus, the Messiah Christ sent from God. This letter gives us ways to talk about human depravity and God’s righteousness. He gives us language for a doctrine of justification: Saved by grace through faith, apart from works of the law. And for sanctification: daily dying and being made new through the Holy Spirit, symbolized and set into motion through Baptism. 

Support the show

As we come to worship the God who’s always loving us first, take a deep breath. Bring your shoulders up to your ears, then let them melt down you back. Today we’re going to enter the Gospel with our imaginations. As a warmup, I wonder if you can remember a moment of warmth and safety that you enjoyed, maybe near a cozy fire, or in bright and beautiful sun, or in the embrace of a loved one… Thank you, Holy God, for the warm light of your love, your peace. May the peace of God be with you all! 

Sermon Transcript with Links

Support the show

Hello, welcome to the Will Preach for Food podcast. I’m Doug, a pastor here at Faith Lutheran Church, based out of Shelton, Washington, a congregation of the ELCA. You can learn more about Faith at our website, www.faithshelton.org.

This week's podcast is a live recording from Sunday, February 12, 2023, at Faith Lutheran Church in Shelton. The text is Matthew 5:17-30.

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. 19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

21 “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

23 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

25 “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26 Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

Support the show

Hello, welcome to the Will Preach for Food podcast. I’m Doug, a pastor here at Faith Lutheran Church, based out of Shelton, Washington, a congregation of the ELCA. You can learn more about Faith at our website, www.faithshelton.org. This Sunday, February 5, marks the 45th Anniversary of the first worship service held in our current sanctuary back in 1978. So dust off your disco albums, bell bottom jeans, and polyester leisure suits, and we going to worship like it’s 1978! Today’s podcast is titled “Windows of Faith,” and I want to tell you about the stained glass windows that adorn this sanctuary. For you out of staters, I’m working on getting the windows on a page on our website.

Stained glass is a rare and treasured art form that lets the light of the sun shine through it to reveal God’s beauty and goodness. My prayer for the people of Faith is that each one of us be living stained glass, so that God’s Son might shine through our lives to bless the world and glorify God.

The holy Gospel according to St Matthew, the fifth chapter, beginning with the 14th verse:

14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Here ends the reading. Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, grace, peace, and mercy be with you. Amen.

Support the show

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
    the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 

“We preach Christ crucified,” declares the Apostle Paul in a letter he writes to the first century church he started in Corinth. We preach CHRIST, crucified. The center of our faith and life is Jesus. Christ is Lord and Savior, the beginning and the end. The church isn’t a political organization or cult of personality. No, Paul insists, we preach CHRIST Jesus.

Jesus is the incarnation and revelation of the God described throughout the Bible. God created the heavens and the earth with a Word. The Creator’s Spirit gives life to all living things. It has been noted that the name of God sounds like taking a breath: Yah. Weh. That life begins when we first utter God’s name: Yah. Weh. And it ends when we say God’s name for the last time: Yah. Weh.

 YHWH, the Bible teaches, over and over again, is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounds in steadfast love: “Hesed” in Hebrew. It is translated steadfast love, lovingkindness, mercy. The hesed of God: the steadfast love of God never ceases. God’s mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning… God is faithful. God is hesed. 

So when the creative Word of God becomes flesh—that’s how one writer describes the coming of Jesus into the world—it is no wonder that his life, ministry, and death all reflect and embody the hesed of God. We preach the hesed of God. 

We preach Christ crucified. The central feat or accomplishment of Jesus is his crucifixion—his death on a cross. For us and for our salvation, the creed says, he came down from heaven…for our sake he was crucified…suffered death, and was buried. The cross is so much more than a mere divine transaction: there was a price to pay for our sins and Jesus paid it. The cross demonstrates and symbolizes the hesed nature of God: a God who suffers, a God who sacrifices, a God whose love is unconditional and has no bounds. The cross is not primarily about God’s judgment or wrath, but rather a demonstration of and sign of God’s hesed: God so loved the world. For us and for our salvation. For Jesus came into the world not to condemn the world, but to save us—mostly from ourselves.

Support the show

Making Christ Known is today’s podcast title, and it is part of this congregation’s mission statement. Faith exists to reveal Jesus to the world. To make him known. What we say about Jesus, and how we live as a result of Jesus. Our talk AND our walk. One of my favorite verses talks about this: Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works, and glorify the Father in heaven. 

Today we are looking at two passages from the Bible. The first one gives us some intel about who Jesus is and what he does—a teacher, preacher, and healer. He also has this line about fishers of people, and I’m reading that in a new way this week. The other reading today looks at the problem of factions among the followers of Jesus, how lesser loyalties hinder our ability to what we are here to do: which is making Christ known.

Big stuff, and we’re going to try to get through it in about twenty minutes. Grab your Bible and open to the gospel of Matthew chapter 4. Matthew is the first book in the New Testament. We will start reading at verse 17. 

17 From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

18 As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishers. 19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.” 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

23 Jesus went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people. 24 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought to him all the sick, those who were afflicted with various diseases and pains, people possessed by demons or having epilepsy or afflicted with paralysis, and he cured them. 25 And great crowds followed him from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

Support the show

What is at the heart of worship? Today we’re going to talk about the Lamb of God and the Spirit of Christ. We’re going to consider what is a sanctuary, and how Baptism both invites us into worship AND sends us out for mission, service, and evangelism. Let’s start with a reading from the gospel of John, the first chapter, beginning at verse 29.

29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”

35 The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”

37 When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. 38 Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, “What do you want?”

They said, “Rabbi” (which means “Teacher”), “where are you staying?”

39 “Come,” he replied, “and you will see.”

So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon.

40 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. 41 The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). 42 And he brought him to Jesus…

The gospel of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Dear sisters and brothers in Christ: grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Support the show