The adversaries perhaps require that the Church be defined in the following way. To them, the Church is the supreme outward monarchy of the whole world. In this Church the Roman pontiff's power is unquestioned. No one is allowed to argue against it or criticize it. ... Therefore, the pope must necessarily be lord of the whole world, of all the kingdoms of the world, of all things private and public. (Ap VII 23)

Liturgical Date: Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 19B)

Calendar Date: September 12, 2021

Location: Our Savior, Milford, IL

Order of Service: Service of Prayer & Preaching

Hymns:

#849, “Praise the One Who Breaks the Darkness"

#521, “Christ, the Lord of Hosts, Unshaken"

#533, “Jesus Has Come and Brings Pleasure"

#545, "Word of God, Come Down on Earth"

Sermon Theme: Help My Unbelief!

Sermon Text: Mark 9:14-29

Other Lectionary Readings: 

Isaiah 50:4-10

Psalm 116:1-9

James 3:1-12

''And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me" (Matthew 28:18).''

This verse causes no small bit of concern and confusion for interpreters. Hasn't Jesus always been God in the flesh? How could all authority be given to Him just now? After His resurrection? Didn't He already have it before?

Of course He had all authority before. Jesus' statement is for the strengthening of the Apostles' faith. While He had all authority before, they did not understand it. Nor were they ready to hear it.

Now, they are ready to hear. They have seen Him risen from the dead. They understand now that nothing has dominion over Him. That He has all authority. Even over death.

This authority even over death gives Him greater authority in your mind in regards to your sin. He has authority to condemn your sin. He also has authority to forgive your sin. Sin you give up your authority over so that you might be forgiven. Amen.

''And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted (Matthew 28:17).''

Jesus appeared to the Apostles on the Galilean mountain. They worshiped Him, but some of them were doubtful as to what was going on. Unfortunately, this hasn't changed since the Apostolic Church. People still come to worship, even stand in the pulpit, and are filled with doubt about what they hear and teach. They worship with doubt.

Doubts about the same things the Apostles doubted. Did Jesus '''REALLY''' rise from the dead? Was He '''REALLY''' the Messiah? Is He '''REALLY''' God in the flesh? Can He '''REALLY''' forgive me for my doubts?

The firm and confident answer to each of these questions is: Yes. Jesus '''DID''' rise from the dead. He '''IS''' the Messiah. He '''IS''' God in the flesh. He '''DOES''' forgive every sin, including doubt.

There is only one sin that will not be forgiven: unbelief. There is a difference between doubt and unbelief. Unbelief leaves no room for the possibility that it might be true. Doubt has that room for truth, but is uninformed. Jesus comes to the Apostles on the Galilean mountain to give them that information. He is not dead. He is alive forevermore. And He is giving them His power. Power to change doubt into solid faith. Amen.

I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD. (Psalm 40:1-3)

Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen. (Psalm 41:13)

''And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble (Matthew 28:14).''

After the guards left, the elders had one more problem to take care of. Eventually someone would tell Pilate what happened at Jesus' tomb. There was no stopping the rumors and whispers about something like this.

But the chief priests promised that they would keep the guards' jobs intact. They would find a way to placate, pacify and satisfy Pilate's desires to keep a riot from happening (Matthew 27:24).

How would/did they do that? The Bible doesn't tell us. But Pilate was apparently placated with their hoax. Their hoax continues still today.

Pilate was placated. It was the most likely, most rational explanation of Jesus' resurrection. Accepting this, everyone stayed out of trouble. They may have put out an all points bulletin for the thieving disciples, but Pilate was just grateful to be done with the whole Jesus mess.

Are you grateful to be done with the whole Jesus mess when you leave worship on Sunday? Or Are you '''SO''' done with the whole Jesus mess that you no longer go to worship? Neither of these options are good. Keep listening this month and see how to stop being done with the whole Jesus mess. Learn how to revel in His presence on Sunday morning and every moment of your life. Amen.

S.D. Jones vs Rasta the Voodoo Mon

Curt Hennig vs ‘Hot Stuff’ Eddie Gilbert

Jason Kincaid vs Jerry Lawler

Iron Mike Sharpe vs Bubba Ray Dudley

#1 Contender for World Heavyweight Title Match: Terry Funk vs Savannah Jack

Iceman King Parsons vs Rick Rude 

Television Title Match: ‘Dirty’ Dutch Mantell © vs Buzz Sawyer

PG-13 vs Smokin’ Gunns

Jesse James Armstrong vs David von Erich

American Heavyweight Title Match: Raven © vs Great Muta

World Heavyweight Title Match: Undertaker © vs #1 Contender

''And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, "Tell people, 'His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep'" (Matthew 28:12-13).''

The soldiers went to the elders. They were given their marching orders. The frozen hearts begin the greatest hoax in human history. Spreading the same story that they had tried to persuade Pilate to guard Jesus' tomb. The Apostles stole Jesus body while they were sleeping.

Matthew would note, "This saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day" (28:15). Even today, almost two thousand years later, this is a common teaching among Jewish circles about Jesus' resurrection. Matthew includes this part of his Gospel to let us know the truth about the soldiers' statements.

The soldiers took their money and left. The elders were left to figure out where to pick up from here. Jesus would never be their Messiah. However, "a great many of the priests became obedient to the Faith" (Acts 6:7). Those who knew better would later become Christians because they couldn't keep the hoax alive.

The hoax is a dead lie. Jesus is the living reality. Don't listen to the hoaxes of the world. Even those that come from the religious experts. Dig into the Word and find what God wants you to believe. Amen.

''While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place (Matthew 28:11).''

After the angelic earthquake and the revelation of the empty tomb, the guards began to stir. They stayed at their post until the women had left. They knew they weren't going to be able to blame this catastrophe on this handful of weak women.

They had thawed from their supernatural freezing, and their minds were reeling. What do we do? Do we go back to the elders and tell them what happened? Do we just head for the hills and hide for the rest of our lives?

They decide to go into Jerusalem and tell the chief priests. So the chief priests knew the truth about the resurrection. But that didn't change their minds about Jesus. He was still not the Messiah they were looking for. 

Instead of coming to faith in Jesus, they froze their hearts against Him. Do not have a frozen heart. Let the good news of Christ's resurrection warm your heart with His love. Amen.

They have condemned Article VII of our Confession, in which we said that the Church is the congregation of saints. The adversaries have added a long essay stating that the wicked are not to be separated from the Church, since John the Baptist has compared the Church to a threshing floor on which wheat and chaff are heaped together (Matthew 3:12), and Christ has compared it to a net in which there are both good and bad fish (Matthew 13:47). (Ap VII 1)