Sunday, September 18, 2011
These are the notes from this sermon. No manuscript available.
• I want you to remember two numbers: 86 and 11.
• And for those of you who feel the need to add those numbers, they add up to 97 but that doesn’t really have anything to do with this.
• Let’s take 11 first. Where’s that show up in today’s readings? (Gospel)
• What does it mean that the workers showed up at the eleventh hour? (What time of day? 5 p.m., last hour of sunlight)
• What did the workers receive after working for an hour?
• How does that connect the Gospel reading, the parable of Jesus, connect that with Isaiah 55?
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
• God allows Himself to be found right up to the last moment of someone’s life, and right up to the last moments of this world, this present age
• God allows Himself to be found and He offers the full salvation to people who seek Him, who call on Him
• Isaiah – call to all people who are wicked
• Who are all the wicked people?
• “seek the Lord,” stepping up to where God is, but it’s not really about our action
• It’s about God’s willingness to be found
• And now is that time!
• What do we find when we seek the Lord?
• Us wicked people, what do we find according to Isaiah?
• How does this happen? (Jesus)
• What was the other number I wanted you to remember?
• What’s the significance of that number usually?
• Food industry – 86’d means it’s gone or spoiled or whatever, 86 something on the menu means cross it out, get rid of it, don’t offer it anymore
• Starbucks – whiteboard
• God is not 86’d.
• Seek Him while He may be found.
• Makes me think we have to make Jesus be found
• I get this image of needing to get people’s attention
• Hold up signs that say “Jesus”
• Funny thing is, that’s not very effective
• Randy Gifford and I attended the Regional Outreach Conference, hosted by Lutheran Hour Ministries and Northern Illinois District,
• learned about what ways to reach out, do evangelism, share the faith
• Didn’t include standing on the corner with a “Jesus” sign
• Instead, you be the sign, you be the sign that says “Jesus”
• Mike Mast, “hands and feet of Jesus,” like our Bethel t-shirts remind us
• God is not 86’d yet
• But it’s the 11th hour
• Sense of urgency for our neighbors
• How does that change the way you view the people around you?
• People are headed towards hell, separated from God for eternity
• Do I take that seriously?
• Remember the numbers: 86 and 11
• God is not 86’d yet
• It’s the 11th hour, there’s still time
• No one you meet is too far beyond God’s grace
• Have you ever met someone you figured was too far beyond what God could do?
• Remember the numbers: 86 and 11
• Remember Isaiah 55
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
• It’s the 11th hour for some people, coming to Jesus relatively late in their lives, compared to being born into the Church
• Still offer them complete salvation in Jesus Christ
• Can’t treat people as second-class citizens if they haven’t always been Christians or if they’ve wandered away from the faith and are coming back
• Remember the numbers: 86 and 11
• Earlier I asked: us wicked people, what do we find when we find the Lord according to Isaiah?
• How does this happen? (Jesus)
• New question: what do we need forgiveness for when it comes to thinking about 86 and 11?
o Thinking God is 86’d, beyond some people
o Forgetting the urgency
o Keeping God to myself
• And what does God say to all of those sins?
o Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
• The message has an impact on us first
• God is not 86’d in your life
• God is here with forgiveness, grace, and mercy in Jesus
• Then we realize that it’s a message for all of the people around us.