Sermon Rev. Lang Yang. Imitate the Faith of Your Leaders. Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost St. Michael s Lutheran Church

Transcription

1 Sermon Rev. Lang Yang Imitate the Faith of Your Leaders Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost St. Michael s Lutheran Church Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Hebrews 13:7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. This is the Word of God. (Cross Reference Luke 5:1, Hebrews 1:1; 6:12; 13:6, 17; 13:24, 1 Peter 4:11) Illustration Remember (Show picture of past, present and future) St. Michael s is getting closer and closer to the celebration of our 162 years in Ministry which we celebrate the last week in September. We remember some of the events and memories that our leaders and people has done for this congregation. History keep us in touch with the past. It will guide us and teaches us to use the knowledge of the past, make it better for the present and avoid repeating the same mistakes for the future. It tells us about the great men of our world and holds them up as examples for us to follow. I. In today Epistle Lesson, the writer to the Hebrews encourages us to learn from history. He specifically instructs us to remember the faith of great men and women of the Christian faith and learn from their example. He said for us to Remember your leader and imitate their faith. Show Question 1. As Christians we should seek a stronger faith like that of our leader. A stronger faith enables us to resist the temptation of this world, a stronger faith gives us the power to stand up under persecution and hardship and a stronger faith enables us to lead a more stable, meaningful, and rewarding lives. We should ask Jesus as the Apostles asked Jesus, Lord increase our faith. (Luke 17:5) Likewise, we can look back to both the prophets, apostles, and others for examples of strong faith. (Show faith come by hearing) As Christian we do want to imitate the faith of the great Christians who have gone before us, we must first remember that their faith was built on the Word of God. Our text read, Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. The word is spoke by 1

2 them with the intention that it will create faith. This is why the Apostle wrote to the Romans, Show questions 2.. faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. (Romans 10:17). He also wrote, For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. (Romans 15:4) The only way to learn and to have more faith is to study the Scripture. Most of us here today, we all have been in school at one time or another. (Show leaning in class room) If you want to learn you have to study. If you want to learn how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide you had to study math. If you want to learn to fix an auto you had to study auto mechanic. If you want to prescribe medication and treat people illness you had to study medicine. The same holds truth for faith. Show Question 3. If you want to have stronger faith, you have to learn from the Scriptures, imitate your leader and learn from them. It takes work and times and it s the only way. Learning is like a sponge soaking up water, working it and turning it over in our minds in order to understand it. II. (Show hearer and doers of God s word) Furthermore, if we are to imitate the faith of our spiritual leaders, we must also follow the Word of God. James, the brother of Jesus, devotes most of his New Testament Epistles to the message saying, What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, Go in peace; keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. (James 2:14-17) What James is essentially saying is that faith without work is no faith at all. You need to be a doers of the Word and not hearers only. (James 11:22) (Show picture men of faith) Our spiritual leaders did not merely hear or study God s words, they also put it into practice. Abraham did not just hear God s promise to make him the Father of 2

3 many nations he went where God told him to go. Moses did not just hear God s voice in the burning bushes he followed his instruction and led the Israelites out of Egypt. The Apostle Paul did not only hear Christ tell him to preach the Gospel he became the most influential, evangelical preacher the church ever had. Martin Luther not only stand firm of his faith when asked to recant in front of the Emperor he said, "Unless I am convinced by Scripture and plain reason - I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other - my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen." It should also be that way with us. God had told us what to do let s do it. Show questions 4. Let us follow God s commandments, forgive one another, tell Christ s salvation to others that they may be saved through His name. (Show division) Not only in the Old and New Testament that our leader spoke God s Word to people who didn t want to hear it and we face the same problem today. Sometimes the resistance to God s Word is so strong that we end up making enemies or making people angry by proclaiming it. Some will hear the Gospel and accept it gladly while others will hate and persecute. So the Gospel is divided. Regardless of the situation, there will be times when we need to speak God s Word to people in difficult situation either to our brother, sisters, or to the one who is neglecting to come to church. Maybe we ll need to speak words of correction to a friend or one of our children who is falling into sin. Our leader did it and we should also do likewise. III. If we are to imitate the faith of our leaders, we must study, follow, and speak the Word of God just as they did. But that s not all. If we are to imitate their faith, we must also remember that their faith show in the way they lived. God s word said, Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. (Hebrews 13:7) That is, we should look to them as examples for daily living. We should use them as role models. Look at the great things they did with their lives and imitate them. (Show Walter and Lincoln) CFW Walter, the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod first President and its most influential theologian. He has been described as a man who sacrificed his homeland, his health and nearly his life for the freedom to speak freely, to believe freely, and to 3

4 live freely. He was dedicated to his Church and the faith for those he loved. President Abraham Lincoln was one of the great President of the USA. President Lincoln showed his faith in the way he lived. He sought to uphold truth and justice. Perhaps Lincoln is most remembered for the Emancipation Proclamation, the declaration that freed the slaves. He was a man who stood up for what he believed in. Consider the outcome of their way of life. (Show one faith to other) There are other role models we can look up to, there are other Christians who have showed their faith in the way they lived. But most of all, we as God s children, we need to imitated the way our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He came as a humble servant to serve and save all. He did it all and live according to the Father will by going all the way to the cross for you so that you may have life in Him. With the help of the Holy Spirit and the Word of God we can imitate our leaders in their faith and lives because of their imitating our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Show questions 5. When we used our leaders as role models, imitating their faith and way of life we can also accomplish great things that are pleasing to God. And when other see our faith and our lives they may imitate us that are pleasing to God that bring honor and glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Now may the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Amen. 4

5 Sermon Notes Imitate the Faith of Your Leaders Hebrews 13:7 Questions 1. As Christians we should a stronger faith like that of our leader. A stronger faith enables us to the temptation of this world, a stronger faith us the power to stand up under persecution and hardship and a stronger faith us to lead a more stable, meaningful, and rewarding lives. 2.. faith comes from the message, and the message is heard through the about Christ. 3. If you want to have stronger faith, you have to from the Scriptures, your leader and learn from them. 4. Let us God s commandments, forgive one another, Christ s salvation to others that they may be through His name. 5. When we our leaders as role models, imitating their faith and way of life we also accomplish great things that are pleasing to God. Answers 1. As Christians we should seek a stronger faith like that of our leader. A stronger faith enables us to resist the temptation of this world, a stronger faith gives us the power to stand up under persecution and hardship and a stronger faith enables us to lead a more stable, meaningful, and rewarding lives. 2.. faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 3. If you want to have stronger faith, you have to learn from the Scriptures, imitate your leader and learn from them. 4. Let us follow God s commandments, forgive one another, tell Christ s salvation to others that they may be saved through His name. 5. When we used our leaders as role models, imitating their faith and way of life we can also accomplish great things that are pleasing to God. 5

6 Hymn for September 1, 2013 Theme: Imitate the Faith of Your Leaders Hebrews 13:7 Rev. Lang Yang Divine Service I page 151 Early Service #842 Son of God, Eternal Savior #685 Let Us Walk With Jesus Communion hymn #707 Oh, That the Lord Would Guide My Ways #850 God of Grace and God of Glory #623 Lord Jesus Christ, We Humbly Pray Late Service #842 Son of God, Eternal Savior #685 Let Us Walk With Jesus #850 God of Grace and God of Glory Wednesday Service September 5, 2013 #685 Let Us Walk With Jesus #850 God of Grace and God of Glory 6