Dear friends, I had a really hard time deciding which text to preach on today.  It's almost the end of the Church Year, so it would be good to preach on the Old Testament text from Isaiah which speaks with longing for the new heavens and the new earth coming where we will spend eternity, a time when "the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard no more."  That's a great passage because it tells of a future time when life will be perfect.  It'll be a life with no more sickness, no more bills, no more war or stupidity or senseless arguments or phone solicitors during dinner.  You can add to that list all the things you hate in life, and none of the bad will happen any more.  Now that's truly a day we can all look forward to!  Just think - no more forgetfulness and bad memory!

          Yesterday when coming over to a morning work day at Epiphany House, it took me four tries to leave the house.  I had to come back three times for things I'd forgotten!  The first time I got all the way to the McDonalds before remembering some tools.  The next time I got a mile away before remembering the leaf vacuum.  The next time I just made a circle in the cul de sac to go back and get my hammer!  I know I should make a list, but I'm not sure I'd remember where I put it.  Then to top it all off, I forgot to pick up one of my Confirmation kids for class as I'd agreed to.  Of course I remembered her just as class was starting, so you can imagine trying to keep my mind on teaching!  I REALLY look forward to the same when I will no longer be so forgetful, don't you?

          In these days of international war against terrorism, we all know how important it is to stand up for our principles and to defend right against wrong.  Today's New Testament lesson from Second Thessalonians encourages us to "Stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter."  Good words for a people so easily blown this way and that!  But this week's news brought most people of the world some joy as Afghan oppressors surrendered and Afghan women showed their faces in the streets for the first time in years.  When you and I need to stand firm against an earthly enemy, we'll need to use a sword.  When we must stand against the spiritual Enemy and his forces, we need the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

          It's always important to take a stand for what you believe in.  We say, "Stand for something or you'll fall for anything."  We must not give up when others assault us, but stand for what is good and right.  But we don't always know how to do it.  Always remember that God's Word is our best weapon, so let's use it.  Let's all open a Bible.  There are at least as many Bibles under our chairs as there are people, so find one and turn to 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17.

          2 Thessalonians is in the back of the New Testament.  We may not be able to carry a sword but we can take up the sword of the Spirit.  It's our best defense against all attacks of body and soul.  As Jesus showed us when He was tempted by Satan, God's Word is our best defense.

          (Verse 13)  "We ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth."  Paul is saying God chose us from the beginning to be saved, because He loves us.  Of all other religions of the world, God's love is unique to Christianity.  God loves people from the moment He creates us and He never stops!  The gods of the Hindu, the Muslim, the Buddhist and every other religion do not love people.  They just keep their distance and make demands on them.

          But the true God, the Holy Trinity, Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, truly loves people.  God created us and will always care for us.  He chose us as His own to be saved through the work of the Holy Spirit.  The Spirit seeks to convince us that Christ is our Lord every time we hear the Word.  In other words, He helps us "...through belief in the truth."

          (Verse 14)  "He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."  Paul is saying God speaks to us through the Gospel, calling us to believe that Christ is Lord, of all people of all times.  You and I might not think this is so wonderful because we've known of it most of our lives.  We are so blessed that we've heard this often before.  But not everyone has been so blessed.

          This past year in central India, thousands of "Untouchables" have come to Christ.  These "lowest of the low" in Hinduism, had been told their whole lives they were of no value, useful only as servants and actual slaves, and that they'd never have worth like other people, no matter what.  When they learned from a few Christian missionaries that God loved them no matter what, they accepted Christ with joy, told others like themselves.  The witness of a few Christians at the right time began a movement in which nearly fifty thousand have accepted the God who loved them regardless of who they were.

          This has not been met without resistence, because they were the dishwashers, janitors, dirt diggers and day laborers.  Though they supposedly had no worth, everyone depended on them.  Authorities arrested the Christian missionaries for "disturbing the peace" and told the untouchables they could not become Christian -- just "stay in your place!"  No matter, though, as thousands have already taken the stand for Christ who values them for who they were, not just what they can do.  And now some untouchables are missionaries, telling others of their caste the Good News about this Christian God who loves them no matter what.  Praise God - this is a real miracle!

          (Verse 15)  "So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter."  There you have it, friends, stand firm in your Christian teachings!  But to do so, first you have to know what they are.  Two weeks from today I'm starting a series of sessions on basic Christian teachings in Sunday 9 AM Bible Class.  Few come to midweek class, but most all of us can make it if we come a bit earlier than church time.  We'll learn and re-learn about Baptism, Communion, Prayer and the Creeds.  We'll learn the real meaning of confession and absolution and life after death.

          Here is an excellent opportunity to learn the teaching we must hold fast to.  And I can already hear some saying this would better be done at another time, but there is no better time than Sunday morning.  If you're already coming to church, why not come an hour earlier and learn God's Word?  I guarantee you all that if this were done at any other time, few would come.  So make the time!  Only if you know your faith can you defend it.

          (Verse 16-17)  "May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."  Human encouragement is good, but divine encouragement is better.  Paul is praying God will give us hope and strengthen us in what we do and say.  If God gives us hope, then we have no excuse!  What does it really matter if things aren't quite like they should be?  Whether at home or at work, our lives will never be perfect.

          Even in church we can find fault (as if we didn't already know that).  I've been chuckling at some of the complaints I've heard about our new building.  I've also been waiting for the right time to share them!  Are you ready to hear what I've heard the past few weeks?  "The drinking fountain is too loud."  "It's too bright in here."  "Why hasn't someone ordered those other cabinet doors yet?"  "That light switch is in a terrible place."  "The back door makes too much noise when it opens."  "Our pencils are too hard to sharpen and the lead too soft."  "That fixture in the men's bathroom - who did that?"  Well, they said the honeymoon wouldn't last long!  But I wonder if anyone has recently been thinking, "Oh, to be back in the cafeteria - how I miss setting up chairs and staring at purple dogs on the walls!"

          Isn't it great that God loves us?  He loves us no matter what, no matter how loudly we complain or point our fingers.  Jesus died on the cross for us all, even if we are never satisfied.

          A fellow pastor told of a new family in his church and their 10 year old daughter who's in a wheelchair.  She's paralyzed except for some movement in her lower arms that helps her work the electric controls, so she enjoys coming up for the Children's Message each Sunday.  A few weeks ago they were having special prayers of healing during the service, and the pastor overhead the mother ask the daughter if she'd like to go up and have someone pray to make her well.  The little girl surprised everyone by saying out loud, "Why, I'm not sick!"  Her comment was good in that it showed she had adjusted to her condition, but she'd adjusted so well, she couldn't see the obvious.

          You know what?  We all need healing, and we all need the Healer Jesus.  Sometimes we can't see the obvious, that we're all hobbled by sin and in need of His grace and mercy.  Let us rejoice this morning that He's called us and chosen us to be His beloved people.  No matter what's in our past, no matter how good or bad we think we are, and no matter what temptation befalls us, He will never stop loving us.  Thanks be to God!  Amen

Copyright © 2001 by Pastor Bob Tasler.  All rights reserved.