Rev. Tucher

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God, our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen. The text for our sermon today is from the Epistle, which was read earlier.

Have you ever tried to imagine what it would be like to live in a world without the many problems that affect us everyday? We find it difficult, if not, impossible, to even begin to imagine such a condition. We have lived on this earth, with all of its greed, selfishness, strife, war, poverty, and discrimination for so long, it is beyond realism to think of life without them.

This kind of utopian existence is exactly what is indicated in Scripture as it tells about creation and life on earth before the Fall into sin. Imagine a wholesome innocence in the relationship between a man and a woman. Imagine employers and employees without dispute and in agreement. Try to imagine the relationship of man and wild animals without fear and struggle. What would it be like to have ideal weather without destructive storms, earthquakes and the like? Above all, we find it impossible to image a relationship between God and man that has no barriers, no rebellion, but in its place, a continuous, natural, loving relationship in a genuine fellowship where all is shared and nothing is hidden. This open, unhindered relationship between God and man is the one we know the least about in this world of today.

That’s where Paul begins our text for today. “Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.” This relationship between God and man which once existed in a paradise, is no more. It was fun while it lasted. Try as we might, that relationship can not be repaired. Because of that fact, we lived under the Law, imprisoned. The Law which we had was the Law of God. The Law provided for us. The Law provided for us a way to restore the relationship which once existed between God and man, the relationship which we know little about. The Law promised us a Savior, a Substitute who would die in our place. The Law has promised us Christ.

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Text: Luke 7:11-17

Note: This sermon was preached at my home congregation, St. Paul’s Lutheran, Indianapolis, IN, on the occasion of the baptism of my niece, Breanna Noel Dickson.

Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen. The text for the sermon this morning is the Gospel which was read earlier.

Two large processions are slowly moving toward each other. The one was the parade of life as Jesus walked into the city. The Master, who taught both by His marvelous, life-giving words and by His amazing, life-sustaining deeds, led a large throng along the way. His disciples walked with Him, for that is what disciples do. He was also accompanied by a great crowd of people. At the gate of the city there was joy, life, and excitement in this royal procession for Jesus had, just the day before, healed a centurion’s servant. Prior to that a leper had been cleansed at Jesus’ Word. A paralytic rose up and walked, having been both healed and forgiven by the Son of God. Jesus had demonstrated the power and authority of His own divine nature when He cast out demons on one occasion and helped bring in a full net of fish on another. The other procession, the parade of death, has at its head the coffin of a “dead person,” the only son of his widowed mother, who followed with a crowd of fellow townspeople.

An important event was about to take place. Two processions met at the gate of the town. In those days the towns were often surrounded by a wall, and people had to go in and out through a large gate. Was it by accident that the two processions happened to meet at this place and at this time? Jesus knew that this meeting would take place just this way.

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This was the scene in Gillette on Wednesday.  I guess it was a good thing that I wasn’t there. 

Rain has been falling in Gillette rather hard.  In early May, we had 4.5 inches of rain and then another 2 inches Wednesday.  Gillette’s yearly rainfall is almost 14 inches, nearly double what it should be this time of year.  While Gillette is in much need of precipitation, I think they have enough to last them a while.

Places are flooded out, including the senior pastor’s parsonage.  Fortunately, they were able to drain most of the water and called out a professional company to dry up the excess and apply anti-mold chemicals in the affected rooms.

We were very glad to hear that our house is still high and dry.  That’s good news, seeing that we will be in Indiana until June 18.  Should anything happen to our belongings between now and then, I think my wife would just die (as would I).

For those who have ever heard of the Indianapolis 500, you know those famous words.  They are sung by Jim Nabors (aka Gomer Pyle) every year. 

We just returned to Indiana for a vacation following our PALS meeting in Estes Park, CO at the YMCA of the Rockies.  It was a very nice trip (though driving through Roosevelt Forest wasn’t fun).  If you ever get a chance, I would recommend that you visit the Park and the YMCA.  The view was breath-taking and there were a plethora of things to do and shops to visit in downtown Estes.  Unfortunately, we didn’t get a chance to do a whole lot since I was in meetings all day Monday and Tuesday.  Maybe if we get a chance, we’ll go back and really experience Estes.