First Lutheran Church of Little Rock

Text: 2 Peter 1:16–21
Theme: Made even more certain
Other Lessons: Exodus 24:8–18; Psalm 2:6–12; Matthew 17:1–9

A. In the Name of the Father…Amen.
B. The Epistle lesson serves as our sermon text for this morning.
C. Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God our heavenly Father through
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
D. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:

→ LSB 413:1 O Wondrous Type! O Vision Fair
O wondrous type! O vision fair
Of glory that the Church may share,
Which Christ upon the mountain shows,
Where brighter than the sun He glows!

Introduction

A. Wait till your father gets home!!
B. We all heard that statement a time or two when we younger, did we not?
C. Whether it was because we had gotten into a fight at school or the
report card came home and the grades were less than stellar, those words
were spoken by our mothers to us.
D. Although it would not be successful, the best thing for one to do after
hearing those words was to find a place to hide!
E. As we celebrate Transfiguration Sunday today, there was no hiding on
Jesus’ part at all.
F. Quite the remarkable scene, wouldn’t you say?
1. Three inner-core disciples along with the Master on a mountain top.
2. And then they see it.
3. Jesus is transfigured right before their very eyes.
4. His face, his clothing, his entire being radiates a light of holiness
not seen before by Peter and the others.
5. To add more to the mystery, all of a sudden Moses and Elijah show up.
6. These two giants of prophetic times, long since silenced by departure
from this world, they, too, are there.
7. The Law (represented by Moses) and the Prophets’ (represented by Elijah)
are talking with Jesus.
8. What an event!
9. What a story to tell the other nine apostles!
10. What an honor to witness such an unbelievable happening!
11. What was it all about?
12. What does it all mean?
13. Can they tell anyone?
14. Should they tell anyone?
15. If they did say anything, what would they say?
16. Especially since Jesus warns them not to speak to anyone of this event
until after the Son of Man is raised from the dead.
17. Yet when the time is right, what a testimony that The Word of God Is
Trustworthy!
I. The prophecies anticipated the transfiguration.
A. The Old Testament has images of this kind:
1. The face of Moses after receiving the Law from God (Exodus 24:15–18;
34:29).
15 Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain.
16 The glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it
for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of
the cloud.
17 And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the
Lord was like a consuming fire on the mountain top.
18 Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and
Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.
Exodus 34:29(NASB95)
It came about when Moses was coming down from Mount Sinai (and the two
tablets of the testimony were in Moses’ hand as he was coming down from the
mountain), that Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because
of his speaking with Him.
2. The voice of God coming from the burning bush speaking to Moses on Sinai
(Exodus 3:14–15).
14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM”; and He said, “Thus you shall say to
the sons of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”
15 God, furthermore, said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the sons of
Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever,
and this is My memorial-name to all generations.
B. The Gospels are replete with powerful examples of Jesus’ divinity.
A. At Jesus’ Baptism, the Father’s voice spoke of his Son (Mark 1:11).
11 and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I
am well-pleased.”
B. Miracles demonstrated Jesus’ power over nature, as when he walked on
water and even allowed Peter to step out of the boat (Matthew 14:25).
Matthew 14:25 (NASB95)
And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea.
C. The healing of Peter’s mother-in-law proves Jesus’ power over disease
(Matthew 8:14–15).
Matthew 8:14–15 (NASB95)
14 When Jesus came into Peter’s home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick
in bed with a fever.
15 He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited
on Him.
II. Doubting old Adam is never convinced by the Word.
A. Peter fell to this temptation.
1. After hearing Jesus say he must be crucified and rise from death, Peter
rebuked him (Matthew 16:22).
Matthew 16:22 (NASB95)
Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord!
This shall never happen to You.”
2. Three times Peter denied Jesus (Luke 22:54–60).
54 Having arrested Him, they led Him away and brought Him to the house of
the high priest; but Peter was following at a distance.
55 After they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat
down together, Peter was sitting among them.
56 And a servant-girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight and looking
intently at him, said, “This man was with Him too.”
57 But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”
58 A little later, another saw him and said, “You are one of them too!” But
Peter said, “Man, I am not!”
59 After about an hour had passed, another man began to insist, saying,
“Certainly this man also was with Him, for he is a Galilean too.”
60 But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.”
Immediately, while he was still speaking, a rooster crowed.
B. We, too, are prone to such temptations and failings.
1. Satan whispers to us:
a. “Is the testimony of men who lived so long ago trustworthy?”
2. The world bellows at us:
a. “Isn’t science more accurate than the Bible?
b. Doesn’t evolution make more sense than creation?”
3. The doctrine of some contends that Jesus isn’t enough.
a. You must add good works to please God.
4. Liberalism points the church to current trends and tells the church that
in order to keep up with society we must accept the new perspective on
whether it is has to do with sexuality, marriage, or gender.
a. Whether we like what society says or not, we must accept it; we have no
choice.
C. Transition:
1. All these temptations are powerful, and they’re demonic.
2. The old Adam in us is all too willing to listen and deny the scriptural
evidence of the eternal truth the Bible speaks.
3. We like hearing that we get credit for good works.
4. We enjoy sexual freedom.
5. We’re impressed with the philosophical thinkers who speak from “cleverly
devised myths” rather than the Word of the Prophets.
6. The Word of God tells us very plainly:
a. Repent and believe!
b. Repent and believe daily!
III. Now that the Son of Man has been raised from the dead, Peter can tell
of what he saw and what that means.
A. Peter does not lean on his own understanding when he speaks of Jesus and
his powerful return.
1. He leans on the Word of the Prophets, for they spoke not of their own
accord but from the very voice of God through them (verses 20–21).
20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of
one’s own interpretation,
21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by
the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
2. Being an eyewitness to the transfiguration only served to confirm to
Peter what the Word of the Prophets had said (verses 16–19).
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you
the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of
His majesty.
17 For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an
utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My
beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”—
18 and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with
Him on the holy mountain.
19 And so we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well
to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns
and the morning star arises in your hearts.
3. Peter doesn’t mention Moses or Elijah.
a. The trans­figuration and its confirming of the Word is about Jesus and
his return with power to judge.
B. The mission of the Son has always been to carry out the will of the
Father.
1. The plan of salvation was not a “cleverly devised myth” of man but the
will of God from eternity.
2. The plan called for sacrificial blood to be spilled. This blood would
become a light to the world, glowing from the face of Jesus on the holy
mountain.
a. Jesus does not need science, culture, or philosophy to interpret his
Word.
b. This is the Father’s will, and Jesus carries it out with plain, simple
words culminating on Mount Calvary when he cries,
1. “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).
3. The gleaming white robe draping Jesus’ body was exchanged for an earthly
shroud covered in his precious blood.
a. Payment was made in full.
C. The transfigured and resurrected Christ comes to us for salvation’s sake.
1. The power of Baptism is bound to the Son of God, who at his Baptism was
identified as “my Son whom I love, with whom I am well pleased.”
a. When we were baptized, we were joined to Jesus and received the benefits
Jesus earned.
1. So now in and through Jesus, we are God’s children in whom he is well
pleased.
b. The Father’s voice continues to call down blessings on us as we kneel
before his throne and confess our sins.
1. He pours into our ears the precious Word, “Your sins are forgiven.”
2. The Supper of our Lord is the meal where he bequeaths to us his body and
blood, which is a foretaste of the feast to come.
3. This is his Word, which is as sure and certain as it gets.
a. It is truth that comes from heaven to us.
4. It is trustworthy to lean on.
a. It is our hope and stay when Jesus returns in all his might on the day
of judgment.
b. He will remove the soil, gather the body and the soul, then carry us
over the threshold of eternal life and joyous bliss.

Conclusion

A. This Word of God we can believe.
1. In the Collect for the Word, we pray:
2. Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our
learning.
3. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest
them that, by patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and
ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ,
our Lord.

B. Are these words we believe in or are they just words?
1. When your emotions or circumstances do not line up with what is truth,
choose truth.
C. This we can trust.
1. For it is made more sure and certain with the life, death, and
resurrection of the Son of God, whom the Father loves and in whom he is
well pleased.
2. The Son of God has done it all for us and blesses us with the faith to
believe he is true.
3. This is certain.
4. This is sure.
5. This is the Word of God. Amen.
D. Please rise and let us pray:
→ LSB 413:5 O Wondrous Type! O Vision Fair
O Father, with the eternal Son
And Holy Spirit ever one,
We pray Thee, bring us by Thy grace
To see Thy glory face to face.
Text: Public domain

A. In the Name of the Father…Amen.
B. The Epistle lesson serves as our sermon text for this morning.
C. Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God our heavenly Father through
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
D. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:
LSB 578:1,4 Thy Strong Word
Thy strong word did cleave the darkness;
At Thy speaking it was done.
For created light we thank Thee,
While Thine ordered seasons run.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise to Thee who light dost send!
Alleluia, alleluia!
Alleluia without end! Amen.

Introduction

A. “From the cross Thy wisdom shining Breaketh forth in conqu’ring might;
From the cross forever beameth All Thy bright redeeming light” (LSB 578:4).
B. Did you catch that?
1. The cross is described as shining, breaking forth, beaming, and bright.
2. That seems a bit odd, does not it?
C. When you hear “Good Friday”, what comes to mind?

1. Darkness?
2. Gloom?
3. Sadness?
D. But the hymn of the day for today says:

1. “No! The cross is bright!
2. The cross enlightens our darkness!
3. The cross is our great epiphany—that we will not be condemned!
4. For Christ was crucified for you!
5. The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
6. “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”
7. The cross is the central truth of our faith that enlightens the human
mind.
8. The Light of the Cross Reveals All Matters of Faith and Life!
I. St. Paul says, “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ
and him crucified” (verse 2).
A. This is not to say that he avoided other topics.
1. In 1 Corinthians, Paul discusses many issues:
A. marriage and divorce,
B. the Lord’s Supper and its right practice,
C. lawsuits and conflicts among parishioners,
D. the hope of the resurrection,
E. spiritual gifts
F. and the higher gift of love.
2. To speak “only of Christ crucified” does not mean he avoided other
important issues.
3. Rather, it means that every issue is revealed by the cross.
A. We decide to know nothing but the cross because the cross enlightens
everything.
B. Name a topic, and you will see how the cross speaks to it.
1. Sin?
A. The cross shows us the depth of our sin.
B. “Ye who think of sin but lightly Nor suppose the evil great Here may
view its nature rightly, Here its guilt may estimate” (LSB 451:3 Stricken,
Smitten, and Afflicted).
C. Our sin is so great it took the blood of Jesus to cleanse us.
2. What else? How about God’s personality? Does the cross show that?
A. Yes, the cross reveals that God is gracious and merciful, for if God did
not:
1. Romans 8:32 “spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he
not also with him graciously give us all things?”.
B. If God willingly gave up his own Son for our forgiveness, he must really
like forgiving.
C. Yes, the cross proves there is joy in heaven when even one sinner
repents.
C. And each of these epiphanies leads to yet another.
1. If we are forgiven in Christ through His blood shed on the cross, then
we have been reconciled to the Father.
2. And if we have been reconciled to God, we have peace with God through
our Lord Jesus Christ.
3. And if we have peace with God because of Christ, we are in direct
opposition to the devil, and the devil no longer has any claim on us.
4. We belong to God!
5. And if we belong to him, we are his heirs, and all things are ours.
6. For how will he not also graciously give us all things?
7. And if we have all things, we must have the resurrection of the body.
8. For if he loved us enough to take on our flesh and to die in that flesh
and to rise in that flesh, then certainly he will also save our flesh when
he comes again in glory!
9. Yes, Christ will raise us up on the Last Day.
10. Transition: You see, the cross is the key to all wisdom, and once you
have it, the Gospel reveals one truth on top of another.
II. So the cross teaches us the Gospel, but it also teaches us about the
Law—that is, it teaches us how to live—and it changes our opinion about the
Law.
A. Those who don’t understand the cross view the Law as an enemy–>that the
Law is bad.
1. For them, the Law is a constant reminder that they do not measure up.
A. Therefore, they hate it.
2. And even among Christians, our sinful flesh still kicks and screams and
puts up a fight when the Law is taught.
B. But the new man—standing in the light of the cross—thinks much
differently.
1. He delights in the Law because he sees that the Law is cross-shaped.
A. It is about denying ourselves
1. like Jesus did for us
B. It is about taking up our own cross
1. like Jesus did for us
C. and then it is about following him.
D. It is truly all about love
1. we love only because he first loved us!
E. The Law then becomes beautiful because for us it pictures our Jesus.
2. We could also apply this change of perspective to individual
commandments. For instance, the cross makes us think differently about the
Sixth Commandment (on sexual issues).
A. The world thinks the Sixth Commandment is burdensome, but we see the
great freedom and delight.
1. St. Paul tells us that in this commandment we see a picture of Christ
and the Church—a picture of how Christ, the Groom, loved his Bride by
laying down his life for her.
B. Therefore, to love your wife is to imitate Jesus, who gave himself up
for his wife.
1. And viewing it this way, the commandment is not a burden but a great
joy.
2. It’s an amazing opportunity to follow Jesus and show your spouse the
love of our Savior.
C. Indeed, every commandment becomes an opportunity to reflect the love of
Christ to others.
1. As Christ says in our Gospel lesson for today:
A. Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see
your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven”.
2. We delight in every commandment because in the fulfillment of each we
see the love of Christ crucified.
3. So yes, the cross reveals everything.
A. When Paul says he decided to know nothing but the cross, he was not
limiting himself to one topic.
B. He was opening every topic and allowing the true Light to enlighten all
things.
C. But perhaps,
III. While the light of the cross speaks to every issue, it especially
speaks to suffering.
A. When we suffer, we often cry out, “Why, Lord?”
B. That question is nearly impossible to answer, but in the cross, we start
to unravel the mystery.
1. This is not to say that the cross gives a specific or satisfying answer
to every situation.
A. Sometimes God hides knowledge from us.
2. The cross does eliminate some wrong answers and begins to offer
possibilities.
A. First, the cross eliminates the wrong answers like the idea that your
suffering happened because God is cruel or because God is callous and
doesn’t care.
1. Those answers cannot be true.
2. For if he did not spare his own Son, he certainly loves you, and he
clearly has your best interests in mind.
3. So, the cross takes away a lot of the bad answers.
B. Second, the cross offers possible alternatives.
1. Perhaps God is using this event to strengthen your faith or to teach you
to pray.
2. Perhaps he’s conforming you into the image of his Son; he’s making you
more like Christ.
3. Perhaps he’s taking away an idol that was ruining your life.
4. Perhaps he’s simply making you long for the next life, for the new world
that is to come, when he will wipe away every tear from your eyes.
C. We cannot answer all such questions specifically, but we can be
confident that whatever the answer is, it is rooted in his love for you.
C. Think about it: had you been there at the cross on Good Friday, it would
have seemed horrible and meaningless.
1. You might have asked:
A. “How can a good God allow this to happen?”
B. The enemy seemed victorious.
2. However, St. Peter proclaims that it was all:
A. Acts 2:23 “according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God”.
B. God knew what evil would try to do, and God used evil’s intentions to
accomplish his own plans.
C. They intended it for evil, but God meant it for good.
D. Likewise, God foreknew your suffering, and though the devil intends to
use suffering to drive a wedge between you and God, God will work all
things—even your suffering—for your good.
1. The cross reveals this!
A. It reveals God’s character—his love—and how he works all things, even
evil things, for our good.
2. Indeed, the cross reveals all things.
A. The cross reveals our sin and God’s grace.
B. The cross gives us a joyous delight in the Gospel, and it can even make
us delight in the Law!
Conclusion

A. I’ve always enjoyed riddles and puzzles.
1. However, some can be frustrating.
2. At times, a puzzle can stump you, and you think:
A. “If only I knew one more piece of information, perhaps everything else
would fall into place.”
3. For example: consider a Sudoku puzzle.
A. “If only I knew one more number in a particular box, perhaps I could get
all the rest of the numbers.”
B. Oftentimes, I’ll get impatient and simply guess which can be disastrous,
or worse yet, look at the answer key!
B. Well, the key to understanding all the riddles of faith and life is the
cross.
1. The cross of Christ enlightens our darkness.
2. The message of the cross sheds light on all the important questions:
A. What is God like?
B. How bad is sin?
C. Can I ever be good in God’s eyes?
D. Does suffering have meaning?
E. What does a righteous life look like?
F. What is marriage?
G. What is fatherhood?
H. What are God’s higher gifts?
I. What is love?
3. The list could go on and on.
A. Every significant question of faith and life is revealed when we fix our
eyes on Jesus Christ and him crucified.
B. We need the Spirit to reveal God’s mind to us, and he does so by the
light of the cross, as Paul tells us in our text for this morning (1
Corinthians 2:2, 10).
C. We are never to move beyond the cross, as if the cross is just one of
many topics.
1. Rather, allow the cross to speak to all topics; let it illuminate all
things.
A. First, let it illuminate your sin.
1. When the cross reveals the depth of sin, don’t scurry away like a
cockroach, but let that light expose you, that you might confess and be
forgiven.
B. Second, let the cross illuminate God’s personality.
1. Can you see his face in the light of the cross?
2. He’s smiling, for he delights in forgiving you.
C. Third, let the cross illuminate the Law, for Christ is the fulfillment
of the Law, and the Law is so very good!
D. And finally, let the cross shine light on your pain and suffering.
1. It is the cross that will give you the endurance and patience you need
to withstand your trials with faith.
E. Yes, all these topics and more are revealed by the cross.
F. So it is with good reason that Paul says:
1. 1 Corinthians 2:2 “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus
Christ and him crucified”. Amen.
D. Please rise and let us pray:

D LSB 578: 6 Thy Strong Word
God the Father, light-creator,
To Thee laud and honor be.
To Thee, Light of Light begotten,
Praise be sung eternally.
Holy Spirit, light-revealer,
Glory, glory be to Thee.
Mortals, angels, now and ever
Praise the holy Trinity! Amen.
Text: © 1969 Concordia Publishing House. Used by permission: LSB Hymn
License no. 110000247
E. The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guard your hearts
and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

F. In the Name of the Father…Amen.

Text: Micah 6:1–8
Theme: The Lord’s “Do” and “Done”
Other Lessons: Psalm 15; 1 Corinthians 1:18–31; Matthew 5:1–12

A. In the Name of the Father…Amen.
B. The Old Testament lesson serves as our sermon text for this morning.
C. Grace, mercy, and peace be yours from God our heavenly Father through
our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
D. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:
LSB 788:1-3 Forgive Us, Lord, for Shallow Thankfulness
1
Forgive us, Lord, for shallow thankfulness,
For dull content with warmth and sheltered care,
For songs of praise for food and harvest press,
While of Your richer gifts we’re unaware:

2
Teach us to thank You, Lord, for love and grace,
For life and vision, for a purpose clear,
For Christ Your Son, and for each human face
That shows Your message ever new and near.

3
Forgive us, Lord, for selfish thanks and praise,
For words that speak at variance with deeds;
Forgive our thanks for walking pleasant ways
Unmindful of a broken brother’s needs:

Introduction

A. In the classic comic strip Calvin and Hobbes, Calvin gives a card to his
mom for Mother’s Day.
1. The card reads as follows:
A. “I was going to buy you a card with hearts of pink and red, but then I
thought I’d rather spend the money on me instead.
B. It’s awfully hard to buy things when one’s allowance is so small, so I
guess you’re pretty lucky you got anything at all.
C. Happy Mother’s Day.
D. There, I said it.
E. Now I’m done.
F. So how about getting out of bed and making breakfast for your son?”
B. Oh, the conflict of the card’s message with the spirit of Mother’s Day!
1. Calvin’s calloused misunderstanding in our day and age is on full
display in his poem when he says, “There, I said it. Now I’m done.”
2. Calvin falsely believes that doing something for Mom on Mother’s Day is
an obligation, a duty he’s stuck with . . .
A. so the quicker this is over with,
B. the easier this can get done,
C. the cheaper the way it is to be done with the duty and move on to other
things, the better.
3. His heart certainly isn’t in it.
A. Just do it.
B. Get it over with.
C. He’s forgotten all about what Mom has done for him and missed entirely
the delight of thanking her.
C. This illustration may make us laugh, but this is often happens in our
relationship with the Lord and with each other.
D. This is a mistake Israel was making with the Lord, and one we also often
make with God.
1. Israel (as well as us) often ask God:
A. What have you done for me lately?
B. There is the wrong question!
C. Instead, Israel (along with us) should be asking:
1. What is it, Lord, that You want me to do for You today?
2. For God does command us to do for him.
3. We’re obligated.
4. But in our text for this morning, God through the prophet Micah reminds
us again what he has done for us.
5. That ought to give us a whole different perspective on why we are to do
for God.
6. We learn that even the Lord’s “Do” Is All about What the Lord Has “Done.”
I. We fall into Israel’s sin when we think what we do for the Lord is just
something we have to get done.
A. The Lord has an indictment against Israel (verses 1–3).
1. They have wearied him:
A. with scant measures,
B. wicked scales,
C. violence,
D. lies,
E. and idolatries like that of former kings Omri and Ahab
F. Micah 6:10-12, 16
(10) Are there still wicked treasures in the house of the wicked, along
with deceitful and abominable measuring standards?
(11) Will I tolerate those who maintain deceptive standards and who use
deceitful weights in their business?
(12) Her rich people are filled with violence, and her inhabitants tell
lies—their tongues speak deceitfully!
(16) You keep Omri’s statutes and observe the customs of the house of
Ahab. Because you live according to their advice, I’ll make you desolate
and turn your inhabitants into an object of scorn. Therefore you will bear
the shame of my people.”
2. They reluctantly offer God sacrifices (verses 6–7).
A. Verses 6-7
(6) How am I to present myself in the LORD’s presence and bow in the
presence of the High God? Should I present myself with burnt offerings,
with year-old calves?
(7) Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with endless
rivers of oil? Am I to give my firstborn to pay for my rebellion, the fruit
of my body in exchange for my soul?
B. They might even be willing to give him their firstborn, as the pagans
did to Baal.
1. Is that not what happens now in our day and age?
A. Abortion (a matter of choice)
B. Euthanasia (a matter of choice)
3. But these are all worthless to the Lord because Israel sees him as a God
who must be appeased, one who must be pacified in order to be happy with us.
B. We fall into the same sin:
1. When we treat the worship service as a box to be checked.
A. 10:30 in the morning on a Sunday?
1. I have to go to church!
A. “Having to be here” is the language that of duty, obligation.
B. “Wanting to be here” is the language of fulfilling a need in one’s life.
B. Church becomes more like that of a job.
1. Instead it should be a joy!
2. When we hang Christian décor in our house to appear pious.
A. A painting of Jesus knocking on the door.
B. A cross on your front door.
1. Are they just pieces of art or they something more?
3. Witness/outreach
A. We have a message that the people need to hear!
1. The message is easy to share as long as you don’t have to do anything.
2. The message is easy to share as long as someone else does the work.
3. The message is easy as long as it is someone else’s idea
B. The Israelites had a message to share as well.
1. But they refused to share it, thinking that it was theirs exclusively.
2. The message of God’s love was and is for all, whether Jew or Gentile!
C. Illustration: Unclear on the Concept
1. Brad and Brittney were sending their children to a Lutheran preschool.
A. Near the end of the year, they approached the pastor and asked him if he
would be willing to do their wedding.
B. He offered to visit them in their home to talk about God’s design for
their relationship, and the forgiveness and grace that is found in Christ.
2. When the pastor arrived at their home, he sat down at their dining room
table.
A. Hanging on the wall above their table was a giant wall hanging that said:
B. “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15.”
C. When the pastor asked them if they had a Bible, they said no.
3. The pastor gently said:
A. “I see you have this sign above your table from the Bible.
B. And yet, you don’t have a Bible in your home, and you have three
children, and you’re not married.
C. What do you think God would rather have you do?
D. Have a Bible and get married and come to worship, or have a wall hanging
in your house with a Bible passage on it?”
E. The couple admitted that the wall hanging was at odds with their
actions.
F. Praise be to God that through gentle and patient instruction, they
repented, got married, took membership classes, and now are regular members
at the same congregation where they sent their children to preschool.
4. God doesn’t look for token gestures but for lives in accordance with
his will, as the prophet Micah says (Micah 6:8).
5. When we make demands of God, rather than humbly following him.
A. Give me faith, Lord, and I’ll always trust in You.
B. Give me strength, Lord, and I’ll always do what You ask.
C. Give me peace, Lord, and I’ll always follow You, regardless of the
circumstances.
II. The Lord certainly does indeed tell us that we must “do” for him.
A. Micah speaks as the voice of conscience to the Every­man: “[The Lord]
has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you?”
(verse 8a).
1. Yes, the Lord requires. We must “do” for him.
2. Mother’s Day, Lord’s Day, every day:
A. we must do what is good.
B. It is the right thing to do.
B. And what is the good we must do?
1. Not offerings that we invent and give grudgingly.
2. What does the text for today say?
A. “But to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your
God” (verse 8b).
3. All this never comes from checking boxes and doing just to get done or
to get by.
4. All this comes from a heart that loves.
A. Love for God
B. Love for one another
C. Justice, kindness, walking humbly with our God means sincerity of
worship and love for our neighbors.
1. Justice: standing up for someone who is being persecuted for the faith.
2. Kindness: Helping an elderly person take their groceries and put them in
the car.
3. Walking humbly with our God:
A. Reading and studying His Word at home and at church on a regular basis.
B. Spending time in prayer.
C. Worshiping the Lord, sing His praises, hear His Word, receive the
Sacrament.
D. Doing all this not because “I have to” but because “I want to”.
III. But what the Lord commands us to do is a delight when we remember what
he has done for us.
A. Micah reminds of God’s acts of love and righteous­ness (verses 4–5):
1. Rescue from Egypt and slavery.
2. Giving faithful leaders:
A. Moses,
B. Aaron,
C. Miriam.
3. Deliverance from Balak’s evil schemes.
B. These are all foreshadow what God has done for us and for the whole
world: sending Jesus.
1. Jesus came not to compel us to do what we’re required to do.
2. Jesus came to do, to get done for us:
A. the justice,
B. the loving kindness,
C. the humble walking with God,
D. the good we couldn’t do.
E. He did it by:
1. living and loving,
2. by suffering,
3. dying,
4. rising,
5. ascending.
3. Why then articulate what God has done for us?
A. This is how God changes hearts.
B. The Law forces and compels us to do.
C. Righteousness and grace free us to do.
C. When you remember all what God has done for you:
1. You delight to do justice to his other children.
2. You love being kind to brothers and sisters in the faith—and to those
not yet of faith.
3. You love walking humbly with him!
Conclusion

A. Illustration: A Common Argument
1. You don’t always need to tell people what they’ve done wrong to make
them feel guilty.
2. Oftentimes their conscience will do the heavy lifting, especially if you
articulate all the good things you’ve done for them in the past.
B. This is a common argument between spouses:
1. A husband and a wife get into some war of words when suddenly one says
to the other:
2. “You know, this past week I’ve made breakfast every morning for the
kids.
3. I’ve made most of the dinners too.
4. I also went to parent-teacher conferences by myself.
5. I cleaned the kitchen after the kids went to bed.
6. I shoveled snow out of the driveway.
7. I folded all those clothes that were in the dryer.”
C. This articulation of good things is designed to make the other spouse
feel guilty for not being similarly good.
1. It’s an indictment against his or her inaction.
2. While this type of spousal argument has questionable motives, it is
similar to the unblemished words of God—like God through the prophet Micah
asking,
3. “O my people, what have I done to you? . . . O my people, remember . . .
the righteous acts of the Lord” (Micah 6:3, 5).
4. God is pointing to his own goodness and letting the conscience of this
people of Israel do the heavy lifting.
D. There! Jesus did it! It’s done! And so it’s done for you and me too.
1. Just as Calvin’s mom loved him not for the card,
2. just as God loved Israel not for the sacrifices of calves or oil,
3. God has done it and loved us not for anything we do, but so that we can
do with love and delight in what is good for him and for neighbor . . . and
that we can walk with him. Amen.
E. Let us pray:
LSB 788:4-6 Forgive Us, Lord, for Shallow Thankfulness
4
Teach us, O Lord, true thankfulness divine,
That gives as Christ gave, never counting cost,
That knows no barrier of “yours” and “mine,”
Assured that only what’s withheld is lost.

5
Forgive us, Lord, for feast that knows not fast,
For joy in things that meanwhile starve the soul,
For walls and wars that hide Your mercies vast
And blur our vision of the Kingdom goal:

6
Open our eyes to see Your love’s intent,
To know with minds and hearts its depth and height;
May thankfulness be days in service spent,
Reflection of Christ’s life and love and light.
Text: © 1965, renewed 1993 The Hymn Society, admin. Hope Publishing Co.
Used by permission: LSB Hymn License no. 110000247
F. The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guard your hearts
and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
G. In the Name of the Father…Amen.