First Lutheran Church of Little Rock

A. In the Name of the Father…Amen.
B. The Epistle reading serves as our sermon text for this morning.
C. Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ, Amen.
D. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:
• 725 Children of the Heavenly Father
1
Children of the heav’nly Father
Safely in His bosom gather;
Nestling bird nor star in heaven
Such a refuge e’er was given.

2
God His own doth tend and nourish;
In His holy courts they flourish.
From all evil things He spares them;
In His mighty arms He bears them.

Introduction

A. There is something powerful and nearly sacred about holding someone
else’s hand.
B. Picture these scenarios in your mind:
1. a new parent holding the tiny hand of their newborn son or daughter;
2. a teacher holding the hand of a timid kindergarten student as they cross
the parking lot;
3. a brave teenager reaching out their hand to help someone who has fallen
or been hurt in competition;
4. a young but nervous couple holding hands for the first time on a date;
5. an excited man and woman standing before their pastor on their wedding
day, hand in hand;
6. an elderly but tired man holding the hand of his beloved wife of many
decades;
7. a family holding the hand of their loved one as he or she passes from
this life to eternal life.
C. Today is LWML Sunday.
1. As you may be aware, “LWML” stands for “Lutheran Women’s Missionary
League.”
2. It is an auxiliary organization of our Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod
and has members throughout North America.
3. Working “hand in hand” with the LCMS and other organizations within the
LCMS, they seek to bring Christ to the nations and the nations to the
Church.
4. Truly, they are a missionary organization, sponsoring mission efforts
reaching people around the world as well as here in the United States.
5. They do that with their mites they give, small offerings that together
help more people hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
6. For decades, the LWML has given a strong witness to how God’s love holds
each of us.
7. Thanks be to God through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the LWML
continues to walk “hand in hand” with the Church and her people!
D. As we celebrate LWML Sunday, let us consider the two questions raised by
the apostle Paul in Romans 8:31:
1. “What then shall we say to these things?
2. If God is for us, who can be against us?”
E. Notice the main person, the subject. It is God.
F. This is clearly taught in our text from Romans 8.
1. Sometimes it is tempting to think that our success depends on one of
three things:
A. our grip,
B. our hold,
C. or our heroism.
D. It may be subtle, but it’s a very slippery slope in our lives.
E. Thoughts of self-dependence or “thinking of ourselves more highly than
we ought” can open the door to believing we are the main people in God’s
narrative.
F. But the apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, gives a different
perspective.
1. He makes it quite clear that God’s everlasting love holds us.
2. When we are insufficient, He is all-sufficient.
G. Jesus is for us and with us, therefore we have no fear of condemnation.
H. Jesus is for us and with us, therefore we have no fear of separation.
I. Jesus is for us and with us, therefore we have certainty of victory.

I. Jesus is for us and with us, therefore we have no fear of condemnation.
A. Paul writes in our text for this morning:
1. “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be
against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all,
how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans
8:31-32).
B. What things is Paul talking about?
1. Paul has just acknowledged that God has done everything for our
salvation.
2. Therefore, how should we respond?
3. God IS for us.
4. Since God is for us, how should we respond?
5. Paul continues with these words:
A. Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who
was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for
us.” (Romans 8:33-34)
C. Why did Jesus die?
1. To pay for our sins!
D. Why was he raised?
1. The Father accepted this payment; in other words, the check has cleared!
2. It didn’t bounce and it was not found to have insufficient funds.
3. He died so we might live.
E. Jesus is now interceding for us, fully engaged in the battle for us and
with us.
1. Corrie ten Boom once said: “There is no pit so deep, that God’s love is
not deeper still.”
2. Think about this personally, in your own life.
3. Who of us in the past week has been perfect?
4. On the other hand, how many of us have thought, said, or did things we
would later regret?
5. Or, have you spoken to a loved one in a tone you wish you could take
back?
6. Have you ever been divisive in any way?
7. Yes, to all of the above.
F. The law is convicting because the law shows us exactly where we have
sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
1. The pit is pretty deep…but God’s love is deeper still.
2. His arm is long and able to rescue us; indeed, his stretched-out arms on
the cross of Calvary DID rescue us.
3. Those same arms were made alive again as Jesus was raised from the dead.
4. Jesus is for us and with us.
5. Even though Satan wants to accuse and condemn you, the action of Jesus
is evident – and the result is clear: we have no fear of condemnation.
G. The important mission of LWML shares this life-saving and life-giving
truth with the world.
H. For 80 years now and still going strong, through LWML, Gospel seeds have
been sown.
I. The Holy Spirit is at work!
J. With no fear of condemnation, we turn to our second point:
II. Jesus is for us and with us, therefore we have no fear of separation.
In your mind picture again, the image of hands joined together. God will
not let go of your hand!
A. Our sermon text continues with these words:
1. “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As
it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are
regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
2. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who
loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers,
nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the
love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39)
B. Did you notice what Paul does not say in this text?
1. He does not say that life will be free of challenges and difficult
circumstances.
2. He does not say that distress or danger will not happen.
3. In fact, he writes in great detail elsewhere (including 2 Corinthians)
about his own experience in facing these challenges.
C. We know this from our own experiences as well.
1. Each of us could make a list of our own struggles of daily living.
2. What would your list look like?
3. What would you include?
4. Who would you include?
5. In many ways, you might feel like that so much is stacked against you
right now.
6. But God declares you righteous (Romans 8:33) and loved in Jesus (Romans
8:39).
7. Our assurance comes from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
D. Our Lutheran Women in Mission have served many people for many years,
whose lives seem out of control.
1. But God is always the one in control, and by His Holy Spirit, has chosen
to use them and all of us to serve others in love.
2. God is love.
E. With no fear of separation, we come to our third point:
III. Jesus is for us and with us, therefore we have certainty of victory.
A. That victory is made yours personally through the gift of your baptism.
1. St. Paul says earlier in Romans 6:4:
A. “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that,
just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too
might walk in newness of life.”
B. Here is a simple equation:
1. God’s Word + water = Baptism
2. Baptism equals victory:
A. victory over sin, death, and the power of the devil.
B. We are more than conquerors; we are super-victorious!
C. The great hymn of the Reformation says this well:
LSB 656:2
With might of ours can naught be done,
Soon were our loss effected;
But for us fights the valiant One,
Whom God Himself elected.
Ask ye, Who is this?
Jesus Christ it is,
Of Sabaoth Lord,
And there’s none other God;
He holds the field forever.
Text: Public domain
B. Our victory is not secure because of our hold on Christ, but by His hold
on us.
1. We are more than conquerors because He holds tightly to us.
2. Therefore, we may live each day, including today, confidently trusting
in Jesus.
3. As a baptized child of God, remain in His Word.
4. Be reminded of your identity as a victorious one in Christ.
5. Rely on His grace and mercy.
6. How have your been saved? By grace through faith.
7. And respond to His call.
8. Like Isaiah the prophet, may we enthusiastically say: “Here am I! Send
me.” (Isaiah 6:8b).

Conclusion
A. During my last year at seminary, Frances and I were often “wined and
dined” by various groups at the seminary as well as those from the Synod.
B. One of those groups that fed us very well the whole time we were there
at seminary was the Fort Wayne LWML.
C. Whether it was through helping with the Food Bank and the Clothes Closet
on campus, sponsoring a student with gifts, the LWML was instrumental in
helping the students get through their years of seminary.
D. At the banquet that was held in honor of the graduates who were set to
graduate and receive their first call in April, one of the statements made
at that banquet still rings loud and clear in my mind: when you get to the
parish you have been called to, do not forget the ladies of the LWML!!
E. To the ladies of the LWML here at First Lutheran, thank you for your
hearts and hands that have shared the Gospel with many around the world.
F. Lutheran Women in Mission:
1. Thank you for responding to the call of Jesus.
2. Thank you for your example and encouragement to each of us.
G. May our God continue to hold all of us in His love, the love of God that
is found in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
H. Let us pray:
• 725 Children of the Heavenly Father

3
Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,
And their sorrows all He knoweth.

4
Though He giveth or He taketh,
God His children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.
Text: Public domain
I. The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guard your hearts
and minds in Christ Jesus.

J. In the Name of the Father…Amen.

A. In the Name of the Father…Amen.
B. Psalm 113 serves as our sermon text for this morning, which reads as
follows:
(1) Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of
the LORD!
(2) Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore!
(3) From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to
be praised!
(4) The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens!
(5) Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high,
(6) who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?
(7) He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap,
(8) to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people.
(9) He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of
children. Praise the LORD!
This is the Word of the Lord.
C. Grace, mercy, and peace from God our heavenly Father and from our Lord
and Savior, Jesus Christ.
D. Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, let us pray:
819 Sing Praise to God, the Highest Good
1
Sing praise to God, the highest good,
The author of creation,
The God of love who understood
Our need for His salvation.
With healing balm our souls He fills
And ev’ry faithless murmur stills:
To God all praise and glory!

Introduction

A. “Heigh Ho, heigh ho. It’s off to work we go.”
1. You may remember the song.
2. The seven dwarfs sing it as they finish work in the diamond mine.
3. What Walt Disney put into a cartoon back in 1937 had long been part of
various cultures around the world: the work song.
4. Those who study folklore and music from the cultural and social aspects
of the people who make it have studied extensively the way in which music
has been associated with work.
5. For example, railroad workers would spend their days laying the rails.
6. To do this, they would take ten-pound hammers, swing them in a full
circle, and strike the spike that would hold down the rails and ties.
7. A work song would coordinate the labor.
8. The rhythm of the song set the pace for swinging.
9. The joining of voices united the workers, and the call and response kept
workers engaged.
B. This morning, we meditate on Psalm 113.
1. Psalm 113 is known as a Praise (Hallel) Psalm.
2. It was one of a set of six psalms that were sung at Passover.
3. As Israel gathered to remember the Passover, they would sing Psalm 113
at the beginning of their celebration.
4. While technically this is not a work psalm:
A. Israel is not doing any labor as she sings these words
B. this psalm does celebrate God’s gracious work
C. it shows how God Graciously Cares for His People­ and joins with His
people in praise as they serve in his kingdom.
I. Celebration: This psalm teaches us to celebrate God’s gracious work.
A. Analogy
1. One of the intriguing things about work songs is that they join
something we often think of as pleasurable—singing—with a difficult and
menial task—laying rails for a train.
2. We are accustomed to keeping the joy of singing and the struggle of work
separate, but work songs join the two.
B. Text
1. In a similar way, our psalm joins together two things that we tend to
keep separate.
2. On the one hand, we have the utter transcendence of God.
3. As you listen to the opening of the psalm, you realize how utterly
“other” God is.
a. The Lord is enthroned in eternity.
b. Time passes in our world.
c. Kings and rulers come and go.
d. But the Lord is seated in the heavenly realms, and his rule never began
and never ends.
e. It just always is.
4. Not only is the Lord ruling in eternity but his rule also extends over
all space.
a. From the east to the west, the Lord is in control.
b. There is no space over which he has no control.
5. On the other hand, we have the utter nearness of God.
a. This God who is seated above the heavens and the earth is also able to
see the smallest thing on earth.
b. He is able to care for the poor and the needy.
c. Those who gather their food from trash heaps are the ones that this
Almighty God notices.
d. The people whose lives pass by and leave no mark on the world are the
ones that God marks and claims as his own.
C. Application
1. The psalmist calls for us to praise the Lord, and indeed we should
praise him.
2. Out of his gracious love, the Lord of all things chose to come into this
world and to die on the cross.
a. Jesus Christ, who is truly God, became truly man that he might bear the
suffering of all sin for you and bring the joy of all salvation to you.
3. Jesus joins the joy of the song of salvation to the painful burdens that
we carry and the suffering that we endure in this world.
a. We are chosen by God.
b. There is no person so small, no sin so hidden that Jesus does not take
it upon himself and bring to you the grace of God.
II. Serving: This psalm guides our work in God’s kingdom.
A. Analogy:
1. Work songs strengthen the bonds of community.
2. By offering:
a. a rhythm to work,
b. by joining the voices of workers,
c. by lifting the spirits of those who are burdened,
d. work songs forge bonds between workers as they do what they have been
called to do.
3. Illustration: while having dental work a few weeks ago, the dental
assistant was playing music from a playlist to one of the music services.
a. She was singing!
b. The dentist was singing!
c. I tried but failed to sing!
d. The music helped lighten the mood.
e. It took my attention away from the work that was being done on me.
B. Application
1. In our readings today, we see how often the church has forgotten this
song.
2. In Amos, we overhear God’s people singing a song of self-service.
a. They are ignoring the poor and needy.
3. In the Epistle, we hear about what we are to do:
A. Praying for all people.
B. Know your place.
4. In the Gospel, we hear the religious leaders singing a song of greed.
a. They, too, are ignoring the poor and needy.
5. But the Psalm is given to God’s people to change our way of living in
the world.
a. Rather than live for ourselves, we learn to join our Lord’s mission and
care for others.
b. Not only has Christ redeemed us from our sin but he also has joined us
together as a people who live in a kingdom where he loves.
c. There are no insignificant members of our community as we bear one
another’s burdens and thus fulfill the love of Christ.

Conclusion

A. Here in Arkansas, we have the misfortune of living in what is called a
flyover state.
1. People traveling from New York to Los Angeles “fly over” Arkansas.
2. For some, this way of travel symbolizes a way of life.
3. There are large sections of our country that people choose to ignore
because they are seen as undesirable or unnecessary.
4. They fly over them.
5. The elite, who hold a great deal of influence in culture and society,
see flyover states as inconsequential.
6. They are something to be flown over rather than visited.
B. Jesus, however, did something quite different, even radical.
1. When the cultural elites were in Rome, Jesus chose to be born in
Bethlehem and raised in Nazareth.
2. He did this because, in the kingdom of God, there are no flyover states.
C. “The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens!”
the psalmist says.
1. One might expect him just to fly over.
2. But:
a. “Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down
on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts
the needy from the ash heap” (Psalm 113:4–7).
D. Every person is important.
1. God desires to save all people.
2. Such salvation does not come easily.
3. It is not an empire flown over from east to the west.
4. No, it comes by visitation in the flesh.
5. Jesus takes on flesh and dwells among people.
6. He bears their sin and becomes their Savior so that every place, no
matter how small, and every person, no matter how humble, is great in the
eyes of God.
7. In saving love, Jesus dwells among rather than flies over his people.
Amen.
E. Let us pray:

5
All who confess Christ’s holy name,
Give God the praise and glory.
Let all who know His pow’r proclaim
Aloud the wondrous story.
Cast ev’ry idol from its throne,
For God is God, and He alone:
To God all praise and glory!
Text: Public domain
F. The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guard your hearts
and minds in Christ Jesus.

G. In the Name of the Father…Amen.