Sermons Archive - Christ Lutheran Church

Oct 20, 2019

Do Not Lose Heart

Series: (All)

October 20, 2019. The message today is on Luke 18:1-8, the Parable of the Unjust Judge. Pastor Tom Schoenherr tells us that we should not lose heart or give up on God, but that we should continue to believe the promise.

*** Transcript ***

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Before beginning, I want to say I am not colorblind and I did not wake up this morning just bleary thinking I picked up the wrong stole. This is blue. It is the Advent stole, the Advent color. But the focus of the gospel is on hope. And more and more, we need hope in our world and in our lives. And so the Advent theme being hope, I know it just looks strange to see it in relation to the green of this season, but think not necessarily that we're into the wrong season, but it's hope that's our focus.

Grace to you. Peace.

On Thursday night, my wife and I joined with a group of a hundred and fifty other people to pack food for Feed My Starving Children. During that whole time, Wednesday night through Sunday today, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, they're going to pack nearly a million meals. On Wednesday night, they finished packing five million meals over a thirteen year period. Every time, at the end of one of those sessions, we pray over all of those meals that are going to be sent. We pray in the face of hunger, and still there is hunger in the world.

My wife and I have good friends who want to have a resolution in court for their daughter. It's been going on for three years. They and we keep praying for a miracle, and yet it hasn't happened. And still the problem is going on, and it seems like lawyers and judges and even God are not listening. And that's the way it is sometimes with prayer for us, isn't it? It just seems as though God isn't there, or isn't listening.

My wife and I have a list at our kitchen table of all of those people who are loved ones, friends, family for whom we are praying. We keep praying for a miracle. And yet also we wonder when will God show up and do for these people like we are praying for them. And it's difficult. It's so hard because we want so much for them to be healed. And yet it doesn't seem like things change sometimes. We pray for this person that they might be delivered from their disease. We pray for this person that they might be delivered and comforted in their time of grief. We pray for family that they might be connected to God's love for them in the midst of the process that they're going through of grieving.

And yet it seems like things go on and problems continue, even though we've prayed. And I wonder if what God is saying to us is that prayer is not a matter of just asking for things, but that prayer has to do with connecting with God's will and God's way of compassion and care. And that we are changed in the process of praying, that we are opened more and more to what God has intended for us and for his world.

This widow comes continually wanting to have a resolution of her problem and she doesn't seem to get any response. She comes without anyone standing by her. As Katie mentioned, she doesn't have a husband. She doesn't have another person who's going to come with her and stand there in the court with her. She is alone and she is unfortunately more easily ignored. So she keeps coming and finally, as she does, this unjust judge grants her what she wants, because she's going to give him a black eye. That's what he's concerned about. He's more concerned about his own reputation than he is about what's going on with her. And so in order to prevent her from giving him a black eye in the public eye, he gives her what she wants.

I think it's one of those places where Jesus is really wanting us to laugh. It's that sense of humor that Jesus is showing us this woman who, as Katie said, doesn't have much to offer, is pummeling this judge because he doesn't do his job. And it sets up a way in which Jesus is also pointing out that the whole justice system seems to be weighted against widows and against orphans and against immigrants and refugees and all of those who seem to be powerless.

In the face of it all it seems as though it's easy for us to lose heart. That's the reason Jesus tells the parable in the first place, that we do not lose heart. But it's easy to lose heart, isn't it? To give up on God? To think that somehow God could be able to do something to resolve all of these issues and everything would be fine with our loved ones and our friends and ourselves. But it isn't.

And turning our back on God's promise, turning our back on God and not trusting God, we're left without a prayer and hopeless. So in the face of all of the injustice in the world, in all of the injustice that we are feeling in ourselves, how do we not lose heart? And how do we not give up on God?

Jesus points out something to us. He says something: watch this unjust judge. Even though he doesn't respect God and he doesn't respect other people, he does for her give her justice. And then Jesus says that this judge is nowhere like God at all. Then he says, as he has given her justice how much more will God give mercy and compassion and love for the people who cry to him day and night?

And we keep crying to God day and night for our loved ones. And God keeps lifting all that injustice, taking all of that injustice, all of that pain, all of that distrust that we have of God's promise and he lays it on Jesus on the cross. And Jesus takes it to the cross and dies there and rises again for us, that we may have a new life, that we might know love and forgiveness, that we might know God's compassion and care for us, now and forever. And that even though things are not working out the way we hoped they would at our time and in our way, that God is still working, that even though we cannot hear or see, God is still there working out his purposes and his way in the world.

And now God is no longer the one who is our opponent, but God is the gracious god of love. And we are empowered through God's spirit to be like this widow. We are empowered to continue to come and persevere in prayer. We're empowered to stand with the people who are going through terrible times, who are losing heart, who are giving up on God, that we can stand with them and for them and let them know that there is a God who has not given up on them, but continues to care for them, to reach out to them with compassion and love.

And this widow is also a witness to us that prayer is not a passive thing. But a prayer invites us to be passionate about injustice in the world, to be passionate about people who are not experiencing mercy or compassion, to be passionate for all of those people who are struggling in our world and in our lives, people we care about. Not to give up, for God does not give up on us.

And he calls us to continue to love and care for the world that he loves so deeply. And to count and to continue to believe the promise, for he says, "Will I find faith on earth when I come again?" That in faith, we continue to believe the promise that love and hope will have the last word over injustice and hopelessness and fear.

In Jesus' name, amen.

*** Keywords ***

2019, Christ Lutheran Church, Webster Groves, sermon, podcast, transcript, Pastor Tom Schoenherr, Parable of the Unjust Judge, Luke 18:1-8

WatchNotesDownloadDateTitle

Oct 20, 2019Do Not Lose Heart

Oct 20, 2019
Do Not Lose Heart

By: Tom Schoenherr
Series: (All)
October 20, 2019. The message today is on Luke 18:1-8, the Parable of the Unjust Judge. Pastor Tom Schoenherr tells us that we should not lose heart or give up on God, but that we should continue to believe the promise.

*** Transcript ***

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Before beginning, I want to say I am not colorblind and I did not wake up this morning just bleary thinking I picked up the wrong stole. This is blue. It is the Advent stole, the Advent color. But the focus of the gospel is on hope. And more and more, we need hope in our world and in our lives. And so the Advent theme being hope, I know it just looks strange to see it in relation to the green of this season, but think not necessarily that we're into the wrong season, but it's hope that's our focus.

Grace to you. Peace.

On Thursday night, my wife and I joined with a group of a hundred and fifty other people to pack food for Feed My Starving Children. During that whole time, Wednesday night through Sunday today, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, they're going to pack nearly a million meals. On Wednesday night, they finished packing five million meals over a thirteen year period. Every time, at the end of one of those sessions, we pray over all of those meals that are going to be sent. We pray in the face of hunger, and still there is hunger in the world.

My wife and I have good friends who want to have a resolution in court for their daughter. It's been going on for three years. They and we keep praying for a miracle, and yet it hasn't happened. And still the problem is going on, and it seems like lawyers and judges and even God are not listening. And that's the way it is sometimes with prayer for us, isn't it? It just seems as though God isn't there, or isn't listening.

My wife and I have a list at our kitchen table of all of those people who are loved ones, friends, family for whom we are praying. We keep praying for a miracle. And yet also we wonder when will God show up and do for these people like we are praying for them. And it's difficult. It's so hard because we want so much for them to be healed. And yet it doesn't seem like things change sometimes. We pray for this person that they might be delivered from their disease. We pray for this person that they might be delivered and comforted in their time of grief. We pray for family that they might be connected to God's love for them in the midst of the process that they're going through of grieving.

And yet it seems like things go on and problems continue, even though we've prayed. And I wonder if what God is saying to us is that prayer is not a matter of just asking for things, but that prayer has to do with connecting with God's will and God's way of compassion and care. And that we are changed in the process of praying, that we are opened more and more to what God has intended for us and for his world.

This widow comes continually wanting to have a resolution of her problem and she doesn't seem to get any response. She comes without anyone standing by her. As Katie mentioned, she doesn't have a husband. She doesn't have another person who's going to come with her and stand there in the court with her. She is alone and she is unfortunately more easily ignored. So she keeps coming and finally, as she does, this unjust judge grants her what she wants, because she's going to give him a black eye. That's what he's concerned about. He's more concerned about his own reputation than he is about what's going on with her. And so in order to prevent her from giving him a black eye in the public eye, he gives her what she wants.

I think it's one of those places where Jesus is really wanting us to laugh. It's that sense of humor that Jesus is showing us this woman who, as Katie said, doesn't have much to offer, is pummeling this judge because he doesn't do his job. And it sets up a way in which Jesus is also pointing out that the whole justice system seems to be weighted against widows and against orphans and against immigrants and refugees and all of those who seem to be powerless.

In the face of it all it seems as though it's easy for us to lose heart. That's the reason Jesus tells the parable in the first place, that we do not lose heart. But it's easy to lose heart, isn't it? To give up on God? To think that somehow God could be able to do something to resolve all of these issues and everything would be fine with our loved ones and our friends and ourselves. But it isn't.

And turning our back on God's promise, turning our back on God and not trusting God, we're left without a prayer and hopeless. So in the face of all of the injustice in the world, in all of the injustice that we are feeling in ourselves, how do we not lose heart? And how do we not give up on God?

Jesus points out something to us. He says something: watch this unjust judge. Even though he doesn't respect God and he doesn't respect other people, he does for her give her justice. And then Jesus says that this judge is nowhere like God at all. Then he says, as he has given her justice how much more will God give mercy and compassion and love for the people who cry to him day and night?

And we keep crying to God day and night for our loved ones. And God keeps lifting all that injustice, taking all of that injustice, all of that pain, all of that distrust that we have of God's promise and he lays it on Jesus on the cross. And Jesus takes it to the cross and dies there and rises again for us, that we may have a new life, that we might know love and forgiveness, that we might know God's compassion and care for us, now and forever. And that even though things are not working out the way we hoped they would at our time and in our way, that God is still working, that even though we cannot hear or see, God is still there working out his purposes and his way in the world.

And now God is no longer the one who is our opponent, but God is the gracious god of love. And we are empowered through God's spirit to be like this widow. We are empowered to continue to come and persevere in prayer. We're empowered to stand with the people who are going through terrible times, who are losing heart, who are giving up on God, that we can stand with them and for them and let them know that there is a God who has not given up on them, but continues to care for them, to reach out to them with compassion and love.

And this widow is also a witness to us that prayer is not a passive thing. But a prayer invites us to be passionate about injustice in the world, to be passionate about people who are not experiencing mercy or compassion, to be passionate for all of those people who are struggling in our world and in our lives, people we care about. Not to give up, for God does not give up on us.

And he calls us to continue to love and care for the world that he loves so deeply. And to count and to continue to believe the promise, for he says, "Will I find faith on earth when I come again?" That in faith, we continue to believe the promise that love and hope will have the last word over injustice and hopelessness and fear.

In Jesus' name, amen.

*** Keywords ***

2019, Christ Lutheran Church, Webster Groves, sermon, podcast, transcript, Pastor Tom Schoenherr, Parable of the Unjust Judge, Luke 18:1-8
Jul 29, 2018God’s Love For All

Jul 29, 2018
God’s Love For All

By: Tom Schoenherr
Series: (All)
July 29, 2018. The focus of Pastor Tom Schoenherr's sermon today comes from Psalm 145: God's love for all. Sometimes in our society we want to withhold God's grace and mercy for only certain people. But God keeps reminding us that it's for everyone.

*** Transcript ***

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

I need to confess that the reading of the psalm was my idea, in order that we might be able to see that in those short amount of verses, there are 14 mentions of "all." Fourteen times I think -- you want to count them to make sure? Fourteen times that "all" is used in that psalm. And it just spoke to me as an evidence of God's multitude of his giving of his abundance. [Holding a paper] I know you can't see this. This is the Pickles cartoon for this weekend. They're both sitting on easy chairs in the living room. Earl is reading the paper. You know, the Pickles cartoon? It's an older couple. There, okay. And then you hear the phone ring. It looks like it's in his pocket. This is kind of a negative example. And he's still reading the paper, and the recording is going on in his pocket. It says, "Hi, this is Earl. I can't answer the phone right now, even though it's in my shirt pocket. At the tone, you can leave a message if you'd like. But who are we kidding? We both know you'd probably have better luck putting it in a bottle and tossing it in the ocean. Have a nice day." And then she looks at him and says, "You know you're despicable, don't you?"

As I said, a kind of negative example of what this psalm and this gospel lesson for today are about. Some of you may use a portion of the psalm as your meal prayer. "The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing." What a wonderful prayer. And it is God's love for all that is the focus of that psalm, and is the focus of Jesus' feeding. It is that gift of God's grace and mercy that we so desperately need in our lives and in our world that we receive from God in this special way.

Our world, including you and me, at times is very anxious. We live in an anxious time. People are kind of upset a lot, and into this world, into this anxiety, God gives a message that he has come to bring grace and mercy to all. And we want to withhold it for only certain ones. Or our society and our world do. But God keeps saying no, it's for all. It's for everyone. The words from the psalm are, "The Lord upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down."

Dr. Rachel Remen tells a story about a time when she was on an airplane and she was sitting at the bulkhead. She was on the aisle seat, there was an empty seat, and then there was an older man who was sitting next to the window. And he was just looking out the window. She sat down and she put her purse in that empty seat, and then she opened a book. She was going to read as much as she could on this flight. And then the flight attendants came along and they were giving out a snack to people (this is a long time ago) of a bagel and a pint of yogurt. Well, she went back to reading her book, and then she heard her seat mate gasp. She looked down, and he had spilled all of that yogurt on to the carpeting of the floor, onto his shoe, and onto a small carry-on bag that was under the seat. She waited, thinking that he was going to do something to try to clean it up, but nothing happened.

And so she looked and she noticed that he had a brace that was on his left leg. She thought, his left leg is paralyzed. She turned on her light for the flight attendants to come and help, but they were quite busy with the rest of the plane and plane passengers. And so when the flight attendant came, she was really quite upset with Rachel for asking her to do this little favor. But Rachel Remen said, "All I really need is if you would give me a wet towel, and I'll take care of it myself." Soon the wet towel came, and Rachel had it and he talked to her and said, "You know, eight months ago I had a stroke. And I don't have any feeling from my fingertips to my elbows in either arm. And of course, my left leg is paralyzed." And she said, "You know, I wear an ileostomy bag. And I have bad eyesight, and flying is not the easiest thing for me to do." And so he looked and he saw that she had this wet towel. His right leg was tucked underneath the seat, and he brought it out and she said to him, "May I?" And she proceeded to wipe off his shoes and the floor and the carry-on bag. And then he bent down toward her and he said, "You know, I used to play the violin."

This man was suffering. Bowed down. Broken. A person who was in need at that particular time. And she was there to do the simple thing of wiping up the mess, and cleaning up what needed to be done.

We are all suffering. It is suffering that describes us as human beings. It connects us to one another. None of us goes through life without having some suffering or brokenness of some kind in our lives. If we separate ourselves from one another, and separate ourselves from God and God's ways, we may feel very much alone and in the darkness. It's a very difficult thing.

Many believe we are living in a zero-sum game. That when somebody else gets something good, then we don't and we lose something of our own. That's not the way God works. That is not God's way among us. For God's gift is for all, and everything is given. He gives everything he has for all.

When Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan, the disciples would have heard that story as they heard Jesus speaking. And given the division between Jews and Samaritans, they probably would have expected that Jesus would have said that the Samaritan went through the man's pants pockets and took out his billfold and took out his credit cards and took out his money and his keys and walked away. But that isn't what happened. The Samaritan had pity on this man, put him on his own donkey, and took him to an inn where they were both welcomed.

Isn't that God's way, even with those that we don't feel very comfortable with? Jesus calls us to give all. God says give it all away. And yet we know that there are lots of people, or at least some, who would go through the pants pockets and take out the billfold and take out the credit cards and the cash and the keys and walk away. We know that that's true.

So what do we do? How do we live? Do we want to live in that suspicion of everybody who is anybody apart from me? And those who are immediately around me are always going to be suspected of doing those kinds of things? God says that's not a good way to live. And God continues to give and give and give for all, without suspicion of what the person's motives might be or what they might do.

There's an ancient form of Japanese art called Kintsugi. What it does is to take valuable possessions that are cracked and broken, and mend them with gold leaf. So that you see the big crack in the bowl that you normally might throw away in the garbage. But it's valued and honored by the way in which it is repaired. And so you see all of that gold where those cracks and broken parts were, and it's all put back together.

I wonder if that's what God's way is with us. We are cracked and broken people, whom he invites to the table again this morning. We come with all our cracks, all our our foibles, all of our fallenness, all of our brokenness, all of our bowed-down-ness. We bring it all to Jesus. And he takes it and he returns to us our lives -- where it was cracked and broken, filled with the gold leaf of God's abiding love In Jesus Christ. And that gift of forgiveness and healing is ours to share.

There were twelve baskets left over. Were all of those thrown away, all of that food? We live in a society that wastes so much food. No, it was taken and given to others who might need it, so that all might be satisfied, all might know that abundant love of God that has come for all.

The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord. You give us our food in due season. You open your hand, satisfying the desire of every living thing. No longer do we need to live with clenched fists, only thinking about ourselves and those around us that we know. But our hands are open, that we might share the abundance of God's grace and mercy and love with all of God's people, as God has so abundantly shared them with you and me.

In Jesus' name, amen.

*** Keywords ***

2018, Christ Lutheran Church, Webster Groves, sermon, podcast, transcript, Paster Tom Schoenherr, Psalm 145:16-17
May 27, 2018Listen To the Voice

May 27, 2018
Listen To the Voice

By: Tom Schoenherr
Series: (All)
May 27, 2018. Pastors Penny and Keith have retired. Guest pastor Tom Schoenherr preaches today on Psalm 29, and grieving the loss. We don't really know what will happen during this time of transition. But what we do know is that God's voice will continue to lead us.

*** Transcript ***

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

This may be a day of some sadness and grief for you, as you come together this morning. You may have hoped that pastors Keith and Penny might have been here to lead this worship instead of me. I appreciate the relationship that we've had together. But I also recognize that this is a time when people who have been significant in your life, who have led the congregation for fifteen years, are not here because they've retired. There is grieving that happens.

We need to recognize that, as we move forward into this time of transition. You've heard the announcement about what's going to be happening in the future. There is still opportunity for you to grieve for Keith and Penny that they're not here. And I share that grief with you, because I miss their voices, and you probably miss their voices and their presence too.

But as we come together today, we're having the opportunity to grieve, but also to celebrate a new chapter for Keith and Penny, for the Holstes as they move into a new chapter in their lives. And as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit move this congregation into your new chapter. And where that will lead and what that will mean in the future. We don't really know for sure. But what we do have is a promise that as we listen to God's voice that he will continue to lead us in the days and weeks and months to come.

The text for today is Psalm 29, and you read that psalm earlier. If you would like to refer to it and take a look at that in the bulletin, you are welcome. Psalm 29 is a reflection of a terrible storm, a chaotic storm that has taken place. And there are evidences of that storm throughout the psalm. There are certainly earthquakes. There is thunder. There's fire. There's the breaking of cedars. There's flooding. There is the whirling of oaks turning around. It sounds scary to me. It is a scary storm.

And I think about the pictures that we've been seeing about Kilauea in Hawaii. Some of you maybe have been there yourselves. But that storm, that volcanic storm, can be scary because you see that lava, that hot lava, burning and flowing and it surrounds houses and trees and cars and burns them out. You don't want to get too close to lava because it's extremely hot. It can cause all kinds of problems, particularly also from the gases that are emitted out of the Earth. And we recognize that that volcanic storm, and the storm that's being described in the psalm, are evidence of great power. And we're left just looking at it and saying wow, out of an understanding that we don't have that power at all. We don't have any control over those storms. And that God is the one who is in the midst of it all.

How do we worship a God who has that kind of power? Well, maybe we need to be listening to the voice, as we repeated again and again, the voice of the Lord. To hear that voice, that voice may be speaking to us in the midst of the chaos and uncertainty that we may feel as pastors Keith and Penny are no longer here. As we move into the future, we may sense some bit of confusion and uncertainty, and that's normal.

But as we do, we also listen to the voice. Listen to the voice of the Lord. What is God saying to us in the midst of the storm? If you look at the psalm, the first two verses, the word of the Lord or the name "Lord" is repeated four times. In verses 3 through 9, there are seven "voices of the Lord," and there are ten times when the divine name is mentioned. And in the last two verses of the psalm again four times "the Lord" is spoken. So in the midst of the storm the Lord is present, and in the midst of our confusion and chaos that life can bring to us, how do we respond? How do we respond to this storm in our lives?

One of those storms is certainly the retiring of beloved pastors. Another one, maybe those who are sick or dying who are part of our family and our household. A number of you have attended graduations in these days. And as we come to those graduations, there is a certain amount of sadness, as well as joy, as we see children and grandchildren graduating from high school and from college, and what the future may hold for them as well. And as we come to a time in our lives when maybe we need to make some decisions about where we're going to be living so that somebody else may be taking care of us at a time later in our lives, then in the midst of all of that this psalm is saying to us, God has this. We're in the Lord's hand. God will not forsake us. He is in the midst of the storm. He will not let you go.

But we want to try to control it somehow or other, don't we? We want to figure out a way in which we can deal with this chaos with the vacuum that's been formed. And so we have questions and we wonder, why does it take so long to get a new pastor or pastors? Why can't we speed up that process and just have somebody here right away, because that's what we need. We think. Or we may think that we've lost the voice of the Lord as pastors Keith and Penny are no longer here. Where is the Lord's voice now? Does God know or care about our problems and the kinds of things that we're going through? Where is God's presence for us? Life seems somewhat out of control. It seems a little bit chaotic. Things are not certain. Where do we go from here?

But the psalm says the Lord sits above the flood. God's there. He doesn't stop the flood from happening or the earthquake or the thunder or the whirling oaks or the breaking of trees. But God is there in the midst of it all. And the voice of the Lord, where is it? It is where it's always been. The voice of the Lord is with our Lord Jesus Christ who comes and is in the midst of us, who invites us to the table, who continues to speak God's word to us, who sends that Holy Spirit into our hearts and minds that we might receive a word from the voice of the Lord. That is a word that speaks hope and promise in the midst of some chaos and confusion.

Where is the voice of the Lord? The voice of the Lord is also you. You are the voice of the Lord to one another. And as you gather together and have opportunity to be together, you are speaking words of love and hope and care and peace to one another that are so necessary, and you are God's voice to one another. Where is the voice of the Lord? The voice of the Lord is also in the community. People of different religions, of different cultures, of different races. People who are oppressed, people who are broken, people who are looking for hope listen to those voices because the voice of the Lord is also coming through them.

Listen to the voice.

So when the stormy times, when anxiety levels rise, and we feel so uncertain and a bit confused, it's important to continue to gather for worship. The importance of continuing to be here, to listen to the voice of the Lord, to gather at the table in order that you might be strengthened for the work that you are called to do. Continue to care for one another. Continue to reach out with the voice of the Lord to one another in this desperate and difficult time.

Continue to hear that word gathered at the table, so that you may come to receive the forgiving love of God in Jesus Christ, and there be strengthened and connected to one another again, so that your stories and your struggles and your problems and concerns are shared with one another and you can minister to one another with that voice of the Lord that makes so much difference in our lives.

And also continue to reach out in service and care to all of the world that God is calling you to serve. Because you don't need a flashy, exciting pastor to continue to do the work of the Lord in the world. That's you. God speaking to you and moving you into all kinds of ways. Yeah, when a pastor comes that's exciting and wonderful. But you don't need that presence in order to continue to do the work of the Lord in this place.

So, God who's enthroned in the storms of life is also the God who calls you children of God, who loves you and is with you and loves this whole world. There is awesome power in that love. And God is always faithful to us, will never abandon us or forsake us.

Finally God's gift to this congregation is peace to calm the storm. Peace in the midst of the struggle to lead you in ways that can heal a broken and chaotic world. May God bless you and all the people of God say, "Glory." Glory in the name of Jesus.

Amen.

*** Keywords ***

2018, Christ Lutheran Church, Webster Groves, sermon, podcast, transcript, Pastor Tom Schoenherr
Feb 4, 2018Rest and Renewal

Feb 4, 2018
Rest and Renewal

By: Tom Schoenherr
Series: (All)
February 4, 2018. Guest pastor Tom Schoenherr talks today about the importance of rest and renewal. Just as Jesus knew that he couldn’t heal everybody all the time and would seek out a quiet place for prayer, so too we need to remember that if we don’t step back sometimes, we run the risk of losing our connection with God.

*** Transcript ***

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

As we come together this morning, there are probably a number of us who have heavy hearts and heavy thoughts. This time in our society has been a very difficult one in a lot of ways, and some of us have struggles in order to face each day, and the new surprises and the new things in the conflicts and troubles that might be coming. I invite you to do something with me: just take a good inhale. And exhale. Let's do it twice more. It's important that we breathe.

When Jesus was in this particular setting, he was having a lot going on. Just before the passage that we read for the gospel, Jesus has been in the synagogue with his disciples, and they've healed a man who was possessed by a demon. And the demon even talks to Jesus. But Jesus brings this demon out, and the man is healed. Then Jesus goes with his disciples to Simon Peter's house. And Peter says that his mother-in-law is ill with a fever. And at that time if you had a fever and it was an infection, it could be death-dealing. So Jesus goes to her and he takes her hand, and he lifts her up -- the same word that's used when Jesus is lifted up on the cross, when Jesus is lifted out of the tomb, resurrection -- and she is healed. And then there are all these people who come, who are sick, who have all kinds of problems in their lives. And they come for Jesus to heal them. It's told us that the whole town is gathered around the door. And Jesus is there to heal them, to free them from the possession of demons. But I wonder, I don't think he heals all of them, because he's healing into the night. And Jesus needs to rest. He needs to get a place to sleep. Jesus knows that he can't, and is not sent to, heal everybody. He knows that he needs Sabbath. He needs rest and renewal.

And so early in the morning, when it's still dark, I picture Jesus not being able to sleep. He just gets up and he goes out into a deserted place. The disciples wake up later on and they know that Jesus isn't there, and they go out to find him. But Jesus is there praying. Jesus is seeking that silent place to be in the presence of God, to listen to God, to pray to God, for us and for all of those who need healing. Jesus knows that there is a rhythm to life that God has given us, and that sometimes we need to remember that. There is a rhythm to our sleeping and to our waking activity. There is a rhythm to night moving into morning. There is a rhythm to the growing times of spring and summer, that is offset by those dormant times of autumn and winter. There are the tides that go out and come in, a conversation between land and water and the moon. Our heart rests between each beat. And our lungs rest between the inhale and the exhale. And if we don't understand that, and live into that, we ignore that rhythm to our danger.

Sometimes I think Jesus might have been tempted, when the disciples come out and they say everyone is searching for you, to go back and just to start healing people again. Because it's a heady thing, isn't it, when people tell us we really need you, you're really important, what you do and what you say really makes a difference in our lives. And it feels good. Jesus could have spent his entire ministry just being in one place and having everybody come to heal them. But I know, and you know too, how important it is to step back. If we don't, we run the risk of losing that most important connection with God's rest and power in our lives. Thinking that somehow we really are important can separate us from community, can separate us from God's gift of rest and renewal in our lives. And so it is important for us to keep in mind the centrality of Sabbath, to step back from all that we're doing, how important we are in our work, how important we are at home, to step back as even we're caring for other people, in order to take the time to go to a place to listen, to pray.

That's why we come here. We come here because it's our Sabbath, our time to hear what God has to say to us, our time to talk with God and listen to God. It's a time for prayer. When Jesus gathers us together around the meal of the Lord's Supper, he draws us as people who are broken, who are hurting, who have all kinds of problems in our lives, people who have stories that we have not shared with anyone else. And he draws us together to give us his body and blood, to heal us, to give us rest and renewal, to draw us close to him, to forgive our sin, to give us the healing that we so desperately need, and to draw us again to remember that we are in a community -- a community of people who are here to care for us, to reach out to us in our times of need.

That community in our society is breaking down. That Sabbath understanding in our society has broken down. We have forgotten our need for rest. We have forgotten our need for connection with one another. For 23 days in January, there were 11 school shootings. And for some reason we don't stand up and put an end to our children killing children. There are children and women who are being abused every day. And yet we don't know it. We're not aware. I'm always amazed at all of these stories where people come who are neighbors, and they say we had no idea. We had no idea that this was going on when 13 children in a home in California, a number of whom are being chained to their beds. We're not aware. There are seniors who are living in vans and cars because they can't afford to live in retirement, and still they cannot get jobs. Our social fabric is breaking down. We have lost sight of Sabbath and community.

Jesus gathers us together again today to remind us of the importance that we are not always needed for everything. And we aren't needed all the time. And it's important for us to step back, to listen, to pray, to receive the healing that God has to give to us, so that we might be sent out. God sent out people to the world in order that we might share with them the importance of rest and renewal, how necessary it is to inhale and exhale, to receive that gift of healing that we have in Christ alone. May God bless your day, your week in the midst of all of the struggle and problems and troubles that we face or that our world is facing. It's still important to step away, to breathe, to listen, to pray, to get the healing that God has for us and for the whole world.

In Jesus' name, amen.

*** Keywords ***

2018, Christ Lutheran Church, Webster Groves, sermon, podcast, transcript, Tom Schoenherr, Mark 1:21-28, Man with an Unclean Spirit, Mark 1:29-39
Aug 13, 2017This Boat Was Meant To Sail

Aug 13, 2017
This Boat Was Meant To Sail

By: Tom Schoenherr
Series: (All)
August 13, 2017. Guest Pastor Tom Schoenherr preaches on the Gospel story, from Matthew 14, in which Peter gets out of the boat and walks on water to Jesus. "Come," says Jesus. "Don't be afraid. I am with you." We tend to believe today that Jesus keeps us safe and secure, from fear and all the challenges in ourselves and in the world around us. But we're all in this boat together, and Jesus is bidding us to get out and come, into those places of doubt and danger in our lives. *** [Keywords: 2017 Barb's mother Charlottesville, VA Christ Lutheran Church Christ's love God's children Gospel Greek I am with you I'm with you Jesus Christ is already there Jesus says come Jesus' hand was not there Lord's table Matthew 14 Peter had doubts Peter needed help Sunday morning This Boat Was Meant to Sail Tom Schoenherr accept addictions all my people all of your people all the challenges baptism be safe be the presence of God be there for one another be there to hold her began to understand blood transfusions brothers and sisters but they sink can't avoid them can't go backward care about care for one another children of God choice we've made come come together command me connected connects us with one another cultures dangerous waves deal with didn't know different colors different cultures difficult problems disappear under the water disease doctor's office don't be afraid don't need to be afraid doubting doubts and concerns end of her life even then everything is going to be okay extend your life face facing our Lord faith faith in Jesus fearful follow him followers of Christ forgive forgiving forward gathered here together gift of Holy Spirit go out into deep water going into troubled disturbed places going through good choice good news hard even to get here have to live with he is already there he says come headed healing help us hold onto that promise holding onto us hope in our lives if it is you illness in the waves in these waters in this world into the pain into the storms into the world invites us to come out of the boat involved in mission just a little bit keep us safe and secure keeps holding onto promise kindergarten knowing last months of her life laughter leave you in the water lifestyles lift them up lifted him up lifts him up listing to this side live in this world look at Jesus looking at Jesus loss of loved one love and life we miss deeply loved ones are lost made us his own means ship or boat midst of the storm miracle drugs nave never meant to be tied up to dock next thing to come no happy endings nose above the water not alone not easy answers not fun not pleasant nothing more we can do on the way ourselves out of the water place of danger place where we are gathered places in our lives pray questioning questions races reaches down really religions remember who we are sent sermon share my love sit still slide so alone so many fears standing in the boat starts to sink stay in the boat step out of boat stories storm storms in our lives stormy waters struggle with faith struggles tend to believe the Great I Am the Great Physician those days are past threatens times of need toward Jesus troubled world trust God's promise trusted trusting walk out with you walked into school walking across the water walking on top of waves walking on water water of baptism water of life way it used to be we doubt we feel distant we have doubts we need help we want to come out we're all in this boat together we're in the boat what about those times where are we going where is it sailing where we are going white supremacists work on them world around us]
Jul 2, 2017Welcome

Jul 2, 2017
Welcome

By: Tom Schoenherr
Series: (All)
July 2, 2017. Guest pastor Tom Schoenherr shares with us today a poem he wrote to go along with the Gospel reading from Matthew 10:40. "Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me." Sometimes we are not the ones welcoming, but we're the ones being welcomed. How does it feel to be welcomed? *** [Keywords: 2017 Gospel I'm not in charge Jesus Christ Matthew 10:40 Thomas Tom Schoenherr accept people as they are afflict all that keeps me bound in fear all the same to me at your table lord bear with me believe in someone stronger betrayals and regrets bleeding body and blood shed for me breakable breakableness breathe a new spirit in me brittle caress caverns of my mind and heart come to you Jesus comes alongside of us coming up the road community of love complex and complicated than my fears and doubts connect with it connected to Christ could it be cringe crushable cry to be known deep in my being dependence on you lord depending on others depths of my fears and pain difficult time disciples does not rhyme drawn into community draws us to the table embrace facebook page failures are many fear and prejudice fear of rejection fearful heart fears too extensive feel very vulnerable for all of us for all the world for each of us for whoever forgiving fragile frail getting at here give me hope again good enough for welcoming grudges heal me heal my broken life how does it feel is it you again knock know me learned let go let my vulnerability show letting others know like me locked doors locked room of fear long for connection love me made whole midst of being welcomed more than a name no one will know not berated or condemned not even God not so much welcoming not weak but strong oft too deep to be shared okay to feel vulnerable old Russian Orthodox monk out of control pain and death and new life painful peace poem prime minister promise is true promise of eternal life prostitute refreshing drink of cold water in the heat of the day reject me resting and trusting in the promise of God revealing my insides run to save yourself scares me secrets see through my outward confidence strength and smile segregated and apart send me out sermon set me free set the agenda shattered so delicate so many questions someone else is welcoming me speak to me stand at whoever's door stranger those who open their doors too apparent touch your wounds unlock the doors of my life very free verse wait waiting at the door walks through the door with us walls want to be in control ways that relate we are sent to do the same we're the ones being welcomed welcoming God the father welcoming Jesus welcoming others who I really am whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me whoever welcomes you welcomes me wondering]
Feb 19, 2017Nevertheless, He Persisted

Feb 19, 2017
Nevertheless, He Persisted

By: Tom Schoenherr
Series: (All)
February 19, 2017. What is perfection? In Matthew 5:38-48 Jesus says we are to be perfect, as our heavenly Father is perfect. But what does it mean to be perfect? Pastor Tom Schoenherr discusses this text, and suggests that we are to reach toward the goal of a life in deep and mature relationship with God. It's difficult for us to love those who have hurt us, but Jesus calls us to the struggle. He understands that we can't attain perfection but he calls us to persist. *** [Keywords: Bible Christ-like Janet Jan Roock Jesus July 31 LGBT deal with prejudice Maddy Roock Mark Roock Matthew 5:38-48 Pastor Tom Schoenherr Senator Elizabeth Warren Senator Mitch McConnell Sermon on the Mount abused all the way to the cross amputation as our heavenly Father is perfect at the table beyond our understanding bigger weapons boys and girls of God brokenness carers church combative coming alongside each of us compound fractures legs conflicts continue to move forward deeper relationship difficult doormats drawing us close to himself dreadfully imperfect easier take revenge emotional abuse empty tomb enemy of Christ eye for an eye feeding us flawless follower of Christ forgivers forgiving us give new life grief he persisted heal his own blood his own body holy hospital hurt impossible internal decapitation killed life in deep relationship with God life they have love your enemies lovers loving enemies mature maturity men and women of God mission mourn nevertheless she persisted new way to live and love in the world no matter our struggle outside Kingdom of Heaven pain people deal with racism perfection persisted persistence physical abuse prosthesis pursuing goal reach toward the goal reaching for a goal retribution sadness sexual abuse sisters struggle in persisting terrible accident therapy they persisted took great abuse in his own life took lives tooth for a tooth troubled vengeance was given an explanation was told was warned we are to be perfect we're not alone without sin woman reached out touched Jesus' robe woman spent time to find lost coin woman walked into temple gave everything she had woman wet Jesus' feet with her tears, dried with hair women who deal with sexism]
Aug 14, 2016Keep Running the Race

Aug 14, 2016
Keep Running the Race

By: Tom Schoenherr
Series: (All)
August 14, 2016. Have you ever given up on God? Guest pastor Tom Schoenherr preaches today, during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, on Hebrews 12:1-2 about running the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus who is the pioneer and perfecter of faith. But in the Greek, the word for race also means struggle. Sometimes when bad things happen to us or to our loved ones, we find it difficult to stay in the race, to keep struggling in the faith. We find it hard to keep believing. Why do bad things happen to good people? When they do, turning away from God may seem easier. But then we're struggling alone. We need to know that God doesn't cause bad things to happen. But he is there for us in moments of despair, he weeps with us, and he sends wonderful people to help us, so that we can keep running the race. *** [Keywords: abby abigail accident agony agóna alone battle believe believing cloud crash david despair faith fate grandchildren greek grieving healing hebrews 12:1-2 intervene janet jenny maddy mark maya olympics perfecter pioneer pray prayer prevent protection race recklessness rio roock running schoenherr struggle suffering swimming thoughtlessness tom tragedy travel weep witnesses]
May 1, 2016Promise of Peace

May 1, 2016
Promise of Peace

By: Tom Schoenherr
Series: (All)
May 1, 2016. Guest pastor Tom Schoenherr preaches on Jesus' words from John 14:27: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." Where does peace come from? Sometimes we find peace, but it doesn't last. Sometimes it seems that our prayers are not heard, that Jesus has left the room, and we're on our own. Or is it that we don't really believe promises that may be difficult to receive?

*** Transcript ***

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

If we think about this passage from the gospel, John 14 that we just heard, I think we could think of Jesus as being very sad at this point. He may be welling up with tears, choking back emotion, because he's preparing the disciples for his crucifixion, for his resurrection, for his return to the Father. And in chapter 12 and 13, we also see this word "troubled" being used in relation to Jesus. Jesus is troubled. And that word can be translated as "disturbed." We're stirred up. We're unsettled. Jesus is with the disciples. He's brought them to the Upper Room, where he has consecrated the Lord's Supper and the bread and wine, his own body and blood, for the forgiveness and life of his people. He has washed their feet and shown them how they are to live and love and care for others in the world. He gives them a new commandment, that "you love one another as I have loved you." So Jesus has done all of this, gives them the promise that he is not going to leave them orphaned, he gives them the Holy Spirit, he gives them peace, and then he comes to these words: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

How does the world give peace? Sometimes peace comes, but it seems as though it's not necessarily lasting. Since 3,600 BC, in the past over 5,600 years in recorded history, there have only been 286 years of peace. In all of that time there have been over 8,000 treaties that have been signed. So we can use all kinds of force, all kinds of power in order to guarantee peace, but it does not last. I know that in many times, I am troubled and anxious. And you may be too. I get troubled and stirred up and disturbed, because of the continued violence that goes on against women, that gun violence, all kinds of violence against people in our society that continues. I get stirred up and troubled and anxious about presidential politics in this primary season. I get stirred up and anxious about the ways in which our society continues to be separated and divided racially and spiritually and economically. And then I hear Jesus say, "Don't let your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." And I say sure Jesus, easy for you to say. Because lots of us have also lost loved ones whom we miss dearly. Some of us have illnesses that seem to come at no matter what age and leave us struggling, questioning. And I also find, and maybe you do too, that sometimes our prayers just seem as though they are going out into the air, and God isn't listening. And doesn't seem to be responding. And it seems as though Jesus has left the room, left the house. And we are on our own.

But left to ourselves, as we said earlier, we don't have any lasting peace. Left to ourselves we cry out into the emptiness, and there is only the sound of silence. And no peace. Why is it that we — who are God's people, to whom Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit and giving peace — are people who are very anxious and troubled? Is it because we have too high of expectations of the world and of Jesus? Is it because we feel so passed by by this rapidly changing world? Is it because maybe we really don't believe Jesus' promise?

Let's go back to those words again. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." That peace is not something that comes from the world or inside of us. It comes from outside of us. It comes from Christ, who also then lives in us through the power of the Holy Spirit. That Spirit is given to us from Christ, in order that we might have peace. And Jesus continues to draw us to the table, and welcomes us to that table, where we are strengthened for the work that we do in peacemaking in the world. He draws us to the table again this morning, and he gives us his own body and blood. He forgives our sin, renews our lives, empowers us with his spirit, and sends us out that we might be those people of peace and hope in a broken world.

If we think that we're going to see the end of conflicts, the end of war in our lifetime, we may be very disappointed. But what Jesus is giving us is deeper than that. What Jesus is giving us is a sense of well-being, a sense of calm in the midst of the storm. Then, in light of all of the anxiety, all of the trouble, all of the pain, all of the struggle that's going on in our world, we can still be at peace. And sometimes that's difficult to receive, and maybe we're left with those words that I used before. Sure Jesus, easy for you to say. But always, Jesus is inviting us into that peace, to receive that well-being, to receive that confidence in the word that he gives us, in the promise that he continues to put into our hearts and minds. You might think of a time when you were able to be a sharer of that peace with another person. Or when you were able to receive that peace from someone else — not maybe in those words, but just because that person was a person of peace in your life, and shared that presence with you. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives give I unto you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."

Now we are sent out into this world as people who receive that gift of peace in order to speak to a troubled, anxious people — wondering about the world, wondering about a vision, wondering about the future, troubled in many ways. But we have a better story, a hope that is within us, a promise of peace that does not end, a promise of peace that is for the whole world.

In Jesus' name, amen.

*** Keywords ***

2016, Christ Lutheran Church, Webster Groves, sermon, podcast, transcript, Tom Schoenherr, John 14:23-29
Jan 17, 2016Sharing the Abundance

Jan 17, 2016
Sharing the Abundance

By: Tom Schoenherr
Series: (All)
January 17, 2016. Guest pastor Tom Schoenherr preaches on the story of the wedding at Cana from the Gospel of John, in which Jesus turns water into wine when the wine gives out. We too can share God's abundance with others when health, faith, or trust in God give out.

*** Transcript ***

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Weddings. Weddings are places where the hopes and dreams of many people come together. Weddings are also events where things can go wrong. I presided at a wedding where the bride chose to be late because that's what she normally did. The rings didn't show up. The candles didn't get lit. At this particular wedding at Cana, we are told the wine gave out. In the Greek, that word is lack. So it was lacking. It was finished. There wasn't any more wine. And in that particular time, the wedding reception would last about seven days. So if they're in about the third day, they have a long way to go. And I always struggle with this text. It doesn't mean that everybody should get drunk at weddings, please, nor the bar be open forever. The bar was closed. It was an embarrassment to the family, and I'm sure to the couple. They may not have had very much of their own. So Jesus does something special there. But the wine gave out. It wasn't a life-threatening thing that happened, but Jesus did it for what I said before: the purpose of showing us what abundance God's grace is.

I know at our wedding patience gave out. The patience of our fathers in particular. The guys in the wedding party thought it would be fun to take my wife and kidnap her. And so they drove away with her, leaving me at the reception alone. An hour later when they showed up, having gotten lost, my father and Barb's father were there meeting them at the door. It was not a pleasant experience. Those guys in the wedding party still apologize every time they see us. So patience can give out. All kinds of things give out in our lives: health, friends and family who are no longer with us. There can be, as we are also focused upon Martin Luther King, Jr. this weekend, a giving out of a desire to live together as different races and cultures, in harmony and peace. We can even reach that point, where as we see these things giving out in our lives, whatever they may be -- health being one of them -- that we may get the feeling of helplessness. We want to fix it. We want to make things better. We want to work hard in order to make everything turn out right. And that helplessness can lead to panic at times.

Finally, the thing that is giving out for us is the giving out of our faith and trust in God. We wonder where is God? Like in the Isaiah text, has God really abandoned us? Does he no longer understand that all kinds of things are giving out in our lives? And where is God? Why isn't God showing up? There's a feeling, even among those presidential hopefuls that are traveling around the country these days, that there is the scarcity. There's all kinds of things giving out, like money, like security, like jobs. And so as we look at our society today, we're thinking wow, everything is giving out. What are we going to do?

Mary comes to Jesus and says they have no wine. She is aware that that has given out as well, and she believes that Jesus is the one who can help. But as long as we continue to focus upon that which is giving out and our own ability to make it better and fix it, then we can cut ourselves off from that grace of God that we need so desperately. And we are left with no wine. And only in our fear. And fear seems to be a great commodity these days, fear and suspicion. We see it everywhere we look. Jesus doesn't give up on the people at Cana, and he doesn't abandon us as well, in our deeper need. For in response to his mother's saying they have no wine, Jesus says, "My hour has not yet come." But when Jesus' hour does come, then Jesus' life will be given out. Poured out for you and me, that we may have life abundantly, that we may know the promise of a God who comes to enter into the very real problems of our lives where things keep running out, giving out. It is in that Lord Jesus Christ that we have the abundance of God's grace, grace upon grace that gives us new life and hope. That grace never runs out, never gives out. It continues to flow and be abundant in our lives always.

And again, Jesus invites us to the table again today, where he is the host. And he is the one who stands with us in the midst of our pains and our struggles, our fears, our suspicions, in order that he might take them all on himself and return to us the abundance of his love, the abundance of his forgiveness and healing. In Jesus Christ, there is hope for us. Everything doesn't have to, as it all is eventually running out. We know that in Jesus Christ there is a new age, a new one who holds onto us that we can hold onto in our time of struggle and need. And he also fills us with that promise and that spirit, in sending us out to be the people of God in the world, to share that abundance of love and life and joy with everyone.

And I wonder what could it be this week that you might do that would show the abundance of God's grace? Students going to Guatemala, certainly a way in which that grace of God, that love of God is shown to people as we sit and listen with them. But what does it take? What could we do? You might think about that. It could be a smile. There are lots of people walking around with frowns these days, but that smile might be a way to connect with someone about the grace of God. To sit and listen to someone, and just give your time. To be patient with someone. God's abundance of grace and love counters the abundance of fear, and of the giving out of everything that seems to be so dear to us in our lives. I wonder if Jesus had a dream that day. A dream that there would be that time when all of God's people would be drawn together to live in harmony. A dream that there would be enough for everyone so that all people could thrive and survive. A dream that all races and cultures might be able to live together in peace.

We have been gifted with the abundance of God's grace and love, and we are sent in order that we might be that presence of God, that presence of joy, that presence of abundance of God's grace for all of God's people. May we be filled with that spirit of new life and hope for all the world. In Jesus' name, amen.

*** Keywords ***

2016, Christ Lutheran Church, Webster Groves, sermon, podcast, transcript, Tom Schoenherr, John 2:1-11, Wedding at Cana