9/17/09 - Pentecost 15 - Deut. 4:1-2,6-8

WHAT ARE WE KNOWN FOR?
- God's truth
- God's love

What are we known for? What are we as Living Word Lutheran Church known for? What do you want us to be known for? Because, let’s face it, there’s a lot of competition out there! Thursday I counted all of the churches listed in the Montrose Daily Press. Any idea how many churches are listed in the surrounding area? 57. 57 churches in the area we are living in – and each one wants to boost their membership! Each one is trying to find ways to attract people to their church. Special programs, guest speakers, free concerts… there are countless ways that churches try to get their names out into the community and there are countless gimmicks for which they want to be known.
So what are we known for? What makes us different than any of the remaining 56 churches in this area? Why should anyone and why would anyone want to visit us and become a member here? What are we known for that could possibly draw unchurched people to this congregation and actually make them want to stay? Well, the answer to that question is in our text for today. We are known for the very same things the Israelites were known for in Deuteronomy chapter four: God’s truth and God’s love.
In our text, the Israelites are about to enter the Promise Land. But they were an unknown nation at that time. People in the land of Canaan hadn’t heard of the Israelites before. I’m sure the Israelites were a little apprehensive and a little nervous about going into a land filled with other nations who were a lot bigger and who seemed a lot more powerful than the Israelites were at the time.
Moses knew this, and so he stood up and addressed the Israelite people before they crossed the Jordan River and stepped into the land. This is really what the book of Deuteronomy is all about: Moses’ farewell speech to his people. And in chapter four he not only encourages them to remain faithful to the Lord, but he also reminds them about the two things they had that no one else did. Moses said to them, “What other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today?” This was a reminder that they had been blessed with the very words of the Lord! They had what no other nation had: God’s truth. And “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?” This was reminder to the Israelites that they had been blessed with a kind and compassionate God. They had what no other nation had: God’s love. These two blessings, God’s truth and God’s love, are what the Israelites carried with them over the Jordan River and into Canaan. God’s truth and God’s love are what gave the Israelites the strength and the courage to face those bigger and stronger nations. God’s truth and God’s love are really what the Israelites became known for.
When each one of us walks out this door today we are crossing our own Jordan River in a way. We will be entering a land that is filled with many different people. When we walk out this door today we will be representing a congregation that is not only relatively unknown to the people who live here, but it is also one congregation among a variety of others. But most importantly, when we walk out this door today we will meet souls who do not know their Savior. What do we have to offer? What will we be known for? Consider this: we have something no other church does: God’s truth.
Out of all these congregations in this area, we have been blessed through the years with the absolute truth of God’s word. Now, I’m not saying that we are the only people going to heaven. I’m not saying that Christ is not preached at other churches around here. But you know as well as I do, that no matter what another church teaches, they will inevitably teach some things that are false. Why we can say that? Because we can look at their confessions of faith. We can read what that particular church body officially teaches on any doctrine of the Bible. And whether someone considers it a “minor” or a “major” difference, it’s still false. It is still not God’s Word in its truth and purity. That’s why I am saying that we have God’s truth to offer – in its entirety, an offer no other church can legitimately make.
And believe me: people want the truth. People look for the truth. They don’t want to be fed lies, or theories, or guesses, or errors. They want to know that what they are being taught is the truth and nothing but the truth. That’s what you want, right? That’s why we’re here at Living Word – because Living Word preaches the truth, teaches the truth, lives in the truth of Scripture. And if you want the truth that badly, don’t you think there are others out there with the exact same mindset? We have God’s truth in every aspect of Scripture. Don’t hesitate to offer that to people – and thank God that we do.
Thank God that we have the truth. Because we can’t take credit for it. He has blessed us with men and women who have gone before us in this congregation and in this Synod, who have preserved the absolute truth of God’s Word so that we can learn it and spread it. What a priceless blessing that is. A blessing that we all too often take for granted. A blessing that we have to be careful not to abuse.
After all, the Lord tells us, “Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God.” We have God’s truth, let us not add or subtract from it in any way. How might we do that? Well, think of those teachings of God’s truth that you like to avoid when talking to others. I can think of some things that I struggle with sometimes: What the Bible says about the role of men and women; what the Bible says about baptism; what the Bible says about communing with others at the Lord’s Supper. Sometimes you just don’t want to bring up those subjects with other people, do you? You want to avoid them at all costs because people misunderstand you and get mad at you and you don’t know how to explain it in the first place! But the bottom line is: those teachings are right out of Scripture. They are God’s truth just like anything else in the Bible is. Don’t subtract from God’s word by leaving out subjects that you don’t want to talk about. God isn’t embarrassed to talk about his truth. And if God thought those things were important enough to place in Scripture, don’t you think we should consider them important enough to tell others – regardless of how they take it? It’s a terrible sin to think we can be editors of God’s Word, to think we can pick and choose what to say and what not to say to others. We have no right to do that. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” All Scripture is worth talking about. And when we fail to do that, we must repent.
But the beauty of it is: we can. We can repent to the Lord because he wants us to and asks us to and promises to hear us! Remember what Moses said, “What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?” And that is the second thing we are known for: God’s love. God hears us when we pray because we are his children. We are his children because he adopted us. He adopted us because he sent his Son Jesus to die for our sins. He sent Jesus to die in our place because he loves us. God loves you. For free. That is something no one else can offer.
Sure, there are plenty of churches that stress God’s love. But it’s not the love of God we find in Scripture. Not only do non-Christian churches teach a false love of God, but even many so called “Christian” churches mess it up. Because God’s love is not earned. God’s love is not deserved. You don’t have to do anything for it, you don’t have to work for it, you don’t have to pay him back. God “has saved us,” 2 Timothy says, “not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.” That is the love of God the Scripture teaches. That is the love of God we are blessed to teach. That is the love of God we are known for.
Don’t you think people want to hear about that true love of God? Think of how many people in our own community are weighed down by the guilt and the pressure of not measuring up to God’s perfection! Because if they are being completely honest with themselves, they know they can’t earn God’s love, just like we know that we can’t earn it. Think of how miserable a life that must be! Completely unsure of what will happen to them when they die. Offer them God’s love for free. Tell them exactly what we are known for. Because that is exactly what they need.
Each month we pay to receive a list of new families that move into the area. And we are allowed to send them one mailing. And I know many other churches do the same thing because I received a couple letters when I moved here. There are churches around here that can advertise a brand-new facility. Others: a preschool. Others boast about an acceptance of any denomination no matter what you believe. Others claim a membership of hundreds with children’s activities in the dozens. What do you think our letter says? We don’t have a new church building or a preschool. We don’t accept someone into membership from any denomination no matter what they believe, and our little flock is a mere 50 people. What can we possibly be known for compared to that? We preach and teach “the word of God in all its truth and purity.” That is the most important line in our simple letter. We preach God’s truth and therefore, we also preach God’s true love. There is nothing more important than that. And there is nothing else that will motivate a person to stay with us and grow in the faith.
Don’t wait. Don’t wait to speak about God’s truth and God’s love to others. I know that some of you are thinking: I’ll wait until we have a new church building, then we'll have a place where I can invite someone. And I can see where you’re coming from. Humanly speaking, a new church building is more attractive than a store front. But does God promise that people will flock to us if we have a church building of our own? No. He doesn’t promise that at all. What he does promise is that his word is “living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword.” He promises his word will work. So don’t wait. Don’t wait. Right now we have all we need. Right now we have God’s truth and God’s love. Right now we are known for everything we could ever want to be. Tell others. Bring them to the place where you receive true peace and comfort every week. Share with them your salvation.
Amen.

“May the Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.”
- 2 Thess. 2:16-17