revmattil.org

2 Timothy 1:9b-10 This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

A number of years ago I heard a speaker at a convention of the Lutheran Women in Mission (also known as the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League) say these words: “God loves you so much that He would rather die and go to hell than spend eternity without you.”

That is exactly what Jesus did: He died, He went to Hell on that cross, and then descended to that place of torment to declare His victory. He died and went to Hell, defeating death and the devil so that He would not have to spend eternity without you. All you have to do is believe what God says and make that your own certainty.

An email shared the story of a five-year-old girl who came home from her first week of school and declared, “I’m just wasting my time. I can’t read, I can’t write, and they won’t let me talk!” You and I may feel similar frustrations at times, but we don’t have that restriction of not being able to talk in our lives. In fact, just the opposite is true. While we sometimes act as though God has told us not to say anything about our faith, the reality is that God wants you to talk about the hope that is in you, the confidence that your sins have been forgiven, that you have been washed in the blood of the Lamb and made clean, that even though you die, you will live forever with the Lord. People need to hear that.

You are to tell people that God loves them so much that He would rather die and go to hell than spend eternity without them. And that is a good phrase to use as you do it!

How will you share that in your life today?

Zechariah 4:6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.

Zechariah was a prophet after the Babylonian Captivity of God’s people. His message was directed to those who were returning to the Promised Land and had the task of rebuilding the city of Jerusalem and the Temple.

The book is filled with prophesies about the coming Messiah, our Lord Jesus. Some are very specific, like Him entering Jerusalem on a donkey (9:9) and Jesus being betrayed for thirty pieces of silver (11:12-13).

The words above were spoken by the prophet to Zerubbabel, who was sent back by the king of Babylon to be the governor of Israel. He was also the grandson of Jeconiah, the last King of Judah, which meant He was a descendant of David. He is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in both Matthew and Luke. Although from the royal line of David, Zerubbabel did not have the power that King David had, yet he faced the daunting task of rebuilding the Temple. That is why the prophet tells him that this assignment does not have to be done by his human efforts and strength. The Spirit of the Lord would enable him to complete the task at hand.

When God gives someone an assignment, He never says, “You’re on your own.” If fact, just the opposite is true. After His resurrection, Jesus told His followers that they would take the message of who He was and what He had done into all the world to make more disciples.

Luke 24:48–49 You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Jesus was referring to the promise He made the night before He was crucified, the same promise made through the prophet Joel;

Joel 2:28–29 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”

That promise was fulfilled on Pentecost (Acts 2), and continues to be fulfilled every day as the Spirit of God works through believers, works through the church, works through the Word and the Sacraments to point people to the cross and the empty tomb. That is how people come to faith and are saved. Not by our power, but by God’s.

Thank you, God, for Your Spirit at work among us and in us.

 Mark 6:45–52 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray. When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.

In Mark’s Gospel, this account takes place immediately after the Feeding of the 5000. Jesus sent the disciples ahead so He could have some private time for prayer. When evening came, the boat was near the middle of the lake. John’s Gospel tells us they were about three miles away from the shore where Jesus was. He could see them fighting against the wind. It was after 3:00 a.m. that He went out to them, walking on the water.

While this event is recorded in Matthew and John as well, Mark is the only one who includes these words:  “He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost.”

 When I read those words, a comical picture comes to mind: Jesus taking a leisurely stroll, maybe even whistling as He made His way across the lake. All of a sudden He sees the boat and says, “Oh, I didn’t see you guys there!” But I do not for a second think that Jesus was ignoring the twelve. In fact, He was wanting His disciples to see Him and call out to Him for help. Some theologians compare this to the way the Lord revealed part of His glory to Moses in Exodus.

Exodus 33:22 When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by.

They say Jesus wanted the disciples to see part of His glory and cry out to Him for help in their time of need. Unfortunately, instead of recognizing Jesus in His glory, they thought He was a ghost! We cannot fault them too much. After all, they had never seen anyone walk on water before, and in their minds a mortal could not do that, so it had to be some kind of spirit. They cried out in fear and terror. That is when Jesus said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

 The Lord says the same thing to all of us. “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”  We often fail to recognize Him and His presence with us, ready to calm whatever situation in which we find ourselves, wanting us to trust Him and be strengthened.

And we know more than the disciples did at this point. We know that Jesus was crucified for us, that His death paid the price our sins deserved, and that He conquered death for us. Those in the boat had not yet seen these things, but we have heard and seen. His glory has been made known to us.

Lord Jesus, help us to rejoice in the glory You have revealed to us, so that we trust You to be with us in calm seas and in troubled waters. Strengthen us to believe that You are always with us. Amen.

Luke 9:10–17  When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done. Then he took them with him and they withdrew by themselves to a town called Bethsaida, but the crowds learned about it and followed him. He welcomed them and spoke to them about the kingdom of God, and healed those who needed healing. Late in the afternoon the Twelve came to him and said, “Send the crowd away so they can go to the surrounding villages and countryside and find food and lodging, because we are in a remote place here.” He replied, “You give them something to eat.” They answered, “We have only five loaves of bread and two fish—unless we go and buy food for all this crowd.” (About five thousand men were there.) But he said to his disciples, “Have them sit down in groups of about fifty each.” ¹⁵ The disciples did so, and everybody sat down. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke them. Then he gave them to the disciples to set before the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

When I read the accounts of the feeding of the 5000, a lot of thoughts come to mind. What I want you to consider with me today is the attitude of the disciples. This passage begins with the words, “When the apostles returned, they reported to Jesus what they had done.” At the beginning of this chapter we find these words:

Luke 9:1–2 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

And that is what they did. They took the power and authority of Jesus with them and preached the Good News and healed sick people. That is what they reported back to Jesus. Let that sink in for a minute. They had healed sick people with the power and authority Jesus gave them.

Now, after having done that, they were facing a large crowd of hungry people, and they wanted to send them away. But Jesus said, “You give them something to eat.” And what was their response? “We can’t do that!”

Do you see the problem? They were relying on their own abilities to solve problems. They seem to have already forgotten what they had just done with the power and authority Jesus gave to them. Instead of trusting in Jesus, they were trusting in their own abilities.

It is a good thing we don’t do that, right?

How many times have you been asked to do something for God’s kingdom, whether it be serving in your congregation or working on a service project or simply sharing the hope that is in you, and your initial reaction is “I can’t do that!” Who are you trusting when you give that response?

Remember the one who is with you. The one who died to pay for your sins and conquered death for you is the one who gives you the calling and power and authority to do what He asks of you.

Lord, shape my attitude by reminding me that You are always with me. You give us Your Spirit to lead us to faith and keep us in the one true faith. That same Spirit empowers and enables us to be the people you would have us be. Help us to follow His promptings. Amen.

I have another lifeboat story to share with you. On a dangerous seacoast where shipwrecks were common, there was once a crude little lifesaving station. The building was little more than a hut and there was only one boat, but the few devoted members kept a constant watch over the sea, and with no thought for themselves went out day and night tirelessly searching for the lost. Many lives were saved by this wonderful little station. In fact, it became famous for the good work it did. As it became well-known, some of those who had been saved, and others from the area, wanted to become part of this station. Many people joined it. They gave of their time and effort and money to support the work of the lifesaving station. New boats were bought. New crews were trained. The little lifesaving station grew.

Some of the members of the station were unhappy that the building was so crude and so poorly equipped. They felt that a more comfortable place should be provided as the first refuge of those saved from the sea. They built a new shelter, replaced the emergency cots with beds and put better furniture in the enlarged building. Now the lifesaving station became a popular gathering place for its members. They decorated it and improved the furnishings. They kept adding on and improving as more and more people joined. It became a sort of club, a place where members could get together and socialize. Fewer members were interested in going to sea on the lifesaving missions, so they hired lifeboat crews to work for them and go in their place. The lifesaving motif was still prominent in the main room. There was still a liturgical lifeboat in the room where initiations were held.

About this time a large ship was wrecked on the coast. The hired crews brought in boat loads of cold, wet and half drowned people. They were dirty and sick, and some of them had black skin and some had yellow skin. The beautiful new club was in chaos, so the property committee immediately had a temporary shelter house built outside the club where victims of shipwrecks could be cleaned up before coming inside.

At the next meeting, there was a split in the club membership. Most of the members wanted to stop the club’s lifesaving activities altogether. They viewed rescue efforts as being unpleasant and a hindrance to the normal, social life of the club. Some members insisted that being a lifesaving station was their primary purpose, pointing out that they were still called a lifesaving station. However, they were a small minority and voted down. The minority was told that if they wanted to still save the lives of those shipwrecked in those waters, they could begin their own lifesaving station down the coast. They did.

As the years went by, the new station experienced the same changes that occurred in the old. It evolved into a club, and yet another life-saving station was formed. History continued repeating itself, and today there are a number of exclusive clubs up and down those shores. Shipwrecks are still common in those waters, but most of the people drown, because none of the lifesaving stations are really lifesaving stations.

Take a close look at your congregation. Of course you need to care for those already in the fold, and you are doing that. But are you taking the message to the lost? Are you telling those who are drowning in sin that Jesus wants to be their Savior? Are you pointing to the cross for those who are in need?

It isn’t easy being alone. And those who die alone, without Christ, are forever condemned and separated from him. All around us are people drowning in their sins, and you and I have the means to save them. What are you going to do?

A story has been floating around the internet for more than twenty years about the Titanic and Lifeboat #14. I’ve heard several different versions of this story, not all of which agree. After doing some research on my own, here’s what I discovered.

• April 14, 1912 2203 people including crew onboard the Titanic.
• 9:30 p.m. Ship is warned about an Iceberg, but the warning was disregarded.
• 11:40 p.m. Titanic strikes Iceberg.
• 11:50 p.m. Water rises in bow of ship 14 ft.
• 12:05 a.m. Lifeboats uncovered and passengers brought up on deck. There were 20 Lifeboats on the Titanic capable of saving 1178 people.
• 12:45 a.m. First of 20 lifeboats lowered. Sadly, the boats were not filled to capacity. Women and children and some men got in. Those in the boats paddled away from the liner as quickly as they could so they would not to be dragged under when she went down. They kept their distance.
• 1:30 a.m. Some passengers already jump into freezing waters.
• 2:05 a.m. Last lifeboat lowered. Remember those twenty boats could hold 1,178. But only 705 people survived.
• 2:18 a.m. Many more passengers jump. Titanic breaks apart and begins to go down.

There were 20 so called lifeboats. But they kept their distance from the people screaming in the water. Those on board were afraid of being swamped by those in the water.  They were unwilling to take the risk of helping others, fearful they might sink with weight of those who would try to climb aboard.

The majority of the lifeboats were less than half full. Many of the boats could easily have held 40 more people.

Fifth Officer Harold Lowe was in command of Lifeboat #14. He managed to round up four other boats and tied them together. He transferred all but three of his Lifeboat 14 passengers onto the other boats and rowed back toward the wreck with his small crew to attempt a rescue. He found four survivors, but by morning, two fell victim to exposure. Out of the twenty lifeboats launched that night, only Lifeboat #14 returned to the wreckage. The other 19 were safe boats. Only Lifeboat #14 went back to reach out to those who were dying.

Every congregation has to make a choice. Are you content to merely be a safeboat, or do  you want to be a lifeboat? You can sit around and debate the issue, but in the meantime people are perishing without Jesus. There are those all around you who are lost, alone, and dying. What will you do?

It is easy to sit there week after week, content in the knowledge that God has sent His Son to be your Savior. You rejoice in the Good News that the death of Jesus has paid for your sins and His resurrection is your guarantee of eternal life. But is that all there is to being a disciple? God has called you into His kingdom not just to have you in it, but so that you will bring others in as well. We can get so comfortable in the church that we forget that we are among those who needed saving. It started with God’s great love:

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

God accomplished the salvation of all people by allowing Jesus to take our sins on Himself and carry them to the cross. Jesus did it, and anyone can get the benefit of His death by believing in Him. That means someone has to tell people about it. Do you know who that “someone” is? The only ones who can tell others are those who already know. You and I are to be the “someones” who reach out with this Good News. You and I are to man the lifeboats. That does not happen by just showing up here and sitting in the pew. Something more has to happen.

Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

That was the mission of Jesus while He was with us here on earth until His Ascension. To whom has He entrusted this mission now?

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Are you sitting in a lifeboat as an observer or are you part of the crew of Lifeboat #14?

Returning home from the Cayman Islands on the first Friday of this month, we went through customs and immigration at the Orlando Airport. The TSA screening room was very tiny. We have TSA pre-check, but that was not available there. That means taking your laptop out of your bag, taking off your shoes and your belt and all that fun stuff. I emptied my pockets into a gray bucket and sent everything down the conveyor. Cheryl got selected for a random screening, which shut down the whole line for a minute or two. When I went through, the bags and buckets were piling up. They were rushing us to get out of there, so I hastily threw things into my pockets and backpack and we went off in search of our connecting flight. We were looking for gate 107, but there were only signs for the 70s, 80s and 90s gates. There was no one at the information booth either. Finally, an airport employee walked by and he told us we had to ride two different monorails to get to our gate. The monorails were not plainly marked, so we did not know about them. By the time we arrived at our gate, our flight was about to board.

As we got in line to board the plane, I realized I did not have my phone. I checked all my pockets and my backpack, but it was nowhere to be found. I made sure Cheryl did not have it, and then tried back-tracking a bit. Cheryl was calling my phone, but we did not hear it ring. As I said, it was time to board the plane. Cheryl asked if we should skip the flight, but I knew that was not a good option, since I had an obligation to preach on Sunday. We boarded the plane without my phone.

To say I was calm would be an overstatement. But I was not frantic, either. I was somewhere in between those two extremes, closer to the calm side than I thought I would be. Even just a few years ago I would have been freaking out at such an occurrence. At this point I did not know if I had been pickpocketed or dropped the phone or left it at TSA or what happened to it. As I sat on the plane, I prayed. I told God that I knew He was in control and asked Him to help me deal with this situation. Then I thought of all the things I would need to do when I got home to safeguard our lives. I also told Cheryl, “I know a lot of bad things could happen. But there are still a lot of good people in this world. Maybe one of them will find my phone and turn it in.” I’m not sure I fully believed that, but I did say it.

After we landed, we got our bags and went to our car. As we were driving home, I remembered the app we both have on our phones that allows us to track each other’s location. Cheryl checked it and saw that my phone was still in the Orlando airport, but it had moved to a location where we had not been. I asked Cheryl to call it one more time. After the fourth ring, just before it went to voicemail, I heard, “This is Sue with Southwest Airlines. How can I help you?” I said, “Sue, this is Mike Mattil. You are holding my phone right now!” The sense of relief was profound. She said someone found my phone and turned it in to a gate agent. It was now in the lost baggage office and would spend the weekend in their safe. Thanks to Southwest Airlines and FedEx, my phone was back in my possession on Tuesday.

One of the things I thought of while going through this was Luke 15. It contains stories of a lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son. In each instance, there is rejoicing when the thing that was lost has been found. I felt that when I knew my phone was found. But the point of Luke 15 is the rejoicing of our Father in heaven when a sinner who was lost has been found and repents and comes to faith in Jesus.

Luke 15:32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ ”

Lord, thank you for the blessings You give me every day, including allowing my phone to be found and returned to me. May this be a reminder of all those who are still lost and dying without having come to knowledge of your love and grace and mercy that you show in Jesus. You have graciously led me to know that His death paid for all my sin and His resurrection assures me of life eternal with you. Help me to share your love and forgiveness with those who have not yet come to know and believe in Jesus. In His name. Amen.

The following is taken from something my daughter Bethany shared online a few years ago. She was working part-time in children’s ministry at a Church in the Denver area at the time.

Yesterday was the epitome of a Monday. We were all dragging in the morning getting out the door, and my “to do” list at work was longer than I could accomplish in a week.

The first big thing I decided to tackle was a quick trip to Walmart. When I got back to the office I went to grab my receipt to turn in to our finance manager. My wallet wasn’t in my office. I went to the car, and it wasn’t there either. I knew at this point I left it in the cart at Walmart. I got on the phone with my local Walmart while taking the two-minute drive to get there. They didn’t have anything turned in. The carts had been put away from where I returned my cart.

 Panic set in. I called Scott. I then called the local police office. Everything was in there… my work card, my personal cards, my ID, and of course my IKEA family member card! Maybe that last one doesn’t matter… I figured out how to “lock” my cards on my banking app, so my cards could not be used. Panic…

 Then I remembered we had an Apple air tag on my wallet. Scott started tracking it and someone was moving with it. MORE panic. He’s watching it move across a park. Then it stopped. My wallet was taken to the police station one city over from my work!

 I could not believe it! I drove there right away, and when I arrived I was so excited. First she asked for my ID… I mean really? Yes, she was serious. She went to look for it, and then she told me the strangest thing. Since the wallet was recovered in the other town they told the man who was trying to turn in my wallet to drive to the other precinct. I was angry!! I mean really!!!!???  This kind man was trying to be a Good Samaritan and was told to take it somewhere else!! Are you kidding me?!?

 Tracking the wallet continues, and it stops for about an hour without an exact location pinpointed. (It needs to ping off iPhones to stay updated on location.) I talked to the police again, and they told me to contact them at 2 p.m. if it does not show up anywhere. At 1:30pm I received a call from the local police office. My wallet was there waiting for me. The gentleman dropped it off!! When I arrived they jokingly (this time!) asked for my ID. Everything was in there. Even my $5 cash I had. I was in awe! I asked them to give the gentleman who turned it in my number.

 He called me about 20 minutes later.Dennis was my hero yesterday. He told me he wanted to do the right thing. He didn’t trust people enough to leave it at Walmart, and he apologized he didn’t return it sooner. He had lunch plans he didn’t want to miss. I think I said thank you 20 times in 4 minutes.

 God sent Dennis to me yesterday. God knew I needed to slow down and remember there are good people in the world. Today I am thankful for Dennis. I am thankful for the reminder that God is alive, in control, and He is on His throne.

I thought maybe some of you needed that reminder today, too.

Romans 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

1 Corinthians 13  If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Two small boys went to the dentist’s office and waited for him to finish his appointments. When he came to the waiting room, the older boy said, “Doctor, I want a tooth taken out, and I don’t want any gas, and I don’t want it deadened because we’re in a hurry.” The doctor smiled and said, “You’re a brave young man! You want a tooth pulled and you don’t want any gas and you don’t want it deadened.” The boy said, “That’s right, ’cause we’re in a hurry.” The dentist replied, “Well, O.K. Which tooth is it?” The little boy turned to his smaller friend and said, “Show him your tooth, Albert!”

I think most of us know people like that. They like to make decisions for someone else, not really concerned about how it will affect the other person. Their only concern is how it will affect them personally. And I’m sure most of you have been guilty of that at times. Selfishness takes control. That is anything but the loving kind of attitude that Paul wrote about in 1 Corinthians 13. He says that love should be the over-riding influence in the life of the Church. That is our goal! Love dictates our actions!

Some of the last lines written by playwright Oscar Hammerstein include the phrase, “Love isn’t love ’til you give it away.” I think that conveys the sentiment of the kind of love God would have us show. It is not something we keep to ourselves or direct only at our own person, but we are to love others as an expression of the new life to which we have been called. True Christian love is concerned for the other person and seeks their good.

These words were aimed at the church as a whole. The apostle was urging believers to get along with one another in the Christian community. He tells us that it is possible to have all kinds of gifts, to attend worship every week, and still miss the point of this chapter. In the previous chapter Paul wrote about Spiritual Gifts. In the middle of his discussion of spiritual gifts, he starts talking about good ol’ hard-working love. That love is unconditional; there are no strings attached. It is a love that is not earned or bought, but is given freely. He states that love is far superior to spiritual gifts. You need to use your gifts as God intends. You may be very talented, a great speaker or teacher or administrator, but if God’s love in Jesus Christ does not fill and flow through your efforts, they are ineffective. That is why Paul says that love is “the greatest.” Love has the most fruits. Love is where your faith is put into action with fellow men.

Earlier I quoted that phrase, “Love isn’t love ‘til you give it away.” We know this to be true from our own life experience. We have also seen this graphically demonstrated by God Himself in the gift of Jesus to be our Redeemer. We begin to receive and understand the joy of love by remembering where it comes from: God so loved the world (the same kind of love spoken of in our text) that He gave His son to die for our sins (including the sin of not loving) so that whoever believes in Him might have never-ending life.You know this from John 3:16. But there is another verse in 1 John 3:16 that explains this even further:

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

The ultimate expression of love was God’s rescue of you and me and all men from hell. That was done through the loving sacrifice of Jesus Christ. His death was accepted by God as the full payment for sin. Through faith, you make that payment your own, and are forgiven. This act of God’s love is at the core of our existence as Christians. It should be our motivation to love others as God has loved us.