Sermon – Pastor Rick Marrs, June 16, 2002, 4th Sunday after Pentecost Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The text on which this morning's message is based comes from our Epistle lesson (Romans 5: 6-11) read earlier. On a hillside north of the town I was raised (Arkansas City, KS) lay 25 foot tall white rock letters, similar to the single J on J Hill east of town here. 22 letters in all, they are visible from the train tracks, tracks that for decades were the main source of travelers to and through Arkansas City. In big bold white letters locals and travelers for decades have seen this message, Romans 5: 6b "CHRIST DIED FOR THE UNGODLY." This epistle text describes us, earthly humans, in many ways: "Powerless, ungodly, sinners, even God's enemies. Just as the Israelites were powerless to bring themselves out of their slavery in Egypt, we are powerless to bring ourselves out of the slavery of our sinful, ungodly condition. You all saw the life-size 9 foot tall Goliath out in the atrium. We studied the story of David and Goliath on Monday in VBS. Little boy David was powerless to defeat such an enormous enemy on his own. There is nothing strong, lovable or attractive about us for God. We are actually enemies of God, objects of his wrath! The Apostle Paul says so right here. But while Paul describes us as powerless, ungodly, enemies of God, he doesn't stop there. The theme of our VBS this week was from Matthew 19 "With God all things are possible." The great Good News about Jesus Christ is that it is possible for even powerless, ungodly enemies of God to be loved and forgiven. The great Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, is that God demonstrates his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. This demonstration of love is not a sappy, insipid, tame human love, but a Godly love willing to sacrifice his own Son for us. Our powerless, ungodly condition is overshadowed by his powerful, loving, Godly demonstration of making us right with him through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross. How much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Jesus? Infinitely more, eternally more. If we are reconciled to him through the death of His Son, how much more shall we be saved through his life and resurrection? Infinitely more, eternally more. God gave us the great privilege to consider this great, infinite, eternal message here this week during VBS. We were given the grand gift of sharing this message to nearly 60 children this week, through the Bible's stories of David and Goliath, Deborah, Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego, Jesus healing Blind Bartimaeus, and Paul coming to faith in Jesus. It was faith-building for me and 25 other adults and teens to hear the praise and wonder of these little ones as they grow to trust Jesus more through His Word. I looked forward to the closing each day when I would ask these 50+ kids "Did you have a great morning learning about Jesus at VBS?" and would hear these sanctuary filling voices cheer "YES!!!" It was in those voices that I was reminded of Jesus words in Luke 18: 16 "Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." The favorite VBS song this week was the "Shrinking Song" which you heard earlier. "Neglect your Bible, forget to pray… and you'll shrink, shrink, shrink. Read your Bible, pray every day… and you'll grow, grow, grow." Our children today face many temptations, and will likely face new temptations throughout their lives that will challenge the very existence of the church in America in the next generation. Persecution, Internet porn, drugs, witchcraft, and materialism are all rampant temptations in our culture today. At VBS we prayed the Lord's Prayer everyday, which includes the petitions "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." During the past 5 months there has been a spirited debate in our church body's national magazine, the Lutheran Witness, about good and bad fantasy in children's literature, mostly focused upon the Harry Potter and "Lord of the Rings" movies and their emphasis on the occult. Are these movies temptation and evil, or simple fun? Good points have been made on both sides of the debate. One side trumpets their warnings against portraying evil practices like witchcraft as good. The other side responds that these stories are just simple, harmless fantasy, similar to the Wizard of Oz, and Christian children will know the difference between good and evil. But a pastor from Nebraska wrote the last editorial letter that I thought encapsulated the dilemma the best, and gave the best guidelines for Christian parents. He wrote: "1. Can your child tell you more about Jesus or St. Paul than he can about Harry Potter or Bilbo Baggins? If not, then your child's (spiritual) learning needs to be addressed by you, the parents (and I might add, by we the church). 2. After reading a fantasy story, does your child think "That was a fun story," or "Gee, I wish I was a witch"? If it is the latter, you need to act quickly to steer your child on a new course." (Lutheran Witness, June 2002) I'm pleased that by the end of this past week there were nearly 60 children here who could tell you more about Jesus and St. Paul and David and Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego than they could about Harry Potter. And not only could they tell you more about them, but they were excited about telling more. They were children hungering and thirsting for our Lord's righteousness, knowing through the power of the Holy Spirit that his power comes to powerless people through Word and Sacrament, through God's voice to us in the Bible. Apart from God's Word we do shrink everyday, apart from regular doses of his life-giving voice in our ears, our faith, trust and prayer life do fade and dim. But in his Word we grow, we resist temptation, we are protected from evil, we grow in peace and knowledge of Him, rejoicing in his resurrection. It was wonderful to see that growth in the Word occur this week at VBS. One second grade boy picked up one of the brochure size Small Catechisms we have in the Atrium and came back at least two mornings this week telling me how he had read the Catechism completely through both nights before. Another 11 year-old boy asked me for a prayer book, Small Catechism and Bible so he could take them with him to scout camp this weekend. He and his mother want him to start Catechesis, Confirmation class next month. God's Word can and does have an impact on people, young and old. His word does not return to him void (Isaiah 55: 11). Jesus Christ, the Word of God made human flesh, came to spread the seed of His Word throughout the world. He first chose powerless, sinful men like his disciples to be transformed by that Word, to go and tell the world that the Kingdom of heaven is near to us in Jesus. Jesus now gives us the privilege of sharing that same message of God's love and forgiveness to sinners, to his enemies. We are privileged to share it with children, with neighbors, friends and family. We are privileged to share it with each other here at Immanuel. Jesus Christ did die for the ungodly, for us. And he was raised from the dead for our salvation. We just sang the Easter hymn "Jesus Christ is Risen Today" because its words and 'Alleluias' so wonderfully capture the message of the Gospel and the rejoicing of the "how much more" quality our God has done for us. Jesus Christ is risen today Alleluia Our triumphant holy day. Alleluia Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia. Suffer to redeem our loss Alleluia But the pains which he endured. Alleluia.Our salvation has procured Alleluia Now above the sky he's king. Alleluia. Where the angels ever sing Alleluia.