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Sermons from Lord of Lords Lutheran Church

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by Lord of Lords Evangelical Lutheran Church of Casper, WY

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Located in Casper, Wyoming, Lord of Lords is a friendly, conservative Lutheran church offering life-related messages and opportunities to praise our great Savior, Christ Jesus

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8/7/2014

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July 5, 2026

Submitting to God's Governing Authorities As They Submit to God's Authority

<ul><li>View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: <a href="https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/submitting-to-gods-governing-authorities-as-they-submit-to-gods-authority/">https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/submitting-to-gods-governing-authorities-as-they-submit-to-gods-authority/</a></li><li>Watch this sermon directly on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaurBV5Jac0">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaurBV5Jac0</a></li></ul><hr /><img src="https://cdn.casperwels.com/images/sermons/submitting-to-gods-governing-authorities-as-they-submit-to-gods-authority.png" alt="Submitting to God's Governing Authorities As They Submit to God's Authority" width="1280" height="669" />On July 4, 1776, John Hancock, the President of Congress, and Charles Thomson, the Secretary of Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence. (The famous image of all the delegates signing the document together on July 4th is a historical myth.) The formal signing ceremony took place on August 2, 1776, when 50 of the eventual 56 delegates signed their names to the parchment. The remaining 6 delegates added their signatures over the following months as they returned to Philadelphia.With the Declaration of Independence, the American colonists formerly informed King George III they were leaving the British Empire. The Declaration of Independence was more than a philosophical document. It was drafted as an official legal and diplomatic notice to the Crown that the American colonies were forming their own nation.We today celebrate the "American Revolution." Perhaps, it can be more biblically called the "American Resistance." Colonial theologians argued that "revolution" implies a lawless overthrow of God-ordained governing authorities that will institute anarchy. In contrast, they defined "resistance" as a defensive, legal duty to preserve the rule of law. The colonialists did not view the Declaration of Independence as a sudden act of law-breaking. Instead, they argued that the British government had already legally severed its contract with the colonies and cast them out of the empire through its own legislation.Because we are not good at studying history, most of us don't know that King George III signed the Prohibitory Act in December 1775. This act declared the colonies outside the King's protection. This was the ultimate legal catalyst. It banned all trade with the colonies, authorized the British Navy to seize American ships as "open enemies," and forced captured American sailors into British naval service. Under 18th-century British and international common law, allegiance and protection were reciprocal. A subject owed allegiance to the King only as long as the King provided legal and military protection to the subject.When King George III signed the Prohibitory Act, he officially declared the American colonists to be outlaws and foreign enemies, effectively declaring war on them. John Adams famously observed that the Prohibitory Act was a British bill of divorce, noting that the British Parliament had thrown the colonies out of the royal protection and made them independent long before Congress voted on it. The colonists listed 27 specific actions where the King had broken British law, including suspending local legislatures, taxing without consent, and signing the Prohibitory Act to wage war against them. Because the King legally withdrew his protection, the colonists argued that they were biblically and legally absolved of their oath of allegiance.As Lutherans, we would say that the colonists applied the role of the Lesser Magistrates from The Magdeburg Confession as the legal and scriptural defense of their actions of separating from the British Empire. (We'll study The Magdeburg Confession this fall in our Wednesday Bible studies.) The "lesser magistrates" were the colonial assemblies and the Continental Congress standing up to shield its citizens from a law-breaking tyrant. This was a lawful act of constitutional resistance. The colonists did not operate as a lawless, revolutionary mob. They resisted and operated under the legal authority of their local governments.These were Christian patriots who declared independence from King George III and the British Empire. They were following St. Paul's directives in Romans 13. They submitted to God's servant of the governing authorities when the governing authorities were submitting to God's will for the benefit of its citizens. They did not want to rebel. But when the governing authorities were opposing God's will and bringing harm upon its citizens, then those authorities were no longer acting as God's servant. Now they were acting as Satan's servant according to Revelation 13. (Again, we'll talk about this more in depth this fall in our Bible studies.) So, they resisted. They were Christian citizens holding their governing authorities accountable to God and his divine will.St. Paul writes, "Everyone must submit to the governing authorities. For no authority exists except by God, and the authorities that do exist have been established by God. Therefore the one who rebels against the authority is opposing God's institution, and those who oppose will bring judgment on themselves" (Romans 13:1-2). What does the word "submit" mean? As Inigo Montoya famously said to Vizzini in The Princess Bride, "You keep using that word. I don't think it means what you think it means." While it might be a famous blunder to get involved in a land war in Asia - only slightly less well-known is this: To define a word apart from its natural, contextual meaning.So, what does "submit" mean? Scripture lays out a pattern for wives to submit to their husbands, children to submit to their parents, slaves to submit to their masters, citizens to submit to their governing authorities, and the Christian Church to submit to Christ. Submission is not servitude or slavery. Nor does submit mean "surrender." Submission is yielding to authority. It is willing subjection to another.Submit is not a synonym for "obey." Otherwise, there would be a lot of unhappy wives if they were called to "obey" their husbands' every word or whim. Submit cannot mean "compelled obedience." Rather, it means humble acceptance, according to the order God has given. As Christian citizens, we owe submission to our governing authorities, not obedience. We owe obedience to God alone. As Jesus says in today's Gospel, "Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Matthew 22:21).The concept of submission is closely bound to the concept of headship that St. Paul discusses in 1 Corinthians 11. He begins that discussion with the metaphor of a human head and body, "I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and man is woman's head, and God is Christ's head" (1 Corinthians 11:3). The head guides and directs what the body does, but never in a selfish way. Rather the head always seeks the best interest of the body in everything.The head - whether that's the husband in the home, the pastor in a church, the employer in a business, or the authorities in a government - is not to crush or compel others into submission. Rather, the head exercises its headship in loving service to those it leads within the body.Those within the body - whether that's the wife in the home, the members in a church, the employees in a business, or the citizens in a nation - submit to the proper head. Submission isn't forced. It's an inward attitude toward ordained order and authority. Jesus Christ submitted to his head. Jesus' head was his heavenly Father and his heavenly Father's will.The apostles speak a great deal about submission. Those who are submissive are trusting those with authority to take care of their physical and/or spiritual needs. Those who have authority over us have received that authority from God himself. Whether that be husbands, parents, pastors, or governing authorities - each is established by God, and accountable to him for their use of authority.God has placed these authorities over people for their benefit. Husbands care for, love, and support their wives. Parents feed, clothe, teach, and nurture their children. Pastors provide forgiveness, grace, and blessings in sharing God's Word and Sacraments. Governing authorities provide protection, structure, and order to our communities, states, and nation. When God's servants fulfill their vocations in this earthly kingdom, they bring a measure of peace and order. Such peace and order in God's earthly kingdom make it easier for God's servants to live in and share God's heavenly kingdom.Gladly and willingly entrusting ourselves with an attitude of submission to the authorities God has placed over us is beneficial to everyone involved. It usually brings earthly blessing, avoids earthly punishment, and provides a setting for Christian proclamation.Here in America, our governing authorities are given their authority by "we the people". That means that unlike any other government in existence, our American system of government is both given power by and has its powers limited by the governed. The Preamble to the U.S. Constitution states: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."There may come times when a wife disagrees with her husband's leadership, or children push back against their parents' authority, or citizens civilly resist their governing authorities. As Christians, they dare never do this only because those in authority are doing something they don't like. That's rebellion. Rather, they resist and push back only when the authorities are opposing God's will. They may be promoting something sinful or doing something morally wrong or committing an action that will harm other people. These are not acts of sinful rebellion. Rather, these are examples of Christian resistance as Christians hold those God has placed over them accountable to God's will. Authorities in the home, church, and government are God's servants to follow his divine will for the benefit of those within their care. But when those authorities are opposing God's will, then they are acting as servants of Satan and their own sinful flesh. With their actions, they can only harm those within their care.Some have wrongly concluded that "submit" means "obedience" to the governing authorities. But absolute, unquestioning obedience is no different than worship. In the Book of Revelation, St. John records that in the End Times people will be worshiping the beast of the persecuting government (Revelation 13:4). Those who worship the beast follow it with absolute, unquestioning obedience. We owe absolute, unquestioning obedience to God alone. To others we submit.It's difficult to know when to submit to the governing authorities when they are submitting to God's will or when to resist the governing authorities when they are submitting to Satan's will. That's why constant discussion and evaluation need to happen. We need to continually study God's Word and then apply it to these situations within politics and culture. We ask for grace from our fellow Christians when we disagree. We ask for forgiveness from God when we get it wrong. We ask Jesus to apply his righteousness to our unrighteous living. We thank Jesus for dying on the cross to pay for our unscriptural rebellion or our unbiblical obedience.Jesus submitted to and respected his religious and political leaders. But he also resisted them when they tried exercising authority over him that they didn't have. They were exercising authority that Caesar didn't have. When Jesus was accused by the Sanhedrin, he didn't say anything to them (Matthew 27:12). Jesus didn't answer one word of Governor Pilate's questions (Matthew 27:14). Jesus refused to perform like a circus clown when King Herod wanted Jesus to do miracles for him (Luke 23:8-12). Jesus' perfect resistance to the authorities covers over our imperfect resistance to our authorities.Jesus also submitted to the will of his religious and political leaders. Jesus allowed the Sanhedrin to arrest him and hold a sham trial. Jesus permitted the Roman governor to sentence an innocent man to death. Jesus did not fight back against the Roman soldiers as they tore apart his perfect back with the scourge or pierced his divine skin with nails or crowned his heavenly head with thorns. Jesus willingly submitted to their evil actions. Jesus' perfect submission to the authorities pays for our imperfect submission to our authorities.God used an imperfect government in Daniel's time to accomplish God's will of chastising the Israelites with Babylonian captivity for 70 years. God used an imperfect government in Paul's time to allow it to kill Paul, Peter, and other Christians as martyrs. God used an imperfect government to put the Son of God to death to accomplish our salvation. Then he used the Roman peace, Roman roads, and Greek language of the Roman empire for the spreading of his gospel message through that Roman empire. God still uses the imperfect American government to accomplish his divine will.Signing the Declaration of Independence was a profound act of courage by the colonists. Under British law, the Declaration was a treasonous document. By putting their names on the parchment, each delegate was providing the Crown with written evidence of a capital offense. For this reason, Congress kept the identities of the signers secret from the public for six months until the American victory at Trenton proved the revolution/resistance could survive. We pray that those signers and all the colonists were rightly carrying out God's will in resisting -- and not revolting -- against the British Empire.The same is true for us 250 years later as American citizens. The government is God's servant here on earth. We rightly submit to that servant. We trust that servant serves for our earthly benefit. We must remember, though, that the government is filled with sinners. They make mistakes. They can be selfish and self-serving. They can watch out for and benefit one group of people while unintentionally -- or even intentionally -- ignoring and hurting another group of people. That means that the government is fallible. We still submit to the government as God directs. But, when Christians are not allowed to question, debate, or even resist, then the government becomes infallible. And the only one who is infallible is God.We pray to understand properly and apply accurately God's call to submit. We pray for quiet and peaceful lives of submitting to governing authorities who submit to God's authority. Amen.

June 28, 2026

Fight the Good Fight of Faith

<ul><li>View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: <a href="https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/fight-the-good-fight-of-faith/">https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/fight-the-good-fight-of-faith/</a></li><li>Watch this sermon directly on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFap-OcDgGg">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFap-OcDgGg</a></li></ul><hr /><img src="https://cdn.casperwels.com/images/sermons/fight-the-good-fight-of-faith.png" alt="Fight the Good Fight of Faith" width="1280" height="669" />There was great religious division in Germany in the early 16th century between the Lutherans and the Catholics. The lands controlled by the Emperor were divided among Lutherans and Catholics. They disagreed on doctrine and did not get along with one another. Charles V, the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, called for a meeting between the Pope's theologians and the Lutheran reformers because he wanted to put this "silly" religious disagreement behind him, so he could get on with the important matter of the day -- uniting the empire for a military battle against the Muslim Turks.Charles called a diet -- a meeting -- in the German city of Augsburg. The night before the Lutherans were to present their confession of faith, Emperor Charles and his brother Ferdinand, the King of Austria, met privately with the Lutheran princes. They ordered the Lutheran princes to forbid any Lutheran preaching in Augsburg during the meeting. They also commanded the Lutherans to attend the Catholic Corpus Christi -- the Body of Christ -- festival the next day with the Emperor.George, Margrave of Brandenburg, spoke boldly for the Lutherans. He refused to concede to Charles' demands, saying, "Before I let anyone take from me the Word of God and ask me to deny my God, I will kneel and let them strike off my head."The Emperor was clearly taken aback by George's boldness. Charles sputtered in broken German, "Not cut off head, dear prince. Not cut off head." (Introduction to the Augsburg Confession, Book of Concord, p. 25).On June 25, 1530, a group of faithful Lutheran princes and electors met in Augsburg, Germany, to present the confession of their faith to the Emperor. This was a time in the Roman Catholic Church when the Papacy was a superpower, and dissent was handled at the stake or at the rack. All the efforts of reform by previous reformers had fallen on deaf ears or resulted in death. But, by the grace of God, this Lutheran Reformation was turning out differently.The Emperor and the Pope had the power to arrest and kill anyone who disagreed with them. The Lutherans decided there was only one thing to do -- confess. These were not theologians that were standing before the Emperor. They were courageous Lutheran laymen -- like yourselves. They confessed their faith and told the Emperor and the Roman Church what they believed, taught, and confessed. They relied on the promise of God's Word, as contained in Psalm 119:46, "Then I will speak of your testimonies before kings, and I will not be put to shame." The Augsburg Confession was presented as a statement of biblical truth and a proposal for true unity in the Christian faith. It has never been withdrawn or found in error.This confession caused a stir as soon as it was read. The Bishop of Augsburg, who was faithful to the Pope and in whose palace it was read, said that it was all true and could not be denied. One of the princes who was loyal to the Pope asked the Pope's head theologian if it could be refuted. Dr. Eck replied: "I can't refute it using only Scripture." The prince was stunned and asked: "Do you mean to say that these Lutherans sit inside Scripture, and we outside?"All of us -- pastors and people -- are to make bold confessions of our faith. St. Paul puts it this way, "Fight the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:11). Faith alone makes us Christians. Confession alone marks us as Christians. St. Paul describes the relationship between believing and confessing, "Certainly, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and it is with the mouth that a person confesses, resulting in salvation" (Romans 10:9-10).Jesus also says, "Everyone who confesses me before others, I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32). Our confession of sins may be private, but there is no such thing as a private confession of faith. Our confession of the Christian faith is public for the whole world to hear.In our Epistle lesson, St. Paul gives four clear charges of confession for the battlefield to young Pastor Timothy and all Christians -- Flee. Pursue. Fight. Seize.First, we flee. St. Paul encourages, "But you, O man of God, flee from these things" (1 Timothy 6:11). What are these things we to flee from? Paul tells us in the previous verses, "Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge them into complete destruction and utter ruin. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evils. By striving for money, some have wandered away from the faith and have pierced themselves with many pains" (1 Timothy 6:9-10).Spiritual warfare is not fight or flight; it is fight and flight. We do battle with temptation, but we also do our best to avoid temptation altogether. Paul warns that we are too often distracted by the want of more money. It's a trap that we easily fall into. We feel we need two incomes, our kids need to be in every expensive sport, and our family needs all the latest toys, gadgets, and vehicles. All these things can cause us to wander away from the church, personal Bible reading, and family prayer. We end up squandering our Christian faith.Paul says elsewhere, "Do not give any thought to satisfying the desires of your sinful flesh" (Romans 13:14). Jesus says that, if necessary, we are to cut off our hand our gouge out our eye if the offending body part is causing us to sin (Matthew 5:29-30). This means we go to extraordinary lengths to flee the sin we know would ruin us.Spiritual warfare, however, is not only fight and flight, but also pursuit. "Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness" (1 Timothy 6:11). These virtues directly counteract the greed and pride we are to flee from. Righteousness, godliness, and faith focus on our relationship with God. Love and gentleness are putting our faith into action. Perseverance is endurance under pressure.Fellow reformers, are you pursuing faith in Jesus -- not just keeping faith, but pursuing faith? Are you making time each day to be alone with God in his Word? Are you weaving prayer into the unique rhythms of your life? Are you committed to Lord of Lords, and intentionally looking for ways to grow and serve here? Are you asking God to show you other creative ways you might pursue these Christian virtues?Third, we fight. "Fight the good fight of the faith" (1 Timothy 6:12). Whom or what are we fighting? Too often we get caught up fighting with each other over politics, sports or culture. Satan loves to pit us against each other. Those are all silly temporal things. The fight is not against people, but against sin, unbelief, false doctrine, paganism, Satan and his demons.How can a fight be good? Usually, fighting is bad. We encourage our kids not to fight. Just as there are "Just Wars," so there are times for righteous fighting. We are fighting God's enemies who are coming after us, our families, and our churches.Fight the good fight. You cannot change the world by being complacent. The only way to be in shape to fight is by daily training. But we like to sit on our couches binging Netflix and playing on our phones. That's not fighting the good fight. That's not even getting training for the fight. The good fight of faith is the constant battle in this world between God and Satan, between truth and falsehood, between the new nature and the sinful flesh.Fourth, we seize the new life God has given us. "Take hold of eternal life, to which you were called and about which you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses" (1 Timothy 6:12). "Taking hold of eternal life" means living in the present reality of our future inheritance. It's gripping Christ's promises so tightly that the temporary distractions of this world lose their grip on us. We live every day as God's confident saints. We know the prize of eternal life is already ours. Christ has already won it for us. Now we're just finishing the contest of this life. We live never being afraid to witness or live righteously or oppose evil because we know we're the winners. The unbelievers who are teasing, trashing, and taunting us are all losers!Paul writes, "I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who made a good confession as a witness before Pontius Pilate" (1 Timothy 6:13). Why bring up Pilate here? As the Roman governor, Pilate held earthly power of life and death, yet Jesus boldly confessed the truth of his kingdom. Paul reminds us that facing hostile cultural or political authorities is the standard setting for Christ's servants. Jesus is the example of making a bold confession as he faced death. More than that, Jesus' bold confession covers over our weak, feeble, or non-existent confessions.Paul anchors this charge to "the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Timothy 6:14). Christ's second coming on Judgment Day provides eternal perspective. Daily frustrations, lack of visible results, and criticism shrink in significance when compared to the fast-approaching day of Christ's return. When we feel beaten down and lowly, we need to remember that Jesus Christ is going to be returning in all power, majesty, and glory.Moses and the prophets, the apostles and early Christians, Luther and his fellow reformers, knew that Jesus' words would come true, "Do not think that I came to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword." (Matthew 10:34). We as twenty-first century Christians and modern-age reformers certainly do not go looking for trouble -- enough trouble will find us. It's been said that where Christ builds a church, the Devil builds a chapel. Wherever the gospel is proclaimed, Satan must attack. Wherever we soldiers of Christ lift high the cross, Satan's minions inflict pain and pressure. Wherever Christ reigns as King, this world's prince still scowls.We may not fear beheading, loss of property, imprisonment, or death like other Christians in centuries past or Christians suffering presently around the world. We don't fear a den of lions or a fiery furnace, but persecution abounds when we're faithful to the Word. We lose relationships because of a Biblical belief that honors the sanctity of marriage. We lose promotions because of worship priorities. We lose friendships because we won't join in sinful talking or walking. Jesus says we will lose family relationships because of our connection to him, "I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. A man's enemies will be the members of his own household" (Matthew 10:35-36).Don't be fooled into faintheartedness. Don't be coerced into cowardice. Don't be scared into silence. As you allow the Holy Spirit to reform your former sinful way of life, expect derision and insults. As you work with God's Word to reform the world, expect hatred and persecution.Also expect help from your gracious Lord, the Shepherd of helpless and hapless sheep. Even as we stand on trial for our beliefs, we are witnesses to our enemies. Even as we are arrested and persecuted, the Holy Spirit is giving us the boldness to speak clearly. Luther concludes his Battle Hymn of the Reformation: "And do what they will -- hate, steal, hurt or kill -- though all may be gone, our victory is won; the kingdom's ours forever!"There is nothing to fear. Yes, there will be kings, emperors, and popes who will join together against the Lord. But St. John also assures us that these kings, rulers, and governing authorities "will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them, because he is Lord of Lords and King of Kings" (Revelation 17:14). Flee. Pursue. Fight. Seize. Be like those early reformers who stood up to an emperor with the Augsburg Confession. Boldly confess Christ before kings, courts, and councils. "Fight the good fight of faith." Amen.

June 21, 2026

Stick with Sound Doctrine

<ul><li>View this sermon (with video and/or audio recording) on our website: <a href="https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/stick-with-sound-doctrine/">https://www.lordoflords.org/sermons/stick-with-sound-doctrine/</a></li><li>Watch this sermon directly on YouTube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMjikAmZAAw">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMjikAmZAAw</a></li></ul><hr /><img src="https://cdn.casperwels.com/images/sermons/stick-with-sound-doctrine.png" alt="Stick with Sound Doctrine" width="1280" height="669" />Two Saturdays ago, was our last men's Bible study on Nehemiah. Ten minutes into the lesson, a stranger walked into the church with his Bible. I thought, "Fantastic!" I introduced myself as Pastor Zarling. He introduced himself as Karan. For a while during the class, he called me "Pastor Darling", which I was fine with. During the discussion, Karan mentioned that he's a street preacher passing through Casper on his way to the state of Washington.Everything was polite and respectful during the lesson ... until the lesson was over. Then the mood and the conversation changed. It became less than fantastic. Matt, Steve, and Chuck left. Jon stayed with me in Karan. Jon later said that he stayed because he felt something was off.You can usually find differences between denominations on two specific topics -- the nature of Jesus and the Sacraments. The Sacraments are what set Karan off. He started talking about Transubstantiation. Transubstantiation is where the Catholics believe that the bread and wine change substance into Christ's body and blood. The elements look and taste like bread and wine, but now they're only body and blood. I told Karan that Lutherans believe the Bible teaches Real Presence in the sacrament. We believe that Christ's body and blood are really present in, with, and under the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper.I quoted Jesus instituting the Lord's Supper. He said, "'Take, eat, this is my body.' Then he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, 'Drink from it all of you, for this is my blood of the new testament, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins'" (Matthew 26:26-28). I said that "is" an only and ever mean "is." It can never ever mean "symbolize" or "represent." Then I quoted where St. Paul discusses that we receive four things in the Lord's Supper -- bread and wine, body and blood. "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a communion of the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ" (1 Corinthians 10:16)?Karan disagreed ... vehemently. He started to raise his voice.But I really set him off when we discussed Baptism. He's like most Reformed and non-denominational Christians that don't believe in God's gifts in the Sacraments. He insisted that we are saved by faith alone and not Baptism. I agreed that we are saved by grace alone and faith alone. I added that Baptism saves. I then quoted St. Peter, "Baptism now saves you" (1 Peter 3:21).Karan disagreed ... vehemently. He raised his voice again. He started calling me to repent for what I was teaching. The conversation was no longer beneficial to either of us. I know what Scripture teaches on the Sacraments. He refused to listen. Instead, Jon and I ushered toward the door. Karan kept shouting loudly, "Repent! Repent! You need to repent!"While everything was cordial during the Bible study, Karan had mentioned that we should be more like Nehemiah with no divisions or denominations. Except, he later proved why there are divisions and denominations. There are currently over 45,000 different Christian denominations around the world. There are about 70 different churches in Casper, each with its own unique teachings. So, if there is only one Lord and only one Bible, where is why is there so much variety?Pastor Paul answers that question in his letter to young Pastor Timothy. These are some of his last words before he died a martyr's death. These words are meant specifically for pastors, but they can also be applied to lay Christians. He encourages all of us to stick with sound doctrine.During the lesson on Nehemiah, I had mentioned catechesis and confirmation. Karan asked what those were. I explained the Catechism, youth confirmation classes, and adult instruction classes. When I later reflected and re-told the story to the guys who had left before the fireworks began, I mentioned that I should have paused the conversation to get my Catechism. The Catechism wonderfully lays out the Scriptures on the saving power of Baptism and the Real Presence of the Lord's Supper. The Catechism helps us stick with sound doctrine.Paul begins, "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom: Preach the word. Be ready whether it is convenient or not. Correct, rebuke, and encourage, with all patience and teaching" (2 Timothy 4:1-2). Paul solemnly charges Christians to preach the Word -- both in formal settings when we're surrounded by like-minded confessional Lutherans and when we're in informal and uncomfortable settings. He says this is a "solemn charge" -- one that we don't take lightly. For Lutheran pastors, preaching is a divine mandate, not a mere career choice.At one time or another, all of us have probably felt like the prophet Jeremiah. Those who opposed God's truths tried to stop him from preaching. Passhur, the chief officer of the temple, heard Jeremiah preaching and had him beaten and put in a stocks. Jeremiah says that he wished he would have been able to stop preaching, but he couldn't. He could not hold in the Word. It was like a fire in his heart that had to pour forth from his mouth. "Whenever I speak, I cry out. I cry out, 'Violence and destruction!' But the word of the Lord has brought scorn on me. I am mocked all day long. If I say, 'I will not mention him or speak in his name anymore,' then there is a burning fire in my heart, shut up in my bones, and I am weary of holding it in. I cannot" (Jeremiah 20:8-9)!We are to preach this Word, "whether it is convenient or not." Always be ready to preach the truths of God's Word, even when these truths are not popular or acceptable in society. Perhaps you've heard about Major League Baseball disciplining three San Francisco Giants' pitchers. It was Pride night at the Giants' stadium. All the players were to be wearing rainbow baseball caps. These three players wore the caps, but they wrote Genesis 9:12-16 next to the rainbow. Genesis 9 is where God gives the reason for the rainbow. The rainbow was given as a sign of God's promise to never again destroy the earth with a worldwide flood in his righteous judgment. But the rainbow has been co-opted by those who want to celebrate their degenerate and deviant sexuality, thereby calling God's righteous judgment down on them.It wasn't convenient for those players to stand up for the truth, but they did it. Now they are facing backlash for it from pagans, idolators, and even weak, misguided Christians. You probably have similar issues in your workplace, in the Casper community, or in your own family. It's easy to shut our mouths, keep our heads down, compromise and equivocate to the bullies. Christians have been doing this for far too long in America. We are much more willing to offend God than offend our idolatrous culture or adulterous family member.Follower of Christ, it's time for you to stand up and stand out. Be bold. Proclaim God's truths, whether it is popular and convenient or countercultural, inconvenient, and dangerous. True Christianity remains faithful regardless of trends.Perhaps we are dealing with so much filth and foolishness today because pastors and people have stopped preaching God's Word into the pagan culture. We're afraid. We've become risk adverse. We count the cost ... and it's too much. But every time we remain silent, the Devil keeps talking, he keeps gaining ground, while the Christian Church keeps losing ground.Paul gives the reason why paganism abounds, Pride Month is celebrated, and so many denominations exist. "For there will come a time when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, because they have itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in line with their own desires. They will also turn their ears away from the truth and will turn aside to myths" (2 Timothy 4:3-4). People won't put up with sound doctrine. Many people only want to hear things that make them feel good. They'll avoid topics of God's Law that will make them feel guilty. They want to hear false teaching out of the mouth of Satan that confirms their sexual sins. Unbelief avoids the truth.There's a difference between what people want to hear and what they need to hear. They need to hear sound doctrine. The pure teaching of the divinely inspired and inerrant word of God. Unfortunately, many people are looking for preachers and teachers who will tell them what their itching ears want to hear, even if it contradicts the truth of the Bible.Thankfully, Paul doesn't just describe the problem; he also gives the solution. "Preach the word. Be ready whether it is convenient or not." Stick with the Bible's sound doctrine, not only when it's popular but especially when it isn't.Paul commands pastors and people to "Correct, rebuke, and encourage, with all patience and teaching." Rebuking and correcting are using God's Law to expose sin and pride. True love for the sinner means you show them they are lost and condemned creatures who deserve God's punishment now and forever. This is never fun or easy or convenient, but it is always necessary. If you ignore their sin, then they will too. If they have no sin, they have no need for a Savior. When you point out their sin, that's correcting and rebuking.Then you can share the good news of the gospel to encourage them. You tell them how Jesus has taken on God's punishment, so they can now be reconciled with God now and forever. You tell them how Jesus humbled himself for their sinful pride. How he as God in human flesh died for the way they make their flesh their gods. How he is the truth to remove all their false beliefs. He is the one who cares when they change their bodies, minds, and sexualities because they don't feel loved by anyone else.Jesus promises "Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground without the knowledge and consent of your Father. And even the hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not be afraid. You are worth more than many sparrows." (Matthew 10:29-31). This is pure Gospel! A copper coin was worth almost nothing, yet God closely monitors every single sparrow. If God cares for inexpensive birds, how much more does he care for you---his blood-bought child? Jesus knows you so well that he even knows how many hairs you have in your head. Admittedly, some of you make it easier on him than others.Jesus knows what it's like to be unpopular for speaking the truth -- he was crucified for it! He gave his life as a sacrifice for sins, and you are forgiven when you avoid the truth, ignore the truth, and forget the truth.That's the key: When God has spoken it, it is the truth. He promises to bless all his words that come from your mouth. When you speak the Word with great patience, you won't always tell people what they want to hear, but you will always tell them what they need to hear. Stick with the sound doctrine that prepares you for your eternal home.Going back to the conversation with Karan, I was smiling, confident, and confessional. With the words given to me by the Holy Spirit, I stuck to sound doctrine. I have the Bible, and the Catechism and Confessions to explain the doctrines of the Bible. You have the same tools. You will be confronted. Jesus promises his disciples of all ages that these confrontations will come. But you have the Bible, Catechism, and Confessions. Be bold and confident when you make your confession. Jesus promises that when you confess him to others, he will confess you before his heavenly Father. "Everyone who confesses me before others, I will also confess before my Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before others, I will also deny before my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 10:32-33). You can confidently confess because you continue to stick with sound doctrine. Amen.

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What is Sermons from Lord of Lords Lutheran Church?: Located in Casper, Wyoming, Lord of Lords is a friendly, conservative Lutheran church offering life-related messages and opportunities to praise our great Savior, Christ Jesus
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates monthly.
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