Tag Archives: Sundays

God Loves Our Praise

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Sermon for the 7th Sunday of Easter- 05/29/2022
Rev. Enzo Pellini
Acts 16:16-34

16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”

22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” 32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.


With the coming of Jesus, a new agreement has been installed between God and humanity. In that new covenant it is clear that there are things that have been renewed and there are things that have been clarified for many. That revelation has come to the people of Israel first of all, and then to the entire known world, including us today and here as well.

One of the things that we have to be clear about is what the presence of the risen Christ means among us. He is the only and the supreme:
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Rev 22:13).
In addition, it shows us that only in unity with him all Christians can be like the Father and He:
“I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one” (Jn 17:22).
This will be a visible sign of those who belong to Christ.
The reading of Revelations tells us that he is the supreme authority and only source of power.
“The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” …Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.” (Rev 22:17)

Two interesting topics emerge from today’s reading of the book of the Acts of the Apostles. A fortune teller who allegedly had a kind of power and the power of God manifested through an earthquake. Two types of supernatural powers.

The power of the Holy Spirit of God is present on this earth and wants to bless us, help us, comfort us. The power of the Holy Spirit of God cannot be denied. It is part of the reality of God.
In this new covenant, with the arrival of Christ on earth we want to witness that God is present more than ever among his people. He just wants us to focus on him. That we put the true God in the first place of our lives, that we worship only him. Let us discard any other power that, although supernatural, does not belong to God. May we have the ability to distinguish that there are powers on this earth that are not of God! There are the powers of darkness and the powers of light and that as Christians we must know how to distinguish them, just as Paul did.
The miracle in that prison can also teach us believers more things.
I don’t know if this has happened here, but we know of many healers, quacks, fortune tellers, psychists, seers, etc. People who apparently possess a supernatural power that allows them to perform supernatural acts. Have you heard about these? Even many people in our churches also have these types of connections and have even gone to these kinds of people. Is this true, do these people have powers like the fortune teller girl in the story? I would say yes. I myself have evidenced people who have displayed these powers. What is Paul’s reaction to that fortune teller? Paul told her:
“In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” That means two things that the girl actually had a power. And secondly, that power did not come from God, because Paul had to exorcize a demonic spirit from her. That shows us that there are people who have that power on earth. The question is where does that power come from? We see that power is not from God. So, Paul wants to make this clear. Not necessarily all the powers we see on earth come from God. And especially when we think of these healers or fortune tellers or any other kind. We have to be clear about that. There are many people who go to these personalities, even Christian people, sometimes. And there we are mixing with things that are not of God. That does not bring blessing.
So, Paul makes it very clear that there are supernatural powers, but not all of them come from God.

Then we see another case of another power. The power of God manifested in praise, thanks and faith. It is a supernatural power that can miraculously modify natural things. But that power does come from God. God wants to show that he is present in the world supernaturally helping his children, those who believe, trust and focus their praise on him.

How is it that Paul and Silas could sing in such a situation? In truth, there is only one answer: Paul and Silas could sing in this situation because, despite all the misfortunes, they still had reason to! They felt confident of God’s care and grateful to be able to announce the good news about him.

We believers can sing at all times, through thick and thin. When we are sad and when we are happy. Because no necessity can destroy the victory of Christ that was shown at Easter and the bond of baptism that assures us: ‘You are my children; I will take care of you forever’. In this life we will have to suffer, but we must not despair, because our souls are safe in Christ Jesus and will not suffer any harm. Whoever suffers will still be able to sing and praise God; whoever despairs will not be able to do it. Singing releases our fears, it affirms our trust in God. Praise through singing is something that greatly pleases God because it shows a strong confidence. Shall we sing at home? Of course. Let’s try worshiping God by singing at home too. We will be surprised at the outcomes. We don’t have a good voice? it doesn’t matter, the most important thing is what comes genuinely from the heart.

Paul and Silas were not desperate. They could stand by their faith and confidence. They knew that even in prison they were under God’s care. That is why they were grateful for the situation they were experiencing. They were happy to have the privilege, to bear witness to Jesus. The prayer and praise with songs pierced the ears of other prisoners and reached their hearts. And the supernatural, miraculous power that came from God by being called upon confirmed that faith. That manifestation made the jailer himself, with his whole family, reach faith and be baptized. In the same way God wants to manifest himself in our lives as believers. He has a lot to give us, to bless us, to show us, he just wants us to focus on praise, worship, gratitude and our confidence that tells us despite life, I am here and I want to improve your life and give you the strength that is lacking and even show others the power of God in your own life.

We always ask God for miracles and the manifestation of his presence in our lives. Today God gives us a clue through his word about what could be the things that we could offer him: our thanks no matter what our situation is, our praise through singing no matter what our situation is, and putting him in the first place of our lives, no matter what our situation is, as a sign of our steady worship and full surrender.

Amen

My Sheep Listen to My Voice

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Sermon for the Fourth Sunday of Easter-05/08/2022
Rev. Enzo Pellini
John 10:22-30
Then came the Feast of Hanukkah at Jerusalem. It was winter. 23 Jesus was in the temple courtyard walking in Solomon’s Porch. 24 The Jews who were gathered there around Jesus spoke to him. They said, “How long will you keep us waiting? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you. But you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name are a witness for me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never die. No one will steal them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than anyone. No one can steal them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.” (NIrV)

One of the most important questions that I’d like to have clearly answered for every one of us is: why do we need a church? If we can leave the service today with this question clearly answered, then we can say that we are able to understand what does it mean to be Jesus’ flock.

Jesus says: “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me…” God will never allow a church to be founded in His name nor will he ever allow a church to continue to grow if it is not founded by His sheep and still being filled by His sheep.
Being a sheep means, among other things, that we are owned by Christ. We hear his voice; this means we recognize; we accept, we believe and we try to obey that voice. And there is something very important about following: that is to keep near to the master, in this case, Jesus. If we use Jesus’ comparison of the sheep, we can we see that the church is a flock of sheep and that Jesus is the shepherd.
If each one of us that comes to church considers oneself to be part of the church of Jesus, then each of us will recognize Jesus as God, Lord, Savior, Messiah, Son of God and Creator of heaven and earth. If this is so, then we are following Jesus and we hear his voice.

If every one of us that comes to church accepts Jesus, that he is our savior and Redeemer and that what he tells us through His word is the highest authority that rules my life, then we are following Jesus.
If every one of us that comes to church truly believes that the Bible is the word of God, and that Jesus is talking daily through our reading of it, then we are following Jesus.

If every one of us makes a daily, at least humbly effort to want to please Jesus, then we are following Jesus.

The church is the body of those people who recognize, accept and believe in the voice of Jesus and follow him. If you belong to those sheep and consider yourself within that flock, then of course you’re one of Jesus’ sheep. Even though you may sometimes make mistakes, be wrong, sin, or have moments of weakness and sadness and lack of faith or distress. But in short, when it counts, you act like God would like. Do not worry; we all go through the same problems and tests. It is most important that you clearly love Jesus though.
If you love Jesus, then I have to declare that you belong to his flock; you are one of those sheep. Then feel good and say out loud, I follow Jesus and belong to his flock! despite my flaws. That’s the most important thing that you are able to declare this and believe in this.

The second most important of being part of the flock is when Jesus says: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (NIV) That is something that many who are considered part of Jesus’ flock are slow to acknowledge, or are still in doubt as to whether this can be true. And that happens because of our lack of trust in God.

Our life on earth is temporary; that is not a mystery. Yet God can grant us a happy and blessed life if we confess aloud the blessings from God that we do have and thank God every day for what he gives us. Our life on earth can be sad and unhappy or happy and cheerful; it mainly depends on us, our thoughts, our way of talking or feel and, of course, our confidence in God. God promises to give us a life on earth and have it in the fullest possible way. But for this we also have to do our part – be accountable of our thoughts, words and actions.
Still, despite having been able to live an abundantly life in this life, death still awaits everyone, Christians and non-Christians alike, and there Jesus promises eternal life to his sheep, the Christians. He will give us paradise and I won’t need to explain how great it will be because you know it. But one of the most beautiful declarations today is that he tells us: “No one will snatch them out of my hand.” And that’s a message for us today.
Everyone one of us who belongs to this Redeemer congregation and each one of those who belongs to every church in the world that confesses Jesus Christ is protected, is anointed, is favoured, is blessed and is cared for by God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Every one of those is considered part of Jesus’ flock of sheep. We are accompanied by God on this earth and in the life beyond.

And this is something, dear sisters and brothers, that we should not lose sight of. The Redeemer Lutheran Church is not a building. Buildings can exist today and be gone tomorrow. But if people who congregate in a certain building are part of Jesus’ flock, nothing and nobody will harm them. Nothing and nobody can defeat them. No demon, nor foe, nor any vicious or poisonous or negative tongue or gossip may destroy them. This is so because the church is anointed by the power of Jesus Christ, the anointed one. And that’s the most important thing that we have to recognize now: our church is armoured by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. And if each one of us helps so that the word of God is proclaimed in this church for all who are hungry and thirsty for the message of hope and truth of Christ, then the church will remain, grow and strengthen and that is a truth that is supported by the holy word of God. And those who do not think this way won’t be able to belong to his flock. They won’t be worthy of belonging to his flock because they do not believe in his word. If you really are a sheep of God, then you must believe in His word and His word tells us today that there is a shepherd who is Jesus Christ. He wants to take care, He wants stay, He wants to bless us, He wants to multiply us and He wants to see us grow only for His glory.

In the Bible, there is a very important verse with which I made a great discovery in my spiritual life: “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Heb 11:6) And there I felt in a subtle but powerful way that we must show faith. Faith is not an option; faith is not some kind of illumination that we will receive in a special way, like a manifestation some day, as in Pinocchio’s fairy tale. No fairy will wave her wand and fill us with faith. If we wait for this, we can live a lifetime and never become faithful. Faith begins as an act of will. We decide to have faith.
When we decide to have faith in this way it is because we want to please God and we want to follow God. In return, God will begin to bless us in a supernatural way, and this is His way. We already have the natural way but He gives us the supernatural. If we want to please God, then we have to believe in Him. He tells us today: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” So, if you love God today, you have to believe. And it is not a question of can, but of want. If you believe you are not only loving Him but also obeying him.

Jesus is promising us today, even though these words are universal for all churches and times, that we members of the Redeemer Lutheran Church: “He gives us eternal life, and no one will snatch us out of His hand,” That’s God’s promise for us today. I invite you today to start to believe, to take that ‘leap of will’, to not follow feelings or wait for magical things. Take that step of will and God will add the lacking faith. He is not only going to bless this church, but He is going to bless you and your family as well from now on.

And now I’d like to come back to the original question: why do we need a church? The church is God’s way of communicating and blessing. The church is the place where we pick up strength for the week. The church is the place where we come to worship God on the day of rest. Sometimes God only wants our presence, nothing else and nothing special. That is obedience. God cannot bless if, even if He would love to, if we are not following Him. God wants us to follow Him; he wants our commitment, even with our faults, doubts and weaknesses. If you’re wondering why God does not bless you as you wanted, I wouldn’t say that we have to blame him. The church is the only way that God has to speak to us through His word and sacrament and show His love as when he tells us: “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Mt 18:20) Do not lose sight of this because here there can be the answer to your questions and the beginning of a new life for you.
Amen.