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5. They’re here. Oppressive wolves are among the flock.  They’ve been here from the beginning ... not only in this congregation, but in the church at large. They’ve come to attack the flock ... that is, you and me. We are the flock.  Maybe you suspected the wolves were here already. Maybe you had no clue. But they’re here ... wearing sheep’s clothing, hiding in plain sight, pretending they’re innocent and that they mean well. But they’re really clever. They know how to scare us into listening only to them. They know how to twist the truth just enough so that the sheep have a hard time discerning right from wrong. They are pros at dividing and conquering and devouring and perverting God’s word ... misleading the faithful. They are fierce. They are vicious. All of our readings today, on this Eighth Sunday after Trinity, highlight this truth. Today, we will focus on Paul’s proclamation to the pastors of the church of Ephesus that after my departure oppressive wolves will come ...

The text for our meditation today comes to us from Saint Paul’s epistle to the Romans, where we read in verse 22 ... But now ...  But now, having been set free from sin and having become slaves to God, y’all have your fruit into holiness and the end: eternal life. But now ... You may think these are simple words. In fact, they are life-changing. The word “but” is a conjunction used to introduce language that negates or stands in contrast with what had been said previously. The word “now” is an adverb that has immediate implications for what’s happening. Together, these words ... But now ... show us that ... THE OLD HAS PASSED AWAY BUT NOW GOD IS GIVING ALL WHO ARE BAPTIZED ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD. This is not only our theme ... but now ... your reality.  You were slaves to filth and lawlessness, but now you can present yourselves as slaves to righteousness. You were a slave to sin, but now you can be a slave to holiness. The old has passed away, and the fruit o...

What, then, shall we say? May we continue in sin in order that grace may increase? God forbid! We who died to sin, how will we still live in it? Or do you not know that, all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into his death? We were buried with him, therefore, by baptism into his death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so also we may walk in a renewal of life … So also you, consider yourselves to be dead to sin and living to God in Christ Jesus.  As Lutherans, we hold Baptism in high honor. Baptism is water included in God’s command and combined with God’s Word to remove us from sin and carry us toward everlasting life. And, as Lutherans, we have this curious phrase: Remember your baptism . We say it all the time ... it’s even written in red letters at the beginning of our Divine Service ... but what do we mean by it?  Quite simply, it’s the recognition that God has already forgiven you of all of your ...

Finally! (v. 8) This is our Gospel word of the day from Peter’s epistle. Finally ... all like-minded, sympathetic, beloved brothers, tenderhearted, humble. Finally ... blessing and never cursing (v 9).  Finally ... doing good and no evil.  Finally ... seeking peace and pursuing it  (v 11).  Finally ... being zealots of good (v 13).  Finally ... setting apart Christ in our hearts and being ready to share the hope within us (v 15).  YES, FINALLY, CHRIST THE LORD IS GIVING YOU THIS GOOD LIFE This is our theme. 1) The Lord has finally called us to have the good life. 2) And Christ the Lord is finally providing it. Finally! 1. Who wouldn’t long for these things? To finally have all the promises of God? Everyone longs for that life. At least most of us say we do. We dream about it. And work hard toward it. But finding it and keeping it has baffled the world all of our lives. Always being like-minded, always being sympathetic, always being beloved brothers, alway...

Listen! Do you hear it? Creation is groaning. ... If you are listening you really can’t miss: Creation is crying out to be restored ... pleading to be made new. The earth is shaking, tornadoes are roaring, volcanoes erupting, fires raging, droughts sizzling, and floods surging. Creation is groaning. Do you also hear the groans of humanity, too: War, murder, poverty, hunger, identity crises? Do you hear the fabric of society being torn in two? Do you hear the foundation of the family structure breaking apart? You should. It affects us all.  Humanity is groaning with all of creation. People are shirking marriage in search of their best life now. They’re distancing themselves from God’s Word. They’re killing their babies. They’re searching for themselves, setting themselves up as their own gods. They’re putting themselves on pedestals: Our land, animals, and family are more important, we say. We have a better way.  These are some of the groans of creation.  Do you hear them ...