"The 4th Petition- Hunger No More!" Rev. 7:9-17

The Festival of All Saints’ Day(Observed)                   6-November-2022
Sermon Text: Revelation 7:9-17/ 4th Petition of the Lord’s Prayer
Sermon Theme: “The 4th Petition - Hunger No More!” by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

I.N.R.I. Did you win? Can you say this morning, Luke 12:19....., "Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry." ' Millions of people gambled buying power ball lottery tickets hoping to win the $1.9 billion dollar payoff to finally take life easy. Jesus told a parable of a rich farmer, whose bumper barn swelling crop had come. He was going to build bigger barns to store up all his stuff. He was certain now he had security for the future, could rest, and enjoy life. Jesus preaches the Truth: Luke 12:20-21 But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?' (21) "So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."”
    All Saints’ Day calls us to remember our citizenship. On the night Jesus would give Himself to ransom us sinners from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil - He prayed to God The Father! John 17:14-21 I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. (15) I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. (16) They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. (17) Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. (18) As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. (19) And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth. (20) "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; (21) that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.” The apostles were set apart by the Father’s grace in Christ Jesus called by the Holy Spirit through the Word to be in this world, but not of this world. That night Jesus prayed for you, for me, for all saints - made saints by grace through faith - believing the apostolic word and doctrine. We too are in this world, but not of this world.
    “Remember your citizenship” is what St. Paul preached to the Christians at Philippi. Philippi was a retirement city for Roman soldiers. Roman citizenship held great honor, protection, duties, and responsibilities. Paul reminds the Christian soldiers of their greater birthright in holy baptism. Philippians 3:17-21 Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. (18) For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: (19) whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things. (20) For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, (21) who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” What was Paul’s example? Read Philippians 3. He consider all his good works, all earthly treasures - rubbish. Philippians 3:8-11 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ (9) and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; (10) that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, (11) if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” Saints! Remember your citizenship! Run the race before you looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of your faith! (Vs. 9-12) Sing forth with all the saints in heaven and all the saints on earth - the victorious doxology! Turn away from your hunger for earthly bread that perishes. Cry out for the Bread of Heaven! Learn from Jesus to Pray! “Father Give us This Day our Daily Bread - Hunger No More!”
      St. John sees it all. Exiled to the island of Patmos for preaching the Truth - Jesus alone is the God and Savior. The Roman Caesars were not gods and saviors - although they satanically laid claim to this title and would slaughter all who didn’t bow at their altar. Human governments are not gods and saviors - the satanic lie of socialism, progressivism, and communism all rejected the true and living God - seeking to erect manmade utopias. Their so-called freedoms stand on the graves of over 100 million people slaughtered by communism, 63 million unborn babies slaughtered in the U.S. alone, and countless victims worldwide. Rome sought to silence Christ’s Church by isolating John. They had no idea of the extent of Christ’s Kingdom. It comes by itself and no world power can stop the Church militant’s marching forward and gathering all the elect from every tribe, nation, people, and language.
      St. John isn’t alone. Jesus, True Man and True God, is with him in his exile. Where Jesus is present - His whole Church is really present! Singing“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (LSB pg. 323, L.P. Intro.W.D.T.M?) 1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” Remember that in Christ Jesus, God is your Father, for God the Holy Spirit has birthed you in Holy Baptism, washed you forgiven and clothed you in Christ’s perfect life. (Vs.13-14) Jesus, our Brother teaches us to pray. Our greatest need is to receive the life giving gift of the Holy Spirit through God’s Word being taught in its truth and purity. Knitting us together into the body of Christ we live His Word in our daily vocations. His kingdom comes - by His grace we believe His holy Word living holy lives of faith according to it here in time and there in eternity. His good and gracious will is done as our Heavenly Father breaks the unholy will of the devil, the world, and our bellies - He keeps us firm in His Word and trusting Jesus alone for salvation until we die.
    God the Father created us flesh and soul creatures. When Satan lured our first parents away from the Tree of Life by the lie that we could be our own gods, making up rules to fit our feelings, and eat of that which only brings guilt and death. Christ Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, sought the lost - calling them to turn from sinful self-deception and satanic slavery to His voice. He spoke His promise - declaring war on the Lie - promising that He would come in human flesh, born of the Virgin Mother alone to save mankind once for all. Satan’s lie that God our Creator doesn’t care for our body and life is false. The Bread of Heaven - Jesus draws near to save both our body and soul for all eternity. (Vs. 15-17) St. John sees the Church triumphant - our brothers and sisters who comforted by the Good Shepherd look forward to the resurrection of their bodies on the Last Day. Then we will be reunited with all who died trusting in Jesus for forgiveness, life, and salvation - in these bodies glorified, and raised to the fullness of life.
    The 4th petition fixes our hearts to trust the Giver alone - and not the gift. (LSB pg. 324, 4th Pet. W.D.T.M?) Look to your Heavenly Father who had given you all in His Son! He has called you His own beloved children by God the Holy Spirit through baptismal water. Trust His goodness and mercy. Cry out to Him day by day for daily bread! He gives daily bread for He is good! Even to all evil people. God the Father didn’t abandon creation when Satan polluted it with sin and death. He still upholds all creation by His Word and power. We fool ourselves switching clocks to pretend we control time. He alone sets the days and seasons, planting and harvesting. We deceive ourselves thinking we can destroy our world with the life gas of carbon dioxide - His promise spoken after the world destroying flood in Noah’s day stands firm - creation will continue supplying seed for the sower and bread for the eater until Christ returns to release creation from our sin.
    Learn well to receive your daily breath and bread with thanksgiving. Look only to the Giver - God your Father - trust Him alone for your daily bread! Aged King David confessed, Psalms 37:16 A little that a righteous man has Is better than the riches of many wicked.....Psalms 37:25-26 I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread. (26) He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed.”
Looking to Christ Jesus - our true Bread from Heaven who gives us dead sinners His eternal life renewing us by His forgiving Spirit. Rejoice to Hear Jesus’ voice. You are the blessed poor, mourning, meek, hungering and thirsting for His righteousness. He fills you with His mercy, washing you new purifying your heart by His Spirit, seeking peace through His reconciling blood. You are blessed under the cross - He will never leave you nor forsake you.
      Dr. Luther in the Large Catechism recommends that every nation should have a loaf of bread on its flag to remind them of the God the Father who gives us all things. Behold the catalog of blessings. (LSB pg. 324, 4th Pet. W.M.B.D.B?) Everything that has to do with the support and needs of the body! The Lord God blesses you through the work He calls you to be His hands caring for your neighbor. He fed the children of Israel bread from heaven for 40 years - still He dignified them through having them work - gathering it daily. Work is a blessing the Lord God gave to Adam and his wife in paradise. Because of Adam’s rebellion work became harder - it is still a blessing from our heavenly Father by which He cares for us and His creation.
    Learn to pray “Father, give us this day our daily bread!” Make each day a day of thanksgiving. Feast on Jesus the Bread of Life in daily family devotions - then feed your body with the food He has provided.
    All Saints’ day calls you to repent and remember your citizenship. We don’t live by lottery - we have a Father who loves us completely in Christ Jesus and has called us by His Holy Spirit to be His own beloved children. We are citizens of heaven. As citizens of this nation we will vote on Tuesday, but our salvation, our hope, our future isn’t in any political party, but in our Father in heaven. Pray: “Father, give us this day our daily bread!” Trust in Him! Luther wrote: 80 But this petition is especially directed also against our chief enemy, the devil. For all his thought and desire is to deprive us of all that we have from God, or to hinder it; and he is not satisfied to obstruct and destroy spiritual government in leading souls astray by his lies and bringing them under his power, but he also prevents and hinders the stability of all government and honorable, peaceable relations on earth. There he causes so much contention, murder, sedition, and war, also lightning and hail to destroy grain and cattle, to poison the air, etc. 81 In short, he is sorry that any one has a morsel of bread from God and eats it in peace; and if it were in his power, and our prayer (next to God) did not prevent him, we would not keep a straw in the field, a farthing in the house, yea, not even our life for an hour, especially those who have the Word of God and would like to be Christians. 82 Behold, thus God wishes to indicate to us how He cares for us in all our need, and faithfully provides also for our temporal support.(L.C. 4th Pet. L.P)
      Children of the Heavenly Father - “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven,” Amen!