"The 6th Petition - Guarded and Kept For the Final Victory!" Isaiah 65:17-25

The Last Sunday in The Church Year                         20-November-2022
Sermon Text: Isaiah 65:17-25
Sermon Theme: “The 6th Petition - Guarded and Kept For The Final Victory!” by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

I.N.R.I. The Bridegroom. Ten Virgins. A thief in the night. The Creator reclaiming His creation! The lion grazing on grass alongside the lamb. The end of the Church year has arrived.
    Men hiding in darkness. Secure. Suddenly becoming like women in hard labor. Destruction. Judgment. Hell floods upon them.
    Christians, what are we to do in these dark days? Sleep? Weep? Be drunk? Be foolish while the Bridegroom delays? Darkness cloaked the garden. Darkness would snuff out sun light on noon the next day for three hours. Judgment day was falling on One Man - the Perfect Man - the Sinless Man - Son of Mary - Son of God. Jesus knew it. In the darkness of Gethsemane He brought Peter, James, and John to pray with Him. History records, Luke 22:40 When He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." Jesus’ soul is troubled unto death. He cries out fervently praying, wrestling with God’s good and gracious will to save us sinners through the cup of suffering death and hell He must drink for our salvation. His closest disciples fall fast asleep. They couldn’t even pray one hour. History records, Matthew 26:40-41 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? (41) Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."  
        What do we need to do in these last dark days of world history? Listen to Jesus! Watch! Pray! Your flesh is weak! Don’t trust your feelings, your own reason, your own strength - Listen to Jesus - The Good Shepherd! He promises! John 10:27-30 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. (28) And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. (29) My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. (30) I and My Father are one." Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation - listen - learn from Jesus to pray, “Father, lead us not into temptation!” Learn: “The 6th Petition - Guarded and Kept For The Final Victory!”
      The nation of Judah would face its judgment day. Graciously the Lord sent the prophet Isaiah to preach calling the people to turn away from the path of destruction and return to the True Shepherd King of Israel on whom the Lord would lay all our griefs, sorrows, iniquities, and sins. They shut their ears to God’s Word preached by His faithful prophets. Instead they listened to lying prophets who scratched their itching ears with lies that made them feel good about themselves. Within a century of Isaiah’s preaching - Judah would be taken captive - Jerusalem rubble - the Temple ruins. Still there was hope even during the dark days of seven decades in the Babylonian captivity. (Vs.17-19) The Creator entered human history to reclaim His creation from Satan, sin, and death. Jesus, the Suffering Servant, would come and be led as a Sheep to the slaughter. From His bloody stripes healing would flow to the nations - the forgiveness of sins. His resurrected triumphant flesh would gather all nations to Zion - the Holy Christian Church. It was never fallen lost sinful man’s work or decision to free himself from Satan’s tyranny and rescue himself from sin and the death it brings - it is always the Creator’s work - His mercy - His grace - His Word of Promise!
    (LSB pg. 324, L.P. 6th Petition. W.D.T.M? 1st Sentence) What is the first thing we learn from Jesus? “God tempts no one!” The Holy Spirit teaches us, James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” Our Holy Father hates sin - He doesn’t create us to sin - we aren’t born this way to rebel against His order in Creation and His holy will hardwired into our being - His Holy Ten Commandments. Where does temptation to sin come from? Is it the “devil” who makes me do evil? Is it the world’s slick flashing images that lure me to sin? Maybe it is the alcohol’s fault that I am a drunkard - the gun’s fault that I murder....turning in on self - we invent a laundry list of the reasons why we sin - and we are certain of one thing - it’s not my fault! The Lie deceives and chains us walking in death. What does the Spirit of Truth teach? James 1:14-15 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. (15) Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” Watch and pray! Watch your inner heretic! Beware of bowing down before the idol called, “ME!” Jesus preaches, Mark 7:20-23 .... "What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. (21) For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, (22) thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. (23) All these evil things come from within and defile a man."
      In these last dark days - Watch! Pray! “Father, lead us not into temptation!” (LSB pg. 324, L.P. 6th Petition. W.D.T.M? 1st & 2nd Sentence) The five foolish virgins kept up appearances. They looked, dressed, and were equipped like the wise virgins as they waited the Bridegroom’s return and the feast to begin. Outwardly they looked the same - inwardly their vessels were empty. Foolishly they carried empty oil lamps - as good as a flashlight with no batteries in the deepest darkness. Jesus doesn’t teach this parable to have us stare into our own hearts - that is Satan’s deception from the beginning. The devil, the murder, the liar - whispered to our first parents to look inside of themselves shutting their ears to the Creator’s merciful Word of Life inviting them to feast with Him at the Tree of Life. Satan, seduced them with the lie that God isn’t good - He doesn’t care for them. The lie that “God helps those who help themselves.” Trusting in what they saw, they felt, they desired, their own self-chosen path to godhood - plunged our creation into sin, shame, death - mankind was taken captive by the devil. Man’s imagination became enslaved to evil from his conception. The Creator comes as the Second Adam to redeem creation from the rebellion of the first Adam. (Vs.20-23) Sin only and always pays out the wages of death. Infants die. Property stolen. Labor is in vain. Children are born only for calamity. Satan the Liar and Murder from the beginning has taken humanity captive and with Adam enslaved all of creation.
    “Lead us not into temptation!” is not a self-help petition. Jesus teaches us to look for rescue outside of the prison of self. Listen! Look alone to the Creator - the Lamb of God - who becomes one with you - to take away your sin - the sin of the entire world by His suffering, sacrifice, death, and glorious triumphant resurrection! We pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us! How? Through His Word! King David defines a fool: Psalms 14:1 The fool has said in his heart,"There is no God." They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.” Our inner fool, our old sinful self, our old Adam cries out “there is no god.” Not only the atheist, but we are tempted to lean on our own understanding, to bear our own burdens - to buy into the lie - I can handle this my self! King Solomon warns us against foolishness - Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. (2) Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few.... A fool's voice is known by his many words. “ God’s Word alone saves you. His Word made flesh through the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary. No longer be foolish. Christianity isn’t a personal spirit quest - it is hearing Jesus and only Jesus. God keeps you from temptation -God the Father speaks: Matthew 17:5 ....."This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" Listen to Jesus! Today He preaches to you, John 6:63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
      Father, Son, Holy Spirit guard and keep us in Your Word and the Faith - guard and keep us from the unholy trinity - the devil, the world, and our sinful nature. Satan seduces us to turn away from the fear, love, and trust in God above all things. Satan the white devil has no problem if you are spiritual or religious apart from faith in Christ. He deceives many into keeping outward appearances empty on the inside - filled with the emptiness of their own religious feelings, ideas, strengths, and stories trumpeted by the world and appealing to our sinful nature.  
    Satan, the world, your own sinful nature are easily lead in to false belief. They lie, “God is love - do anything you want - break His holy Ten Commandments - a loving God wouldn’t punish you.” Separating you from the Lord of mercy and life - they turn - Satan, the world, and your sinful conscience become the prosecuting attorney, judge, jury, and executioner - They accuse, “You sinned!” “You can’t be forgiven!” “You must be named by your sin!” “You are damned!” They mislead us to great shame and vice - proudly they would have us parade our sin before the world as our self- chosen freedom. Never honestly admitting they are only addictions to self, sin, and Satan that bind us to death and hell!
      When the darkness of our sin would swallow us in despair, lead us to try to feel something through shame and vice - where can we turn - to Jesus. He came to save sinners, of whom I am chief! He listens! (Vs.24-25) He draws near to restore sinners washing them new again with His blood. Filling their lamps with the oil of His grace, mercy, and peace - Holy Spirit given Faith in His cross and resurrection alone! In these last dark days - Watch! Pray! “Father, lead us not into temptation!” (LSB pg. 324, L.P. 6th Petition. W.D.T.M?) We will be attacked by these things as long as we live in this world on this side of Judgment Day! Our hope isn’t in our strength, but in Christ’s strength and victory over all temptation for us! St. Paul wrote by the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” Taking this passage out of context many think that, “God will never give you more than you can bear.” That is idolatry of self. What is the “way of escape”? 1 Corinthians 10:14-17 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. (15) I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. (16) The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? (17) For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.” It is Jesus’ flesh and blood! Come now! Let the Holy Spirit put on you the breast plate of faith and love and the helmet of the hope of salvation!
    The Bridegroom draws near! Rejoice to go out to meet Him at His table as His Holy Spirit fills you with His living flesh and blood - the victory God the Father gives you wrestling with temptation! Amen.