ÿWPC  kAş§íWş,ݵá4·¡oĞ)àãÀ¨ğ2¼Œ œµö§(\ YEö‹3}Ñf2pM2xÖ…ÿ‡;,¯Ÿ\ÖúÊP…UÇÔşMM¬@ÑT›¡NA­ÌÃ"YñúûQgŠº©‡FÙ|=ô“à ÉFXo=àœ#ÿc:«÷((*åNTi‘»TU<Ö|åkgGûA‡ ùU-~°ôfÊÔñ¢µVO±Unùh¬yòÿYµXWë3GÔOZVòÑ™WŠ(€Š{K †óuS¹ÍVzçNïEš¿ÿpzvÓÔB•½E0Š„ÔŸZq·;Í©é×!–ò…Š"ØéR`0P)K-1ÎT³Säã?OtzôÙĞYÙYmÔ˜HŞÚÊ´uÓ,©‰§ç24Ƴ:b”¼¥¸ü¿M£ #Pèe=a‚ßE|…qê$%í åú¶QÖ-Ì7nÜ® <\¾ÎÑdu–H÷Q·"Y_¼ W…„¿›nÁ2@Ìôp÷h›$KÙSÏš®gÚg^Q#‰tè(œÚcÄĞ4K³(rvçÑ€Al¬¿² u—9ƒİNÌãvÓɱèĞï+E¾Ğ_ø_*–)ÒwÓôŒÂQsnDeÉÄ ?¬òCZ#ÁìUD­ %ñ 0:÷U:1 Ek ^ m wy 4} ‘   m¢ b¹ $× × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × × Bû ˜EPSON Stylus COLOR 800Œ—ŒŒŒ—0(wF˜ Z‹,GoudyOlSt BT RomanX(üœ$¡¡ÔUSUS.,Ô(wF˜ Z‹"GoudyOlSt BT Ê€5* à$*am FilesˆÃ 3|xÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ[Page ù of &ù] coons Ick dİ ƒüœ!İÔUSUS.,Ôİ  İÔ_ÔÓ  ÓÑ€ ÑÑ8€{¸XXdğdÈ8Ñà @ àÔ‡X{¸XXXÔÔ‡„¦„XX{¸ÔA€sermon€preached€by€Intern€Pastor€Bob€SchaeferĞ ° ĞFir„Conway€Lutheran€ChurchĞ h ĞThe€Third€Sunday€after€the€Epiphany€ğ!ğ€January€21,€2001Ğ €Ğ ĞÑ  ÑText:€Psalm€19Ô#†„¦„„„¦œ#ÔÔ#†X{¸X„„¦»#ÔĞ è8 ĞßA€Y) °°xddE°O xAßĞ P   ĞÌÓ=Óòòğ ğThe€law€of€the€Lord€is€perfect€and€revives€the€soul;€the€testimony€of€the€Lord€is€sure€and€gives€wisdom€toĞ O Ÿ Ğthe€innocent.€The€statutes€of€the€Lord€are€just€and€rejoice€the€heart;€the€commandment€of€the€Lord€isĞ ?  Ğclear€and€gives€light€to€the€eyes.€The€fear€of€the€Lord€is€clean€and€endures€forever;€the€judgments€of€theĞ /  ĞLord€are€true€and€righteous€altogether.€More€to€be€desired€are€they€than€gold,€more€than€much€fine€gold,Ğ o  Ğsweeter€far€than€honey,€than€honey€in€the€comb.€By€them€also€is€your€servant€enlightened,€and€in€keepingĞ _  Ğthem€there€is€great€reward.ğğ€(vs.€7„11)óóĞ ÿO  ĞÌÌFellow€servants€of€the€Word,€grace€and€peace€to€you€from€God€our€Father,€and€from€the€LordĞ Ï ĞJesus€Christ.€Amen.Ğ ¿ ĞÌÌÓ/€d/ÓââEâââ  âpiphany€is€a€strange€season€to€me.€Iğğve€never€known€quite€what€to€make€of€it,€and€itsĞ ß Ğâ k(#k(#°(#°(#âmeaning€has€eluded€me,€despite€the€determined€efforts€of€my€confirmation€and€SundayĞ Ï Ğâ k(#k(#k(#k(#âschool€teachers.€It€has€remained€a€more€or€less€insignificant€aspect€of€my€faith,€a€foggy€grayĞ o¿ Ğâ °(#°(#k(#k(#âseason€to€follow€the€Christmas€brightness€and€clarity.Ğ _¯ ĞÌThough€Iğğm€ashamed€to€admit€it,€I€had€to€turn€to€one€of€my€numerous€reference€books€to€get€aĞ ? Ğhandle€on€what€the€Epiphany€and€the€Sundays€that€follow€it€are€really€about.€First€of€all,€we€areĞ / Ğin€a€season€of€transition.€We€are€moving€from€the€solid,€definitive€moment€of€Incarnation€to€theĞ o Ğconcrete€penitence€of€Lent.€In€our€readings,€Jesus€is€on€the€move,€heading€from€place€to€place€asĞ _ Ğhe€begins€and€advances€his€ministry€of€teaching€and€healing.€The€nature€of€the€season€hustles€usĞ ÿO Ğalong€with€him,€trying€to€match€his€pace.Ğ ï? ĞÌThis€season€is€also€a€time€of€growth.€Youğğll€notice€that€the€color€in€the€sanctuary€is€greenğ!ğgreenĞ Ï! Ğfor€growth,€green€for€life.€Sometimes€it€seems€like€the€ğ ğgreenğğ€Sundays€drag€on€interminably€inĞ ¿" Ğthe€church,€Sundays€where€weğğre€not€rejoicing€and€weğğre€not€mourning;€we€have€neither€festivalĞ ¯#ÿ  Ğcolors€nor€penitential€purples.€Just€ordinary€green.€Green€for€growth,€green€for€life.Ğ Ÿ$ï! ĞÌMost€importantly,€though,€the€season€of€Epiphany€is€about€revelation.€It€begins€with€theĞ &Ï!# Ğrevelation€of€Jesus€to€those€long„traveling€astrologers,€the€Oriental€kings€who€finally€find€theĞ o'¿"$ Ğbabe€beneath€the€star€on€the€Day€of€Epiphany.€Jesus€has€come€into€the€world;€now€he€is€firstĞ _(¯#% Ğmade€known€to€the€nations.Ğ O)Ÿ$& ĞÌThe€revelation€of€Epiphany€continues€the€very€next€Sunday,€where€we€commemorate€theĞ /+&( ĞBaptism€of€Jesus.€Remember€the€words€that€come€rolling€out€of€Heavenğğs€vault:€ğ ğThis€is€my€Son,Ğ ,o') Ğwhom€I€love;€with€him€I€am€well€pleased.ğğ€It€is€the€start€of€Jesusğğ€public€ministry.€His€identity,€hisĞ ° Ğmission,€his€secret€become€a€little€clearer€on€the€Jordanğğs€banks.Ğ  ğ ĞÌThe€last€Sunday€in€the€season€of€Epiphany€is€the€Transfiguration.€It€is€the€mountaintopĞ €Ğ Ğexperience,€the€blinding€revelation€of€Jesus€the€Christ,€the€best€glimpse€we€have€of€what€he€is€allĞ pÀ Ğabout€this€side€of€the€cross.€But€all€along€the€way,€every€Sunday€from€Baptism€to€Transfiguration,Ğ ` ° Ğwe€get€a€taste€of€revelation€as€Jesus€own€words€and€deeds€paint€the€picture€a€little€sharper.Ğ P   ĞÌÓ/€d/ÓââTâââ  âhis€theme€of€ongoing€revelation€during€Epiphany€is€the€reason€we€read€the€NineteenthĞ 0 € Ğâ ¸(#¸(#°(#°(#âPsalm€today.€As€a€Bible€camp€counselor,€the€opening€lines€of€this€poem€always€struck€aĞ  p  Ğâ ¸(#¸(#¸(#¸(#âchord€deep€within€me:€ğ ğThe€heavens€declare€the€glory€of€God,€and€the€firmament€showsĞ `  Ğâ °(#°(#¸(#¸(#âhis€handiwork€One€day€tells€its€tale€to€another,€and€one€night€imparts€knowledge€to€another.ğğĞ P  ĞWorking€every€day€on€the€shore€of€Lake€Andrew,€under€the€clear€Minnesota€sky,€surrounded€byĞ ğ@  Ğthe€trees€and€grass€and€frogs€and€coons€of€our€little€woods,€it€was€easy€to€believe€that€creationĞ à0  Ğhad€something€to€tell€me€about€my€Creator.Ğ Ğ  ĞÌI€was€drawn€to€the€psalm€today€like€bee€to€clover.€As€I€looked€through€the€readings€for€thisĞ ° ĞSunday,€I€knew€right€away€that€I€wanted€to€preach€from€this€psalm.€The€heavensğ!ğand€the€frogsĞ  ğ Ğand€coonsğ!ğof€the€opening€lines,€perhaps!€Or€the€final€words,€ones€which€are€never€far€from€theĞ à Ğpreacherğğs€heart:€ğ ğLet€the€words€of€my€mouth€and€the€meditation€of€my€heart€be€acceptable€inĞ €Ğ Ğyour€sight,€O€Lord,€my€strength€and€my€redeemer.ğğ€One€text€with€two€beloved€passages...howĞ pÀ Ğlucky€could€I€be?Ğ `° ĞÌThen€it€hit€me:€as€I€read€through€this€psalm,€I€mentally€skipped€over€the€entire€middle€section€inĞ @ Ğmy€rush€to€get€from€ğ ğgood€partğğ€to€ğ ğgood€part!ğğ€Rereading€those€middle€verses,€it€quickly€becameĞ 0€ Ğclear€to€me€why€I€had€bypassed€them.€ğ ğThe€law€of€the€Lord€is€perfect€and€revives€the€soul.ğğ€AndĞ  p Ğfive€more€or€less€identical€statements€following!€It€was€repetitive.€It€was€boring.€It€wasĞ ` Ğuninspiring.€And€it€was€the€very€heart€of€this€psalm.€I€imagine€many€of€you€share€my€reaction€toĞ P Ğthese€lines,€but€if€we€are€to€understand€the€words€of€Psalm€19,€we€need€to€engage€this€song€of€theĞ ğ@ ĞLaw.Ğ à0 ĞÌI€grew€up€the€son€of€a€lawyer.€At€one€point€in€my€life,€I€thought€that€I,€too,€would€like€to€go€intoĞ À! Ğlaw.€My€younger€brother€enjoyed€a€class€in€Constitutional€law€so€much€in€high€school€that€heğğsĞ °"  Ğnow€in€a€pre„law€program€himself.€Needless€to€say,€despite€the€incessant€lawyer€jokes€at€theĞ  #ğ! Ğdinner€table,€thereğğs€an€awful€lot€of€respect€for€the€law€in€my€family.€Weğğre€fascinated€by€it.€WeĞ $à" Ğenjoy€the€intricacies€of€it.€And,€of€course,€we€live€by€it!€But€as€far€as€I€know,€no€one€in€my€familyĞ €%Ğ # Ğhas€òòeveróó€written€a€song€about€the€magnificence€of€the€law.€Not€even,€I€imagine,€about€òòGodğğs€Lawóó.Ğ p&À!$ ĞÌIn€the€psalmistğğs€eyes,€creation€and€the€Law€are€cut€from€one€and€the€same€fabric.€They€bothĞ P( #& Ğshout€ğ ğGod!ğğ€to€us€for€all€theyğğre€worth.€Many€folks,€myself€included,€can€easily€hear€this€cry€inĞ @)$' Ğthe€wonders€of€nature,€yet€can€barely€make€out€the€shout€of€ğ ğGod!ğğ€in€the€Law€he€made€for€us.Ğ 0*€%( ĞWhy€is€the€law€worth€rejoicing€in?€Perhaps€some€closer€listening€is€in€order...Ğ  +p&) ĞĞ ,`'* ĞÓ/€d/ÓââWâââ  âhat€does€the€Law€reveal€to€us€about€our€God?€Forgive€me€if€this€is€too€obvious,€but€IĞ ° Ğâ ¿(#¿(#°(#°(#âthink€the€first€thing€it€tells€us€is€that€Law€is€important€to€God.€If€it€were€irrelevant€orĞ  ğ Ğâ ¿(#¿(#¿(#¿(#âinconsequential,€God€would€not€give€it€to€us.€So€God€values€the€Law.€If€he€values€thisĞ à Ğâ °(#°(#¿(#¿(#âLaw,€it€means€that€all€things€are€not€equal€before€God.€One€thing€is€right,€another€is€not;€oneĞ €Ğ Ğthing€is€lawful,€another€is€sin.€So,€on€the€most€fundamental€level,€the€Law€reveals€to€us€a€moralĞ pÀ ĞGod,€one€who€distinguishes€right€and€wrong€from€each€other.Ğ ` ° ĞÌBut€letğğs€go€a€step€further.€The€Law€also€reveals€to€us€that€God€is€a€loving€God,€and€that€weĞ @  Ğmatter€to€him.€This€is€made€clear€in€its€very€giving.€I€have€known€children€whose€parents€haveĞ 0 € Ğnever€ğ ğlaid€down€the€law.ğğ€The€kids€get€into€trouble,€of€course.€They€steal;€they€curse;€theyĞ  p  Ğdisrespect€their€parents€and€others€in€authority;€sometimes€they€get€in€worse€trouble€still.€ButĞ `  Ğmore€painful€than€any€consequences€their€behavior€might€bring€is€the€message€their€parents€haveĞ P  Ğalready€unwittingly€sent€them:€ğ ğYou€donğğt€matter.€What€you€do€is€irrelevant.€I€donğğt€care€aboutĞ ğ@  Ğyou€enough€to€give€you€rules.ğğ€We€can€take€Godğğs€Law€as€a€gift€given€to€shape€our€lives€into€hisĞ à0  Ğimage.Ğ Ğ  ĞÌThe€Law€reveals€the€mighty€creative€power€of€God,€as€well.€Law€brings€peace€and€order€out€ofĞ ° Ğchaos.€To€the€ancient€people,€bringing€order€out€of€chaos€òòdefinedóó€the€act€of€creation;€anyone€whoĞ  ğ Ğcould€tame€the€primordial€chaos€was€indeed€a€God.€So€a€God€who€gives€law€is€a€powerfullyĞ à Ğcreative€God.Ğ €Ğ ĞÌMost€important€of€all,€the€psalmist€would€point€out,€the€Law€reveals€God€because€it€is€in€the€LawĞ `° Ğthat€God€speaks,€using€his€own€words€to€tell€us€about€himself.€From€the€creation€we€can€makeĞ P  Ğinferences€about€the€Creator,€but€in€the€Law€the€Creator€speaks€to€us€in€the€first€person.Ğ @ ĞÌÓ/€d/ÓââLâââ  âutherans€spend€a€lot€of€their€time€talking€about€Law.€Following€the€apostle€Paul,€we€haveĞ  p Ğâ e(#e(#°(#°(#âusually€seen€two€great€values,€or€uses,€of€the€Law,€in€addition€to€its€revelatory€nature.Ğ ` Ğâ e(#e(#e(#e(#âÌâ °(#°(#e(#e(#âFirst€of€all,€Godğğs€Law€shows€us€how€to€conduct€our€lives.€The€natural€law€philosophers€LockeĞ ğ@ Ğand€Hobbes€understood€that€humans€are€essentially€self„centered,€and€that€without€some€outsideĞ à0 Ğmotivation,€our€lives€will€be€a€short,€brutish€mess€as€we€destroy€each€other€in€an€attempt€to€getĞ Ğ  Ğwhat€we€want.€A€rule€of€law,€they€said,€enables€human€beings€to€live€together€in€community.€It€isĞ À! Ğthe€outside€motivation€that€makes€the€whole€thing€work.€Just€consider€the€events€of€the€last€twoĞ °"  Ğdays€in€our€nationğğs€capital,€and€youğğll€see€what€I€mean.€Today€marks€the€first€day€of€PresidentĞ  #ğ! ĞGeorge€W.€Bushğğs€presidency,€and€there€has€been€no€bloodshed.€There€are€no€riots,€and€there€isĞ $à" Ğno€tumult€in€the€government.€Despite€the€fact€that€precisely€half€of€our€citizens€would€not€haveĞ €%Ğ # Ğchosen€President€Bush€to€be€their€leader,€there€will€not€be€a€revolution.€He€will€be€the€43òòrdóóĞ p&À!$ ĞPresident€of€the€United€States,€and€the€transition€of€power€will€go€down€without€violence,Ğ `'°"% Ğbecause€of€the€rule€of€law.Ğ P( #& ĞÌAnd€following€Godğğs€Law€would€be€all€well€and€good€for€us,€if€we€were€able€to€do€it.€A€peopleĞ 0*€%( Ğmade€in€Godğğs€image€and€living€according€to€his€own€ğ ğrule€bookğğ€would€have€it€made.€ExceptĞ  +p&) Ğthat€we€are€fallen€creatures,€and€we€can€never€really€get€past€the€self„interest€that€rules€nature.€ItĞ ,`'* Ğrules€us,€tooğ!ğmercilesslyğ!ğand€it€is€here€that€the€Law€fulfills€its€second€function:€The€Law€makesĞ ° Ğus€aware€of€our€sinfulness,€driving€us€to€the€grace€of€an€even€fuller€revelation€of€Godğ!ğthe€gospelĞ  ğ Ğof€Christ.Ğ à ĞÌThe€more€of€the€Law€I€read,€the€more€I€see€in€myself€that€comes€up€short.€The€Law€isnğğt€òòmakingóóĞ pÀ Ğme€fail,€but€its€an€exceptionally€good€instrument€for€revealing€the€myriad€ways€in€which€I€amĞ ` ° Ğalready€failing.€The€harder€I€try€to€save€myself€by€keeping€the€Law,€the€more€it€condemns€my€self„Ğ P   Ğcenteredness€and€highlights€my€sin.€That€is€its€nature.Ğ @  ĞÌOnly€after€a€person€has€been€beaten€up€and€worn€down€to€nothing€by€the€law,€only€when€he€hasĞ  p  Ğdespaired€of€all€his€power€to€save€himself€under€the€Law,€only€then€does€the€Law€give€way€andĞ `  Ğpoint€beyond€itself.€Even€as€Godğğs€revelation€in€the€created€world€led€us€to€the€more€perfectĞ P  Ğrevelation€in€his€Law,€so€does€the€Law€itself€finally€bring€us€to€Godğğs€most€perfect€revelation:Ğ ğ@  ĞJesus€Christ,€the€Word€of€God€made€flesh.€In€him€we€learn€about€Godğğs€love€and€mercy.€In€his€lifeĞ à0  Ğwe€have€a€perfect€role€model.€And€in€his€death€and€resurrection€we€behold€his€terrifying€andĞ Ğ  Ğmagnificent€power€to€redeem€us.€The€Law€drives€us€to€the€cross,€and€the€power€of€the€cross€aloneĞ À Ğsaves€us.Ğ ° ĞÌFrom€revelation€to€revelation,€our€God€is€an€awesome€God.€For€creation,€for€the€Law,€for€theĞ à ĞWord€and€for€our€salvation,€let€our€words€of€praise€and€our€meditations€of€thanksgiving€beĞ €Ğ Ğacceptable€in€his€sight.€Ô_ÔAmen.Ô_Ô