Jailhouse Sermon #1

Once a month I preach in a local county jail. The following sermon and prayer are what was presented to 14 men and women who are incarcerated for various crimes.

Although I expounded on certain areas of the sermon which is not included in this text, the main point is in tact and very obvious.

This is also officially my first sermon of my "vicar" year. I write that while pressing my tongue in my cheek....(chuckle, chuckle)

I did excerpt a good point from the People's Bible, and included it in the sermon, I just can't remember where.

I suppose I should title it, how about "Faith."

Enjoy.......

Our meditation today is based on the gospel according to Matthew Chapter 17 verses 14 through 20.

14When they came near the crowd, a man approached Jesus. He got on his knees in front of him. 15“Lord,” he said, “have mercy on my son. He shakes wildly and suffers a great deal. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16I brought him to your disciples. But they couldn’t heal him.”
17“You unbelieving and evil people!” Jesus replied. “How long do I have to stay with you? How long do I have to put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.”
18Jesus ordered the demon to leave the boy, and it came out of him. He was healed at that very moment.
19Then the disciples came to Jesus in private. They asked, “Why couldn’t we drive out the demon?”
20/21He replied, “Because your faith is much too small. What I’m about to tell you is true. If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, it is enough.” Matthew 17:14-20


Earlier in the day Jesus and three of his disciples
· Peter
· James
· And his brother John

Had been at the Mount of Transfiguration. They were returning to the other 9 disciples when they found a demon possessed boy with his father, in the midst of a large crowd, surrounded by nine very confused disciples.

Here was a boy possessed by a demon – a fallen angel bent on bringing as much of God's creation into ruin as possible. The nine disciples who had not gone with Jesus up the Mount of Transfiguration were unable to drive it out, though earlier Jesus had given them the authority and the command to do exactly that.

The father knelt before Jesus and pleaded, “Lord, have mercy on my only son.”

Jesus’ first reaction was to denounce the “unbelieving and perverse generation.”

Q. Whom do you suppose Jesus was calling an unbelieving and perverse generation?

· Did he mean that crowd?
· the boy’s father?
· the nine disciples?
· Perhaps Peter, James and John who had just witnessed an incredible miracle themselves?

A. The fact is, all of them might well have been included.

Jesus then rebuked the demon, and it had to leave the boy, but its departure was so violent that the boy, completely exhausted and spent by the ordeal, looked as though he was dead. …………Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and the boy was completely and permanently free from the power of the demon.

Q. Why on this occasion, did those nine disciples fail in casting out this particular demon?

· Were they unworthy?
· Did they not know what they were doing?
· The nine disciples had been given the power to drive out demons by Jesus himself and had become very successful in earlier attempts to cast out demons, why was this time any different?
· Well, what does Jesus say?

A. Because your faith is much too small.

Perhaps you question how those nine disciples’ faith can be too small, after all they ARE Jesus’ disciples aren’t they? They above all people should have the strongest faith of everyone during that time right? Doesn’t that make sense?

Let’s step back a little. There is a popular account of Jesus and Peter where Peter and the rest of the disciples were in a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee during a storm. They had traveled a considerable distance from land when they looked to where they had come from and saw what they thought was a “ghost” walking on the water toward them. They began screaming “IT’S A GHOST!!, IT’S COMING TO GET US” It wasn’t until this “ghost” spoke to them that they began to realize who it was. It was Jesus. He told them “Take courage, It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Peter, not sure whether to believe what he heard, or continue in his fear and start paddling as fast… as… he… can… the other way, called out to Jesus and asked him, “Lord if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water.” So Jesus said, “Come.”

Peter with no other option than to trust the Lord Jesus, focused everything, heart, mind, body, and spirit on Jesus in the distance, got out of the boat and started walking – on top of the Sea of Galilee. It wasn’t until after a few steps, the storm and the crashing waves distracted him and his focus on Jesus and he began to sink. He cried out for the Lord to save him, Jesus reached out his and caught him. Once Jesus had a hold of him on top of the water, he gave him this rebuke,

“Your faith is so small!, why did you doubt me?”

So here we are, just like Peter had done earlier, those nine disciples -in the face of a particularly vile and strong demon who was doing things to this boy by causing him to throw himself into fire, drown himself in water, make his body convulse wildly and foam at the mouth - had most likely began to fear and become distracted by this spectacle. And just like Peter, why did they fail? Because they were distracted by the vileness of this particular demon and most likely began to doubt.

How many times have you been faced with a scary task?

Perhaps one you may see as impossible to complete. Or maybe you have thought you conquered a particular sin only to fall right back in to it again?

All of us in some way have been faced with our own ‘demons’ or our own ‘ghosts.’ These demons and ghosts are our sins, our failures, and our feeble attempts at making things right by our own means through faith in ourselves and our abilities.

We, like the disciples in these accounts, have failed in our attempts to cast out our demons, our sins. Or maybe, we have decided to do what is right and began to do the right things, only to end up sinking away to the original sin we were attempting to make right. We start the task only to lose focus, doubt, and end up disappointing ourselves and the ones we love. Why? Because we also have failed to place our trust and faith in the only true and right place worthy of it,…………………

After Jesus sent the demon away and healed the boy, the disciples asked the Lord why they had been unsuccessful. Jesus scolds the nine men because, in view of the especially violent and viscous demon, which they may have never encountered before, the disciples doubted the promise of Jesus that through faith in Him, the demon would be driven out.

In a similar way, Peter became distracted by the storm and waves and began to doubt that through faith in the power of Jesus, he would be safe and continue to walk on the water.
In both cases they failed in their effort because they doubted in God’s power to accomplish the task.

How did they fail? By depending on themselves and their own understanding and power to solve the situation. They put faith in themselves and not in the power of their Savior where they should. When their faith failed, they were disconnected from Jesus’ power, and by themselves they could do nothing!!

It’s not the quality or quantity of our faith that is important. What matters is the One on whom our faith is founded. If we only think about our faith, we have begun to rely on ourselves. But if we trust in Jesus alone, then our faith is strong because He is the basis for it, and our confidence is rightly placed on our ever faithful Savior and his completely reliable promises.

Faith is always related to a specific promise. When the Lord makes a promise and we take him at his word, that promise is certain to be fulfilled. Jesus promises, for example, that he will provide everything needed for this body and life to those who seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.

The Lord promises to make all things work together for the good of those who love him, and countless Christians across the centuries have learned from personal experience that God does exactly what he promises.

In 1 Corinthians 10:13 we have this assurance:
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

With faith in this promise of God, many a Christian has triumphed over unbelievable hardships and suffering. Remember these promises always. Cling to them and be richly blessed!

Isn’t it a blessing and comfort to know that by simply trusting in the promises of Jesus and having just a grain of faith, we - you and me - have become an heir to eternal life?

No matter how many times we fail to “do things right” or how many times we disappoint ourselves,… our loved ones… our God…or our Savior by failing to accomplish a task, or perhaps break a promise and fall into an old or new sin, Jesus is ready to forgive us.

Salvation is free, given to you as a gift through Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on the cross.

All you need is a grain of faith….believe…..a simple grain of faith can be defined as this…..Just Believe.

Is a mustard-seed faith all you have? Rejoice! Jesus is the firm foundation of your faith. With him nothing is impossible. Every promise he gives you in his word will be fulfilled. No doubt!

AMEN
We Pray,
Increase my faith, dear Savior, for Satan seeks by night and day
To rob me of this treasure and take my hope of bliss away.
But, Lord, with you beside me I shall be undismayed;
And led by your good Spirit, I shall be unafraid.
Abide with me, O Savior, a firmer faith bestow
Then I shall bid defiance to ev’ry evil foe. Amen.

The Prayer (with an adaptation of Luther's Morning Prayer)

PRAYER

In the name of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen. We thank you our Father, through Jesus Christ, your dear Son, that you have kept us from all harm and danger. Keep us this day also from sin and every evil, that all our doings and life may please you. Into your hands we commend our body and soul and all things. Let your holy angel be with us, that the wicked foe may have no power over us.

Heavenly Father, you above all else are mighty and powerful, we come before you as your creation unworthy of your forgiveness, deserving only your wrath and punishment, but you, oh Lord, in you infinite grace and mercy sent your Son, Jesus, to serve as our substitute, who took all of the wrath and punishment that we deserve, and paid for our sins in full by living a perfect life for us and giving himself as a selfless sacrifice on the cross and we thank you, Dear Lord for allowing Jesus’ sacrifice to win for us eternal life in heaven.

We bring before you our petitions for your grace and mercy in these trying times, All of us in this room, in countless ways, have sinned against you and our neighbor, we humbly come before you and ask for your forgiveness. We ask that you give us and our families the courage, patience, and strength to endure this hardship. We also ask in the coming days that you give us the strength to bear whatever the results of hearings or sentencing may be, we also humbly ask you to be with us and help us through these judgments.

Father, the men/women in this room have brought personal requests to your feet: Requests for…………………………..

Heavenly Father we place these requests into your hands, understanding that it is by your grace and your providence, that you will answer them.

Father we thank you for the blessing of your word today and come before you and pray as Jesus taught us:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done
On earth as it is in heaven
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses,
As we forgive those who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil
for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory
for ever and ever.

AMEN…

The Lord bless you and keep you,
The Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you,
The Lord look on you with favor, and + Give you peace. AMEN