3rd Commandment Gods Word Wisdoms Way Proverbs 9 1 10

The Second Sunday After Trinity                     29-June-2025
Sermon Text: Proverbs 9:1-10
 Sermon Theme: The Third Commandment - God’s Word - Wisdom’s Way! I. Remember Rest Is Only In The House God Builds!(vs.1-2). II. God Sends Forth His Word of Invitation Don’t Despise It! (3-7) II. Rejoice to Hear and Learn God’s Sacred Word Through Preaching! (Vs.8-10) by Rev. Nathan J. Rusert

I.N.R.I. Psa 18:1-2 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David The Servant of the LORD, Who Spoke to the LORD The Words of This Song on the Day that the LORD Delivered Him from the Hand of All His Enemies and from the Hand of Saul. And He Said: I will love You, O LORD, my strength. (2) The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” David praises the Lord God for giving him rest from the hand of all his enemies. June 29th is one of the very oldest saints’ days in the Christian Church. Since at least 250A.D. the Christian Church has paused to remember the “deliverance” of St. Peter and St. Paul through martyrdom in Rome.
     Paul writing from his second imprisonment in Rome to Timothy testifies, 2Ti 4:16-18 At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. (17) But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. (18) And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen! Imprisoned Paul echoes David’s Psalm of deliverance as he faces death under emperor Nero. The Lord was with him. The Lord will deliver him from every evil work preserving him for His heavenly kingdom. The Lord would deliver Paul through the executioners sword. Beheaded for he was a Roman citizen. Put to death because he would not stop preaching Christ Jesus.
     Our Crucified and Risen Jesus had called denying Peter back into the apostolic office sending him to pastor His flock. On the shores of the Sea of Galilee our Lord asked him three times if Peter loved Him since three times he had denied Him. Now Jesus tells him, Joh 21:18-19 Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish." (19) This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me." Peter would be martyred in Rome by crucifixion. According to tradition he begged his executioners to crucify him upside down since he wasn’t worthy to die in the same way his Lord Jesus had died. That is why the symbol of St. Peter often includes and upside down cross.
     According to early Christian historians both Peter and Paul were executed on this day in Rome by Emperor Nero in 68A.D.. They preached Christ Jesus until their final breath. Learn from them: The Third Commandment - God’s Word - Wisdom’s Way! I. Remember Rest Is Only In The House God Builds!(vs.1-2). II. God Sends Forth His Word of Invitation Don’t Despise It! (3-7) II. Rejoice to Hear and Learn God’s Sacred Word Through Preaching! (Vs.8-10)
 I.  King Solomon through whom the Lord God had built His Temple in Jerusalem. Speaks of a greater House not made with human hands. (Vs.1-2) Over 250 times the book of Proverbs speaks of “hokmah” - translated “wisdom.” The first nine chapters speaks of Wisdom personified not as a vague concept. Solomon is confessing the Divine eternal Wisdom of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The mystery of the Holy Trinity. He calls us to fear, love, and trust in Him above all things. Study Proverbs 8 and you will see a description of Jesus the God/Man - Wisdom Incarnate.
      Now Wisdom is described through His Bride - the Holy Christian Church - just as Eve was built from the side of her husband Adam - so the Christian Church is built from the water and blood which poured from the side of the Crucified Second Adam - Jesus. (LSB pg.321, 3rd Cmdt. W.D.T.M?) Wisdom calls us to “remember!” Remember what? The “sabbath” - “rest”. On the true history of reality records: Gen 2:1-3 Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. (2) And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. (3) Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.” The Triune God spoke our universe into existence. He called forth all living creatures from the ground. He formed Adam from the dust of the ground, then after causing the man to sleep, took from his side and built for him a bride - for it is not good for man to be alone. Gen 1:27-28 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (28) Then God blessed them, and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
      The Lord God didn’t rest on the seventh day because He was tired. He rested FOR YOU! Our God neither slumbers or sleeps, but we need to sleep every night. The very fabric of creation calls us away from the busy-ness of our daily life to be re-created one day a week.
      From the day of Adam’s rebellion we have forgotten where ‘true rest is found.’ We run into the woods with Satan, trying to cover our sin with fig leafs of our self chosen recreation - only to emerge exhausted emotionally, physically, and spiritually. How many times have you wanted to rest after being on vacation?
      Rest is never found in your doing. True rest is found in receiving the truth that all is done for you in Jesus by His Spirit through His Father’s Word, “Come Home!” Augustine confessed, “Our hearts find no rest, until they find their rest in You, O Lord!”  Jesus invites, Mat 11:28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Remember true rest is found in fearing, loving, and trusting in God above all things. In calling upon His Name in every trouble. In coming into His House to hear His Word of Life - the Gospel! (LSB pg. 323, 3rd Art., W.D.T.M? Para.1&2). Wisdom builds her house. All is prepared! All is done for you by the Father in His Son to bring you rest by the Holy Spirit within His Church.
       Church isn’t something you “do” - it is the Comforter’s ongoing gift to you in this world! (LSB pg. 324, L.P. 2nd Pet. W.D.T.M?) God’s Kingdom comes by itself - it is the Triune God’s gift to you!
II.   How does God’s Kingdom come? (LSB pg. 324, L.P. 2nd Pet. H.D.G.K.C?) When God gives us His Holy Spirit to believe and cling to His Word!
      Wisdom sends forth her servants to call us to the feast! (Vs.3-6) The simple, those who lack understanding, the lame, the poor, the maimed, the blind are called to the feast. Here is pure grace to be here in the presence our Triune God every Sunday! Beware of your old adam - He is captive to Satan’s lie - ‘has God indeed said” - “God’s Word doesn’t matter - choose your own spiritual path - you don’t need the Church - you don’t need a boring monotone preacher - you’ve heard it all before - stay home - go camping - play ball - go fishing- that’s where you’ll find rest and recreation with your family.” Beware of this lie our fallen flesh whispers into our ear every Sunday.(LSB pg.321, 3rd Cmdt. W.D.T.M?) Our old adam despises preaching and God’s Word!  
     Today we are learning that our Divine Service is nothing but the Word of God. It is contemporary for the Word of God is living and active. It invites us to the feast of free forgiveness, life, and salvation! Luk 14:17 , 'Come, for all things are now ready.' Our flesh makes excuses - I’ve got to tend to my property, check out my new farming equipment, spend time with my family - that’s more important than being the House of the Lord! (Vs.7) Don’t marvel if the world hates you - you aren’t of this world - you are of Christ Jesus. Invite friends, family, congregation members to come with you to Church every Sunday and you will soon see the world’s hatred for the preaching of God’s Word. Don’t be a scoffer - when God’s Word calls you to repent - then humble yourself - return to find your rest in Jesus present in preaching!
III. Our Triune God is present in His Word spoken within His Church! (Vs.8-9) “Every time I pass a church, I stop in for a visit; so that when they carry me in, the Lord won’t say, “Who is it?”’ With Paul we confess, Php 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. (LSB pg.321, 3rd Cmdt. W.D.T.M?) Hold preaching and God’s Word sacred! Gladly hear and learn it! The sermon isn’t finished until you live it by the grace of the Holy Spirit in your daily calling! We break the third commandment by not regarding all we do as God’s work! In love we serve our neighbor, but it is He who is at work in us to do all good!
      What is the feast Wisdom prepares for us?(LSB pg. 323, 3rd Art., W.D.T.M? Para.3). In this Christian Church - no where else - God the Holy Spirit daily and richly forgives us all our sins! Keeping us in the company of all believers through the Gospel preached!
      The story is told of a pastor calling on a parishioner who stopped coming to church. He would listen to anyone. He invited the pastor into his home as he sat staring into the fire in his fire place. The pastor said nothing then took the tongs removed an glowing ember from the fire and set it apart by itself. They continued staring - as the once glowing ember grew dark, its light and heat faded, soon it died. The man broke the silence - “Pastor, say no more, I’ll be back in Church next Sunday!”
     Come to the Feast! Let Jesus bring you rest through His Word preached, poured, spoken, and fed to you! He fills you with His Life. His forgiveness. His salvation! (Vs.10) Amen.