Truth in advertising

Welcome to this week’s blog from the Red Roof Church in Bulverde, Texas.  I’m Lee Harder, the senior pastor at St. Paul, welcoming you and your family to join us in our regular blog and at worship this Sunday.  We have worship celebrations of Word and Sacrament at 8:30 AM and 10:45 AM.  We would be honored to have you be a part of our spiritual family.                                 
This week I’m preaching from the Old Testament.  Specifically, I talking about the call of Moses from the burning bush.  Now this might sound strange, but I connected it to the purchase this week of a new dishwasher for our home.  I make the connection under the title “Truth in Advertising.”                                                                                                                                                                    
When I searched the internet for dishwashers I settled on getting a Bosch 100 series in black.  All the reviews were great & it might be nice not to have to turn the TV up to a deafening level to overcome the sound of the running washer.  We also got a good price.  We only paid $700.00 for a $449.00 dishwasher.  Apparently, the well advertised price did not include “EXTRAS” that were absolutely essential if the machine was actually going to wash dishes.  Delivery was free since it’s Black Friday (I thought that was the day after Thanksgiving.  Silly me, what do I know because everybody has got Black Friday sales on now and it’s not even Friday.).  That was the only extra that was free.  There is sales tax, I dig that.  The kit cost (Bosch is German & requires a special kit which they do not give away), the installation cost (expected), the special plug cost (I suppose plugging it in is necessary) & the charge to take the old machine away.  In any event, we got to pay a whopping $250.00 more for a machine  advertised for sale at $449.00.  Where is the truth in advertising?                                                                                                                
When God called Moses from the burning bush, He made it clear what He   expected of Moses to do.  Go to Egypt and free His people from slavery.  Do whatever is necessary, but convince Pharaoh to “Let my people go!”  God would help him, but it wouldn’t be easy and it wouldn’t be quick, but God expected Moses to deliver the people.                                                                      
Jesus had the same expectations of us when it comes to being disciples.  He expects us to go out into the world and spread the word of salvation in Christ.  Let people know that Jesus died to pay for our sins.  God loves us that much.  When Jesus gave that assignment to all who believe in Him, He didn’t lie and tell us it would be a piece of cake, easy and no problem at all.  Instead, He told us that it would be hard.  People in the world would persecute us and hate us and maybe even try to kill us to silence God’s message.                                                                                                                                                                                                         
I think we would have to say that God is all about truth in advertising.  He means what He says and doesn’t hide any of the extra costs.  Wouldn’t it be great if the world operated the same way.                                                                                                                    
I’m a big fan of truth.  That’s why when it comes to my preaching on Sunday mornings, I don’t mince words and I don’t pull punches.  You will get the truth based on God’s Word in the Bible, not how our culture would like it to be but how God intended it to be understood.  There will be both Law that  reminds us we are sinners in need of God’s salvation and Gospel that gives us hope that our sins can be washed away and our relationship with our loving God restored.  God has expectations of us when we enter into His family as believers and calls on us to respond truthfully in our devotion and commitment.  Moses came to understand that and so did Jesus’ disciples and so must we as Christians today.  Truth in advertising.                                                    
And those are my thoughts.
God bless and have a great week.
Pastor Lee