Category: Sunday

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Septuagesima (about 70 days until Easter)

Readings: Exodus 17:1-7 | 1 Corinthians 9:24-10:5 | Matthew 20:1-16

Text: Matthew 20:1-16

Quite often, the airwaves are abuzz with talk of fair wages and proper compensation.  Strong words come from politicians, talk show hosts, and probably in your own conversations, too.   Everyone wants to get what’s owed to them, and as much as possible.  But there seems to be no agreement on what that is.  So, the fiery debates continue.

But, here, in the Kingdom of Heaven, we need to leave all that clamor behind.  It’s earthly baggage.  If we try to bring it with us, we will be in grave danger of missing what grace really is.  So, leave the world while you’re in this place, and listen to your God and Savior.

We will focus especially on the Master’s question in the parable, “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me?” (v. 15)

“A master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.”  Notice carefully what he does:  Nobody came to him looking to work in his vineyard.  Rather, he went out to look for them.  And notice the people that he hires: idlers.  If he hadn’t called them, they would have gone home at the end of the day empty-handed.  But did the landowner owe these workers a job?  Did these laborers have any claim on the master’s property?  Not at all.  It was the master’s free choice to go out and hire these laborers.  It was his vineyard, so he set the wage and the rules for working there.

The Lord once said to Job, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?  Tell me, if you have understanding.”[1]  The truth of the matter is, God does not owe any person anything.  He is the Creator, and we the creatures.  Not the other way around.   He is not accountable to us; we are to Him.  He formed us from the dust, and everything that makes us different from animals is due to Him creating us in His image.  “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”  God said this to the man and his wife after they brought sin into the world.[2]  And, boy, do we need that reminder!  In our sinful arrogance, we want to answer back to God and accuse Him of being unjust and stingy.  But it is He who formed us, and by His own will gave us body and soul, eyes, ears, our reason and all our senses.

And we must understand this in order to enter God’s heavenly Kingdom.  God does not owe us anything.  Is He guilty toward mankind?  It was man who turned away from Him, despite the warning of death’s consequence.  Is He guilty for accusing you of sinning against Him?  No, He “is justified in His words and blameless in His judgment.”[3]

He is the one who planned for your salvation, and fulfilled all of His saving promises.  He is the owner of the vineyard, as He also explains in Isaiah 5, “My beloved [which is God] had a vineyard on a very fertile hill. He dug it and cleared it of stones, and planted it with choice vines; he built a watchtower in the midst of it, and hewed out a wine vat in it; and he looked for it to yield grapes, but it yielded wild grapes.”[4]  God built it and prepared it, and put us in it.  Heaven and earth are His property.  He restored us, when all we deserved was to be thrown off his land.  Still, even after this, we have no claim on His property.

By our natural birth, we are those laborers standing idle in the marketplace.  And corrupt workforce that we are, we don’t even want to be in God’s vineyard, as the Psalm says, “The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.”[5]  But He comes out seeking us through the preaching of the Gospel.  He preaches, “As far as the east is from the west, so far have I removed your transgressions from you”[6] and He calls us into His vineyard, His Kingdom.  And He does it all by His free choice, without any merit or worthiness in us.

And because it all belongs to Him, He has the authority to do what He wants with what’s His.  He has the power to hand out His gifts of forgiveness and life to whomever He wants.  Since none of us has a claim on it, it’s entirely up to Him who He gives it to.  “For he says, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’”[7]  To prostitutes, tax collectors, and sinners?  The poor, the widows, and the orphans?  To wretches like me and you?  It’s His to freely give: “By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.”[8]

God also has the power to give out His goods whenever He chooses, whether the first or the eleventh hour.  Jesus tells Nicodemus, “The Spirit moves where He wishes and you hear His voice, but you do not know where He comes from or where He is going.”[9]  God has called some of you from your mother’s arms.  This is His good and gracious will.  Others, He has called later in life, or even on their deathbed.  This is His good and gracious will.  He called people when it was accepted to be God’s people, and He called people when they would be berated and beheaded for confessing Jesus as Lord.

God gives larger or smaller burdens to be borne by each of us.  Often we take the attitude of those hired first, and grumble against our fellows who seem to have it easier, as if we were deserve better, now that we’re not bound for eternal torment.  He also portions how much work is accomplished by each laborer.  There are the famous saints—Moses, Elijah, Paul, and Luther—but the success all came from God.  St. Paul wrote, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”[10]

God also has the power to hand out as much as He wants of His goods.  That is, He gives the heavenly inheritance to everyone, regardless of seniority.  “When those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius.”  Seniority lists are not what we see in the kingdom of the world.  On the job, think of how much resentment comes from seeing upstarts and flatterers make it over those who worked hard! Such wrong is common to see! But not so in the Kingdom of God.  God is shows no favoritism and He cannot be bought off with gifts and flattering words. To David the noble King and Rahab the whore, He gives the same reward.  Moses and the thief on the cross stand around the same throne in paradise.  The Apostles Peter, James, and John bask the same glory as you and I will one day.

The footnote under the last part of verse 15 says, “Is your eye evil because I am good?”  When we bring our worldly baggage with us into heaven, we judge God.  But in fact, it’s our eyes that are evil and He is good.  God is in debt to no one.  And that makes our salvation that much more incredible.  The very heart of grace is that God chose to create you.  You owe your existence entirely to Him.  He chose to pay for your sins by the death of His Son.  He didn’t consult with you to check if it was a good idea.  And He chose to call you into His Kingdom.  You didn’t stumble through the door when your other options were used up (the point of the Prodigal Son is another lesson for another Sunday).  So rather than judge God for who He is and what He does with what’s His, we praise and exalt Him because of His grace and goodness, which He lavishes upon us.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

[1] Job 38:4

[2] Genesis 3:19

[3] Psalm 51:4b

[4] Isaiah 5:1-2

[5] Psalm 14:1-2

[6] Psalm 103:12

[7] Romans 9:15, Exodus 33:19

[8] Ephesians 2:8

[9] John 3:8

[10] 1 Corinthians 3:6-7

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The Transfiguration of Our Lord (Historic)

Readings: Exodus 34:29-35 | 2 Peter 1:16-21 | Matthew 17:1-9

Text: Matthew 17:1-9

Everyone hopes for heaven on earth. What can we do to hasten its arrival? What’s the “secret sauce” that nobody before has managed to discover, or how can I adjust my living so that I can be free of want?

The twentieth century was full of human schemes to create heaven on earth. Russia, China, North Korea, Cuba, and Vietnam all thought that Communism was the answer. But even in our own country, the past several years have witnessed the belief that the “right” politicians will make things right: some by Republicans, some by Democrats.  The 21st century also continues in this line, with the notion of the Great Reset, which will bring about a new world order of sorts. However, In every case, people came closer to giving people hell than heaven. These schemes were not ill conceived or poorly organized. The schemes of humans always fail to bring heaven to earth, no matter how well planned, or efficiently organized.

While we might think that if we could just avoid the programs of those who are attempting to impose their view of an earthly heaven upon us, we would be able to create it for ourselves. We think that if we could just create the perfect family with children who are always obedient, and get the perfect job, which pays a large salary and does not require any work, we would be just fine. It would be like heaven. Some people think that if they check out of their responsibilities and move to a red state, that that would be heaven on earth.

Peter expressed that same wish in the Gospel today: 4 And Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.” If we could only just stay here a while, that would be perfect.

But the problem with creating heaven on earth is me, not the stuff or the people around me. My sin and its guilt thwart heaven’s earthly arrival every time. Communism is poisoned by human greed—both a sinner’s desire for more and the selfishness of sinners in power. The problem isn’t one party against another, or even an independent party; it’s that every single representative is horribly flawed by sin. George Soros might have some grand ideas for society, but they cannot accommodate a country, or state, or city full of wicked sinners. And for all those who have hoped for the “perfect” church community where everyone is loving, the music is just what they wanted, and every need is abundantly met—is chasing after the wind.

However, our hope for heaven on earth alerts us to a desire that has been implanted in us by our Creator. Ecclesiastes 3, just after the famous “a time for everything” portion says, “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” (Eccl. 3:11) God made us for perfect fellowship with Him. He created us to inherit eternal life with Him. He designed us to experience a perfect home in His presence. Our desire is not wrong, but because of sin, it is misplaced. The desire of itself is in harmony with our true nature as creatures of God. We just cannot create what we so much desire to have.

5 He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.” 6 When the disciples heard this, they fell on their faces and were terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them, saying, “Rise, and have no fear.” 8 And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

In trying to create what we desire; our focus is wrong. It is fatally set upon our doing and our activity and our definition of heaven. God is the Creator of heaven and earth. Therefore, He is the one who can grant us heaven on earth. He does so in a way that appears to us to be so unspectacular and even unattractive. Yes, Peter, James, and John were awe-struck by the sight of the Transfiguration, but that was not to remain. It was a blessed vision to which they were eyewitnesses. But, the balance of their life was spent in ordinary life—in conversations, in Peter caring for his wife, in James suffering martyrdom, and John being exiled to Patmos. And all of them fled when the hour had come for Jesus to be glorified in the eyes of the Father.

Yet, in that most unpleasant—some might even say hellish—episode of Jesus’ passion, He was gaining heaven for us. Heaven for those who deserve it least. A Kingdom of Heaven, that can be found even in the midst of a fractured, dying, Satan-infested world.

“Thy Kingdom come,” we pray. The Father answers this prayer not with beatific visions on a mountain top, but through faith in the Word of His Son: “Listen to Him.”  He does it by granting us the body and blood of the Lord upon our altars. The church sings together with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven at the celebration of the Sacrament of the Altar. Together with that heavenly host—with Moses and Elijah—to confess that heaven is where the Body of the Lord has come. If Christ’s body is here, then all the heavenly hosts must be present, even though unseen. Heaven bursts the bonds of mere sight through the gracious presence of the Lord’s Body among us.

Heaven on earth is attainable by our most fervent efforts. Heaven on earth comes only where God gives it to us as a gift. The 4th century bishop, John Chrysostom wrote:

“This mystery of the body of Christ makes earth become a heaven to you. Open only once the gates of heaven and look in; no, rather not of heaven, but of the heaven of heavens; and then you will see what I have been speaking of. For what is most precious of all there, I will show you upon earth. For as in royal palaces, what is most glorious of all is not the walls, nor golden roofs, but the person of the king sitting on the throne. So likewise in heaven the body of the King is most glorious. But this, you are now permitted to see upon earth. For it is not angels, nor archangels, nor heavens and heavens of heavens, that I show you, but their Lord and Owner. Don’t you perceive how that which is more precious than all things is seen on earth; and not merely seen, but also touched; and not only touched, but also eaten; and after receiving it you go home?

“Cleanse your soul then and prepare your mind for the reception of these mysteries. For if you were entrusted to carry a king’s child with the robes, the purple, and the diadem, you would cast away all earthly things. But now we are considering no child of man no matter how royal, but the only-begotten Son of God Himself, whom you received. Do you not thrill with awe and cast away the love of all earthly things, and have no boast but that with which to adorn yourself? Or do you still look toward the earthly, and love money, and pant after gold? What pardon then can you have? What excuse could you offer? But don’t you know that all this worldly luxury is loathsome to your Lord? Was it not for you that at His birth He was laid in a manger, and took to Himself a mother of low estate? Did He not for this say to him that was seeking gain, ‘The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head’? (Matt 8:20). John Chrysostom, Homilies on 1 Corinthians, 24.8

Nonetheless, the will of the Father is for you and I to hear the voice of His Son. We hear it as the Spirit enables us, and in that faith-filled hearing, we see what heaven really is: The very presence of God in the midst of His people. There, we see a God who reconciles Himself through the blood of Jesus, who hears our prayers, who cares for us in every need. Gathered as we are in the Body of Jesus, we pray together, “Our Father,” alongside the rest of the holy Church. If we are looking for heaven on earth, look no further than where the Father has sent His Son. In Him, we have peace with God and confidence in faith. The Holy Spirit seeks to preserve each of us in this true faith, until the day comes where there is no more room for doubt.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

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Second Sunday after the Epiphany

Readings: Amos 9:11-15 | Romans 12:6-16 | John 2:1-11

Text: John 2:1-11 

There are two Old Testament readings assigned for this Sunday. One is from Exodus 33:12-23. In that, we read: 

18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” 21 And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.” 

Moses wanted to see God in His glory. The trouble is, sinful man cannot see Him and live. Moses was permitted to see his back. 

Centuries have been spent by man seeking the face and the glory of God: 

  • Mystics seek God in emotional experiences. 
  • Jewish mystics have sought it through a devotion to the Torah: “Kabbalah takes man beyond the normative understanding of reason. It goes beyond the exoteric part of Torah and transcends normative existence. It uncovers many of the infinite layers of the secrets of life, of Creation, of the soul, of the heavenly spheres. It penetrates beyond the garments and the body of the Torah. It is the very core and soul of Torah, the ultimate revelation of Divinity – exposing the inner meaning, effects and purpose of Torah and mitzvahs.”1 
  • Spiritualists old and new seek to find God through their own devices—repetition, music, occasionally intoxication—all so they can achieve what even Moses was not permitted to see. 
  • For His part, God gave the Levitical code to keep sinful man at a safe distance. Through the blood of sacrifice, water of purification, the smoke of incense, the veil before the Ark—God covered His glory so that they would not perish. 

Enter Jesus onto the scene. The Evangelist John comments that the “Word became flesh and tabernacled among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only-begotten Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) It’s a new era for the glory of God and sinful man. The sin hasn’t gotten any better (that’s the delusion that humanity is advancing over generations). But while we were still as wicked as ever, Christ came and tabernacled in our midst. We certainly did not become more worthy of beholding the glory or face of God. The difference was the incarnation, and the gracious purpose of God to reconcile sinners to Himself. 

At the Wedding at Cana, we hear: 

On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” 
6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.” So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” 

At first glance, it seems unrelated and trivial. So what? Jesus was invited to a friend’s wedding and saved them from a huge embarrassment. But in view of who Jesus is and what He has come to see, there is so much more to behold! 

  • The Lord is revealing Himself in His tabernacle among us in a new way. Where will people see God? Not just in the Temple. How will He show His glory? In this creative work which takes the old and fulfills it; which brings an abundance which man could never conjure up. To whom will He show His glory? Not simply to one man, but to His disciples who believe in Him! 
  • Under the Law, the glory of God had to be kept away from sinful man. When the Word became flesh, He made His intention clear that He wanted to take up a permanent dwelling among this fallen race. 
  • In the Old Testament Lesson we heard from Amos 9:11-15, the Lord says that this new era will be marked by “the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it”—an abundance of cause to rejoice and celebrate. It is a joy and peace that alcohol by itself couldn’t possibly give in its intoxicating properties. As God gave us wine to “gladden the heart of man” (Ps. 104:15), it’s only in seeing the Son of God’s mighty deeds that we know true elation. 

So, this sign shows that God’s restoration has come. Jesus is the end of the waiting of the Law. He is the end of the divide between God and sinful man for all who believe. 

This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. 
  • Here is the message of Jesus at the wedding in Cana: He is there to show what Moses and Amos anticipated. The glory of the Lord would be seen by people from all nations, even the “remnant of mankind.” (Amos 9 quoted in Acts 15:17). 
  • His glory is manifest in human form (Phil. 2:8). Moses could not see, but here, the Lord is present in the midst of sinners. He is approached by His mother with a request. He is an ordinary guest, and yet the Lord in His glory. 
  • The glory of God is not something for man to seek out on our own deceitful terms. Rather it is what God makes known in His own timing. 

Likewise, with the coming of Jesus in the flesh, and His glory manifest, the answer is no longer: “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live” (Ex. 33:20). Now the face of God is visible in the Son of God [2 Cor. 3:18]. 

Jesus has come to hear our prayers, just as He did of His own mother, to bring us the joy of His salvation, and to make the face of God seen in our midst. This brings us full-circle back to something God gave during the ministry of the Levites. And it is with this unveiled face, and revealed glory, that the Divine Service ends with the Aaronic Benediction:  

24The Lord bless you and keep you;  
25the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;  
26the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. (Num. 6:24-26)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. 

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The Baptism of Our Lord

Readings: Isaiah 42:1-7 | 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 | Matthew 3:13-17

Text: Matthew 3:13-17

Who is Jesus? That’s one of the questions that comes up when we consider the Baptism of Our Lord.  Where can we look for an answer? To men? As the dialogue in Mark 8 with the disciples showed, even during His earthly life, there was misunderstanding and disagreement about who He is and what He’s up to. That’s why we, who are called by His Name some two millennia later, need to continually be reminded who Jesus is.

The Name, Jesus, was given to Him at His circumcision (Luke 2:21). It was given with the shedding of His blood. The Name, “The Lord saves” does not come without the shedding of the blood of God’s Son.

God’s Son was placed under the Law, as we heard last week:

“4But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. 6And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.” (Galatians 4:4–7)

Under the Law, He became subject to everything we are—every bit of suffering both just and unjust—even though He was without sin and He was under no compulsion to do so. This is foundational to who Jesus is.

Likewise at His Baptism. Reason tells us He had no reason to be there. “I need to be baptized by You and do You come to me?” What is the sinless God-Man doing submitting to a baptism where they are confessing their sins? Just as at His circumcision, He received the mark of the covenant permanently on His body, at His Baptism, He is permanently marked—anointed by the Holy Spirit. He is set apart for God’s purpose.

The Baptism is where Jesus received the title, Christ: the Anointed One. It’s the anointing of the Holy Spirit, for the very work He had come to do: The Lord saves His people from their sins (Matt. 1:23).

He came as Prophet, through whom the Word of God came and is, and who still speaks to us in His Word today (which is why we stand for the Holy Gospel). “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.” (Deuteronomy 18:18)

He came to be the Priest, who stands in that water of sinners because He is the one chosen to make the sin offering for the whole world. As St. Paul says, “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6) And for our sakes, “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:15-16)

Finally, He is anointed to be the King. He rules over a Kingdom which is not of this world (John 18:36). But His Kingdom does bring deliverance to her citizens. For us, Scripture describes what this King does for us: “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14)

And if all of that isn’t clear enough in the title of Christ, God the Father adds His clear voice to the scene at the Jordan: “Behold! A voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’” In this declaration, it shows that Jesus is not simply a functionary—an underling sent to do the dirty work. This reminds us of the hymn, “He sent no angel to our race, of higher or of lower place, but wore the robe of human frame, and to this world Himself He came.” (LSB 544, “O Love, How Deep” v. 2) God is personally invested in reaching each one of us, seeking our eternal salvation!

His Circumcision and Baptism were not just for Him. They are a sermon to us: The Lord Saves. Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God. “At the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.” (Luke 2:21) There God is…in the womb just as we once were, just as all people are. But there is God sanctifying the womb, making it a holy dwelling for His life-giving work. At His circumcision, there the Son of God is again, as a newborn, recently covered in vernix and blood and mucus. But here, He sheds His first blood and bears the mark of God’s promise: “So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant…and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 17:13; 12:3).

Likewise, His Baptism wasn’t just a show for one day. It was a teaching for us who were to come. It cannot be that we are saved simply by knowing about certain truths about God. James says that even the demons know truths about God, but this causes them to shudder [James 2:19]. It preaches a reality to us, by which we might also be called sons of God. Hear it once more:

“16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.’”

Certainly Adam would have been considered a son of God, but he and His bride forsook their position. They and their offspring became enemies of God, brutal rebels out to prove their place by their own way. This whole course was a dead end…a deadly end, in fact. Until Jesus was revealed—in the womb of Mary, in the arms of His mother and father, in the waters of the Jordan. He made His place with sinners, with whom He shared flesh and blood. There in flesh and blood, in the water with sinners, God the Father, Creator of Heaven and Earth, declared from heaven: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” In the water, and in the Spirit, He declared this through His Son who shares our flesh.

He also has come to you at your Baptism.  There, you were permanently marked as His own, witnessing God’s covenant with His Church.  There you too were marked with His most holy Name.  God the Father marked you with His Name!  Bathed in the cleansing water and blood from His pierced side, you were given your personal name and placed into Jesus! And there, in the font, He brought you forgiveness, rescue, and the promise of eternal salvation!

And receiving this Name means a complete change for each of us—even if it took place many years ago in time, or we don’t remember it. At your Baptism, in the waters of Lebanon (or in my case, Piedmont, California), the heavens opened for you and the Holy Spirit was given to you, and the God the Father said about you—in Christ—”you are my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased.” All of this is wrapped up in being called “Christian,” and this is why we call on God as our true Father, and we are indeed His true children.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

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First Sunday after Christmas

Readings: Isaiah 11:1-5 | Galatians 4:1-7 | Luke 2:22-40

Text: Luke 2:33-40

Joseph and Mary marveled about what was spoken about their son by Simeon. The Song of Simeon, known to us as the Nunc Dimittis, summed up the longing of the people of God since the very entrance of sin into the world. About this child whom Mary carried in her arms, the prophet exclaimed that now, at long last, the Lord was releasing Him in peace. His Word—which was shorthand for the entire Old Testament—had now been fulfilled in the coming of this holy infant, now in the Temple. It was a promise which Simeon could see fulfilled, hold in his arms, and while holding this infant, bless God for accomplishing the long-promised mercy to a stiff-necked people.

Mary treasured all these things in her heart. But not everyone shared Simeon’s exultation at seeing Jesus. There were many more things that would also be spoken about Him as the child grew.

Is not this Joseph’s son? – Luke 4:22

Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone? – Luke 5:21

“A great prophet has arisen among us!” and “God has visited his people!” – Luke 7:16

Who then is this, that he commands even winds and water, and they obey him? – Luke 8:25

He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place. – Luke 23:5

Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas – Luke 23:18

But this man has done nothing wrong. – Luke 23:41

Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures? – Luke 24:32

All of these things were spoken by Israelites—the very recipients of God’s promised mercy. Some of them are true; others are false. But what is true about all of them is what Simeon also says: “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed…so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed” (vv. 34-35). The coming of Israel’s Savior brought out what was in the hearts of all—whether faith, or unbelief.

The coming of Christ is a fulfillment of what is spoken by Isaiah: “14 And he will become a sanctuary and a stone of offense and a rock of stumbling to both houses of Israel, a trap and a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 15 And many shall stumble on it. They shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.”[1]  Again, it is written in Psalm 118: “22The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”  There is no greater stumbling block for sinful men than Jesus.

In Johann Sebastian Bach’s Cantata 152, titled “Step Forward on the Way of Faith,” Lutheran poet, Salomo Franck, expresses this mystery of stumbling over the Rock, Jesus.

Step forward on the way of faith,

God has laid the stone

that bears and supports Zion.

Man, do not stumble against it!

Step forward on the way of faith![2]

In the post-modern, post-Christian world that we live in, absolutes are rejected. The Christian faith is expected to “coexist” with other monotheistic religions, and even with religions that confess a whole host of gods. Every person has his or her own opinion about God, and that’s just great to the world.

Even the Christian Church on earth is riddled with differing opinions, which manifest themselves in denominations. For example, it’s common to hear that a person can’t be saved until they open the door for Jesus,[3] while others confess with Scripture, “By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God”[4]

Yet God’s perspective is quite different. “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame”[5]  God is the one who defines who He is and what is to be believed about Him. Ironically, no person would stand to have lies told about themselves, but we want to reserve the right to say whatever we want about God, even if it isn’t true.

But all that is put to rest by this Rock of Stumbling. God establishes His Son as the standard for truth: Man is a corrupt, abominable sinner. God is man’s Savior and Jesus Christ is the blood-guilt offering for our sins and the sins of the whole world.[6]  This is most certainly true, and everything else is damnably false.

And this Rock is the only hope for lost and condemned sinners. He is the refuge of all who are convicted and dying. In the Cantata, Franck continues:

The Savior is appointed

in Israel for its fall and resurrection

The precious stone is without blame

if the evil world

injures itself on it

even falls over it to hell,

since the world runs against it so maliciously

and God’s favor

and grace does not recognize!

But blessed is

a Christian who has been chosen

who places the foundation of his faith on this cornerstone

since by this he finds salvation and redemption.

This Stone went out from Israel, to all the people of the earth. The preaching of Him went out to a world filled with evil men—including you and me. “And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”[7]  He breaks to pieces our attempts to repair our sins and escape the grave. He crushes our pride which waves our own laurels in God’s face. Anyone who trusts in these vanities will be cast into hell with prideful Satan.

But blessed is everyone who is called by God to salvation. Blessed are those who are crushed by this Stone, “not having a righteousness of [their] own,”[8] as St. Paul says in Philippians, “but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.”  Blessed are you who have been crucified with Christ along with all your sin and evil desires, for you are raised to a pure life by faith in Him.

As for who will believe in or stumble on this Rock, that is entirely the business of God the Holy Spirit. We often trip on this question about the Rock, and wonder if there were another way that we could help fewer people to stumble. Should we change our worship? Should we change the Word we preach? Maybe if we just advertised more! But all of this is fumbling in the darkness of our hearts. The Holy Spirit is the Lord. He calls to faith, as the Son said in St. John, “The Spirit moves where He wills. You hear His voice, but you cannot tell where He is coming from or where He is going to.”[9]  The Holy Spirit brings Jesus to us and us to Jesus. He is the Rock of salvation[10] for all who believe.

The Word of God proclaims this Rock. An evil world will writhe against it, trying to destroy the God who speaks and the people who proclaim His Word. But it is God Himself who calls people out of this world—you and me—to believe in this Rock, to see our sins on Him, to see our life in Him, and to have refuge in Him for eternity. May God preserve faith in our hearts in this evil world, till our Savior comes again in glory!

We pray in the words of the Aria from Cantata 152:

Stone, which surpasses all treasures,

  help me, so that I at all times

through faith on you may place

  the foundation of my salvation

  and so that I may not injure myself on you,

Stone, which surpasses all treasures.

In the Name the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

[1] Isaiah 8:14-15

[2] Translated by Francis Browne. Cited from http://bach-cantatas.com/Texts/BWV152-Eng3.htm

[3] Based on the understanding of Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock…” that Jesus speaks to those who are outside of His Church. Yet those who are addressed are already called His members in v. 14.

[4] Ephesians 2:8

[5] Romans 9:33

[6] 1 John 2:2

[7] Matthew 21:44

[8] Philippians 3:9

[9] John 3:8

[10] Psalm 62:7

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Second Sunday in Advent

~ Populus Zion ~

Readings: Malachi 4:1-6 | Romans 15:4-13 | Luke 21:25-36

Text: Luke 21:25-36

Let’s be honest, the things described in the end times are scary!  They make even the worst terrorist attack seem like a hiccup, because it’s not just going to be in one city or a few cities.  It’s going to be worldwide, with even frightful signs in the heavens above.

Then, they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.  Game over.  No more second chances, no more putting off turning to Jesus.  For those who have despised the Lord Jesus as Savior, they will say to the mountains, “Cover us,” and to the hills, “Fall on us.”[1]  Yet, for those who love the Lord, “Straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Fear about the Lord’s second coming is a real thing. It goes hand-in-hand with the end of our own life.   Here are some things we’re afraid of:

We want there to be a easier way.  When we go to Portland, and there’s a big line of cars backed up, we want to be in the car with that person who knows a back road.  If we’re buying a car or a TV, we want to be that guy who snags a great deal on it.  Perhaps the end times will really look like this.  Maybe there’s a secret code to unlock that will help us sail through without batting an eye.  What’s the significance of “the time of the Gentiles” in verse 24? Let us in on a secret, Pastors! Maybe there’s a special sign of the fig tree that other people will miss.  When it comes to tribulation and distress, we want to have an exempt card.  This is the method of the apocalyptic cults and Adventists groups who gather around their leader, hoping the Lord will notice how they “figured it out” while the rest of the world burns.

Well even if there isn’t a secret code of the end times to decrypt, we’re still afraid that faith won’t hold out.  After all, life is long and the end of the world seems so far off.  We’re also afraid for our children. We may not the first generation of Christian parents to cry bitter tears for our children and grandchildren, but it is a valid fear in this wicked world.

Everyone so far who has hoped for a short period until Jesus’ return has been disappointed.  In addition to fearing for our descendants, we grieve and fear for those who we know used to go to church but seem to be deceived that there are “more important” things than their Lord and Savior.  We fear for the countless numbers of souls who have never heard the Gospel—even in our own country.

It’s also possible you’re afraid you don’t “have what it takes” to make the grade in the end.  Are you afraid that faith is not enough?  It sounds too easy to say that a person is “saved by grace through faith and this is not our own doing; it is the gift of God.”[2]  It sounds too simple, too easy.  It must take something more!  After all, your eternal destiny rests on whether you’ve got this right.  Maybe we should take a popular vote, and see what the majority of people think (kind of like we depend on star ratings for buying products… although you should know that most of those are fake and boosted by AI bots).  The trouble you’ll find is the majority of humanity agrees faith isn’t enough.  The majority say you must add some effort of your own on the road to salvation.  But what could be better than a fellow sinner’s opinion?  God’s Word, and He would not and will not deceive us.

What would be most helpful is to read this Gospel as a believer and child of God.   Listen to how your Lord speaks of nearness: “Your redemption is drawing near…you know that the kingdom of God is near.”  The nearness of the Son of Man and His Kingdom is good news, right?  He is near, not necessarily in the sense of time or distance we measure by. He is near by His divine presence.  He is intimately joined to His people on earth: He shares your flesh and He knows your weakness.  He has made the all-atoning sacrifice on the cross, so that He, though holy and exalted, can dwell with you and bear you up.  The children of Israel in the wilderness had God’s presence in the glory cloud, but a believer has His very Spirit dwelling within their body!  He is near to you with His creative, renewing, and sanctifying Word.  He is near you with the assurance of grace and sonship that He made to you in Baptism, and He is near you when you eat and drink His Holy Body and Blood.  Truly his last words in Matthew’s Gospel were not a lie: “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”[3]

Here’s an interesting observation: Those who are most afraid and fixate the most on the End Times are usually those who are ignorant or reject the Sacraments.  Along with a futurist view of Revelation, they also don’t understand the efficacy of Baptism and the mystery of Christ’s presence.  Usually in rejection to the abuses of Rome, they shun the authority for the Church to forgive sins on earth.  There’s little understanding of the bodily presence of the risen and ascended Lord in the Sacrament—they call it metaphorical.  For many, the Bible is more information about God than the realized story of God dwelling with sinners and making them His children.  But where these sacred mysteries of Christ are taught and believed, there is the assurance of the divine presence of the Lord with His people.  And where the Lord is, there is freedom, and there is His abiding peace—even in the midst of turmoil in the world.

Nevertheless, there is a warning for believers, lest they wrap themselves up in a warm blanket of delusion.  34 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap.”  There is a very real danger for Christians to grow indifferent while we wait for the Lord’s return.

            Certainly, it could come in the form of drifting away from church and being deceived out of your faith.  That’s the obvious one that we can see with our eyes.  Plus, it makes us more comfortable to think that we can draw lines on where Jesus is going to find His sheep versus His goats.[4]

            But even more dangerous is the unbeliever who sits in the pew every Sunday!  This is the person who comes to church and goes to Bible study just out of habit.  They listen for the pastor to say the right things—Ah! There he talked about sin!  Wow! I’m glad he mentioned that one!  Oh good he ended by talking about Jesus, so I can go home with a happy heart. This secure churchgoer is more interested in the social benefits that church membership gives—familiar faces, group activities, and a discounted rental hall.

When the Lord comes back in glory, these people will be caught off-guard because it will become shockingly apparent that their “life” of repentance and faith was only lip service.  The Word of God did not touch their hearts so that they felt true terror over their sins and instead took the cross as God’s free pass.

If that scared you, Good!  It should.  Each of us, weak sinners we are, regularly need to look in the mirror of God’s Word and cry out to God because He is the only one who can preserve us in saving faith.  Remaining a Christian in these Last Days is no human accomplishment.  We cannot do it, but for God’s grace through the Holy Spirit.

 “36 Stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

As we approach Christmas, we ought to all live in a healthy fear of God.  The God who came in the flesh is not the mild illustration which adorns our Christmas cards.  He is almighty!  He Is holy!   But it is His will for you to stand before Him redeemed on that Day.  Pray that your almighty, holy Savior would give you strength, purge away your sloth, and keep His Word in your heart throughout this life.  This is a prayer He delights to answer, because it is the very reason He came in the flesh.

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

[1] Luke 23:30

[2] Ephesians 2:8-9

[3] Matthew 28:20

[4] Matthew 25:33

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First Sunday in Advent

~ Ad Te Levavi ~

Readings: Jeremiah 23:5-8 | Romans 13:(8-10) 11-14 | Matthew 21:1-9

Text: Matthew 21:1-11

Advent, as you may remember, means “coming.” Every year, we rehearse the coming of our Lord. Again, you may be familiar with His first coming in the flesh at Christmas, and His second coming on the Last Day. Today, however, as we begin this holy season, I’d like to focus on all the meanings of His coming, as we pray for it in the Lord’s Prayer. “Thy Kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Herb Lindemann (1909-1995), a Lutheran pastor who wrote a series on the church year, writes that Advent can be described as a threefold coming:

“[1] The coming in the flesh, [2] the coming in glory and [3] the coming in grace. In Advent, the liturgy prepares for a worthy and proper commemoration of our Lord’s First Advent, the historical event that lies in the past. However, the church is not content to remind her children of only a past event that can be called to remembrance, but cannot be experienced in the first coming. She sees a picture of the invisible coming in grace, which can be and is experienced in the present, and of the visible coming in glory, which will be experienced in the future.”[1]

So, these are the three ways the Kingdom of God comes to us:

Our Lord comes in the flesh, entering the world He made (John 1:1-14). This is what Christmas celebrates, and the “reason for the season” as we say. We have reason to rejoice with everyone from angels to shepherds, and sing of this good news of great joy! Now, don’t get me wrong, but it’s in some ways unsatisfying. What I mean is, we commemorate the Lord’s birth, but it’s also an event that is disconnected from us by thousands of miles and by millennia of history. Over the centuries, Christians have tried to overcome that barrier by depicting Christ and the scenes of His birth in familiar settings, portraying him with familiar physical features. But it remains that the birth of Christ is a historical event. As the world gets further and further from that point (even to the point of writing His birth out of how we number years, preferring CE—common era—over anno Domini—in the year of our Lord), it takes more of an effort to have this history impact our present, day-to-day life.

His Kingdom also will come in glory. This is certain, and we look forward to it. But it will come when God the Father appoints. No man knows the day or the hour, although many have falsely claimed to pin down the date. We see the eagerness of believers for the end, when events in the world get really bad, or there is turmoil in the “Holy Land” (as Israel is called). Putting the best construction on people’s obsession with the Return of Christ, they are longing for eternity to break into the crumbling world. They want the doldrums of this futile life to be blown apart and something permanent to replace it. As Hebrews reminds us, “He has promised, ‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’” (Hebrews 12:26, citing Haggai 2:6) But this, too, leaves us waiting. Not to sound impious, but where is the satisfaction from God now? Or, in the words of the faithful who have gone before us, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Rev. 6:10)

What we have been given is the Kingdom of grace. The Kingdom of Grace is here with us now! Yes, we know that we have peace with God, forgiveness in Christ. There’s more than that, though. We suffer from a love of reason over revelation. Our reason tells us about the days and years, about the illnesses and pains of our life, about the turmoil in the world. So, we pray that God would take these things away—and do so quickly! We tell Him that if these things aren’t taken away quickly then we will certainly be driven to despair, beyond our ability to bear. It’s too much, God!

This is what our reason tells us, but God reveals a better reality. In this Kingdom of Grace, He Immanuel—God with us. Not just in the memory of the past, or the steadfast hope for the future. He is presently with us, just like He promised: “Behold [that is, pay attention!], I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matt. 28:20)

Our King comes to us, but it’s not in ways that reason can grasp. This is why Jesus said to His disciples before His passion,

“18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” (John 14:18-21)

Jesus is saying that the way He is with us now (the Kingdom of Grace) is through His Word and the Holy Sacraments. The world does not see these. Instead, it hails reason as the measure of all truth and reality.

Our present age believes the promise that if we just have access to enough information, we will be able to overcome all obstacles. This is the pride of the worship of Science, which says if scientists are just given more time and money, and they will be able to solve all things, and unlock all mysteries.

But it is not information that our Lord gives us, but a Kingdom. It is a Kingdom built for faith. What He gives to His faithful is enough for the weariness of this age. The Father of Lies would like you to believe that the Christian faith is only adequate for simpler times and olden days. But the way that the Lord is present with us, in this Kingdom of Grace, it is enough.

The Lord adds more to His promise to be with us always—through this time—to the end of the age. He says that His Kingdom comes in Baptism—as surely as He said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5) That’s personal and tangible. It happened on a certain date, in a place, by a certain servant of Christ. Imagine that: The Lord doesn’t just speak from heaven; He works here on earth, through human hands. It’s the same thing He was doing to preserve His Word to us, so should we be surprised? What better can we ask of the Kingdom of Grace than what He gives to us?

All of these modes of God’s Kingdom work together, and none is better or more necessary than the other. They all have their time. Coming in the flesh, “In the fulness of time, God sent for His Son, born of woman, born under the Law, to redeem those under the Law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5) And the Coming in glory, “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (Matt. 24:44)  What we need now is the Kingdom of Grace. Now is the day in which God forgives our sins and strengthens us through His appointed means—the Sacrament of the Altar and the Absolution. Now is the time when He invites people into His Kingdom in the saving washing of Baptism (Titus 3:5-7).

So how can we remain in this Kingdom of Grace? By turning away from the deceit of our own hearts, the deceit of this present world. This is why we practice Advent. It is a necessary reminder of the proper order of His Kingdom coming. Yes, the Lord has brought His Kingdom among us in the flesh. Yes, the Lord will bring His glorious Kingdom when the Day is come. But most of all for us, we rest on the truth that His Kingdom of grace comes, just like we’ve prayed for.

Let us pray:

Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created. Give us the faith to behold the majesty of Your presence in simple words, simple water, and simple bread and wine, as You come to us in the very body and blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, now and forever. (16 December)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

[1] Lindemann, Frederick, “Sermon and Propers” (vol. 1, page 29)

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Seventh Sunday after Trinity

Readings: Genesis 2:7-17 | Romans 6:19-23 | Mark 8:1-9

Text: Mark 8:1-9

The Feeding of the 5,000 usually gets all the attention.  It’s recorded in all four Gospels.  It’s a spectacular miracle, feeding over 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish.  John’s account even ties it to the Lord’s Supper. But why is there also the feeding of the 4,000? 

Since Jesus has already fed 5,000, why is a lesser miracle necessary?

  • Was it to give another sign from heaven of who Jesus is? Immediately after this, the Pharisees are demanding such a sign, but the request doesn’t come from faith. There are plenty of signs that emphatically prove Jesus is the Messiah and Savior. (Matthew 12:1-42)
  • Was it just to “wow” the disciples and crowds with overwhelming numbers? Headlines are aimed to wow people with numbers: “A single Powerball ticket sold in Los Angeles matched all 6 numbers for the $1.08 billion jackpot.” (CNN) “New York City to pay $13M to Black Lives Matter protesters in historic class action.” (Syracuse NY). Magnitude speaks to people, but that’s not why Jesus feeds these 4,000.

He feeds them because they were people in need.  It’s because they’re hungry and Jesus has compassion on them and the ability to help them! He doesn’t close His heart against them and let them “faint on the way.”

And He is a God who has compassion in an amazing way: He shares our flesh.

Jesus is greater than us because He is God.  Our ability to help has limits: there’s only so much we can hand out, only so much in the charity fund at church. It’s frustrating, and crippling!

But as God, Jesus doesn’t just have head knowledge of hunger, thirst, weariness, or pain. He doesn’t impassively read the newspaper and click his tongue at the problem.  He experiences those very things in His own person as well.  “After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry.”  In Gethsemane, “being in a great agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”  As He hung on the cross close to the end, He said, “I thirst”[1] 

The Apostle puts it, “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”[2] God knows our weakness in His very Flesh and for that He has compassion on us.

Martin Luther’s counsel to us is: “It is also useful that we form the habit of daily commending ourselves to God, with soul and body, wife, children, servants, and all that we have, against every need that may arise. So also the blessing and thanksgiving at meals and other prayers, morning and evening, have begun and remained in use.” Large Catechism, 2nd Commandment 73

This brings up a question for us as Christians today: Why do we pray for the things that we need?  It’s because God sympathizes with our weakness and neediness. (He doesn’t sympathize with our sins, but He atones for them).  And we go to Him because only He can deliver us. Truth be told, we daily find ourselves in a overwhelming situations, more than we can handle or answer. Our own futures are unknown, the stability of the economy unknown, our own safety is also unknown (if we’re honest). So, where can we truly look for confidence and peace? Nowhere, but the Lord!

Yet, Jesus is a God who desires more than to fill our bellies and dole out goodies.  He desires us to know Him.  That’s why the unbelief of the disciples is especially poignant.  Jesus has compassion on the crowd, but only in a way that God can do.  He wants the disciples and us to see that.

We struggle in our own unbelief of this truth.  Later in the Sermon on the Mount (which we heard the first part of last week), Jesus tells us not to worry about what we will eat, drink, or wear…but we do!  He tells us not to fear those who can kill the body but afterward can do nothing more, but we do fear them (Matt. 10:28).  He tells us that if we had faith like a grain of mustard seed, we could command mountains to move,[3] but our faith is weak.  Therefore, we cry out, “I believe, help my unbelief!”[4] and He gladly answers our prayer.

That way, when we are in need, what choice do we have but to call upon our God and Savior who is united in one-flesh with us? There is no want or pain which your Lord doesn’t empathize with.

  • Are you are tortured in your flesh with temptation?
  • Are you are in agony from a body broken by disease—arthritis, diabetes, or COPD?
  • Are you hurt for lack of work and poverty?
  • Jesus is the One who can truly say, “I know your pain.” He is your God and Savior!

Whatever the need, this miracle shows us that He is ready and willing to help with all His divine power. If you are in need, look to Jesus.  He is your God and Savior for all things from daily necessities to freedom from the grave.

If you have prayed again and again for relief, wait on Him.  He knows what He is doing.  “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”[5]This He truly does. Whatever need you are in, look to Him and His compassion will be near to you. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

[1] Matthew 4:2; Luke 22:44; John 19:28;

[2] Hebrews 4:15

[3] Matthew 6:25-34; Luke 12:4-5; Matthew 17:19-21

[4] Mark 9:24

[5] Romans 8:32

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Sixth Sunday after Trinity

Readings: Exodus 20:1-17 | Romans 6:1-11 | Matthew 5:17-26

Text: Matthew 5:21-37

Our Lord Jesus cuts to the chase.  He doesn’t sugar coat His message to lure people in with fluffy words, only to hook them.  Right away, He gets to the heart of what needs to be said to the crowds, and it happens also needs to be said to us. He starts with the Ten Commandments, the same way the Lord spoke to His people who were gathered at the foot of Mount Sinai (Exodus 19-20).

But He doesn’t quite follow the order given on Sinai (Exodus 20:1-20)—first our duty toward God, and then our duty to our neighbor.  He starts with what we’re familiar with as the Fifth Commandment—“You shall not murder.”  But so that we wouldn’t miss how devastating our sin is, He applies it in terms of the greatest amount of damage we can cause by breaking them.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’” This was the very one committed by Cain when the world was newly infected with sin.  But the murder of Abel didn’t just come out of nowhere.  As James says, “Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15)  Jealousy over Abel’s offering sprouted into hatred for his brother, and blossomed into Cain raising his hand against him.

The commandment forbids more than ending someone’s life.  It always begins with a devaluing of the other person and a justification for wrath.  That anger could be well-deserved (being cheated out of money, betrayed by family, etc.)  Yet in our anger, we rise up to the position of God and execute judgment: First of the person (“You fool!”) and then carry out sentence (“You must die!”)

Now, it doesn’t always get to the severity of shedding blood, but it is the same root sin in the heart.  And this should scare us, that we have this vile potential within us—that we would remove the dignity given by God to other human beings.  It should also humble us because that very person we would write off as an idiot, God valued them so much that He gave the price of His only Son’s blood to save them.

Next, Jesus addresses sins against our nearest neighbor—our spouse (or future spouse): “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” This is about breaking or cheapening the one-flesh union of husband and wife.  If you thought it was just about deed, then there are plenty of couples who have stayed together for years.  The Sixth Commandment takes aim at breaking that union in the heart.

If you think Jesus isn’t wise to our modern technology, you’d be dead wrong.  More than ever, this application of the Sixth Commandment is relevant because of the prevalence of pornography—the objectifying of people (usually women) for selfish enjoyment.  The unchurched world talks about this plague only when it reaches the level of addiction—when its negative consequences get out of control—but Jesus doesn’t give it such latitude.  He says very clearly that every instance of enticement by someone who is not your wife or husband is really adultery. Certainly there used to be more shame of this, but by force these evil behaviors are being inculcated into young and old—through school libraries, online media, and envelope-pushing streaming services. And despite the excuses we make, the damage caused by inviting and permitting erotic content into our lives or our marriage does real damage to us and our spouse.

Certainly, it can destroy you on a psychological and emotional level, because men objectify women’s bodies and women dream of the man who can satisfy them in ways their husband cannot.  The whole transgender fad is no more than a monetized version of this.[1]

But it’s even worse for the Christian who indulges in this supposedly private adultery because of the damage it does to their soul.  Their conscience is at odds with the Word of God.  The weak and wicked flesh tries to justify itself, tries to make excuses.  And the danger is real: if you are lured into living by the flesh, you will fall under the same condemnation, “neither the sexually immoral…will inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

Just as not all anger necessarily leads to murder, not all adultery of the heart leads to divorce, but the immorality is all too real.  The one-flesh bond which God made man and woman for is assaulted and—if left unchecked—rent asunder.  ““It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”  Here is another place where our modern way of thinking is at odds with God’s ways.  Whether we are looking for loopholes to get rid of a troublesome spouse, or trying to quiet our conscience after the papers are signed, we can’t deny God’s intent for marriage: He desires husband and wife to live in lifelong commitment, loving and honoring each other.  Divorce is the consequence of our hardness of heart—his and hers.  And here even the “innocent” party can come guilty of adultery.

The Lord chose these sins to open up His preaching because they are the ones which have the most collateral damage to our faith and for our neighbor.  Their consequences can be felt.  Some can’t be taken back.  Others take years to rebuild trust.  These are the things which hold our sins up before our eyes, and we cannot make excuses for ourselves.  We can’t pay God back for what we’ve done.

Where does that leave us?  All of us are found to be sinners, and it’s disturbing how comfortable we’ve been with that.  We have zero merit to bring to God. Yet, as we are emptied of our own righteousness, our faith brings us to the Lord.

At the beginning of service, we confessed that in two verses from the Psalms:

“Our help is in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” (Ps. 124:8) and
“I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” (Ps. 32:5)

Where is our help?  Not in what a good (or mediocre) job obeying we’ve done, or keeping ourselves free from public shame.  Our hope is not in getting it right next time.  Our help is in the Name of the Lord—in who He is as the Savior of sinners.  That is the Name which He put on you in your Baptism.  This is what’s so powerful about Baptism: He actually puts His Name on sinners, making former enemies and wicked people into children of God.  What could possibly make up for the sins which we’ve done?  Only the blood of Christ can pay so high a price to God.  Only being crucified with Christ can free our conscience from all guilt.  Only being raised with Him to newness of life and the help of the Holy Spirit can transform our desires away from dead works, into love for God and love for our neighbor. Our help in the Name of the Lord, in the death and resurrection of Christ is even more powerful than death: “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.  For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Rom. 6:4-5)

“I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.”  Jesus puts real healing in confessing your sins.  Not just in the privacy of your own heart.  After all, you can see where privacy can lead you in gross sins and excuses for them.  He’s talking about confessing your sins out loud to another Christian.  Three places in the Gospels, Jesus attaches this promise to confessing your sins to another, usually your pastor: “Whatever you bind on earth will be bound on heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” and “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven him” (Matt. 16:19, 18:18; John 20:21-23)  This isn’t about power on the part of any man; it’s about you speaking the truth of your sin, exposing yourself before the Lord, and hearing His words of grace and peace. Truth be told, we’re more nervous about exposing our wickedness to another person, and we’d rather “deal with it” ourselves.  But the Lord knows this, and also knows what we need to truly heal our souls and bodies. So, He purposely tells us, “confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed.” (James 5:16)

One thing different about Lutheran Christianity from others is the practice of Confession and Absolution. It’s different both from those who insist on the act at least once a year; and different from those who say a person doesn’t need any mediator with God besides Christ and their private prayer for forgiveness is enough. Both of these extremes miss the soul-healing benefit of confession. Christ gave Absolution to the Church for the special comfort of troubled sinners. The closer we come to the reality of our sins, the more we thirst for the comfort which only our real Savior can give through His atoning blood.

The Absolution is really the point of Confession. It’s the unexpected part, because if you exposed yourself any other place in life, you would be looked at differently and possibly ostracized—You sicko! You degenerate!  How could you!  But before the Lord and His minister, you hear, “God be merciful to you and strengthen your faith.”  Can you believe this?!  Then you hear a forgiveness that’s better than another person can give; it’s the Lord’s forgiveness—talking directly to you, who have just laid it all out there knowing that you only deserve temporal death and eternal punishment.  “In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” And He has forgiven you! Alleluia! Praise the Lord! 

Here in this place, what unites us is our common help in the Name of the Lord, so we support each other, looking not for how trouble-free our lives and others’ should be, but how Jesus, who saves us from our sins, is at work to restore fellowship with God and healing from our past (or present).  We’re here to support one another in the aftermath of sins we can’t erase from our past—murders, adulteries, divorces, oath-breaking—but we know that the Lord has taken the record of debt that stood against us and nailed it to Jesus’ cross.  So, with the help of God and His power to bring good out of evil, we care for each other and bind up each other’s wounds. Just as Jesus knows how real our sins are, may we all also know how real a Savior He is for us. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

[1] https://www.theepochtimes.com/transgender-movement-has-corporate-profit-based-origins-activist-says_5378655.html

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Fifth Sunday after Trinity

Readings: 1 Kings 19:11-21 | 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 | Luke 5:1-11

Text: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Persecution was a daily reality for third-century Christians in Rome. And in 258, the Emperor Valerian began another massive round. He issued an edict commanding that all bishops, priests, and deacons should be put to death, and he gave the Imperial treasury power to confiscate all money and possessions from Christians.

In light of the news, Pope Sixtus II quickly ordained a young Spanish theologian, Lawrence, to become archdeacon of Rome. The important position put Lawrence in charge of the Church’s riches, and it gave him responsibility for the Church’s outreach to the poor. The pope sensed his own days were numbered and therefore commissioned Lawrence to protect the Church’s treasure.

On August 6, 258, [Emperor] Valerian captured Pope Sixtus while he celebrated the liturgy, and had him beheaded. Afterwards, he set his sights on the pope’s young protégé, Lawrence. But before killing him, the Emperor demanded the archdeacon turn over all the riches of the Church. He gave Lawrence three days to round it up.

Lawrence worked swiftly. He sold the Church’s vessels and gave the money to widows and the sick. He distributed all the Church’s property to the poor. On the third day, the Emperor summoned Lawrence to his palace and asked for the treasure. With great aplomb [poise], Lawrence entered the palace, stopped, and then gestured back to the door where, streaming in behind him, poured crowds of poor, crippled, blind, and suffering people. “These are the true treasures of the Church,” he boldly proclaimed. One early account even has him adding, “The Church is truly rich, far richer than the Emperor.”

Unsurprisingly, Lawrence’s act of defiance infuriated the Emperor. Valerian ordered his death that same day via grilling on a rack.[1]

            To the unbelieving ear, it would sound as though Lawrence, featured on our bulletin cover today, was mocking the great Emperor. When he had demanded treasures, he was expecting to find gobs of money swindled from unsuspecting people in service to their foolish deity. But St. Lawrence made a “fool” out of Valerian by showing him that the foolishness of God is wiser than him.

            Who in our world have been the biggest fools for the longest time? Is there anyone else as foolish as a Christian who takes their faith seriously? We’re a punchline because of what we confess. We’re a bad joke that the world has long since gotten sick of, because we hold onto our Scripture. Our faith is a scandal of the highest order. And it always has been because of Jesus’ cross. “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

            When St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, the fact that Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, died on a cross was absolutely crazy. He called that fact a stumbling block to the Jews. We actually might understand it better from the Greek word Paul used, σκάνδαλον (skandalon). It was scandalous that the most holy and perfect God, Creator of all things, would ever be found on a cross, because to be crucified meant that you had obviously done something so bad that you had been cursed by the Lord. After all, it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.” (Gal. 3:13) Even if it wasn’t what the Romans you were accused of, God still let it happen to you. So obviously, you must have done something terrible. To say that this was God hanging here? That was unthinkably scandalous. Blasphemous, in the worst of ways!

            Likewise, it was absolute foolishness to the Greeks. The Greeks had grown up with all the stories about Zeus and the like. And it wouldn’t be a big deal at all for a god to come down looking like a man, and do all kinds of amazing miracles. And it wasn’t even surprising that such a god could get into trouble as well. Those weren’t the problems they had with Jesus. The problem was that Jesus died. Our God died. Silly Christians! Gods can’t die! Whoever heard of something so foolish in all their life? At the point of death, the gods would pull the mask back and show who they really were. And their immorality and power would be on full display. If your God dies, then He can’t be much of a God now, can He?

            If you’re going to put the Messiah on the tree, then He’d better give a powerful sign, like coming down off of it, if you wants us to believe in him [Matt. 27:42]. If you’re going argue that God dies, then you’d better get some wisdom, and argue for something else. Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block [scandal] to Jews and folly to Gentiles.

            In two thousand years, some things have changed. And yet, nothing has changed. It may no longer be a scandal that Jesus was found in the place of sinners when He hung on a tree. But there is not much that is more scandalous than the Cross. The scandal now is that God would glorify such violence, and let His people celebrate it. If us Christians were truly good, we’d hide that cross away where no one would have to see it again.  Is that cross you wear around your neck beautiful because of the artist’s design or because it is where God shows His wisdom and love?

It may no longer be foolish to believe that God dies (after, think of Friedrich Nietzsche words, “God is dead…and we have killed him,” which have been used as a soundbite to justify and describe secular philosophy[2]) But the cross is still the height of folly. For only a great fool would believe that a man killed on such a cross could ever rise from the dead on the third day. The dead stay dead. Death is permanent. Everyone who knows anything knows that. And so, the world laughs at us. And when they’ve had their fill of it, they then get angry with us. Our belief, our confession, our faith in such a cross has gotten old. And it’s time to grow up.

            And you know what? We want to follow the wise. We want to be written about by their scribes. We want the debater of this age to debate on our behalf instead of against us. We want to be where they are. We crave their approval. And to get that approval, we must stop with the scandal and the folly. We must stop with this Cross. Only then will the world finally recognize us. Only then will the world finally pay attention. Only then will we get the world to come through our doors and hear us.

            The cruel irony is that those who gave up that cross in order to get the world’s approval, never actually got it. Instead, they lost their very reason for even existing. It turns out you don’t actually need to go to Church to be a nice person. You don’t need to go to Church in order to help people in your community. You don’t need to go to Church to sing your favorite music. You don’t need to go to Church to feel good about yourself. And you certainly don’t need to go to Church to be spiritual.

            However, there is only one place on the whole earth that preaches Christ crucified for you. And that is the Church, wherever she is found. And to us who are being saved [that Word of the cross] is the power of God. In fact, that’s how you know where the Church is. We confess that “The Church is the congregation of saints, in which the Gospel is rightly taught and the Sacraments are rightly administered.” (Augsburg Confession, Article VII) It’s the Gospel itself which delivers to us that immense foolishness of God that is His cross.

Listen to how the Church father, Origen, explains it:

The name of the cross is thought to be a stumbling block. But if someone opens his ears to the word of God and to grace, he will see that this too is a great mystery [Eph. 5:32]. Even the Gentiles hand on traditions that severe plagues or heavy rains or droughts often ceased when a person sacrificed himself for the sake of the community. Why, then, does it cause amazement that, when the whole world was suffering a plague of error, it was necessary for one man to die [John 18:14] in order to end this plague of ignorance, darkness and destruction? But who could undergo this sacrifice? Not a prophet, not an apostle, not any other righteous person. It was necessary for a divine power to descend from heaven, a power capable of taking upon itself to die on behalf of all [2 Cor. 5:15] in a way that involved public shame, so that through that death a victory over the devil might be won. And in fact, worldly victors who lead their enemies in triumphal procession (see Col. 2:14-18) are accustomed to set up trophies of victory over the defeated in the form of a cross. The cross, then, is a sign of victory over Satan.[3]

            There is no other worldly way to describe the actions of Christ except as utter folly. Who would ever leave a perfect heaven in order to take part in my suffering? Who would surrender perfect holiness in order to bear my sin? Who would think that taking nails in His spotless hands and feet would ever rescue me from the hell I’ve earned for myself? Who would ever exchange His eternal life for my death? Who would ever believe that the sheer proclamation of these events to me could ever save me from my fate? Jesus has indeed come down from heaven. Incarnate by the Holy Spirit. Born of the Virgin Mary. Was made man. All for you. Jesus has indeed left His holiness behind in order to become sin on your behalf—to become your sin. And as such, He endured hell itself on that cross for you. Jesus has indeed taken those nails in His hands and feet for you. And by them, He has pulled you out of the depths of hell itself.

            And even though those scars will remain on him forever, so you will remain forever with Him. Jesus has indeed sacrificed His life in order to put an end to death forever. Death is beaten. It cannot hold anyone for long, even though it does its very worst. Yet, it cannot stop the resurrection on the Last Day from coming. And He is indeed on His way with it soon. But here is the most foolish promise of all: That simply by speaking the report of these events to you, you actually receive them in their fulness.

            And in this way, God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. The foolishness of a cross. God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. the weakness of a man nailed to a tree. God chose what is low and despised in the world. A man condemned to death. Even things that are not, like a dead God, to bring to nothing things that are. Sin brought to nothing. Death brought to nothing. Hell brought to nothing. All througph the utter folly of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus…. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

[1] Brandon Vogt, “St. Lawrence and the True Treasures of the Church.” Word on Fire, August 10, 2016. https://www.wordonfire.org/articles/st-lawrence-and-the-true-treasures-of-the-church/ (accessed 5 Jul 2023)

[2] The context of the quote is a lament where Nietzsche is reflecting on our common denial of God, on the lips of a man who is dubbed mad for calling people to account for this: “God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him. How shall we comfort ourselves, the murderers of all murderers?” (The Parable of the Madman, 1882)

[3] Claude Jenkins. “Origen on I Corinthians.” Journal of Theological Studies 9 (Jan 1908): 235.