Bethlehem Lutheran Church

May 14, 2017

Fifth Sunday of Easter (John 14:1-14)

Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lebanon, OR
Fifth Sunday of Easter + May 14, 2017
Text: John 14:1-14

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” The only reason Jesus says this to His disciples is because He knows their hearts are troubled. You don’t say “I am the Life” unless there’s the threat of death. You don’t say do not be troubled unless there is tumult and uncertainty.

Jesus was speaking to His disciples at that time as they were about to face His betrayal, crucifixion, death, and then His ascension. This arrangement where Jesus is with them face to face would not—could not—last forever, because it was necessary for Jesus to be taken from them in His suffering, and taken when He ascended into heaven 40 days after His resurrection.

The Ascension is coming, when Jesus’ disciples would lose their visible presence with the Lord. Now, the Ascension is something we confess each week—He ascended to the Father and sits at the right hand of the Father Almighty—but something that isn’t well understood. Thankfully, these next few weeks, each Gospel reading will teach us about the significance and comfort of Jesus’ Ascension.

In this part of the Gospel, Jesus reassures us about His Ascension: “Let not your hearts be troubled.” “I go to prepare a place for you” and “I will come again and will take you to myself.”

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in Me.”
Things like our bills, the direction of the country, and keeping our job cause great anxiety. How much more should it matter where we go when it’s all said and done?
Yet our Lord says about this: do not be troubled. It’s not based on performance evaluations or lifelong dedication. Instead He says, believe! Believe that He has done everything which is needed to bring a poor, weak, sinful creature back to God and bring them safely into eternal rest.
But how important it is to believe! Where faith reassures a troubled heart, unbelief leads to an uncertain and callous heart. The calling of a disciple of Jesus is to take Him at His Word each day. Repent of your wicked thoughts, words, and deeds. Believe in God and the One He has sent to accomplish your forgiveness, your salvation.

“I go to prepare a place for you.”
On Good Friday, the debt you owed was paid. Every sin which would bar you from God’s holy presence was atoned for there.
So, the comfort for you, as His disciple, is that He returns to the Father to prepare a place for your return to the Father.
This life is a pilgrimage, not a destination. The true end of life is not the grim grave. It is to have a place with God. What counts in the meantime is not our achievements here or how much we collect (because we must let all that go). What truly lasts when this life comes to a close is our faith in Jesus, who alone is the way to the Father and the resurrection to eternal life.
Yet in our pilgrimage, we go through many unknown ways—unknowns about the future and the struggles we and our families will have to endure, as well as unknowns about what will become of Christians in the world. Yet, Jesus assures us, “Let not your hearts be troubled…you know the way to where I am going.” Even though we haven’t seen the end of our journey, we already know the way. You may not know what lies on the road ahead, but you can be certain that through faith, your Savior has already prepared your place.

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
Our comfort isn’t in the Ascension alone, but also in the fact that from thence He will come to judge the living and the dead. He comes again to gather us into that promise of eternity.
Salvation is not complete yet. Yes, of course, the atonement which brought peace to all who believe is finished (John 19:30). However, the creation still longs in eager expectation for Jesus’ return and the revealing of the sons of God (Romans 8:19-21). That’s why the world is still like it is, full of unrest and destruction. That part of the job isn’t finished yet.
So know where to expect paradise. Paradise won’t be in the body of death you now have—full of sin and plagued by death. Paradise won’t be in this world, filled with corruption and wickedness. It will be complete when we see the Son of Man coming on the clouds in glory. It will be when we rise from our graves finally free from the curse of sin and death. That’s the hope that we press toward, where our longings for outward peace will finally be satisfied.

Through many unknown ways, by faith we already know the only way to heaven. The way is Jesus, who has become your way to eternal life. Do not be troubled that He has ascended and is no longer visibly among us. Believe that He has gone ahead of us, as the forerunner so that the children of God may be at home with their Father. Amen.

May 7, 2017

Fourth Sunday of Easter (John 10:1-10)

Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lebanon, OR
Fourth Sunday of Easter + May 7, 2017
Text: John 10:1-10

Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd in this section of John’s Gospel. Typically, we picture the Shepherd standing in endless green hills, leading His sheep. However, right from the top of this discussion, Jesus describes a sheepfold. The sheepfold is a walled enclosure for keeping the sheep safe through the night. The Sheepfold for our purposes is the Christian Church.

Why the walls? Because there are both predators and there are dangers for the sheep that wanders. By setting up these walls, Jesus teaches us—His sheep—why this must be.

You see, we are not just the Lord’s sheep that He’s gathered as He walked along the dusty roads of Palestine. We are sheep who were caught in the thicket of sin, teetering on the brink of going off the cliff of death, and chased by coyotes like the Devil and his demons. We are sheep who have been saved from many things, washed in pure water of Baptism,[1] and given a place where we may safely graze under the loving eye of our Shepherd, Jesus.

So there’s a place inside the Sheepfold (the Church) and there’s a place outside the Sheepfold. Inside the Sheepfold, we have peace with God, we call on Him as our Father, we have His help and consolation through trials and griefs, and the hope of eternity with Him.

Outside the Sheepfold, there is only doubt and despair. There’s no peace with God, so we must always look to our works to see if our life measures up against those around us. There’s no certainty of God being our Father, so people are afraid that he’s only an angry judge toward them, or that he’s an impotent bureaucrat who runs the universe. Outside the Sheepfold, when scary times come, it’s up to you. Even if you have a spiritual belief, it’s up to you to master it so you can find serenity and maintain purpose and hope—nevermind any promises of a blessed afterlife.

Inside the Sheepfold, you have a Shepherd who loves you. His every aim for your life is that you endure many trials and remain steadfast in a Spirit-worked faith. His goal in everything for your life is your salvation—“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

Yet, those on the outside of the Sheepfold still try to force their way in, so that they can destroy the Lord’s sheep. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.”

Outside are thieves and robbers. The thieves steal from you the treasures that belong to a child of God—your faith, a clear conscience before God, love for God and your neighbor, a calm confidence in God’s fatherly care during trials, an open ear with God through His Son.

The boldest of these thieves will use biblical language, but rob it of its pure message of Law and Gospel. They might insist on the King James version, or use many obscure translations to make their point. But their work is clear: instead of proclaiming repentance and forgiveness of sins, they make God’s Word into an almanac to predict the future, make divisions between levels of salvation, or claim that simple faith in Jesus isn’t enough to be a good Christian.

The more subtle thieves make their way into Christian circles and replace Scripture with counterfeit attractive sayings. “With the temptation God will provide a way out that you may endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13) is replaced with the common but unbiblical concept, “God never gives you more than you can handle.” They substitute firm statements of God’s love and faithfulness with platitudes. Instead of “Nothing in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:39) you hear the measly “God has a plan in this” when someone you know takes their own life. “Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3) is covered over with the idea that because God is love He would never send such fine people to hell.

Robbers, on the other hand, are those who make personal attacks on your salvation. They call into question your being a Christian because your life isn’t pure and you struggle in weakness to overcome your sin. They fill you with false guilt about things that are not Commandments of God. They hold up their own example of good works—their devotional habits or all that they’ve done for the church—and subtly imply they’re a better class of Christian.

However, inside the Sheepfold of the Christian Church, the only voice that matters is God’s. “The sheep hear His voice, and he calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.” In this Sheepfold, the Lord through His Word and Sacraments gives you abundant life—not prosperity, health, and wealth—but a rich life of faith. With that faith come all the blessings of the Kingdom of heaven. You have a heavenly Father to call upon in need and praise for His goodness to you. You have a High Priest in heaven, who sympathizes with your weakness and interposed His blood for all your guilt. You have the Holy Spirit, who not only works this faith, but also comforts you with the assurance that though heaven and earth pass away, you have believed the right Gospel.

Jesus is the Gate who opens to His sheep so that they have this abundant life. He laid down His life for the sheep so that this treasure would be theirs. Therefore, He also jealously guards you against any who would try to steal you away. The Holy Spirit He has given you gives you ears to recognize His voice and flee from the voice of strangers. When His sheep hear the voice of strangers, they’re not afraid to turn off the TV, walk out of whatever service, or abruptly end the conversation. The strangers can’t deliver on what they say, but can only take what you have from the Lord.

But your Good Shepherd loves you and gives you shelter against them in this Sheepfold of the Church. He is ever faithful, and may He preserve you from every temptation to wander outside of His watchful care. Amen.
[1] Hebrews 10:22

April 30, 2017

Third Sunday of Easter (Luke 24:13-35)

Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lebanon, OR
Third Sunday of Easter + April 30, 2017
Text: Luke 24:13-35

On the road to Emmaus is another scene after the Resurrection. It’s another way that Jesus reveals Himself to His disciples that their hope is not in vain and that all He said during His previous ministry is true. His aim in this appearance is to speak to their hearts rather than their eyes, and fill them with a confident faith that He is risen indeed.

Easter afternoon, two disciples of Jesus are on their way to Emmaus. Yet as they walk, they were discussing, debating, mulling over—maybe even arguing about[1]—all that had happened to their Master. Here are some of the things they’re wrestling with and trying to fit together:
Jesus of Nazareth was a mighty prophet before God and all the people,
But the chief priests and rulers delivered Him up to be condemned.
We had hoped he was the one to redeem Israel.
Besides all this, it’s now the third day since this took place.
But some of the women….and an angel said: He lives
And they found it just as the women had said, but Him they did not see.
This is the information they have, and they’re trying to make it all fit.

Then a stranger walks up (they are prevented from recognizing Him) and in seeming ignorance asks them about the topic of their impassioned conversation. This prompts one of them Cleopas, to sum it all up.

Then this stranger brings clarity to their dashed hopes and scattered experiences. He brings a clarity that comes from the Word of God, beginning with Moses and the Prophets. You believe this Jesus was to redeem Israel, but don’t you remember what God did to redeem Israel at the Red Sea, by putting to death the firstborn sons of Egypt?[2] Do you suppose that freedom comes without a death? And the prophets knew this well because they lived it. Every true prophet preached the Word but at one time or another was rejected by the people and persecuted. In fact, they were sharing in the sufferings of the Christ they proclaimed. But as for the Christ Himself, “Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied,” for God’s Holy One did not see corruption, but destroyed the covering of death which is over all people.[3]

By then, they had arrived at Emmaus and the stranger said He had to be going on. But they prevailed upon him: “Abide with us for it is toward evening and the day is far spent.” In other words, don’t go, we want to hear more. Your words lift us up out of hopelessness and make Moses and the Prophets clear to us.

So, the stranger stays with them for the evening meal. Yet at the meal, He does something out of the ordinary, even for a pious Israelite two days after the Passover. “He took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them.” He acted as host, head of the household in the liturgy of the Passover now fulfilled. This was not any common meal—it was the Lord’s Supper. At this point, God opened their eyes and they recognized who this stranger was: it was Jesus, risen from the dead, the true Christ, and their Savior.

But at this point, He disappeared from their sight. Why? They no longer needed it to be with Jesus. They were held back from recognizing Him while He spoke and up until the breaking of the bread. But when God opened the way for faith to recognize Him, He took away the vision.

Their reaction to this is also one of faith. They reflect on their experience on the road: Our hearts burned as He spoke to us and opened the Scriptures. As He opened the Scriptures, we saw Him in a way that eyes could not. When He took bread, blessed it, broke it and gave it to us, this was Him as well. Then, they go and tell this to their brothers, so that they would also have reason to rejoice.

This is comforting news for us, His brothers today.

Last week we heard Jesus say to Thomas blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. It would be troubling if that’s all Jesus said to future generations of Christians. We believe in a God we haven’t seen. Where is he? I don’t know. Can you hear his voice? I’m not sure. We would be left to search for where Jesus was and wonder if our “burning in the heart” was really Jesus or some bad pizza we had the night before.

This visit from Jesus to Cleopas and the other disciple is good for us to hear, because it shows us with certainty where Jesus is found. Jesus comes to you in the Word of God, where God opens your heart to understand the Scriptures and all things concerning Christ. This is different from having a just a head knowledge of the Bible. You can know the Bible in this way and still go to hell. Jesus said to the Jews, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me.”[4] God gives His Holy Spirit so that you would know Christ through the Scriptures. Even this is knowing more than the facts that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary, etc. It’s more than knowing that this was done for an abstract group of people—for us men and for our salvation. The Holy Spirit brings you to know that all of this was for you, so that you can say “I believe.” This is the Good News that causes our hearts to burn within us, that even when I was lost in blindness, perplexed about what God was doing, uncertain whether He cares, that He sent His Gospel to me that I might be His own and have something to cling to in this world of change and chance!

It’s doubly comforting for us disciples today that Jesus not only comes to us in the Word, but also with accompanying signs of His Good News (what we call the Sacraments). In these, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, He takes the benefits of His birth, suffering, death, resurrection, and ascension, and delivers it in physical means. Baptism is a washing of rebirth because it is the water by which you are crucified with Christ and raised with Him, adopted as God’s child, and given the gift of His Holy Spirit.[5] The Lord’s Supper is more than a ceremonial meal of remembrance because Jesus Himself says, “This is My Body given for you; this is My Blood shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”[6] The Words of Institution make this Food one that brings forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.

You are blessed this day, because Jesus is among us to bless us. Though our eyes are kept from seeing Him resurrected and glorified, God has opened our hearts and revealed Him to us in the Scriptures and the breaking of the bread this day. Therefore, let us pray:

Abide with us, Lord, for it is toward evening and the day is far spent. Abide with us and with Your whole Church. Abide with us at the end of the day, at the end of our life, at the end of the world. Abide with us with Your grace and goodness, with Your holy Word and Sacrament, with Your strength and blessing. Abide with us when the night of affliction and temptation comes upon us, the night of fear and despair, the night when death draws near. Abide with us and with all the faithful, now and forever. (LSB 257) Amen.
[1] The verbs used for their discussion denote debate or passionate discussion. Jesus perceives this too in verse 17 with a word that literally means “throwing back and forth” to describe their conversation.
[2] Exodus 11:4-7, Exodus 13:14-16
[3] Isaiah 25:6-9
[4] John 5:39
[5] Titus 3:5, Romans 6:3-5
[6] Matthew 26:26-28, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

April 23, 2017

Second Sunday in Easter (John 20:19-31)

Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lebanon, OR
Second Sunday in Easter + April 23, 2017
Text: John 20:19-31

This sermon was written by Pastor David Juhl and adapted by Pastor Michael Miller.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

The first word the disciples hear from the mouth of their resurrected Savior is His Easter greeting: Peace be with you. Jesus’ greeting encompasses the whole result of His Easter message: PEACE. On the evening of the day of resurrection, the disciples were together. Their hearts were still full of sadness and guilt. They had heard snippets of the Easter news from the women at the tomb, Peter and John, and even two disciples who saw Him as they travelled to Emmaus.[1] Nevertheless, they still did not believe that their Lord was risen. Fear of the Jews overwhelmed their hearts, driving them to hide behind locked doors. Above all a bad conscience remained because they had forsaken their Lord and denied Him.

Then suddenly the Lord is in their midst. His greeting to them is this: Peace be with you. He also shows them His hands and side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Fear dissolved and peace moved into their hearts. Peace came to them not due to the mere appearance of the Lord, but because Jesus came to them with such a friendly greeting.

The disciples have reason to rejoice after their sorrows. Christ’s greeting to them is precious. This was no ordinary “How ya doin’?” Christ’s words to them are spirit and life. He imparts peace to His disciples with these words: peace with God and forgiveness of sins.

This is what we are doing when we greet one another in the peace of the Lord before the service. It’s not just your ordinary casual exchange, an extra to say good morning. It’s an Easter greeting that we have received from God and are sharing with our brothers and sisters. Jesus’ resurrection means your sins are forgiven and you have a gracious God, and you are able to share that with one another—even those who have wronged you or whom you have wronged.

The fruit of the resurrection is peace with God. When Jesus shows His hands and side, He reminds them of His suffering and death. There is forgiveness of sins in these wounds. There is also satisfaction of God’s wrath over sin and reconciliation between God and mankind.

The resurrection of Christ is a seal that the work of our redemption is accomplished. In a manner of speaking, it is God’s Amen to His Son saying, “It is finished!”[2] We are reconciled to God because of Jesus. We have peace with God because of Jesus. This is why our Lord’s Easter greeting is so precious. He pledges peace with God. In this peace is forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.

Is this greeting really for us to hear and believe? We know it is for the disciples, because they saw Him in the flesh, felt His hands and side, and heard Him say, peace be with you. The Lord no longer dwells among us in as He did then. It is not possible for Him to walk into our midst and greet us as He did then.

The first one to ask this question was Thomas. Now, Thomas put himself in a precarious position—willfully staying away from the other disciples that Easter evening, refusing to believe the multiple reports of the resurrection he’d heard, then demanding that Jesus meet his standard of proof before he would believe. By being in unbelief, Thomas actually jeopardized receiving that peace which Jesus had won by those wounds. Let this be a warning for our faith.

Yet, the Lord Jesus brought good out of Thomas not being there that night, because we weren’t either. Think of us, so many centuries later. We have even more rational reasons to disbelieve than Thomas. Can we trust that “peace be with you” was spoken to us too? Hear the words of Jesus, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” That’s you and me! We might blame our doubts on not having seen Jesus, but Jesus assures us that’s not a problem. He sends His peace to you even today.

Although Jesus is no longer visible to us, we hear His Word. In the precious greeting to His disciples that Easter evening, Jesus institutes the pastoral office—the preaching office to announce this Easter peace from heaven to you. He sends His disciples as the Father has sent Him. Hear those comforting words to His disciples: Jesus breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” What pastors preach is as certain as if the Lord Himself spoke it. What heavenly comfort this office brings to us even when our guilt threatens to crush us and we can’t see any way path to peace. In the midst of the locked door of our heart, Jesus’ Word shines through and says even to us: Peace be with you. Let it be to you as you have believed. Amen.

[1] John 20:1-18, Luke 24:13-34
[2] John 19:30

April 20, 2017

Funeral of Charles R. Vorderstrasse (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lebanon, OR
Funeral of Charles R. Vorderstrasse – April 20, 2017
Text: Ephesians 2:8-10

Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

The epistle reading that we heard earlier from Ephesians was the sermon text at Chuck’s confirmation back on May 4, 1941 in this congregation. Chuck lived the faith that he professed that day, up until this past Sunday when he breathed his last. So, it’s fitting for us to meditate on these words of St. Paul in light of the life of faith God gave to Charles, His child and our beloved brother.

For by grace you have been saved through faith.

The Gospel was front and center in Chuck’s life: It is by grace that you have been saved. Jesus Christ has done everything necessary to secure your eternal home in heaven. It’s a true gift that doesn’t require any contribution on our part. We might think such a great treasure would demand something of us, but then it wouldn’t be grace. Faith is simply the hand that receives the wonderful salvation God gives in Jesus Christ!

That faith was handed down to Chuck by his parents, Paul and Ida, and that hand of faith received what was taught through word and example. This was the faith that his parents wanted him to have when he was baptized on October 24, 1926. At age 14, Chuck publicly professed that this faith was his own—summarized in the Apostles’ Creed. That faith, borne out of God’s love for Chuck, freed him to love God in return and also love those around him.

It was a faith that gave him an underlying confidence that God is his heavenly Father, so that no matter what may happen in life—whether having to move cross-country during the Dust Bowl, living in poverty, or losing his daughter in a car accident—God would be faithful to see him and his family through.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith.” The calm peace that comes from believing these words attended Chuck as he suddenly found himself in the hospital last Thursday. As the potentially terrifying, terminal diagnoses rolled in, Chuck continued to be optimistic because he knew that God was for him. “Whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.”[1]

But Chuck knew that whenever he should die, he was not going to face a tribunal for all the ways he had failed God, or even a review of all the good things he had done. None of it counts toward his eternal rest—it was all earned by Jesus who was born, lived, suffered, died, and rose for him.

This faith is not your own doing; it is a gift of God.

When we read in the obituary that Chuck had a “life well-lived,” we can see that it’s true. What we want to know next is how we can accomplish the same thing. What is the good life to live? Gallons of ink have been spilled trying to answer that question. Guess what? God gives us the answer.

If you want to have a life well-lived, don’t look to Chuck—a fellow man and also a sinner (for that is why he died). Look to God. What made this life well-lived was the fear, love, and trust in God that endured to the end, the repentance and faith that the Holy Spirit kept in Chuck’s heart and the heart of every Christian. But we want to know, What’s the secret to having such a faithful life before God? “What must I do to be saved?” asked one inquirer.

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”[2] There’s the key—it’s not about what you do. Even the faith in a believing heart is the work of God:[3] “This is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.” When we stop trying to save ourselves and let God do His work, He opens our minds and hearts to see His Son and find our true Sabbath rest in His work on the cross. “It is finished.” (John 19:30)

So that no one may boast.

Chuck had this realization because God had given it to him. “It is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Since it was a gift from God, there was no reason to be proud of his own accomplishments. What could he boast of in being a Christian son, or brother, or husband, or father? All that he had was a gift from God—his very breath, his family, and his place in God’s eternal family through Jesus.

We are created in Christ Jesus for good works.

Finally, St. Paul says on the basis of this faith, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” What you witnessed in this man was God’s handiwork. God the Father adopted Him as a beloved child in the waters of Baptism, through God the Son who lovingly shed His blood for him and for every single man and woman, and God the Holy Spirit who caused the Word of God to take root and bear fruit in Chuck’s heart.[4]

A caring heart is the work of God, shown in a man who always cared how you were doing, who “in humility counted others more significant than himself.”[5] He did this because He has the Spirit of Christ who made Himself the compassionate servant of all, so that they might be saved from destruction.

A serving heart is the work of God, shown in a man who helped others without complaint, displaying the service of Christ the Lord: “Just as I have loved you, you are to love one another.”[6] In the ultimate show of service, Jesus, the Lamb went uncomplaining forth, and even though it meant loss for Him, it meant great riches for all who believe.

A heart that shares the faith is also the work of God, shown in a man who raised His children in this congregation—not because of the hard work and years of service he put into the organization, but because this is where such a Christian faith is preached and believed. Chuck wanted for his children the same thing Paul and Ida gave to him: a place where the Word of God is preached and taught in all of its glory.

God grant by the power and working of His Holy Spirit, that this faith be in you. In this faith, you will have peace, confidence, and hope. Peace that God has redeemed and fully forgiven you through the holy blood of Christ. Confidence to live life trusting in God’s faithfulness. Hope of knowing what when your last hour comes, you will be talking about the hope of heaven one minute and be there the next.

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[1] Romans 14:8
[2] Acts 16:30-31
[3] John 6:29
[4] Galatians 3:25-26, John 3:16, Acts 2:38
[5] Philippians 2:3
[6] John 13:34

April 16, 2017

The Resurrection of Our Lord (Sunrise) (John 20:1-18)

Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lebanon, OR
The Resurrection of Our Lord (Sunrise) + April 16, 2017
Text: John 20:1-18

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

No doubt you’ve seen it for a few weeks now. Easter sales, Easter dresses, Easter candy, Easter lilies. If you didn’t know better, you might think Easter is just another holiday with its traditions, no different from the 4^th of July. It’s just an excuse to get together and have fun with family and friends.

But with all of these traditions, it might be hard to get down to the reason for celebrating. If we don’t know what Easter is about, then we’re just left with pastel colors, bunnies, and ham. The name “Easter” doesn’t tell the story.[1] The reason we celebrate today is because this is the Resurrection of Our Lord. Jesus who was dead now lives!

It’s popular this time of year to try and debunk the Resurrection as old-fashioned myth, or just a peculiarity of Christian religious tradition. If it is, then get up and go home. Religion is just an opiate for the masses, and I’m peddling nothing more than therapeutic lies.

But it is not just myth, it is truth. Jesus actually was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary. He actually suffered under the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. And yes, He did rise from the dead on the Third Day. All of this is true, and that’s what makes Easter such a reason to celebrate.

The resurrection of Jesus is a fundamental change to our existence. Sin is forgiven and death’s grasp is broken! Without Jesus and His resurrection, life on earth is depressing. All you can hope to do is live for the moment and spend time with all the other people who no more than a flash in the pan of time. But Jesus is risen, and that means human life has a hope and a future—the hope and future God truly intends for all people.

The resurrection of Jesus gives comfort in sickness and death. He gives the hope of a joyous eternity. His resurrection puts the greatest joys and most painful sorrows of this life into eternal perspective. As we grow weary of this life, that’s where Easter makes all the difference.
The true meaning of Easter—the death and resurrection of Jesus—is not something to be put on the shelf and brought out just once a year. The devil would love it if you believe that lie, because then he can get you to do whatever he wants, scaring you with the threat of the grave. If you believe that, you may as well eat all the ham and candy you can get your hands on, because you too will die. But if you want more, believe in Jesus whose death and resurrection changes everything.

That’s why Easter is such a big celebration. Jesus gives joy to our lives! He gives us more joy than can be found in fleeting things. He lifts up our hearts from the depths of sorrow and gives us new hope and strength. When it looks to us like everything is a lost cause, our Lord and Savior is there with His Word—“Do not be afraid.” Amen.
[1] The name Easter comes to us from the Old English name for the month of April.

April 16, 2017

The Resurrection of Our Lord (Matthew 28:1-10)

Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lebanon, OR
The Resurrection of Our Lord + April 16, 2017
Text: Matthew 28:1-10

Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Mary and the other Mary were at the tomb first. They saw the angel and heard his words. But the other disciples didn’t. We make a big deal of differences and turn it into division.

This world is full of division right now. Conflict in the Pacific, conflict in the Middle East, conflict in between states and Washington, DC, and conflict between Americans. Political parties, income level, questions of ethics, and even personal preferences have become battle flags to be waved at one another.

The Christian Church is no exception, because it’s also made of people. How long have you been a Christian? What church do you belong to? Traditional or contemporary?

What our human race needs is some unity.

On Good Friday and the Resurrection of Jesus, God brought about a lasting unity. In those events, He showed what our human race really has in common—sin and death. This common disease and enemy afflicts us all. “They are corrupt,” the Lord declares, “They do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. 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.” (Psalm 14:1-3)

So, God, in His mercy and faithfulness sent Jesus to be the Savior for all:

¹²Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned…¹⁵But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. (Romans 5:12, 15)

There is one Jesus for all, because all of us have the same ancestry. With that ancestry came sin and death. Something every one of us has known is the effects of sin and death on ourselves and the world—and we cannot free ourselves from its power!

All of the struggles over money and power, the men and women lost in war, property destroyed in a vie for supremacy. This is the work of man, which brings only death and division. But God on the cross made peace.

He doesn’t make one sacrifice for Jews, another for Gentiles; one Savior for men another for women; a black Jesus and a white Jesus. There is Savior for all mankind, for the people of every nation, tribe, and language.

“¹⁴For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility ¹⁵by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, ¹⁶and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.” (Ephesians 2:14-16)

So through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has shown His love to all people. As Jesus said beforehand, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12:32)

Now God has made peace and removed the hostility between heaven and earth. Now the only division that is left is between faith and unbelief. Yet by the power of His Holy Spirit, He brings near even those who are far off that they might know salvation and peace in Jesus Christ (Acts 2:38-39). God give you that peace this Resurrection Day! Amen.

April 14, 2017

Good Friday (John 19:17-30)

Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lebanon, OR
Good Friday + April 14, 2017
Text: John 19:17-30

The Seventh Petition
“Deliver us from evil.”

We cry out under the weight of evil. The children of Israel cried out to God from cruel slavery.[1] Our hearts ache as we hear or live stories of abuse, murder, and fraud all around us in the world. We plead with God for a miracle when we see our loved ones stretched out on gurneys at the verge of death, or when parents have to bury their children. Who will save us?!

It’s little comfort to explain the psychology or mental illness leading people to commit their crimes. It’s not very helpful when the doctor tells us what’s wrong when there’s no treatment. We need another help beyond our human ability.

God has heard the cries of His people—from those of His ancient people to the pleads of your heart. But, there is no stranger way that God answers our cries to be delivered from evil: The Passion of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

He delivers us from sin by becoming sin for us and for all men. Apart from Him, guilt only increases, and we are left in the mire of our own making. We try to improve society and ourselves, but things only get worse and more depraved. Only the blood of Christ can give a meaningful answer for the sins of the world. Only the blood of Christ counts before God and gives us peace while we live in this body of death.[2]

He delivers us from the devil by bearing the full brunt of Satan’s attacks against humanity. Satan, whose name means “adversary,” holds our sins over us to drive us to lose hope in God’s mercy. He led our first parents into sin and now continues to preach to us that there’s no way we could be children of God because of the things we’ve done or failed to do. But the Son of God delivers us from those assaults by bearing the accusations and lies Himself. “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” Never, because it is by this cross that Satan is disarmed and has nothing more to accuse for those who trust in Jesus.

He delivers us from death by His death. Who can save us from the curse that entered the world with sin? Who has the power to undo what cancer does, to heal our broken bodies, and to save those who have been taken by the grave? No mere creature could overcome death. But by His suffering and death, Christ tasted death for all of us.[3] And by tasting death, He destroyed its lasting power over us. Everyone who believes and is baptized into Him has the promise of His resurrection! Because of Christ, His people whose bodies are now lifeless will rise to eternal life. Death no longer has dominion over them.[4]
Yes, cry out, “Deliver us from evil!” Cry this out in confidence because by the evil of His betrayal, trial, suffering, and death, your Lord Jesus Christ has delivered and will deliver you from every evil which is done under the sun. Amen.
[1] Exodus 1:8-22
[2] Romans 7:25
[3] Hebrews 2:9
[4] Romans 6:3-9

April 13, 2017

Maundy Thursday (Matthew 26:17-30)

Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lebanon, OR
Maundy Thursday + April 13, 2017
Text: Matthew 26:17-30

The Sixth Petition
“Lead us not into temptation”

Tonight, we continue the theme of our Lenten midweek services, taking a closer look at each petition of the Lord’s Prayer. Tonight, we come to the sixth petition, “Lead us not into temptation” on the night in which Jesus was betrayed.

In Scripture, there are two kinds of tempting. One is from God, and the other is from the enemies of God—the world, the devil, and sinful hearts. The tempting or testing that comes from God is good, as James exhorts us, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials[1] of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”[2] This is when the struggles, weaknesses, and failures of life result in a greater reliance on God. It is confirmation of our faith, and the one who draws closer to God out of trial is even called perfect and complete!

But then there’s the other kind of temptation, which is addressed just a few verses later in the same chapter of James: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.”[3] Same word as in the Lord’s Prayer and what was called “trials” before. In this case, however, the result is that someone loses trust for God, no longer fears Him, and even hates Him.

This is what happened for Judas, leading up to Jesus’ betrayal.
¹⁴Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.
Temptation came to Judas, as Satan entered his heart,[4] and he was lead willingly into this evil. Jesus knew beforehand that this would happen—that this must happen—to Judas. But the more tragic thing than Judas’ sin was that he ended up losing his trust in God, despairing of His mercy and “seeing to” his sin himself by hanging himself. [5] He could have repented and been restored, but he gave up on his Lord.

But Judas wasn’t the only one tempted that night. Jesus told Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”[6] Peter also sinned against the Lord by denying Him three times. The difference was that afterward, Peter was restored. He grew in the awareness of his weakness—that his resolution to suffer with Jesus was prideful and his ability to keep watch was only as strong as his flesh.

And it wasn’t just a one-time battle for Peter or for any of us. Peter had other times he was tempted, like when he gave into the circumcision party and refused to eat with Gentiles.[7] But through the temptations with faith, God’s work in us is to keep us firm in faith.

So in this petition, we pray that we may have the steadfast faith of Peter, and be saved from the unbelief of Judas. Truly the devil is a strong enemy, far more powerful than us. He is able to snatch the Word of God from our hearts and blind us to the Lord’s faithfulness and mercy. Our most heartfelt resolve cannot stand in the hour of testing. Even more, the great company of unbelievers would sweep us away from our faith in God. All of these stand against us persevering in the faith.

But One stands for us, who is Jesus Christ. He prays for us, He fights for us, and He is greater than all who seek our fall. And we pray that this Almighty Helper would never leave us to fend for ourselves—even for a single hour.

Even while we are attacked by these things, our Lord gives you special comfort and strength in His Body broken and His blood shed for you. He offered His very life to make satisfaction for all of your sins, and He now gives that crucified and risen Body and Blood for you to eat and to drink. Do not be afraid in the hour of temptation, for your Lord is near. He was tempted in every way as you are, yet He is without sin. He is gracious to forgive and restore you, and almighty to deliver you!

¹²Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. ¹³But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.[8]

Just as you eat and drink the fruits of His suffering, He is faithful to bring you to the fruits of His resurrection in glory. Amen!

[1] Same word in Greek as “temptation” in the Lord’s Prayer
[2] James 1:2-4
[3] James 1:13-14
[4] Luke 22:3
[5] Matthew 27:3-5
[6] Luke 22:31-32
[7] Galatians 2
[8] 1 Peter 4:12-13

April 9, 2017

Palm Sunday(Matthew 27:11-66)

Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Lebanon, OR
Palm Sunday + April 9, 2017
Text: Matthew 27:11-66

In the Middle Ages, a new form of theater developed called the Passion Play. It’s performed in many different ways and in different venues. The point is that what started in the Church became a whole genre of performing art.

When we hear the Passion today, we might sit back as idle observers—as theater-goers. We might want to say “Boo!” when the Pharisees come on, hiss at the Roman soldiers who mocked Jesus, and weep when Jesus is lashed and carries His cross to Golgotha.

But the Passion is not meant to be idly observed; it is meant to be participated in through faith. This is your Lord’s passion, not a fictional character and not a stranger. We are not just audience members, but actors in the drama.

When Pilate’s misunderstands and is mired in unbelief at the plain words of Jesus, that is us. When he perceives that Jesus was delivered up on fake charges, sits on a judgment throne, and yet refuses to do justice, we do the same. Pilate washes his hands in response to the pangs of guilt, hoping to silence the nagging voice of conscience but refusing to repent, and we’ve been there too.

In the Judgment Hall, the crowd thirsts for Jesus’ death. They used their vote to free a murderer and condemn of the Giver of life, just as we have used our freedom to turn away and reject God’s ways. Like the crowd, we would rather be God’s people without Him telling us what that means.

When Jesus is taken out by the soldiers, we are there too. They proudly mock this suffering man, alienating themselves both from His cause and His agony. Not only do they revel in the fact that they seem to be better off, but they rub that fact in and belittle Jesus. If He’s supposed to be some kind of Savior, He must be useless because all this is happening to Him and He does nothing to stop it. Like them, we would rather have glory, power, and visible success, rather than rejection, weakness, and suffering.

Then, there’s Simon of Cyrene, who was compelled to carry His cross. Now it can’t be avoided. Jesus’ passion is not something to be spectated, but we are part of it. St. Paul says, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?”[1] We are marked with the cross in Baptism, and He calls us daily to take up our cross and follow Him.[2]

Truly, His cross was the greatest, for by it He saved the world. But we should not be surprised when this world and this life of sin compels us to carry the cross. Why can’t life be easier, people like us, justice be done? These are the wrong questions to ask. Rather, by faith we see what God is at work doing the suffering and death of Christ. It is His Passion to save us.

So when we bear our own small crosses, trust that God will be glorified through this burden, agony, betrayal, or loss. Mind you, how this will be is rarely apparent from under the cross. “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”[3] Jesus’ disciples couldn’t see what God was doing until Easter and Pentecost. So don’t try to look for a reason right away—it may well be hidden from you. Instead, trust the good and gracious will of God for you: “For those who love God, [He works] all things together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”[4] Believe in the God who saved you through death and resurrection, and know that in His love, He will also save you from every evil, that you might glorify Him.

This Holy Week, as we walk with Jesus to the cross, find comfort in what He has done, because it isn’t just a story to be read. It’s a story to be lived, for by it you have life. Amen.

[1] Romans 6:3
[2] Matthew 16:24
[3] Hebrews 12:11
[4] Romans 8:28