John 21:1-14 - A Fish Fry Reveals Jesus' Power - April 10, 2016

According to the gospel accounts that have been handed down to us, our Lord appeared no less than 12 times in his glorified state in the 40 days between his resurrection and ascension – and there were many more that haven’t been passed down to us. He was not merely passing time before returning to heaven, Paul explains in Romans 4 why it was essential that Jesus prove his resurrection from death: He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (Romans 4:25) Every appearance of our Risen Savior proves definitively that God accepted his bloody sacrifice for our sins and the sins of the world – that on an objective level, God has declared the world not guilty for Jesus’ sake. (At the same time, whoever does not believe this will be condemned. (Mark 16:16)) But each appearance of Jesus had a specific purpose as well. Jesus appeared to the women in the garden so that they could tell his disciples that he had risen. (Matthew 28:10) Jesus appeared to two disciples on the Road to Emmaus to teach that He had to do everything written in the scriptures, including dying and rising. (Luke 24:46) And Jesus appeared to Paul in a blinding vision to both convert his stubborn, unbelieving heart and to provide him with the evidence he would need to rely on for the difficult ministry before him. (Acts 9) But in John 21, Jesus has a fish fry with his disciples. What’s the point of that? It reveals Jesus’ power.

“I’m going fishing,” Peter says. That’s kind of strange, isn’t it? Doesn’t Peter have better things to be doing, like, say, preaching the Gospel? Actually, no. Peter and the six disciples with him were doing exactly what they were supposed to be doing. Recall Jesus’ words to the women on Easter morning: tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me. (Matthew 28:10) So the disciples listened and went to Galilee to wait for Jesus. We don’t have to imagine that there’s some deep meaning behind this little fishing trip either. They were waiting for the Lord to appear, and so they did what many men do to pass the time: they went fishing. Being experienced fishermen, the disciples knew that the best fishing is at night – but that was not the case on this night. The Greek here contains a hint of the frustration they felt at being skunked – a feeling every fisherman knows well.

But then things get interesting. A stranger on the shore calls out to them: “Hey guys, you haven’t caught any fish yet, have you?” “No.” Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some. If you know any experienced fishermen, you know that usually they are stubborn and will do almost anything before they accept the advice of a perfect stranger. But the disciples listened. They hauled in their nets and let them down on the right side. When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. By now you may be thinking that this story sounds familiar. It is. Jesus performed a similar miracle in Luke chapter 5 when he called Peter, James, and John away from their fishing business to follow him.

More important for us here is that already, our Risen Savior reveals his power – his power to teach. Did you pick up on the lesson? It was a lesson the disciples should have learned by now – especially since this was the second time they had fished all night with no luck, only to have Jesus provide more fish than they could handle. Now there are lots of silly interpretations out there – that the left side represented the Jewish people (the disciples wouldn’t catch any of them) and the right side represented the Gentiles who were ripe for the picking. Some might even try to impress some political interpretation on Scripture – right vs. left. That’s foolishness. No, here is one of the many places where we let Scripture interpret Scripture. We turn to Psalm 127: Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat – for he grants sleep to those he loves. There’s a hint. But Jesus himself makes it even clearer in John 15: I am the vine; you are the branches…apart from me you will do nothing. (John 15:5) Bingo. There was the lesson the disciples should have learned by now: apart from Jesus, they will accomplish nothing – neither catching fish nor making disciples.

What are you busy trying to accomplish right now in life? Are you, like the disciples, simply trying to put food on the table? Are you in the middle of the all-important but daunting task of raising children? Are you working to maintain or strengthen your marriage? Are you trying to stay healthy or get back to good health? What’s the message here for us? Apart from [Jesus], no matter what you’re trying to do – from fishing to parenting to healing – you will do nothing. That sounds harsh. Jesus knows that when we are working toward something and don’t seem to be having any success there are millions of places we will look for help before looking to him. We will read a self-help book, we will take a vacation, we will buckle down and try harder, we will ask for advice from a friend, finally, we might even just pay someone else to do it for us – but how often do we turn to Jesus and pray as he invites call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me. (Psalm 50:15) Whatever we leave here to try to accomplish today, this week, or this year – the powerful lesson our Risen Savior is teaching this morning is that apart from him, you will do nothing.

The next verses are something of a character study of the disciples Peter and John, the two most prominent apostles. John is the quiet, contemplative disciple – and the first to recognize Jesus. Peter is the man of action, and the first to leap out of a perfectly good boat to swim to Jesus. Maybe there’s a small lesson here too: God can use both quiet, contemplative disciples and bold, active disciples to carry out his mission in this world.

But let’s not get hung up in the details. For the Risen Savior is not done displaying his power. When [the disciples] landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread…Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. What’s the big, burning question here? What do the 153 fish symbolize? How did Peter, alone, pull the net on shore when seven men couldn’t pull it on board? Why didn’t the disciples dare to ask him who he was? No. (The number, 153, simply shows us that this catch was truly a miracle and that John remembered the very number of fish vividly. Peter’s strength was possibly another miracle. And, the disciples didn’t dare to ask Jesus because the evidence spoke for itself – even though they didn’t recognize him in his glorious state, this could be none other than the Risen Lord.)

No, the big question here is: where did the fire, fish and bread come from? The answer is simple and powerful. Jesus, the Risen Lord, had provided it. What the disciples had tried and failed all night to do, Jesus accomplished by simply willing it to happen. The disciples had great need to realize that in the coming weeks and years, when they would be rejected and hated for their message, when Satan would tempt them to doubt the power of the Word, when they would face danger, poverty and hunger – that no matter what the problem seemed to be, Jesus could and would provide. The book of Acts tells us that Jesus kept this promise. When the disciples were placed on trial for their preaching – Jesus gave them the words to say. When they needed proof that their message came from heaven – Jesus gave them the power to perform miracles as validation. And, when they ventured off into regions unknown to preach the Gospel – Jesus provided open hearts and open homes, believers who loved their Lord and provided for his apostles. The Risen Lord showed his disciples with this powerful miracle that they could trust him to provide.

Is there anything more difficult for us sinful human beings to do than to trust that Jesus will provide what we need when we need it? Too often we are consumed with worry about our lives, what we will eat or drink; or about our bodies, what we will wear even though Jesus tells us not to worry and reassures us that [our] heavenly Father knows that you need them. (Matthew 6:25, 32) Too often we wait until we have exhausted all of our energy and resources before we finally turn to Jesus and lay our problems into his hands. When you find yourself worrying, agonizing, stressed out – remember this fish fry. Remember that it is as easy for Jesus to satisfy your needs today as it was for his disciples then. How can you be sure? What if you’ve worked all night or all your life and have an empty net? You can be sure because Jesus has already taken care of your greatest need: he has taken away your sins of doubt and worry and has given you the riches of the righteousness he earned for you on the cross. You can be sure because Jesus has already done the one thing we haven’t done – he trusted God above all things – and he did it perfectly. Instead of worrying, instead of growing frustrated, instead of exhausting all your resources before turning to Jesus; ask this question with Paul: [If God] did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all – how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:32) Our Savior is Risen, and he’s not some distant far-away weakling, he’s not a life-coach, his guidance and grace aren’t only for the weak-minded – he’s the powerful Lord of heaven and earth who can and will provide whatever you need, whenever you need it – from something as small as a fish fry to something as big as the forgiveness of all your sins.

John closes this interesting little sea-side story rather abruptly: This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. Perhaps it pays to note that Jesus appeared more than just three times, but John was only counting his appearances to his disciples. (Easter evening and seven days later) Apart from showing us that he can count to three, what does John hope to express with the abrupt ending? He saved the best for last. It’s not new to us, but it is the most important news we have ever heard. You know what it is, right?

Christ is (still) Risen!!! The one who was shamelessly betrayed, beaten, and condemned to die – he’s not dead! The one who had nails pounded through his hands and feet and a spear plunged into his side – he’s alive! The one who cried out my God, my God, why have you forsaken me as he experienced the torture of hell – he’s walking and talking with his disciples! The one who bowed his head and gave up his spirit – is here, with us and for us! The one whose body was laid in a tomb – is not clothed in decay, but clothed in glory so that his disciples were afraid to even wonder aloud who he was! It’s easy for us, especially in reading a story with as many peculiarities as this one, to get hung up on the details or get lost looking for deep truths. But the central truth, the truth that all the details point to is the all-important one: Jesus Christ who died in humiliation is alive in all of his glory! Your sins are forgiven! You are free from the weight of the law! You don’t have to do anything to earn God’s favor! You are never alone in this life! Nothing in this world can separate you from his love! Jesus will provide for you now and heaven is your eternal home! All because Jesus Christ is your powerful, (still) Risen Savior.

The Holy Spirit never spills ink for nothing. Every page of Holy Scripture strengthens our faith, builds our hope, and guides our lives. Because we see, once again, that Jesus lives, and he’s got power; power to teach, power to provide, and power to comfort. Next time you head out for a fish fry, remember this one, one that teaches that Easter has changed everything – because Jesus lives, he lives to bless us with his love; he lives to plead for us above. He lives, our hungry souls to feed; he lives to help in time of need. (CW 152:3) Amen. 

2 Peter 1:16-21 - What We Have Is Better Than Seeing - April 3, 2016

“I guess you just have to have seen it to believe it.” We use phrases like that when someone expresses skepticism at our description of something incredible. In many cases today, technology has provided a fix for skepticism – it’s called the internet. Someone doesn’t want to believe or accept my story – fine, I’ll just pull out my phone, summon the omniscient power of Google and prove that I’m telling the truth with a news story, some pictures, or maybe even a video. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could use that technique when it comes to convincing people who are skeptical about the bodily resurrection of our Lord? Wouldn’t it be nice, when you’re talking to a doubting or cynical friend or family member, to be able to pull out your smartphone and show them a video of what happened at Joseph’s tomb early Easter Sunday morning? If such first-hand footage existed, do you think God’s house would be just as full today as it was a week ago? If the world could just see what happened on Easter do you think that atheism and other religions would disappear because the video proves them false? After all, didn’t seeing lead to believing for Thomas?

There are several problems with that line of thinking. First, we all know that you can’t believe everything you see. Second, what would we see on such a video? Some soldiers, an angel, some women, Peter and John – but not Jesus, because Jesus hid his resurrection from sight. Third, remember that many of the people who did witness Jesus’ miracles first hand refused to believe that he was the Son of God – which tells us a lot about the power of Satan and the nature of unbelief. We don’t need to hold our breaths for some secret footage of Jesus’ resurrection to surface, Peter says, because we have something better, something firmer, something far more trustworthy. We have the Word of God which is based on eyewitness testimony, is inspired by the Holy Spirit, and deserves our serious attention.

It’s no secret that many people doubt or flat out don’t believe that the Bible is true. That’s not a new phenomenon. Satan sowed the seeds of doubt already in the Garden of Eden with his leading question to Eve: did God really say? (Genesis 3:1) Just like death and taxes, unbelief is inevitable in this world. Many think the reason is that Scripture is just too unclear or unreliable to be trusted. Peter attacks that sentiment head-on: we did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. Speaking on behalf of every NT writer, Peter defends its reliability by establishing two important points. First, he nails down the central focus of Scripture. It’s not a handbook for living in this world, it’s not a guide to happiness or prosperity. The Bible is first and foremost the revelation of God’s plan to save sinners through the power and coming of Jesus Christ. Second, he rebuts the allegation that this book is just a bunch of made-up stories and myths. He and the other apostles were eyewitnesses of the power and majesty of Jesus. They really ate the food Jesus miraculously provided for 5000 people on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Peter walked on that same sea and could vividly recall the fear and shame of sinking underneath the waves, to be saved only by Jesus’ strong arm. They talked with and ate with the risen Lord in that locked room on Easter evening. The Bible is not a book of fiction. It is a book of historical fact.

The poison Satan has sown today is that many people kind of like the idea of Jesus, but they don’t care for the parts of the Bible that seem to disagree with the so-called evidence of modern science or their own “enlightened” ideas of morality. They like to believe that they’re going to heaven (if there is a heaven), but they treat Scripture like a buffet line: they take the parts they like and leave the things they don’t. For many, this means cutting out the miracles. Peter denies anyone the right to edit Scripture to please themselves. In referring to the Transfiguration, he’s saying that readers don’t get to decide what’s true, eyewitness authors do: He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.

Peter witnessed Jesus’ divine glory with his own eyes. He saw Jesus clothed in heavenly radiance from head to toe. He heard the voices of Moses and Elijah as they talked with Jesus about the final days of his mission of salvation. His mouth hung open as the heavens opened and God the Father announced his approval of Jesus and his work. And Peter wasn’t alone. James and John were with him. The Sons of Thunder certainly wouldn’t have let Peter spread this story if it wasn’t true. The same is true of the miracle that serves as the foundation of our faith: the bodily resurrection of our Lord. This is not a myth or a fairytale spun by clever disciples. Hundreds of people witnessed the Risen Lord. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15 that Jesus appeared to no fewer than six different groups or individuals after he returned to life and escaped his stony prison. The most amazing part is that Jesus appeared to people who were skeptical, who didn’t believe the reports of the women and Peter and John. The disciples weren’t gullible fools who would believe anything to make themselves feel better. They were skeptics. But Jesus overcame their skepticism. Despite what other religions teach, in spite of what the critics of the Bible say, Peter testifies that the Bible, including every single miracle, is the eyewitness account of true, undeniable, historical facts – reading and believing this truth is better than seeing it.

That fact alone should make the Bible worthy of our serious and careful attention and study. But Peter goes on: we have the word of the prophets made more certain. If eyewitness testimony doesn’t do it for you, Peter says, then go back to the Old Testament. Search the words of Moses and the Prophets and you will find that every major event contained in the Gospels was foretold hundreds of years before it took place. Anyone can verify that the Savior would be born in Bethlehem, would preach in Galilee, would be betrayed for precisely 30 pieces of silver, and would be hung on a cursed tree. The New Testament is the result of eyewitness testimony, and this testimony in every case agrees perfectly with God’s Old Testament prophecies.

Because of this, Peter says, we will do well to pay attention to [Scripture], as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Isn’t it surprising that Peter says ‘we’ here? Peter was there on the Mt. of Transfiguration. His eyes probed the dim corners of the empty tomb for signs of Jesus’ body. And he was in that room when Jesus appeared to dispel Thomas’ unbelief. But he says that we would do well to pay attention to Scripture. Why did Peter need God’s written Word when he had witnessed the miracles with his own eyes?

Because the age he lived in was no less evil than ours is. The lie of the Jewish leaders, that the disciples had stolen Jesus’ body during the night was still being spread far and wide. (Matthew 28:15) Peter lived among people who fancied themselves too intelligent to believe a tale about a crucified and risen Savior. Peter was a pastor to Christians who, although they accepted the Gospel of Jesus, were beginning to grow impatient for his return. And Peter and his congregation were confronted by false teachers who taught that Jesus wasn’t really alive, but only alive in the hearts of believers and other similar myths. Sound familiar? That shouldn’t surprise us. In this same letter, Peter warned that there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them – bringing swift destruction on themselves. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. (2 Peter 2:1, 3)

Do you ever feel like you’re one of only a few who believes that Jesus actually suffered, died, and rose to win you forgiveness of sins? Does the skepticism and criticism of today’s ‘experts’ ever start to undermine the foundation of your faith? Maybe it’s more practical than that, maybe the sins you have committed in the week since Easter have made you question whether a risen Savior has had any impact on your heart and life. Does your faith ever seem less like a blazing fire and more like a dim or dying flame?

Keeping the flame of faith brightly burning, giving us the strength to overcome sin and Satan, and holding firm to the hope that Jesus will return and it could be at any moment, is exactly why God gave us his written Word. He knows that the world has a way of dragging us down and crushing our joy. He knows how Satan works to smother our faith. He knows how important it is to keep feeding our faith and building our hope. God does that through his Word. But we have to be in it, carefully reading it, daily paying attention to it so that its light may brighten our lives. The world today is just as dark as it was in Peter’s day – he calls it “filthy darkness” – but the Bible is God’s million watt halogen flashlight to lead us through the darkness until that glorious day when Jesus, the morning star, returns to light the world with his presence. The Bible is factual, historical, eyewitness testimony, it is God’s light in a dark world – use it, let it strengthen your faith and increase your anticipation for our Lord’s return.

Peter wraps up his defense of Holy Scripture with a powerful closing statement. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. This is the doctrine of verbal inspiration. Not only is the Bible based on eyewitness testimony, not only does every OT prophecy finds its fulfillment in the New, but God himself – in the person of the Holy Spirit – guided the authors of Scripture to write what they did. The picture here is nautical – the Holy Spirit moved the authors like wind moves a sailboat. Because of that you can be sure that every word – from Genesis to Revelation – came from God himself.

That’s important, especially today when truth seems to be such an unsettled, subjective, constantly changing thing. As Christians, we can be sure that our doctrine, our practice, and our lives now and eternally are not based on polling data or majority opinion or simply what “feels right” – but on God’s own truth which never has and never will change. So today, whether we are talking about abortion or absolution, church or child-raising, evolution or evangelism – when we are guided by Scripture we are being led by the holy, unchanging will of God himself.

Would people be convinced that Jesus of Nazareth died and rose again if we could show them video evidence? I doubt it. Even those who did witness Jesus’ empty tomb didn’t believe it immediately. More than that, Peter, an eyewitness and apostle, didn’t tell anyone to blindly trust his word. He tells us to hold to the written Word of God, and that when we do that we have something better than seeing, because the Bible is based on eyewitness testimony, it is inspired by God himself, and it deserves our serious attention. Today and everyday trust this reliable word for it continues to tell you the glorious, incredible truth of Easter: Christ is Risen and your sins are forgiven! Blessed are [you] who have not seen and yet have believed. (John 20:28) Amen.  

Matthew 28:1-10 - Our Savior's Glory Is Hidden, Even In His Triumph - March 27, 2016

Of all the great and glorious days in history, where does this one, Easter Sunday, rank in your mind? Is your birthday more glorious? Your wedding day? The day your child was born? The day the Packers won the Superbowl? Was the first day of creation more glorious, when God created time and space and all the matter that would ever exist with only his Word? Was the fourth day of creation more glorious, that day when God, just by speaking, created sun, moon, and stars and flung them into the positions and orbits that they hold to this day? Were those days more glorious than this one? Not a chance. For as glorious as those days of creation were, one day God will fold it all up and change it with no more effort than you or I change our clothes.

What about the Last Day, when Christ will return with all his saints and angels, when all the dead will rise to face judgment? Will that day be more glorious than this one? Again, no. For apart from this day, that one would hold nothing but terror for us. Apart from this day, the Last Day holds only a voice that thunders: depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41) No, this day, the day of Christ’s resurrection is without equal; it is the most glorious day in all time and in all eternity for on this day Christ did what no one else would or could ever do: he rose from the dead by his own power. All through Lent we have been looking for the glory of the cross. Today, that glory reaches its climax. And yet, even today, on his day of triumph, we notice what we did throughout Lent, the glory of Christ is hidden.

Now, there’s no arguing that there was indeed glory to be seen in Matthew’s report of the resurrection. The question is: who appeared glorious? It wasn’t Jesus. It was an angel. The angel comes down from heaven, knocks open the grave, and sits on the stone. Where is Jesus? He had already been very busy that first Easter morning. His body and soul were reunited in the grave – but no one saw it. Later that same morning, Peter tells us, Christ descended into hell and proclaimed his victory over sin, death, and the devil – but no one heard the shrieks and howls of hell’s demons. It was hidden. Then, before the angel appeared, Jesus came out of the grave while the stone was still firmly in place. Again, that glorious moment was hidden. The only one that appears glorious in Matthew’s account is the angel: his appearance was like lightning, his face was white as snow. The effect was glorious too: big, tough Roman soldiers were so stunned and terrified that they fell to the ground like dead men.

By the time the women arrived, the soldiers had recovered and run into the city to report the news. These women had been planning to finish the burial preparations they had started on Good Friday, but to their amazement the stone has been rolled away and the tomb is empty. And there, sitting on the stone is an angel, in all of his heavenly glory. And yet, as amazing as his appearance was, his message was even more glorious: He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see…Go…and tell his disciples: He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. If you remember nothing else from this morning, remember those words: Jesus Christ, though he died, is risen, just as he said.

And yet, isn’t it still kind of disappointing? Don’t we want to see Jesus, the risen Lord, on the day of his greatest glory? Don’t we want to see him robed in splendor, with his face shining like the sun and his clothes as white as lightning? Don’t we want to see him looking like he will when he returns in glory to take us home on the Last Day? Shouldn’t his appearance match the glory of the day?

No. Why not? In our Old Testament lesson, Moses sang about what happened when God revealed his glory to Pharaoh and the Egyptian army. Long story short, Pharaoh and his army ended up as fish food. What would happen if Jesus had appeared to those women or to us in all of his glory? There would be no joy. Because we are sinners, we would surely die. But today is a day of joy because even today Jesus hides his glory. Unlike us, he doesn’t have to put on his Sunday best, buy a new tie or a new outfit to impress us. He doesn’t want to scare us to death. There will be a day for that kind of appearance, Judgment Day. But not today. Not on Easter. Why not? Because he doesn’t want to distract us from the most important part of Easter – the whole reason for the cross, the tomb, the soldiers, and the angel. The most important part of Easter is not what Jesus looked like – it’s what his death on the cross accomplished and what his resurrection proves.

What is that? What does Jesus’ resurrection prove? Where is the real glory of Easter? It’s hidden right where Jesus wants it, right where he wants us to find it – it’s hidden in his words. In two short sentences he sums up the whole glory of Lent, the whole glory of Easter, the whole glory of the Gospel. He tells the women: Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.

Don’t be afraid! That’s the profound message the holy God sent to the sinful world on Easter Sunday. Without that message, we would have nothing in this life but fear and dread. For, along with Adam and Eve, we fell in the garden, we too were separated from God by our sin. Death was our destiny in this life and hell our destination in the next. But Jesus died and Jesus rose. He did exactly what he said he would do. He went into battle for us on the cross – and he won. He paid for our sins with his blood. He conquered hell. He has triumphed over the grave. Nothing can separate you from his love. Easter is proof.

But there are always doubts, aren’t there? Even today, our consciences still condemn us, and the devil still tempts us. Maybe some sin from the past will mean that this Easter Sunday isn’t as peaceful as it might have been. How can we be sure that Jesus did all of this for us? You can be sure that this is for you because Jesus said so. Listen again: Go and tell my brothers. Jesus calls the disciples his brothers. Those men who slept in the Garden of Gethsemane when he told them to watch and pray. Those men who ran away at the first sight of danger. Those men who were no better than Peter, who denied him with oaths and curses. Friends like that certainly didn’t deserve to be called brothers, did they?

That’s exactly the point. That’s the whole point of Lent and Easter. The disciples didn’t deserve any of it, and neither do we. For we are no better than they were. But we are no worse either. Their sins are gone, and so are ours. They are buried in Jesus’ grave – never to haunt us again. And that’s why Jesus could call the men who abandoned him brothers – because He had washed their sins away. And that’s why Jesus can call you and I, people who have disobeyed him and rebelled against him – his brothers and sisters – because he has washed our sins away, too. There’s no reason for us to be afraid either. For through faith that was delivered and sealed in baptism – you are now precious children of God. This is the great, hidden glory of Easter: Jesus died. Jesus rose. We are forgiven, redeemed, and reconciled to God. Hell is conquered and death is defeated.

That is the glorious truth of Easter, but if Jesus were to reveal it to us personally in all of his glory, we would still be stunned and afraid. So still today, he hides that glorious truth, not in his physical form, but in his Word. That’s where we find him in all of his glory. Did you notice how that point was emphasized in the Easter story? What did the angel say? He has risen; just as he said. Jesus tells the women to report this news to the disciples. But he doesn’t appear to them right away because he wants them to learn to trust and depend on his Word alone. Why? Because in 40 days he would ascend into heaven, not to be seen on earth again until the Last Day. But his presence would always be with them, until the end of time – in his Word and sacraments.

So where should we go if we want to find the real glory of Easter? You’re in the right place. For here is where Jesus’ Word is proclaimed and his sacraments are administered. Here is where his Word drives away our fears and washes away our sins. Today and every time we gather for worship he still says to you and me and every sinner: “Don’t be afraid. I am not coming to you in glory that terrifies and kills. I am coming to you in the glory hidden in my Word. That Word still declares that your sin is forgiven and you are a beloved child of God. Don’t be afraid. Tomorrow you will still have problems and temptations. But though I died, I am alive and I will never leave you or forsake you. Don’t be afraid. Yes, the grave still lies in your future and your body will return to the dust. But I have conquered death and the grave by my resurrection. Don’t be afraid of anything – not even death.”

Go from here in peace then. For you know that no matter where this life leads, it will end in the arms of your Savior in heaven. Everything he has won he will give to you. And every step of the way, no matter the problem, no matter the sin – you can come right back here, back to his Word and Sacraments – for in these means you will taste and see the glory of the cross – the glory of sins forgiven, of peace with God, of His resurrection and yours. Yes, today is the most glorious of all days. For today Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Amen. 

Isaiah 45:22-25 - There Can Only Be One - March 20, 2016

There can only be one. Even as Americans who pride ourselves on having the freedom and right to disagree with one another, quite often we don’t bat an eye at the assertion that there can only be one. A couple of examples will suffice. On Thursday 64 Division I college basketball teams started the NCAA tournament with dreams of winning it all; but everyone – fans, coaches, and players – understand that there can only be one champion. Over the past year or so, nearly 2 dozen men and women declared their desire to be the next President. Many of them have already dropped out and on November 8th, both candidates and voters know that there can only be one President. There are countless other situations where everyone understands there can only be one.

That’s why it’s so sad that many in our world are determined to deny another far more important truth: there is only one God. You hear it and see it all over. “All religions are basically the same. They all give us ideas on how to live a good life.” Now, in a sense, that’s true. All religions are similar in that they have a god or gods – and they have a way to become right with that god. In Isaiah’s day, heathen nations worshiped a god named Chemosh. They offered human (often times infant) sacrifices to satisfy his anger and earn his blessing. Others worshiped gods like Baal and Asherah. They worshipped by having sex with temple prostitutes to earn the blessing of fertility for their bodies and their fields. Even the Israelites eventually began to see their religion in terms of obedience and reward: wear the right clothes, eat the right foods, rest on the right days – and God will reward you with prosperity. Today, over a billion people worship a god named Allah who demands his worshippers to obey his five pillars to be welcomed into paradise. And so Satan works overtime to get people to believe that Christianity really isn’t any different. We don’t call him Chemosh, Baal or Allah, but Jesus – and what does he expect and demand? Obedience, praise, allegiance. What makes our God any different than the rest? What gives Christians the right to claim that theirs is the only true God?

700 years before Palm Sunday, Isaiah revealed the reason – and the truth hidden behind the palms and praise: turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear. One of many? No. Isaiah makes an exclusive claim: this God, the God of Israel – he is the only God, the only King. That’s not exactly the politically correct, tolerant way to talk about one’s religion, is it? Isaiah says that every knee will bow and every tongue will swear allegiance to this king. But that’s not what we see in Jerusalem or our world, is it? In Jerusalem, the Pharisees called on Jesus to keep the people quiet with these exclusive claims. Today, we’re told that we better tolerate and respect both false religions and man-made philosophies as equally valid and true or run the risk of being labeled narrow-minded bigots. Here’s the thing, we aren’t the ones making this claim – God is. God, who created the universe, destroyed the world in a flood, who regularly demonstrated throughout the Bible his authority not just over idols but over nations and history, and promised and kept his promise to send a Savior born of a virgin – He claims to be the King of the universe and the only true God.

And while we see a partial fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy on Palm Sunday, on Judgment Day all will see it. In Revelation 19 we are given a glimpse of it: I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse whose rider is called Faithful and True…his eyes are like blazing fire and on his head are many crowns…he is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God…out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. (Revelation 19:11-15) On Palm Sunday, Jesus rides in humility on a borrowed donkey. On Judgment Day, he will return with power and glory and an army of angels. On that Day, every knee will bow, and all who have raged against him will come to him and be put to shame. All those who worshipped Chemosh, Baal, Allah, or a god of their own creation will be put to shame when they realize their eternal mistake. But by then, it will be too late. They will bow, not in allegiance, but in terror. For on that Day, they will know the truth: there is only one King who rules the heavens and the earth – he is Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. Many people don’t want to hear it or believe it. Even many Christians seem ashamed to declare and defend this truth. One day, no one will be able to deny it.

That’s why Jesus didn’t quiet the crowds – because they were right. Jesus’ claim is exclusive – he is the only God, he is the only King, every other religion, every other god is an empty lie. But that’s not all. The truly remarkable part about Palm Sunday is that God’s Son, the real King of the universe, comes into Jerusalem not to rule or rampage or to force us to obey him – but to die. Every other god says: “do this, don’t do that and you will earn my favor.” What does Jesus say? Turn to me and be saved. This is what makes the true God utterly unique. The true God knows that we can’t climb to him, so he came down to us. The true God knows that we can’t live the perfect life his righteousness demands – so he sent his Son to live it in our place. The true God knows that there’s nothing we can do to wipe the sin from our records – so he climbed up onto a cross to pay our debt himself. Instead of demanding that we do something to find favor with him, He tells us to look to Calvary where Jesus reconciled us with God by paying for our sins. Isaiah sums up Jesus’ most exclusive claim this way: In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.

Ah, but the world is not satisfied with grace, they can even find something wrong with salvation as a free gift. “Sure,” they say, “that’s fine for you middle class Americans. But you’re excluding the poor, the starving, the black and red and yellow people of the world with their cultures and their gods. You’re condemning them to hell without considering their history and heritage.” Are we? Did Isaiah? Does God? Who did his invitation, to turn and be saved, go out to? All the ends of the earth. Not a single person, no matter their nationality, language, skin-color or economic status is excluded from God’s love and the Savior’s redeeming work. Jesus himself said in Matthew 8: I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 8:11) This Savior is not the exclusive property of Midwestern, middle class Americans. He lived a perfect life for all. He shed his blood for all. He is the only Savior – the only Savior for all.

The most important question for us today is: is the only God your God? I suppose today we would say: “sure, we’re here giving our praises, laying our prayers and our palm branches before him.” But remember, the true God isn’t like all those other false gods. A relationship with him isn’t built on what we do for him or how genuine our praise is. It is good for us to worship him as he rides into Jerusalem. But never forget, he didn’t come to receive praise, he came for Good Friday. He didn’t come to show you how to live for him, he came to die for you.

On Palm Sunday, Jesus comes as our Savior, but just as importantly, he’s our Savior for the other 364 days of the year. The days when you totally screw up at work – Jesus is your Savior. When you make a mess of your marriage – Jesus is your Savior. When your kids and grandkids have you pulling out your hair and life seems to be blowing up in your face – Jesus is still your Savior. And especially on the days when you are ashamed and guilty, ashamed of who you are and guilty about what you’ve done remember Isaiah’s words: in the LORD all the descendants of Israel (that is, all believers) will be found righteous and will exult. To have Jesus as your God, your King, your Savior isn’t as much about praising him or living for him as it is standing at the foot of the cross and trusting: “he did this all…for me. He did all this to take away my sins and cover me with his righteousness so that I could stand before God without fear, and so that I can enter heaven without earning it.” Today of all days, we might expect that Jesus wants our praise, or maybe – looking ahead to Good Friday – our pity. But as the only Savior, do you know what he wants most of all? Your faith.

There can only be one national champion and one president. Everyone gets that (although its nearly impossible to find two people who can agree on who that should be). There is only one true God. Whether the world wants to acknowledge it or not, Jesus is the only King of the world and every knee will bow before him – if not today, then on the Last Day. More importantly, there is only one Savior. That’s what really sets the true God apart from the imitators. He’s not a distant being who only speaks when he’s telling us how to live. He became a man to ride into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey. This Palm Sunday, he comes not to rule us or judge us, but to die for us. Turn to [him] and be saved…for [he is] God, and there is no other. Amen. 

Luke 10:17-20 - Find Joy in the Right Place - March 13, 2016

It was a clear, cold day in January 1961. Washington D.C. was covered with the previous night’s snowfall. In front of the newly renovated United States Capitol building, the man who would serve as the 35th president of the United States was being inaugurated into office. He was assuming the office at a pivotal point in world history: the arms race had begun between the two most powerful nations and political ideologies in history: America vs. the Soviet Union; communism vs. capitalism. One front of this battle had been fought in Korea, a war that ended in 1953 not by victory or defeat, but by an armistice – a cease-fire – which exists to this day. The other long-lasting result of this arms race is still in the news these days – it’s that tiny island 90 miles off of Florida known as Cuba. It was at this time of global tensions that President John F. Kennedy addressed his fellows Americans and appealed to them to “ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”

When it comes to the civil realm, the realm of nation and government, that’s a fine principle. It’s good and it pleases God for citizens to take an active role in serving our nation; whether that be by enlisting in the military, running for political office, or simply casting a vote and being a good neighbor. But is that approach fitting when we are talking about the spiritual realm – the realm of God’s kingdom? When we’re talking about our relationship with God, which is most important – where should we find our joy and hope: in what we do for God or in what God does for us? That’s the question our Lord addresses in our text this morning as he gives his own encouragement to his disciples to Find Your Joy in the Right Place.

Luke chapter 10 takes place near the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry. He has time for one last preaching tour before he makes his final journey to Jerusalem and the cross. And to get the cities and villages ready for his arrival, he sends out 72 of his disciples in pairs to prepare the way. He sent them out with his blessing and with some simple instructions: Heal the sick [in the towns you enter] and tell them, “the kingdom of God is near you.” (Luke 10:9) And he gave them this assurance: he who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me. (Luke 10:16) We don’t hear anything more about the adventures of the 72, we don’t know if they were welcomed or dismissed, if people rejoiced or rejected the gospel message they proclaimed.

But one thing we do know, the consensus as the pairs returned was overwhelmingly positive, they returned with joy, and they stated the reason for their joy: “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” Jesus rejoiced with his faithful disciples, saying: I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.

There are an awful lot of interesting details in those two verses, aren’t there? First, Jesus testifies to a truth that fewer and fewer people acknowledge: Satan is real, and really dangerous. He is an angel who fell from heaven when he rebelled against God. He continues that rebellion as he tries to ruin as many people as possible by leading them away from Jesus. There’s a reminder for us here. While our country is consumed with a presidential race, fears over terror attacks and the Zika virus, and countless other problems – let us never forget that there is something, or rather someone we should be more concerned about: Satan. There is no military or medication that can protect us from his attacks – and he will continue tempt us and try to mislead us no matter who the next president is, whether the Zika virus comes to Wisconsin or not, whether any of the other problems we worry about grow or go away.

But didn’t Jesus say that he saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven? Yes! When did this happen? Interpreters are divided. Was it the moment Satan rebelled and God cast him out of heaven? Was it the moment Jesus was conceived with the express purpose of conquering Satan? Was it when Jesus defeated Satan in the wilderness? Or maybe Jesus was looking to the future, to the cross where he would crush Satan once and for all. Any and all of those may be true. But the point is not when it happened, but how. The disciples were overjoyed that they were able to drive out demons in Jesus’ name. That’s the key in this context. Jesus is telling disciples of all times that wherever and whenever His name (really the Gospel) is proclaimed, Satan falls from power, he loses his control, he is defeated. (And no, we shouldn’t go looking for snakes and scorpions to step on. Those are simply metaphors for the delusions and deceptions of the devil – those cannot overcome believers.)

So Jesus rejoices with his disciples and the wonderful results of their work in his name. If you read between the lines a bit, you can even see a smile on Jesus’ face – “what did you think would happen when I sent you out with my word and my power?” But in the same breath, Jesus wants them to step back and think about the real source of their joy – is it because of what they have done, the work they accomplished in God’s kingdom, or is there something more, something greater? Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. In other words, Jesus reminds them that the work he has given them to do – including the authority to defeat Satan and his demons by the proclamation of the gospel – that’s all well and good; but they can’t lose sight of the bigger picture. There was a better place for them to find their joy.

Why? Why would Jesus pour cold water on their faithful work and their resulting joy? Because outward activity and success don’t guarantee salvation. In fact, in Matthew 7, Jesus reveals that on the Last Day many of those who seemed to being doing God’s work, who seemed successful, even those who drove out demons will not find a place in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:22-23)

This ought to be a wakeup call for us as well. Where do you find your joy? What is it that gives you comfort and confidence to stand before God both today and on Judgment Day? Will we tell God about all of our dedicated service in his name and for his church? Will we present a receipt of our offerings to gain access? Since Jesus is addressing called workers here, can pastors present their sermons, bible studies, baptisms and marriages as an atoning sacrifice for their sins? Will God welcome us into his heavenly home if we show him how kind, patient, and faithful we have been as children, students, parents, brothers and sisters, employers and employees? If that’s where we are finding our joy, if that’s what we are trusting to gain our entrance into God’s kingdom – Jesus warns that we will be in for a shock: ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Why? Why does Jesus warn that many who worked and preached in his name will go to hell? Because, apart from Christ’s justifying and sanctifying work all our righteous acts are like filthy rags. (Isaiah 64:6) Everything we do, even the good things, are tainted by sin. If we’re honest with ourselves, we know it, don’t we? How much of what we do is driven by a desire to be noticed, to be praised, or to feed our sinful pride? How much of our service to others isn’t motivated by self-less love but by the expectation that our kindness will be reciprocated? Too often, even the good things we do are done grudgingly and joylessly. In the end, the real question is: how many of our good works meet God’s standard of perfection? None of them. If you’re finding your joy and confidence in the things you do, you’re looking in the wrong place, because nothing we do can accomplish the one thing we need above all – getting our names written in the book of life in heaven.

So Jesus redirects our focus, away from our work to his. He says: rejoice that your names are written in heaven. This is where we are to find our true joy and confidence – that Jesus’ life mission was our salvation. This is not something you do. (Note: this is a passive verb, literally: have been written.) This is not something you look for or decide on. This is something God does for you. Purely out of undeserved love, in spite of our far from perfect service in his kingdom, God has written our names in heaven using the cross as his pen and the blood of his Son as the ink. This is what Jesus is on his way to accomplish, as his earthly ministry draws to a close. He will allow his name to be written where ours belonged: on a plaque nailed to a cross. Hanging under that plaque he will accept the guilty verdict and the punishment that should have been ours. On that lonely hill outside Jerusalem God will slam down his gavel and pronounce our sentence on his Son: cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the book of the Law. (Galatians 3:10) The name of Jesus Christ, the perfect, sinless Son of God, is cursed to the depths of hell so that ours might be written in heaven.

How can we be sure that God knows our names? You can be sure because God himself called you by name when you were baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Through his called servant the triune God called you by name and put his own name on you. You may not remember it – but God will never forget it. He’s written your name in his book and when Christ returns he will use your name to raise you from the dead – and Satan can’t do a thing about it. This is the right place to find your true joy and confidence.

Does that mean that we shouldn’t want to serve God and work in his kingdom? No. God does want his children to serve as his witnesses in the world. Jesus does want the people he purchased with his blood to support his church with their time, talents, and treasures. And above all, God is pleased when his children faithfully carry out their individual callings – whatever that might be. As you leave here today to go back to work in your own little corner of Christ’s kingdom, praise God that he has given you the ability and opportunities to serve. Do find joy in working in God’s kingdom – and know that Jesus rejoices with you.

But don’t lose sight of the main thing. Remember that your membership in Christ’s church is not based on what you do for him. If you can do a lot, don’t let it go to your head. If you can’t do much, don’t feel like you are unloved or worthless in God’s sight. Because the main thing is not about how much we do for God. The main thing is always what God has done for us in Christ – and every time you remember your baptism, every time you hear and read the Gospel, every time you receive your Savior’s body and blood – you are reminded how priceless and undeserved that gift really is.

With all due respect to President Kennedy, Jesus has a different appeal for us today: “Ask not what you can do for God. Ask what God has done for you.” That’s faith, not works. That’s rejoicing in the main thing. Jesus didn’t want 72 of his disciples to get mixed up on this and he doesn’t want us to, either. Yes, we do rejoice that God blesses the work that he has given us to do in his kingdom. But our real joy – the one, indispensable, unchangeable, eternal joy we have is this: Rejoice that your names are written in heaven. Amen.