Luke 16:1-15 - The Bottom Line - September 18, 2022

Today we’re going to talk about Money. I know…nobody wants to talk about money – especially at church. Church is supposed to be for “spiritual stuff.” But today Jesus doesn’t give us a choice. Plus, the reality is that Money is spiritual. Why? First and foremost because all Money belongs to God. But that’s not the only reason. It’s no secret that Money is one of the most important things in our lives. It keeps us busy during the day and awake at night. It guides many of our life choices. As Paul made clear, the love of Money lies at the root of all sorts of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). The love of Money has destroyed marriages and families and churches and led people to wander from the faith. Today we’re going to talk about Money, and the bottom line is this: You cannot serve both God and [money].

First, I want to make sure that you heard that right. Jesus isn’t making up an 11th commandment. He didn’t say “do not serve both God and money.” He said: “You cannot serve both God and money.” It’s not a choice but a fact. The question is: which do you serve? Here’s the lesson we all must learn – sooner than later – about money. It’s a merciless master. I know, it doesn’t appear that way, at least not at first. Money looks like those glamorous celebrities promoting the newest credit card that promises you all kinds of free miles and cash back; like the well-dressed investment advisor who guarantees to make your money work for you; like the dream education that leads to the dream job with the dream salary that promises to make all your material dreams come true. But that’s only half the story. The dark side is that when you don’t make your credit card payments on time, you don’t get any miles but you do get an astronomical interest rate. The investment advisor can’t do much for you unless you keep handing him your money. The dream education may result in debt that you will be paying for decades (or that others will be forced to pay for you) and the dream job with the dream salary may end up costing you your mind, body, soul, marriage or family. Even in the church, the laws of money can’t be broken. We confess that faith alone saves, but budgets can’t be balanced by faith alone. Money is merciless.

Why? Because no matter how you talk about it, Money management is always a matter of the Law. And, as a result, we can always be accused of mismanaging our money. We see this in our parable. The manager was only accused of wasting his [master’s] possessions. Jesus doesn’t provide any evidence and he doesn’t state whether the manager was actually guilty or not. The point is that no matter how careful, how diligent, how generous you are with your money, you can always be accused of sinning in your use of it.

And I can prove it. I think that I can make you feel guilty about your money management – without a shred of evidence. The average American spends almost 5% of their income on various forms of entertainment [1] and, in comparison, the average WELS member gives only about 2.5% of their income in offerings. [2] That’s the average – where do you stand? What does your budget reveal about who or what has first place in your heart? We live in relatively nice homes, drive nice cars and take nice vacations. Just imagine if, instead of spending those thousands of dollars on ourselves, how many missionaries could be sent to foreign lands, how many churches could be built here in America, how many more pastors could be trained. See! I have no proof that you’ve mismanaged your money, yet you’re squirming anyway. But that’s not the point. The point is that no matter how you spend your money, no matter how frugal you are, no matter how much you give, you could still be accused of fiscal mismanagement. Money is a merciless master because serving Money is slavery to the Law.

Sadly, if we’ve never thought of Money that way, as a merciless idol, it might be because of the church. At some point the church decided that it could help people navigate the impossibly narrow road between serving God and Money; teaching that there is a way to find peace in money management, that you can serve both at the same time. You’ve heard the sermons, right? “God commanded his OT people to give 10% of their income and if you do too, then you’re off the hook.” “If you just prioritize your spending in this order: 1) Church; 2) Family; 3) Taxes; 4) Charity – then you can relax, you’re good.” In general, the impression is given that as long as you give God his cut, as long as you serve Money under God’s rules, then you don’t have to feel guilty.

But it’s a lie. You can’t stand before God’s omniscient audit and be found innocent based on your money management no matter how you’ve spent your money. Why not? Because the moment you begin to believe that you have satisfied God with your money management, then you’ve fallen into an even worse sin: the sin of self-righteousness. If you hope to stand before God and say “I’ve given enough, spent my money wisely, never wasted it, spent every penny perfectly,” then you’ve placed your hope for salvation in yourself. You are lost now and will be damned on the Last Day. But what’s the alternative? And that’s the problem with serving money, isn’t it? There is no alternative. Do whatever you want with it: keep it, save it, invest it, spend it, give it away, burn it up – it will never justify you before God. See what I mean about Money being merciless?

So what’s the answer? How do you escape Money’s tyrannical grip on your heart and life? Through repentance. By repenting of ever giving Money the place in your heart and life that belongs to God alone. Money is an inanimate object; it is not God; it did not create you; it does not preserve you or provide for you; it cannot accuse you; it cannot damn you; it cannot forgive you; it cannot save you. Recognize that Money is merciless and in the end, powerless, because it is an idol.

So what’s the good news? Here’s where some might say that the good news is that Jesus died to free us from our slavery to Money so that we can now serve the Lord with our Money – and then send the offering plates shooting down the rows. After all, that’s what most people think the Church is after, right? God needs us to come here so that he can get our money and our time and our energy in order to make his Kingdom come. Is that true? Does God need anything from us in order to do what he wants? Is God angry with us unless we give him a few bucks to get him off our backs? It’s sheer blasphemy to suggest that God’s grace depends on something we do, or that God can’t possibly sustain the church without our help. God didn’t have much patience for that kind of attitude in either the Old or New Testaments. In Malachi God begged someone to close the doors of the Temple so that the priests would stop offering their sacrifices – because they thought that by merely going through the motions they were going to win God’s favor (Malachi 1:10). Paul told the idolaters in Athens point blank that God [is not] served by human hands, as if he needed anything (Acts 17:25).

So what’s the real bottom line, then? Remember that Jesus told parables to teach spiritual truths, not moral behavior – or here, proper money management. In parables, earthly things stand for heavenly things. So the point of comparison is not between the right and the wrong way to spend Money, but between the shrewdness with which unbelievers use the means at their disposal (their money) to give themselves comfortable lives in this world and how believers, the children of the light, use what is really valuable to ensure their eternity. Jesus himself gives this interpretation: the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the children of light are. I tell you, make friends for yourselves with unrighteous mammon, so that when it runs out, they will welcome you into eternal dwellings.

So where’s the real good news? The good news in Jesus’ parables is often found in the detail that doesn’t make sense – that isn’t true to life. Is there anything like that in this parable? For a rich guy, this master was pretty stupid, wasn’t he? He heard that his manager was wasting his possessions, but he didn’t immediately have him thrown in jail. He allowed him to go free to settle his outstanding accounts. It doesn’t work that way today. If you get caught stealing from your boss, security tosses your stuff into a box, walks you to your car and your access to anything financial is immediately cut off. That’s how things normally go. In fact, spiritually speaking, that’s how it should go for us. When we leave here with the true riches of God’s forgiveness and continue to feel guilt and shame over past sins, when we fail to find comfort and peace in the Sacrament, when we hear God’s promise to provide our daily bread but continue to lay awake at night worrying about money – we are wasting what is really valuable. We deserve to have them taken away. But God doesn’t do that. Like the master in the parable, our Lord lets us use and receive and give away his most precious possessions for free, demonstrating an almost foolish level of mercy to us.

And our only hope for passing God’s final audit is that he will remain merciful. That was the only hope of the shrewd servant, too. And so, far from suddenly toeing the line, he doubled down on spending his master’s money to secure his own future. And how does the master respond? [He] commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. This manager had forced his master into a corner: either drag his former manager in for punishment and then demand the full amount from his debtors – and be known as an unforgiving tyrant – or allow his manager’s actions to stand and be known throughout the community as a merciful and gracious lord. Of course, the punchline is that it will cost him significant revenue to be seen as merciful. But apparently, he figured that this loss to his bottom line was worth it to maintain his reputation.

That’s the thing about mercy: it doesn’t cost the recipient anything, but it costs the giver dearly. The master in the parable had to suffer a significant financial loss to be merciful. God is merciful to us, but it came at a steep price. It didn’t cost him 20% or 50% but 100% of his only beloved Son. Rather than send us to destruction, he sent his Son to earth. Rather than demand a perfect, flawless life from us, he demanded a perfect life from his Son. Rather than demand that we maintain hearts free from greed and covetousness – which we could never do – to earn heaven, the LORD demanded that his Son be content to live in poverty for 33 years on this earth. Rather than send us to hell to pay off our debts, the LORD sent his Son to hell on a cross to pay our debts in our place. The LORD, your real master, preferred to suffer the loss of his one and only Son and be merciful than be just and lose you forever in hell. So be shrewd – serve him by relying on his mercy – trust his Word with all your heart, live in his forgiveness and let your heart rest in his peace.

This parable isn’t really about how to spend your Money but about who your Master is. The manager was commended because he knew his master’s mercy and shrewdly used what belonged to his master to ensure his future. How much more should we freely use and spend the true riches God has given us – the Gospel in Word and Sacrament – the only wealth which can secure us a place in eternal dwellings. Here’s the bottom line: You cannot serve both God and [Money]. Money is merciless – in the end, the most it can do is purchase a nice plot of dirt to put your corpse in; but God, God in his mercy gave up his only Son to save you. That’s a merciful Master, that’s the only Master worth serving. Amen. 

[1] https://www.fool.com/the-ascent/personal-finance/articles/american-households-spend-2900-per-year-on-entertainment-5-ways-to-have-fun-without-breaking-the-bank/#:~:text=It%20turns%20out%20that%20entertainment,average%20household%20spends%20on%20groceries.

[2] https://wels.net/faq/church-and-expenses/

Luke 15:1-10 - This Man Welcomes Sinners - September 11, 2022

You may have noticed a trend over the past several weeks – that our sermons have been focusing on Jesus’ parables. Parables aren’t what they seem to be. Just as the parable two weeks ago wasn’t really about wedding banquets and last week’s wasn’t about how to build a tower or go to war – so the parable this morning isn’t really about how to find lost sheep and coins. Then what is this parable about? What spiritual truth is Jesus teaching us? Sadly, many see parables as an opportunity to serve their own agendas. For example, if you’re trying to raise money, you could talk about how precious even one coin is to God. Or, even more common, is the idea that these parables are outreach oriented: we are the shepherd and the woman and that it is our responsibility to get out there and beat the bushes of this world and find the lost and save them. Now, I’m not saying that the Bible doesn’t say anything about stewardship or outreach; but the context makes it crystal clear that Jesus is not talking about those things here. These parables are Jesus’ response to the Pharisees’ complaint: this man welcomes sinners. These parables about primarily about Jesus. He is the main character.

But how did we get here? Well, in context of Luke 15, the “lost” are the tax collectors and sinners who were flocking to Jesus. Throughout his ministry Jesus had a regular policy of welcoming and associating with these societal outcasts. He even called one of those hated tax collectors – Matthew – to be his apostle (Matthew 9:9-13). And later, he invited himself to the home of another tax collector named Zacchaeus where he declared that the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost (Luke 19:10). As the Good Shepherd, it was only natural for Jesus to go out of his way to seek and save these poor, lost souls.  

The problem was that Jesus’ natural love for the lost filled the religious elite with disgust. The Pharisees and teachers of the law – who were supposed to be the spiritual shepherds of God’s flock on earth – didn’t care about the lost. They didn’t preach about God’s grace but his wrath; they emphasized Law not Gospel. In other words, they taught the people that you needed to clean yourself up, stop sinning and reform your life before God will accept you. They despised and ignored these poor, lost sinners; figuring that they were simply getting what they deserved. In fact, the Jewish historian Alfred Edersheim preserved an especially appalling saying of the Pharisees: “There is joy before God when those who provoke him perish from the world.” [1] It’s hard to imagine anything more blasphemous than alleging that God rejoices when someone perishes in hell (Ezekiel 33:11).

In this parable, then, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law are the ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent. It’s not that they didn’t need to repent, they – like everyone else – had fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:22-23) – it’s that they imagined they didn’t need to. They thought they were right with God because outwardly they were better and holier than these open and obvious sinners. The real tragedy in this text is not that Jesus was associating with known sinners but that these self-righteous Pharisees didn’t see their need to join them!

Jesus drives this point home by telling two parables: Which one of you, if you had one hundred sheep and lost one of them, would not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that was lost until he finds it? Sounds like common sense, right? You lose a sheep – you go and look for it. Here’s the twist: no good shepherd would do that! You can almost picture the shepherds in the crowd whispering to each other, “This guy better stick to carpentry – because he doesn’t know a thing about shepherding! You don’t risk your entire flock to save one. You write that sheep off as dead and cut your losses.” Or what woman who has ten silver coins, if she loses one coin would not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? Do you put your life on hold and turn the house upside down if you lose, say, a ten-dollar bill, even though you still have nine in your wallet or purse? Well, maybe for few minutes, but there comes a time when you forget about it and get on with your day.

So what’s the point? The point is that Jesus doesn’t see things the way the religious elite did. Jesus didn’t come to earth to seek out the good, the righteous, the powerful – those who appear to have their lives together, the good who are getting better; he came to seek out the weak, the sick, the lost. He doesn’t consider the cost vs. benefit analysis of abandoning the flock to seek out just one lost sheep. Again, this parable is not really about shepherding, finding lost coins, financial stewardship, or even outreach. It’s about Jesus’ irrational, outrageous grace that seeks and saves the lost without regard to the cost or the logic. He seeks those who don’t want to be found. He loves the ungodly, the unrighteous, those who are lost in sin and can’t find any way out. He dies for sinners, not saints; for his enemies, not his friends (Romans 5:10). Jesus is the Good Shepherd who doesn’t stop searching; he’s the one who turns the whole house upside down, moves the furniture and tears up the carpets until he finds that lost coin. The lost are the sole object of his attention. Nothing else matters to him.

While these parables applied most directly to Jesus’ ministry to the tax collectors and sinners of his day, the underlying truth of these parables transcends time and space. In a way, it takes us all the way back to Eden. The lost sheep is Adam, the first representative of mankind, who brought sin and death into the world (Romans 5:12). He was the lost sheep and coin, the one who wasted the perfect life God had given him, who was so lost in shame and guilt that he tried to hide in the bushes and cover his guilt with fig leaves. And yet, God searched for his wayward child and didn’t give up until he found him and brought him to repentance (Genesis 3). And, like it or not, we are all like Adam. We all have gone astray like sheep. Each of us has turned to his own way (Isaiah 53:6). We are all the lost children of God. We fall for Satan’s deceptions daily. We think and do and say things that violate God’s Law. We have strayed from the path of life and stumbled onto the wide road that leads to destruction. Left to our own devices we are and would remain lost.

You can sense this lostness in the world around you, can’t you? You see people desperately trying to “find” themselves, to find life’s meaning in their careers, their treasures, their accomplishments, their fame and popularity and good works. You can see it in the distractions and medications mankind has invented for itself – all designed to silence the voice of conscience, to dull the persistent drumbeat of guilt and shame and fear of future judgment. And yet, after it all, they’re still lost – because they’re still not right with God. But it’s not just out there in the world, either, is it? We feel that lostness too, don’t we? Yes, even believers feel it, perhaps more acutely because we know better: we know we should be perfect – and we’re not; our consciences agree with the Law’s verdict that we deserve nothing but pain and punishment (Romans 2:15); we know that there is nothing we can do to take our guilt away. Most of all, we long for the peace and safety our Father’s home but we can’t get there. And some days, we just want to sit on the ground and cry like a lost child, our lost condition leaves us depressed, despairing, weak and helpless.

And that’s what makes this chapter – which some have called the heart of Luke’s Gospel – so beautiful! We got ourselves lost. We have no one else to blame. Jesus would have been perfectly justified in writing us off as a lost cause, as not worth his time or effort. But he didn’t! Jesus came to our wilderness, leaving behind the glory of heaven to seek and save our lost race from sin and death. He came as the second Adam (Romans 5:19), taking on our flesh, wandering in our wilderness, suffering our temptation, dying our death. He lost himself, his blood, his life to find us. To be clear: Jesus found us, not the other way around. He wasn’t lost, we were. Jesus didn’t come to earth to be welcomed by righteous and powerful leaders, he came to dig through the gutters and search through the trash to find his sheep who didn’t even know they were lost. So great was his love for us that he didn’t care what condition we were in when he found us. He wasn’t worried about what he could gain or benefit from us. He didn’t wait for us to meet him halfway, to make a decision for him, to shape up and straighten up our lives before he would welcome us. He found us like Hosea’s unfaithful wife and loved us anyway (Hosea 3:1). He found us in the filth of our sin and brought us to his house to clean us up with his forgiveness. He searched for us with his Word and Sacrament before we even knew we were lost; often, when we didn’t want to be found. And every time Jesus finds another lost sinner all of heaven rejoices over the ridiculous, irrational, outrageous love of a Good Shepherd who loses himself to find the lost.   

Which leads to our final question: what does it mean to be “found”? What is it that causes heaven to rejoice? Is it your commitment to living for God? Is it when you bring him a generous offering? When you do more good than evil? That’s not what Jesus says. He says there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. We don’t see it in translation, but in the original Greek repents is a present participle – which means that heaven rejoices when sinners are continually repenting, repeatedly coming to Jesus for forgiveness and peace. Here, it’s not your good works that makes heaven rejoice but the confession of your sins. That sounds backwards, doesn’t it? Who is more pleased with their child when they confess that they broke the lamp than when they report that they’ve done their homework and cleaned their room? Again, Jesus doesn’t see things the way we do; he shows that in God’s kingdom everything is upside down. Heaven rejoices when we come regularly and repeatedly to lay our sins at Jesus’ feet because that’s why he came. As Paul says Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15) – NOT those who think they have done enough, served enough, given enough to please God on their own. There are no parties in heaven for the proud and self-righteous who don’t think they need Jesus’ forgiveness because they can please God on their own – but for sinners who know they can’t!

And so, if you heard this text and figured that these parables are about the people out there who don’t go to church, who lead openly wicked lives, or perhaps a member who hasn’t been here in some time, you still don’t understand. Jesus’ parables often invite us to find ourselves in them. Where do you and I fit? Are we the owners of the sheep and coins? No, Jesus claims that role for himself. This text is not about us seeking and finding the lost! Are you the lost sheep and the lost coin? You might not want to think of yourself as lost – but here’s the thing – if you don’t see yourself as the lost sheep and coin, there’s only one role left. Then you’re one of the ninety-nine righteous people who don’t think they need to repent. If that describes you, then I have only bad news: you’re the one who’s truly lost. If you’ve become so comfortable in yourself, your goodness, your lifestyle compared to others that you don’t think you need to repent, then you’re no different than those Pharisees who sneered at the tax collectors and sinners, because the hymn was right: Jesus receives sinners not the self-righteous (CW 304).

It’s become common in some circles to teach that Christians aren’t sinners anymore and that they shouldn’t call themselves sinners. Heretics like Joyce Meyer openly declare that they are no longer sinful and that to suggest otherwise is a lie from hell. [2] They would be horrified by our confession of sins, disgusted that only confessed sinners are welcome to receive the Lord’s Supper. She would say that we need to think like winners if we want to attract winners and if we keep talking about sin we will only succeed in drawing the world’s losers. The fact is that heaven doesn’t throw parties for winners, but losers; those who are eager to lose their sins in Jesus’ outrageous, irrational mercy and forgiveness. So if you identify as a lost, despised, wretched sinner – that is, if you are penitent – then I have good news: Jesus is here for you! Amen.  

[1] Edersheim, Alfred The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah (U.S.: Hendrickson Publishers) 652

[2] https://carm.org/joyce-meyer "I am not poor. I am not miserable and I am not a sinner. That is a lie from the pit of hell. That is what I were and if I still was then Jesus died in vain. I'm going to tell you something folks. I didn't stop sinning until I finally got it through my thick head I wasn't a sinner anymore. And the religious world thinks that's heresy and they want to hang you for it. But the Bible says that I am righteous and I can't be righteous and be a sinner at the same time." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dmHJdM63hk)

Luke 14:25-33 - But Who's Counting? - September 4, 2022

“But who’s counting?” is a phrase often employed in a sarcastic or passive aggressive manner. For example, your spouse might say, “I’ve washed the dishes five times this week to your zero…but, hey, who’s counting?” Your boss may say “that’s the 3rd day in a row you’ve been late…but who’s counting?” That’s the way this phrase is normally used: sarcastically, passive aggressively, to not-so-subtly expose someone’s failure. But today we’re going to steal that phrase and change it a bit. Instead of asking it passive aggressively, we’re going to ask sincerely: who’s counting? There’s no question that the cost of discipleship – that is, following Jesus – needs to be counted and paid for. The question is: who’s responsible for the counting and paying?

If you were simply reading this text at home, what would you understand Jesus to be saying in this lesson? What would your takeaway be? I am willing to bet that you would read this as the third use of the law. The third use of the law is as a guide – to show Christians how they ought to live out of gratitude for everything God has done for us in Christ. If you read this text through that lens, you end up hearing Jesus saying that if you don’t hate your family, carry your cross, calculate the full cost of a lifetime of following Jesus, fight and win every battle against spiritual enemies that have you vastly outnumbered, and give up everything you own – and do it perfectly, you can’t be his disciple. If that’s what Jesus is saying this morning, would you even waste your time trying? I’m not sure I would, because it sounds impossible.  

I’m not denying the legitimacy of the third use of the Law. The Bible itself establishes and validates this use. Psalm 119 says your words are a lamp for my feet and a light for my path (Psalm 119:105). Paul was applying the Law in its third use when he appealed to Philemon to take Onesimus back as a brother in faith (Philemon 8-10). The third use of the Law is like a set of “how to” instructions. It’s like when you open a box from IKEA and, seeing the instructions, think, “Instructions, who needs instructions?” And after six frustrating hours you finally and shamefully pick up the instructions in order to figure out which pieces go where. C. S. Lewis compared the third use of the Law to stepping onto a firm road surface after being bogged down in a muddy field. [1]

And in that sense, like a clear set of instructions or a firm place to walk, the third use of the Law does provide necessary guidance to Christians as they navigate life in this world. It lights a path through the darkness of this world. It teaches us how to live and think and act. It clearly defines right and wrong, good and evil in a world which is lost in a fog of demonic gray. But because there’s a little part of us that imagines that the entire Bible is a ‘how-to’ guide, we are tempted to read these words that way. Here’s Jesus’ guide for discipleship: first, hate your family and your life; then, pick up your cross and follow me. And if that’s the way you understand these words then you would rightly expect worship to be a spiritual pep rally where we chant “Onward Christian Soldiers” and the role of the sermon is to verbally smack you on the butt and tell you to get out there and win one for Jesus. For those who would have that interpretation of this text, the main objective of the Church is to tell people how to build a Christian life and how to win on the spiritual battlefield. But is that what Jesus is really saying here? No.

The first tip-off is in the very first verse: large crowds were traveling with Jesus. In other words, Jesus isn’t only or directly addressing his disciples, believers; but potential disciples, including unbelievers. As we learned in confirmation class, the third use of the Law is only for believers, not unbelievers (2 Corinthians 5:15). The second tip-off comes in the two parables. He’s telling potential disciples to sit down and consider whether they have what it takes before they make the commitment to the building or battlefield, not after. Jesus is not using the law in its third use but its first use. Not as a guide but as a mirror. If paying the cost of discipleship and salvation is up to you and me – then Jesus is telling us what it will cost and demanding that we examine ourselves to see if we have what it takes to pay the price.  

So let’s be very clear: if you intend to follow Jesus under your own power to heaven, this is what you must do, without fail, for your entire lifetime: If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. You must not allow anyone in your family, at any time or for any reason come before Jesus in your life. Neither their words nor their lifestyles can ever lead you to doubt or question God’s Word, falter in your faith or fall into sin. You must fear God’s wrath more than your spouse’s rage or your child’s temper tantrum. You must love your relationship with God more than your relationship with your siblings. You must trust God’s Word more than your own wisdom, experience, and emotions – when it doesn’t make sense, when it’s hard, when it’s unpopular, and especially when it doesn’t feel right. But that’s not even the hardest part. You must hate your own life. You must be ready and willing to sacrifice anything: your job, reputation, health, wealth – yes, even your life if faithfulness to Jesus demands it. Sound daunting? It is. Which is why Jesus continues: whoever does not carry his own cross and follow me cannot be my disciples. Today we fashion bright and shiny crosses to decorate our homes and hang around our necks. But in the Roman Empire, the cross had only one purpose: to kill. That’s Jesus’ point here. If you want to follow him you must put to death everything that belongs to your sinful flesh: your thoughts and feelings and desires and pleasures – yes, even your natural affection for your family and your close attachment to your life. All of it must die. The particulars will be different for each of us, but one thing remains the same: Jesus expects you to carry this cross – without question and without complaining. So the question is: having counted that cost, are you even going to start building the tower? Are you going to run onto the battlefield or surrender before the battle has even begun? Do you have what it takes to be Jesus’ disciple?

If the third use of the Law is like stepping onto solid ground, then the first use of the Law is like a knife through the heart. It kills everyone it touches. It exposes the sins in my heart and life that I would rather not see. We could recite these words every day of our lives and we still wouldn’t be able to carry out these demands, would we? How many times have we determined to build a magnificent tower of a Christian life – only to realize that we don’t have the resources to complete it? How many times have we committed to keeping our words and thoughts pure only to have that commitment go out the window the moment we get on the Beltline or step into the office or start swiping on our smartphones? How many times have we resolved to be different, promised to never do that again, sworn to try harder, be better, make the right decisions? How many unfinished towers are lying in ruins in our past? And what does our record on the spiritual battlefield look like? How many times have we said that we’re not going to let the devil, the world, or the flesh trick us this time – only to surrender by giving in to temptation? How many times have we let our natural affection for our families and friends lead us to break our commitment to our Savior? (Let’s get specific here: if you are tolerant or accepting of a loved one leading an immoral lifestyle or willfully and persistently neglecting the means of grace – you’re not only not doing them a favor, you are disobeying your Savior’s command (Luke 17:3); you are loving your family more than him!) If I read these words as a guide, then there’s always hope for me, I can always do better tomorrow (which is why we’re drawn to that interpretation). But if I read them the way my Lord intended me to – as a mirror – all hope is dashed. Jesus can tell me “how to” be his disciple until his kingdom comes and I still wouldn’t be able to do it.

So what should we do? Just give up? Well, yes. Seriously. Isn’t that what Jesus said in the last verse: any one of you who does not say farewell (or give up) to all his own possessions cannot be my disciple? (He’s not really referring to your stuff, but your everything, including your determination to follow Jesus and all the blood, sweat and tears you’re willing to put into discipleship – because everything you have will never be enough!) I believe the main reason so many people misread these words is that there is an altogether false definition of what it means to be a “disciple” in the church today. The tendency is to think that a “disciple” is someone who does what Jesus commands. Is that true? If it is, who here qualifies? Who does everything that Jesus commands? No, as the account of Mary and Martha makes clear, a disciple is not someone who does everything Jesus commands but rather someone who believes that Jesus has done it all (cf. Luke 10:38-42)!

Give up trying to follow Jesus under your own power and listen to the good news of what he has done for you. Sometime in the hidden depths of eternity Jesus sat down and counted the cost of saving humanity (Ephesians 1:4). Jesus calculated what it would take to save the unsavable, to redeem the unredeemable, to take people who were fit only for hell and make them suitable for heaven. What was that cost? I think Jesus spells it out pretty clearly in these words. Did Jesus hate his family? Well, he left his Father’s side in heaven and then abandoned his mother as he hung on a cross because he loved you more. His family thought he was crazy (Mark 3:21) and his own brothers didn’t believe in him while he was alive (John 7:5) – but that didn’t deter him from carrying out his work of redemption. Did Jesus hate his own life? Well, he had no reputation, no friends he could count on, no place to lay his head (Matthew 8:20) and soldiers divided up his only earthly possessions in the shadow of his cross (John 19:23-24) – he certainly didn’t place much value on his life compared to our eternal life. Jesus shouldered a cross that was weighed down with our sins, our guilt, our shame, our repeated failures to take up our crosses and follow him. Jesus stepped onto the battlefield against enemies that seemed to have him outnumbered and overpowered – sin, death and the devil – and he refused to surrender, even though the devil offered him an easy way out (Matthew 4:1-11). Jesus gathered up his infinite resources as the Son of God and built the only tower that reaches to heaven. Jesus counted the cost of our discipleship and – knowing that it would cost him nothing less than his life – he willingly paid it.

If you want to be a disciple, then give up. Give up the idea that discipleship is all about you: you getting better, working harder – and everything that belongs to that mindset: your determination, your pride, your power, your self-righteousness. You can never build the tower of a Christian life; that’s the whole reason Jesus came to earth: to build it for you. That’s what Luther meant when he paraphrased Psalm 46 and wrote a mighty fortress is our God (CW 200:1). When you think it’s all about you and your effort – you do not qualify as a disciple. In fact, true disciples do just the opposite, they retreat regularly to the fortress Jesus built. When you run back to your Baptism, the fortress gates open for you because you are clothed in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Proverbs 18:10). When you run to hear the Absolution which offers you forgiveness for your sins, you’re taking shelter inside the walls of God’s grace. When you run to Holy Communion you run into a tower built of Jesus’ sacrificial body and blood. And no one, not even the gates of hell (Matthew 16:18) can ever blow this tower down.

So if you want to be a disciple of Christ, there’s really only one thing you have to do: give up. Give up thinking that Jesus might have cracked heaven’s gates open – but that the rest is up to you. Give up the illusion that you can pay the high price of discipleship yourself. Stop trying to defeat sin, death and the devil with your own paltry resources and strength. You can’t do it – and neither can I. We can’t even accurately calculate the cost of discipleship, much less pay it. Thank God that Jesus both counted the cost and paid it in full by his life, death and resurrection. This is the only counting left for us to do: count Jesus as your substitute, your righteousness, your Lord and your Savior – because that, that faith, is precisely what it takes to be his disciple. Amen.

[1] Lewis, C.S. Reflections on the Psalms (San Francisco: Harper Collins, 2017) 72

Luke 14:1-14 - You Don't Understand - August 28, 2022

“You don’t understand” might come off as a rather condescending theme for a sermon. The truth is that I was just reminiscing about my teenage years – you know those years when you were smarter than your parents? My parents never understood why I had to play my music so loud, why I had to stay up late and wake up even later, why these hands were made for playing video games and throwing baseballs – not washing dishes or taking out the trash. Know what I mean? Parents never seem to understand anything when you’re a teenager. In the Word of God before us, Jesus reveals that we don’t really understand our God.

The thing you have to understand about this text is that there’s more here than meets the eye; it’s not really about showing mercy to the sick or proper party etiquette or that if you’re proud you’re going to be humbled and if you’re humble, sooner or later you will be exalted. How do we know that? First, because Jesus’ miracles are never about the miracle – they are always signs pointing to something bigger (John 20:30-31). Second, Luke explicitly says that Jesus was teaching them by means of a parable. A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. But before we get to the parable, we first have to understand the context. The context is that of a Sabbath day dinner party thrown by a Pharisee. There are two things you should understand about this dinner party: 1) the Pharisees weren’t being kind to Jesus, they were trying to catch him breaking God’s law, they were watching him closely; and 2) they apparently sat Jesus next to a man who was suffering from swelling of his body as bait for their trap. Would Jesus heal this poor man – even on the Sabbath? He’d done it before (Luke 13:10-17; John 5:1-15). Now they’re daring him to do it in front of plenty of witnesses. Jesus exposes their trap by voicing the question that’s on their minds: is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not? But they were silent. So Jesus answers his own question by [taking] hold of the man, [healing] him, and [letting] him go. Unlike his other Sabbath day healings, this time he puts his hands on the man, making it clear that he was doing “work” on the Sabbath.

Why? Why did Jesus throw this allegedly Sabbath-breaking miracle right in the Pharisees’ faces? To show them how wrong they were about God – specifically God’s heart. They believed that God was an unforgiving slave-driver who found his joy in telling his slaves what they could and could not do. They believed that they could earn God’s favor by doing nothing on the Sabbath. Jesus came to expose their misunderstanding. He teaches them that the 3rd Commandment is about God’s compassion, not his judgment. This miracle shows that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath (Mark 2:27). He came to show them that God gave the 3rd commandment for their sake, not his; a day to physically rest without fear that they would starve; a day to find rest and peace in God’s Word; a day to remind them of the eternal rest the Savior would bring.

I think we too have a hard time understanding God’s heart. We tend to think that God has commanded us to come to worship each Sunday to appease his anger and earn his favor. And maybe pastors are partially at fault here. There were some pastors who made laws regarding worship attendance when you were going through confirmation class. No worship – no confirmation. And it worked, right? 7th and 8th graders were in worship every week. But then what happened? Not long after confirmation they stop coming. (It’s hard to blame them; what’s the first thing you did when you didn’t have an assigned bedtime? Stay up as late as you wanted!) It’s the same reason why it’s so tempting to believe that attending worship and Bible class and receiving the Lord’s Supper are things we do for God. If that’s what you think, then you don’t understand! In fact, you need to repent; to change your mind. Sermons and Bible classes and communion are not ways in which you please God – they are ways in which God comes to serve you to strengthen your faith and save you from your sins! The 3rd Commandment and the means of grace they direct us to reveal the pulsating heart of our God – that he wants to meet you here to give you his mercy, not demand some kind of sacrifice (Matthew 9:13).

The Pharisees misunderstood God’s heart. They didn’t understand that God’s way of looking at everything was different from theirs. It’s different from ours, too. We naturally read the Bible through the lens of the Law – that it’s about what we should do – rather than about what God has done for us. That’s why we have trouble with Jesus’ parable of the wedding banquet. This parable cannot be about seating etiquette at wedding receptions. Why not? Well, first, if you take the lowest place fully expecting to be upgraded, isn’t that obviously false humility – the sin of hypocrisy? Second, if this parable that being humble in this life will earn yourself a place of honor in heaven – isn’t that just work-righteousness? Parables are many things, but they are not guidebooks for life in this world. Jesus didn’t tell the parables of the lost sheep and lost coin to teach us what to do when we lose something (Luke 15:1-10). He didn’t tell the parable of the shrewd manager to help us find a new job after we’ve been fired for negligence (Luke 16:1-18) – and he didn’t tell this parable to teach us how to choose a seat at a wedding reception.

How can I be so sure that this parable isn’t really about what we should do? Well, let’s go back to the text. After healing the man, [Jesus] noticed how they were selecting the places of honor, tells the parable, and then proclaims this axiom: everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. The point is not that your humility now earns your exaltation eternally – that’s just legalism cloaked in piety. The point is that God’s kingdom operates in a way that is radically different from the way the world works – God humbles the proud and exalts the humble. I could cite many examples from Scripture, but just consider this one: where was Jesus seated at this banquet? Right across from a man who was suffering from swelling of his body. (Incidentally, at that time, dropsy, or the accumulation of fluid in the body was viewed as a punishment for sexual immorality (Numbers 5:11-28). Would you want to sit next to someone with monkeypox today?) Do you think the Pharisees – who prided themselves on their ceremonial purity (John 18:28) – would even consider sitting next to him? They picked seats as far away from him as they could – but not Jesus. Jesus wasn’t ashamed to sit next to this man and then, without even being asked, Jesus healed him. He exalted him from the shame of a stigmatized physical malady. That’s grace. God exalts by grace, not merit. He exalts freely, unreasonably, outrageously.

Do you understand that? Do you understand that God doesn’t think in terms of merit but in terms of grace? (Note that even in the parable, the person who is invited to move up to a seat of honor did nothing to deserve it – his exaltation was a free gift from the host!) By way of application, we might say that God’s greatest pleasure is not in exalting those who boast of their perfect worship attendance, their generous offerings, their selfless service in his kingdom. Nope, God’s greatest pleasure is in exalting the one who is terrified to even step through those doors because they are painfully aware of their unworthiness, who know they really have nothing to offer God than their sins, who willingly acknowledge that they have not served God as his dear children.

And that’s because God exalts only people for Jesus’ sake. God exalts worthless sinners only because his sinless Son humbled himself. Jesus, who rightfully deserved a place at the head of the table, humbled himself to take the lowest place – the place we deserved; a place of shame, sin and punishment in hell; a place on a cross. But then, as Paul says, God then exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name (Philippians 2:9). Because Jesus took the lowest place, God comes to us and freely offers us forgiveness and life and salvation, saying, in other words friend, move up to a higher place. This is what you have to understand about God’s grace: he doesn’t grant it to those who deserve it, but those who don’t; to those who realize that not only don’t they deserve the place of honor – but that they don’t even deserve an invitation. Understand that only those who confess that they deserve only punishment now and forever will ever be lifted up to a place of honor in heaven – because that’s how grace works.

We don’t understand God. Our thoughts aren’t his thoughts; his ways aren’t our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). We think Law, he thinks Gospel; we think works, he thinks grace. Which leads us to the third and final act of this little dinner party. He also said to the one who had invited him, “When you make a dinner or a supper, do not invite your friends, or your brothers, or your relatives, or rich neighbors, so that perhaps they may also return the favor and pay you back. But when you make a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you.

Now, at first glance, you might think that Jesus is legislating a new law: invite to your parties only those who can’t repay the favor. But, again, Jesus didn’t have to teach the Pharisees about good works – they had that down pat (Matthew 23:13-39). Jesus isn’t teaching us about how to formulate our guest list for next week’s Labor Day party – he’s teaching us about God. Specifically, he’s teaching us about the one thing God fears above all things. God is afraid? What’s he afraid of? Payback. God is afraid of people trying to pay him back for his gifts and his grace. That’s not only unnatural and unreasonable to us; we would probably consider it not only impolite but unjust. We expect to be paid back. Our world revolves on the principle that if you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. We don’t understand this seemingly irrational fear because we tend to believe that what’s true in this world is true in God’s kingdom. We think God invites us here to his house just so that we can be instructed and directed on how we are to go out there and work for him. That God is like a slave owner who only feeds his slaves well so that he can get the most out of them. If this is how you understand God, then no wonder coming here each week to feast on Word and Sacraments feels like such a burden!

Certainly, we confess with Luther that in view of all of the blessings God has given us we “ought to thank and praise, to serve and obey him” (Luther’s Explanation of the First Article). But that’s not the main reason God invites us to take time each week to come here, to come to his table. He invites us for our sake, not for his. Consider how you’re dismissed after you have received your Savior’s body and blood in communion. Do you hear: “Now get out there and serve God better!” No! “Now this body and blood will strengthen and keep you steadfast in the one truth faith to life everlasting. Amen.” Or consider the words that close our services. It’s not “Now get out there and heal the sick, feed the hungry, make this world a better place” but “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord look on you with favor and give you peace” (Numbers 6:22-26). You come to this banquet to be served, not to serve.

God has a fear of being paid back, and this is comforting. If God doesn’t want to be paid back for his grace to you, then you don’t have to feel guilty because you can’t. If you feel that you have nothing to give to God but your sins and needs and worries, the fact that you come here each Sunday begging for forgiveness, expecting him to listen to your prayers and petitions, and pleading for his blessing – that’s ok! In fact, that’s good! That’s the way God wants it. You should view coming to church like coasting into a gas station on only fumes; hoping and pleading to be filled up – because the whole reason God wants you to stop and sit and rest and listen is to refill you with his grace.

While it’s probably true that parents don’t understand teenage logic, it’s even truer that we don’t really understand our God. We don’t understand his heart – that the 3rd commandment, the Sabbath, is not for us to serve God but for God to serve us. We don’t understand his grace – that God doesn’t exalt those who deserve it, but those who don’t. We don’t understand his fear of being repaid – because he gives the greatest gifts to those who can’t. Don’t misunderstand: I’m not saying that you should – or can – understand God. But I do hope you understand – and believe – that he is even better than you ever imagined! Amen.

Luke 13:22-30 - The Narrative of the Narrow Door - August 21, 2022

According to the internet, the first recorded use of the phrase, “I’ve got some good news and some bad news,” was in a book written by a man called Herman Koerner in 1898. It’s first recorded use as the set-up for a joke was in 1966. [1] It’s usually framed as a choice: “do you want the good news or the bad first?” Today, I have good news and bad news, but I’m not giving you a choice.

First, the good news. According to Jesus, there is a feast going on in the kingdom of God. Well, Jesus doesn’t literally call it a feast, he calls it [reclining] at the table in the kingdom of God. In the first century, people didn’t normally recline when they were eating a typical meal; they sat upright like us. When one has the time and security and provisions to “recline” for a meal, you’re not just eating, you’re feasting. What’s the point? You can stop thinking about heaven as something completely alien from life here on earth. You can stop imagining what it will be like to float around on a cloud playing a harp all day. You can stop thinking about it as one endless church service. From the descriptions of heaven we have in Scripture, it would be more accurate to picture heaven as a giant wedding reception, a feast with good food and fellowship (Isaiah 25:6-9; Luke 14:15-24; Revelation 19:6-10).

That’s good news. But there’s more. It’s good news that those who have been invited and are in attendance aren’t only the heroes of faith. Sadly, sometimes we think that way, don’t we? “Sure, the famous, outstanding heroes of faith – those who contribute lots of time and effort and money, those who teach Sunday school and play the organ and preach the sermons – will be there; but what about me – who doesn’t know the Bible as well as I could or should, who hasn’t led a squeaky-clean life, who struggles with sin and faith and doubt?

There are two reasons you should be comforted today. First, Jesus says that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets [will be] in the kingdom of God. They may sound like super-heroes of faith; but 1) if you know your Bible history, you know that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were hardly paragons of virtue – they were cheating, lying, dishonest sinners just like us; and 2) Jesus emphasizes that people will come from east and west, from north and south. This is one of the major themes of the book of Revelation. People of every nation, tribe, people and language will be in heaven – both the extraordinary and the absolutely ordinary (Revelation 7:9).

There’s one final piece of good news: not only is there a feast going on in heaven and not only will people from all walks of life be there, but there’s an open door to this feast – a door that is not an “it,” but a “he.” Jesus is the door into the kingdom of God. He says so himself: I am the Way and the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through me (John 14:6; John 10:9). Now, many hear that verse and think, “Well, that’s pretty narrow, pretty exclusive, pretty intolerant of other philosophies and faiths.” Yes, it is. But it’s just as inclusive as it is exclusive. No one can enter heaven except through Jesus – but anyone and everyone can gain entrance through faith in him.

That’s the good news. Ready for the bad news? It boils down to one blunt reality: a lot of people aren’t getting into heaven’s banquet. But before we get there, let’s step back for a second. Someone asked Jesus a question that has intrigued people for centuries – especially people who want to appear very spiritual and theologically wise: Lord, are only a few going to be saved? It’s a question that could only come from a proud and presumptuous heart, right? From someone who presumes they are “in” and so has the spare time to speculate about everyone else. Notice that Jesus doesn’t answer the question that was asked, instead, he answers the question that should have been asked: “Will I be saved?” He does this by answering in a very direct, very personal fashion: He said to them, “[You (plural)] strive to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able…And he will say, “I don’t know where you come from. Depart from me, all you evildoers.’ There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

People elbow and hip-check others to be first in line to eat, to board a plane, to get into a Brewers game or a Black Friday sale. But is there the same urgency in people striving (literally: “agonizing”) to get into the feast in God’s kingdom? And I’m not talking about the people you saw walking their dogs or towing their boats to the lake or sipping their coffee on their porch as you drove in this morning. I’m talking about you; to you. Do you agonize, do you suffer and sacrifice and prioritize entering this narrow door by daily confessing your sins and pleading for forgiveness? Do you organize your life around getting through this narrow door – not just your Sunday morning, but all your mornings and evenings, your career decisions and where you choose to send your child to school? Striving to enter through this narrow door to heaven is agonizing because it means defying and denying the desires of our sinful flesh. It means prioritizing God and his Word above everything else in life – and it’s not easy.

The devil will make it seem like this striving isn’t all that important – at least not now – that there will always be time later to prioritize Word and Sacrament, but consider this: Jesus does here what the Holy Spirit chose not to do in Genesis. Genesis 7 does not describe what must have been a horrifying scene outside of Noah’s ark as thousands of people pound on the door until their knuckles bled as the flood waters rise around their necks. We don’t hear their anguished screams, the desperate pleas for a second chance. We don’t see the torrential rain sweeping them away to certain death. As horrific as that must have been, the scene on Judgment Day will be even worse. Not only will they face an eternity of torture, they will see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown outside. In other words, on Judgment Day, many will see people they knew streaming into heaven while they are locked out. The despair they will experience in that moment is unimaginable.

Martin Luther said that this text is enough “to frighten the greatest saints.” [2] Are you frightened? Not in the haunted house sort of way where fear is fun, but in the way where your heart is racing, your throat tightens up, your stomach clenches. Well, if you’re not frightened yet, then the finer details of this account might send you over the edge. First, the door is narrow. If you think that you’re guaranteed entry because you come to church faithfully, because you’ve been confirmed, give your offerings, try to do good and love others, or are Lutheran – you won’t fit. No one who tries to pack all that stuff on their backs will be able to squeeze through this door. That’s what Jesus meant when he said some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last. Many who appear to be “in” because of their good lives will be left out and many who appear to be “out” because of their sinful lives will be welcomed in. Second, you never know when this door will shut. Sure, the Lord may give us 70 or 80 years on this earth (Psalm 90:10) – but he may not. One or more of these chairs might be empty next Sunday. We might not wake up tomorrow morning. And anyone who hasn’t entered through the narrow door through faith before death will find it closed and locked forever. If that thought doesn’t frighten you, then nothing will.

Do you still remember the good news? Probably not. It’s not because the bad news negated the good news but because I made the mistake many preachers make: I talked about the Gospel but I didn’t proclaim the Gospel. What’s the difference? The difference is that the Gospel is only truly good news, news that will create and sustain saving faith, when it applies to you. For example, for years now politicians have been tossing around the idea of forgiving student loans. Is that good news? Well, clearly yes if you’re still paying of your student loans. But if you didn’t go to college or if you managed to either pay your way or pay off your loans – that’s not really good news, is it? In fact, it might sound like bad news; it make you resentful of the fact that your tax dollars are going to pay off someone else’s loans. Good news is only really good news if it applies to you.

Thank God then that I have really good news that applies to all of us. Jesus is the door to the kingdom of God; to the feast in heaven – and that door isn’t closed to anyone, not even to you, not even to me. No matter where you’ve been; not matter what you’ve done; no matter how many times you’ve put other things before this open door – as long as your heart beats, this door is still wide open to you. But I thought the door was narrow? It is. The door to heaven demands perfect obedience to the Law; it’s impossibly small – but Jesus came from heaven to keep the Law and squeeze through that door on your behalf. When the set time had fully come, God sent his Son to be born of a woman, so that he would be born under the law, in order to redeem those under the law (Galatians 4:4-5). Whenever the devil, your conscience or someone else tries to remind you of all the good you should have done but did not do – remember that Jesus has done it all for you, in your place, for your salvation.

What about the death and hell we deserve for all the commandments we’ve broken, all the people we’ve hurt or let down, all the times we’ve imagined that we’ve earned or deserved heaven? The good news for you is that Jesus paid that price in full, too. He willingly carried all your sins through the wide gate to hell where he paid for them and then, having left them there, he came back through a door so narrow that only one person could fit; only a perfect person; only a man who is also God. Jesus, and Jesus alone, earned the right to pass through the door from death to life. This fact – the fact of the resurrection – is the door stop that props heaven’s feast wide open. Make no mistake: this door is narrow. It’s as narrow as one person: the God-man Jesus Christ. But it’s never been too narrow for anyone who confesses their sins and trusts in Jesus’ blood and righteousness to get through – not even you, not even me!

But I saved the best news for last. You may have noticed in Jesus’ story that it didn’t matter if those pounding on the door claimed to know the master as much as it does whether the master knew them. The master, of course, is Jesus. Does he know you? Yes! I don’t think it’s possible to overstate how comforting this is. The infants and little children we hold in our arms can’t confess their faith – but Jesus welcomes them into his arms and blesses them – he washed them in baptism, he knows them (Mark 10:16; 16:16). There are times in all of our lives when we forget all about Jesus, we stray from the narrow path, and we can start to think that he could never forgive us for what we’ve done, we can begin to think that we are beyond saving – but when Jesus through his called servant forgives your sins, they are forgiven (John 20:23)! We might think that, covered in the tattered robes of sin as we are, we are unfit to recline at heaven’s banquet. In the Lord’s Supper, Jesus tells us, “here, take my robe of righteousness” (Revelation 22:14). The day may come when we don’t know our spouse, our children, or even what day it is. Even then, Jesus says I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep…I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand (John 10:14, 28). Does Jesus – the door into heaven’s feast – know you? Through these means of grace – through baptism, absolution and communion – he assures you that he does!

The narrative of the narrow door contains both good news and bad news. As those who are simultaneously sinners and saints, we need to hear both. But most importantly, I pray that you cling to the best news – that even though the door to heaven may be narrow, through faith in Jesus, you’re in! Amen.   

[1] https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/258235/origin-first-known-use-of-the-phrase-ive-got-some-good-news-and-some-bad-news

[2] Lenski, Interpretation of St. Luke’s Gospel (Columbus, Ohio: The Wartburg Press. 1946) 755

Luke 12:22-34 - Anxious? - August 7, 2022

When you’re really anxious or worried about something, what’s the last thing you want someone to tell you? And I’m not talking about some silly thing that might cause anxiety, like the possibility that the Packer’s kicker will miss the game-winning field goal or that it might rain on your party. No, I’m talking about those times when you’re seriously anxious about a very serious thing: when your child has spiked a fever in the middle of the night, when you’ve lost your job, when the bills seem overwhelming, when the doctors don’t have any answers. Have you ever been anxious about these things and had someone tell you, “Don’t worry about it”? How do you want to respond? “Oh, just shut up.” But today it’s not just anyone telling us not to worry, it’s Jesus. And he’s not just offering up empty words or a useless cliché, he’s telling us; commanding us: don’t worry about it – but please fight the urge to tell him to shut up, because unlike anyone else who says those words, Jesus has answers for our anxiety.

Why is the worry, the anxiety that plagues us all in one way or another such a serious problem? I could point to studies that document the harmful psychological and physical effects anxiety has on a person: the sleepless nights, panic attacks, heart disease, inability to focus. Ours is an anxious culture. It’s probably no coincidence that anti-anxiety drugs are among the most prescribed medications in our country and the leading OTC medications are for sleep and stomach disorders. Anxiety is ruining our minds, our stomachs and our sleep. But I’m not a doctor or a psychologist. We’re here to deal with the far more serious spiritual effects of anxiety. Spiritually speaking, anxiety is idolatry. It is the worship we offer to false gods, the idols that promise us health, wealth, happiness, identity, security and meaning for our lives – and the liturgy consists of sleeplessness and restlessness and ulcers (among other things). Like all other idols, the idol of anxiety consumes its worshipers. Anxiety is a cancer of the soul.

How did we get here? Our text follows the Gospel lesson from last week: the Rich Fool (Luke 12:13-21). Knowing that his disciples likely suffered from the same misplaced focus on earthly wealth and security as the rich fool did, and who were likely wondering how a person living in this fallen world could possibly not worry about those things – Jesus addresses the problem directly: “For that reason I tell you, stop worrying about your life, about what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. Why not? Certainly life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Jesus’ logic is bulletproof, isn’t it? Food might energize and sustain life – but it’s not life itself (people die every day surrounded by food). Clothing covers and protects us, but you are not what you wear, no matter what social media or the fashion industry says.

Worry is illogical for believers. Consider the ravens, Jesus says, they do not sow or reap; they have no warehouse or barn; and yet God feeds them. The birds of the air don’t plant or harvest their own food; they don’t store it up in pantries or bank accounts – they are utterly reliant on God for their food on a daily basis. In this way, they are a picture of faith. Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. But I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory was dressed like one of these. The flowers of the field don’t spend hours shopping online, trying to find just the right article of clothing at just the right price. They don’t carry wads of Kohl’s cash around. They don’t have walk-in closets bigger than many 3rd-world homes. And yet God makes them more beautiful than any fashion designer ever could. Like the birds, they are a picture of faith.

From these illustrations Jesus draws his grand conclusion: if this is how God clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will he clothe you, you of little faith? Do not constantly chase after what you will eat or what you will drink. Do not be worried about it. (It’s kind of tempting to just tell him to shut up, isn’t it?) But just think: does your anxiety put food on the table? Does it clothe you or your children? Can it add one minute to your life? (It might shorten your life, it that were actually possible (it’s not – Psalm 31:15), but does your anxiety add anything to your life except sleepless nights, restless days, headaches and heartache and heartburn?) Up here, we get it, right? Intellectually, we understand that worrying is foolish and useless. It makes sense that the God who takes such good care of birds and flowers would take even better care of us, the crown of his creation. But the question still stands: why, then, are we so anxious about food and drink and clothing and shoes?

Jesus’ question contained the diagnosis. Did you catch it? Little faith. Our anxiety symptomatic of the littleness of our faith and the largeness of our unbelief. That’s what really doesn’t make any sense, right? We trust God for the big things – forgiveness of sins, resurrection from the dead and eternal life. Those are things so big we can’t wrap our minds around them – much less do anything to achieve them (which is probably why we trust him with those things – kind of like we trust airline pilots to know what they’re doing, because we don’t have a clue). But what doesn’t follow is that we don’t trust the same God who has taken care of the big things for the little things; for food and clothing and shelter. Why don’t we trust him for these small things? Why do we let anxiety crowd God out of our hearts?

First and foremost, it’s because we lack true repentance. Now stick with me here. Because worry and anxiety are so ubiquitous and universal – everyone worries about something – we are tempted to not even view it as sin; “Everyone is doing it, it can’t be that bad.” We may confess it as foolish and pointless, but how often do we recognize it as a sin against the 1st Commandment. Anxiety is the very worst kind of idolatry – that of idolizing ourselves in place of the one, true God. Anxiety is the idolatry of raising ourselves above God; of exalting ourselves as gods when we imagine that our daily bread is provided by our blood, sweat and tears rather than by our good and merciful Father in heaven (James 1:17). The sin of anxiety is no less serious than the sin which got Satan kicked out of heaven and banished to hell forever (Jude 6; Revelation 12:7-9). It’s a form of pride. It’s faith in ourselves rather than faith in God – and for that we must repent.

But that’s just one side of the coin. It’s not just that we fail to recognize anxiety as a sin against the 1st Commandment; as the sin of idolatry – but that we fail to trust that our Father in heaven really loves us and will really provide for us. As Jesus said, we get caught up with the rest of the world in chasing after all these things – failing to recognize that [our] Father knows that we need them. God really does love us and really will care for us! That’s a promise that we can stake our lives on. More than anything in the world, that is what we should be sure of even though we may not see it the moment (Hebrews 11:1). But there’s still a problem, isn’t there? We may understand logically that we are more valuable than the birds of the air and the flowers of the field; we may confess our anxiety and worry as idolatry and know that we should trust our Father’s promises – but…the worry and anxiety are still there, aren’t they? Why? Because the antidote for anxiety isn’t found in our minds, our lips or our hearts. (Just consider our introduction – when someone tells you not to worry, isn’t the result that you end up worrying more?) The law can diagnose the problem, but it can’t solve it.

So what is the perfect prescription? Let’s rewind for a minute, back to the birds of the air and the flowers of the field. While they don’t sow or reap or store up or labor or spin or worry – that doesn’t mean they’re lazy. The birds are constantly busy flying around gathering the food the Lord provides. The flowers of the field reach down into the soil and up to the sun – gathering in the nourishment the Lord provides. In other words, faith (which is the opposite of anxiety) isn’t idle. It’s living and active. Ironically, you could say that the cure to worrying about the wrong things is worrying (or focusing on) the right things. And Jesus points in two directions in which this faith is living and active.

First, continue to seek the kingdom of God. Two questions arise: 1) what is the kingdom of God; and 2) how do you seek it? God’s kingdom not a nation with borders and laws and armies. The kingdom of God is his rule in the hearts of believers. And God’s reign is focused on Jesus, on how he broke into this anxious and worried world and conquered it with perfect faith in his Father. Consider how many things Jesus could have been worried about. To the naked eye, he was born out of wed-lock (Luke 3:23) – he could have worried about his image and reputation. He lacked food in the wilderness for 40 days while he was tempted (Luke 4:2) and he never really had a place to lay his head, a place to call home (Luke 9:58). Jesus could have worried about how severely his friends would be tempted and whether or not they would fall from faith – just as we do with friends and family – but instead, he prayed (Luke 22:31-32). Unlike us, Jesus knew exactly how he would suffer and when he would die – and yet instead of idly worrying about it, he poured out his heart to his Father (Luke 22:39-46). In other words, Jesus had every reason we do to be anxious and worried – but he wasn’t – and his worry-free life is now yours. When God looks at you he doesn’t see an anxious idolater who has wasted countless hours trying to knock him off his throne – but his Son’s life of perfect fear, love and trust.

And when the King of creation ascended the throne of the cross, not only did he have nothing to eat, but he thirsted for just a drop to wet his tongue (John 19:28). He was stripped of every scrap of clothing, so that, unlike the flowers, he had no attractiveness and no majesty (Isaiah 53:2). And yet, in allowing everything to be stripped, ripped and taken from him, Jesus gave us everything; everything the kingdom of God contains: forgiveness, life and salvation. For Jesus’ sake your Father is pleased to give you [this] kingdom. And you seek and find these blessings in God’s kingdom right here. In baptism he gives you the passport which proves your citizenship in his kingdom. In Absolution he rips off the tattered rags of your anxiety and worry and clothes you with the fabulous robe of Jesus’ righteousness. In the Lord’s Supper he feeds you with food that will never perish or run out. And if your Father gives you those big, eternal things, how could you ever doubt that he will take care of the little things like clothing and food and shelter?

But I mentioned that anti-anxiety faith is active in two ways – rather, Jesus did. Sell your possessions and give to the needy. Provide bags for yourselves that do not become old, a treasure in the heavens that will not fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. Now, it seems counterintuitive that giving your things away could alleviate anxiety, but the last sentence explains the preceding. By your charity and generosity you are exercising your faith, your trust that your true treasure is already locked away safely in heaven. When you can allow earthly possessions to pass through your hands like water or wind, trusting that your Father will continue to provide day by day, then it will become clear to you that God has double-vaxxed and boosted you against that deadly virus called anxiety; that you believe and trust that where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

I don’t know about you, but when people tell me not to worry, I usually want to tell them to shut up. Today is different. Jesus diagnoses why we worry and explains why we shouldn’t. We worry because we lack repentance and faith. Worry is looking inward instead of outward to the God who loves us and has promised to care for us. But we shouldn’t worry and we don’t have to – because our Father has not only proven his love by caring for birds and flowers but by sending his Son to take the root cause of our anxiety – our sins – away. This doesn’t mean that sources of anxiety won’t continue to surround you every day; it just means that you don’t have to worry about them. Amen.

Ecclesiastes 1:1-2; 2:1-11, 17-26

Have you ever tried to catch the wind? Sure, maybe you’ve caught some of the things carried by the wind: butterflies, lightning bugs, Covid-19 – but catching the wind itself; that’s impossible. Wind isn’t the only thing rushing past us in this life – pleasure, wealth, accomplishments are all rushing past us every day – have you ever chased after them, tried to grab on to them and store them up, thinking that at some point, when you have enough of them, you will finally be happy and satisfied? In the Gospel Jesus taught that it doesn’t matter how big your barns are and how much stuff they are filled with – because when God comes for your soul, someone else will get all that stuff you worked so hard to gather (Luke 12:20). I would argue that this text from Ecclesiastes goes even further, arguing that apart from God all earthly pursuits are meaningless. “Nothing but vapor,” Ecclesiastes said. “Totally vapor. Everything is just vapor that vanishes.” Havel havelim [1], declares King Solomon. When Hebrew writers repeat a word, it’s a superlative; “the vaporiest of vapors.” Emptiness. Nothingness. Worthless. What’s he talking about? Anything and everything; life itself. And if anyone would know, it would be Solomon – because he had it all and more – and yet, probably writing as an old man, he looks back and calls it all meaningless, as meaningless as chasing after the wind. Aren’t you glad you rolled out of bed this morning to hear that? Why would the Lord inspire Solomon to tell us that everything we do, work for, strive for in this life is as meaningless as vapor? It’s because our Lord loves us too much to let us chase the meaningless winds of this world now and learn the truth only when it’s too late, when our eternity is already determined.

While Solomon appears to have learned this truth by the end of his life, each generation must learn it for itself – and in our generation, these are fighting words. Whether we realize it or not, we’ve been conditioned to measure our lives based on wealth, fame, power, beauty, accomplishment – and a host of other worldly measures. We’ve been taught to study hard so that you can get a good degree with which you can find a good job which will make you appealing to a good spouse who can help you find the perfect house in which to raise the perfect children until you enroll them in the ideal college and find them an ideal spouse – at which point you can crack open that giant nest-egg you worked so hard for in retirement, take it easy. Eat, drink, and be merry (Luke 12:19). That’s the basic American dream, right? But on a deeper level, this is the delusion spawned by our sinful nature – that true happiness is out there, just around the corner, you just need to find it, work for it and grab ahold of it. And it’s not going to let go of its delusion easily. The sinful nature can’t be persuaded or converted – it must be killed. And that’s the job of the Law – to expose the sin in our hearts and put it to death (Colossians 3:5). It’s an ugly and painful death – but it must be done to escape the hellish eternity which awaits all who set their hearts on worldly things. So, for the sake of your soul, listen as Solomon drains the life out of the American dream.

I thought in my heart, “Go ahead, test yourself with pleasure to see what is good.” But, oh, that too is vapor. About laughter, I said, “Madness!” About pleasure, “What good is it?” As my heart kept guiding me with wisdom, I put it to work researching how to relax my body with wine and how to grasp why people do stupid things…I acquired male singers and female singers for myself, and what gives great pleasure to men – one concubine after another. “Work hard, party harder” is not just a slogan found on T-shirts and bumper stickers, it’s the philosophy many – maybe even many of us – live by. And it’s not new. The Lord condemned the Israelites for lounging on their ivory-embroidered beds and drinking wine by the bowlful (Amos 6:1-7). The Epicureans of Paul’s day lived by the motto let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die (1 Corinthians 15:32). There’s no doubt that the hedonistic, Hugh Hefner philosophy of chasing pleasure is attractive – the question is: does it work? Does it satisfy? You can fill your belly with the very finest food and drink – and make no mistake, these are good gifts from God (Psalm 145:15) – but if these gifts are enjoyed apart from thanksgiving to the Giver, then you’re no different than livestock; you’re just a well-dressed food processor. Well, sex then. Sex is satisfying, right? Not outside of the boundaries God has drawn around marriage – color outside of these lines and all you get is loneliness and emptiness, broken hearts and broken families. Younger generations are known for pursuing pleasurable “experiences” – thus the rise of adventure vacations, escape rooms, and Airbnb’s. Does it work? No, there’s always one more adventure to have, one more niche restaurant to “experience” and one more exotic place Facebook says “you just have to visit.” Chasing pleasure is just chasing after the wind.

Ok then, how about accumulating stuff? I undertook great projects. I built houses for myself. I planted vineyards for myself. I made gardens and parks for myself, and I planted every kind of fruit tree in them. I made reservoirs of water for myself to irrigate a forest of sprouting trees. I acquired male and female servants. I also had slaves that were born in my own house. Livestock too! I had more herds and flocks that anyone before me in Jerusalem…But when I turned my attention to everything that my hands had done and to how hard I had worked for it – note this – it was all vapor, all chasing the wind. There was no benefit under the sun. Can piles of wealth give meaning to life? Jesus calls the person who believes that a fool who has forfeited his soul (Luke 12:20). Sooner or later, everyone realizes that death will rob you of every last penny you worked so hard for. But it’s even more important to see that wealth doesn’t bring happiness even when you’re alive. To the illusion that says “If I can only make enough to buy this, to find financial security, then I’ll be happy,” Solomon responds, “don’t bother, I’ve tried it, it doesn’t work.” Have you ever known anyone who earns enough? Who has saved enough? Has a car that’s new enough? Gadgets that are cutting-edge enough? You may not be a king, but you build your own little kingdom only to have someone eventually give it all away to Good-will. It’s meaningless: as meaningless as chasing after the wind.

Well, if it’s not the destination, then it must be the journey: life’s meaning must come from work. To this proposal, Solomon responds, what does a man gain through all his hard work, through all the turmoil in his heart, as he works so hard under the sun? Pain fills all his days. His occupation is frustration. Even at night his heart does not rest. This too is vapor. Ah, but that’s not what that seductress named “the American Dream” wants you to believe. She transforms the quiet wisdom of “work ethic” into the shrill scream of a slave-driver: “Work, work, work. Learn, earn, compete, build your resume, plan, sacrifice, worry, lose sleep, skip vacations, add hours, climb the corporate ladder, scratch the right back, invest, buy low, sell high, save, risk, work, work, work!” After all this, your life will have meaning and fulfillment – right? Wrong! Solomon says that all the hours he worked, all the plans he made – even after building a temple for the Lord and a palace for himself – all his toil brought him nothing more than frustration and sleepless nights. And if you think his experience was unique, consider that 13% of Americans take medication to fight off depression and anxiety [2] and over $800 million dollars per year is spent on sleep aids. [3] What will all your hard work amount to after you retire, after you hand it over to someone else who tears it all down and starts over? Nothing. Apart from God, even work is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

It’s depressing, isn’t it? It’s depressing to think that all your hard work, all the blood, sweat and tears you’ve spilled to acquire wealth and experience pleasure is nothing more than chasing after the wind. But it’s the soul-crushing truth. It’s why many people today struggle to summon the energy to get out of bed in the morning, why others just live for the weekend when they can drown their despair in meaningless activities and substances, why so many need the constant distraction of music, movies, and social media – anything to escape the dark, silent emptiness of life under the sun. That’s idolatry for you, and idolatry when viewed from that perspective is pretty horrifying, isn’t it? It’s empty. It’s hollow. Idols consume their worshipers from the inside, leaving behind nothing but an empty shell. This is life without God, life without Christ at the center. Why? Because it’s not who you are. You are not the sum total of what you own and what you’ve done. You’re so much more than that. You were created by God, redeemed by God, adopted by God to live forever with him. But without God at the center of your life, your being, your identity, all you do and all you have under the sun is utterly meaningless. Thankfully, God offers us a better way. In spite of our futile attempts to find meaning and happiness apart from him, God graciously gives us a new way of life. He enables us to see beyond the horizon of life under this sun, to find the true meaning of life in his Son, Jesus.

In the final verses of our text, Solomon points us in the right direction: There is nothing better for a man than to eat and to drink and to find joy in his work. This too, I saw, is from God’s hand. For who can eat or enjoy himself apart from him? Hang on, I thought Solomon just established that pleasure, wealth and work are meaningless; now he says that there is nothing better than eating and drinking and working? Did you catch the key phrase? Apart from him – apart from God – no one will find contentment or happiness, but with him we can be joyful whether we are rich or poor, whether the meal is the chef’s special or Chef Boyardee, whether we are running our dream business or just counting the minutes to 5 o’clock. Why? How? Because Jesus did the most meaningful thing of all by taking up the seemingly most meaningless task of all (Isaiah 49:4). Because Jesus came specifically to destroy the one thing that makes it all meaningless: death. He left his place at his Father’s right hand, he emptied himself of his glory and power as the Son of God, he became poor so that we might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). He despised all other earthly pursuits apart from his pursuit of your salvation; which led him to the cross where he willingly suffered the horrifying wrath of God and the miserable, meaningless death and hell we deserved for our sins of idolatry, greed, gluttony and lust. The blood he shed won for us the greatest treasure of all: the forgiveness of sins. When you have this treasure, then death is not the end, but the beginning of true life. When you have this treasure you can be certain that – unlike the rich fool – you will pass the test on the night God summons your soul (Luke 12:20) – because you have Christ and his righteousness. Through baptism this treasure is yours – which means that you don’t have to waste your time chasing your best life now because your best life is still to come, when you will finally be free from sin and the futility of chasing the wind of meaning in this life.

And that’s the secret to a meaningful life here and now. The secret is not having a better life, but rather a better perspective on life. Knowing that Jesus has secured eternal life in heaven for you frees you to actually enjoy life now. While the unbelieving world tries to squeeze meaning out of pleasure, wealth and work, believers understand that the good things of this life are just that: things of this life – to be used, enjoyed, and, eventually, left behind; just like the wind. Don’t believe the lie that happiness is something that lies just over the horizon, after just a little more work and a few more years of saving – because if you do, you won’t just find yourself continually disappointed – you will miss the wonderful gifts God has already given you. Instead see that the meaning of the pleasure and wealth and work you have today lies in the simple fact that the God who created and redeemed you has given it to you – nothing more and nothing less.

The meaning of life isn’t the sum total of the pleasure we’ve experienced, the wealth we’ve accumulated or the hard work we’ve completed. The meaning of life is that God loved us so much that he gave us life, gave us his Son, gave us faith to believe in him, and has promised to give us a place in his heavenly mansion. Try to grasp hold of what this life under the sun has to offer and you will find yourself empty handed, like trying to catch the wind. But open your hands to receive Christ in faith and God promises to fill those hands with everything you need for this life and more (Matthew 6:33). The Christian life is the simple life: 1) trust in God to take care of the big picture – now and forever – and 2) enjoy the life under the sun he has given you – because Jesus has already earned the one thing we could never catch for ourselves: the never-ending joy of eternal life in heaven. Amen.

[1] Incidentally, havel was the name of Adam and Eve’s second son (Abel), whose life was so meaninglessly cut short by his brother Cain (Genesis 4:8)

[2] https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/jul/22/new-study-challenges-value-antidepressants/

[3] https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-11058925/Experts-warn-melatonin-use-America-control.html

1 Timothy 2:1-6 - First of All: Pray - July 24, 2022

In my Bible, the heading for this section of 1 Timothy is Instructions about Worship. If you were to write a list of instructions regarding Christian worship, what would be at the top of your list? That the setting, the building, the chairs all be clean and comfortable? That the music is pleasant and the sermon is captivating? That Jesus be at the center of everything? That the service lasts no longer than 60 minutes so you can get on with your day? Paul says: First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people. Now, I’ll admit that when I was younger, I didn’t really understand why we spent so much of the service in prayer. It seemed like an awful lot of standing and listening, and very quickly my mind began to wander to thoughts of what was for lunch and my eyes to the people around me. But wandering thoughts and eyes are not at all what Paul has in mind when he urges us to pray when we gather for worship. Paul considers prayer an absolutely essential part of Christian worship. He says, first of all, pray.

Why? Why is prayer so essential to our worship services? Because prayer is a reflection of reality; it’s a reflection of the reality that we are powerless, that we have little or no control over anything, that we are all beggars coming to God with empty hands pleading with him to give us what we need. Paul uses four words to bring out the wide-ranging nature of Christian prayer: petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings. We are to bring to God our petitions – that is, we come to God like a child comes to his father to ask for whatever we need both physically and spiritually. Prayers is a very general term indicating any kind of devotion or praise to God – it can be as simple as praising God for his glory, for his works, for his gifts. When we make intercession to God, we are boldly asking God to guide and protect and bless others. For example, when our children go off to school or get their driver’s license or start dating – we parents tend to flood God’s throne with intercessions (but don’t worry, Jon and Breanna, with two big brothers, I’m sure you won’t have to worry about Addison). When we see others suffering or in pain, we ask God to intervene on their behalf. Finally, Paul says, we offer thanksgiving: this brings our prayer full circle, so that the blessings we have already received from God return to him again in the form of appreciation.

Paul is primarily talking about prayer in public worship – but his guidance for what we do here on Sundays is also helpful for our personal prayer lives. Sometimes we get into a rut that is anything but model prayer. We treat prayer like a right rather than a privilege. We pray for ourselves but forget to pray for others. We ask God for earthly blessings but neglect the spiritual ones or fail to thank him for the family, house, car, job he has already given us. Our prayers can begin to sound like a child’s Christmas list: God, I want this and this and that. (Or as we noted last week, like Martha we can be tempted to arrogantly tell God what to do, rather than humbly ask according to his perfect will.) One easy way to remember the basics of God-pleasing prayer is to follow what is called the A-C-T-S model. Adoration. Confession. Thanksgiving. Supplication. Following this simple outline helps us to keep our focus and serves as a reminder to first bow in humility and praise before our holy God, then confess our sins, and offer thanksgiving before we present whatever requests we may have.

When we pray, our leading thought is: “what should I pray for?” Paul’s answer is not what but who: for all people. That’s kind of overwhelming – how can we possibly know what almost 8 billion people need, how would we ever have time to intercede on behalf of every one of them? But the fact is, that this prayer is fairly straight-forward. We pray that God would carry out his will for all people, a will which Paul spells out: God our Savior…wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Whether you know it or not, you’ve already been doing this, you’ve already been praying for all people. Whenever you pray the Lord’s Prayer you are praying that God’s name, kingdom and will would come to everyone on earth. At the same time, if you are aware of certain people who continue to stumble in the darkness of unbelief – and you can and should name them in your prayers. In either case, our prayer is that God would bring everyone to a knowledge of the truth. What truth? The two-fold truth that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:23-24).

Praying for everyone obviously means that we exclude no one. But Paul encourages Christians to specifically pray for kings and all those in authority. I don’t think I’m alone in confessing that government officials haven’t always been at the top of my prayer list. And yet, Paul tells us to make the conscious effort to pray for the leaders God has appointed (Romans 13:1). This was certainly no easy task for those early Christians. Those Christians saw their friends and family dragged into coliseums throughout the Roman Empire where they were tortured and sacrificed as entertainment for pagan Roman crowds. Those Christians found themselves targeted for persecution by the Roman government which falsely blamed them for all kinds of problems in society. Given the situation, you’d think that Paul would tell Timothy to call down hell-fire on the governing authorities, or at the very least urge civil disobedience. But Paul encourages Timothy to do just the opposite: he urges those Christians to pray for the very leaders who hunted them down and tortured them for their Christian faith. 

Even though the governing authorities in America are not hunting us down or banning Christianity…at least not yet…it’s still not always natural or easy to pray for our national, state and local leaders, is it? It doesn’t seem right to us to ask God to bless leaders who create and enforce laws that contradict God’s will – who not only condone but praise violence and sexual immorality and the murder of the unborn. It’s hard to pray for politicians who are revealed to be corrupt and immoral in their public and personal lives. But Paul supplies a very good reason for us to pray for all those in authority – even for the unbelieving and immoral ones: so that we might live a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and dignity. History teaches that it is far easier for Christians to lead quiet, God-pleasing lives when there is peace than when there is strife and war. Examples abound: think about how Jeremiah encouraged the Israelites exiled in Babylon to pray for their city of exile – rather than rise up against it – because then they too would have peace and prosperity (Jeremiah 29:7)); remember how Peter folded under the pressure when mob-rule overtook the rule of law (Luke 22:54-62); think of how hard it would have been to live for God during the Revolutionary or Civil Wars. Consider our Christian brothers and sisters who are enduring unspeakable horrors in Ukraine this very moment. Wars and rebellions and anarchy and unrest – even those undertaken with seemingly righteous motives – can lead Christians to do some terrible, evil things – to live anything but godly and dignified lives. Worst of all, times of war and unrest can lead us to doubt God’s love and care. We pray for the leaders God has placed over us so that we might live peaceful and Godly lives, and at the same time, we pray that God would shine the light of his Gospel into their hearts so that they too might know Christ as their Savior. Why? Because this is good and pleasing in the sight of God our Savior. There are many good reasons to pray – but the most important one of all is that God wants us to. It pleases God when we bring all our thoughts and concerns and praise and thanks to his throne.

But, as important as it is to understand how to pray and whom to pray for, it’s even more important for us to understand that the power of prayer isn’t the how or the who. Prayer is not powerful because our prayers are so frequent and eloquent and proper – because quite often, they’re not. No, prayer is powerful because of the One we pray to. Paul says that there is only one God. We don’t pray to some unidentified, mysterious being. When we pray, we pray to the omnipotent Creator of the heavens and the earth. We pray to the God who orders the sun the shine and the rain to fall and numbers the very hairs of our heads. We pray to the God who raises and crushes leaders and nations like pawns on the chessboard of history. Practically speaking: we are praying to the One who can and will watch over little children like Addison, even when you can’t, even when you’re sleeping; the One who can provide food and fuel and shelter even when the bank account says you can’t; to the one who has the power to control inflation and disease and conflict – when the smartest and most powerful people in the world seem powerless. When we pray, we bring our petitions before the throne of the king of Heaven and the Judge of all the earth (Genesis 18:25).

But…sometimes we forget that, don’t we? We forget that when we pray, we aren’t shooting the breeze with a friend or posting our stream of consciousness to social media – we are addressing the one, true, holy God. We sometimes forget that when we come into church – we are daring to walk into God’s presence. We’re not walking into a movie or a concert – we’re walking into a courtroom where we know that the verdict ought to be guilty as charged. When we come here we stand before God, and the only thing we bring to the table is our sins, and the first thing we do is openly and honestly confess how sinful, how unworthy we are to be here. It is an awesome and awful thing to come before the one, holy God. Throughout Bible history, people were shaken to the core when they witnessed the glory of God. The people of Israel shook with fear when God descended on Sinai with flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder (Exodus 19:16). Isaiah recognized that he deserved to be ruined because he was a man of unclean lips (Isaiah 6:5). Peter, James, and John fell on their faces when Jesus was transfigured before them (Matthew 17:6). Even the mob in the Garden of Gethsemane fell on their knees when Jesus told them who he was (John 18:6). When we come here to stand before God and then dare to call on him by name, it should be with all humility and sorrow, because we know our sins and how they have ruined our relationship with Him. May we never forget that on our own, we cannot pray to God or expect that he will hear us; we cannot even stand in his presence dressed as we are in the tattered rags of our own sinfulness (Isaiah 59:2).

That’s what makes the last verse of our text so important. Paul writes: there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all. We cannot come to God on our own, and – the good news is – we don’t have to. We come in Jesus’ name; at his invitation and with the guarantee of his mediation. We come dressed in the robes of holiness that Jesus earned for us by his perfect prayer life as our substitute. God answers when we knock because Jesus reestablished our line of communication with his Father by his death which served as the ransom price to free us from our sins – symbolized by the tearing of the curtain in the temple the moment he gave his last breath (Matthew 27:50-51). God hears our prayers because our risen and ascended Savior still stands before him as our mediator – pleading our case and pleading for mercy. Knowing that, knowing what it cost our Savior to give us access to God, will remove any reluctance or selfishness or arrogance or presumption from our prayer life. It will instill in us a sense of awe when we come before God and will cause us to overflow with praise and thanks for all that he has done.

So, what should be the priority when we gather for worship? The building, the music, the pastor, the length? Paul says: prayer. We should offer petitions and prayers and intercessions and thanksgiving for all people – because it is God’s will that all people be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. Pray for our nation’s leaders and government that they might either be converted or that their evil intentions may be thwarted so that we may live peaceful and Godly lives. Pray at all times and in all places to our Almighty God in heaven, confident that he has the power to do whatever you ask. Pray, because Jesus lived, died and rose to give you that privilege. It’s in his holy name we pray today and every day. Amen.  

Luke 10:38-42 - The Problem with Mary and Martha - July 17, 2022

At first glance, this seems like a somewhat cute, innocent, almost funny story. Who of us who has ever lived with someone else doesn’t know the frustration of busting your butt doing chores while someone else is just sitting there? But the Holy Spirit wouldn’t have inspired Luke to waste the ink (2 Timothy 3:16) to record this account if all it was only a quaint, cute story of everyday family life. This story teaches some very serious truths. This story of Mary and Martha is well-known. But that doesn’t mean that it’s well-understood. That’s because there’s a problem with Mary and Martha.

What’s the problem? The first problem is that we fail to grasp the magnitude of Martha’s sin. I mean, really, what’s the big deal? If Martha was busy trying to burn down the Roman Governor’s residence in protest of some decision she viewed as unjust; if she was busy disposing of the knife she had used to murder someone; if she was busy in the bedroom with someone else’s husband; if she was busy hiding a bounty she had stolen from her neighbor – that would get our attention; then we would see her sin as serious. But what is Martha busy doing? Well, working…and worrying. What most people would consider at least innocent if not praiseworthy. But if we view Martha’s work and worry that way – then we have a problem. Because Martha’s work and worry are symptomatic of major sins against the first three commandments.

Martha is guilty of breaking the first commandment – she is guilty of idolatry. How? Well, Luke tells us that Martha welcomed [Jesus] into her home and that she recognized him as her Lord, that is, as God. The gospels don’t explicitly report that Jesus (the Son of God) visited an individual’s home all that often. He visited Peter’s house (Matthew 8:14), Simon the Pharisee’s (Luke 7:36-50), Matthew’s (Matthew 9:9-13), Zacchaeus’ (Luke 19:1-10), and, notably, he visits Mary and Martha’s home three times (John 11; John 12:1-11). Each time, the host was very careful to take the time to listen to Jesus. The only exception is here. Even though Martha welcomed [Jesus] into her home…[she] was distracted with all her serving. Martha had a different god. What should we call this god? Maybe the god of “hospitality”? And if you’ve ever run into this false god, you know that he is very demanding. Bathrooms need cleaning; carpets need vacuuming; food needs cooking; beverages need cooling – on and on and on.

Now, you may think that it’s silly to call hospitality an idol, but God’s Word says that whatever is most important in your life at any given moment is your god (Matthew 6:24; Jeremiah 17:5; 1 John 2:15). What’s the most important thing in your life right now? I’m not suggesting that you might be worshipping Allah or Buddha in place of the one, true, triune God – I don’t think you’d be here if that were the case. Nor am I suggesting that some evil, wicked thing might be the most important thing (although, it certainly could be). No, I’m asking you to examine your heart to see if some good thing has taken the place of the one, most important thing in your life. It could be your spouse, your children, your job, your health, your wealth, your schedule, recreation, the economy, your security, politics, that problem at work or at home. Whatever is at the top of that list is your god. That’s what you worship with your fear, love and trust, not to mention your time, effort and finances. Again, in and of themselves, those are all good things – but they make for terrible gods. Her Lord and Savior had come into her home, but for Martha, he came in second place behind the god of hospitality. (Incidentally, this wasn’t a formal church service. This was more like Bible class. But Martha didn’t attend. She had other things to do that were more important. When you walk out of here, is there something more important than sitting at Jesus’ feet for another 20 minutes?)

Martha was an idolater, but she was also a blasphemer. Our Catechism defines blasphemy as “to speak of God in an evil or disrespectful way.” [1] Did Martha do that? Let’s go back to the scenario again. As Mary sits there passively listening to God’s Word, Martha is busy. She’s zooming in, out and around the place where Mary sits at Jesus’ feet. Now, every household has a something I’ll call a chore code. Do you know the chore code? It consists of a passive-aggressive manner of doing the chores when you’re trying to get someone else to help you It doesn’t matter what the chore is, sweeping, dish-washing, vacuuming – everything gets louder and more obnoxious as they try to grab your attention. Apparently Jesus wasn’t aware of the chore code, so he goes on teaching – and Mary goes on sitting and listening. Finally, Martha gets so fed up that she came over and said, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone?” Tell her to help me. How is this blasphemy? According to the 2nd Commandment, the Lord has given us his name to pray, praise and give thanks (Psalm 50:15). Martha has misused the name of the Lord by using it to try to manipulate him, to tell him what to do. That’s a serious sin. We can ask God for anything – but we must never, ever think that we can tell God what to do or when to do it.

Why don’t we take Martha’s sin more seriously? Why would we find this story more interesting if Martha was guilty of insurrection or murder or adultery or theft? It’s because our nature is to assess sins against the second table of the law (4-10) more seriously than sins against the first (1-3). Those are visible, tangible sins. They’re sins that other people might see or find out about. They’re sins that even our fallen world recognizes as wrong. But just because the world sees those sins as the worst doesn’t mean they are. The worst sins are those against the first 3 commandments – that’s why they’re first. Martha’s idolatry and her blasphemy ultimately led her to break the 3rd commandment – which could, arguably, be considered as her greatest sin. Why? Because when you don’t listen to or despise God’s Word you’re sinning against the only cure for sin (Matthew 12:30-32). Apart from the Word how could Martha be rescued from her idolatry and blasphemy? If you or I despise God’s Word, how can we be saved from our sins against all 10 Commandments?

Underestimating the magnitude of Martha’s sin is the first problem with Mary and Martha. But it’s not the only one. The contrast that runs throughout this account is between one and many; between one Lord and many distracting idols; between being upset about many things and content to receive the one thing needed. Far from being merely quaint, cute or irrelevant, doesn’t this story speak directly to our lives in 21st century America? We’re all always in a rush, always busy, always behind and always tired. The harder we work, the less seems to get done. There really are too many things to do and too little time to do them. The devices and apps that were supposed to make life easier only create further distractions and obligations.

Contrast the frantic chaos of our everyday lives to Mary. Mary clearly understood the good, gospel-oriented goal of the 3rd commandment. She heard the divine command to “Stop and listen!” when Jesus came through the door. She put everything down. For her, nothing was more important than Jesus. Compared to Jesus all the things demanding our worry and anxiety and sleeplessness and endless busyness are not needed. Life today calls you to be worried about so many things. By sitting at Jesus’ feet, Mary was confessing the reality that worrying, working, planning and speeding can’t make your life one minute longer, sweeter or richer (Luke 12:22-34). Isn’t that magnificent? We are free to ignore the threats and commands of the idols of busyness and worry. “If you don’t do this, you’re in trouble.” “You better get this done, or else.” When those threats and commands come, remember the magnificent Gospel promise: your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things…seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:32-33). Or, as Jesus put it: one thing is needed.

Jesus’ Gospel message stands in stark contrast to what is proclaimed in most churches today. While the gospel of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone may be implied and even referred to – too often the main focus is on us and what we are to do and give or how we are to behave. Have you ever heard a sermon that went like this: Law – you’re a sinner; Gospel – you’re forgiven; and now, get out there and do a. b. and c. Now that kind of sermon is not necessarily wrong – but when that’s what you’re hearing every week, what part gets the emphasis; what part sticks in your mind? When a church’s main message is that you must be doing more to help the poor, giving or volunteering more, that you should be doing more to fight racism or sexism or any other “ism” out there – then the magnificence of the Gospel of Christ crucified gets dulled and obscured. Whether it’s intentional or not, the message given is that you can trust in Jesus for your eternity, but until then, it’s up to you. You can rest in Jesus on the day you die, but not today. Here’s the thing: I know I’ll have plenty of time to rest from work and worry when I’m dead, but I really need some rest here and now, don’t you?

To give rest is why Jesus was at Mary and Martha’s house. And it’s why he promises to be here with us in this house as we gather in his name (Matthew 18:20). It’s why he gave us the third commandment, to remember the Sabbath Day by keeping it holy (Exodus 20:8-11). It’s all designed to keep our attention on the one thing…needed. Jesus is that one thing. And he’s come. The one who never had another god, never misused the name of God, never despised the Word of God and, therefore, never worried once; paid the price for Martha’s sins and for yours and mine too. Jesus was holy, but he was punished for Martha’s idolatry, your blasphemous prayers where you tried to tell God what to do, and my despising of the Word. Those sins against the first three commandments are serious. They deserve punishment in hell that never ends. And that’s exactly what Jesus suffered in our place on the cross. He suffered for each and every one of our sins against the first three commandments until he could say it is finished (John 19:30). And, unlike us, who will all die with much unfinished business – when Jesus finishes something, it’s really finished.

One thing is needed, Jesus says, and he’s present to give it to you here and now. Jesus has come and he continues to come to give peace and rest to frantic, weary, worried sinners like us through Word and Sacrament. His Baptism doesn’t quickly drain to empty like your gas tank does – the well of grace you have in Baptism will never run dry. His Absolution isn’t like those bills you paid last month – only to have them show up again this month – the debt of your sin has been paid once and for all (John 19:30). Supply-chain issues will never remove Jesus’ body and blood and the forgiveness and strength they provide from this altar and inflation will not make them too expensive to buy (Isaiah 55:1). These are the free gifts Jesus dispenses to you every time you listen to his loving 3rd Commandment which essentially says “Stop! Listen! And find your peace and rest not in your work but in mine!”

Only when we take the time to stop, listen and rest can we realize the magnificence of the good news in this account of Mary and Martha – good news for all sinful, idolatrous worriers. Jesus says that Mary has chosen that better part, which will not be taken away from her. Do you realize what that means? It means that all the distractions, all the “things” of this life, all the worry and anxiety will eventually be taken away. That’s the peace of heaven that every Sunday service, every family devotion and every personal meditation points us to. And when we take the time regularly, weekly and daily, to turn away from the many distractions and worries of this life to focus on the one thing needed – Jesus, his life, death and resurrection – then the problem with Mary and Martha (and us) disappears – and we can finally rest. Amen.  

[1] 2019 WELS Catechism, 375

Galatians 5:1, 13-25 - Stand Firm in Your Gospel Freedom - July 10, 2022

Have you ever noticed that many of life’s biggest milestones are marked by the achievement of some level of freedom? From getting your first bike or your driver’s license – which free you from relying on your parents for transportation; to moving out of the house – which frees you from the house rules; to paying off your home – which frees you from monthly mortgage payments; to retirement, which frees you from the demands of the workweek. At the same time, when you achieve these freedoms, does that mean that you are then free to do whatever you want? Hardly. (Just ask any of the retirees here.) In fact, with freedom often comes greater responsibility. Up to this point in his letter to the Galatians, Paul has argued adamantly that salvation comes by grace through faith alone not by works of the Law. Now, Paul addresses the criticism hurled against all who teach and confess salvation by grace through faith alone: “It’s dangerous to say that people don’t have to obey the Law to be saved – because if people realize they are freed from the demands of the Law then they will just go back to their sinful ways.” And, logically, this criticism seems to make sense, doesn’t it? If you’re free from the Law – totally free – then you’ll just go back to sinning, right? In the face of this criticism, Paul doesn’t waver from his original premise:

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not allow anyone to put the yoke of slavery on you again. Commentators are torn on whether this verse belongs with the section that precedes or follows. The chapter and verse numbers are not inspired, so there is room for argument. But at least one commentator suggests that this is a Janus verse. Janus was the Roman god of gates and doorways – he’s depicted as having two faces, one looking to the past and the other to the future. Before we look ahead to what it means to live as a liberated child of God, we must remember that we were slaves. Jesus said: Amen, Amen, I tell you: Everyone who keeps committing sin is a slave to sin (John 8:34). If we lie, lust, covet, hate, hurt or steal – we are slaves. Apart from Jesus we were enslaved by our sins because we can’t get rid of them, can’t remove them; apart from Jesus they control us, define us, and determine our eternity. Tragically, those who attempt to free themselves from their sins end up in an even worse form of slavery: slavery to the Law. Trying to overcome sin by trying to be a better spouse or parent or friend, by striving to be more honest and diligent and selfless is futile because try as hard as you might, you can’t do it. You can have the 10 commandments memorized and strive every day to keep them and you will wind up 6 feet under long before you actually do. As natural born sinners we can’t overcome sin nor can we keep the Law and so we were slaves to both – powerless to free ourselves.

But Christ has set us free. He set us free by virtue of his active and passive obedience. Actively, Jesus set us free from the Law by keeping it perfectly as our substitute – by lifting that burden off of our shoulders and crediting his obedience to us through Baptism (Galatians 3:27). And having kept the Law for us, Jesus turned toward Jerusalem and carried the burden of our sins to the cross, to passively absorb God’s wrath and sin’s punishment as our substitute. And, as of Good Friday, his work is completely, absolutely, finished (John 19:30). As a baptized believer you must stand firm in this message of freedom: you stand before God completely righteous, completely justified – free from the consequences of sin and the demands of the Law – through faith in Jesus. Don’t let anyone rob you of that freedom. Don’t let anyone tell you that you must do this or that, you must have this experience, you must be better to be saved. Don’t rob yourself of that freedom by turning back to your good works, your charity, your effort as your confidence for salvation – because if you do, you’re becoming a slave all over again. Instead, stand firm in the freedom Christ suffered, died and rose to give you. At the same time, this verse not only looks behind but it looks ahead. You are freed from sin and the Law but you are not free to use this liberty however you choose. In other words, the road of Christian freedom is narrow; and having warned us of the ditch on one side – the ditch of legalism; Paul now looks to keep us from slipping into the ditch on the other side.

Paul describes this ditch in detail: After all, brothers, you were called to freedom. Only do not use your freedom as a starting point for your sinful flesh…now the works of the sinful flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, complete lack of restraint, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, discord, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, orgies, and things similar to these I warn you, just as I also warned you before, that those who continue to do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. The ditch on the other side of the narrow road of Christian freedom is using that freedom as license to sin. Paul says that these works of the sinful flesh are obvious. Do you think so? I mean, they are clearly spelled out as sins in God’s Word. But is that the way they are regarded today? Half of American Christians polled in 2020 considered casual sex between consenting adults to be acceptable. [1] There are many Christians who secretly think that homosexuality is a defensible lifestyle, that living together outside of marriage or getting an easy “no-fault” divorce is ok because God just wants us to be happy. Then Paul mentions sins against the 1st commandment: idolatry and witchcraft. Whatever you fear, love and trust the most – that is your God. And as for hatred, discord, jealousy, selfish ambition – who of us can claim to be innocent? And Paul’s warning is clear: those who continue to use their Christian freedom as a license to sin will not inherit the kingdom of God.   

Because the freedom which Christ died to give us is not freedom to serve the sinful flesh but freedom of another kind: to serve one another through love. In fact, the whole law is summed up in this one statement: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” I know it sounds paradoxical, but the Greek literally says that we are freed to be slaves – slaves to one another. So, Paul spends 4 chapters arguing that we are free from the Law, only to tell us now that we are once again slaves to the Law? How does that work? We are free from the Law – as far as our relationship with God goes. Jesus has satisfied God in our place. But we still owe a debt of love to one another (Romans 13:8) and the Law still serves the crucial role of defining and guiding what love for others looks like (the third use of the Law). In other words, while we are freed from the Law as a means of salvation – of pleasing God – that frees us to serve one another through love.

What does this look like? Paul says: the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There are four things to note about this verse. First, Paul doesn’t use imperatives (commands) but indicatives to describe this life of freedom. He doesn’t say you shall do these things, he says you will do these things, naturally, inevitably. We don’t love others to become Christian or to remain Christian, we love others because we are Christians – because we know how God has loved and served us in Jesus! Second, note that in contrast to the visible works of the sinful flesh; the fruit of the Spirit consists of changed attitudes – because where the heart is changed, where the tree is made good, good fruit will inevitably follow. Third, these fruits are not the product of our hard work and effort, but the work of the Holy Spirit in us. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15 by the grace of God I am what I am (1 Corinthians 15:10). And, lastly, against such things there is no law. That’s a major understatement – but you get the point, right? No law in the world forbids or restricts these fruits – you are absolutely free to be as loving, joyful, patient, kind and self-controlled as you want.

But here’s the rub: if we are free to produce as much fruit of the Spirit as we want, why do we so often find ourselves serving our sinful flesh? The reality is that the sinful flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit, and the spirit what is contrary to the sinful flesh. In fact, these two continually oppose one another, so that you do not continue to do these things you want to do. The fiercest war raging in this world is not in Ukraine, it’s not being waged in any courtroom or legislative chamber, it’s one that will never make the headlines – it’s the war going on in the heart and mind of every Christian between the Old Adam and our New Self. Unlike the rest of the unbelieving world which remains completely enslaved to the sinful nature, we Christians are torn – so that [we] do not understand what [we] we are doing, because [we] do not keep doing what [we] want. Instead, [we] do what we hate (Romans 7:15). And this war will not end until God kills this flesh once and for all and takes us to heaven.

But just because the battle rages on within doesn’t mean the outcome of the war is uncertain, because those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful flesh with its passions and desires. No respectable Roman would ever cast crucifixion in a positive light. Crucifixion was such a brutal, gruesome and shameful form of execution that it was reserved only for non-citizens, slaves and those guilty of the very worst crimes. So why does Paul cast crucifixion in a positive light here? His point is that there is no reforming, no rehabilitating, no reasoning with the sinful flesh – the only thing to do with it is kill it without pity or mercy. That’s what the Holy Spirit did for you through Holy Baptism. He nailed that sinful flesh to the cross to die (Galatians 2:20). But one of the most horrible things about crucifixion is that death doesn’t come immediately. The sinful nature will claw and struggle to get down, to regain control of your life – and Satan will tempt you to pull the nails out yourself. The only solution is to return to baptism through repentance. When you hold out your sins to God and cling to Jesus in repentance then the nails are driven ever deeper – and the sinful flesh loses more control over you.

This life-long process will produce visible results: if we live by the spirit, let us also walk in step with it. These are military terms. He’s picturing a military parade where a disciplined squad of soldiers marches down the street in perfect lock-step with one another. This is what the Church looks like that is standing firm in Christian freedom. We walk in line with the Spirit and with each other, not out of fear or guilt or obligation, but because we have been set free by Christ to serve one another. Yes, we will continue to stumble and fall along the way – but, freed by Christ from our sins of the past frees us to look forward in service to others – and that’s what it means to stand firm in your Gospel freedom.

Martin Luther summarized these verses beautifully when he wrote: “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” [2] You are free; free from sin and the Law; you are free to serve others in love. Stand firm in that freedom because that’s the freedom Jesus died to give you. Amen.  

[1] https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/08/31/half-of-u-s-christians-say-casual-sex-between-consenting-adults-is-sometimes-or-always-acceptable/

[2] AE 31:344

Ezekiel 2:1-5 - A Different Kind of Vocation - July 3, 2022

It’s something you probably don’t think about too often as you go about your life. It’s something that you may have never really considered at all. But it’s something that every single one of us in this room (and in this world) have in common (Acts 17:26). Every single one of us has a vocation. (Vocation is a fancy word for the place to which God has called us in this life.) For example, being a child or parent, a man or woman, a husband or wife, an employer or employee are all vocations. And yet, even though God has given each of us a unique calling in this life, there is one vocation that is particularly unique. One which is not given to everyone and yet does have application for every Christian. As we consider a portion of the LORD’s call to Ezekiel to be his prophet this morning, we will see that the Gospel ministry is a different kind of vocation.

The first difference has to do with the origination. Most earthly vocations are chosen or applied for – they originate in you: you choose a career path, to get married, to have a child, etc. However, if you read through Ezekiel 1-3, there is no evidence that Ezekiel was seeking or had applied for the job of prophet. Ezekiel’s call did not originate in him but in the LORD who appeared to him on the shore of the Kebar Canal while he and many of his fellow Israelites were in exile in Babylon. The LORD appeared to Ezekiel in a glorious vision of his majesty which forced Ezekiel to fall flat on his face in fear (Ezekiel 1:28). Immediate destruction was what Ezekiel knew he deserved for his sin, but God gave him the opposite of what he deserved: Son of man, stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you. The Spirit entered into me as he spoke to me and brought me up to my feet. Then I heard him speaking to me. Clearly, Ezekiel’s call into the ministry originated in God and his grace and was delivered through his spoken Word.

Now, I’ve never been to the Kebar Canal and the LORD has never appeared to me or to any other WELS pastor in a majestic vision of glory (that I’m aware of). But any and all of you who have ever participated in the Call process (specifically the WELS process of assigning and moving pastors from church to church) know that the Call to a particular congregation does NOT originate in the pastor – it originates in God (every Call meeting begins with prayer and petition) and is mediated through you, the members of the congregation. This is comforting for both pastor and people. The pastor can be absolutely sure that this Call has come from God and the people can be absolutely sure that the pastor has not appointed himself but is sent from God.

And yet, while the Divine Call is clearly unique in many ways, the same is true for every Christian – no matter your vocation. Whether you were baptized as an infant or an adult – the sacrament which initiated you into the Christian faith didn’t originate with you – it was instituted by our Lord 2000 years ago as the instrument through which he promised to gather disciples from all nations (Matthew 28:19). Regardless of how you remember or feel you came to believe in Jesus, Jesus himself says definitively: you did not choose me, but I chose you (John 15:16). I don’t say this to be condescending but first of all because it’s true – faith is a gift of God, not the result of human effort (Ephesians 2:8-9); and then second, to comfort you with the knowledge that the Lord was thinking of you, wanting to save you, even when you couldn’t or wouldn’t or didn’t want to think about him – and the fact that you believe today is evidence of that (Ephesians 1:4).

The second difference has to do with the audience. While every vocation has its difficult people that we’d rather not serve, most vocations generally involve willing participants. Whether you’re a nurse, a salesperson or a mechanic, you’re generally dealing with people who want your help. Consider Ezekiel’s call: Son of man, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to disloyal nations, who have been disloyal to me. They and their fathers have rebelled against me to this very day. These children of mine are brazen-faced and hard-hearted. By way of contrast, in chapter 3, the LORD tells Ezekiel that if he were sending him as a missionary to a foreign people, they would listen (Ezekiel 3:5-6). But Ezekiel was called to preach to God’s chosen people – a people who seemed to have rebellion embedded in their DNA. They had rebelled and been unfaithful over and over and over – to this very day. What makes this even more tragic is that they had tasted and seen that the LORD is good (Psalm 34:8) in the Promised Land – and yet still rebelled and rejected him. They were stubbornly defiant of the LORD who had graciously chosen to save them. They were an audience which the Lord told Ezekiel beforehand would not receive or believe his message.  

I’ll let you in on a little “pastoral” secret: the LORD has revealed something to me about you that you either may not know or may choose to suppress or ignore: You are a sinner. You have been sinful from the moment of your conception (Psalm 51:5). You – like me – are incapable of not sinning (Romans 7:14-25). While I don’t think any one of us would put “rebellious,” “disloyal,” “brazen-faced,” or “hard-hearted” in our social media descriptions, that’s precisely how Scripture describes us (Romans 3:9-18). Even after our conversion, who of us doesn’t have to confess with Paul: what a miserable wretch I am (Romans 7:24)? The LORD knows this. Others around us know this. But we often try our best to ignore this fact. That’s why the LORD calls his ministers to preach the Law in all of its wrath and fury faithfully and regularly – yes, even (and especially) to “good” Christians. The hard truth is that you and I are natural born sinners and will remain so until the LORD buries this flesh in the ground and takes us to heaven.

According to God’s Word, I know this about you. But you are also know this about the people the LORD has placed in your life. No matter who you’re dealing with, you’re dealing with a sinner. Parents, don’t be surprised when your children rise up in rebellion against you – they are only being what you made them: original sinners. Children, don’t be surprised when your parents lose their tempers – that’s their nature as sinners. It doesn’t matter how wonderful your spouse seemed while you were dating, never forget that you willingly married a sinner. No matter your occupation, never forget that your customers, clients, coworkers and employers are all natural born sinners. And, while this comes as no surprise to those of you who know me, I, your pastor, am a sinner. And what do sinners do? The point is that whether you’re a pastor, parent, child or church member, you can fully expect that the people you’re dealing with are a rebellious, disloyal and hard-hearted people – people who by nature are opposed to God and his will. That’s the audience.

Now that we’ve ripped the ugly scab of original sin off, we can turn to the third difference: the message. I am sending you to them, and you are to tell them that this is what the LORD God says. As unappealing as Ezekiel’s call may have seemed – at least he could find peace in the fact his message would not be his own. And yet, the LORD’s message through Ezekiel to the people of Israel was not exactly what anyone would consider to be “good news.” The Babylonians had attacked Jerusalem and carried Israelites off into exile several times before the final destruction of the city in 587/586 BC. Ezekiel had been carried off in one of those earlier attacks. The LORD commanded Ezekiel to tell the people that they should not hold out hope for Jerusalem, that things would get worse before they would get better, that the people remaining in Jerusalem would starve (Ezekiel 4:17), that the land would be devastated and her people would be brutally and savagely killed (Ezekiel 5:17); that terror is coming. They will seek peace, but there will be none (Ezekiel 7:25); and that the Temple of the Lord will be desecrated (Ezekiel 8). This message that the people wouldn’t want to hear was precisely the message the LORD wanted them to hear through Ezekiel.

You probably didn’t wake up this morning hoping to be reminded of the original sin that you inherited from your parents. You probably didn’t expect to be called out as rebellious, disloyal and hard-hearted in public. Many in our world would consider such preaching to be repugnant and offensive. They would call me arrogant and bigoted. In fact, many pastors would never lay down the law in such a blunt fashion out of fear of offending his listeners. But here’s the thing: like Ezekiel, the LORD has not called me to preach my own ideas or a message that tells people what they want to hear, the LORD has called me and every other Gospel minister to preach only what the LORD God says – no more and no less (Revelation 22:18-19). While the dual truths that we are damned sinners who are saved only by the grace of God in Christ doesn’t seem to scratch itching ears (2 Timothy 4:3) – it is what the LORD God says. The fact that the message is not my own gives me comfort and confidence and it should for you too.

And the same is true of you who have been called into his kingdom of priests. No matter your vocation, the LORD does not expect you to come up with your own ideas, to tailor the message to your audience, to adjust your words based on your feelings – he expects you only to declare “what the LORD God says.” In other words, don’t talk about yourself or your faith; talk about God. And there is probably no simpler summary of who God is than what is found in what we refer to as the Conclusion to the 10 Commandments, found in Exodus 20:5-6: I the LORD your God am a jealous God. I follow up on the guilt of the fathers with their children, their grandchildren, and their great-grandchildren, if they also hate me. But I show mercy to thousands who love me and keep my commandments. Whether you’re a pastor, a parent, a friend or an employee, the call is the same: declare only what the LORD God says.

The final difference involves the measure of success. The world measures success in purely external terms: grades, income, likes, retweets, job titles, etc. How are we to measure the success of the Gospel ministry? One of the more common questions I hear when someone learns that I am a pastor is: “Is your church growing (meaning numerically)?” Ezekiel likely would have been tempted to judge the success of his ministry based on how many Israelites listened to and believed his message, but the LORD simply wouldn’t allow it. He told Ezekiel whether they listen or do not listen – for they are a rebellious house – then they will know that a prophet has been among them. There are two key points here: 1) first, when what Ezekiel proclaimed to the people came to pass – namely, the complete destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple – then the people would know beyond all doubt that he was a prophet of the Lord. And, second, 2) until then, Ezekiel was called not to measure his success by the response of the people, but by his faithfulness to God’s Word.

When someone asks me if Risen Savior is growing, do you know how I respond? I say, “Yes, every week we are proclaiming the Word of God and administering the Sacraments and God has promised that wherever his Word is proclaimed, it will achieve the results he desires (Isaiah 55:10-11).” The world measures success in visible, numerical terms – but not the LORD! Success in his Church is measured by faithfulness to his Word. When we baptize infants and adults, teach and catechize, preach and absolve, distribute and eat and drink according to God’s Word – then this little corner of God’s Kingdom is growing, whether it can be measured numerically or not. Faithfulness to his Word is what God demanded of Ezekiel, what he demands of all Christians, and what you should demand of me.

So where is Jesus in all of this? Everywhere! His vocation was and is the most unique and important of all! Where did Jesus’ vocation originate? His Father sent him to be the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14). Who was Jesus’ audience? To a world that preferred the darkness of unbelief over the light of the Gospel (John 1:9-12). What message did he proclaim? Not his own, but only what his Father commanded him to speak (John 12:48-50). Was he successful? Well, he got himself hung on a cross. Does that count as success? Yes! For those of us the LORD has called to faith through the means of grace, Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection are the only measure of success that matters – because through him we have been forgiven for all the times we’ve failed to faithfully carry out our vocations and can be certain that when this life ends the LORD will call us straight to eternal life with him in heaven.

How do you measure success in your life? How do you measure the success of a pastor or our success as a congregation? This morning God redefines success and replaces our standards and measures with his. The Gospel ministry is different not only in regard to the origination, audience, message and measure – but most importantly, in the fact that our ultimate success – our salvation – doesn’t depend on us, but on the fact that Jesus carried out his calling, his vocation as the Savior of sinners perfectly. Amen.

Numbers 6:22-27 - The Trinity's Blessing Leaves You Lacking Nothing - June 12, 2022

There are certain occasions in each of our lives when we speak and we must – more than usual – mean what we say. When you were confirmed, you vowed before God and man to “reject the devil along with all his lies and empty promises” and “to continue steadfast in this teaching and to endure all things, even death, rather than fall away from it.” If you are married, you again stood before God and man and promised “to be faithful [to your spouse] as long as [you] both shall live.” If you’ve ever been asked to testify in court, you swore to “tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.” There are certain moments in life when we want everyone to know that we really mean what we are saying. There’s a problem though. Whenever we, as sinful humans, make a promise or take an oath or swear to tell the truth; whenever we speak – there’s always something lacking. Raise your hand if you’ve never doubted or wavered in your faith since you vowed to endure all things for the sake of Christ. Raise your hand if you’ve never been unfaithful to your spouse in thought, word or deed. Raise your hand if you believe you can ever really know the WHOLE truth. No matter how sincere we are when we speak, we are always lacking; lacking in commitment, determination or knowledge. In the end, our words are always lacking because we are fickle, sinful human beings. But the triune God is neither fickle nor sinful. When he speaks he always has the power to do what he says. And when God blesses you, he leaves you lacking nothing.  

I.                    The Father’s Providence

The words before us this morning are very familiar. In the course of the church year, you will hear these words dozens of times; with the result many of you have heard them hundreds of times, and a few of you thousands of times. There’s a danger in this familiarity though, isn’t there? The danger is that we might start to believe that these are just words; just words that mark the end of church; just words intended to give us a warm, fuzzy feeling as we leave God’s house. The law for today is this: if you have ever taken these words for granted or have found your mind wandering as these words are spoken or have left with this blessing but then allowed the worries and troubles of life cause you to forget them: repent. Repent for treating the blessing of the triune God as just empty words. Repent for failing to recognize that these words are God’s promise to you, his guarantee, his contract that he signs with his own name. Repent and be forgiven so that you may always treasure this incredible gift the triune God gives you as you leave his house.

These aren’t just words. God first gave these words to Moses and Aaron around 1500 BC as Israel was preparing to set out from Mt. Sinai for the Promised Land. At God’s command, Aaron and his sons were to speak this blessing over Israel every morning and every evening. For more than 3500 years God’s servants have placed his name on his children by repeating these words. Even though I’ve spoken these words countless times, I was reminded of something interesting as I was studying them this past week: these words allude to and spell out the work of each person of the Trinity. Not just in the threefold repetition of the name LORD, but in the particular blessings each part contains. The Israelites could not have seen this clearly, they were still looking forward to the fuller revelation of God in the person of the Messiah – but as NT Christians who have the fuller revelation of God in Jesus, we can see clearly how this blessing reveals what God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have each done and are doing for our salvation.  

The LORD bless you and keep you. In Hebrew the word “bless” means to bestow – to actually give – someone something. It’s more than a wish; it’s God the Father’s promise to act. We see an example of this in Genesis 1:28 where God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” God blessed Adam and Eve – and what happened? They were fruitful – today their descendants cover the earth (almost 8 billion of them!). They ruled over creation – and today we have more food than we can eat. The point is this. When God speaks, it’s not an empty wish. His Word carries the power to do what he says. Maybe this becomes even clearer when you consider the opposite: God’s curse. In Genesis 3, God cursed the ground – and even now our gardens are filled with thorns and thistles (Genesis 3:17-19). In Genesis 19, God cursed Sodom and Gomorrah and all that remains of them is scorched earth (Genesis 19). When God speaks, things happen. When God blesses you, he is promising to provide everything you need for life – your body, your talents, your abilities, your health, your home and job and family are the result of this blessing. But the Father doesn’t only provide for you, his promise to keep you means that he will watch over you every day of your life. Everything you are and have, your past, present, and future are in your Father’s hands – and he promises to use every moment of it – the good and the bad, the joy and the sorrow, life and death – for your eternal good (Romans 8:28). God’s blessing leaves you lacking nothing and the Father’s special work is that he will provide for you and protect you. We call this his gracious, undeserved providence. Let us thank the Father for his providence by confessing our faith…

II.                  The Son’s Grace

I’m willing to bet that among the many communications you receive every week are at least a few requests for a donation of time or money. When you receive those requests, see that there are people in need and decide to help them without asking for or expecting anything in return – that’s called charity. That thought of helping someone in need comes out in part two of the Aaronic blessing. The LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you. The first question is: God has a face? I thought he was a spirit (John 4:24)? This is called an anthropomorphism – that is, applying a human attribute to God. When you turn your face toward someone or something, you are giving it your attention. And that’s the point here. Even though our sins have separated us from God and prevent us from coming into his presence (Isaiah 59:2) he turns his attention to us. His gracious attention. When you hear the word grace you probably think of the classic confirmation definition: undeserved love. But the Hebrew uses a different word meaning “to grant a favor” or “help someone in need” [1] - much like you do when you give to charity.

How did the LORD most clearly demonstrate that we have his attention and help in our need? Here’s one place the classic Sunday school answer is the right answer: Jesus! We needed something and he provided it. We needed a perfect life to cover our absolutely imperfect lives; we needed the forgiveness of sins; we needed someone to save us from the fire of hell. We needed help, and Jesus was the only one who could give us what we need. When the virgin Mary conceived and gave birth to a baby boy long ago in Bethlehem (Luke 2:6-7), God made his face shine on the world. As that baby boy grew and learned and taught and healed and lived and loved –Jesus was weaving together the robe of perfect righteousness that covers all our unrighteousness. And when that grown man climbed Calvary and surrendered himself to the worst punishment that God and man could dish out, the Son of God paid the price for our sins with his blood. We were in need, we are still in need, and so as we leave God’s house we are assured that Jesus came and lived and died and rose again as proof of God’s attention and grace.

Too often when people think about receiving blessings from God they are only thinking of earthly, material blessings – in other words, our prayers tend to focus on 1st Article blessings. But when you set the first two parts of this blessing side-by-side, an interesting thing happens: you realize that the Father’s material blessings would be worthless apart from the spiritual blessings Jesus won for us. A job, a career, a steady income is a wonderful blessing, but no amount of work can earn the righteousness God demands from us. Only Jesus can. Jesus provided for our lack of righteousness by living a flawless life under God’s law as our substitute. A roof over our heads is a wonderful blessing; but it cannot shelter us from God’s wrath over our sin. Only Jesus can. Because Jesus drank the cup of God’s wrath on the cross his blood shelters us from God’s judgment. It’s certainly a blessing to live in a country where we can speak and worship freely, but neither the constitution nor the judiciary can free us from death’s prison. Only Jesus can. Jesus robbed death of its sting when he burst out of his three-day prison and rose from the dead. When God blesses you, he leaves you lacking nothing; and the unique work of the Son is to give you his undivided and undeserved attention and grace that frees us from the eternal consequences of our sin. Let us thank him for his grace by confessing our faith…

III.                The Spirit’s Peace

You know how whenever there’s a mass shooting or a natural disaster or a political scandal, people always act shocked and surprised – as if these things have never happened in our world? It’s almost as if people assume that peace is the normal status quo in this world. You don’t have to be a history major to recognize that this is not the case. Peace is not the norm; war, violence, corruption, terror is. If we have a moment peace in our lives, we should never take it for granted, because it is a rare and precious gift.

Given the way that many people seem to coast through life without ever giving a thought to God or repentance or forgiveness or judgment or eternity – you might get the impression that we are simply born into a peaceful relationship with God. On balance, this is a far more dangerous mistake. Peace is not our natural relationship to God; by nature we are God’s enemies who are in open rebellion against him and his Word (Romans 8:7-8). That’s why it’s so remarkable that in the third part of his blessing, God promises us the opposite of what we deserve: the LORD look on you with favor and give you peace. Our world has a warped understanding of peace. To the world, peace is having enough money in the bank to pay the bills; peace is having a family that always gets along; peace is the absence of crime and war; peace is looking on the outside the way you feel on the inside. The dirty little secret is that you can have all those things – and still not have peace. True peace, the peace that Jesus died to win for you is the peace of forgiveness, the peace of a clean conscience and a heart free from guilt, the peace of knowing that this fallen world is not your real home – in short, true peace is peace with God.

Jesus created true peace between you and God once and for all when he died and rose, but because you can’t go to the cross or the tomb to pick up this gift, they must be delivered. The Holy Spirit is the delivery man. He first delivered this peace to you when you were baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. On that day, the Holy Spirit transformed you from God’s enemy into God’s child. As Paul writes in Galatians: you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Indeed, as many of you as were baptized into Christ have been clothed with Christ…And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants and heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:26-29). But the Holy Spirit’s work didn’t end there at the baptismal font. Daily and weekly the Spirit delivers God’s peace to you – in the words of absolution, in the body and blood of Jesus you receive in the Sacrament, in your own personal meditation on the Word of God – wherever and whenever the message of forgiveness in Christ is taught or offered or read, the Holy Spirit is delivering God’s peace to you – even (and especially) when your life is anything but peaceful. God’s blessing leaves you lacking nothing; and the Spirit’s special work is to deliver true peace; God’s peace, the peace Jesus earned, to you through simple human servants and the simple means of grace – the Gospel in Word and sacrament.

How can we respond to our God’s blessing of providence, grace, and peace? Before we close with Luther’s explanation of the third article I want you to take something to heart. How do we respond to the Aaronic blessing of our Triune God? With “amen,” a Hebrew word meaning “Yes, it shall be so.” Every Sunday, and every day for that matter, God promises to give you everything, leaving you lacking nothing, and what does he want in return? Only faith that believes and receives his promises. So whenever you hear this blessing, know that they’re not just words; they are the Holy Trinity’s oath to give you everything you need, so that you can sing and speak and live with the conviction that: “Yes, it shall be so.” Amen.

[1] Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, p 302

John 14:23-27 - Preparation for Separation - June 5, 2022

Preparation for separation. Is that how those of us with children think of parenting? Probably not. Being permanently separated from your children is not a pleasant thought. But it’s true nonetheless, isn’t it? Why do we teach our children how to read and write and add and subtract and balance a budget and, in general, deal with life in this world? In the end, because we’re preparing them for the day when we won’t be here to lead and guide and advise and care for them. And this isn’t only true of parents. This is true for all of us who are committed to sharing the saving Gospel with a world in desperate need of it. Why do we spend so much time and effort and money teaching the Gospel to the next generation and training pastors and teachers? Because the day will come when we won’t be around to do it; when preaching and teaching will be their job. We are preparing them for when we will be separated from them.

That’s what Jesus was doing in the upper room on Maundy Thursday. He was preparing his disciples for life after his crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension; preparing them for a new reality (the only reality we know): life without his physical, visible presence. Here’s the context: he’s just told them that he’s going away (John 13:33). And the disciples are shaken to the core. They’re troubled and confused. They’re full of questions. Peter wants to know why he can’t follow Jesus (John 13:37). Thomas asks Lord, we don’t know where you are going…so how can we know the way? (John 14:5) Judas, not the betrayer, asks Lord, what has happened that you are going to show yourself to us and not to the world? (John 14:22) In answering these questions, Jesus prepares his disciples and us for life separated from his visible presence.

As the first step in this preparation Jesus brings up the dreaded “d-word.” The word that many find to be dirty and divisive today. That word? Doctrine. If anyone loves me, he will hold on to my word…the one who does not love me does not hold on to my words. Why is Jesus’ teaching, his word, his doctrine, so important – to the extent that a person’s relationship to his word indicates either faith or unbelief? Because the word that you are hearing is not mine, but it is from the Father who sent me. And not only that, but the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of everything I told you.

Why was Jesus so adamant that his disciples hold onto his word when he was gone? Well, while Jesus was with them, he was their source of comfort and counsel; he revealed God to them. When some horrible tragedy happened in the news (Luke 13:1-5) Jesus interpreted its meaning for them. When the disciples were paralyzed with fear on the storm-tossed Sea of Galilee (Matthew 8:25), unable to understand his parables (Matthew 13:36), or worried about their daily needs (Matthew 6:25-34), Jesus personally counseled them. But now Jesus was returning to heaven. Troubling things would continue to happen. There would be tragedies, disasters, illnesses and deaths – and they would wonder what God thought about these things. Jesus here promises that they would never have to wonder what God is thinking because he would send the Holy Spirit to comfort and counsel them in his absence.

In the midst of problems, tragedies, sickness, when you don’t know what to think or where to turn for help, the Holy Spirit still brings Jesus’ comforting words to mind. Words like: come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28); seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33); surely I am with you always until the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). We know these words. But the devil is always right there. He wants you to believe that Jesus’ words are insufficient; that Jesus’ words are “ok” but for real comfort you need to know what the Father thinks. He wants you to ask “did God really say?”; to doubt and dismiss the simple, clear, black and white words of Scripture and try to reach into heaven, into God’s unapproachable light (1 Timothy 6:16) to find out what he has to say, how he feels about you, what his plans are for you. This is why so many people are so drawn to preachers who claim a special connection to God, to books that claim to contain brand-new revelations, to searching for God in their hearts instead of their Bibles.

But what does Jesus say? How does he prepare us to deal with the temptation to separate God from his Word? He says, unequivocally, that his words are the Father’s words. Have you ever heard someone say that “God works in mysterious ways”? Did you know that that phrase is not in the Bible? Certainly, the Bible reveals that God’s ways and thoughts are far above our ways and thoughts (Isaiah 55:11) and it is true that God is hidden from our sight (Isaiah 45:15) – but the good news is that God has revealed himself, his heart, his mind, his thoughts, his will to us. Where? In Jesus! Jesus says the one who has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9). God’s ways are only dark and mysterious if you ignore or disregard Jesus. So instead of speculating, feeling or trying to reason out what God is doing or thinking, bind yourself to Jesus’ words – because that’s exactly what the Father has done.

This truth is so important that it demands further examination. We’ve all heard of people who believe that God has spoken to them in some sort of dream or sign. Maybe you’ve wondered yourself: “What about my dream, my feeling, that coincidence in my life? Is that the Holy Spirit? If I don’t listen am I disobeying God?” Talk to anyone who has lived this way. This sort of thinking is downright demonic and leads to a fear-filled and anxious life. “If I don’t follow this hunch, this vision, this vague feeling I might miss out on God’s perfect plan for my life; or even worse, something awful might happen to me or someone I love!” That’s no way to live.

The best antidote for this sort of tortured existence is the sola Scriptura of biblical, confessional Lutheranism which forcefully declares: “We must firmly hold that God grants His Spirit or grace to no one except through or with the preceding outward Word (Galatians 3:2,5). This protects us from the enthusiasts (i.e., souls who boast that they have the Spirit without and before the Word)…Therefore, we must constantly maintain this point: God does not want to deal with us in any other way than through the spoken Word and the Sacraments. Whatever is praised as from the Spirit – without the Word and Sacraments – is the devil himself.” [1] You don’t have to search your feelings, the strange coincidences of life, or your dreams for God. In fact, you absolutely should not – because as Paul told the Galatians: if anyone preaches to you any gospel other than the one you received – a curse on him! (Galatians 1:9)

Isn’t that arrogant on our part, though? How can we be so dismissive of dreams and feelings and visionary preachers when so many Christians believe that’s how God works? How can we be sure that we aren’t the ones missing the Holy Spirit? Because of how Jesus describes the Holy Spirit and his work. Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the Counselor. (Literally “paraclete” – “one who stands beside.”) This word can also be translated “comforter.” The Holy Spirit wouldn’t be very good at his job if he communicates in ways that can be interpreted a thousand different ways. That dream, that feeling, that urge may just be the result of a fever, the consequence of a spicy Mexican meal, a side-effect of some medication, or even the devil himself – and how would you ever know the difference? Where is the comfort in that kind of uncertainty? It’s like letting a fortune cookie determine your future. (Not to mention that much of what people claim to “hear” from the Spirit is contrary to Scripture!)

So what do you say to the person who says “God spoke to me…”? Tell them what Jesus said: the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things. And what will he teach? Jesus says that he will remind you of everything I told you. The only time we can be sure it is the Holy Spirit speaking (and not a demonic imposter) is when he is leading us to remember and consider the definite, clear things Jesus said while he was on earth. Things like unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3:5) (Baptism); whenever you forgive people’s sins, they are forgiven. Whenever you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven (John 20:23) (Absolution); take, eat, this is my body…drink from it all of you, for this is my blood of the new testament, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:26-28) (Holy Communion). Jesus didn’t ascend into heaven to leave you mystified, struggling to decipher what God’s will for your life is. And so he promises to send the Spirit, the Counselor, to teach and counsel you with his own words.

The Spirit’s work leads directly to the second step in Jesus’ preparation for separation: his gift of peace. The peace Jesus gives is not of this world. The world equates “peace” to having what you want: money, family, health, home, security, etc. But we all know people who have all these things and yet still lack peace (for example: do Johnny Depp and Amber Heard – two of the richest and most famous people in the world – seem to be “at peace”?). And that’s good news for us – because that means that you could lack any or all of those things, you could be struggling financially, be laid off from your job, be sick or even near death and still have peace. The peace Jesus leaves is peace between God and sinners. Sin is our real problem, the reason we don’t have peace in our hearts and lives. Our sinfulness made us God’s enemies (Romans 8:7). Our sins separate us from him (Isaiah 59:2). But Jesus lived a perfect life in our place and died an atoning death to pay for our sins, to remove them from our record. By doing what God demanded and absorbing his wrath, Jesus has ended the war between heaven and earth; has restored peace between sinners like us and God (Romans 5:1).

If you’ve ever had someone mad at you – especially someone who has power over you – you know what this means. As long as they’re mad you’re looking over your shoulder, avoiding their presence, wondering and worrying if and when the other shoe will drop. That’s how many people view God. They believe that he’s angry, he’s bitter, he’s just looking for an excuse to crush them. By his crucifixion, resurrection and ascension Jesus guarantees that God is not angry anymore, he’s not looking to damn us – because Jesus was damned in our place. Because of Jesus you are in a right relationship with God right now; you stand justified and holy in his presence through faith. That’s the peace no one but Jesus can give and that no one and no circumstance of life can take from you.

That’s why Jesus says do not let your heart be troubled, and do not let it be afraid. It’s not a suggestion; it’s a command. Why do you think Jesus had to command us not to be troubled and afraid? Because we’re so slow to believe that he meant it when he said it is finished (John 19:30). Because Jesus knows that we still tend to picture an angry, mysterious, threatening God standing behind every medical issue, family problem and economic crisis; that we tend to be troubled because we still think the Gospel is too good to be true, that there’s no way God could ever forgive us for what we’ve done; or, we still imagine that there’s something we must do to earn a ticket to heaven. When we forget Jesus’ words and work we are robbed of peace. Thankfully Jesus sends the Holy Spirit in Word and Sacrament to remind us that because Jesus suffered, died and rose again we have peace with God.

Day after day and week after week the devil, the world and your own sinful nature will work together to give you a fearful and troubled heart. They will make you anxious that you are separated from Jesus. The good news is that God is greater than our hearts (1 John 3:20). And today Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit to remind you of his comforting words: peace I leave with you. My peace I give you…Do not let your heart be troubled, and do not let it be afraid. Amen.  

[1] SA VIII: 3, 10

Luke 24:44-53 - Where Can We Find the Ascended Lord? - May 29, 2022

There is one particular situation in life that has the ability to change people in an instant. It has the potential to make peaceful, upstanding citizens behave like raving lunatics. It can make even the most laid-back among us do things we wouldn’t normally do. It affects young and old, men and women, black and white, republican and democrat, rich and poor. What’s the situation? Losing something. The adorable sleeping baby loses her pacifier and suddenly turns into a midnight terror. The child who can’t find the last piece to his puzzle or Lego creation turns into an insufferable monster. The pleasant young lady loses her engagement ring and is transformed into a sobbing, inconsolable wreck. The employee who misplaces his car keys will tear apart the house frantically looking for them. Losing things flips a switch in our brains that changes us into completely different people. It makes us panicked, sad, angry, hysterical, frantic – and a whole list of other emotions. Losing things changes people.

On that first Easter evening, the disciples thought they had lost something. Something precious; something that couldn’t be replaced; something they couldn’t live without – they thought they had lost Jesus. They thought the Jewish leaders had succeeded in killing their friend, their teacher, their Savior. And they were right. Jesus did die on Good Friday and his body was sealed in a cold, dark tomb. But that wasn’t the end of the story. Dead Jesus didn’t stay dead. Lost Jesus didn’t stay lost. But even when the risen Lord appeared to his disciples that night, Luke tells us that they were frightened and thought they were seeing a ghost (Luke 24:37). Losing their friend had changed them; they had forgotten Jesus’ promise to rise from the dead after three days (Luke 18:31-33); they were panicked and frightened, worst of all – their faith was shaken. Jesus saw their terrified expressions and sympathized with their panicked hearts. And then he did something about it – he reminded them that he wasn’t lost and he showed them where they could find him. 

The first place Jesus directed them to look was back. These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms. Every word, every comma and period, every story and detail of Scripture was given by God to his inspired writers for one purpose – to point sinners to their Savior (John 5:39). With laser-like precision, God predicted the most important events in the life of his Son hundreds of years before they happened. Already in Genesis 3 God promised that Jesus’ death would bring about Satan’s destruction: he will crush your head and you will crush his heel (Genesis 3:15). In Psalm 22, David put on paper the words that Jesus would speak from the depths of hell: my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Psalm 22:1) And thousands of years before Jesus died Job knew what would happen three days later: I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the end of time he will stand over the dust (Job 19:25). It was all there in black and white: Jesus lives, Jesus dies, Jesus rises victorious. 

The disciples should have known that their Savior wasn’t lost – because Scripture said so. But they didn’t. They didn’t understand that their Savior had to die so they could live. And what’s worse – they couldn’t understand, they couldn’t find Jesus in the Old Testament on their own…and neither can we. That’s because every human is born with the terrible disease of spiritual blindness (1 Corinthians 1:18-19). We are blind to the eternal consequences of our sin and to the saving message of the Gospel. But that was something Jesus wouldn’t stand for, so he did something about that, too: he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 

Without that gift, we would see the Bible like so many still do; as an irrelevant and outdated book of myths and fairytales. But Jesus has opened our eyes to see, he has enlightened our minds to understand, and opened our ears to hear the repentance and forgiveness of sins [that] will be preached in his name to all nations. Repentance and forgiveness. Those are the dual operations God performs on us to cure our spiritual blindness. He stands us in front of the mirror of his law to see the sin that stains us (Romans 3:20). He shows us that on our own we are the ones who are lost. That image we see in the law’s mirror is not pretty; when we see our sins; when we see how we lack even a hint of the perfection God demands, we lose it, we panic. It’s a picture that leaves us no choice but to turn to God with empty hands, confess our sins, and beg for his mercy. That’s repentance. That’s the change of mind and heart God performs in us. But then the image in the mirror immediately changes. We no longer see our ugly, sinful selves looking back – no, we see Jesus’ smiling, merciful face; we see the nail-pierced hands and feet that endured suffering and death to wash away our sins. That’s forgiveness. That’s the good news that although we were lost, Jesus found us and saved us. That’s the message Jesus has opened our minds to understand and believe. That’s the Savior we still find in the pages of his Word.

But promises and prophecies are empty without fulfillment, and (like a tree falling in the forest) fulfillment is useless if no one is there to witness it. We were lost and would still be lost if Jesus couldn’t verify that he was the promised Messiah. But he did – as he reminds his disciples: you are witnesses of these things. “You’ve seen my miracles and heard my sermons and witnessed my resurrection. So be what I’ve made you: witnesses of my words and works.” What does a witness do? A witness testifies to what he has seen and heard – no more and no less. In fact, the entire NT is just that: a living witness to the person and work of Jesus. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are all the proof we need that Jesus has fulfilled every one of the OT promises about him.

The disciples did their job – they faithfully witnessed to people of all nations that Jesus is the Christ, the promised Messiah. Now it’s our turn. Now we are the witnesses. Does the thought of proclaiming repentance and forgiveness make you anxious or apprehensive? You’re not alone. Satan wants to prevent us from witnessing the truth of Jesus at all costs. He makes it seem like a job better done by someone else. He wants us to think that we aren’t smart enough or well-spoken enough or charming enough to tell others about Jesus. But what does a witness do? He testifies to what he has seen – no more and no less. It doesn’t have to be clever. Witnesses don’t have to deliver carefully formulated theological essays. Witnesses aren’t even bound to convince people that what they are saying is true: that’s the Holy Spirit’s job. Witnesses simply tell others what they have seen and heard. That’s our job – that’s the essence of the gospel ministry. That’s the second place we find Jesus still today: on the lips of his witnesses.   

For 40 days after his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his chosen witnesses, he coached them, he gave them the words they should say and encouraged them to remain faithful. But now His earthly ministry was over. It was time for him to return to his Father in heaven and take his rightful place as King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16). The location Jesus chose for his Ascension is significant. He led his disciples to the hillside near Bethany called the Mount of Olives (Acts 1:12). From this mountain Jesus could look down on the high place where the devil tried to bribe him with all the kingdoms of the world (Luke 4:9). In the garden located on this mountain, Jesus struggled with his Father in prayer and was betrayed, arrested and hauled off to be crucified (Luke 22:39-46). That significance couldn’t have been lost on the disciples – the same place where it seemed like Jesus wouldn’t and couldn’t win was the very place he chose to demonstrate his ultimate triumph over sin and Satan by returning victorious to his throne in heaven. 

But before Jesus left, he gave his church one final gift: he lifted up his hands and blessed them. This was more than a symbolic gesture. This was Jesus’ promise to his disciples that he would always be with them, always watching over them. With this blessing, Jesus effectively bestowed on the church his blessings of joy and peace – bought and paid for by his death and resurrection. Notice also that Jesus continued to bless his disciples even as he ascended into the sky. It means that Jesus left this earth blessing us, when he returns it will be a blessing for us, and even now, even though we can’t see him, he is holding his powerful hands over us, blessing us with his guidance and protection. (Which we are reminded of every time we close a service with the blessing.)

With that he parted from them and was taken up into heaven. What kind of reaction would you expect from the disciples at this point? Wouldn’t we expect to see tears streaming down their faces? Wouldn’t we expect mourning and sadness from these men who appeared to have lost their best and truest friend? We get sad when loved ones depart after a reunion. Our hearts are heavy when we say goodbye to a fellow believer who has passed away. That first Easter evening, the disciples were distraught and inconsolable when they thought their Savior had been taken away from them in death. Now he is physically leaving them and they know they won’t see him or walk with him or eat a meal with him again until he returns in glory. We would expect to see sorrow; but we see just the opposite. They worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

Finally, the disciples understood. Now, they knew better, they knew that they had lost nothing and had found more than they could have ever hoped for. Now they understood that Jesus had to suffer and die in order to save them from their sins. Now they understood that Jesus had never intended to set up an earthly kingdom, but rather to rule in his people’s hearts through the Gospel. They had walked and talked and listened to Jesus for three years – and now he would be at their side forever. Jesus’ presence, which had been limited for a time to a single, physical location, would now fill the universe – so that wherever two or three people gather in His name, he would be there with them (Matthew 18:20). In other words, by leaving this earth Jesus is actually closer to us. He is present whenever a man, woman or child come to his font to be washed with water and the Word. He is present to offer his true body and blood every time we receive the Lord’s Supper. And whenever you hear the gospel proclaimed in Jesus’ name, the voice you hear may be that of a mere mortal, but the message is that of your risen and ascended Lord. Jesus is as close to you as your Bible and is ready to hear your prayers – wherever you are. No, Jesus isn’t lost; he is right here among us constantly blessing us by his presence in Word and Sacrament.

Losing something changes people. It can make perfectly sane people behave like lunatics. On Ascension it may seem like we’ve lost our Savior. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Jesus isn’t lost. He is exactly where he should be: at his Father’s right hand ruling the universe for the good of his church (Ephesians 1:20-22). The next time you find that missing pacifier or puzzle piece or keys, rejoice that God has opened your eyes to find your ascended Lord in the pages of scripture, on the lips of his witnesses, and in the joy of his blessing. Amen.

John 16:16-24 - Do You Understand the Kind of Joy Easter Brings? - May 22, 2022

It’s been six weeks since we celebrated the biggest festival in the Christian church year and the most important event in human history: Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Do you remember that day? The breakfast, the fellowship, the music…the fact that this building was packed with over 120 people? I have a question: where are all those people? Have you ever wondered why churches that are packed on Easter are not only six weeks later? Where did everyone go? What changed? Is Jesus not risen? Why is the joy of Easter lost so quickly? Actually, it’s not a mystery at all. Jesus explained it pretty clearly in the parable of the Sower. With some, the Gospel simply bounces off their hard hearts and then the devil steals it away from them. Some joyfully receive the Word but when trouble and persecution come, they fall away. For others the worries of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke out their faith (Matthew 13:1-23). For various reasons, many are prevented from understanding the kind of joy Easter brings. But they’re not the target audience for this sermon. You are. Do you understand the kind of joy Easter brings?

Clearly, on Maundy Thursday in that upper room, the disciples did not understand. But it’s hard blame them. Put yourself in their shoes: they’re celebrating the Passover meal when Jesus tells them a riddle in a little while you are not going to see me anymore, and again in a little while you will see me, because I am going away to the Father. If Jesus intended these words to be cryptic, he succeeded. The disciples discussed among themselves whether anyone understood what this meant; finally concluding: we don’t understand what he’s saying. They didn’t understand. Do you? Given the benefit of 2000 years of hindsight, we can be pretty confident in identifying the two “little whiles” Jesus is referring to. 1) The first “little while” is the time between when he spoke these words on Maundy Thursday and his death and burial on Good Friday when they would not see him. 2) The second “little while” refers to the time – the three days – between his burial and resurrection, after which they would see him alive again. To disciples who would soon be overwhelmed with sorrow, Jesus identifies the first “riddle” of Easter joy: that it is joy delayed; it will only be theirs in a “little while.”

Just as interesting as this riddle is where this joy would come from: amen, amen, I tell you: You will weep and wail, but the world will rejoice. You will become sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn to joy. So Jesus explains one riddle with another? Jesus swears that his disciples will mourn while the world rejoices – but then, somehow, their sorrow will turn to joy? How is that possible? Jesus uses the familiar (especially recently here at Risen Savior) example of a woman in labor to illustrate. I wouldn’t dare try to describe the pain of childbirth to those of you who have experienced it first-hand – that would only get me into trouble. But I have been there to witness my wife experience the pain of child-birth five times, only to watch that pain (in a sense) melt away the moment she heard our children’s first cry. That’s what Jesus is describing here. That’s the kind of joy Easter brings; a delayed joy, one preceded by pain and sorrow. Jesus puts it this way: so you also have sorrow now. But I will see you again. Your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.

Enough with the riddles and illustrations. What exactly is Jesus talking about here? Again, in hindsight, it’s pretty clear. The world certainly rejoiced when Jesus was dragged out of the Garden of Gethsemane, wrongfully condemned by a gleeful Sanhedrin and a spineless Roman governor, hung on a tree and mercilessly mocked and taunted by soldiers, passers-by and criminals alike (Mark 15:29-32). We don’t know what the apostles – other than John (who was present at the cross (John 19:26)) – were doing or where they were hiding during Jesus’ anguish on the cross, but it’s not a stretch to assume that they were weeping and wailing at the thought of their Lord’s brutal crucifixion. But Jesus kept his second promise too: your sorrow will turn to joy. Jesus was not making some flippant statement like “time heals all wounds.” (Anyone who has been deeply hurt by sin or the death of a loved one knows that is not necessarily true.) No, he was saying that the very same thing that caused their deepest sorrow would become the source of their greatest joy. That is, once they understood that Jesus had to suffer and die to save them from their sins, they would rejoice in his death on a cursed cross. Still today we gather on Good Friday, to commemorate Jesus’ death on the cross. With tears, yes, not tears over Jesus’ death but over our sins which put him there. But also with joy – joy in understanding that Jesus willingly went to that cross in order to redeem us from death and give us eternal life – which is why we call that day “good.”

But back to our original question: do you really understand the kind of joy Easter brings? Do you understand why the Lord allows you to suffer and be sorrowful for a “little while” here in this world? Why he lets you struggle to pay your bills and fill your gas tank; why he allows the deviancy of homosexuality and transgenderism and the tragedy of abortion to not only be legal, but celebrated in our society; why, sometimes, pregnancies don’t end with the joy of a child but the tears of a miscarriage; why so many people you know and love have absolutely no interest in trusting Jesus as their Savior from sin; why instead of granting healing to your body and mind he allows them to break down in painful and frustrating ways; why you’ve had to stand there, tears streaming down your cheeks, as the body of someone you love is lowered into the ground? Do you understand those things?

If you don’t understand, then it’s my job to tell you that it’s not God that you don’t understand; it’s yourself. The root of those things; of all sorrow in this life is no mystery. It’s all rooted in sin. If you want to know why pregnancy and parenthood and providing for your family are hard, look no further than Genesis 3 (Genesis 3:16-19). If you want to know why nations invade nations, 18-year-olds open fire on grocery stores, perverse behaviors are celebrated, look no further than Matthew 15:19: out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual sins, thefts, false testimonies and blasphemies. And, if you want to know why it hits so close to home when you’re standing at the graveside of a loved one, just remember Romans 6:23: the wages of sin is death. There’s no mystery as to why there is so much misery and sorrow in this world and in our lives; the problem is you, the problem is me, the problem is that we are sinful, rotten to the core. The real mystery is not why we have pain and sorrow – that’s obvious and deserved; no, the real mystery is why sinners like us should have any reason to rejoice.

That’s really what Jesus wanted his disciples – and us – to understand. Where will we find joy during this “little while” of sorrow in this world? I will see you again. Your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. This is the real reason so many of the people who were here on Easter Sunday aren’t here six weeks later: if you don’t understand that the real source of sorrow in this life is inside of you; that it’s your sin, then you will never understand that the source of lasting joy must be outside of this world and outside of us: in seeing Jesus. Understand this properly. Yes, the disciples did see Jesus with their own eyes many times in the 40 days between his resurrection and ascension, but it would be a stretch to describe them as joyful on these occasions. Afraid, filled with doubt, anxious, confused – yes, but joyful? Hardly. When did the disciples finally rejoice? Not until Pentecost when the Holy Spirit opened their eyes to really see Jesus with eyes of faith: that he was crucified for their sins and raised to life for their justification (Romans 4:25). In the end, that’s why we’re still here six weeks after Easter – because Jesus died for our sins and rose to life to secure our forgiveness, our justification before a holy God, and – after a “little while” of sorrow in this world – a life of unending joy with him in heaven. That is the joy that no one [can] take away from you.

You still have questions, though, don’t you? You still don’t understand any number of things – like why Jesus would say in that day you will not ask me anything. What? The disciples wouldn’t have any questions for Jesus anymore? What does this mean? For these first disciples, after Easter and Pentecost he would reveal through the Holy Spirit exactly what his cryptic statements about “a little while” and joy out of sorrow meant. We know this too – that while Jesus’ suffering and death would cause sorrow for a “little while” – out of that sorrow would come the source of our greatest joy: his resurrection from the dead. In other words, neither those disciples nor we need to wonder anymore about Jesus’ identity or work; he is the Son of God, the Messiah who came to earth to purchase our salvation by his life, death and resurrection.

But Jesus knew that even though they wouldn’t need to wonder about him anymore, they would wonder about his plans for them. So he tells them: amen, amen, I tell you: whatever you ask the Father in my name, he will give you. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask, and you will receive, so that your joy may be made complete. Don’t misunderstand, Jesus is not telling us that the Father will give us literally anything we ask for; this is NOT “name-it-and-claim-it” theology. Jesus limits our requests to those asked in his name. This is not some magic formula. He’s telling us to pray according to his name, his will – as revealed in his Word. In other words, he’s telling us to focus our prayers and requests on the things he has commanded and promised to give us. When we ask for those things he has promised us in his Word, we can rejoice because in Jesus, God’s answer to those prayers is always yes (2 Corinthians 1:20).

What do these types of prayers sound like in reality? Well, not coincidentally, it sounds a lot like the Lord’s Prayer. We pray to “our Father in heaven,” who loves us and is able to do whatever we request. We pray that his name, his Word, may be kept holy among us. We pray that his kingdom would come, to continue to change hearts and minds – especially when we see all of the deviant and perverse behavior that is celebrated in our world. When we suffer some personal tragedy or setback, we pray “your will be done” trusting that God works all things – even bad things – for our eternal good (Romans 8:28). When we’re struggling financially, we pray “give us this day our daily bread” and when we’re feeling guilty and ashamed we pray “forgive us our sins.” Pray for the things God has promised to give you – certain that he will hear and answer – and your joy will be complete!

I don’t know where everyone who was here six weeks ago is today. What I do know is that I need to be here, because not only does the world have a way of draining the joy out of life but because there’s still so much I don’t understand. But today Jesus helps us better understand the kind of joy Easter brings. It’s a “in a little while” joy – meaning that even though we weep in this life, it’s only a “little while” until we will rejoice for all eternity. It’s “sorrow turned into joy” – meaning that the saddest day on earth – Good Friday – is now the source of our greatest joy in the forgiveness, life and salvation Jesus won for us there. It’s “joy completed in prayer” – trusting that when we pray in Jesus’ name to our Father, he will hear and answer according to his perfect will. That’s the kind of lasting joy Easter brings – it’s the kind of joy that nothing and no one can take away from you. Amen.  

John 13:31-35 - Apart from Jesus, We Don't Really Know Love - May 15, 2022

Do you consider yourself to be a loving person? If so, how would you describe or explain it? What does love look like, sound like, act like? I don’t think any one of us would want to describe ourselves as unloving. But I’m going to say something that is intentionally offensive: you’re not loving. Neither am I. Neither is anyone else in the world. A statement like that demands proof, doesn’t it? Here are three. In the prayer of the day we begged God to “make us love what you command” – why would we need to pray that if we are love experts? We only pray for things we don’t possess or are incapable of. Second: I’m pretty confident that when I asked if you were a loving person you immediately thought about your feelings, especially for your family and friends – because those were my first thoughts, too. But feelings of affection for family and friends is not the kind of love Jesus is describing. Finally, isn’t it true that many of the sickest, most depraved things are done in the name of love: murder of the unborn (see how loving the protestors have been lately?), same-sex marriage, refusal to carry out Christian discipline, the tolerance of false doctrines and idolatrous religions. No, we do not know what love is – and we’d better figure it out because our confessions say “the fact that a person does not love is a sure sign that he is not justified” (FC SD III:27). Or, as John puts it: the one who does not love remains in death (1 John 3:14). People who don’t know what love is are, to be blunt, damned. We better learn what love is. And for that, we must look to Jesus.

The first stop in our quest to figure out love is at the foot of the cross. John spends a full third of his Gospel (John 12-21) recounting the final seven days of Jesus’ life. John 13:1 serves as a sort of theme of Jesus’ entire Passion: having loved those who were his own in the world, he loved them to the end (John 13:1). And what did Jesus’ love earn him? Betrayal. Judas left because Jesus had forced his hand, forcing him to choose between light and darkness. Judas chose darkness and at Jesus’ command (John 13:27) he left the upper room to finish his wicked work. That’s incredible, isn’t it? Jesus himself sparked the series of events that would lead directly to his condemnation by the church and crucifixion by the state. And yet, what does he say about it? He says it is his glory! Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify the Son in himself and will glorify him at once. Exactly how is Jesus, how is God, glorified by the Son of God suffering and dying on a cross? You’ve got to understand God’s rather outrageous idea of glory. His glory is doing the undoable, saving the unsaveable, redeeming the irredeemable. Right there you understand why many people don’t understand love, right? According to human reason and false religions a glorious, loving God ought to save the saveable, love the lovable, help those who help themselves and show mercy to those who earn it. But the true God reveals his glory most clearly in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). And what greater gift could he give than his Son? What could bring him greater glory than saving people who don’t deserve it – people like us?

That’s why, if you want to know what love looks like, you’ve got to start at the cross. See how God has lifted the burden of sin and guilt off your shoulders and placed them on the shoulders of his Son. Listen to Jesus, knowing what was about to happen to him, telling you that saving your wretched, loveless soul by being nailed to a tree and suffering the hell you deserve is his greatest glory. See him do it, not grudgingly but willingly. See him not only shoulder your sins but your fears, your failures, your worries and your cares, too. There can be no conversation about love unless we begin right here, at the foot of the cross, with Jesus’ suffering, sighing, bleeding and dying on a cross to bring glory to his Father and salvation to sinners.

But love that starts at the cross never stops there. Jesus moves immediately from justification by grace to the life of sanctification: a new commandment I give you: love one another. Just as I have loved you, so also you are to love one another. The obvious question is: what is new about this command? Didn’t Moses say love your neighbor as yourself 1500 years earlier (Leviticus 19:18)? Did you notice the two differences? First, the standard. Moses’ standard was yourself – love your neighbor as much as you love yourself. Jesus raises the bar. He commands us to love others as much as he loved us. This means that Jesus commands us to love others even more than we love ourselves. Again, Jesus himself set the standard: not only did he lay down his life for us – the greatest possible act of love (John 15:13) – but he did it while we were still his enemies! (Romans 5:8) Jesus isn’t commanding us to have mushy feelings for one another, he’s commanding us to sacrifice for one another – even if we don’t like them, and especially when they don’t deserve it. The second difference is the scope. Moses’ command was to love your neighbor – illustrated by Jesus in the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37). And that’s still true. But in his new command, Jesus specifically tells his disciples to love one another. It’s a sad commentary on the state of Christianity when churches stumble over themselves boasting about how much they do for and in their communities – and even across the world: feeding the hungry and housing the homeless and clothing the naked – but when it comes to loving one another, they don’t even know each other’s names – much less fulfilling the debt of love they owe one another (Romans 13:8) to rebuke and forgive and pray for and encourage one another. Please do not misunderstand: Yes, Jesus does want us to love our neighbors out there in the world, but in this text, he is telling us to do something that just might be even harder: love the people right here in this room. This may sound selfish and self-serving, but Jesus says that this is outreach, it’s evangelism: by this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

So back to our question: are we loving people? Remember, Jesus is not talking about fuzzy feelings, empty words or good intentions – he’s laying out his personal example of total self-sacrifice, of putting other’s needs before our own, of doing the hard and thankless tasks that need to be done even if they don’t benefit us our or families – he’s saying love others like I have loved you! Paul carefully defined the kind of love Jesus is talking about: love is patient. Love is kind. Love does not envy. It does not brag. It is not arrogant. It does not behave indecently. It is not selfish. It is not irritable. It does not keep a record of wrongs. It does not rejoice over unrighteousness but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Those words might seem appropriate when they are applied to a man and a woman who are madly in love with each other on their wedding day, but they sound a little different when the one whose hands and feet were nailed to a cross, who literally experienced hell for you is standing before you asking: “Look to your right and your left; have you loved these people like this, have you loved them like I loved you?”

Admittedly, Jesus has set a standard of love that we will never meet. He even says where I am going, you cannot come. Accomplishing the redemption of the world by sacrificing his life was a task only Jesus could perform. But perfect love is nonetheless what he demands of us. No excuses. No massaging or twisting what Jesus said. No redefining love or suggesting that Jesus just wants us to try our best. Those words from 1 Corinthians 13 that are frequently printed in some cutesy font on cards and posters are some of the hardest law in the Bible. And this law of love does two things for us: like a mirror it convicts us of our sins and like a guide it shows us how God wants us to live (Romans 3:20; Psalm 119:105). Allow me to cherry pick one of Paul’s standards and apply it to us, the members of Risen Savior. [Love] is not irritable. It’s important to remember that one of the devil’s favorite tricks is to make God’s greatest blessings seem like the worst curses. After God’s gift of the Gospel in Word and Sacrament, what is the greatest blessing we have here at Risen Savior? You. All of you. You are the people for whom Jesus died. That includes the ones you’re holding in your arms, running around your feet, squawking and crying and distracting and throwing toys and making a mess. The devil would like nothing more than to turn the blessing of children in church (a sadly rare thing in 21st century America) into a curse and a source of irritability. And he’s had success, hasn’t he? Angry glares. Shaking heads. Stressed-out parents and bitter children. Thinking or saying “Something has to be done!” I agree. What needs to be done is we all need to love each other more than ourselves.

So as uncomfortable as this might be – here’s the law of love applied as a mirror and guide to us. Children, Jesus loved you so much that he died for you. He has loved you enough to give you faithful Christian parents who bring you to sit at his feet. Listen to them and obey them as if you were listening to and obeying Jesus himself – because you are! (Ephesians 6:1) Parents, while everyone here understands that no child is perfect and they will have their moments – even in church – Jesus commands you to love the people around you more than your own convenience or pride or laziness and take the tantrum out of church behind the glass wall or into the nursery designed for that very purpose. Love your child enough to discipline them. Love them enough to forgive them – and actually use those words, “I forgive you.” Love them enough to teach them the way the One who died for them wants them to behave. And everyone else…imagine if Jesus was sitting here, observing not only your outward behavior but judging the very thoughts of your heart. Do you picture him sitting there glaring at you, shaking his head, nudging his Father, pointing at you and saying something about “sinners these days!” Nope, he’s here to meet you – sins and all – and he’s here with open arms to welcome you, forgive you, help you, encourage you and support you. He had every right to lose his temper with you. What did he do instead? He lost his life for you. Instead of grumbling about “parents these days” – ask yourself – “how can I help parents these days?” And let me be blunt: if a screaming toddler can make you lose your temper in God’s house – the problem is not the child, the problem is you. You need to repent – and a proper fruit of that repentance would be to personally apologize for your selfish and loveless behavior.

I’ll ask again, are we loving people? Can any of us say “yes” with a straight face? Even though we will never love perfectly, perfect love is our goal – a goal we want to strive for only one reason: Jesus. We don’t love children because they’re well-behaved or fellow members because they’re so nice or our pastor because he’s so charming – because more often than not, those things aren’t true! The only reason we love is because God loved us first (1 John 4:19). He loved us when we were unlovable. He loved us when we were his enemies. He loved us enough to let our sins cause his perfect Son to be spit on and mocked, slapped and whipped, crucified and murdered. Our world likes to think of love in pretty pastel colors and fuzzy feelings and over-priced Hallmark cards. God’s love is written in the metallic gray of nails driven into his Son’s hands and feet and his crimson blood dripping down a cross. It’s written in the blackest depths of hell where God damned his own Son in our place. God’s love is not just words or feelings; it was and is active. His love brought us kicking and screaming to Baptism to be washed clean and made new. His love announces forgiveness for even the worst of sins and sinners – which, in my estimation, has to be me (1 Timothy 1:15). His love hands you his Son’s flesh and blood to assure you that he didn’t just love the world, he loved you – especially at those times when you know you’re completely unloveable. And when you turn around after receiving communion this morning and look at all the faces out there, remember that Jesus loved and died for them too. That, finally, is the reason we want to love one another.

The unbelieving world doesn’t know how to love. Neither will we if we ever take our eyes off of Jesus. He is both the perfect example of love and the only reason we can love one another even more than ourselves. One last time: are you a loving person? What can we say but: “no, not as Jesus demands.” But may God also lead us to trust that while we are not perfectly loving, we are perfectly loved by him. Because when we know that God loves us unconditionally, then our love for one another will take care of itself. Amen.

John 15:1-8 - Stay Connected to Jesus - May 8, 2022

We are living in the most socially and technologically connected period in human history. Some might say over-connected. Nearly everyone owns or has access to a laptop, tablet, smartphone, or at the very least a TV, radio or landline that gives them an instant access to the rest of the world. This connectivity has changed the way we live. In the past, when you went home at the end of the day you left your work at work. That’s not the case anymore. Bosses and coworkers and customers can email, text, or call you any time of day or night and you’re expected to respond within hours, if not minutes – even when it’s Mother’s Day and you are spending a few precious hours with the woman who gave birth to you and changed your diapers and patched up your scraped knees. In the past, when students went home from school, they disconnected from their friends and reconnected with their families. That’s not the case anymore either. Through TikTok, Twitter, and texting – friends are always only a tap away. Sometimes, it all feels like too much. Too much pressure, too many texts and emails, too much connection. So why don’t we just pull the plug? Because we’re afraid if we do, we might miss something important. Here’s the question: do we feel the same way about our connection to Jesus? Do we worry that if we go a day without God’s Word we might miss something important? Do we get as anxious when we miss (or skip) an opportunity to worship as we do when the internet goes down for a few hours? Is the last thing we look at before going to sleep a word from God or a text from a friend? Our lesson this morning teaches us the importance of staying connected to Jesus.

These words about Jesus as the vine and believers as the branches are familiar. What may not be quite as familiar is the context: Jesus spoke these words on Maundy Thursday, the night before his crucifixion. For the apostles, three years of training was almost over; soon they would be on their own. In a way, Rayna, you are in a similar situation today. Your confirmation marks the end of years of Sunday school and 2 years of concentrated study of Christian doctrine. Soon you will leave grade school for high school where you will face new opportunities, new challenges and new temptations. But before you go, Jesus has a message he wants you to hear: I am the Vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in me and I in him is the one who bears much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.

How can you be sure that you are a branch connected to Jesus? Because the words Jesus spoke to his apostles apply to you too: you are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Jesus spoke to you, Rayna, he connected you to himself when you were baptized (just like he did with little Mason today). And that’s really what this day is all about – it’s not about you, it’s about what God has done for you. Today you will publicly confess that you believe that God in his grace washed away all your sins and made you his child through Holy Baptism. Through the Word you have learned that because of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection you stand justified (not guilty) before God. No matter what happens to you tomorrow, next year or in 10 years – this is who you are, Rayna, you are a justified and beloved child of God; that is your identity which no one can take away from you.

But you didn’t get here all by yourself. Today is Mother’s Day. There is no overstating the importance of the mothers (and fathers) who take the time to bring their children to learn and grow at Jesus’ feet. It’s been said that an ounce of mother is worth a pound of pastor. I couldn’t agree more. While over the course of two years I might spend around 100 hours in class with confirmation students; who can count the endless hours mothers (and fathers) spend with their children, the invaluable conversations they have around the dinner table or in the car? What price tag can we put on the encouragement, the help with difficult issues and problems, the guidance and leadership and love parents provide for their children? Parents, and today, especially mothers, thank you for all you do to keep the children God has given you connected to Christ!

But this is also a time for us – especially mothers and fathers – to remember that our job is not done when we’ve gotten our child baptized or confirmed, that we have an ongoing responsibility to keep our children connected to Jesus. Think back to that day at the hospital when you first held that precious infant in your arms and you had no doubt in your mind that you were holding a miracle, a precious gift of God in your hands. Remember the baptismal promise – the oath, really – you made to help that child, in every way possible, remain a child of God until death. Christian children don’t just happen. They don’t raise themselves. When God blessed you with a baby boy or girl he also gave you a great responsibility. But he didn’t leave you alone; he also provided the Church to help you bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4). Use this great blessing we have here at Risen Savior called Sunday School. God has blessed us with dedicated and talented teachers; space to grow and learn in; and most importantly he has given us the pure Gospel message that leads to salvation (Romans 1:16). Mothers (and fathers) use these opportunities to plant your children deep in Jesus – the only true vine. But again, the Church can only do so much, the saying “an ounce of mother is worth a pound of pastor” is even truer in the years after confirmation when the bigger issues of high school, college, cars, boyfriends, careers and moving out of the house present themselves. Parents, this is not my advice, this is God’s command: take the time, expend the energy, help your teenager, 20 or 30 something stay connected to Jesus – in any way you can (Ephesians 6:4).

Why is this training so important? Why should you sacrifice your time and money and effort; why should you go through the Sunday morning battles to keep your children connected to Jesus? Because without [Jesus no one] can do [anything]. Our devices connect us to the world. But we also know that if we forget to pay the bill or charge our device we will lose our connection, the device is as good as dead. The same is true of our connection to Jesus. If we cut ourselves off from his life-giving Word and Sacraments we lose our connection, we are as good as dead. And Rayna, the temptations to let that happen will be all around you in high school and beyond. Sports, friends, unbelieving teachers, godless social media influences – Satan will use any or all of those things to break your connection with Jesus. He will use them to make it seem like being connected to Jesus is a bad thing. He will make it seem like Jesus just wants to take all the fun out of life. He will tempt you to think that true freedom means being free from the God’s Church and His Word. Jesus will never break his connection with you, but if you break your connection with Jesus, you will be a dead branch, you won’t be good for anything but to be thrown into the fire, and burned.

That’s not what Jesus or anyone else here wants. No one wants you or any child of God to fall away. So how do you stay connected? Again, the cell phone analogy works well. What do you have to regularly do with your cell phone to make it usable? You have to keep it charged and keep your bill paid. But you also know that it’s not really what you do that provides you access to your friends or the internet, it’s up to the wireless company. The same holds true for staying connected to Jesus.

Neither you nor your pastor nor your parents can take the credit for connecting you to Jesus. All the credit goes to him. He was at work in your baptism. He worked through the Bible stories you learned in Sunday school to show you that he loved you enough to suffer and die for your sins. In minutes you will confess that everything you are and ever will be is because of the mercy God showed you for Jesus’ sake. Never forget that. Never forget that God chose YOU to be his child when you were still dead in sin. Whenever you plug in your cellphone remember to take the time to plug into God’s Word. Remember that God has given you the tools to study the Bible on your own; he has given you the ability to separate truth from lies in your classes, with your friends, on social media and in your own behavior and thinking. And through faithful worship – and after today, through faithful reception of the Lord’s Supper – Jesus will recharge you, he will strengthen your faith, he will give you the knowledge and courage to face any trouble or temptation that will come your way.

For the rest of us (pastor, parents, leaders, friends) – our job doesn’t end here either, our responsibility to Mason and Rayna and to all of God’s children goes on (remember the oath we all just took?). We can continue to pay the bill – not the one that keeps God’s children connected to the internet – but the one that keeps them connected to Jesus. We pay that bill first and foremost by providing an example of staying plugged in to God’s Word ourselves – not only by faithfully attending worship but by reading our Bibles and catechisms and praying in our lives outside of these walls. We can pay the bill as a congregation by encouraging younger parents with our prayers, our advice, and – even our money. Maybe it doesn’t seem right that members without children should help those with children pay for a fulltime Christian education. Maybe there seem to be bigger or more important things we can accomplish as a church than teaching and training our youth – but children are God’s greatest gift to us and they are our greatest asset worthy of our greatest investment. Parents, I know it’s hard to convince teenagers to do anything on Sunday mornings, because we were all teenagers who once thought that the best time to sleep was when the sun was coming up. But consider this, we willingly pay hundreds for cell phones and summer camps; thousands for car insurance and college – never knowing for sure if that investment will pay off in the future. But the time, effort, and tears it takes to keep your child, teenager, and even 20-something connected to Jesus is not wasted. It will pay dividends long into the future – long after you and I are gone – that investment will pay off in eternity. You have Jesus’ promise: my Father is glorified by this: that you continue to bear much fruit and prove to be my disciples.

Rayna, you are growing up connected to your friends and the world in ways many of us have never experienced. But because we live in a sinful world I can guarantee that a time will come in your life when you will feel alone in spite of those connections. There will be a time when your friends won’t answer your texts; when logging on to Instagram or TikTok just makes you want to cry; when your parents just don’t understand; when the world seems like a cold, loveless place. Don’t leave here today without taking to heart Jesus’ final promise to you: if you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. You cell phone might break, your internet connection may be disrupted, but your connection to Jesus is always on – and nothing you do, no sin you commit, no poor boys broken heart will ever change that. Jesus will always be your best friend and he will always be waiting, ready to listen, and ready to forgive. So talk to him. Jesus has given you his direct line, use it – ask whatever you wish and Jesus will always answer you – it might not always be the answer you want or expect, but it will be the answer you need. In Jesus, God will do everything you need for this life and the next.

We are living in the most connected time in history. I don’t think I’m the only one who thinks that it is both a blessing and a curse to always be connected to work and school 24/7. But today, Jesus reminds us that through the Gospel in Word and Sacrament we are intimately connected to him. And that connection is always on. Rayna, mothers, and all of us – Stay Connected to Jesus: apart from him we can do nothing; but in him, he will do everything for us. Amen.

John 21:1-14 - A Fish Fry Reveals Jesus' Power - May 1, 2022

According to the eye-witness accounts that have been handed down to us, our Lord appeared no fewer than 12 times in his glorified state in the 40 days between his resurrection and ascension (and Acts implies that he made many more appearances that haven’t been recorded – see Acts 1:3). Why? Why didn’t he just declare “mission accomplished,” leave this broken world and return to his Father’s side in heaven immediately? Paul explains in Romans 4 why Jesus made these appearances: he was handed over to death because of our trespasses and was raised to life because of our justification (Romans 4:25). Every appearance of our Risen Savior proves definitively that God accepted his holy sacrifice for our sins and the sins of the world. He didn’t appear for his own sake – he appeared for ours – to prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that we are indeed justified before God. But each appearance of Jesus also had a more specific purpose. Jesus appeared to the women in the garden so that they could go and tell his disciples that he had risen (Matthew 28:10). He appeared to two disciples on the Road to Emmaus to teach them that he had to do everything written in the scriptures, including suffering, dying and rising (Luke 24:46). He appeared to the eleven apostles in Galilee to commission them to go and make disciples of all nations by baptizing and teaching (Matthew 28:16-20). But in John 21, Jesus invites his disciples to a fish fry. That seems trivial. What’s the point of that?

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. On Easter, Jesus directed the women: go, tell my brothers that they should go to Galilee, and there they will see me (Matthew 28:10). So the disciples listened and went to Galilee to wait for Jesus – and while they were waiting they did what men often do to pass the time: they went fishing. Being professional fishermen, the disciples knew that the best fishing is at night – but that was not the case on this night.

When dawn broke things got interesting. A stranger on the shore called out to them: Boys, don’t you have any fish? No! they answered… Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some. If you know any avid fishermen, you know that they tend to be extremely proud of their craft 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. Then they were not able to haul it in because of the large number of fish. If you’re thinking that this story sounds familiar, you’re right. Jesus performed a similar miracle in Luke chapter 5 when he first called Peter, James, and John away from their boats to follow him (Luke 5:1-11).

More important for us is to see that here our Risen Savior reveals his power – his power to teach. Did you catch 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 far-fetched interpretations out there – that the left side represented the Jewish people who resisted and rejected the Gospel and the right side represented the Gentiles who were ripe for the picking. Some have even tried to make this miracle political – right vs. left; conservative vs. liberal. That’s foolishness. No, here is one of the many places where we must let Scripture interpret Scripture. Psalm 127 says that if the LORD does not build the house, it is useless for the builders to work hard over it (Psalm 127:1). Jesus states the same truth in John 15: I am the Vine; you are the branches…without me you can do nothing (John 15:5). This was the powerful lesson Jesus was teaching his disciples: that apart from him, they will accomplish nothing – neither catching fish for breakfast nor making disciples for God’s kingdom.

What are you busy trying to accomplish right now in your life? Are you, like the disciples, simply trying to put food on the table? Are you in the middle of the daunting task of raising Christian children in a society that seems to have lost all sense of right and wrong, of morality and propriety? Are you working to maintain or strengthen your marriage? Are you trying to stay healthy or get back to good health? Are you just trying to age gracefully – leaving a fine, Christian example for your children and grandchildren? What’s the message here for us? Apart from [Jesus], no matter what you’re trying to do – from fishing to parenting to aging – you will do nothing. I know that sounds harsh – but there’s a good reason for it. Because Jesus knows that when we are working toward something and don’t seem to be having any success there are a million places we will look for help before looking to him. We will read a self-help book, we will watch a DIY YouTube video, we will buckle down and try harder, we will seek advice from a friend or doctor or therapist, finally, we might just throw up our hands and give up – but how often do we take Jesus up on his invitation to call on me in the day of distress. 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, we will do nothing.

The next verses provide something of a character study of 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 and bold, impulsive disciples to carry out his mission in this world.

But let’s get back to the text, because the Risen Savior is not done displaying his power. When they stepped out on land, they saw some bread and a charcoal fire with fish on it…Jesus said to them, “Come, eat breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. What’s the big, burning question here? The symbolism of the 153 fish? How did Peter, alone, pull the net on shore when previously 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 was clearly an eyewitness and it made a huge impression on him. Peter’s strength was possibly another miracle. And, the disciples didn’t dare to ask Jesus because the evidence – the miraculous catch – spoke for itself; even though they didn’t initially recognize him in his glorious state, they knew that 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 profound. Jesus, the Risen Lord, had miraculously provided it. What the disciples had tried and failed all night to do, Jesus accomplished easily with his almighty power. Jesus was teaching another important lesson here. The apostles needed 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 how serious or dangerous or unsolvable the situation seemed to be, Jesus could and would provide. The book of Acts tells us that Jesus kept this promise. When the apostles were placed on trial for their preaching – Jesus gave them the words to say (Acts 4:1-22; Acts 5:17-42; etc). When they needed proof that their message came from heaven – Jesus gave them the ability to perform miracles as validation (Acts 3; 5:12-16). 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 to do than 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] body, what [we] will wear even though Jesus tells us not to worry and assures us that [our] heavenly Father knows that [we] need all these things (Matthew 6:25, 32). Too often we wait until we have exhausted every other possible resource before we 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 seem to have an empty net? You can be sure because Jesus has already taken care of your greatest need: he has already done the one thing we haven’t done – he trusted God above all things – and he did it perfectly. He has taken away your sins of doubt and worry and has given you the riches of the righteousness he earned for you by his perfect life and innocent death. Instead of worrying, instead of growing frustrated, instead of exhausting all your other 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 graciously give us all things along with him (Romans 8:32)? Our Savior is Risen, and he’s not just kicking back on a beach somewhere sipping on a margarita – he’s the powerful Lord of heaven and earth who can and will provide what you need, when you need it (according to his perfect will and perfect timing) – from something as small as breakfast 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 inner circle of disciples, namely, on Easter evening (John 20:19-23) and again a week later (John 20:24-29). Apart from showing us that he can count to three, what does John hope to express with this abrupt ending? He saved the best for last. It’s not new to us, but it is the most important news in the world. Do you know what it is?

Christ is (still) Risen!!! The one who was brutally 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 (Matthew 27:46) 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 (Matthew 27:50) – is here, with us and for us (Matthew 28:20)! The one whose body was laid in a tomb is not clothed in decay, but clothed in so much glory that his disciples were afraid to even wonder aloud who he was! It’s easy for us, especially in reading a Biblical account with as many peculiarities as this one, to get hung up on the details or get lost looking for deep, mystical truths. But the central truth, the truth that all the details point to is the most important one: Jesus Christ who died in humiliation is alive in all of his glory! Realize what this means: your sins are forgiven! You are liberated from the burden 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 is preparing a mansion for you in heaven (John 14:1-4)! All of that is true because Jesus Christ is your (still) Risen Savior. That’s powerful comfort for this life and the next.

The Holy Spirit never inspired men to spill ink for nothing. Every page of Holy Scripture strengthens our faith, builds our hope, and guides our lives. Today 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 go out for a fish fry, remember this one, one that teaches that Easter has changed everything – 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.

Matthew 28:11-15 - The Reality of Easter Determines Everything - April 17, 2022

While you might think that the celebration and observance of Easter is pretty simple and straightforward for all Christians, if there is one day, one truth, one confession, one faith that the devil would like to steal from us – it’s this one: the resurrection of our Savior. He tries to drag us into one of two ditches regarding Easter. First, he tempts us to trivialize Easter, leading us to make it all about bunnies and breakfasts and family gatherings and Cadbury Eggs – like the unbelieving world does. (Which, speaking of Cadbury Eggs, can we all agree that they’re disgusting? That they should each come with a certificate for a free cavity?) If that’s what Easter is all about – then we’d be better off not celebrating it at all – because then Easter is meaningless. If he can’t lead us to trivialize Easter, then he’d like to lead us into the ditch of “spiritualizing” Easter; that is, to believe that Jesus didn’t really, physically rise from the dead – but that he instead lives on through his teachings and the warm, fuzzy feelings we have about him in our hearts. If that’s all that Easter is about, again, we’d be better off not celebrating it at all – because if the essence of Easter is either trivial or merely “spiritual” then we are still doomed to live short, miserable, meaningless lives on this earth and then to suffer forever in hell. In our midweek Lenten services this year we considered what you might call adversarial or hostile witnesses of Jesus’ Passion – witnesses who were at best indifferent and at worst hostile to Jesus – and yet their testimony all agreed: Jesus is the Son of God. This morning we will consider some further adversarial, hostile testimony – testimony which proves the reality of Easter once and for all. We will consider the testimony of the very men who were most responsible for Jesus’ crucifixion: the chief priests.

Has it ever struck you as odd that the universal symbol of Christianity is not an empty tomb but an ugly instrument of execution: the cross? But that’s the way it should be. We rightly hang crosses in our churches and homes and around our necks and point to Good Friday as the day on which Jesus won the victory over sin, death and the devil once and for all. But if the story ended there, no one could be sure; no one could know whether God accepted Jesus’ sacrifice or not. Without the resurrection, Jesus was simply swallowed up by death – just like every other human from the beginning of time. Without the resurrection, everyone – both believers and unbelievers – who have died are suffering in hell forever – and so will we. If there is no hope for eternity – what point is there to this life? What difference does it make if you try your best to be good or just indulge every desire of your sinful heart? If this world is all there is, then we’d be better off living by the mantra: let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die (1 Corinthians 15:32). The resurrection is what gives life meaning; without it, life is empty, hopeless and pointless. It’s not an exaggeration to say that everything – everything now and eternally – hinges on whether Jesus actually rose from the dead or not. And this is why the devil has worked so hard through skeptics and critics to undermine the reality of the resurrection.

Now, you might wonder why sinful humans would go along with the devil’s lie. Well, judging by the reaction of the chief priests, there are two reasons – as far as I can tell. The chief priests fabricated and paid for a lie to be spread on Easter Sunday to protect their position and power and to quiet the nagging voice of conscience which told them that they really murdered the Son of God. They concocted what is called “stolen-body” theory: that is, that Jesus’ disciples stole his body so that they could then hatch the myth of a risen Savior. But there are many other lies out there. There’s the theory that Jesus didn’t really die on the cross, that he just passed out and was revived in the cool of Joseph’s tomb (the so-called “swoon” theory) – although how he survived having a spear thrust through his side and how he made it out of the sealed and guarded tomb is still a mystery. There’s the theory that the resurrection is just the product of a mass hallucination or delusion on the part of the disciples (kind of like the mass delusion that is spreading in our own society – in which a biological man can actually be a woman). But probably my favorite is that Jesus had a twin brother who remained in hiding until after Jesus’ death on the cross. Then he emerged into public, claiming to be Jesus – miraculously risen from the dead. We may be tempted to laugh at these ridiculous theories, but here’s the thing, these lies are dangerous, not because they can destroy the truth (you can call a man a woman until you pass out – that doesn’t make it true) – but because they can make us doubt the truth and undermine our faith. In other words, if you hear a lie often enough – you can become convinced that it is true.

But all of the various lies about the resurrection have one extremely important point in common: they all acknowledge that on Easter morning, Joseph’s tomb was empty. Isn’t that strange? Wouldn’t it have been more effective to just prove that Jesus’ body was never missing, but that it was still lying there, stone cold dead, the whole time? But no one – from the chief priests to modern-day skeptics – have ever made this argument. For good reason: there is a mountain of historical evidence that Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb was empty on Easter morning.

1) First, if the chief priests really thought that the disciples had stolen Jesus’ body – don’t you think that they would have told the soldiers “Go find them. Go find his body!” Instead of “here’s a bribe, now go tell people that’s what happened.” It doesn’t make any sense. They knew what had really happened. 2) Second, remember the disciples on Good Friday? They were fearless followers, right? Followers who would let nothing stop them from following Jesus. Nope. They were scaredy cats. They ran away at the first hint of danger. They hid in a locked room for three days out of fear (John 20:19). They were hardly the type of men to storm a sealed tomb guarded by Roman soldiers. 3) Third, if Jesus didn’t rise, how do you explain the extraordinary change that came over the disciples – that in less than a day they went from sniveling cowards to bold confessors? History has proven that people will die for a lie; history has also proven that no one will die for something they know to be a lie (especially a lie of their own making) – and history tells us that all but one of the twelve apostles died for their confession. Something changed, something transformed those men – and it could hardly be anything less than the most important reality of Easter: the empty tomb proves that Jesus really rose from the dead and truly is the Son of God. 4) Fourth, what happened in Jerusalem 50 days after Easter – Pentecost, the mass conversion of 3000 people – could have taken place only if Joseph’s tomb was empty. Otherwise, the chief priests could have simply snuffed Christianity out in it’s infancy by making the short trip over to the tomb and unveiling exhibit A: Jesus’ corpse. They didn’t do this, however, because they knew the reality: the tomb was empty.

The chief priests had spread a lie – a lie that has been repeated among the Jews until this day; a lie that critics of every age have picked up and modified in order to protect their positions and power; to deal with their fear of God’s judgment. But no matter how many times or how many variations of the lie is told – it can’t change the reality: the tomb was empty.

You might be wondering why I spent so much time detailing the evidence of a truth that you already know and believe and confess. Because this central reality of Easter – the empty tomb – determines everything! The empty tomb means that Easter isn’t trivial; it isn’t really about bunnies or brunches or family gatherings or Cadbury Eggs – don’t get me wrong; go ahead and enjoy them (well, except the Cadbury Eggs), but don’t let them distract you from the real meaning of Easter. The reality of the resurrection means that Easter isn’t merely “spiritual;” that Jesus only lives on through his teachings or in the warm, fuzzy feelings we have about him in our hearts – it means that he is living and reigning over all things at God’s right hand (Ephesians 1:21) and is really present wherever two or three are gathered in his name (Matthew 18:20). The resurrection means that when a sinful man forgives your sins here on earth – they are forgiven in heaven (Matthew 18:18). It means that through the washing of water and the Word little James there is really saved; he is really a child of God (Andrew and Kristen – you can take great comfort in this; it means that the almighty God loves James even more than you do!). It means that when we come to this altar to receive bread and wine it really is the body and blood of Jesus – given and poured out for us for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:26-29). It means that there is nothing truer and more important to teach to our children – children like little James – than the saving gospel of Christ crucified and risen. The empty tomb means that all of Scripture is trustworthy – from its testimony regarding the origin of the universe to its prophecies regarding the end of time. The empty tomb means that we don’t have to muddle around in the murky relativism of our modern culture in which men are women and women are men; constantly wondering what is true and what is false – because we know that everything God tells us in here is 100% true.

Most importantly, the empty tomb means that God has accepted Jesus’ sacrifice as sufficient to pay not only for our sins, but for the sins of the whole world (Romans 4:25; 1 John 2:2). The empty tomb means that the devil can’t accuse us anymore (Revelation 12:10) – because all of the evidence against us has been erased (Colossians 2:14). The empty tomb means that death has been swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54) – which means that your loved ones who died in the faith are not really dead and that when you and I face death ourselves, we should fear it as little as we fear falling asleep. It means that one day Jesus will return and raise you and me and all the dead to life and take believers with him to paradise (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). The empty tomb gives meaning to each and every day – because every day is not only evidence of God’s boundless grace but another opportunity for us to live for the one who lived, died and rose again for us (2 Corinthians 5:15). In other words, the empty tomb determines everything for us – both in this life and the next.

It’s kind of ironic, isn’t it? All the chief priests wanted to do was kill Jesus and then keep him dead. They spent a lot of time, money, and effort to do so by bribing some soldiers to spread their lie. But what did they wind up doing instead? Proving beyond all doubt the central truth, the basic reality of Easter. What is that reality? The tomb was empty. What does that mean? Say it with me: Christ is risen, he is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen.

Luke 22:14-22 - The Last Passover - April 14, 2022

The major events of our Savior’s life are like diamonds: precious, yes – but also in that the more you hold them up and examine them, the deeper your appreciation grows for their many and varied facets. Tonight, Maundy Thursday, is no exception. Maundy Thursday meant many different things to many different people. For your average Jew it was simply the annual opportunity to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 16:16), which would kick-off for the seven-day long party called the Festival of Unleavened Bread. For Judas and the Jewish leaders, it meant the opportunity to bring their scheme of doing away with Jesus to fruition (Luke 22:1-6; John 13:2). For the other apostles, it marked yet another occasion for them to argue over which of them was the greatest (Luke 22:24). For Peter, in particular, it meant another opportunity for him to crow (pun intended) about his unwavering dedication to Jesus (Luke 22:31-38). And yet, while Maundy Thursday was certainly multi-faceted, meaning many different things for many different people – tonight we will focus on what this Last Passover tells us about Jesus.

While, for most of those involved, the night of the Last Passover consisted of little more than thoughtless outbursts (Peter and the other apostles) or the hoped-for, but uncertain, culmination of wicked plans (Judas and the Jewish leaders) – for Jesus, there was nothing thoughtless or uncertain about this night. Jesus knew exactly what this night held for him – and he told his disciples as much: 1) this would be his last Passover before his suffering and the last one he would eat until the glory of heaven; 2) his betrayer was one of those gathered for this last Passover meal; and 3) this was all according to plan; it had been determined long before tonight. Omniscience aside, Jesus knew what lay before him this night because he knew his OT prophecies. Prophecies like David’s in Psalm 41: even a man who was at peace with me, a man whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has raised up his heel to step on me (Psalm 41:9). And Isaiah 53: He was despised and rejected by men, a man who knew grief, who was well acquainted with suffering. Like someone whom people cannot bear to look at, he was despised, and we thought nothing of him. Surely he was taking up our weaknesses, and he was carrying our sufferings. (Isaiah 53:3-5). In what must be the most tragic irony in history, the Jewish leaders had rejected Jesus and were determined to kill him because he claimed to be that Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53; because he testified that he had come to die to save a world of sinners.

Sadly, many still reject Jesus as their Savior today – and for similar reasons. The Jewish leaders probably could have tolerated Jesus the wise rabbi, the insightful teacher, the miracle worker, the political revolutionary, the social liberator – in fact, they probably would have loved him for it – but they could not tolerate his claims to be the Son of God and Savior from sin. Still today, many accept a Jesus who teaches about morality and promises to heal all earthly ills and to liberate those who are oppressed – but reject a Jesus who would dare to be the Son of God and their Savior from sin. It’s tragic. But what’s even more tragic is that even among those who confess Jesus as the Son of God continue to reject him. “How?” By the countless decisions, words, thoughts and actions we make every day in which we reject Jesus, the Son of God, as the Lord of our lives. When we fear things like sickness and death more than him, when we elevate our own thoughts and feelings over his Word and will, when we spend more time talking on social media than talking to him in prayer, when we dishonor the authorities Jesus has placed over us, when we fail to help our neighbors in need, when we allow lust to linger in our hearts and minds, when we steal time from our employers, when we speak or listen to gossip, when we covet what God has not given us – we are rejecting Jesus as the Son of God, the Lord of our lives. It’s as Isaiah said: we thought nothing of him (Isaiah 53:3). Here’s the problem: if Jesus is not the Son of God, if he’s not the King of kings and Lord of lords – not only over all of creation but over our lives – then we have no substitute for our death, no one to take the punishment for our sins, no forgiveness, no life, no salvation. The harsh reality is that anyone who despises and rejects Jesus now is doomed to be despised and reject by God forever (Luke 12:8-12).

But here’s the good news: there is still hope for people like you and me, who have despised and rejected Jesus by our sinful lives. The fact that Jesus was and is despised and rejected doesn’t change who Jesus is! And when we are ready to confess that we have often rejected Jesus’ lordship of our lives – then we’re fully prepared to receive this unchanging and unchangeable Jesus – not only through faith, but also through the Supper he instituted on that Last Passover which validates his identity as the Son of God and our Savior.

How does the Last Passover validate Jesus’ identity? Well, let’s do a quick review of the Passover Festival. Even before the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt, he had commanded them to celebrate the Passover Feast annually to recall how the angel of death passed over the homes of those who had believed God’s Word, slaughtered a lamb and painted its blood on their doorposts (Exodus 12:14). Each year the Israelites were to celebrate this feast to remind them that it was the Lord who had redeemed them from their slavery in Egypt. Over the course of time, it became traditional for the Israelites to share four cups of wine during this meal to recall the four promises God had made to them in Exodus 6: tell the Israelites, ‘I am the LORD. I will bring you out from under the forced labor of the Egyptians. I will deliver you from being their slaves. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am the LORD your God, the one who brought you out from under the forced labor of the Egyptians (Exodus 6:6-7).

Here’s a brief overview of what the feast would have looked like. As the Passover meal began, the youngest child was sent outside to look for the Messiah, the Christ, because Jewish tradition expected the Christ to come on the eve of the Passover. The youngest child would then ask, “Why is this night different from all other nights?” And the family rehearse the history of how God had redeemed and liberated Israel from Egypt and what it meant. The meal began with the sharing of the first cup of wine. Next, they ate bitter herbs, which reminded them of the bitterness of slavery. The second cup was shared followed by the eating of unleavened bread – unleavened (made without yeast) because the Israelites had to leave in haste, before the bread could have a chance to rise. The third cup passed was known as the cup of redemption. They sang some psalms and hymns and then passed the fourth cup.

Luke only records the passing of two cups, the first and third. The matzah, the unleavened bread, was placed on the table in a special container called a matzah tosh. This white, silk bag was divided into three compartments for the three matzah wafers. Today, Jewish Christians understand this to symbolize the triune God, with the middle matzah, or wafer, represented the Christ. While none of this was commanded by God in the OT or described in detail in the Gospel accounts, if this was how the disciples understood the symbolism, it is interesting to put yourself in their shoes that night. In their minds, what was Jesus implying when he took bread (the middle wafer), and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me”? Theologically and grammatically, of course, Jesus meant exactly what he said: this is my body. On another level, though, it would have meant: “I am the Christ. I am the Son of God. I am the Savior you’ve been waiting for.” The breaking of the bread was Jesus’ final prediction that his body would be broken on a cross for us. Now, whether the disciples understood this significance that night – or whether that’s actually how they celebrated the Passover meal – is all debatable. What’s not debatable is that Christians eventually understood the deep significance of taking and eating the unleavened bread; as Paul explains: the bread that we break, is it not a communion of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 10:16). In the Lord’s Supper, we are receiving nothing less than the physical body of the Son of God.

Luke continues: in the same way, he took the cup after the supper. This would have been the third cup, to which this promise of God was attached: I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment (Exodus 6:6). We can hear echoes of this promise when Jesus says: this cup is the new testament in my blood, which is being poured out for you. Let’s put the pieces together. When Jesus stretched out his arms on the cross to pay for our sins, God indeed executed a great act of judgment: he condemned his sinless Son in our place, and in place of every sinner who will ever live. According to Matthew’s account, this Last Passover meal was never completed; they never drank the fourth cup of wine. After they sang the appointed psalms, they went to the Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:30). Why didn’t they finish the meal? Because within a matter of hours, Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross would fulfill God’s promise of redemption. And, as a result, the Passover meal which anticipated full redemption would be replaced by the Lord’s Supper which delivers completed redemption – in fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

So what does this all mean for us tonight, thousands of years and thousands of miles away from that Last Passover. Well, Jesus still tells us to do this in remembrance of me. In English, “to remember” something means to think backward in time mentally to something that isn’t currently present – like looking at a photo album. But that’s not what the Greek word Jesus uses here, anamnesis, means nor what the Hebrew word for “remember” (zakar) meant. Both were intended to lead the people to remember something which – while it may have happened in the past – has a present and ongoing impact. In other words, when the Jews were encouraged to “remember the exodus,” they were to remember the event long ago which made them free today! (I suppose you could compare it to the American celebration of Independence Day – that event which occurred so long ago but still impacts us today.) When Jesus says do this in remembrance of me, he’s telling us that the benefits and blessings he won by his death on the cross 2000 years ago are present and being distributed here and now. Tonight, we, who personally know what it’s like to be enslaved to sin, death and the devil, are to remember that here and now in the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper, we are receiving the body and blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, which gives us the forgiveness, life and salvation – and liberation from sin, death and the devil.

Why should we continue to celebrate the Last Passover two thousand years after it took place? Or, to steal a line from the Jews: “what makes this night different from all other nights?” It indicates that Jesus was – and continues to be – rejected – just as it had been determined. It implicates us; it convicts us as sinners who have caused Jesus’ suffering by our sinful thoughts, words and actions. It identifies Jesus as the promised Son of God and Savior of the world. And, it is the day our Savior instituted a new meal, the Lord’s Supper, to grant us the blessings he won by his life, death and resurrection long ago: forgiveness, life and salvation. The Last Passover is indeed a precious gem to be treasured and examined; it is truly a night to remember. Amen.