Ash Wednesday Divine Service
February 14, 2024
Please stand if able
ASH WEDNESDAY ADDRESS
P Dear brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ, on this day the Church begins a holy season of prayerful and penitential reflection. Our attention is especially directed to the holy sufferings and death of our Lord Jesus Christ.
From ancient times, the season of Lent has been kept as a time of special devotion, self-denial, and humble repentance born of a faithful heart that dwells confidently on His Word and draws from it life and hope.
Let us pray that our dear Father in heaven, for the sake of His beloved Son and in the power of His Holy Spirit, might richly bless this Lententide for us so that we may come to Easter with glad hearts and keep the feast in sincerity and truth.
LITANY
P O Lord,
C have mercy.
P O Christ,
C have mercy.
P O Lord,
C have mercy.
P O Christ,
C hear us.
P God the Father in heaven,
C have mercy.
P God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
C have mercy.
P God the Holy Spirit,
C have mercy.
P Be gracious to us.
C Spare us, good Lord.
P Be gracious to us.
C Help us, good Lord.
P By the mystery of Your holy incarnation; by Your holy nativity; by Your baptism, fasting, and temptation; by Your agony and bloody sweat; by Your cross and passion; by Your precious death and burial; by Your glorious resurrection and ascension; and by the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter:
C Help us, good Lord.
P In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death; and in the day of judgment:
C Help us, good Lord.
P We poor sinners implore You
C to hear us, O Lord.
P To prosper the teaching of Your Word; to bless our prayer and meditation; to strengthen and preserve us in the true faith; and to give heart to our sorrow and strength to our repentance:
C We implore You to hear us, good Lord.
P To draw all to Yourself; to bless those who are instructed in the faith; to watch over and console the poor, the sick, the distressed, the lonely, the forsaken, the abandoned, and all who stand in need of our prayers; to give abundant blessing to all works of mercy; and to have mercy on us all:
C We implore You to hear us, good Lord.
P To turn our hearts to You; to turn the hearts of our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers; and graciously to hear our prayers:
C We implore You to hear us, good Lord.
P Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
C we implore You to hear us.
P Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,
C have mercy.
P Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,
C have mercy.
P Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,
C grant us Your peace.
P O Christ,
C hear us.
P O Lord,
C have mercy.
P O Christ,
C have mercy.
P O Lord,
C have mercy. Amen.
P O God, You desire not the death of sinners, but rather that they turn from their wickedness and live. We implore You to have compassion on the frailty of our mortal nature, for we acknowledge that we are dust and to dust we shall return. Mercifully pardon our sins that we may obtain the promises You have laid up for those who are repentant; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
+ THE IMPOSITION OF ASHES +
Sit
The pastor and assistants receive ashes first, followed by the congregation. Using the right thumb, the pastor or an assistant places the ashes on the forehead of each person in the sign of the cross, saying:
A Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
After receiving the ashes, each person returns to his place in silence.
HYMN “Savior, When in Dust to Thee” (LSB 419)
After all have received the ashes, the service continues with the Service of Confession and Absolution in the Divine Service or with the rite of Corporate Confession and Absolution.
+ CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION +
Please stand if able
P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
+ SERVICE OF THE WORD +
KYRIE [both pastor and congregation parts are spoken]
P In peace let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
P For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
P For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
P For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
P Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
C Amen.
SALUTATION AND COLLECT OF THE DAY
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, You despise nothing You have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent. Create in us new and contrite hearts that lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness we may receive from You full pardon and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (L22)
C Amen.
Sit
OLD TESTAMENT READING Joel 2:12–19
12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to Me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the Lord your God,
for He is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and He relents over disaster.
14 Who knows whether He will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind Him,
a grain offering and a drink offering
for the Lord your God?
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion;
consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
16 gather the people.
Consecrate the congregation;
assemble the elders;
gather the children,
even nursing infants.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her chamber.
17 Between the vestibule and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep
and say, “Spare Your people, O Lord,
and make not Your heritage a reproach,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”
18 Then the Lord became jealous for His land
and had pity on His people.
19 The Lord answered and said to His people,
“Behold, I am sending to you
grain, wine, and oil,
and you will be satisfied;
and I will no more make you
a reproach among the nations.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
EPISTLE 2 Corinthians 5:20b–6:10
20 We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
6:1 Working together with Him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says,
“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
C Return to the Lord, your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.
HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 6:1–6, 16–21
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the sixth chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
1 [Jesus said:] “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. . . .
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Sit
SERMON HYMN “Jesus, Refuge of the Weary” LSB 423
SERMON “The Dominoes of Sin” Joshua 7:1-6, 10-15
The Dominoes of Sin
Joshua 7:1–6, 10–15
Around 1970 or so, people outside the Church and not a few inside were claiming that something had to be done about Lent. They wanted to see it shortened, if not abolished altogether. Aren’t you glad their ideas did not catch on?
To them, Lent seemed too morbid and gory. They thought that Lent devoted excessive attention to the suffering and death of Christ. But how can too much attention ever be devoted to the work of our Savior? While we are dwelling upon the saving work of Christ, though, we need to put the emphasis in the right place. Yes, it is important to be aware of what Jesus went through with things like the crown of thorns, the nails, and the cross. We should also keep in mind the big picture that goes beyond the physical sufferings anyone would sustain in such a case. For THIS Sufferer is none other than God become Man. It is with his holy, precious blood and his innocent suffering and death that he redeemed you and me. Seen in this light, Lent looks still more dreadful, yet better for us sinners for whom Christ died.
This leads to a second reason why people wanted to shorten or abolish Lent. They figured that Lent focuses too much on sin. To be sure, Lent is a penitential season in which we give special attention to our sin. If sin is not so serious, then Lent overemphasizes it, as does the Bible itself. Yet sin stands out as our major problem. It forms the barrier between us and God. It would be terrible to emphasize sin during Lent if we only ended up wallowing in our sin, not getting rid of it. But Lent is for us to get rid of sin, for Lent is about Christ. And Christ is for us to get rid of sin. I need Lent, and I’m sure you do too.
Have you ever driven a bent nail into a piece of wood? It does not make the kind of hole a straight nail would make. The bent nail slices into the wood in unwanted ways, due to its own misshapen shape. Human beings were created to give God the “straight glory.” That’s what the word orthodox means. In our sin, though, we have turned in on ourselves. The natural shape we have as sinners is not one that points to God. Instead, we point to right back to ourselves. “As little as a crooked nail can make a clean, straight hole when it is driven into a board, but cuts and gouges the fibers in accordance with its own twists and bends, so little can bent man move through life without causing the sorrow and grief that he himself suffers.”[1] Every time we break one of God’s commandments 2–10 we are showing a symptom of our real disease, that we do not fear and love the Lord our God as we should.
Our text takes us to the aftermath of the great and miraculous victory over Jericho that was brought about for Israel by the Lord. Jericho and everything in it was “devoted” to the Lord. All the people were condemned, and all the silver and gold, bronze and iron things were to go into the Lord’s storehouse. Here was one more way in which the Lord was pointing out who he was and is. Despite these orders, though, an Israelite soldier named Achan took a robe, some silver, and a bar of gold for himself and buried them in the ground under his tent.
Israel’s next military target was puny Ai, against which Joshua sent a force of only three thousand. This should have been plenty of manpower. But the Israelite army was routed, and some thirty-six of its soldiers were killed. The defeat threw Joshua into a panic, for it seemed that the Lord had abandoned his people, leaving them surrounded by enemies. However, the Lord told Joshua that someone had taken some of the devoted things. He instructed Joshua to find the culprit by holding a parade of sorts. Israel would pass in review before the Lord and before Joshua first by tribes, then by clans of the appropriate tribe, then by families of the appropriate clan, and finally by individuals. The culprit Achan was thus identified. The Lord said he was to be burned with everything he had, including his sons and daughters.
One way to think about Achan’s sin is to ask which commandment he broke. Really, we should ask which commandments (plural) Achan broke. For every time we break one of God’s commandments 2–10, it forms a symptom of the fact that we have broken God’s first and most basic commandment. If we were fearing and loving God as we should, we would have no problem with any of his other commands.
So consider Achan’s sin. He saw the robe, the silver and gold. Even though they were not supposed to be his, he wanted them. In other words, he coveted. Then he did something. He took what was not his. That is, he stole. But this was only the beginning. In addition to these obvious infractions of God’s law, Achan broke the Fifth Commandment as his misdeed caused the death of some thirty-six Israelite soldiers. He was not loving his wife and family as he should have when he got them into trouble along with him. So much for the Sixth Commandment. Achan’s military commanders had told him not to take the devoted things. When he took them anyway, he was violating the Fourth Commandment. Behind the commanders’ words stood the Word of God, which Achan also did not heed. So he broke the Third Commandment. He brought dishonor to the Lord’s name when Israel lost the battle at Ai, and thus he broke the Second Commandment. Remember, every time Achan broke any of the other commandments, he was also breaking the First. Of course, Achan bore false witness by covering up his crime. There goes the Eighth Commandment, and once more the first with it. Like dominoes in a row, the commandments each fell in turn until Achan had left none standing.
Put differently, Achan was so bent in on himself that he ended up gouging everything around him. You and I are the same way. We never break one and only one of the Lord’s commandments. Every time we break any of the commandments 2–10, it shows that we have broken the First. Usually we end up breaking still more. Sometimes, like Achan, in one move we pretty much manage to break them all. It’s like one domino hitting another and another and another. The Epistle of James says if you keep the law but offend in but one point, you are guilty of all (James 2:10). This statement shows how seriously God takes sin, but it is strictly hypothetical. We never offend in only one point.
Lent is not for us to wallow in sin but to get rid of it. The Bible does not tell us in so many words whether Achan went to heaven or hell. However, it does give what might be called a hopeful hint concerning him. Although Achan lied at first, he finally confessed his sin when Joshua said, “My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel” (Joshua 7:19). Achan would give God glory by making his confession of sin. That is, Achan did not want to keep his sin. He did not want to hold on to it or identify with it. It was too late for Achan to do anything about his sin—the damage had been done—but he wished to distance himself from it.
Now, Achan’s mere wish did not bring about such distance between him and his sin. But Christ does. God sent his Son so a sinner like Achan can off-load sin on him, on Christ. We sinners should learn to “wrap” Christ in our sins, for he has already wrapped himself in them.[2] He shouldered our sin all the way to his death on the cross.
In a paradoxical and profound way, Achan was giving the Lord glory by his confession. For it is the Lord’s great glory that in Christ he saves sinners, people like us who gouge everything around us, people capable of breaking all God’s commandments at one time. He paid for all of your sin, every bit of it, and so he frees you from it. God in his grace arranges things so that even our sins bring him glory.
One more point becomes especially appropriate: it is not only the death of Christ but also episodes like his temptation by the devil that become nearer and dearer to us when we see the dominoes of sin. For in Christ’s temptation, as throughout his life in this world, he was doing everything right. He was loving God and his neighbor as he resisted and defeated the devil’s temptations. In this way, too, Christ was fashioning the robe of righteousness that he places upon us. That is why pastors traditionally wear white robes, even during the penitential season of Lent: to show the status that every Christian has before God in Christ. Our sins, which were as scarlet, have become white as snow.
A young lawyer moved to a new town and started practicing law. People came to know him as a good and capable attorney. Therefore, they could not understand why they would see him walking to his office every day with his shoulders stooped, his head down, and a frown on his face. Finally, one of the townspeople, a Christian and an artist by trade, asked the young lawyer why he seemed so glum. The lawyer said that right after he graduated from law school he had done something terribly wrong. It was still bothering him. He had done the best he could to set things right. Still, though, he could never seem to get away from this wrong. It dogged his steps every day.
The artist decided to paint a picture for the young lawyer. After a few weeks, he unveiled it. In the foreground of this painting was the lawyer, standing straight with his shoulders back, a smile on his face and eyes looking brightly toward the future. In the background there was a series of boxes—huge boxes, the kind refrigerators come in—knocked down, one after another like a row of dominoes. The last of the boxes was the biggest one. The artist told the lawyer, “If you like, think of this biggest box as containing your sins. But mine are in another of these boxes, and everyone else in town has a box here too.”
The biggest box in the painting had fallen against a cross. It would have crushed anyone nailed to that cross, but the cross was now empty.
The point of the painting is clear. The dominoes of sin come to a stop at the cross of the crucified but now risen Christ.[3]
Every Sunday in Lent provides a little celebration of Christ’s resurrection victory, the victory he now shares with us through his Word. Lent is for the removal of sin and its guilt, since Christ is for the removal of sin and guilt. He took all the dominoes of all sin and lived to tell the tale! He took them for you.
[1] Kenneth F. Korby, “The Victim and the Victims,” The Cresset 42 (February 1979): 28.
[2] AE 26:279.
[3] This story is adapted from one told by the Rev. Ken Klaus on The Lutheran Hour.
Stand
NICENE CREED
C I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life T of the world to come. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
P Lord God, heavenly Father, we offer before You our common supplications for the well-being of Your Church throughout the world. So guide and govern it by Your Holy Spirit that all who profess themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Send down upon all ministers of the Gospel and upon the congregations committed to their care the healthful spirit of Your grace that they may please You in all things.
Behold in mercy all who are in authority over us. Supply them with Your blessing that they may be inclined to Your will and walk according to Your commandments. We humbly ask Your abiding presence in every situation that You would make known Your ways among us. Preserve those who travel, satisfy the wants of Your creatures, and help those who call upon You in any need that they may have patience in the midst of suffering and, according to Your will, be released from their afflictions; through Christ Jesus, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
P Almighty God, Adam swallowed the lies of the devil and was led astray to rebel against You, swallowing the forbidden fruit. Because of Adam’s distorted appetite, we’re all conceived and born in sin and therefore hunger and thirst for that which is forbidden. Help us to abstain from the appetites of our flesh, which can’t ever satisfy us. Fix our eyes on the One who can and does satisfy us, the One who is bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, Jesus, the Christ. You sent Your Son to be like us in every way but without sin. Whereas Adam fell into the devil’s temptations and ate, Your Son overcame the devil’s temptations for us. He refused to eat, for His food is to do Your will, which He did by giving His perfect flesh into death to bring our sinful flesh out of death into the resurrection and life everlasting. Grant that we wouldn’t live by bread alone but by the words of Christ spoken here at the altar, words that are joined to the bread and wine to give us His body, which is true food that endures to eternal life, and His blood, which is true drink that quenches our deepest thirst.
As we behold the man this Lenten season and focus on Jesus’ hands, feet, lungs, lips, eyes, and ears, fill our hearts with joy for God became man to die and rise so that He could obtain for every man the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of our bodies, and life everlasting; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.
OFFERING PRAYER
Stand
OFFERTORY [spoken]
C What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits to me?
I will offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call on the name of the Lord.
I will take the cup of salvation and will call on the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord now in the presence of all His people,
in the courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
+ SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT +
PREFACE [spoken]
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who overcame the assaults of the devil and gave His life as a ransom for many that with cleansed hearts we might be prepared joyfully to celebrate the paschal feast in sincerity and truth. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
SANCTUS [spoken]
C Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of pow’r and might:
Heaven and earth are full of Your glory.
Hosanna. Hosanna.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
P Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.
Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
P Lord, remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
THE WORDS OF OUR LORD
PAX DOMINI
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
AGNUS DEI [spoken] LSB, p. 163
C Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; grant us peace.
Sit
DISTRIBUTION AND HYMNS:
“I Come, O Savior, to Thy Table” (LSB 618)
Stand
POST-COMMUNION COLLECT
P Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have filled us with true food and true drink that will never perish so that we will never perish. By the eating and drinking of Christ’s body and blood, satisfy our deepest hunger and thirst. Help us to behold the man who gives Himself to us in this bread and wine until that day we behold Him face to face in the glory of paradise; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
BENEDICTION
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you
and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.
C Amen.
Acknowledgments
Ash Wednesday from Lutheran Service Book: Altar Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House and Divine Service, Setting One from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
February 14, 2024
Please stand if able
ASH WEDNESDAY ADDRESS
P Dear brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ, on this day the Church begins a holy season of prayerful and penitential reflection. Our attention is especially directed to the holy sufferings and death of our Lord Jesus Christ.
From ancient times, the season of Lent has been kept as a time of special devotion, self-denial, and humble repentance born of a faithful heart that dwells confidently on His Word and draws from it life and hope.
Let us pray that our dear Father in heaven, for the sake of His beloved Son and in the power of His Holy Spirit, might richly bless this Lententide for us so that we may come to Easter with glad hearts and keep the feast in sincerity and truth.
LITANY
P O Lord,
C have mercy.
P O Christ,
C have mercy.
P O Lord,
C have mercy.
P O Christ,
C hear us.
P God the Father in heaven,
C have mercy.
P God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
C have mercy.
P God the Holy Spirit,
C have mercy.
P Be gracious to us.
C Spare us, good Lord.
P Be gracious to us.
C Help us, good Lord.
P By the mystery of Your holy incarnation; by Your holy nativity; by Your baptism, fasting, and temptation; by Your agony and bloody sweat; by Your cross and passion; by Your precious death and burial; by Your glorious resurrection and ascension; and by the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter:
C Help us, good Lord.
P In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death; and in the day of judgment:
C Help us, good Lord.
P We poor sinners implore You
C to hear us, O Lord.
P To prosper the teaching of Your Word; to bless our prayer and meditation; to strengthen and preserve us in the true faith; and to give heart to our sorrow and strength to our repentance:
C We implore You to hear us, good Lord.
P To draw all to Yourself; to bless those who are instructed in the faith; to watch over and console the poor, the sick, the distressed, the lonely, the forsaken, the abandoned, and all who stand in need of our prayers; to give abundant blessing to all works of mercy; and to have mercy on us all:
C We implore You to hear us, good Lord.
P To turn our hearts to You; to turn the hearts of our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers; and graciously to hear our prayers:
C We implore You to hear us, good Lord.
P Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
C we implore You to hear us.
P Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,
C have mercy.
P Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,
C have mercy.
P Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,
C grant us Your peace.
P O Christ,
C hear us.
P O Lord,
C have mercy.
P O Christ,
C have mercy.
P O Lord,
C have mercy. Amen.
P O God, You desire not the death of sinners, but rather that they turn from their wickedness and live. We implore You to have compassion on the frailty of our mortal nature, for we acknowledge that we are dust and to dust we shall return. Mercifully pardon our sins that we may obtain the promises You have laid up for those who are repentant; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
+ THE IMPOSITION OF ASHES +
Sit
The pastor and assistants receive ashes first, followed by the congregation. Using the right thumb, the pastor or an assistant places the ashes on the forehead of each person in the sign of the cross, saying:
A Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.
After receiving the ashes, each person returns to his place in silence.
HYMN “Savior, When in Dust to Thee” (LSB 419)
After all have received the ashes, the service continues with the Service of Confession and Absolution in the Divine Service or with the rite of Corporate Confession and Absolution.
+ CONFESSION AND ABSOLUTION +
Please stand if able
P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
C But if we confess our sins, God, who is faithful and just, will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
P Let us then confess our sins to God our Father.
C Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.
P Almighty God in His mercy has given His Son to die for you and for His sake forgives you all your sins. As a called and ordained servant of Christ, and by His authority, I therefore forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the T Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
+ SERVICE OF THE WORD +
KYRIE [both pastor and congregation parts are spoken]
P In peace let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
P For the peace from above and for our salvation let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
P For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
P For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise let us pray to the Lord.
C Lord, have mercy.
P Help, save, comfort, and defend us, gracious Lord.
C Amen.
SALUTATION AND COLLECT OF THE DAY
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray.
Almighty and everlasting God, You despise nothing You have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent. Create in us new and contrite hearts that lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness we may receive from You full pardon and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (L22)
C Amen.
Sit
OLD TESTAMENT READING Joel 2:12–19
12 “Yet even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to Me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
13 and rend your hearts and not your garments.”
Return to the Lord your God,
for He is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love;
and He relents over disaster.
14 Who knows whether He will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind Him,
a grain offering and a drink offering
for the Lord your God?
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion;
consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
16 gather the people.
Consecrate the congregation;
assemble the elders;
gather the children,
even nursing infants.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her chamber.
17 Between the vestibule and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep
and say, “Spare Your people, O Lord,
and make not Your heritage a reproach,
a byword among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
‘Where is their God?’”
18 Then the Lord became jealous for His land
and had pity on His people.
19 The Lord answered and said to His people,
“Behold, I am sending to you
grain, wine, and oil,
and you will be satisfied;
and I will no more make you
a reproach among the nations.”
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
EPISTLE 2 Corinthians 5:20b–6:10
20 We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
6:1 Working together with Him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says,
“In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 3 We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
A This is the Word of the Lord.
C Thanks be to God.
Stand
C Return to the Lord, your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.
HOLY GOSPEL Matthew 6:1–6, 16–21
P The Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew, the sixth chapter.
C Glory to You, O Lord.
1 [Jesus said:] “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. . . .
16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
P This is the Gospel of the Lord.
C Praise to You, O Christ.
Sit
SERMON HYMN “Jesus, Refuge of the Weary” LSB 423
SERMON “The Dominoes of Sin” Joshua 7:1-6, 10-15
The Dominoes of Sin
Joshua 7:1–6, 10–15
Around 1970 or so, people outside the Church and not a few inside were claiming that something had to be done about Lent. They wanted to see it shortened, if not abolished altogether. Aren’t you glad their ideas did not catch on?
To them, Lent seemed too morbid and gory. They thought that Lent devoted excessive attention to the suffering and death of Christ. But how can too much attention ever be devoted to the work of our Savior? While we are dwelling upon the saving work of Christ, though, we need to put the emphasis in the right place. Yes, it is important to be aware of what Jesus went through with things like the crown of thorns, the nails, and the cross. We should also keep in mind the big picture that goes beyond the physical sufferings anyone would sustain in such a case. For THIS Sufferer is none other than God become Man. It is with his holy, precious blood and his innocent suffering and death that he redeemed you and me. Seen in this light, Lent looks still more dreadful, yet better for us sinners for whom Christ died.
This leads to a second reason why people wanted to shorten or abolish Lent. They figured that Lent focuses too much on sin. To be sure, Lent is a penitential season in which we give special attention to our sin. If sin is not so serious, then Lent overemphasizes it, as does the Bible itself. Yet sin stands out as our major problem. It forms the barrier between us and God. It would be terrible to emphasize sin during Lent if we only ended up wallowing in our sin, not getting rid of it. But Lent is for us to get rid of sin, for Lent is about Christ. And Christ is for us to get rid of sin. I need Lent, and I’m sure you do too.
Have you ever driven a bent nail into a piece of wood? It does not make the kind of hole a straight nail would make. The bent nail slices into the wood in unwanted ways, due to its own misshapen shape. Human beings were created to give God the “straight glory.” That’s what the word orthodox means. In our sin, though, we have turned in on ourselves. The natural shape we have as sinners is not one that points to God. Instead, we point to right back to ourselves. “As little as a crooked nail can make a clean, straight hole when it is driven into a board, but cuts and gouges the fibers in accordance with its own twists and bends, so little can bent man move through life without causing the sorrow and grief that he himself suffers.”[1] Every time we break one of God’s commandments 2–10 we are showing a symptom of our real disease, that we do not fear and love the Lord our God as we should.
Our text takes us to the aftermath of the great and miraculous victory over Jericho that was brought about for Israel by the Lord. Jericho and everything in it was “devoted” to the Lord. All the people were condemned, and all the silver and gold, bronze and iron things were to go into the Lord’s storehouse. Here was one more way in which the Lord was pointing out who he was and is. Despite these orders, though, an Israelite soldier named Achan took a robe, some silver, and a bar of gold for himself and buried them in the ground under his tent.
Israel’s next military target was puny Ai, against which Joshua sent a force of only three thousand. This should have been plenty of manpower. But the Israelite army was routed, and some thirty-six of its soldiers were killed. The defeat threw Joshua into a panic, for it seemed that the Lord had abandoned his people, leaving them surrounded by enemies. However, the Lord told Joshua that someone had taken some of the devoted things. He instructed Joshua to find the culprit by holding a parade of sorts. Israel would pass in review before the Lord and before Joshua first by tribes, then by clans of the appropriate tribe, then by families of the appropriate clan, and finally by individuals. The culprit Achan was thus identified. The Lord said he was to be burned with everything he had, including his sons and daughters.
One way to think about Achan’s sin is to ask which commandment he broke. Really, we should ask which commandments (plural) Achan broke. For every time we break one of God’s commandments 2–10, it forms a symptom of the fact that we have broken God’s first and most basic commandment. If we were fearing and loving God as we should, we would have no problem with any of his other commands.
So consider Achan’s sin. He saw the robe, the silver and gold. Even though they were not supposed to be his, he wanted them. In other words, he coveted. Then he did something. He took what was not his. That is, he stole. But this was only the beginning. In addition to these obvious infractions of God’s law, Achan broke the Fifth Commandment as his misdeed caused the death of some thirty-six Israelite soldiers. He was not loving his wife and family as he should have when he got them into trouble along with him. So much for the Sixth Commandment. Achan’s military commanders had told him not to take the devoted things. When he took them anyway, he was violating the Fourth Commandment. Behind the commanders’ words stood the Word of God, which Achan also did not heed. So he broke the Third Commandment. He brought dishonor to the Lord’s name when Israel lost the battle at Ai, and thus he broke the Second Commandment. Remember, every time Achan broke any of the other commandments, he was also breaking the First. Of course, Achan bore false witness by covering up his crime. There goes the Eighth Commandment, and once more the first with it. Like dominoes in a row, the commandments each fell in turn until Achan had left none standing.
Put differently, Achan was so bent in on himself that he ended up gouging everything around him. You and I are the same way. We never break one and only one of the Lord’s commandments. Every time we break any of the commandments 2–10, it shows that we have broken the First. Usually we end up breaking still more. Sometimes, like Achan, in one move we pretty much manage to break them all. It’s like one domino hitting another and another and another. The Epistle of James says if you keep the law but offend in but one point, you are guilty of all (James 2:10). This statement shows how seriously God takes sin, but it is strictly hypothetical. We never offend in only one point.
Lent is not for us to wallow in sin but to get rid of it. The Bible does not tell us in so many words whether Achan went to heaven or hell. However, it does give what might be called a hopeful hint concerning him. Although Achan lied at first, he finally confessed his sin when Joshua said, “My son, give glory to the Lord God of Israel” (Joshua 7:19). Achan would give God glory by making his confession of sin. That is, Achan did not want to keep his sin. He did not want to hold on to it or identify with it. It was too late for Achan to do anything about his sin—the damage had been done—but he wished to distance himself from it.
Now, Achan’s mere wish did not bring about such distance between him and his sin. But Christ does. God sent his Son so a sinner like Achan can off-load sin on him, on Christ. We sinners should learn to “wrap” Christ in our sins, for he has already wrapped himself in them.[2] He shouldered our sin all the way to his death on the cross.
In a paradoxical and profound way, Achan was giving the Lord glory by his confession. For it is the Lord’s great glory that in Christ he saves sinners, people like us who gouge everything around us, people capable of breaking all God’s commandments at one time. He paid for all of your sin, every bit of it, and so he frees you from it. God in his grace arranges things so that even our sins bring him glory.
One more point becomes especially appropriate: it is not only the death of Christ but also episodes like his temptation by the devil that become nearer and dearer to us when we see the dominoes of sin. For in Christ’s temptation, as throughout his life in this world, he was doing everything right. He was loving God and his neighbor as he resisted and defeated the devil’s temptations. In this way, too, Christ was fashioning the robe of righteousness that he places upon us. That is why pastors traditionally wear white robes, even during the penitential season of Lent: to show the status that every Christian has before God in Christ. Our sins, which were as scarlet, have become white as snow.
A young lawyer moved to a new town and started practicing law. People came to know him as a good and capable attorney. Therefore, they could not understand why they would see him walking to his office every day with his shoulders stooped, his head down, and a frown on his face. Finally, one of the townspeople, a Christian and an artist by trade, asked the young lawyer why he seemed so glum. The lawyer said that right after he graduated from law school he had done something terribly wrong. It was still bothering him. He had done the best he could to set things right. Still, though, he could never seem to get away from this wrong. It dogged his steps every day.
The artist decided to paint a picture for the young lawyer. After a few weeks, he unveiled it. In the foreground of this painting was the lawyer, standing straight with his shoulders back, a smile on his face and eyes looking brightly toward the future. In the background there was a series of boxes—huge boxes, the kind refrigerators come in—knocked down, one after another like a row of dominoes. The last of the boxes was the biggest one. The artist told the lawyer, “If you like, think of this biggest box as containing your sins. But mine are in another of these boxes, and everyone else in town has a box here too.”
The biggest box in the painting had fallen against a cross. It would have crushed anyone nailed to that cross, but the cross was now empty.
The point of the painting is clear. The dominoes of sin come to a stop at the cross of the crucified but now risen Christ.[3]
Every Sunday in Lent provides a little celebration of Christ’s resurrection victory, the victory he now shares with us through his Word. Lent is for the removal of sin and its guilt, since Christ is for the removal of sin and guilt. He took all the dominoes of all sin and lived to tell the tale! He took them for you.
[1] Kenneth F. Korby, “The Victim and the Victims,” The Cresset 42 (February 1979): 28.
[2] AE 26:279.
[3] This story is adapted from one told by the Rev. Ken Klaus on The Lutheran Hour.
Stand
NICENE CREED
C I believe in one God,
the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth
and of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ,
the only-begotten Son of God,
begotten of His Father before all worlds,
God of God, Light of Light,
very God of very God,
begotten, not made,
being of one substance with the Father,
by whom all things were made;
who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven
and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary
and was made man;
and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate.
He suffered and was buried.
And the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures
and ascended into heaven
and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And He will come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead,
whose kingdom will have no end.
And I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified,
who spoke by the prophets.
And I believe in one holy Christian and apostolic Church,
I acknowledge one Baptism for the remission of sins,
and I look for the resurrection of the dead
and the life T of the world to come. Amen.
PRAYER OF THE CHURCH
P Lord God, heavenly Father, we offer before You our common supplications for the well-being of Your Church throughout the world. So guide and govern it by Your Holy Spirit that all who profess themselves Christians may be led into the way of truth and hold the faith in unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life. Send down upon all ministers of the Gospel and upon the congregations committed to their care the healthful spirit of Your grace that they may please You in all things.
Behold in mercy all who are in authority over us. Supply them with Your blessing that they may be inclined to Your will and walk according to Your commandments. We humbly ask Your abiding presence in every situation that You would make known Your ways among us. Preserve those who travel, satisfy the wants of Your creatures, and help those who call upon You in any need that they may have patience in the midst of suffering and, according to Your will, be released from their afflictions; through Christ Jesus, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
P Almighty God, Adam swallowed the lies of the devil and was led astray to rebel against You, swallowing the forbidden fruit. Because of Adam’s distorted appetite, we’re all conceived and born in sin and therefore hunger and thirst for that which is forbidden. Help us to abstain from the appetites of our flesh, which can’t ever satisfy us. Fix our eyes on the One who can and does satisfy us, the One who is bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh, Jesus, the Christ. You sent Your Son to be like us in every way but without sin. Whereas Adam fell into the devil’s temptations and ate, Your Son overcame the devil’s temptations for us. He refused to eat, for His food is to do Your will, which He did by giving His perfect flesh into death to bring our sinful flesh out of death into the resurrection and life everlasting. Grant that we wouldn’t live by bread alone but by the words of Christ spoken here at the altar, words that are joined to the bread and wine to give us His body, which is true food that endures to eternal life, and His blood, which is true drink that quenches our deepest thirst.
As we behold the man this Lenten season and focus on Jesus’ hands, feet, lungs, lips, eyes, and ears, fill our hearts with joy for God became man to die and rise so that He could obtain for every man the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of our bodies, and life everlasting; through Your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever. Amen.
OFFERING PRAYER
Stand
OFFERTORY [spoken]
C What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits to me?
I will offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call on the name of the Lord.
I will take the cup of salvation and will call on the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord now in the presence of all His people,
in the courts of the Lord’s house, in the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
+ SERVICE OF THE SACRAMENT +
PREFACE [spoken]
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Lift up your hearts.
C We lift them to the Lord.
P Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
C It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
P It is truly good, right, and salutary that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to You, holy Lord, almighty Father, everlasting God, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who overcame the assaults of the devil and gave His life as a ransom for many that with cleansed hearts we might be prepared joyfully to celebrate the paschal feast in sincerity and truth. Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven we laud and magnify Your glorious name, evermore praising You and saying:
SANCTUS [spoken]
C Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of pow’r and might:
Heaven and earth are full of Your glory.
Hosanna. Hosanna.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
P Blessed are You, Lord of heaven and earth, for You have had mercy on those whom You created and sent Your only-begotten Son into our flesh to bear our sin and be our Savior. With repentant joy we receive the salvation accomplished for us by the all-availing sacrifice of His body and His blood on the cross.
Gathered in the name and the remembrance of Jesus, we beg You, O Lord, to forgive, renew, and strengthen us with Your Word and Spirit. Grant us faithfully to eat His body and drink His blood as He bids us do in His own testament. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers; deliver and preserve us. To You alone, O Father, be all glory, honor, and worship, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
LORD’S PRAYER
P Lord, remember us in Your kingdom and teach us to pray:
C Our Father who art in heaven,
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven;
give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.
THE WORDS OF OUR LORD
PAX DOMINI
P The peace of the Lord be with you always.
C Amen.
AGNUS DEI [spoken] LSB, p. 163
C Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; grant us peace.
Sit
DISTRIBUTION AND HYMNS:
“I Come, O Savior, to Thy Table” (LSB 618)
Stand
POST-COMMUNION COLLECT
P Let us pray.
We give thanks to You, almighty God, that You have filled us with true food and true drink that will never perish so that we will never perish. By the eating and drinking of Christ’s body and blood, satisfy our deepest hunger and thirst. Help us to behold the man who gives Himself to us in this bread and wine until that day we behold Him face to face in the glory of paradise; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
BENEDICTION
P The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine on you
and be gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor and T give you peace.
C Amen.
Acknowledgments
Ash Wednesday from Lutheran Service Book: Altar Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House and Divine Service, Setting One from Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing House.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
GOOD FRIDAY
April 2, 2021
The congregation and pastor enter in silence.
Opening Versicles
P O Lord, open my lips,
C and my mouth will declare your praise.
P Make haste, O God, to deliver me;
C make haste to help me, O Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ, Lamb of our salvation.
Responsory
P We have an advocate with the Father; Jesus is the propitiation for our
sins.
C He was delivered up to death; He was delivered for the sins of
the people.
P Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven and whose sin is put
away.
C He was delivered up to death; He was delivered for the sins of
the people.
P We have an advocate with the Father; Jesus is the propitiation for our
sins.
C He was delivered up to death; He was delivered for the sins of
the people.
Seven Ordeals of the Passion – Good Friday (April 2, 2021)
Ordeal of Gethsemane
Luke 22:39-44
39 And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. 40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
After Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, He and His disciples left the Upper Room and walked out of Jerusalem, across the Kidron Valley to a place called Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives.
Since Jerusalem was full of Passover pilgrims at this time, they would have met many people as they made their way. There would be throngs of people and the Mount of Olives would be decorated with the light of countless campfires as many of the Passover pilgrims camped out on the Mount of Olives rather than try to find a place in Jerusalem itself.
As Jesus approached Gethsemane, He singled out His inner circle of three, Peter, James, and John. The rest of the disciples waited while Jesus went on with these three. After a short walk, Jesus asked even these three to wait while He walked on alone for a short distance and began to pray.
He prayed, [Mark 14:36] "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." Luke tells us that an angel ministered to Him. It is then that Luke describes an amazing medical phenomenon: His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.
There is actually a medical name for this condition: hemohidrosis. The blood vessels that normally supply oxygen and nourishment to the sweat glands rupture. Blood actually mingles with the sweat and this mixture of blood and sweat pours out of the sweat glands onto the skin.
What kind of mental anguish could produce such an effect?
Jesus was the type of man who had not walked on this earth since the first Adam. He was without sin. He was perfect. His thought processes were not hindered as ours are.
As that perfect mind contemplated the events of the next twenty-four hours, Jesus saw in utter, horrible perfection exactly what was in store for Him. He saw all the shame and all the pain that lay before Him. He also perfectly understood the guilt of all our sin and the punishment that that sin would draw from the Father. The perfect anticipation of the suffering that lay before Him produced this ordeal.
The word Gethsemane means press as in a press for rendering oil from olives. Already in Gethsemane the guilt of our sins began to press the very blood out of Jesus' body.
SING:
Go to dark Gethsemane, All who feel the tempter’s pow’r;
Your Redeemer’s conflict see, Watch with Him one bitter hour;
Turn not from His griefs away; Learn from Jesus Christ to pray.
Ordeal of Beating
Matthew 26:59-68; Luke 22:63-65
Matthew 26:59-6859 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward 61 and said, “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days.’” 62 And the high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” 63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” 64 Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” 67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, 68 saying, “Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you?”
Luke 22:63-6563 Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking him as they beat him. 64 They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?” 65 And they said many other things against him, blaspheming him.
Jesus' gauntlet of trials began in the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council. They accused Him of a wide variety of crimes. These incredible hypocrites, who had already decided that Jesus was guilty, actually put on a show trial. They were trying a man that they knew was innocent, but they at least wanted the record to appear that they had followed procedure. Eventually, the high priest asked an illegal question: "I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus had no choice. He had to tell them who He really was: "You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven."
There are really only three possible responses to Jesus' statement. Jesus is as insane as someone who thinks he is Napoleon Bonaparte or Abraham Lincoln. Jesus is guilty of blasphemy for claiming to be God. Jesus is who He says He is and deserves our worship. The Sanhedrin took choice number two, blasphemy. The verdict was in. The plan that had been made before the trial even began was one step closer to completion.
Since it was really against the laws of Moses to conduct a trial during the night, the Sanhedrin had to at least wait for the dawn to make the verdict "official." During that period of waiting in the early morning before the sun came up, His captors mocked Him. It was not enough for His captors to physically abuse Him, but they must humiliate Him as well. They must demonstrate their control over Him. These guards began to beat the stamina out of Jesus.
The gauntlet has begun. The wounds begin to swell. The pain begins to mount. Our savior becomes broken, for us. As the sun rose, He knew it rose on the day of His death - and the day of our salvation.
SING:
Follow to the judgment hall, View the Lord of life arraigned;
Oh, the wormwood and the gall! Oh, the pangs His soul sustained!
Shun not suff’ring, shame, or loss; Learn from Him to bear the cross.
Ordeal of Scourging
Matthew 27:1-2, 11-12, 15, 17, 20-22, 24-26
27 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor.
11 Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer.
15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted.
17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”
20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” 22 Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!”
24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves.” 25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.
The Romans scourged or flogged everyone they executed. It made no difference whether the verdict was hanging, burning at the stake, beheading, crucifixion, or some other form of death, the first step was a scourging.
The Romans used a weapon called a flagrum to deliver the flogging. The flagrum had a short handle with leather straps attached to it. Some of the straps had metal balls on the end. Other straps had sharp bones attached. When a Roman soldier used this weapon against a victim, the metal balls raised welts which the bone fragments tore open. The first lashes would remove skin. Subsequent lashes would expose and even remove muscle.
The repeated blows to the body and the loss of blood also had an effect on the internal organs. The loss of blood also dehydrated the body and led to a state of shock.
Here Jesus began to fulfill the words of the psalmist who said, [Psalm 129:3] The plowers plowed upon my back; they made long their furrows. The prophet Isaiah also said, [Isaiah 52:14] "His appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind." [Isaiah 53:5] He was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.
SING:
Thou, ah! Thou, hast taken on Thee, Bonds and stripes, a cruel rod;
Pain and scorn were heaped upon Thee, O Thou sinless Son of God!
Thus didst Thou my soul deliver, From the bonds of sin forever.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.
Ordeal of Thorns
Matthew 27:27-32
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.
When God announced the consequences of sin to Adam, He said, [Genesis 3:17-18] "Cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. How ironic it is then, that thorns that came into this world because of sin now rest on our savior's head.
The robe, the crown of thorns, and the reed mocked Jesus' Messianic claims to be the King of Israel. Once again He received blows to the face, spitting, and clubbing. The clubbing with the reed was not only damaging in its own right, but it drove the thorns ever deeper into Jesus' head. Approximately 25 per cent of the heart's output flows to the head. With the ongoing abuse and the crown of thorns causing a continuous loss of blood, Jesus would gradually enter a state of shock and weakness.
During the night and early morning, the bloody sweat in Gethsemane, the trials, the physical abuse, the sleep deprivation, the shackled marches from trial to trial all took their toll. Jesus had been a healthy, vibrant, and strong man. Now His strength was almost gone. It is amazing that Jesus did not pass out from the loss of blood, the blunt force trauma, or simply from shock. Jesus' condition at this point in the day was already so poor that even if He were to be transported immediately to a modern emergency room in one of the world's premier hospitals, it is unlikely that He would survive.
Now it was time for Jesus to make His way to Golgotha, the place of His execution. Scholars have debated exactly what part and how much of the cross Jesus carried. Did Jesus carry the entire cross or only the crossbeam? Either way, in His weakened state, it is not surprising that He fell under its weight. In fact, given His ordeals so far, it is amazing that He could even take one step under that burden.
The centurion in charge of the crucifixion detail had orders from Pilate. This man was to die on a cross - not on his way to the cross. The centurion did not want to risk disobeying his orders simply because the victim died prematurely. Therefore, he compelled an innocent onlooker to carry the cross for Jesus.
Although Jesus was now beyond all medical hope and incredibly weak, He was firmly committed to his Father's will. He was carrying all sin - yours, mine, everyone's to a place where it would be disposed forever. [Isaiah 53:4] Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
SING:
Heartless scoffers did surround Thee, Treating Thee with shameful scorn
And with piercing thorns they crowned Thee. All disgrace Thou, Lord, hast borne,
That as Thine Thou mightiest own me, And with heav’nly glory crown me.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.
Ordeal of Crucifixion
Luke 23:32-34
32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.
When the soldiers finished mocking Jesus, they put His own clothes back on Him. The clothing would adhere to the strips of open flesh and the exposed, bleeding muscles. As Jesus made his way to the place of crucifixion, His own blood would have permeated his clothing. As the blood began to clot, it would cause this clothing to adhere to His skin and the exposed muscle. At the place of crucifixion, the soldiers would strip all the clothing from the victims. This would tear the clots from the skin, all the wounds would re-open, and the blood would continue to flow.
Once all the victim's clothes had been removed, a soldier would throw him down on the cross and the grizzly procedure of nailing the victim to the cross began. The Romans had had a lot of experience in positioning the body on the cross in order to extend the torture as long as possible. Victims who were relatively healthy when they were crucified often lasted for days.
Surprisingly, the cause of death by crucifixion was not loss of blood, but lack of air. The weight of the body on the arms forced the lungs to inhale. In order to exhale, the victim had to endure the pain of supporting the weight on the feet nailed to the cross. As fatigue set in, the victim would slowly lose the ability to push up and eventually be unable to breathe out. Then it was only a matter of time before the victim died from a lack of oxygen.
The lack of oxygen and the build up of carbon dioxide changed the chemistry of the little blood that was left in Jesus' body. Internal organs would begin to fail. The muscles in His body would cramp up. There would be continuous pain in His body until He died. Is it any wonder that the word excruciating comes from a Latin word that means "of the cross?"
As Jesus began His time on the cross - as he anticipated the long hours of torture, He did something amazing. He forgave His torturers with the words: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Instead of cursing those who administered such pain to His body, He asked His father to hold them innocent of this obscene torture.
His words of forgiveness ring true for us as well, because we too have sins of which we are not aware. In fact, we aren't aware of most of our sins. Never the less, Jesus offers His forgiveness to us. This is what Jesus does. He forgives. He takes our sin account to the cross and credits His holy life to us. The words of grace He spoke to His torturers are for us as well: , "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
SING:
Thou hast suffered great affliction, And hast borne it patiently,
Even death by crucifixion, Fully to atone for me;
Thou didst choose to be tormented, That my doom should be prevented.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.
Ordeal of Forsakenness
Matthew 27:46-51
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, “This man is calling Elijah.” 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, “Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him.” 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.
51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.
This is perhaps the greatest mystery of the cross. How does one member of the Triune God forsake another - How does the Father forsake the Son?
This may be the single most terrifying moment in earth's history. In a mysterious way that no one can truly understand, the Father forsakes the Son. The pain of this forsakenness far exceeds all the tortures Jesus has encountered so far. Somehow, Jesus, the Son of God has lost the complete sense of His Father's presence.
This is the torture of Hell. Jesus is now completely and totally alone. His disciples deserted Him and now even His Father has forsaken Him. Mark Twain once said, "Heaven for climate and hell for company," but he was sadly mistaken. In hell there is no company. Everyone is totally alone.
The one who rejects Jesus Christ is absorbed in himself. When he enters the next world, he will discover that "self" is all that he will know. The center of his existence while here on this earth, himself, will become his entire experience in hell. Nothing to do - nothing to be - nothing but loneliness beyond anything we experience here on this earth - loneliness even from any sense of God's presence. The one who rejects salvation will experience the true meaning of forsakenness.
Jesus suffered this stark and terrible forsakenness for each and every one of us. He suffered this so that none of us has to experience anything like it, but will experience life eternal with the fellowship of believers and the presence of God instead.
Once Jesus had experienced this hellish forsakenness for us, His work on the cross was over. Just before He died, He proclaimed His victory. Matthew tells us that Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. Given what Jesus has experienced, He should not have any voice left yet He cried out with a loud voice. Before He died, He gave one last shout - not a cry of defeat, but a shout of victory.
Although our reading from Matthew does not record the exact word Jesus shouted at the end, he does record a sign of the victory Jesus earned for us: Behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. This curtain prevented people from inadvertently entering the holy places of the temple. It was a very real and constant reminder of the separation between man and God. Now God tore this curtain in two and left the isolation of the temple and came to dwell in us. The tearing of the curtain showed that Jesus' mission was truly finished.
John, the only disciple who was right there at the cross, heard that final shout more clearly. In the Greek of his gospel, it is a wonderful word. It even sounds wonderful. The word is τετέλεσται. It means "It has been, is now, and will always be, finished!"
Now that He had accomplished His mission and shouted out His victory, He said His bedtime prayer and entered the sleep of death. [Luke 23:47] Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last.
SING:
My soul looks back to see, The burden Thou didst bear
When hanging on the cursed tree, I know my guilt was there.
Ordeal of Piercing
John 19:31-34
31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.
What hypocrites the Jewish authorities were. They had just arranged to murder a perfectly innocent man and now they are worried that the sight of bodies hanging on crosses at one of the entrances to the city might dampen people's Passover spirit. They made arrangements to get these men off the crosses before their presence could darken the festive mood of the holiday. What a noble group of hypocrites they are.
Breaking the legs would guarantee that the victims could no longer push themselves up enough to breathe normally. This was thought to be a merciful way to hasten death. Without the ability to breathe, death would come in a matter of minutes instead of hours or days.
When the soldiers came to shorten Jesus' life, He appeared to be dead already. Just to make sure, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear. The blood and the water that came from Jesus side indicated that the soldier had pierced at least one lung and the heart. The blood and water also indicate that the heart had stopped pumping the blood long enough for the blood to separate into its constituent parts. Jesus was indeed dead. Never the less, even here - even though He is dead - He still proclaims the Gospel.
The previous evening, Jesus had given His last will and testament to His church: Just before Judas betrayed Him, Jesus [1 Corinthians 11:23-25] took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
Now as we look back at the cross, there hangs His body with His blood pouring forth from the wound. Here is His last will and testament for us.
There is another Gospel as well. We read in the Old Testament that [Exodus 17:5-6] the Lord said to Moses, "Take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink." When Paul spoke of this event, he said, [1 Corinthians 10:4] "They drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ."
Just as Moses struck the rock, so also the soldier struck the body of our Lord and not only blood, but water flowed from His side. Here is a reminder of the process God uses to place his name on us, our baptism. Thus, even as we consider this last image of our Lord on the cross, we see His last will and testament as we see His body and blood. We also see the water of baptism whereby He gives us His name.
SING:
Believing, we rejoice, To see the curse remove;
We bless the Lamb with cheerful voice, And sing His bleeding love.
Prayers
P Lord, have mercy.
C Lord, have mercy.
P Christ, have mercy.
C Christ, have mercy.
P Lord, have mercy.
C Lord, have mercy.
C Our Father, who art in heaven:
hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who
trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory
forever and ever. Amen.
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P Almighty God, graciously behold this Your family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed and delivered into the hands of sinful men and to suffer death on the cross; through the same Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
P Almighty and everlasting God, who willed that Your Son should bear for us the pains of the cross and so remove from us the power of the adversary, help us so to remember and give thanks for our Lord’s Passion that we may receive remission of sin and redemption from everlasting death; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
C Amen.
The candles are extinguished and the sanctuary is darkened. The strepitus is heard, a loud noise made by the closing of a book to remind us of the closing of the tomb.
The congregation leaves in silence.
+Soli Deo Gloria+
MAUNDY THURSDAY
April 1, 2021
Holy Thursday
Divine Service
April 1, 2021
This service for Holy Thursday is the first service in the celebration of the holy three days of Christ’s Passover, commonly known as the Triduum. It culminates the Lenten period of preparation for Christ’s Passion and Resurrection and leads into His sacrifice on our behalf. As such, the service, like that for Good Friday, exhibits a mood of restrained joy. It consists of four parts: the Service of Corporate Confession and Absolution, the Service of the Word, the Service of the Sacrament, and the Stripping of the Altar.
The Service of Corporate Confession and Absolution signals the end of the Lenten preparations with the absolution and peace of Christ that stand at the center of the Three Days. The Service of the Word focuses upon Christ’s humble service demonstrated in His washing of His disciples’ feet, a servanthood enacted on the Cross and whose benefits are bestowed in the Lord’s Supper. The service culminates with the Lord’s ministry to His people through the Sacrament of the Altar.
In this service, the Church and her catechumens begin the journey through the three days of Christ’s Passover from death to life and from captivity to freedom.
_________________________
Service of Corporate Confession and Absolution
Please standP In the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P I will go to the altar of God.
C To God, my exceeding joy. Psalm 43:4
P Our help is in the name of the Lord.
C Who made heaven and earth. Psalm 124:8
Please sitP During this Lenten season we have heard our Lord’s call to intensify our struggle against sin, death, and the devil—all that prevents us from trusting in God and loving each other. Since it is our intention to receive the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ on this night when He instituted this blessed meal for our salvation, it is proper that we complete our Lenten discipline by diligently examining ourselves, as St. Paul urges us to do. This holy Sacrament has been instituted for the special comfort of those who are troubled because of their sins, humbly confess them, and hunger and thirst for righteousness.
But when we examine our hearts and consciences, we find nothing in us but sin and death, from which we are incapable of delivering ourselves. Therefore our Lord Jesus Christ has had mercy on us. For our benefit He became man so that He might fulfill for us the whole will and law of God and, to deliver us, took upon Himself our sinful nature and the punishment we deserve.
So that we may more confidently believe this and be strengthened in the faith and in holy living, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread, broke it, and gave it to His disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is given for you.” It is as if He said, “I became man, and all that I do and suffer is for your good. As a pledge of this, I give you My body to eat.”
In the same way also, He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the New Testament in My blood which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” Again, it is as if He said, “I have had mercy on you by taking upon Myself all your iniquities. I give Myself into death, shedding My blood to obtain grace and forgiveness of sins, and to comfort and establish the new testament, which gives forgiveness and everlasting salvation. As a pledge of this, I give you My blood to drink.”
Therefore, whoever eats this bread and drinks this cup, confidently believing this Word and promise of Christ, dwells in Christ and Christ in him and has eternal life.
We should also do this in remembrance of Him, showing His death—that He was delivered for our offenses and raised for our justification. Giving Him our most heartfelt thanks, we take up our cross and follow Him and, according to His commandment, love one another as He has loved us. As our Lord on this night exemplified this love by washing His disciples’ feet, so we by our words and actions serve one another in love. For we are all one bread and one body, even as we are all partakers of this one bread and drink from the one cup. For just as the one cup is filled with wine of many grapes and the one bread is made from countless grains, so also we, being many, are one body in Christ. Because of Him, we love one another, not only in word, but in deed and in truth.
May the almighty and merciful God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by His Holy Spirit, accomplish this in us.
C Amen.
P Having heard the Word of God, let us confess our sins, imploring God our Father for the sake of His Son Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
Please stand
C O almighty God, merciful Father, I, a poor miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy, and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor sinful being.
P God be merciful to you and strengthen your faith.
C Amen.
P Do you believe that the forgiveness I speak is not my forgiveness but
God’s?
C Yes.
P Let it be done for you as you believe.
P In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it. Go in X peace. (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24)
C Amen.
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P O Lord, in this wondrous Sacrament You have left us a remembrance of Your passion. Grant that we may so receive the sacred mystery of Your body and blood that the fruits of Your redemption may continually be manifest in us; who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Please sit
Service of the Word
The Scripture Lessons Joel 2:12-19
1 Peter 1:18-19
Matthew 6:16-21
The Sermon Hymn LSB 445, “When You Woke…”
When You woke that Thursday morning,
Savior, teacher, faithful friend,
Thoughts of self and safety scorning,
Knowing how the day would end;
Lamb of God, foretold for ages,
Now at last the hour had come,
When but One could pay sin’s wages:
You assumed their dreadful sum.
Never so alone and lonely,
Longing with tormented heart
To be with Your dear ones only
For a quiet time apart:
Sinless Lamb and fallen creature,
One last paschal meal to eat,
One last lesson as their teacher,
Washing Your disciples’ feet.
What was there that You could give them
That would never be outspent,
What great gift that would outlive them,
What last will and testament?
“Show Me and the world you love Me,
Know Me as the Lamb of God:
Do this in remembrance of Me,
Eat this body, drink this blood.”
One in faith, in love united,
All one body, You the head,
When we meet, by You invited,
You are with us, as You said.
One with You and one another
In a unity sublime,
See in us Your sister, brother,
One in ev’ry place and time.
One day all the Church will capture
That bright vision glorious,
And Your saints will know the rapture
That Your heart desired for us,
When the longed for peace and union
Of the Greatest and the least
Meet in joyous, blest communion
In Your never-ending feast.
The Sermon “It’s the LORD’S Supper” 1 Corinthians 11:24-25
Celebrating the Lord’s Supper is not an option. It is the Savior’s will. He instituted it. He commanded it. He said, “Do this.” This night gets its name, “Maundy Thursday,” from the Latin word maundatum, “command.” In the Upper Room, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another” (Jn 13:34). It’s the night of our Lord’s commands: “Love”; “Do this.”
The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is Jesus’ gift to His Church. He wants us to extend our hand to receive it. We disrespect Him, our Lord and Savior, when we turn away from His gift of love. It’s kind of like going to Grandma’s house for Thanksgiving dinner. If we don’t show up, she is sure to ask us why we weren’t there: “I prepared the meal for you, but you didn’t come.” It’s Grandma’s meal, prepared just for us, and we turned away from it.
The big reason we go for Grandma’s meal, though, is not that we don’t want to offend her. We want to go. The food is great. In the same way, we want to come to our Lord’s Supper because the food is great.
Jesus said, “Do this.” He commands us to come so that He can serve us. Only if we come can He serve. We call our hour in the Lord’s house a “worship service” for just this reason. During this hour, He wants to serve us with this Sacrament to forgive our sin and hold us close in His love. He wants to build us up in His Spirit and send us on our way rejoicing, refreshed, and renewed in His grace.
For me as a pastor, it is a great comfort when the Sacrament is offered at the worship service. I know my sermon may not reach everyone’s needs. I know people’s minds may wander from the hymns and prayers and readings. But when the Sacrament is served, it is the Lord Himself who comes directly through the bread and wine. No human failing, including the preacher’s, gets in the way of Jesus’ special, personal touch. This is His moment with us, and we treasure it.
Jesus takes His Supper very seriously, and He asks us to take it seriously as well. Tonight we observe the night when He was betrayed, the night on which our Lord instituted His Supper for all time. We are gathered primarily to receive this Supper in His name. “Do this,” He says, and we come obediently and expectantly.
When we accept His invitation, we acknowledge that His gift of love is precious to us. If we ignore it, we reveal what place He has in our lives. Other things are more important. We don’t feel a need for His gift. We don’t believe it’s as important as He thinks it is.
I tell the young people in Junior confirmation class that the Sacrament is like getting a birthday party invitation from your best friend. What would that friend think if you ignored it? It’s his or her party, and you don’t care.
The wonderful thing about our Lord is that He never stops inviting. He never stops offering. He never remembers past snubs. He just rejoices that the lost sheep is back in the fold, safe in His arms.
When we come, we proclaim to all our family members and friends and fellow church members that we want our Lord’s love and forgiveness. We leave home, and our neighbors see us. We perhaps talk about this experience at work and even at parties. As St. Paul goes on to say, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Cor 11:26).
What a privilege! What a joy! How we rejoice when each new child in our family or in our church family can join us in the blessing. How we rejoice when each unchurched friend eventually hears the Lord’s call and comes to His Table. Our heart leaps for joy as our Lord’s does when He sees His beloved children gather for His meal. It is an awesome moment.
Our Approach to the Altar Reflects These Attitudes
At the start of the service, we acknowledge our sins. We also have a brief moment of silence to examine our life. Now the climactic moment is coming when we actually receive the Savior’s grace into our bodies and souls. We stand, and our heart starts beating a bit faster. We will soon be at His Table, in His presence, receiving His gift. We approach the Lord’s Supper reverently and expectantly. As the ushers come down the aisle, we stop singing as they near our pew. We take a moment to pray. We walk up and respectfully exchange a bow with the officiant. We are bowing together to our gracious Lord. We are in His presence, gratefully acknowledging Him who in grace has called us to His feast.
We extend our hand and receive the bread and the wine, the very body and blood of our Lord. We remember that His body was broken and His blood was shed in payment for our sins. We are washed clean, from the inside out. We are renewed and strengthened by His love. We revel in this moment.
The pastor says words of dismissal. Some people cross themselves, recalling the other Sacrament, our Baptism, when we first received that sign and seal. We smile. We return to our pew and pray our thanksgiving. This is the moment we prepared for. We savor it.
It is the LORD’s Supper. We rejoice. Our Lord rejoices.
The Offering Prayer and Prayers of the Church
Service of the Sacrament
The Consecration of the Elements
The Lord’s Prayer
The Distribution of Holy Communion
The Post-Communion Hymn LSB 617, “O Lord, We Praise Thee”
O Lord, we praise Thee, bless Thee, and adore Thee,
In thanksgiving bow before Thee.
Thou with Thy body and Thy blood didst nourish
Our weak souls that they may flourish:
O Lord, have mercy!
May Thy body, Lord, born of Mary,
That our sins and sorrows did carry,
And Thy blood for us plead, In all trial, fear and need:
O Lord, have mercy!
Thy holy body into death was given,
Life to win for us in heaven.
No greater love than this to Thee could bind us;
May this feast thereof remind us!
O Lord, have mercy!
Lord, Thy kindness did so constrain Thee
That Thy blood should bless and sustain me.
All our debt Thou hast paid; Peace with God once more is made:
O Lord, have mercy!
May God bestow on us His grace and favor
That we follow Christ our Savior
And live together here in love and union
Nor despise this blest Communion!
O Lord, have mercy!
Let not Thy good Spirit forsake us;
Grant that heav’nly-minded He make us;
Give Thy Church, Lord, to see, Days of peace and unity:
O Lord, have mercy!
The Post-Communion Collect
P O God, the Father, the fountain and source of all goodness, who in
loving kindness sent your only-begotten Son into the flesh, we thank
you that for his sake you have given us pardon and peace in this
sacrament, and we ask you not to forsake your children but always to
rule our hearts and minds by your Holy Spirit that we may be enabled
to serve you constantly; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
forever.
C Amen.
[The candles are extinguished]
All leave the church in silence.
+Soli Deo Gloria+
April 1, 2021
Holy Thursday
Divine Service
April 1, 2021
This service for Holy Thursday is the first service in the celebration of the holy three days of Christ’s Passover, commonly known as the Triduum. It culminates the Lenten period of preparation for Christ’s Passion and Resurrection and leads into His sacrifice on our behalf. As such, the service, like that for Good Friday, exhibits a mood of restrained joy. It consists of four parts: the Service of Corporate Confession and Absolution, the Service of the Word, the Service of the Sacrament, and the Stripping of the Altar.
The Service of Corporate Confession and Absolution signals the end of the Lenten preparations with the absolution and peace of Christ that stand at the center of the Three Days. The Service of the Word focuses upon Christ’s humble service demonstrated in His washing of His disciples’ feet, a servanthood enacted on the Cross and whose benefits are bestowed in the Lord’s Supper. The service culminates with the Lord’s ministry to His people through the Sacrament of the Altar.
In this service, the Church and her catechumens begin the journey through the three days of Christ’s Passover from death to life and from captivity to freedom.
_________________________
Service of Corporate Confession and Absolution
Please standP In the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P I will go to the altar of God.
C To God, my exceeding joy. Psalm 43:4
P Our help is in the name of the Lord.
C Who made heaven and earth. Psalm 124:8
Please sitP During this Lenten season we have heard our Lord’s call to intensify our struggle against sin, death, and the devil—all that prevents us from trusting in God and loving each other. Since it is our intention to receive the Holy Supper of our Lord Jesus Christ on this night when He instituted this blessed meal for our salvation, it is proper that we complete our Lenten discipline by diligently examining ourselves, as St. Paul urges us to do. This holy Sacrament has been instituted for the special comfort of those who are troubled because of their sins, humbly confess them, and hunger and thirst for righteousness.
But when we examine our hearts and consciences, we find nothing in us but sin and death, from which we are incapable of delivering ourselves. Therefore our Lord Jesus Christ has had mercy on us. For our benefit He became man so that He might fulfill for us the whole will and law of God and, to deliver us, took upon Himself our sinful nature and the punishment we deserve.
So that we may more confidently believe this and be strengthened in the faith and in holy living, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread, broke it, and gave it to His disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is given for you.” It is as if He said, “I became man, and all that I do and suffer is for your good. As a pledge of this, I give you My body to eat.”
In the same way also, He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the New Testament in My blood which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.” Again, it is as if He said, “I have had mercy on you by taking upon Myself all your iniquities. I give Myself into death, shedding My blood to obtain grace and forgiveness of sins, and to comfort and establish the new testament, which gives forgiveness and everlasting salvation. As a pledge of this, I give you My blood to drink.”
Therefore, whoever eats this bread and drinks this cup, confidently believing this Word and promise of Christ, dwells in Christ and Christ in him and has eternal life.
We should also do this in remembrance of Him, showing His death—that He was delivered for our offenses and raised for our justification. Giving Him our most heartfelt thanks, we take up our cross and follow Him and, according to His commandment, love one another as He has loved us. As our Lord on this night exemplified this love by washing His disciples’ feet, so we by our words and actions serve one another in love. For we are all one bread and one body, even as we are all partakers of this one bread and drink from the one cup. For just as the one cup is filled with wine of many grapes and the one bread is made from countless grains, so also we, being many, are one body in Christ. Because of Him, we love one another, not only in word, but in deed and in truth.
May the almighty and merciful God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, by His Holy Spirit, accomplish this in us.
C Amen.
P Having heard the Word of God, let us confess our sins, imploring God our Father for the sake of His Son Jesus Christ to grant us forgiveness.
Please stand
C O almighty God, merciful Father, I, a poor miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy, and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor sinful being.
P God be merciful to you and strengthen your faith.
C Amen.
P Do you believe that the forgiveness I speak is not my forgiveness but
God’s?
C Yes.
P Let it be done for you as you believe.
P In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ, I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the X Son and of the Holy Spirit.
C Amen.
P Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it. Go in X peace. (1 Thessalonians 5:23–24)
C Amen.
P The Lord be with you.
C And also with you.
P O Lord, in this wondrous Sacrament You have left us a remembrance of Your passion. Grant that we may so receive the sacred mystery of Your body and blood that the fruits of Your redemption may continually be manifest in us; who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.
C Amen.
Please sit
Service of the Word
The Scripture Lessons Joel 2:12-19
1 Peter 1:18-19
Matthew 6:16-21
The Sermon Hymn LSB 445, “When You Woke…”
When You woke that Thursday morning,
Savior, teacher, faithful friend,
Thoughts of self and safety scorning,
Knowing how the day would end;
Lamb of God, foretold for ages,
Now at last the hour had come,
When but One could pay sin’s wages:
You assumed their dreadful sum.
Never so alone and lonely,
Longing with tormented heart
To be with Your dear ones only
For a quiet time apart:
Sinless Lamb and fallen creature,
One last paschal meal to eat,
One last lesson as their teacher,
Washing Your disciples’ feet.
What was there that You could give them
That would never be outspent,
What great gift that would outlive them,
What last will and testament?
“Show Me and the world you love Me,
Know Me as the Lamb of God:
Do this in remembrance of Me,
Eat this body, drink this blood.”
One in faith, in love united,
All one body, You the head,
When we meet, by You invited,
You are with us, as You said.
One with You and one another
In a unity sublime,
See in us Your sister, brother,
One in ev’ry place and time.
One day all the Church will capture
That bright vision glorious,
And Your saints will know the rapture
That Your heart desired for us,
When the longed for peace and union
Of the Greatest and the least
Meet in joyous, blest communion
In Your never-ending feast.
The Sermon “It’s the LORD’S Supper” 1 Corinthians 11:24-25
Celebrating the Lord’s Supper is not an option. It is the Savior’s will. He instituted it. He commanded it. He said, “Do this.” This night gets its name, “Maundy Thursday,” from the Latin word maundatum, “command.” In the Upper Room, Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another” (Jn 13:34). It’s the night of our Lord’s commands: “Love”; “Do this.”
The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is Jesus’ gift to His Church. He wants us to extend our hand to receive it. We disrespect Him, our Lord and Savior, when we turn away from His gift of love. It’s kind of like going to Grandma’s house for Thanksgiving dinner. If we don’t show up, she is sure to ask us why we weren’t there: “I prepared the meal for you, but you didn’t come.” It’s Grandma’s meal, prepared just for us, and we turned away from it.
The big reason we go for Grandma’s meal, though, is not that we don’t want to offend her. We want to go. The food is great. In the same way, we want to come to our Lord’s Supper because the food is great.
Jesus said, “Do this.” He commands us to come so that He can serve us. Only if we come can He serve. We call our hour in the Lord’s house a “worship service” for just this reason. During this hour, He wants to serve us with this Sacrament to forgive our sin and hold us close in His love. He wants to build us up in His Spirit and send us on our way rejoicing, refreshed, and renewed in His grace.
For me as a pastor, it is a great comfort when the Sacrament is offered at the worship service. I know my sermon may not reach everyone’s needs. I know people’s minds may wander from the hymns and prayers and readings. But when the Sacrament is served, it is the Lord Himself who comes directly through the bread and wine. No human failing, including the preacher’s, gets in the way of Jesus’ special, personal touch. This is His moment with us, and we treasure it.
Jesus takes His Supper very seriously, and He asks us to take it seriously as well. Tonight we observe the night when He was betrayed, the night on which our Lord instituted His Supper for all time. We are gathered primarily to receive this Supper in His name. “Do this,” He says, and we come obediently and expectantly.
When we accept His invitation, we acknowledge that His gift of love is precious to us. If we ignore it, we reveal what place He has in our lives. Other things are more important. We don’t feel a need for His gift. We don’t believe it’s as important as He thinks it is.
I tell the young people in Junior confirmation class that the Sacrament is like getting a birthday party invitation from your best friend. What would that friend think if you ignored it? It’s his or her party, and you don’t care.
The wonderful thing about our Lord is that He never stops inviting. He never stops offering. He never remembers past snubs. He just rejoices that the lost sheep is back in the fold, safe in His arms.
When we come, we proclaim to all our family members and friends and fellow church members that we want our Lord’s love and forgiveness. We leave home, and our neighbors see us. We perhaps talk about this experience at work and even at parties. As St. Paul goes on to say, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes” (1 Cor 11:26).
What a privilege! What a joy! How we rejoice when each new child in our family or in our church family can join us in the blessing. How we rejoice when each unchurched friend eventually hears the Lord’s call and comes to His Table. Our heart leaps for joy as our Lord’s does when He sees His beloved children gather for His meal. It is an awesome moment.
Our Approach to the Altar Reflects These Attitudes
At the start of the service, we acknowledge our sins. We also have a brief moment of silence to examine our life. Now the climactic moment is coming when we actually receive the Savior’s grace into our bodies and souls. We stand, and our heart starts beating a bit faster. We will soon be at His Table, in His presence, receiving His gift. We approach the Lord’s Supper reverently and expectantly. As the ushers come down the aisle, we stop singing as they near our pew. We take a moment to pray. We walk up and respectfully exchange a bow with the officiant. We are bowing together to our gracious Lord. We are in His presence, gratefully acknowledging Him who in grace has called us to His feast.
We extend our hand and receive the bread and the wine, the very body and blood of our Lord. We remember that His body was broken and His blood was shed in payment for our sins. We are washed clean, from the inside out. We are renewed and strengthened by His love. We revel in this moment.
The pastor says words of dismissal. Some people cross themselves, recalling the other Sacrament, our Baptism, when we first received that sign and seal. We smile. We return to our pew and pray our thanksgiving. This is the moment we prepared for. We savor it.
It is the LORD’s Supper. We rejoice. Our Lord rejoices.
The Offering Prayer and Prayers of the Church
Service of the Sacrament
The Consecration of the Elements
The Lord’s Prayer
The Distribution of Holy Communion
The Post-Communion Hymn LSB 617, “O Lord, We Praise Thee”
O Lord, we praise Thee, bless Thee, and adore Thee,
In thanksgiving bow before Thee.
Thou with Thy body and Thy blood didst nourish
Our weak souls that they may flourish:
O Lord, have mercy!
May Thy body, Lord, born of Mary,
That our sins and sorrows did carry,
And Thy blood for us plead, In all trial, fear and need:
O Lord, have mercy!
Thy holy body into death was given,
Life to win for us in heaven.
No greater love than this to Thee could bind us;
May this feast thereof remind us!
O Lord, have mercy!
Lord, Thy kindness did so constrain Thee
That Thy blood should bless and sustain me.
All our debt Thou hast paid; Peace with God once more is made:
O Lord, have mercy!
May God bestow on us His grace and favor
That we follow Christ our Savior
And live together here in love and union
Nor despise this blest Communion!
O Lord, have mercy!
Let not Thy good Spirit forsake us;
Grant that heav’nly-minded He make us;
Give Thy Church, Lord, to see, Days of peace and unity:
O Lord, have mercy!
The Post-Communion Collect
P O God, the Father, the fountain and source of all goodness, who in
loving kindness sent your only-begotten Son into the flesh, we thank
you that for his sake you have given us pardon and peace in this
sacrament, and we ask you not to forsake your children but always to
rule our hearts and minds by your Holy Spirit that we may be enabled
to serve you constantly; through Jesus Christ, your Son, our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
forever.
C Amen.
[The candles are extinguished]
All leave the church in silence.
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Mid-week 5
Lent 6 – March 24th
Hands That Protect
Matthew 14:28
The hands of the Savior are hands that protect. When God made His creatures, He covenanted Himself to protect them. The Maker assumes responsibility for the well-being of the created. The story before us is a great example of hands that protect.
The disciples were in a boat and Jesus came to them, walking on the water. One of those familiar storms had arisen, which could sweep in and out of the lake region in minutes and with little or no warning. It must have been a frightening sight to see Jesus walking on the water. The disciples assumed it was an apparition. So Jesus reassured them, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid” (Mt 14:27). But Peter wanted proof: “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water”
(v. 28). Jesus invited the impetuous Peter to come to Him.
So Peter stepped out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward the Savior. Then the waves and the wind distracted him and he began to sink. But the hands of the Savior are hands that protect. With those mighty hands He reached out to Peter and pulled him to safety. Then Jesus told Peter his faith was lacking. It was! How easy it is for human beings to be distracted by the fearful events of life, to lose our vision of a Lord who promised divine protection to all. Perhaps we are not familiar enough with His Word of promise, or even if we are, we see the winds and waves of life as larger than the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Protecting Hands of Jesus
Consider the many times when the hands of the Savior were there to protect. He protected the woman caught in the act of adultery from being stoned to death. Jesus did not condone her behavior, but He could not tolerate the hypocrisy of those who stood ready to kill her. He came to bring God’s mercy to all sinners. He protected the disciples on other occasions when their lives were in jeopardy. He healed Malchus, the man whose ear Peter cut off in the garden. He even protected Peter from certain death by telling him to sheath his sword, for Peter was greatly outnumbered in the garden at the time Jesus was arrested.
From the cross—though using words, not hands—Jesus protected His mother’s future by telling John to take care of her. Also from the cross, He protected the soldiers who put Him there by asking that they be forgiven. And yet again from the cross, He protected a penitent criminal from the worst fate of all—death without God’s blessing.
Consider the many times you and I have had Jesus’ protection during our lifetimes! He sustained us during the perils of childhood. He prevents the close calls in our vehicles. Our Lord’s hands direct the hands of the surgeon to preserve and heal when we are threatened by serious illness. Surely we say with the psalmist, “The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand” (Ps 121:5). Indeed, the hands of the Savior protect His creatures.
Protection from the Folly of Sin
But there is a protection we need beyond sickness, injury, or death—the protection we need from the folly of our sin! That is our most dire need. For without protection, without someone to intervene in the health of our soul, there would be consequences eternally damnable! With His hands our Savior carried the cross on which He would die. Our Savior suffered and died for our eternal protection. He who protects us now through the perils of this life has protected us for the purpose of life everlasting. Protection is more than keeping us safe from getting hurt. Its finest form is protection from what will happen to unbelievers on the Last Day.
Consider the confessions you pray in church! When the sign of the cross is made during the Absolution, the hands of the Savior are the hands that are raised! The pastor says, “In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins.” That is God’s eternal reminder that the hands of the Savior have procured a place for us in God’s palace! In the world to come we shall be protected eternally in a beautiful, safe, and perfect home.
The hands of the Savior are hands that protect. Do not focus on the fears of life or take your eyes off the waiting Savior. Learn from Peter and learn from Christ! For He stands ready with those same hands to lead us through the valley of the shadow of death and into His visible presence, and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Lent 6 – March 24th
Hands That Protect
Matthew 14:28
The hands of the Savior are hands that protect. When God made His creatures, He covenanted Himself to protect them. The Maker assumes responsibility for the well-being of the created. The story before us is a great example of hands that protect.
The disciples were in a boat and Jesus came to them, walking on the water. One of those familiar storms had arisen, which could sweep in and out of the lake region in minutes and with little or no warning. It must have been a frightening sight to see Jesus walking on the water. The disciples assumed it was an apparition. So Jesus reassured them, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid” (Mt 14:27). But Peter wanted proof: “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water”
(v. 28). Jesus invited the impetuous Peter to come to Him.
So Peter stepped out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward the Savior. Then the waves and the wind distracted him and he began to sink. But the hands of the Savior are hands that protect. With those mighty hands He reached out to Peter and pulled him to safety. Then Jesus told Peter his faith was lacking. It was! How easy it is for human beings to be distracted by the fearful events of life, to lose our vision of a Lord who promised divine protection to all. Perhaps we are not familiar enough with His Word of promise, or even if we are, we see the winds and waves of life as larger than the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Protecting Hands of Jesus
Consider the many times when the hands of the Savior were there to protect. He protected the woman caught in the act of adultery from being stoned to death. Jesus did not condone her behavior, but He could not tolerate the hypocrisy of those who stood ready to kill her. He came to bring God’s mercy to all sinners. He protected the disciples on other occasions when their lives were in jeopardy. He healed Malchus, the man whose ear Peter cut off in the garden. He even protected Peter from certain death by telling him to sheath his sword, for Peter was greatly outnumbered in the garden at the time Jesus was arrested.
From the cross—though using words, not hands—Jesus protected His mother’s future by telling John to take care of her. Also from the cross, He protected the soldiers who put Him there by asking that they be forgiven. And yet again from the cross, He protected a penitent criminal from the worst fate of all—death without God’s blessing.
Consider the many times you and I have had Jesus’ protection during our lifetimes! He sustained us during the perils of childhood. He prevents the close calls in our vehicles. Our Lord’s hands direct the hands of the surgeon to preserve and heal when we are threatened by serious illness. Surely we say with the psalmist, “The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand” (Ps 121:5). Indeed, the hands of the Savior protect His creatures.
Protection from the Folly of Sin
But there is a protection we need beyond sickness, injury, or death—the protection we need from the folly of our sin! That is our most dire need. For without protection, without someone to intervene in the health of our soul, there would be consequences eternally damnable! With His hands our Savior carried the cross on which He would die. Our Savior suffered and died for our eternal protection. He who protects us now through the perils of this life has protected us for the purpose of life everlasting. Protection is more than keeping us safe from getting hurt. Its finest form is protection from what will happen to unbelievers on the Last Day.
Consider the confessions you pray in church! When the sign of the cross is made during the Absolution, the hands of the Savior are the hands that are raised! The pastor says, “In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins.” That is God’s eternal reminder that the hands of the Savior have procured a place for us in God’s palace! In the world to come we shall be protected eternally in a beautiful, safe, and perfect home.
The hands of the Savior are hands that protect. Do not focus on the fears of life or take your eyes off the waiting Savior. Learn from Peter and learn from Christ! For He stands ready with those same hands to lead us through the valley of the shadow of death and into His visible presence, and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Mid-Week 4
Lent 4 – March 10th
Hands That Pray
Matthew 26:36–45
The hands of the Savior are hands that prayed. This is the focus of today’s devotion. If Jesus was God, why did He need to pray? Because He was human too. Jesus came to this world as a man, and it was as a man that He carried out His ministry, using His divine powers only to help others and never to make His work of salvation easier for Himself.
Communion with the Father
Just as important is the question: “For what did our Redeemer pray?” First, the hands of Jesus were folded in prayer because, in His humanity, He needed to pray to overcome temptation in every aspect of His life’s work. Sometimes we are prone to believe that the only temptations Jesus met and overcame were those three temptations that accompanied His encounter with Satan in the wilderness. But Scripture reminds us that we have “one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:15). Just like us, Jesus needed strength to meet temptation every day of His life.
Throughout the Word of God, we often read that Jesus went to a distant place to pray. His great, yet so very simple, prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane manifested His agony at its worst. But with hands folded in the act of praying, the Son of God received the required strength and submitted to the will of His Father. He had asked His disciples to watch and pray with Him. But, instead, they slept.
Focus
Jesus prayed because He knew His Father was His source of power. How easily it might have been for the man Jesus to take the kingdoms offered Him by Satan. For you and me, the distractions of this world often take our focus from the desire to do the will of the Father. We, too, must pray for such focus. For our nature is to live by the agenda of our human will and not the will of the Father.
In the seventeenth chapter of St. John, Jesus prayed what is called the High Priestly Prayer. It was a prayer of intercession—that His disciples be united in purpose.
To pray for others is an act of unselfish faith. Jesus’ prayer for His friends and His enemies is a glowing example of the direction our prayers must take. We are exhorted and encouraged to pray for those in our church as their needs become known to us and for those drifting from the fellowship of the Church that they do not lose the crown of life. The Word of God implores us to pray for civil authorities, regardless of our political affiliations, and to pray for those in need of the knowledge of the saving work of Christ.
Pray to Forgive
Jesus also prayed for God to forgive His foes. Christ prayed for His enemies even while they were killing Him on the cross. We all were His enemies, lost in sin. His prayer is for us, answered when we come to faith. Now by grace we in turn pray for our enemies, as we are filled with the Spirit of the almighty God. And the Spirit of the Lord comes to us through the means of grace—God’s holy, precious, saving Word and the Sacraments of Baptism of Holy Communion.
Hands folded in prayer are signs of hearts committed. How conscious we are of the Lord’s commitment. And knowing that His commitment was to us and for us, may each of us, as we view the Savior on the cross this season of Lent, fold our hands in grateful devotion and thanksgiving to God and for purposes like those for which our Lord had His hands folded in prayer to His heavenly Father. Yes, Lord, teach us to pray.
Lent 4 – March 10th
Hands That Pray
Matthew 26:36–45
The hands of the Savior are hands that prayed. This is the focus of today’s devotion. If Jesus was God, why did He need to pray? Because He was human too. Jesus came to this world as a man, and it was as a man that He carried out His ministry, using His divine powers only to help others and never to make His work of salvation easier for Himself.
Communion with the Father
Just as important is the question: “For what did our Redeemer pray?” First, the hands of Jesus were folded in prayer because, in His humanity, He needed to pray to overcome temptation in every aspect of His life’s work. Sometimes we are prone to believe that the only temptations Jesus met and overcame were those three temptations that accompanied His encounter with Satan in the wilderness. But Scripture reminds us that we have “one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb 4:15). Just like us, Jesus needed strength to meet temptation every day of His life.
Throughout the Word of God, we often read that Jesus went to a distant place to pray. His great, yet so very simple, prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane manifested His agony at its worst. But with hands folded in the act of praying, the Son of God received the required strength and submitted to the will of His Father. He had asked His disciples to watch and pray with Him. But, instead, they slept.
Focus
Jesus prayed because He knew His Father was His source of power. How easily it might have been for the man Jesus to take the kingdoms offered Him by Satan. For you and me, the distractions of this world often take our focus from the desire to do the will of the Father. We, too, must pray for such focus. For our nature is to live by the agenda of our human will and not the will of the Father.
In the seventeenth chapter of St. John, Jesus prayed what is called the High Priestly Prayer. It was a prayer of intercession—that His disciples be united in purpose.
To pray for others is an act of unselfish faith. Jesus’ prayer for His friends and His enemies is a glowing example of the direction our prayers must take. We are exhorted and encouraged to pray for those in our church as their needs become known to us and for those drifting from the fellowship of the Church that they do not lose the crown of life. The Word of God implores us to pray for civil authorities, regardless of our political affiliations, and to pray for those in need of the knowledge of the saving work of Christ.
Pray to Forgive
Jesus also prayed for God to forgive His foes. Christ prayed for His enemies even while they were killing Him on the cross. We all were His enemies, lost in sin. His prayer is for us, answered when we come to faith. Now by grace we in turn pray for our enemies, as we are filled with the Spirit of the almighty God. And the Spirit of the Lord comes to us through the means of grace—God’s holy, precious, saving Word and the Sacraments of Baptism of Holy Communion.
Hands folded in prayer are signs of hearts committed. How conscious we are of the Lord’s commitment. And knowing that His commitment was to us and for us, may each of us, as we view the Savior on the cross this season of Lent, fold our hands in grateful devotion and thanksgiving to God and for purposes like those for which our Lord had His hands folded in prayer to His heavenly Father. Yes, Lord, teach us to pray.
MID-WEEK 3
Lent 3 – March 3rd
Hands That Provide
Matthew 14:19–20
The hands of Jesus are hands that invite and hands that heal. They also are hands that provide. The feeding of the five thousand clearly demonstrates this divine truth of God who created all things and provides for them.
When God showed Adam and Eve their home on earth, they saw a magnificent garden with more than enough to feed them and to keep them. As for us, Luther observes in his Small Catechism, “I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them” (Luther’s Small Catechism, p. 15). The hands of the Savior are the hands of God, who bound Himself to provide for all He had made.
The feeding of the five thousand emphasizes that humanity’s Savior is also humanity’s Maker and Provider. He had no obligation to do what He did. The people He fed were responsible for their situation. They had followed the Savior and forgotten about lunch. Now they were hungry.
The Lord’s disciples suggested that the people should pay the price for their lack of foresight. They said, “Send the crowds away” (Mt 14:15). But not Jesus; Jesus provided for them. It is truly amazing that our Lord’s hands make up for human failings. In the Garden of Eden, God’s creation “bit the hand that fed them,” but God decided He would still care for them. He forged a plan to do so—a plan to make them His own!
It is that plan of salvation on which we focus this holy season. Jesus covers our sins and failures and foolish mistakes, just as He fed the multitude who should have brought provisions with them. A boy had a few fish and some bread. Jesus took them, gave thanks, blessed them, and made a great feast.
The Bread of Life
The Lord of creation is also our Provider. From His providential hands we have more than just bread for the body; we possess the bread of life, Christ. He tells us to eat this bread—to have Him as part of our being. To be the bread of life for us means to offer us a life of peace with God that is bound in faith to Christ.
Those same hands that made a banquet carried a crossbeam for a Roman cross. Those hands were spiked to that cross, a place of condemnation where true justice would have us hang. Those hands were shown to a doubting Thomas by a risen Lord. And in those scarred hands we behold a Redeemer who provides us with salvation. As He gives us the needs of life, so He provides us, with His divine hands, the means to achieve eternal life.
With the hands that fed a crowd, our Savior prepared a special Meal for us that we cherish and share. By consecrating the bread and wine to be His body and blood, He gave us a new covenant. Whenever we eat this bread and drink this wine, we remember His death until He comes. Jesus is in our heart and mind and understanding. Our body becomes His temple. We dwell in Him because He dwells in us.
Eat His body, drink His blood! It is food of such spiritual value that we shall never die. In the arduous battle of life, we will never go hungry—for we have a Redeemer with hands that provide! Nor will we grow weak from hungry spirits as we fight Satan with all our might.
For Christ is our strength, and Christ is our right. The table is prepared for the family of God to gather to strengthen the resolve of fellowship and the spirit to meet and defeat enemies who would lead us into Satan’s kingdom. Jesus defeated this very foe when He said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4).
Lent 3 – March 3rd
Hands That Provide
Matthew 14:19–20
The hands of Jesus are hands that invite and hands that heal. They also are hands that provide. The feeding of the five thousand clearly demonstrates this divine truth of God who created all things and provides for them.
When God showed Adam and Eve their home on earth, they saw a magnificent garden with more than enough to feed them and to keep them. As for us, Luther observes in his Small Catechism, “I believe that God has made me and all creatures; that He has given me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, my reason and all my senses, and still takes care of them” (Luther’s Small Catechism, p. 15). The hands of the Savior are the hands of God, who bound Himself to provide for all He had made.
The feeding of the five thousand emphasizes that humanity’s Savior is also humanity’s Maker and Provider. He had no obligation to do what He did. The people He fed were responsible for their situation. They had followed the Savior and forgotten about lunch. Now they were hungry.
The Lord’s disciples suggested that the people should pay the price for their lack of foresight. They said, “Send the crowds away” (Mt 14:15). But not Jesus; Jesus provided for them. It is truly amazing that our Lord’s hands make up for human failings. In the Garden of Eden, God’s creation “bit the hand that fed them,” but God decided He would still care for them. He forged a plan to do so—a plan to make them His own!
It is that plan of salvation on which we focus this holy season. Jesus covers our sins and failures and foolish mistakes, just as He fed the multitude who should have brought provisions with them. A boy had a few fish and some bread. Jesus took them, gave thanks, blessed them, and made a great feast.
The Bread of Life
The Lord of creation is also our Provider. From His providential hands we have more than just bread for the body; we possess the bread of life, Christ. He tells us to eat this bread—to have Him as part of our being. To be the bread of life for us means to offer us a life of peace with God that is bound in faith to Christ.
Those same hands that made a banquet carried a crossbeam for a Roman cross. Those hands were spiked to that cross, a place of condemnation where true justice would have us hang. Those hands were shown to a doubting Thomas by a risen Lord. And in those scarred hands we behold a Redeemer who provides us with salvation. As He gives us the needs of life, so He provides us, with His divine hands, the means to achieve eternal life.
With the hands that fed a crowd, our Savior prepared a special Meal for us that we cherish and share. By consecrating the bread and wine to be His body and blood, He gave us a new covenant. Whenever we eat this bread and drink this wine, we remember His death until He comes. Jesus is in our heart and mind and understanding. Our body becomes His temple. We dwell in Him because He dwells in us.
Eat His body, drink His blood! It is food of such spiritual value that we shall never die. In the arduous battle of life, we will never go hungry—for we have a Redeemer with hands that provide! Nor will we grow weak from hungry spirits as we fight Satan with all our might.
For Christ is our strength, and Christ is our right. The table is prepared for the family of God to gather to strengthen the resolve of fellowship and the spirit to meet and defeat enemies who would lead us into Satan’s kingdom. Jesus defeated this very foe when He said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4).
MID-WEEK 2
Lent 2 – February 24th
Hands That Heal
John 9:6–7
The Savior’s hands healed people no matter what their affliction—those possessed with demons and other social outcasts, such as lepers or people with fevers that could kill. The hands of the Savior were always healing hands. For the Son of Man came into this world and extended the mercy of the Father to all.
The man born blind was blind in his vision and in his spirit. He did not know his Maker and he did not yet know that his Maker was facing him in the person of the Savior. This story is so significant it occupies the entire ninth chapter of the Gospel of St. John. It was a controversial healing because of a false idea taught by the priests: that a person’s blindness or other birth defect was the result of either his or his parents’ grievous sin. People still think like this—that when bad things happen it’s because God is punishing them for some specific sin. The Savior put aside this myth when He said, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him” (Jn 9:3).
Jesus spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and with His compassionate hands placed the mudpack on the man’s eyes. Jesus ordered him to wash in the pool of Siloam and, thus, the blind man regained his vision. Faith led to obedience, and obedience led to healing. The hands of the Savior had given a brother in the flesh an entirely new perspective of life—the ability to see for the first time.
From Physical to Spiritual Vision
Then comes the story of spiritual vision. The man born blind did not know who had healed him. First, he addressed the Savior as “the man called Jesus” (v. 11); then he referred to Jesus as “a prophet” (v. 17). But when questioned by the Pharisees, he insisted that it was Jesus who had healed him. They threw him out of the temple.
Then the Savior asked the man a question we each must address sometime during life: “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The blind man replied with a question, “Who is He, sir?” And Jesus said, “It is He who is speaking to you.” With a grateful heart this man confessed, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Jesus (vv. 35–38). He received two great gifts. First, he had his sight restored. Second, he saw Jesus as his God and Redeemer.
To See the Savior
What an amazing parallel to the way we received our spiritual vision. Every person in this world is born with a heart and a soul blind to God. The Savior seeks those who are blind of heart. The Redeemer loves the rebellious of spirit so completely that He would have His healing hands spiked to a cross. That is compelling and divine love.
When His flesh and blood failed Him at His hour of death, Jesus deleted forever the files of our sins. Nor will He ever recycle that file. He wants us to believe that His hands are extended as hands that heal, that touch the retina of our spirit and make us see Him as the one who came to be our brother and Redeemer.
He has cleared my vision; for I was blind, but now I see! I was born blind to my Lord, and so were you. But Christ has given us the sight to see that He is worthy of our praise. For the One whose hands healed the blind man is the same One whose hands were nailed to a Roman cross. And there on that cross, those hands spoke of the love and grace that our heavenly Father has embedded in His heart for sinners great and small.
Lent 2 – February 24th
Hands That Heal
John 9:6–7
The Savior’s hands healed people no matter what their affliction—those possessed with demons and other social outcasts, such as lepers or people with fevers that could kill. The hands of the Savior were always healing hands. For the Son of Man came into this world and extended the mercy of the Father to all.
The man born blind was blind in his vision and in his spirit. He did not know his Maker and he did not yet know that his Maker was facing him in the person of the Savior. This story is so significant it occupies the entire ninth chapter of the Gospel of St. John. It was a controversial healing because of a false idea taught by the priests: that a person’s blindness or other birth defect was the result of either his or his parents’ grievous sin. People still think like this—that when bad things happen it’s because God is punishing them for some specific sin. The Savior put aside this myth when He said, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him” (Jn 9:3).
Jesus spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and with His compassionate hands placed the mudpack on the man’s eyes. Jesus ordered him to wash in the pool of Siloam and, thus, the blind man regained his vision. Faith led to obedience, and obedience led to healing. The hands of the Savior had given a brother in the flesh an entirely new perspective of life—the ability to see for the first time.
From Physical to Spiritual Vision
Then comes the story of spiritual vision. The man born blind did not know who had healed him. First, he addressed the Savior as “the man called Jesus” (v. 11); then he referred to Jesus as “a prophet” (v. 17). But when questioned by the Pharisees, he insisted that it was Jesus who had healed him. They threw him out of the temple.
Then the Savior asked the man a question we each must address sometime during life: “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” The blind man replied with a question, “Who is He, sir?” And Jesus said, “It is He who is speaking to you.” With a grateful heart this man confessed, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Jesus (vv. 35–38). He received two great gifts. First, he had his sight restored. Second, he saw Jesus as his God and Redeemer.
To See the Savior
What an amazing parallel to the way we received our spiritual vision. Every person in this world is born with a heart and a soul blind to God. The Savior seeks those who are blind of heart. The Redeemer loves the rebellious of spirit so completely that He would have His healing hands spiked to a cross. That is compelling and divine love.
When His flesh and blood failed Him at His hour of death, Jesus deleted forever the files of our sins. Nor will He ever recycle that file. He wants us to believe that His hands are extended as hands that heal, that touch the retina of our spirit and make us see Him as the one who came to be our brother and Redeemer.
He has cleared my vision; for I was blind, but now I see! I was born blind to my Lord, and so were you. But Christ has given us the sight to see that He is worthy of our praise. For the One whose hands healed the blind man is the same One whose hands were nailed to a Roman cross. And there on that cross, those hands spoke of the love and grace that our heavenly Father has embedded in His heart for sinners great and small.
Ash Wednesday
Hands That Invite
Matthew 11:28–30
FEBRUARY 17, 2021
It is not uncommon for us to use our hands to emphasize our speech. I suspect that Jesus gestured with His hands as He spoke, using them as instruments of mercy and love. During this sacred season, we shall view the Passion of our Lord under the overall theme “Hands of the Savior.”
One can almost see the hands of the Savior when He spoke these words: (Gesture) “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28). When we picture that in our minds, we visualize a Savior with open arms and outstretched hands of invitation, smiling to sinners and saying, “Come to Me.” But to what does He invite? Why should we welcome the invitation given by the man they call Jesus?
The Burden of the Law
Often when Christ used His hands, He used them to bless someone, for instance, when He blessed the children. Today His invitation is special. He summons you and me! He invites us to be yoked to Himself. He summons all the sinners of this world. He invites us to come to Him for a reason: to place our burdens on Him.
For the people of His day, those burdens were not necessarily the daily stresses of life. They were burdens imposed by their own religious leaders—the burden of earning their own salvation by keeping endless rules, most of which evolved not from God but from religious leaders attempting to cover every contingency God did not specifically address in His Commandments to His people.
In this context the Savior stretches forth His hands and says, “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest.” He was volunteering to take upon Himself the heavy load of their sins. He was willing and able to free those people, encumbered with all those regulations, by obeying the rules in His own life. Our Savior lived His life to perfection. That is a big part in the story of salvation, just as important as the very cross itself.
Now the Savior gestures to you and to me: “Come . . . I will give you rest.” He says to us, “I have lived a life that has no flaw; I have done everything necessary to please the Father in heaven for your sake. But I have done even more than that.”
We Are Used as Hands of the Savior
“See My hands! Through two thousand years I still use them to summon you to Me. I may even use your hands to be as My hands, embracing the distressed, inviting the doubting, leading little children to hear of My goodness. They are strong hands, for with them I made the world and the universe. I cast the solar systems in place and set in motion all the perfect timing of this endless universe. With these hands I made all of humanity, including you. And even when people determined to walk in the way of sinners, with these hands I embraced them, the untouchables and outcasts.
“With these hands I am inviting you to trust Me for the forgiveness of your sins and to understand that these holy hands were once pierced with spikes on the cross of Calvary. I am inviting you to see these hands and to know in your heart that I suffered and died so you could live forever. My hands were spiked so your hands would be holy.
“I invite you to call upon Me and My strong hands to carry every burden of your life. Your hands cannot carry your burdens, but Mine can and do. These hands—though they are the rough hands of a simple carpenter—will always be hands that invite. They are hands that say forever, ‘Come to Me.’ ”
Hands That Invite
Matthew 11:28–30
FEBRUARY 17, 2021
It is not uncommon for us to use our hands to emphasize our speech. I suspect that Jesus gestured with His hands as He spoke, using them as instruments of mercy and love. During this sacred season, we shall view the Passion of our Lord under the overall theme “Hands of the Savior.”
One can almost see the hands of the Savior when He spoke these words: (Gesture) “Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28). When we picture that in our minds, we visualize a Savior with open arms and outstretched hands of invitation, smiling to sinners and saying, “Come to Me.” But to what does He invite? Why should we welcome the invitation given by the man they call Jesus?
The Burden of the Law
Often when Christ used His hands, He used them to bless someone, for instance, when He blessed the children. Today His invitation is special. He summons you and me! He invites us to be yoked to Himself. He summons all the sinners of this world. He invites us to come to Him for a reason: to place our burdens on Him.
For the people of His day, those burdens were not necessarily the daily stresses of life. They were burdens imposed by their own religious leaders—the burden of earning their own salvation by keeping endless rules, most of which evolved not from God but from religious leaders attempting to cover every contingency God did not specifically address in His Commandments to His people.
In this context the Savior stretches forth His hands and says, “Come to Me . . . and I will give you rest.” He was volunteering to take upon Himself the heavy load of their sins. He was willing and able to free those people, encumbered with all those regulations, by obeying the rules in His own life. Our Savior lived His life to perfection. That is a big part in the story of salvation, just as important as the very cross itself.
Now the Savior gestures to you and to me: “Come . . . I will give you rest.” He says to us, “I have lived a life that has no flaw; I have done everything necessary to please the Father in heaven for your sake. But I have done even more than that.”
We Are Used as Hands of the Savior
“See My hands! Through two thousand years I still use them to summon you to Me. I may even use your hands to be as My hands, embracing the distressed, inviting the doubting, leading little children to hear of My goodness. They are strong hands, for with them I made the world and the universe. I cast the solar systems in place and set in motion all the perfect timing of this endless universe. With these hands I made all of humanity, including you. And even when people determined to walk in the way of sinners, with these hands I embraced them, the untouchables and outcasts.
“With these hands I am inviting you to trust Me for the forgiveness of your sins and to understand that these holy hands were once pierced with spikes on the cross of Calvary. I am inviting you to see these hands and to know in your heart that I suffered and died so you could live forever. My hands were spiked so your hands would be holy.
“I invite you to call upon Me and My strong hands to carry every burden of your life. Your hands cannot carry your burdens, but Mine can and do. These hands—though they are the rough hands of a simple carpenter—will always be hands that invite. They are hands that say forever, ‘Come to Me.’ ”
CHRISTMAS EVE SERVICE
Christmas Eve Message
December 24, 2020
Pre-Service Music
Hymn
O come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant!
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold Him, Born the king of angels:
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!
Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God in the highest:
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!
Invocation
Scripture Lesson Luke 2:1-20
Message “A Decree Went Out” Luke 2:1-20
A Decree Went Out – Luke 2:1-20
Modern culture has very accurate terminology for setting dates and times. I can say that this is the evening of December 24, 2020. Pretty much everyone around the world would know what that means.
Ancient cultures did not have something so convenient. When Luke wrote his gospel account, he had to use a different way to put a date stamp on his writings. That is why we read all about Quirinius the governor of Syria and the registration decree of Caesar Augustus. These rulers and activities were familiar to the people of Luke’s day. The early readers of Luke’s account would have been able to narrow the time of Christ’s birth to within a few months.
For a while, modern archeology contradicted Luke’s Gospel. Scholars discovered a time during the reign of Caesar Augustus when Quirinius was the governor of Syria, and the time was way too late to match the other details in the Gospel accounts. It seemed as though modern scholarship was on the verge of finding a genuine mistake in the Gospel text.
Then archeologists discovered that Quirinius had two terms as governor of Syria. Up until that discovery, the scholars had been working with the dates of his second term. His second term was too late, but the dates of his first term were perfectly consistent with Luke’s Gospel account.
Luke’s attention to the historical and political context of the Gospel informs us that his account is a historical account. The events in Luke’s Gospel account really happened. The birth of Jesus in a feeding trough in Bethlehem is not a fairy tale or a myth. It is a real world historical event.
The Holy Spirit inspired the prophet Micah to write: [Micah 5:2] “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” Not only was Jesus born in a real historical context, but that context was also the fulfillment of prophecy.
It is interesting how God the master strategist fulfilled this prophecy. Mary and Joseph were up in Nazareth of Galilee. They were several days of hard marching away from Bethlehem. Never the less, God arranged to fulfill the prophecy using a foreign dictator who had no knowledge of prophecy. In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. The registration procedure in that time and place called for the man of the house to return to the land of his ancestors. Since Joseph was a descendant of David, this meant returning to Bethlehem. It was very natural that Joseph did not want to leave Mary home alone while he registered … especially while Mary was pregnant. So she traveled with him to Bethlehem. In this way, God used a foreign emperor and an ancient tradition to fulfill the prophecy of old.
She gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger. It is very interesting that Mary laid Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem. A manger is a feeding trough. The name Bethlehem means House of Bread. Thus we could say that Jesus … our savior … slept in a feeding trough in the House of Bread. This is the same Jesus who would grow up to say, [John 6:51] “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” Jesus began His mission to become the Bread of Life in a food trough in the House of Bread.
The proper preface for Holy Week, the week before Easter, compares the tree of the cross to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil … that the serpent who overcame by the tree of the garden might by the tree of the cross be overcome. In a similar way, it is right to compare the food from the tree of Eden to the food from the tree of Calvary. The food that hung from the tree of Eden provides us with the food of sin and death. The food that hung from the tree of Calvary is the Bread of Life from heaven. You could say that Jesus is the Bread of Life that was baked in the oven of God’s wrath for your sin.
The Lord who lay in the feeding trough in the House of Bread is the Bread from Heaven. He gives His flesh to the Sons of Adam so that they may eat their way out of the curse just as they had eaten their way into the curse. In bread He gives His body for the forgiveness of sins. This night, Jesus is the Bread of Life from Heaven, born in the House of Bread because Caesar lusted for the temporary bread of this world.
Mary, Joseph, and the baby are not the only ones in the House of Bread that night. In the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and … said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” The city of David … Bethlehem … the House of Bread … This is the place where the shepherds could find the savior … Christ the Lord.
The angel’s message is much more than simple directions. Yes, the angel pointed the shepherds to a child in a manger, but he also pointed all people forward to the cross. He identified the child as the savior, who is Christ the Lord. [Luke 24:46] “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.” When the angel identified the child in the feeding trough as the Christ, he identified Him as the one who would suffer and rise from the dead. So even in the angel’s announcement of peace on earth, we hear how it is that Jesus is the Bread of Life from Heaven. He earned the forgiveness of sins for you as He suffered on the cross and now He brings that forgiveness to you.
“You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” The angel invited the shepherds to see the Bread of Life from Heaven wrapped in swaddling cloths. You too have an invitation. The Bread of Life who died on the cross and rose from the dead invites you into His family. He sends the Holy Spirit to adopt you into the family of God. As the Holy Spirit works faith in you, you become an heir with Christ in the inheritance of eternal life … the new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13).
A decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This registration brought about the fulfillment of the prophecy that the Bread of Life from Heaven would be born in the House of Bread. You too are registered. You were registered by the waters of Holy Baptism. You belong to God. You eat His body. You drink His blood. His name is on you.
Caesar decreed a registration in order to collect taxes … the temporary bread of this world. Unlike Caesar’s registration, we owe nothing to God. He gives everything to us. He gives us life in time and in eternity. Because Jesus is the Bread of Life from Heaven who died on the cross and rose from the dead, we have peace, not only on this earth, but also forever in the life to come. Amen
Hymn
Silent night, holy night! All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child, Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar, Heav’nly hosts sing, Alleluia!
Christ, the Savior, is born! Christ, the Savior, is born!
Silent night, holy night! Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
Lord’s Prayer
Benediction
Hymn
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King;
Let ev’ry heart, prepare Him room And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and nature sing, And heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.
No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground;
He come to make His blessings flow, Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove,
The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders of His love.
Post-Service Music
Christmas Eve Message
December 24, 2020
Pre-Service Music
Hymn
O come, all ye faithful, Joyful and triumphant!
O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem;
Come and behold Him, Born the king of angels:
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!
Sing, choirs of angels, Sing in exultation,
Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above!
Glory to God in the highest:
O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!
Invocation
Scripture Lesson Luke 2:1-20
Message “A Decree Went Out” Luke 2:1-20
A Decree Went Out – Luke 2:1-20
Modern culture has very accurate terminology for setting dates and times. I can say that this is the evening of December 24, 2020. Pretty much everyone around the world would know what that means.
Ancient cultures did not have something so convenient. When Luke wrote his gospel account, he had to use a different way to put a date stamp on his writings. That is why we read all about Quirinius the governor of Syria and the registration decree of Caesar Augustus. These rulers and activities were familiar to the people of Luke’s day. The early readers of Luke’s account would have been able to narrow the time of Christ’s birth to within a few months.
For a while, modern archeology contradicted Luke’s Gospel. Scholars discovered a time during the reign of Caesar Augustus when Quirinius was the governor of Syria, and the time was way too late to match the other details in the Gospel accounts. It seemed as though modern scholarship was on the verge of finding a genuine mistake in the Gospel text.
Then archeologists discovered that Quirinius had two terms as governor of Syria. Up until that discovery, the scholars had been working with the dates of his second term. His second term was too late, but the dates of his first term were perfectly consistent with Luke’s Gospel account.
Luke’s attention to the historical and political context of the Gospel informs us that his account is a historical account. The events in Luke’s Gospel account really happened. The birth of Jesus in a feeding trough in Bethlehem is not a fairy tale or a myth. It is a real world historical event.
The Holy Spirit inspired the prophet Micah to write: [Micah 5:2] “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.” Not only was Jesus born in a real historical context, but that context was also the fulfillment of prophecy.
It is interesting how God the master strategist fulfilled this prophecy. Mary and Joseph were up in Nazareth of Galilee. They were several days of hard marching away from Bethlehem. Never the less, God arranged to fulfill the prophecy using a foreign dictator who had no knowledge of prophecy. In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. The registration procedure in that time and place called for the man of the house to return to the land of his ancestors. Since Joseph was a descendant of David, this meant returning to Bethlehem. It was very natural that Joseph did not want to leave Mary home alone while he registered … especially while Mary was pregnant. So she traveled with him to Bethlehem. In this way, God used a foreign emperor and an ancient tradition to fulfill the prophecy of old.
She gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger. It is very interesting that Mary laid Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem. A manger is a feeding trough. The name Bethlehem means House of Bread. Thus we could say that Jesus … our savior … slept in a feeding trough in the House of Bread. This is the same Jesus who would grow up to say, [John 6:51] “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” Jesus began His mission to become the Bread of Life in a food trough in the House of Bread.
The proper preface for Holy Week, the week before Easter, compares the tree of the cross to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil … that the serpent who overcame by the tree of the garden might by the tree of the cross be overcome. In a similar way, it is right to compare the food from the tree of Eden to the food from the tree of Calvary. The food that hung from the tree of Eden provides us with the food of sin and death. The food that hung from the tree of Calvary is the Bread of Life from heaven. You could say that Jesus is the Bread of Life that was baked in the oven of God’s wrath for your sin.
The Lord who lay in the feeding trough in the House of Bread is the Bread from Heaven. He gives His flesh to the Sons of Adam so that they may eat their way out of the curse just as they had eaten their way into the curse. In bread He gives His body for the forgiveness of sins. This night, Jesus is the Bread of Life from Heaven, born in the House of Bread because Caesar lusted for the temporary bread of this world.
Mary, Joseph, and the baby are not the only ones in the House of Bread that night. In the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and … said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” The city of David … Bethlehem … the House of Bread … This is the place where the shepherds could find the savior … Christ the Lord.
The angel’s message is much more than simple directions. Yes, the angel pointed the shepherds to a child in a manger, but he also pointed all people forward to the cross. He identified the child as the savior, who is Christ the Lord. [Luke 24:46] “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.” When the angel identified the child in the feeding trough as the Christ, he identified Him as the one who would suffer and rise from the dead. So even in the angel’s announcement of peace on earth, we hear how it is that Jesus is the Bread of Life from Heaven. He earned the forgiveness of sins for you as He suffered on the cross and now He brings that forgiveness to you.
“You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” The angel invited the shepherds to see the Bread of Life from Heaven wrapped in swaddling cloths. You too have an invitation. The Bread of Life who died on the cross and rose from the dead invites you into His family. He sends the Holy Spirit to adopt you into the family of God. As the Holy Spirit works faith in you, you become an heir with Christ in the inheritance of eternal life … the new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:13).
A decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This registration brought about the fulfillment of the prophecy that the Bread of Life from Heaven would be born in the House of Bread. You too are registered. You were registered by the waters of Holy Baptism. You belong to God. You eat His body. You drink His blood. His name is on you.
Caesar decreed a registration in order to collect taxes … the temporary bread of this world. Unlike Caesar’s registration, we owe nothing to God. He gives everything to us. He gives us life in time and in eternity. Because Jesus is the Bread of Life from Heaven who died on the cross and rose from the dead, we have peace, not only on this earth, but also forever in the life to come. Amen
Hymn
Silent night, holy night! All is calm, all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child, Holy Infant, so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight;
Glories stream from heaven afar, Heav’nly hosts sing, Alleluia!
Christ, the Savior, is born! Christ, the Savior, is born!
Silent night, holy night! Son of God, love’s pure light
Radiant beams from Thy holy face, With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth, Jesus, Lord, at Thy birth.
Lord’s Prayer
Benediction
Hymn
Joy to the world, the Lord is come! Let earth receive her King;
Let ev’ry heart, prepare Him room And heav’n and nature sing,
And heav’n and nature sing, And heav’n, and heav’n and nature sing.
No more let sins and sorrows grow, Nor thorns infest the ground;
He come to make His blessings flow, Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found, Far as, far as the curse is found.
He rules the world with truth and grace, And makes the nations prove,
The glories of His righteousness, And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love, And wonders, wonders of His love.
Post-Service Music
CHRISTMAS DAY SERVICE
Christmas Day Message
December 25, 2020
Pre-Service Music
Hymn
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies;
With the angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
Christ, by highest heav’n adore, Christ the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity!
Pleased as Man with man to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel!
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
Invocation
Scripture Lesson John 1:1-18
Message “The God-Man Is with Us” John 1:1-18
The God-Man Is With Us – John 1:1-18
This morning we just heard the inspired words of the Gospel according to John. The Holy Spirit gave John a very clear goal when he wrote this Gospel account. He gives that goal to us near the end of this book. [John 20:30–31] “Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John wanted his hearers to know that Jesus is not just a mere man, but that He is also God. Specifically, He wanted his hearers to know that Jesus is God the Son. He also wanted his hearers to understand that this Jesus who is both God and man is the very source of our eternal life.
The Holy Spirit inspired John to begin by revealing the eternal nature of a Divine Person called the Word. The Gospel account begins in the same way that Genesis begins: “In the beginning …” These words take us back to the creation account of Genesis in order to teach us that this Divine Person is eternal with the Father. This Word was with God and was God and was in the beginning with God. He then tells us that creation happened through this Eternal Word. The Word itself was NOT created. Instead, God the Father Almighty created all things through the Word.
The Holy Spirit then inspired John to proclaim that the Divine Person known as the Word did not simply act as an agent of our creation, but He continued His involvement with us. He is our life and our light. His light outshines the darkness.
God did not create the world to stand far away from it, but to interact with it. It is His desire to come to His creation and dwell with it.
Sadly, even though He created all things, His creation did not know Him. His own creation did not receive Him.
That is when this Divine Person entered the world in an amazing way. He took on the flesh of His creation. That is what John is saying when he proclaims, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” He is saying that the little baby in the manger that we heard about last night is this very Divine Being through whom the world was created.
We read a similar proclamation in the book of Hebrews. “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power” [Hebrews 1:3] The little baby in the manger is the one who upholds the universe. When we say that Jesus lies in the manger, we are saying that God lies in the manger. When Mary nursed her baby, she was providing nourishment to her creator. The Almighty creator participated fully in His creation.
The Divine Word condescended to assume my flesh and blood, my body and soul. He did not become an angel or another magnificent creature. He became man. This is God’s mercy to wretched human beings. The human heart cannot grasp or understand, let alone express it. However, we Christians can at least learn to prize and esteem these words: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
Martin Luther illustrated the amazing nature of these words by retelling a fable. He said:
The following tale is told about a coarse and brutal lout. While the words “And was made man” were being sung in church, he remained standing, neither genuflecting nor removing his hat. He showed no reverence, but just stood there like a clod. All the others dropped to their knees when the Nicene Creed was prayed and chanted devoutly. Then the devil stepped up to him and hit him so hard it made his head spin. He cursed him gruesomely and said: “May hell consume you, you boorish ass! If God had become an angel like me and the congregation sang: ‘God was made an angel,’ I would bend not only my knees but my whole body to the ground! Yes, I would crawl ten ells down into the ground. And you vile human creature, you stand there like a stick or a stone. You hear that God did not become an angel but a man like you, and you just stand there like a stick of wood!” Whether this story is true or not, it is nevertheless in accordance with the faith (Rom. 12:6). With this illustrative story the holy fathers wished to admonish the youth to revere the indescribably great miracle of the incarnation; they wanted us to open our eyes wide and ponder these words well.
Why is it so important to Martin Luther and John that Jesus be both one hundred per cent God and one hundred per cent human? Why did the Holy Spirit inspire the writers of Holy Scripture to make such a big deal out of this?
The answer lies in two very sad sentences in the middle of today’s Gospel. John wrote, “The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.” How sad. His own people – the people that He created did not receive Him.
His own people did not receive Him because they were in rebellion against Him. They didn’t want a Messiah who took them back to Moses. They didn’t want a Messiah who fulfilled the prophets. No, they wanted a Messiah who would soon make them rich, great, and mighty lords holding dominion over all the nations of the world. They wanted a Messiah who fulfilled their expectations instead of a Messiah who fulfilled the prophecies of God.
We aren’t all that different today. Jesus comes to give forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation from sin, death, and the power of the devil. These are the gifts we need, but they are not what we want. We want a Messiah who will make us popular, rich, and powerful. We want a therapist instead of a savior. We want someone who can help us feel better about ourselves. We reject His message and prefer our own message instead. Too often, He comes to us and we too do not receive Him.
Jesus came into this world to be our Savior. Our Savior had to live a life in submission to the Law. God is not subject to the Law. Humans are. Our Savior also had to endure the punishment that we earn with our sins every day. God doesn’t suffer and die. Humans do. On the other hand, our Savior’s life and sacrifice had to be sufficient for the sins of the entire world. Even if there were such a thing as a perfect human being, that perfect human could only offer himself in the place of one other human. Only God can ransom the entire race. Our Savior also had to do battle with death and the devil. Humans are too weak, but God is Almighty. Our savior must be both God and man in one person. That is why it is so important to know that Jesus is true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary.
The Divine and human natures in the person of the one Christ echo in the distribution of His gifts to us. For, while Jesus earned forgiveness in history, the effect of that forgiveness is eternal. It is as the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write, [Ephesians 1:4] [The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ] chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. The Divine Word took on our human flesh and hung on a particular cross on a particular Friday at the command of a particular Roman governor named Pontius Pilate. While He hung there in history, He earned forgiveness for the sins of the entire world. Yet that one and same forgiveness … earned in history … is valid and effective from before the foundation of the world and will continue into eternity … even after this world has come to an end.
The great comfort of Christmas flows from the great mystery of a helpless baby lying in a manger who is at the same time the Lord and Master of all things. For in that mystery lies God’s plan to rescue us from the devil, the world, and our own sinful nature. This little baby grew up to earn the forgiveness of sins at that time in history so that we can receive the benefit of forgiveness for all eternity. Those who place their trust in that God-man will lose their guilt and gain everlasting life. Amen
Hymn
See amid the winter’s snow, Born for us on earth below,
See, the gentle Lamb appears, Promised from eternal years.
Hail, O ever blessed morn! Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem: “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Teach, O teach us, holy Child, By Thy face so meek and mild,
Teach us to resemble Thee, In Thy sweet humility.
Hail, O ever blessed morn! Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem: “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Lord’s Prayer
Benediction
Hymn
Angels we have heard on high, Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply, Echoing their joyous strains.
Glo - - - -ria in excelsis Deo, Glo - - - -ria in excelsis Deo.
Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be, Which inspire your heav’nly song?
Glo - - - -ria in excelsis Deo, Glo - - - -ria in excelsis Deo.
Come to Bethlehem and see, Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
Glo - - - -ria in excelsis Deo, Glo - - - -ria in excelsis Deo.
Post-Service Music
Christmas Day Message
December 25, 2020
Pre-Service Music
Hymn
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise, Join the triumph of the skies;
With the angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
Christ, by highest heav’n adore, Christ the everlasting Lord,
Late in time behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity!
Pleased as Man with man to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel!
Hark! The herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn King!”
Invocation
Scripture Lesson John 1:1-18
Message “The God-Man Is with Us” John 1:1-18
The God-Man Is With Us – John 1:1-18
This morning we just heard the inspired words of the Gospel according to John. The Holy Spirit gave John a very clear goal when he wrote this Gospel account. He gives that goal to us near the end of this book. [John 20:30–31] “Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” By the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, John wanted his hearers to know that Jesus is not just a mere man, but that He is also God. Specifically, He wanted his hearers to know that Jesus is God the Son. He also wanted his hearers to understand that this Jesus who is both God and man is the very source of our eternal life.
The Holy Spirit inspired John to begin by revealing the eternal nature of a Divine Person called the Word. The Gospel account begins in the same way that Genesis begins: “In the beginning …” These words take us back to the creation account of Genesis in order to teach us that this Divine Person is eternal with the Father. This Word was with God and was God and was in the beginning with God. He then tells us that creation happened through this Eternal Word. The Word itself was NOT created. Instead, God the Father Almighty created all things through the Word.
The Holy Spirit then inspired John to proclaim that the Divine Person known as the Word did not simply act as an agent of our creation, but He continued His involvement with us. He is our life and our light. His light outshines the darkness.
God did not create the world to stand far away from it, but to interact with it. It is His desire to come to His creation and dwell with it.
Sadly, even though He created all things, His creation did not know Him. His own creation did not receive Him.
That is when this Divine Person entered the world in an amazing way. He took on the flesh of His creation. That is what John is saying when he proclaims, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” He is saying that the little baby in the manger that we heard about last night is this very Divine Being through whom the world was created.
We read a similar proclamation in the book of Hebrews. “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power” [Hebrews 1:3] The little baby in the manger is the one who upholds the universe. When we say that Jesus lies in the manger, we are saying that God lies in the manger. When Mary nursed her baby, she was providing nourishment to her creator. The Almighty creator participated fully in His creation.
The Divine Word condescended to assume my flesh and blood, my body and soul. He did not become an angel or another magnificent creature. He became man. This is God’s mercy to wretched human beings. The human heart cannot grasp or understand, let alone express it. However, we Christians can at least learn to prize and esteem these words: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
Martin Luther illustrated the amazing nature of these words by retelling a fable. He said:
The following tale is told about a coarse and brutal lout. While the words “And was made man” were being sung in church, he remained standing, neither genuflecting nor removing his hat. He showed no reverence, but just stood there like a clod. All the others dropped to their knees when the Nicene Creed was prayed and chanted devoutly. Then the devil stepped up to him and hit him so hard it made his head spin. He cursed him gruesomely and said: “May hell consume you, you boorish ass! If God had become an angel like me and the congregation sang: ‘God was made an angel,’ I would bend not only my knees but my whole body to the ground! Yes, I would crawl ten ells down into the ground. And you vile human creature, you stand there like a stick or a stone. You hear that God did not become an angel but a man like you, and you just stand there like a stick of wood!” Whether this story is true or not, it is nevertheless in accordance with the faith (Rom. 12:6). With this illustrative story the holy fathers wished to admonish the youth to revere the indescribably great miracle of the incarnation; they wanted us to open our eyes wide and ponder these words well.
Why is it so important to Martin Luther and John that Jesus be both one hundred per cent God and one hundred per cent human? Why did the Holy Spirit inspire the writers of Holy Scripture to make such a big deal out of this?
The answer lies in two very sad sentences in the middle of today’s Gospel. John wrote, “The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.” How sad. His own people – the people that He created did not receive Him.
His own people did not receive Him because they were in rebellion against Him. They didn’t want a Messiah who took them back to Moses. They didn’t want a Messiah who fulfilled the prophets. No, they wanted a Messiah who would soon make them rich, great, and mighty lords holding dominion over all the nations of the world. They wanted a Messiah who fulfilled their expectations instead of a Messiah who fulfilled the prophecies of God.
We aren’t all that different today. Jesus comes to give forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation from sin, death, and the power of the devil. These are the gifts we need, but they are not what we want. We want a Messiah who will make us popular, rich, and powerful. We want a therapist instead of a savior. We want someone who can help us feel better about ourselves. We reject His message and prefer our own message instead. Too often, He comes to us and we too do not receive Him.
Jesus came into this world to be our Savior. Our Savior had to live a life in submission to the Law. God is not subject to the Law. Humans are. Our Savior also had to endure the punishment that we earn with our sins every day. God doesn’t suffer and die. Humans do. On the other hand, our Savior’s life and sacrifice had to be sufficient for the sins of the entire world. Even if there were such a thing as a perfect human being, that perfect human could only offer himself in the place of one other human. Only God can ransom the entire race. Our Savior also had to do battle with death and the devil. Humans are too weak, but God is Almighty. Our savior must be both God and man in one person. That is why it is so important to know that Jesus is true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary.
The Divine and human natures in the person of the one Christ echo in the distribution of His gifts to us. For, while Jesus earned forgiveness in history, the effect of that forgiveness is eternal. It is as the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write, [Ephesians 1:4] [The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ] chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. The Divine Word took on our human flesh and hung on a particular cross on a particular Friday at the command of a particular Roman governor named Pontius Pilate. While He hung there in history, He earned forgiveness for the sins of the entire world. Yet that one and same forgiveness … earned in history … is valid and effective from before the foundation of the world and will continue into eternity … even after this world has come to an end.
The great comfort of Christmas flows from the great mystery of a helpless baby lying in a manger who is at the same time the Lord and Master of all things. For in that mystery lies God’s plan to rescue us from the devil, the world, and our own sinful nature. This little baby grew up to earn the forgiveness of sins at that time in history so that we can receive the benefit of forgiveness for all eternity. Those who place their trust in that God-man will lose their guilt and gain everlasting life. Amen
Hymn
See amid the winter’s snow, Born for us on earth below,
See, the gentle Lamb appears, Promised from eternal years.
Hail, O ever blessed morn! Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem: “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Teach, O teach us, holy Child, By Thy face so meek and mild,
Teach us to resemble Thee, In Thy sweet humility.
Hail, O ever blessed morn! Hail, redemption’s happy dawn!
Sing through all Jerusalem: “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Lord’s Prayer
Benediction
Hymn
Angels we have heard on high, Sweetly singing o’er the plains,
And the mountains in reply, Echoing their joyous strains.
Glo - - - -ria in excelsis Deo, Glo - - - -ria in excelsis Deo.
Shepherds, why this jubilee? Why your joyous strains prolong?
What the gladsome tidings be, Which inspire your heav’nly song?
Glo - - - -ria in excelsis Deo, Glo - - - -ria in excelsis Deo.
Come to Bethlehem and see, Him whose birth the angels sing;
Come, adore on bended knee, Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
Glo - - - -ria in excelsis Deo, Glo - - - -ria in excelsis Deo.
Post-Service Music
MIDWEEK ADVENT DEVOTION
12/16/2020
12/16/2020
Midweek 3 – Micah 5:2-5a
During these Advent midweek services, we have considered God’s Old Testament people as they strayed away from God’s will. Two weeks ago we surveyed the moral roller coaster ride of the Children of Israel as they went through cycles of faithfulness and then rebellion against God’s law. We observed that each cycle was worse than its predecessor until the cycles of faithfulness disappeared. The northern tribes were the first to go as Assyria conquered them and they were lost to history. A generation later, Babylon conquered Jerusalem and carried the best of the land into exile for seventy years.
Last week we surveyed the faithfulness of Judah after the Persians gave them permission to return from exile. They no longer engaged in the blatant idolatry of the times before the exile. Instead, they tried to earn God’s favor by keeping the outward forms of the law. From all outward appearances, they appeared to be keeping God’s law. Nevertheless, their heart was not in it. Their obedience was empty motion without meaning.
The history of Israel before and after the exile demonstrates how easy it is to stray away from God and His will. We can lose our way so easily. It can happen so slowly and incrementally that we don’t even realize what’s happening. Sometimes we proceed on track, following our life’s map, as it were. Often we get off track, because, well, life happens, and things pull us this way and that. And we can find ourselves pretty far away from the course we had set.
This can happen to our spiritual lives, too. We receive baptism into the death and resurrection of Christ as infants, totally dependent on God’s grace, his action in Christ, for us.
As children we are dependent on others, but then we grow up. We become adults. We provide more and more for ourselves. It is tempting to do the same thing spiritually … to rely on ourselves instead of God. We start to think God needs our help; we evaluate our spiritual life on what we have done for God instead of what God has done for us.
We take our confirmation vows to remain faithful, even unto death. Then comes high school, and college, and, well, life happens. Without even noticing, we can find ourselves quite a distance away from God, his Word, his will, his way.
Since congregations and even entire denominations are made up of sinners, they too can lose their way. That is what the German Reformation of the Sixteenth Century was all about. It was a course correction for a church that had, over time, drifted away from the basic truths that became the great themes of the Reformation: grace alone, faith alone, scripture alone, Christ alone!
We still drift away today. On the one hand, we can become so enamored of the numbers that we are willing to compromise our very souls just to get more people through the door. On the other hand, we can still get wrapped up in correct outward forms and teachings without actually receiving the gifts that the Lord wants to give to us. Like the old story of the coastal rescue station that becomes a club for its members, a congregation can drift from its mission and central message as the body of Christ in this place for all those around it.
From time-to-time God must send messengers to His people to warn them that they have wandered off … to bring the Holy Spirit inspired Word to remind them of the gifts God has for them. This is really what had happened in the time of Micah, the prophet of our text. The kings of the house of David acted as though they were the real kings, not the servants of God for the kingdom of God. The people had become more interested in themselves, in their own success, and not in serving God and their neighbor.
God gave hard words to His prophets. “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and said to all the people of Judah: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “‘Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.’” (Jeremiah 26:18, ESV)
Yet their message was not without hope. They spoke of a new king, another son of David. But there was also a sense that the new king was not just another David, as though maybe just one more generation was needed to get it all back on track. No, this was not just about going forward, this was a message of going back, remembering where they came from, and getting back on course.
For the king, this meant remembering David and his humble beginnings, back in his home town of Bethlehem. This wasn’t “David’s royal city” then. It was a small rural town, and Jesse and his sons were shepherds. Remember that Samuel looked for a son to anoint as king, and they brought past him all the sons but David – he was the youngest and was out in the fields doing his work. He wasn’t even under consideration, but he was the one.
Of course, when he became king, David himself quickly outgrew his humility. It didn’t take long for the house of David to get off course. And God would have to find them, having lost their way, and get them back. Back to the beginning. Back to Bethlehem. Back to a new birth of a new king.
And so would be born one who would be ruler in Israel (interesting that Micah doesn’t call him “king”). His origins, and his “goings forth” (that is to say, where he came from and where he was going) was part of God’s everlasting plan to send a savior and save the world, save the church, save you and me, from our irresistible tendency and temptation to get ourselves lost, to get off course, to wander from God’s plan even though we still think we are God’s people.
In our text today, on our last Midweek of Advent, God calls us to consider our spiritual roots. Some of you were baptized at this baptismal font. Still others were baptized in other churches in other places, but again, in the waters of holy baptism, which is the same power of God unto salvation wherever and whenever it comes to his people.
As we prepare to celebrate our Savior’s birth, we recall that little town of Bethlehem, not for the sentimental scenes we might find on cards but for the holy history that it conveys: this was the birthplace, of the kingdom of God, for Christ is the Kingdom of God in human flesh. God Himself went back to the basics … in Bethlehem. Finally, this descendant of David got it right. No losing His way. No selfish self-interests. This Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28, ESV)
He was God’s true king: David’s son but also David’s lord. He would come to his capital city in royal procession and be crowned with a crown of thorns. He would take upon himself the sin and suffering for all, to bear our sin and be our Savior, securing God’s forgiveness for all our own sin and self-interest. He would be raised again, ascended to his heavenly throne, where he lives and reigns to all eternity, for us and for our salvation.
Yes, there will be peace, even on earth, not just for the house of Israel, but to the very ends of the earth!
As we bring the last Midweek of this Advent season to a close, we draw nearer to the celebration of God in a manger. It is good for us to take our preparation back to our beginnings … back to the baptismal waters where it all started for you and for me. There we received our own new life. There the Christmas message became a lasting truth for our lives. There we became God’s people, forgiven, to live under him in his kingdom, and to serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness! Amen
During these Advent midweek services, we have considered God’s Old Testament people as they strayed away from God’s will. Two weeks ago we surveyed the moral roller coaster ride of the Children of Israel as they went through cycles of faithfulness and then rebellion against God’s law. We observed that each cycle was worse than its predecessor until the cycles of faithfulness disappeared. The northern tribes were the first to go as Assyria conquered them and they were lost to history. A generation later, Babylon conquered Jerusalem and carried the best of the land into exile for seventy years.
Last week we surveyed the faithfulness of Judah after the Persians gave them permission to return from exile. They no longer engaged in the blatant idolatry of the times before the exile. Instead, they tried to earn God’s favor by keeping the outward forms of the law. From all outward appearances, they appeared to be keeping God’s law. Nevertheless, their heart was not in it. Their obedience was empty motion without meaning.
The history of Israel before and after the exile demonstrates how easy it is to stray away from God and His will. We can lose our way so easily. It can happen so slowly and incrementally that we don’t even realize what’s happening. Sometimes we proceed on track, following our life’s map, as it were. Often we get off track, because, well, life happens, and things pull us this way and that. And we can find ourselves pretty far away from the course we had set.
This can happen to our spiritual lives, too. We receive baptism into the death and resurrection of Christ as infants, totally dependent on God’s grace, his action in Christ, for us.
As children we are dependent on others, but then we grow up. We become adults. We provide more and more for ourselves. It is tempting to do the same thing spiritually … to rely on ourselves instead of God. We start to think God needs our help; we evaluate our spiritual life on what we have done for God instead of what God has done for us.
We take our confirmation vows to remain faithful, even unto death. Then comes high school, and college, and, well, life happens. Without even noticing, we can find ourselves quite a distance away from God, his Word, his will, his way.
Since congregations and even entire denominations are made up of sinners, they too can lose their way. That is what the German Reformation of the Sixteenth Century was all about. It was a course correction for a church that had, over time, drifted away from the basic truths that became the great themes of the Reformation: grace alone, faith alone, scripture alone, Christ alone!
We still drift away today. On the one hand, we can become so enamored of the numbers that we are willing to compromise our very souls just to get more people through the door. On the other hand, we can still get wrapped up in correct outward forms and teachings without actually receiving the gifts that the Lord wants to give to us. Like the old story of the coastal rescue station that becomes a club for its members, a congregation can drift from its mission and central message as the body of Christ in this place for all those around it.
From time-to-time God must send messengers to His people to warn them that they have wandered off … to bring the Holy Spirit inspired Word to remind them of the gifts God has for them. This is really what had happened in the time of Micah, the prophet of our text. The kings of the house of David acted as though they were the real kings, not the servants of God for the kingdom of God. The people had become more interested in themselves, in their own success, and not in serving God and their neighbor.
God gave hard words to His prophets. “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and said to all the people of Judah: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, “‘Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mountain of the house a wooded height.’” (Jeremiah 26:18, ESV)
Yet their message was not without hope. They spoke of a new king, another son of David. But there was also a sense that the new king was not just another David, as though maybe just one more generation was needed to get it all back on track. No, this was not just about going forward, this was a message of going back, remembering where they came from, and getting back on course.
For the king, this meant remembering David and his humble beginnings, back in his home town of Bethlehem. This wasn’t “David’s royal city” then. It was a small rural town, and Jesse and his sons were shepherds. Remember that Samuel looked for a son to anoint as king, and they brought past him all the sons but David – he was the youngest and was out in the fields doing his work. He wasn’t even under consideration, but he was the one.
Of course, when he became king, David himself quickly outgrew his humility. It didn’t take long for the house of David to get off course. And God would have to find them, having lost their way, and get them back. Back to the beginning. Back to Bethlehem. Back to a new birth of a new king.
And so would be born one who would be ruler in Israel (interesting that Micah doesn’t call him “king”). His origins, and his “goings forth” (that is to say, where he came from and where he was going) was part of God’s everlasting plan to send a savior and save the world, save the church, save you and me, from our irresistible tendency and temptation to get ourselves lost, to get off course, to wander from God’s plan even though we still think we are God’s people.
In our text today, on our last Midweek of Advent, God calls us to consider our spiritual roots. Some of you were baptized at this baptismal font. Still others were baptized in other churches in other places, but again, in the waters of holy baptism, which is the same power of God unto salvation wherever and whenever it comes to his people.
As we prepare to celebrate our Savior’s birth, we recall that little town of Bethlehem, not for the sentimental scenes we might find on cards but for the holy history that it conveys: this was the birthplace, of the kingdom of God, for Christ is the Kingdom of God in human flesh. God Himself went back to the basics … in Bethlehem. Finally, this descendant of David got it right. No losing His way. No selfish self-interests. This Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:28, ESV)
He was God’s true king: David’s son but also David’s lord. He would come to his capital city in royal procession and be crowned with a crown of thorns. He would take upon himself the sin and suffering for all, to bear our sin and be our Savior, securing God’s forgiveness for all our own sin and self-interest. He would be raised again, ascended to his heavenly throne, where he lives and reigns to all eternity, for us and for our salvation.
Yes, there will be peace, even on earth, not just for the house of Israel, but to the very ends of the earth!
As we bring the last Midweek of this Advent season to a close, we draw nearer to the celebration of God in a manger. It is good for us to take our preparation back to our beginnings … back to the baptismal waters where it all started for you and for me. There we received our own new life. There the Christmas message became a lasting truth for our lives. There we became God’s people, forgiven, to live under him in his kingdom, and to serve him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness! Amen
MIDWEEK ADVENT DEVOTION
12/9/2020
12/9/2020
Midweek 2 – Malachi 3:1-4
We have several word pictures for a situation that moves from one extreme to another. We talk about the pendulum swinging. We talk about trying to avoid falling into the right-hand ditch so hard that we fall into the left-hand ditch. Martin Luther used to talk about the drunken rider who fell off the right side of the horse only to get back on and fall off the left side of the horse.
Last week, we spoke about the moral roller coaster ride of the Children of Israel. They lived in this cycle of spiritual ups and downs. They were faithful and God built them up, but then they began worshipping the gods, Baal, Moloch, Ashtoreth, and so forth. They rejected God’s protection and Assyria conquered the Northern Ten tribes of Israel and they were lost to history. Judah held on a little longer, but eventually, Babylon conquered Jerusalem and carried the best of the land into exile. Judah remained in exile for seventy years.
At the end of that seventy years, the Persian Empire defeated the Babylonians. The Persians gave the Jews permission to return to Israel. The original exiles, people like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were too old to travel, but many of the younger generations returned to Jerusalem. Men like Ezra, Nehemiah, and Zerubbabel supervised the rebuilding of the temple and the city. They never again rose to the heights of power that they had under the kings David and Solomon, but they could live in peace under the rule of the Persians.
This younger generation had learned the lesson of the older generation. They never again worshipped the false gods of the surrounding lands. The first generation of returning exiles were very faithful to God. They had a right understanding of the promise of a savior who would come to rescue them from sin.
Sadly, the next generations strayed away from this understanding. They knew that they did not want follow in the footsteps of their great-grandparents and worship false gods, so they fell into the other ditch. They began to think that they could earn God’s favor by keeping the law. They became very strict at keeping the outer words and actions of the law, but they forgot that the law also applies to the mind, the heart, and the spirit. They reduced the law to the performance of empty rituals.
In Malachi’s day the people were expecting God to come and finally fix the problems of an unjust world. They thought that the kingdom of God should be doing better than it was, having somewhat lost its way and its vigor in these waning centuries of the Old Testament, waiting for something greater to happen. They had witnessed a lack of good leadership even among the people of God — the kings had come and gone, and now the priests were losing their edge, taking any old sacrifice as long as it came with money to fund the temple or grease the palms of the priests. Many were just going through the motions; if the priests do the ritual, we’ll be fine, no matter how we conduct our lives, our marriages and our families.
The people were looking forward to the coming of Messiah because they were thinking they could show him their good works, and he would bless them. But God gave Malachi a different message. Oh yes, “The Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming,” says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3:1) But it will not be as wonderful as you expect. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. (Malachi 3:2) Those who thought that they could meet the Lord in their own righteousness will fall in terror. Those who wanted justice will find that God’s justice falls on them. Those who thought that God should reward them will realize that they are not as good as they thought.
And lest the priests and Levites think that they are exempt from judgment because they are the ones who led in worship, “He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.” (Malachi 3:3) The Lord will start His judgment with those who serve in the temple. He will start in the temple, but then He will purify the entire land. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. (Malachi 3:4)
The purification will be painful for a time, but it will be good in the long run. It was not expected, or even wanted, but it is what was truly needed. What is worse than thinking we are doing all the right things, when we are not? What is worse than thinking we should be telling God how to be king, when he is king, and we are not? Do we want to be truly clean or only think we are clean based on our own dirty standards?
God sent Malachi to prepare the way for the Lord a little over four hundred years before Jesus was born. The people were no longer worshipping the gods of the people around them. Instead, they tried to please God with their own good works. In a way, they were committing the ultimate idolatry. They were worshipping themselves by way of their own works.
Like many prophets before him, Malachi called on the people to repent. He called on people to worship God in spirit and truth. He called on people to turn to the mercy of the God who forgives instead of relying on their own works.
The role of the prophet didn’t change over the years. The last of the Old Testament prophets, John the Baptist, still called people to repent. He still had to use words that were both hard and harsh. John the Baptist proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin. He continued to prepare the way for the Lord about four hundred years after Malachi. Unlike Malachi, John not only prepared the way for the Lord, but the Lord actually came during his ministry. John had the privilege of seeing the Lord in the flesh with his own eyes.
John saw the ultimate fulfillment of Malachi’s words. A human body became the temple of God as God took up human flesh in order to dwell with humanity. The Jews sought the Lord and now the Lord had come to His temple … a temple that was a human body of flesh and bone. This Jesus is the Messenger of the Covenant in whom they delight.
The only thing is that the Messenger of the Covenant was not delightful in the way they expected. He proclaimed the same message that John and Malachi proclaimed … the message of repentance and forgiveness of sins. When people came to show Him how well they had kept the covenant, He showed them their sin and urged them to repent. He directed them to look for purification, not in themselves, but in Him.
Jesus preached the same message of repentance and forgiveness of sins. Purification must come by God’s mercy and through his grace. Our sins must be paid for. But not by you or me. Our sins will be paid for by the Lord Himself. This is the same message that John, Malachi, and all the prophets proclaimed. It is the same message that the Apostles proclaimed afterward.
Eventually, the LORD, in the temple of His human body came to His temple of stone in Jerusalem. Here He began the climax of the ultimate process of purification. Here He offered Himself up as the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. He came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many … to give his life as a ransom, for YOU.
Mere mortal men decorated a cross with His body. While He hung on that cross He went through the process of purification that fulfilled the purification that Malachi foretold in his message to Judah. He went through the process of purification that purified YOU.
The purification took the LORD down into the darkness of death, but it did not end there. Death could not hold one who was so pure. Our LORD, Jesus Christ rose from the dead and appeared to those hiding in an upper room. He appeared in Galilee and again in Jerusalem.
Now that He has worked purification for all people, He ascended to prepare a place for His purified people. He has promised to return to take His purified people home.
Will his coming be unannounced? God used Malachi, and then John, as his messengers, his heralds. God wants his coming to be announced. We do not know when He is coming, but we know He will come suddenly. He has given us the announcement and asked us to confess Him by proclaiming repentance and the forgiveness of sins in His name. His desire is to the purify the nations with the forgiveness He earned on the cross.
Advent is a time of preparation. The coming of the king has been announced. We are waiting for his arrival. Our expectant hearts turn to the preparation at hand. We repent. He has purified us. The kingdom of God is, indeed, at hand! Let us be ready for its coming. Amen
We have several word pictures for a situation that moves from one extreme to another. We talk about the pendulum swinging. We talk about trying to avoid falling into the right-hand ditch so hard that we fall into the left-hand ditch. Martin Luther used to talk about the drunken rider who fell off the right side of the horse only to get back on and fall off the left side of the horse.
Last week, we spoke about the moral roller coaster ride of the Children of Israel. They lived in this cycle of spiritual ups and downs. They were faithful and God built them up, but then they began worshipping the gods, Baal, Moloch, Ashtoreth, and so forth. They rejected God’s protection and Assyria conquered the Northern Ten tribes of Israel and they were lost to history. Judah held on a little longer, but eventually, Babylon conquered Jerusalem and carried the best of the land into exile. Judah remained in exile for seventy years.
At the end of that seventy years, the Persian Empire defeated the Babylonians. The Persians gave the Jews permission to return to Israel. The original exiles, people like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were too old to travel, but many of the younger generations returned to Jerusalem. Men like Ezra, Nehemiah, and Zerubbabel supervised the rebuilding of the temple and the city. They never again rose to the heights of power that they had under the kings David and Solomon, but they could live in peace under the rule of the Persians.
This younger generation had learned the lesson of the older generation. They never again worshipped the false gods of the surrounding lands. The first generation of returning exiles were very faithful to God. They had a right understanding of the promise of a savior who would come to rescue them from sin.
Sadly, the next generations strayed away from this understanding. They knew that they did not want follow in the footsteps of their great-grandparents and worship false gods, so they fell into the other ditch. They began to think that they could earn God’s favor by keeping the law. They became very strict at keeping the outer words and actions of the law, but they forgot that the law also applies to the mind, the heart, and the spirit. They reduced the law to the performance of empty rituals.
In Malachi’s day the people were expecting God to come and finally fix the problems of an unjust world. They thought that the kingdom of God should be doing better than it was, having somewhat lost its way and its vigor in these waning centuries of the Old Testament, waiting for something greater to happen. They had witnessed a lack of good leadership even among the people of God — the kings had come and gone, and now the priests were losing their edge, taking any old sacrifice as long as it came with money to fund the temple or grease the palms of the priests. Many were just going through the motions; if the priests do the ritual, we’ll be fine, no matter how we conduct our lives, our marriages and our families.
The people were looking forward to the coming of Messiah because they were thinking they could show him their good works, and he would bless them. But God gave Malachi a different message. Oh yes, “The Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming,” says the Lord of hosts. (Malachi 3:1) But it will not be as wonderful as you expect. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. (Malachi 3:2) Those who thought that they could meet the Lord in their own righteousness will fall in terror. Those who wanted justice will find that God’s justice falls on them. Those who thought that God should reward them will realize that they are not as good as they thought.
And lest the priests and Levites think that they are exempt from judgment because they are the ones who led in worship, “He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.” (Malachi 3:3) The Lord will start His judgment with those who serve in the temple. He will start in the temple, but then He will purify the entire land. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. (Malachi 3:4)
The purification will be painful for a time, but it will be good in the long run. It was not expected, or even wanted, but it is what was truly needed. What is worse than thinking we are doing all the right things, when we are not? What is worse than thinking we should be telling God how to be king, when he is king, and we are not? Do we want to be truly clean or only think we are clean based on our own dirty standards?
God sent Malachi to prepare the way for the Lord a little over four hundred years before Jesus was born. The people were no longer worshipping the gods of the people around them. Instead, they tried to please God with their own good works. In a way, they were committing the ultimate idolatry. They were worshipping themselves by way of their own works.
Like many prophets before him, Malachi called on the people to repent. He called on people to worship God in spirit and truth. He called on people to turn to the mercy of the God who forgives instead of relying on their own works.
The role of the prophet didn’t change over the years. The last of the Old Testament prophets, John the Baptist, still called people to repent. He still had to use words that were both hard and harsh. John the Baptist proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin. He continued to prepare the way for the Lord about four hundred years after Malachi. Unlike Malachi, John not only prepared the way for the Lord, but the Lord actually came during his ministry. John had the privilege of seeing the Lord in the flesh with his own eyes.
John saw the ultimate fulfillment of Malachi’s words. A human body became the temple of God as God took up human flesh in order to dwell with humanity. The Jews sought the Lord and now the Lord had come to His temple … a temple that was a human body of flesh and bone. This Jesus is the Messenger of the Covenant in whom they delight.
The only thing is that the Messenger of the Covenant was not delightful in the way they expected. He proclaimed the same message that John and Malachi proclaimed … the message of repentance and forgiveness of sins. When people came to show Him how well they had kept the covenant, He showed them their sin and urged them to repent. He directed them to look for purification, not in themselves, but in Him.
Jesus preached the same message of repentance and forgiveness of sins. Purification must come by God’s mercy and through his grace. Our sins must be paid for. But not by you or me. Our sins will be paid for by the Lord Himself. This is the same message that John, Malachi, and all the prophets proclaimed. It is the same message that the Apostles proclaimed afterward.
Eventually, the LORD, in the temple of His human body came to His temple of stone in Jerusalem. Here He began the climax of the ultimate process of purification. Here He offered Himself up as the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. He came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many … to give his life as a ransom, for YOU.
Mere mortal men decorated a cross with His body. While He hung on that cross He went through the process of purification that fulfilled the purification that Malachi foretold in his message to Judah. He went through the process of purification that purified YOU.
The purification took the LORD down into the darkness of death, but it did not end there. Death could not hold one who was so pure. Our LORD, Jesus Christ rose from the dead and appeared to those hiding in an upper room. He appeared in Galilee and again in Jerusalem.
Now that He has worked purification for all people, He ascended to prepare a place for His purified people. He has promised to return to take His purified people home.
Will his coming be unannounced? God used Malachi, and then John, as his messengers, his heralds. God wants his coming to be announced. We do not know when He is coming, but we know He will come suddenly. He has given us the announcement and asked us to confess Him by proclaiming repentance and the forgiveness of sins in His name. His desire is to the purify the nations with the forgiveness He earned on the cross.
Advent is a time of preparation. The coming of the king has been announced. We are waiting for his arrival. Our expectant hearts turn to the preparation at hand. We repent. He has purified us. The kingdom of God is, indeed, at hand! Let us be ready for its coming. Amen
MIDWEEK ADVENT DEVOTION
12/2/2020
Midweek 1 – Jeremiah 33:14-16
The history of the Children of Israel in the Promised Land was like a great roller coaster ride. Just as a roller coaster slowly makes its way up to the top of the first drop, so also God led Israel, first by Moses and then by Joshua, to the spiritual heights as they conquered the Promised Land.
Then, just as things started to settle down in peace and prosperity, the Children of Israel fell spiritually. They plunged down into the depths of spiritual darkness. As they fell, they rejected God’s protection over the land and the surrounding nations invaded and captured both land and people.
Soon the Children of Israel turned once again to the Lord and they once again rose up out of their despair. God rescued them from their enemies and they prospered once again.
The prosperity made them complacent and once more, they plunged into spiritual darkness and rejected God’s protection. The surrounding nations began to capture people and land until the Children of Israel turned back to the Lord. The Lord rescued them and they prospered once again.
This cycle repeated over and over again. But, just like a roller coaster, every spiritual height was not quite as high as the last one, and every spiritual plunge went a little bit deeper than the one before it. Eventually, the spiritual plunge was so deep that the people never turned to the Lord. They were lost.
Soon Israel had a great civil war. The tribe of Judah absorbed the tribe of Benjamin and remained faithful to the descendants of King David, but the Northern Ten Tribes broke off and formed their own nation. The Northern Ten Tribes had nothing but evil kings. Eventually, the Assyrians conquered the Northern tribes and carried them away and resettled the land with their own people. The Northern Ten Tribes became the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel. Judah in the south was all that was left.
Eventually, Assyria tried to capture Jerusalem, but the commander of the Assyrians made a big mistake. He stood before the walls of Jerusalem and boasted that his god was greater than the God of Jerusalem. The God of Jerusalem, the one, true God sent an angel to strike down 185,000 troops in the Assyrian army. They never bothered Jerusalem again.
Unfortunately, the power vacuum left by Assyria allowed the Babylonians to create an empire. After Babylon gained control over Assyria, they turned their eyes south toward Judah and Jerusalem. The Lord called Jeremiah to give the bad news to Judah. The Babylonians were coming and they were going to capture Jerusalem.
The Scriptures inform us that Babylon had a different attitude toward Jerusalem. After Jerusalem fell, a captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, “The Lord your God pronounced this disaster against this place. The Lord has brought it about, and has done as he said. Because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey his voice, this thing has come upon you.” (Jeremiah 40:2–3) While the Babylonians did not yet believe in God as the one and only true God, they were quite willing to give Him a place of great respect within the pantheon of gods they already revered.
So Jeremiah had the sad job of chastising Judah for their sin and warning them that they would fall to Babylon if they continued to reject God. His calling was very frustrating because every word that He proclaimed in the name of the Lord came true, but no one listened to him. The Babylonians stripped the gold and silver from the temple and all the other buildings of the city and then they tore Jerusalem down to the ground.
Today’s text from the prophet Jeremiah comes from the time that Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had Jerusalem under siege. The Holy Spirit had spoken through Jeremiah and made it abundantly clear that both the king and the people had forsaken their God. They had followed the ways and the religious practices of the world. They had assumed that if they did just enough to keep the temple worship going, bringing sacrifices and offerings, then God would be pleased, even appeased, and that he would protect them. After all, he was their God, and they were his people.
To the eyes of the outside world, the siege of Jerusalem looked like just another act of aggression and expansion by the dominant world power at that time. In the eyes of prophet, priests, and a small minority of the people this was God’s Righteous judgment on the sins of his people. In the eyes of the king and most of the people, this seemed an unfair action by a God who should be saving them, not destroying them.
Jeremiah had to stand up to false prophets, who “prophesied peace when there was no peace,” and he had to stand up to the king, who refused to believe either that the city would fall or that this was God’s just judgment against him, his leadership, and the sins of all. All this got Jeremiah to become the object of scorn and derision; he was put in stocks and then in prison. So much for the life of a faithful prophet!
Sadly, the people did not come to their senses until it was obvious that Babylon would enter the city … when they saw that they were to leave their beloved land behind and enter exile in Babylon. It was then that the Lord gave words of comfort to the exiles. Right in the midst of all this message of judgment comes a section of his book that speaks of God’s love, his everlasting love and commitment to his people. Yes, God would punish them, with the “tough love” that takes discipline seriously. Yes, their sin had to be punished. Yes, Jerusalem, the “home” of king and people, would be lost, and they would be refugees in exile.
You see, God had a future and a hope for them. In fact, just as the siege of Jerusalem was underway, Jeremiah even bought a field — invested in real estate — just to demonstrate his conviction that God was committed to this land and to bringing the people back to it. He saw a future for both the king and the city, and he described them both in the same way: “In those days (those days to come, when God would fulfill his promises once for all) and at that time (a time of God’s choosing, not ours) I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ (Jeremiah 33:14–16)
I read a recent headline that said a majority of Americans feel like strangers in their own country. I don’t know if that is true or not, but I do know that there are days when I feel that way. How about you?
Imagine how the folks from Jerusalem felt when they woke up in Babylon! This wasn’t an exotic vacation to see the Hanging Gardens; they were in exile, far from home.
Yet for them, and for us, God has provided a place where he calls us home. It’s a place where true peace and justice, righteousness and salvation are to be found, to be given, to be shared. It is completely dependent on God, not on us, or on our efforts even to make the world a better, a safer, place.
The one who provides this place came long after the residents of Judah went to exile in Babylon. Never the less, their faith in God’s promise to send a new king to sit on David’s throne has come true. Those who were exiled to Babylon became the ancestors of a people who returned to Jerusalem seventy years later. They did not follow the Lost Ten Tribes into oblivion. Instead, they rebuilt Jerusalem and the temple.
You see, back then in the time of Jeremiah, God promised a king and a city that only he could provide. Yes, the king and city that his people had messed up had to be destroyed, but God found a way to punish sin and yet to save his people. God promised a new and better king, of the house and lineage of David. He promised a new and better city, which would be called righteous. But note where the righteousness, justice, truth and peace are found: Yahweh (God) is our righteousness.
Then about 600 years after the time of Jeremiah, Jesus came to Jerusalem and showed Himself to be a new and better king. He was of the house and lineage of David, but His kingdom was not of this world. He was at the same time both David’s son and David’s Lord. He established a new Judah and a New Jerusalem. By the precious blood of His sacrifice on the cross, He has made it possible for the people of all nations to be citizens of this New Jerusalem. He is the righteous Branch to spring up for David. People who believe in Him for the forgiveness of their sins may live in this world, but they are no longer of this world. Those who live in this world, but are no longer of this world have an eternal home with Jesus … a place where all is righteousness and no sin can dwell.
While we live here in this world, we have embassies … homes away from home. Places where God not only dwells with His people, but He also reveals Himself and passes out His gifts. Here the king and His people come together. He feeds us with His word and His body and blood are here to forgive and renew. Here He strengthens us until He calls us home to the New Jerusalem where we shall be safe and secure forever. Amen
12/2/2020
Midweek 1 – Jeremiah 33:14-16
The history of the Children of Israel in the Promised Land was like a great roller coaster ride. Just as a roller coaster slowly makes its way up to the top of the first drop, so also God led Israel, first by Moses and then by Joshua, to the spiritual heights as they conquered the Promised Land.
Then, just as things started to settle down in peace and prosperity, the Children of Israel fell spiritually. They plunged down into the depths of spiritual darkness. As they fell, they rejected God’s protection over the land and the surrounding nations invaded and captured both land and people.
Soon the Children of Israel turned once again to the Lord and they once again rose up out of their despair. God rescued them from their enemies and they prospered once again.
The prosperity made them complacent and once more, they plunged into spiritual darkness and rejected God’s protection. The surrounding nations began to capture people and land until the Children of Israel turned back to the Lord. The Lord rescued them and they prospered once again.
This cycle repeated over and over again. But, just like a roller coaster, every spiritual height was not quite as high as the last one, and every spiritual plunge went a little bit deeper than the one before it. Eventually, the spiritual plunge was so deep that the people never turned to the Lord. They were lost.
Soon Israel had a great civil war. The tribe of Judah absorbed the tribe of Benjamin and remained faithful to the descendants of King David, but the Northern Ten Tribes broke off and formed their own nation. The Northern Ten Tribes had nothing but evil kings. Eventually, the Assyrians conquered the Northern tribes and carried them away and resettled the land with their own people. The Northern Ten Tribes became the Lost Ten Tribes of Israel. Judah in the south was all that was left.
Eventually, Assyria tried to capture Jerusalem, but the commander of the Assyrians made a big mistake. He stood before the walls of Jerusalem and boasted that his god was greater than the God of Jerusalem. The God of Jerusalem, the one, true God sent an angel to strike down 185,000 troops in the Assyrian army. They never bothered Jerusalem again.
Unfortunately, the power vacuum left by Assyria allowed the Babylonians to create an empire. After Babylon gained control over Assyria, they turned their eyes south toward Judah and Jerusalem. The Lord called Jeremiah to give the bad news to Judah. The Babylonians were coming and they were going to capture Jerusalem.
The Scriptures inform us that Babylon had a different attitude toward Jerusalem. After Jerusalem fell, a captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, “The Lord your God pronounced this disaster against this place. The Lord has brought it about, and has done as he said. Because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey his voice, this thing has come upon you.” (Jeremiah 40:2–3) While the Babylonians did not yet believe in God as the one and only true God, they were quite willing to give Him a place of great respect within the pantheon of gods they already revered.
So Jeremiah had the sad job of chastising Judah for their sin and warning them that they would fall to Babylon if they continued to reject God. His calling was very frustrating because every word that He proclaimed in the name of the Lord came true, but no one listened to him. The Babylonians stripped the gold and silver from the temple and all the other buildings of the city and then they tore Jerusalem down to the ground.
Today’s text from the prophet Jeremiah comes from the time that Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had Jerusalem under siege. The Holy Spirit had spoken through Jeremiah and made it abundantly clear that both the king and the people had forsaken their God. They had followed the ways and the religious practices of the world. They had assumed that if they did just enough to keep the temple worship going, bringing sacrifices and offerings, then God would be pleased, even appeased, and that he would protect them. After all, he was their God, and they were his people.
To the eyes of the outside world, the siege of Jerusalem looked like just another act of aggression and expansion by the dominant world power at that time. In the eyes of prophet, priests, and a small minority of the people this was God’s Righteous judgment on the sins of his people. In the eyes of the king and most of the people, this seemed an unfair action by a God who should be saving them, not destroying them.
Jeremiah had to stand up to false prophets, who “prophesied peace when there was no peace,” and he had to stand up to the king, who refused to believe either that the city would fall or that this was God’s just judgment against him, his leadership, and the sins of all. All this got Jeremiah to become the object of scorn and derision; he was put in stocks and then in prison. So much for the life of a faithful prophet!
Sadly, the people did not come to their senses until it was obvious that Babylon would enter the city … when they saw that they were to leave their beloved land behind and enter exile in Babylon. It was then that the Lord gave words of comfort to the exiles. Right in the midst of all this message of judgment comes a section of his book that speaks of God’s love, his everlasting love and commitment to his people. Yes, God would punish them, with the “tough love” that takes discipline seriously. Yes, their sin had to be punished. Yes, Jerusalem, the “home” of king and people, would be lost, and they would be refugees in exile.
You see, God had a future and a hope for them. In fact, just as the siege of Jerusalem was underway, Jeremiah even bought a field — invested in real estate — just to demonstrate his conviction that God was committed to this land and to bringing the people back to it. He saw a future for both the king and the city, and he described them both in the same way: “In those days (those days to come, when God would fulfill his promises once for all) and at that time (a time of God’s choosing, not ours) I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell securely. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ (Jeremiah 33:14–16)
I read a recent headline that said a majority of Americans feel like strangers in their own country. I don’t know if that is true or not, but I do know that there are days when I feel that way. How about you?
Imagine how the folks from Jerusalem felt when they woke up in Babylon! This wasn’t an exotic vacation to see the Hanging Gardens; they were in exile, far from home.
Yet for them, and for us, God has provided a place where he calls us home. It’s a place where true peace and justice, righteousness and salvation are to be found, to be given, to be shared. It is completely dependent on God, not on us, or on our efforts even to make the world a better, a safer, place.
The one who provides this place came long after the residents of Judah went to exile in Babylon. Never the less, their faith in God’s promise to send a new king to sit on David’s throne has come true. Those who were exiled to Babylon became the ancestors of a people who returned to Jerusalem seventy years later. They did not follow the Lost Ten Tribes into oblivion. Instead, they rebuilt Jerusalem and the temple.
You see, back then in the time of Jeremiah, God promised a king and a city that only he could provide. Yes, the king and city that his people had messed up had to be destroyed, but God found a way to punish sin and yet to save his people. God promised a new and better king, of the house and lineage of David. He promised a new and better city, which would be called righteous. But note where the righteousness, justice, truth and peace are found: Yahweh (God) is our righteousness.
Then about 600 years after the time of Jeremiah, Jesus came to Jerusalem and showed Himself to be a new and better king. He was of the house and lineage of David, but His kingdom was not of this world. He was at the same time both David’s son and David’s Lord. He established a new Judah and a New Jerusalem. By the precious blood of His sacrifice on the cross, He has made it possible for the people of all nations to be citizens of this New Jerusalem. He is the righteous Branch to spring up for David. People who believe in Him for the forgiveness of their sins may live in this world, but they are no longer of this world. Those who live in this world, but are no longer of this world have an eternal home with Jesus … a place where all is righteousness and no sin can dwell.
While we live here in this world, we have embassies … homes away from home. Places where God not only dwells with His people, but He also reveals Himself and passes out His gifts. Here the king and His people come together. He feeds us with His word and His body and blood are here to forgive and renew. Here He strengthens us until He calls us home to the New Jerusalem where we shall be safe and secure forever. Amen
See Sunday, November 29th Sermon and Prayers below Thanksgiving.
THANKSGIVING Sermon and Prayers
11/26/2020
Let All Be Glad - Psalm 67
An old adage says: “It is easier to give a gift than to receive one.” What does that mean? Simply this, receiving a gift is difficult because it assumes a thankful spirit. Indeed, receiving a gift requires an expression of thanksgiving. And that must be learned. Learned, because being thankful suggests being in the debt of someone other than ourselves. To say “thank you” means we are dependent upon someone else – even if for a very little.
And yet, you remember the words of St Paul. To the Corinthians he wrote, “What do you have that you did not receive?” Here the commandments are laid before us. And what is it we have received from God? Well, let’s see. Life. Family. Possessions. Reputation. Protection from devilish greed. And that’s just the Second Table of the law. Far more important are the gifts of the First Table – God in His person, His name and His worship. It’s no wonder the psalmist speaks as he does.
And how does he begin? “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face to shine upon us.” To anyone who attends church with any regularity those words instantly strike a chord. They harken to the conclusion of virtually every Sunday morning Divine Service. How? Because they echo the words of the benediction God drapes over you as you prepare to leave His sanctuary. “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.”
For what purpose? “that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.” Anyone can recognize a gift when he sees one. At least physical ones. But only a Christian sees things as they truly are. Only the Christian sees the eternal gifts of God. Someday your home, your business will no longer be yours. They will belong to another. Your car will rust away into dust and your clothing into piles of lint. Those gifts are only temporary. But, to use the words of the psalmist, God’s “saving power” is eternal. That’s the gift that plucked you from the jaws of Satan’s eternal hell and placed you into the household of God.
“Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.” You are not here today because there were no other places you could have been. You are here because God has recreated you. Your heart of stone has been replaced with a heart of flesh. Unlike those dolts who can do no more than belly up to the table and feast until they belch, you see the things of this world as only penultimate. The ultimate is the eternal feast that knows no end. The feast that if Christ Himself. The feast to which you have been called.
“Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.” Do you think the ways of God are clearly to be seen? They are not. If your turkey turned into an old hen and your dressing into stale bread, it would still come from the hand of a gracious God. You see, your God judges and guides with equity – with justice. God’s wrath over your sin has been revealed. His fury against your sin has been displayed – and has run its course. You see, between you and God the Father hangs Christ the Son. Always it is so. There is no way the Father in heaven can look upon you except through the crucifixion of Jesus. In the crucifixion your sins are ever seen to have died in the body of Christ. They can condemn you no more.
“The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us.” Those words echo the promise God made to Noah after the flood. “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” The Christian sees this promise played out daily – yearly. We see it again today – this year. For our part, may greed never so blind us that anything less than a hundred-fold increase is seen as failure on God’s part. That the seasons run their course, and God simply gives as He sees fit – that alone is sufficient cause to bring forth from us prayers of thanksgiving and praise.
Finally, “God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear Him.” It is Martin Luther who helps us properly understand these words. “The fear of the Lord,” he reminds us is not an emotional attitude or physical stance. Rather, “the fear of the Lord” is a Hebrew figure of speech. A figure of speech that means to truly worship God. To run to God where He has promised to be found. To run to God – revealed in His Word and Sacraments. Think for a moment, why would we quake in fear of Him who blesses us? Why cringe before Him who promises us all good? That would be nonsense. Rather, the Christian – seeing and recognizing the blessings of God for what they are – the Christian falls to his knees in worship. And what is worship? It is the receiving of God’s gifts of grace and salvation over and over again.
Now, put it all together. “May God be gracious to us and bless us.” He has. “And make His face to shine upon us.” He has. And for what purpose? That “all the ends of the earth fear (worship) Him!” So may it be among you, always.
Amen.
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Prayer of the Church - Thanksgiving Day - 26 November 2020
Let us pray to the Lord with thanksgiving for all His blessings and with trust in His mercy to hear and answer us.
For the richness of His creation and for His grace to sustain what He has made, for the bounty of resources that sustain our daily lives, and for the good fruit of the earth by which we and all creatures are fed and nourished, let us give thanks to the Lord: Thanks be to God.
For the commands that protect us against harm and guide us into all that is good and pleasing to the Lord, for the Gospel by which we enjoy forgiveness and life, and for courage to share this blessed Word with those who do not know the Lord, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the government and order in our land and in the world; for those who lead us in this nation and for all leaders of all nations; and for the blessing of justice, the protection of life and the promotion of virtue, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our life together as God’s people in this place, for the Church throughout the world, for the missionaries planting new churches, and for our unity in doctrine and life, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For those who suffer illness of body or mind, for those who sorrow at the loss of those they love, for those near death, and especially for _____________, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the Holy Communion of Christ’s body and blood, for faith to receive this gift with joy, for the will and desire to amend our sinful lives, and for grace to show forth in our lives the fruits of Christ’s redemption, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For thankful hearts, that we may not forget the poor and those in need; for generosity, that we may supply from our abundance those in want; and for the tithes and offerings we bring in gratitude for all God’s gifts, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our vocations and occupations, for the gift of labor and the privilege of enjoying the fruits of that labor, and for the unemployed and underemployed, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
In faithful remembrance of the saints who went before us, for grace to rejoice in the mercies the Lord showed to them in their lives, and for the promised day of reunion when the dead in Christ shall be raised and we shall join them in everlasting light and life, let us give thanks to the Lord: Thanks be to God.
In all things, O Lord, grant to us grace not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought, but to honor You above all and to love our neighbors as ourselves. On our own we have nothing that will endure, but You have granted to us all things in Christ and the life that does not end. Hear Your people for the sake of and in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, with whom, in whom and through whom all honor and glory is Yours, almighty Father, with the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
11/26/2020
Let All Be Glad - Psalm 67
An old adage says: “It is easier to give a gift than to receive one.” What does that mean? Simply this, receiving a gift is difficult because it assumes a thankful spirit. Indeed, receiving a gift requires an expression of thanksgiving. And that must be learned. Learned, because being thankful suggests being in the debt of someone other than ourselves. To say “thank you” means we are dependent upon someone else – even if for a very little.
And yet, you remember the words of St Paul. To the Corinthians he wrote, “What do you have that you did not receive?” Here the commandments are laid before us. And what is it we have received from God? Well, let’s see. Life. Family. Possessions. Reputation. Protection from devilish greed. And that’s just the Second Table of the law. Far more important are the gifts of the First Table – God in His person, His name and His worship. It’s no wonder the psalmist speaks as he does.
And how does he begin? “May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face to shine upon us.” To anyone who attends church with any regularity those words instantly strike a chord. They harken to the conclusion of virtually every Sunday morning Divine Service. How? Because they echo the words of the benediction God drapes over you as you prepare to leave His sanctuary. “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.”
For what purpose? “that your way may be known on earth, your saving power among all nations.” Anyone can recognize a gift when he sees one. At least physical ones. But only a Christian sees things as they truly are. Only the Christian sees the eternal gifts of God. Someday your home, your business will no longer be yours. They will belong to another. Your car will rust away into dust and your clothing into piles of lint. Those gifts are only temporary. But, to use the words of the psalmist, God’s “saving power” is eternal. That’s the gift that plucked you from the jaws of Satan’s eternal hell and placed you into the household of God.
“Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you.” You are not here today because there were no other places you could have been. You are here because God has recreated you. Your heart of stone has been replaced with a heart of flesh. Unlike those dolts who can do no more than belly up to the table and feast until they belch, you see the things of this world as only penultimate. The ultimate is the eternal feast that knows no end. The feast that if Christ Himself. The feast to which you have been called.
“Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.” Do you think the ways of God are clearly to be seen? They are not. If your turkey turned into an old hen and your dressing into stale bread, it would still come from the hand of a gracious God. You see, your God judges and guides with equity – with justice. God’s wrath over your sin has been revealed. His fury against your sin has been displayed – and has run its course. You see, between you and God the Father hangs Christ the Son. Always it is so. There is no way the Father in heaven can look upon you except through the crucifixion of Jesus. In the crucifixion your sins are ever seen to have died in the body of Christ. They can condemn you no more.
“The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, shall bless us.” Those words echo the promise God made to Noah after the flood. “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” The Christian sees this promise played out daily – yearly. We see it again today – this year. For our part, may greed never so blind us that anything less than a hundred-fold increase is seen as failure on God’s part. That the seasons run their course, and God simply gives as He sees fit – that alone is sufficient cause to bring forth from us prayers of thanksgiving and praise.
Finally, “God shall bless us; let all the ends of the earth fear Him.” It is Martin Luther who helps us properly understand these words. “The fear of the Lord,” he reminds us is not an emotional attitude or physical stance. Rather, “the fear of the Lord” is a Hebrew figure of speech. A figure of speech that means to truly worship God. To run to God where He has promised to be found. To run to God – revealed in His Word and Sacraments. Think for a moment, why would we quake in fear of Him who blesses us? Why cringe before Him who promises us all good? That would be nonsense. Rather, the Christian – seeing and recognizing the blessings of God for what they are – the Christian falls to his knees in worship. And what is worship? It is the receiving of God’s gifts of grace and salvation over and over again.
Now, put it all together. “May God be gracious to us and bless us.” He has. “And make His face to shine upon us.” He has. And for what purpose? That “all the ends of the earth fear (worship) Him!” So may it be among you, always.
Amen.
+Soli Deo Gloria+
Prayer of the Church - Thanksgiving Day - 26 November 2020
Let us pray to the Lord with thanksgiving for all His blessings and with trust in His mercy to hear and answer us.
For the richness of His creation and for His grace to sustain what He has made, for the bounty of resources that sustain our daily lives, and for the good fruit of the earth by which we and all creatures are fed and nourished, let us give thanks to the Lord: Thanks be to God.
For the commands that protect us against harm and guide us into all that is good and pleasing to the Lord, for the Gospel by which we enjoy forgiveness and life, and for courage to share this blessed Word with those who do not know the Lord, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the government and order in our land and in the world; for those who lead us in this nation and for all leaders of all nations; and for the blessing of justice, the protection of life and the promotion of virtue, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our life together as God’s people in this place, for the Church throughout the world, for the missionaries planting new churches, and for our unity in doctrine and life, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For those who suffer illness of body or mind, for those who sorrow at the loss of those they love, for those near death, and especially for _____________, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the Holy Communion of Christ’s body and blood, for faith to receive this gift with joy, for the will and desire to amend our sinful lives, and for grace to show forth in our lives the fruits of Christ’s redemption, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For thankful hearts, that we may not forget the poor and those in need; for generosity, that we may supply from our abundance those in want; and for the tithes and offerings we bring in gratitude for all God’s gifts, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our vocations and occupations, for the gift of labor and the privilege of enjoying the fruits of that labor, and for the unemployed and underemployed, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
In faithful remembrance of the saints who went before us, for grace to rejoice in the mercies the Lord showed to them in their lives, and for the promised day of reunion when the dead in Christ shall be raised and we shall join them in everlasting light and life, let us give thanks to the Lord: Thanks be to God.
In all things, O Lord, grant to us grace not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought, but to honor You above all and to love our neighbors as ourselves. On our own we have nothing that will endure, but You have granted to us all things in Christ and the life that does not end. Hear Your people for the sake of and in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, with whom, in whom and through whom all honor and glory is Yours, almighty Father, with the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
NOVEMBER 29, 2020
SERMON AND PRAYERS
The Three-Fold Coming of Christ – Mark 11:1-10
Although last Sunday was the end of the past church year and today is the beginning of a new church year, the readings for these two Sundays contain a common theme … The Coming of the Christ. Last Sunday, we focused on the final coming of Christ … the day when He will come to re-create a new heaven and a new earth and reveal Himself constantly to us forever.
In the Sundays leading up to the end of the church year, we once again heard that not everyone will enjoy the revealed presence of the Lord forever. Some will be cast into the eternal outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
As we begin this new church year, we focus on the three-fold coming of our Lord. First of all, we consider how He came to earn forgiveness for us with His holy life and His sacrificial death. Secondly, we consider how He now comes to deliver that forgiveness to us in Word and Sacrament. Finally, we consider how He will come to destroy this sinful world and create a new heaven and earth. On that day, He will raise all the dead and our mortal bodies will put on immortality. He will send those who rejected His forgiveness to eternal fire. Those who received forgiveness through the Holy Spirit’s gift of faith will be left behind to enjoy Christ’s presence forever.
The fact that forgiveness forms the central theme for all three comings of the Christ also reminds us that it is we who need forgiveness … for we are the sinners. There would be no need for the three-fold coming of Christ if it were not for our sin. If it were not for our sin, God would have revealed Himself openly from the days of Adam and Eve in Eden until this very day.
Nevertheless, we did sin and God veiled His presence so that His glory would not lash out against our sin and destroy us. When the time was perfect, God took our humanity into Himself and dwelt among us in the person of the Christ … the Christ who came, who is coming, and who will come again. During this season we repent of our sin … the sin that caused God to hide His presence from us. Thus our joy is restrained during this time that we look for His coming.
The name of this season comes from Latin. Since Latin was the universal language when the church began celebrating this season, it was called Tempus Adventus. This means the season of coming. We call it Advent.
Today’s Gospel is Mark’s account of the coming of Jesus to Jerusalem. He is coming to offer Himself up as the propitiation for all our sin. He is entering Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover and become the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb whose blood earns salvation for all people.
It is part of God’s nature to come and be with His people. We can see the coming of God throughout Holy Scripture. Clear back in Genesis we see God’s desire to be with us as He came to be with Adam in Eden – to show Adam that all of creation was his to care for as God’s representative here on earth. Even the act of creation shows God’s “hands on” attitude as He formed Adam from the dust of the earth.
How God’s heart must have broken when He came to His beloved people and they were afraid of Him. How sad it must have been for Him when Adam and Eve did not confess their sin, but blamed others instead. We cannot imagine how He grieved at the terror Adam and Eve had in His presence because of their sin.
Ever since that day in Eden, Humanity has been afraid of and even hated God. The last thing our sinful nature wants is for God to come to us. Even though God has nothing but love for us, our sin and its guilt produce terror and hatred of Him.
Down through the centuries, God continued to come in love to His people, but always in a way that was hidden so that His holy presence did not overwhelm them. He came in tabernacle and Ark and eventually in the temple – always there, but always hidden. Only a sacrifice allowed people into the presence of God and even then it was only one person who came into the Holy of Holies and then only once a year. God’s holy presence was too much for our sinful condition.
Finally, when the fullness of time had come, God came in a temple was that not made with stone, but was made of human flesh and blood. The Holy Spirit performed a miracle and the Son of God came in a new way in the womb of the Virgin Mary. The Son of God was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
In today’s Gospel, we see God coming in order to fulfill His mission to offer Himself up as a sacrifice for all our sin. Jesus is coming to Jerusalem. God in His temple of flesh and blood is coming to His temple made of stone – God in His temple of humanness is coming to the temple of His hiddenness. In His temple of flesh and blood, Christ will die in order to fulfill the promise of the sacrifices made on the altar in the temple of His hidden presence.
As the Son of God came to Jerusalem on that day, the Passover Pilgrims shouted His praise. It is very likely that few if any of them understood the full meaning of Christ’s coming. Although their songs spoke of coming in the name of the Lord and the kingdom of David, they did not understand what that meant. They quite rightly called Jesus their Messiah, but they would not know what that meant until the coming week was over. For Jesus, God, in the flesh, had come to die. He had come to Jerusalem to offer Himself up as the sacrifice that takes away the sin of the world. His death on the cross was the culmination of His first coming.
The Son of God had taken on human flesh in order to take our place. He had come to Jerusalem to experience the full guilt of our sin and take the punishment for that guilt. He had come to remove the guilt that caused our terror at His coming. Jesus came to Jerusalem on that Sunday so that on that Friday He could suffer and die on a Roman cross and so make the full payment for the sins of the world.
Christ’s sacrifice on the cross changed the temple of stone as well. Inside that temple was a curtain that hid God from the people. When Christ conquered sin, death, and the devil with His sacrifice on the cross, [Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38] the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. God was no longer hidden from His people. The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to say, [1 Corinthians 6:15] “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ,” and [1 Corinthians 6:19] “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” With the sacrifice of Christ and the Holy Spirit’s gift of faith, God now makes His temple in us. The temple of stone became unnecessary because God lives among us in a whole new way.
Even as God lives with us, He still comes to us. He comes into our ears as we hear His word. He comes into our mouths in His flesh and blood as we eat and drink the bread and the wine of His table.
As Jesus comes into us by ear, we hear Him bring forgiveness, eternal life, and salvation. As the pastor speaks the word of absolution, we hear Jesus enter our ears with the forgiveness He earned for us on the cross. As pastor reads the Word of scripture and preaches on that Word, Jesus enters our ears to give us the confidence, comfort, and reassurance of the promise of the Christ.
As Jesus comes into us by mouth, we eat the very flesh that He sacrificed for us on the cross and drink the very blood that He shed for us on the cross. However, this flesh and blood are not dead things. For the Son of God did not remain dead and buried in the tomb, but He came to life. He rose from the dead. The flesh and blood He gives to us are not just the flesh and blood of crucifixion, but they are also the flesh and blood of resurrection. In this sacrament He comes to us with the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
God will continue to come to us until the day of his last coming. On that day He will reveal Himself to all flesh. On that day He will raise all the dead.
He will send away those who are still terrified of Him – those who still retain their guilt because they refused the gift of His coming … His forgiveness. They will never experience His coming again. Instead, they will experience the eternal presence of the holy, righteous, wrath of God as they suffer the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
On the other hand, those who received the gift of His coming – those who believe in Him will rejoice on that day. He will always be with them and they will always be with Him. They shall enjoy the presence of His grace forever.
Consider God and His coming during this Advent. Consider His coming at Christmas, but don’t limit your consideration just to Christmas. Consider the love that God shows in His coming … in that even while sin causes terror and hatred, He continues to come in love by means of His Word and sacraments. Consider how He came to save us with His suffering, death, and resurrection. Consider how He now comes in Word and Sacrament. Consider how He will come to dwell with His people in joy. Consider the blessings that He once gave when He came … the blessings that He gives as He now comes … and the blessings that He will give when He comes again. Amen
Prayer of the Church - First Sunday in Advent - 29 November 2020
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
To You, O Lord, we lift up our souls and in You we put our trust. Do not let us be ashamed of our hope but come quickly. Sustain us by Your Holy Spirit, that we may have joy at the advent of Christ, our Savior. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Lord, enrich Your saints in every way as we enter another Church Year. Encourage the preachers of Your Word and all who hear, that the testimony about Christ may be confirmed again among us. Give boldness and faithfulness to our Synod president; our district president; our circuit visitor; and all pastors in Christ. As You have called us into the fellowship of Your Son, so sustain us as we wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, preserve and bless all Christian households, that husbands and wives would live in love and service to each other, that fathers and mothers would diligently bring up their children in Your fear, and that children would honor their parents and be well equipped for service to their neighbors in this life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, be with the governing authorities and enable them to preserve peace and order in our nation. Hear our prayers for our president; our governor; our military and police; and other civil servants as well as all newly elected officials. Increase a spirit of unity and cooperation among the people of our land and the nations of the world. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Compassionate Lord, behold in mercy all who are in any danger, trouble, sickness or need. Hear our prayers for the sick and suffering [especially _____________]. Give health to our world and bring the pandemic to an end. Comfort all who mourn, [especially _____________,] and sustain them with a confident hope in the resurrection. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Eternal Lord, as Your Son once entered humbly into Jerusalem to cries of “Hosanna,” so send Him to us according to His promise in the Holy Sacrament, that we may eat His body and drink His blood in repentance and faith for the forgiveness of our sins and in the unity of a true confession. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Into Your hands, Father, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
SERMON AND PRAYERS
The Three-Fold Coming of Christ – Mark 11:1-10
Although last Sunday was the end of the past church year and today is the beginning of a new church year, the readings for these two Sundays contain a common theme … The Coming of the Christ. Last Sunday, we focused on the final coming of Christ … the day when He will come to re-create a new heaven and a new earth and reveal Himself constantly to us forever.
In the Sundays leading up to the end of the church year, we once again heard that not everyone will enjoy the revealed presence of the Lord forever. Some will be cast into the eternal outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
As we begin this new church year, we focus on the three-fold coming of our Lord. First of all, we consider how He came to earn forgiveness for us with His holy life and His sacrificial death. Secondly, we consider how He now comes to deliver that forgiveness to us in Word and Sacrament. Finally, we consider how He will come to destroy this sinful world and create a new heaven and earth. On that day, He will raise all the dead and our mortal bodies will put on immortality. He will send those who rejected His forgiveness to eternal fire. Those who received forgiveness through the Holy Spirit’s gift of faith will be left behind to enjoy Christ’s presence forever.
The fact that forgiveness forms the central theme for all three comings of the Christ also reminds us that it is we who need forgiveness … for we are the sinners. There would be no need for the three-fold coming of Christ if it were not for our sin. If it were not for our sin, God would have revealed Himself openly from the days of Adam and Eve in Eden until this very day.
Nevertheless, we did sin and God veiled His presence so that His glory would not lash out against our sin and destroy us. When the time was perfect, God took our humanity into Himself and dwelt among us in the person of the Christ … the Christ who came, who is coming, and who will come again. During this season we repent of our sin … the sin that caused God to hide His presence from us. Thus our joy is restrained during this time that we look for His coming.
The name of this season comes from Latin. Since Latin was the universal language when the church began celebrating this season, it was called Tempus Adventus. This means the season of coming. We call it Advent.
Today’s Gospel is Mark’s account of the coming of Jesus to Jerusalem. He is coming to offer Himself up as the propitiation for all our sin. He is entering Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover and become the fulfillment of the Passover Lamb whose blood earns salvation for all people.
It is part of God’s nature to come and be with His people. We can see the coming of God throughout Holy Scripture. Clear back in Genesis we see God’s desire to be with us as He came to be with Adam in Eden – to show Adam that all of creation was his to care for as God’s representative here on earth. Even the act of creation shows God’s “hands on” attitude as He formed Adam from the dust of the earth.
How God’s heart must have broken when He came to His beloved people and they were afraid of Him. How sad it must have been for Him when Adam and Eve did not confess their sin, but blamed others instead. We cannot imagine how He grieved at the terror Adam and Eve had in His presence because of their sin.
Ever since that day in Eden, Humanity has been afraid of and even hated God. The last thing our sinful nature wants is for God to come to us. Even though God has nothing but love for us, our sin and its guilt produce terror and hatred of Him.
Down through the centuries, God continued to come in love to His people, but always in a way that was hidden so that His holy presence did not overwhelm them. He came in tabernacle and Ark and eventually in the temple – always there, but always hidden. Only a sacrifice allowed people into the presence of God and even then it was only one person who came into the Holy of Holies and then only once a year. God’s holy presence was too much for our sinful condition.
Finally, when the fullness of time had come, God came in a temple was that not made with stone, but was made of human flesh and blood. The Holy Spirit performed a miracle and the Son of God came in a new way in the womb of the Virgin Mary. The Son of God was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
In today’s Gospel, we see God coming in order to fulfill His mission to offer Himself up as a sacrifice for all our sin. Jesus is coming to Jerusalem. God in His temple of flesh and blood is coming to His temple made of stone – God in His temple of humanness is coming to the temple of His hiddenness. In His temple of flesh and blood, Christ will die in order to fulfill the promise of the sacrifices made on the altar in the temple of His hidden presence.
As the Son of God came to Jerusalem on that day, the Passover Pilgrims shouted His praise. It is very likely that few if any of them understood the full meaning of Christ’s coming. Although their songs spoke of coming in the name of the Lord and the kingdom of David, they did not understand what that meant. They quite rightly called Jesus their Messiah, but they would not know what that meant until the coming week was over. For Jesus, God, in the flesh, had come to die. He had come to Jerusalem to offer Himself up as the sacrifice that takes away the sin of the world. His death on the cross was the culmination of His first coming.
The Son of God had taken on human flesh in order to take our place. He had come to Jerusalem to experience the full guilt of our sin and take the punishment for that guilt. He had come to remove the guilt that caused our terror at His coming. Jesus came to Jerusalem on that Sunday so that on that Friday He could suffer and die on a Roman cross and so make the full payment for the sins of the world.
Christ’s sacrifice on the cross changed the temple of stone as well. Inside that temple was a curtain that hid God from the people. When Christ conquered sin, death, and the devil with His sacrifice on the cross, [Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38] the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. God was no longer hidden from His people. The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to say, [1 Corinthians 6:15] “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ,” and [1 Corinthians 6:19] “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God?” With the sacrifice of Christ and the Holy Spirit’s gift of faith, God now makes His temple in us. The temple of stone became unnecessary because God lives among us in a whole new way.
Even as God lives with us, He still comes to us. He comes into our ears as we hear His word. He comes into our mouths in His flesh and blood as we eat and drink the bread and the wine of His table.
As Jesus comes into us by ear, we hear Him bring forgiveness, eternal life, and salvation. As the pastor speaks the word of absolution, we hear Jesus enter our ears with the forgiveness He earned for us on the cross. As pastor reads the Word of scripture and preaches on that Word, Jesus enters our ears to give us the confidence, comfort, and reassurance of the promise of the Christ.
As Jesus comes into us by mouth, we eat the very flesh that He sacrificed for us on the cross and drink the very blood that He shed for us on the cross. However, this flesh and blood are not dead things. For the Son of God did not remain dead and buried in the tomb, but He came to life. He rose from the dead. The flesh and blood He gives to us are not just the flesh and blood of crucifixion, but they are also the flesh and blood of resurrection. In this sacrament He comes to us with the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.
God will continue to come to us until the day of his last coming. On that day He will reveal Himself to all flesh. On that day He will raise all the dead.
He will send away those who are still terrified of Him – those who still retain their guilt because they refused the gift of His coming … His forgiveness. They will never experience His coming again. Instead, they will experience the eternal presence of the holy, righteous, wrath of God as they suffer the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
On the other hand, those who received the gift of His coming – those who believe in Him will rejoice on that day. He will always be with them and they will always be with Him. They shall enjoy the presence of His grace forever.
Consider God and His coming during this Advent. Consider His coming at Christmas, but don’t limit your consideration just to Christmas. Consider the love that God shows in His coming … in that even while sin causes terror and hatred, He continues to come in love by means of His Word and sacraments. Consider how He came to save us with His suffering, death, and resurrection. Consider how He now comes in Word and Sacrament. Consider how He will come to dwell with His people in joy. Consider the blessings that He once gave when He came … the blessings that He gives as He now comes … and the blessings that He will give when He comes again. Amen
Prayer of the Church - First Sunday in Advent - 29 November 2020
Let us pray for the whole Church of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
To You, O Lord, we lift up our souls and in You we put our trust. Do not let us be ashamed of our hope but come quickly. Sustain us by Your Holy Spirit, that we may have joy at the advent of Christ, our Savior. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Lord, enrich Your saints in every way as we enter another Church Year. Encourage the preachers of Your Word and all who hear, that the testimony about Christ may be confirmed again among us. Give boldness and faithfulness to our Synod president; our district president; our circuit visitor; and all pastors in Christ. As You have called us into the fellowship of Your Son, so sustain us as we wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, preserve and bless all Christian households, that husbands and wives would live in love and service to each other, that fathers and mothers would diligently bring up their children in Your fear, and that children would honor their parents and be well equipped for service to their neighbors in this life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God, be with the governing authorities and enable them to preserve peace and order in our nation. Hear our prayers for our president; our governor; our military and police; and other civil servants as well as all newly elected officials. Increase a spirit of unity and cooperation among the people of our land and the nations of the world. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Compassionate Lord, behold in mercy all who are in any danger, trouble, sickness or need. Hear our prayers for the sick and suffering [especially _____________]. Give health to our world and bring the pandemic to an end. Comfort all who mourn, [especially _____________,] and sustain them with a confident hope in the resurrection. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Eternal Lord, as Your Son once entered humbly into Jerusalem to cries of “Hosanna,” so send Him to us according to His promise in the Holy Sacrament, that we may eat His body and drink His blood in repentance and faith for the forgiveness of our sins and in the unity of a true confession. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Into Your hands, Father, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in Your mercy; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
NOVEMBER 22, 2020
SERMON AND PRAYERS
Recline in the Lord – Matthew 25:31-46
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come.” We pray this so often that we don’t even think about how weird it is to pray in this way. We are asking for the reign of God the Father to come to us and we don’t really give it a lot of thought. How often do you give thanks to God that you can pray for His reign to come among us as a comforting thing and not as a cause of terror?
Consider Adam and Eve’s response when God came to them. [Genesis 3:8–10] They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 1And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” Adam and Eve were terrified of God because they had sinned. They feared His judgment. After all, the Psalmist reminds us, [Psalm 5:4] “You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.” The coming of God’s kingdom was the last thing they wanted.
When we examine ourselves in light of the Ten Commandments, we learn that we sin daily and deserve punishment here on this earth and forever in hell. It seems as though we should be terrified to pray the words, “Thy Kingdom come.” Why did Jesus teach us to pray in such a way if the coming of the Kingdom of God means the coming of judgment?
God’s actions in the Bible teaches that there is another way that He can come … a way that brings comfort and confidence … a way that removes fear and despair.
God came to Jacob in a dream. He came down a ladder and promised, [Genesis 28:15] “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” He appeared to Moses in the burning bush and said, [Exodus 3:12] “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” Later on, Moses comforted the people of Israel with these words, [Deuteronomy 31:8] “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” God spoke words of comfort to His people through the Prophet Ezekiel, [Ezekiel 37:27] “My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
So it seems that the coming of the Kingdom of God can cause two completely different reactions. The first reaction is one of terror. I am a wretched sinner and deserve God’s righteous, eternal wrath. The second reaction is one of comfort, reassurance, and confidence. God is with me. Now I am safe.
We see these two reactions in today’s Gospel. The Gospels for these past few Sundays have been working their way through Jesus’ teaching concerning the Last Day. There was the “Parable of the Five Wise and Five Foolish Virgins.” Then there was the “Parable of the Talents.” Today, we heard about sheep and goats. In each case, there are those who rejoice that the reign of God has come, and there are those who despair at its coming. What is the difference?
Our Lord Jesus Christ has an ability that we do not have. He can look into the human heart. It is as He spoke through His prophet Jeremiah, [Jeremiah 17:10] “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” In today’s Gospel Jesus teaches that it is as easy for Him to judge the heart as it is for a shepherd to tell the difference between a sheep and a goat. In fact, today’s Gospel teaches us that Jesus knows you better than you know yourself.
Jesus will hand out two verdicts on the Last Day. In today’s Gospel, Jesus said that He would place some people to His right and others to His left. Since Jesus already knows the heart, there is no questioning, no testimony, no presenting of evidence. There is only the verdict and the sentence.
The first verdict is for those on His right. The King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Those on the right enter the Judges home with a verdict of … forgiven.
Notice a few things about the judge’s statement:
First of all, note that the blessing flows from the Father. It is not something that these people work up for themselves.
Second of all, note that this is an inheritance. You don’t work for an inheritance. You receive an inheritance because someone put you in the will. You cannot earn an inheritance.
Finally, note that God prepared this outcome before any of us were even born. The kingdom is prepared from the foundation of the world. This tells us that this eternal kingdom was God’s will for these people from the very beginning.
The second verdict is for those on His left. Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Those on the left receive the verdict of guilty. The sentence is eternal fire.
In this instance the source of the curse remains un-named. The cursed condition is simply a characteristic of these people.
Secondly, notice that this condemnation was not prepared for people. It was prepared for the devil and his angels. People end up in eternal fire only because they reject God’s salvation. If they are arrogant enough to judge God and find Him offensive, then the eternal fire is the only alternative. There is no other place to spend eternity.
As the judge welcomes those on His right into eternal bliss, he recalls the work that His salvation has produced in their lives. Now here is the important point of the story. The sheep don’t remember any of it. The list of the works is a total surprise to the sheep. “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?” They haven’t got a clue.
On the other hand, those on the left are angry that Jesus gives a similar list of things that they have NOT done. They have kept a careful record of their good works and they know for a fact that Jesus did NOT present Himself for their help at any time. Even as they stand before the judge of all things, they maintain that they have lived a life of good works and high moral character.
The point is that those who inherit the eternal kingdom do not look to their own good works for their salvation. Instead, the Holy Spirit finds dead souls and brings them to life through the proclamation of Christ crucified for the forgiveness of sins. The Holy Spirit keeps those souls alive through that same proclamation of Christ crucified for the forgiveness of sins. The proclamation of our crucified and risen Lord and savior leads the Christian, carries the Christian, and follows the Christian. The Holy Spirit causes us to relax in Christ.
Good works are the result of the salvation that we already have. The Holy Spirit inspired the Prophet Isaiah to write, [Isaiah 64:6] “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” So even our best most righteous deeds are still sinful before God, but Jesus Christ redeemed our deeds with His suffering and death on the cross. It is Christ on the cross who makes our deeds righteous. Those who have had their good deeds sanctified by Jesus, focus on Jesus and not on their works. Therefore, they notice their good works about as much as they notice that their fingernails are growing.
Jesus warned us and said, [Matthew 6:1–2] “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” “They have received their reward.” That is one of the saddest statements in the Sermon on the Mount. They have traded away their eternal joy for the temporary praise of man.
You are pleasing to God, not because of what you do or don’t do. You are pleasing to God because of what Jesus did for you. Jesus lived a life that met God’s perfect standard. He died a death that paid our sin debt in full. He rose from the dead as a sign that our Father in Heaven accepted His work for us. Your salvation has been paid in full. Recline in the Lord.
As you recline in the Lord, you will be among those who can pray, “Thy kingdom come,” and look forward to the day. You can take comfort in the promise of Jesus, [Matthew 28:20b] Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” You can look forward in eager expectation to the day when you hear [Revelation 21:3] a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
While you wait for that day, you will produce good works. These works do you absolutely no good, but they are precious to your neighbor. God will accomplish His will in this world through your works. Confess your sins – even those righteous deeds that are actually polluted garments. Receive the forgiveness of Jesus. Live for your neighbor. Don’t waste time trying to measure your good works. You don’t need them. You are heir to the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Rejoice that God wants to dwell with you. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Last Sunday of the Church Year - 22 November 2020
Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
We pray for the faithful proclamation of Christ, our King, and for the strengthening of God’s people in this true faith and their baptismal life in Christ; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for Christ’s holy, catholic and apostolic Church; for all who faithfully confess the saving name of Christ; and for the protection of the Lord to extend over us against the devil, the world and our own sinful selves; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for God’s people in this place, for the mission and work God has given us to do, and for the unity of the Spirit and a spirit of cooperation and harmony in our life together; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for all the schools of our church body, for the seminaries where our pastors are being trained for Your service, and for the campuses where our young are prepared for their occupations by their vocation as God’s people by Baptism and faith; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who have wandered from the flock of God, for the faithful shepherds who gather them in through the voice of God’s Word, for our forgiveness, and for our willingness to forgive others in Christ’s name; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for a right reception of the true body and blood of Christ, for grace to use well what we receive here in Christ’s name, and for the day when no division of doctrine and faith will hinder our communion together at the Lord’s altar; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for our president, our governor, and all in authority over us, that they may not abuse the trust and power placed in their hands but use it honorably and for the good of all people; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for all artists and artisans; for science and invention; for those who serve us in the medical arts; for tradespeople and laborers; and for those who serve and protect us as police, firefighters and military personnel; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the hungry and homeless, for the unemployed and underemployed, for those who work in disaster relief, and for the social-service agencies of our church; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for a giving spirit, that we may not neglect the poor nor fail to provide resources to the Church to fulfill the Lord’s bidding and spread the Gospel to every place; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those afflicted by illness of body or mind and for those who care for them, that with God’s strength they may be kept through patience and delivered to everlasting life; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the grieving, that they may have hope, and for those near the end of their earthly lives, that they may be sustained in faith to everlasting life; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, we here remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Praising His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His Kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
SERMON AND PRAYERS
Recline in the Lord – Matthew 25:31-46
In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy Kingdom come.” We pray this so often that we don’t even think about how weird it is to pray in this way. We are asking for the reign of God the Father to come to us and we don’t really give it a lot of thought. How often do you give thanks to God that you can pray for His reign to come among us as a comforting thing and not as a cause of terror?
Consider Adam and Eve’s response when God came to them. [Genesis 3:8–10] They heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 1And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” Adam and Eve were terrified of God because they had sinned. They feared His judgment. After all, the Psalmist reminds us, [Psalm 5:4] “You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.” The coming of God’s kingdom was the last thing they wanted.
When we examine ourselves in light of the Ten Commandments, we learn that we sin daily and deserve punishment here on this earth and forever in hell. It seems as though we should be terrified to pray the words, “Thy Kingdom come.” Why did Jesus teach us to pray in such a way if the coming of the Kingdom of God means the coming of judgment?
God’s actions in the Bible teaches that there is another way that He can come … a way that brings comfort and confidence … a way that removes fear and despair.
God came to Jacob in a dream. He came down a ladder and promised, [Genesis 28:15] “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” He appeared to Moses in the burning bush and said, [Exodus 3:12] “But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” Later on, Moses comforted the people of Israel with these words, [Deuteronomy 31:8] “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” God spoke words of comfort to His people through the Prophet Ezekiel, [Ezekiel 37:27] “My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
So it seems that the coming of the Kingdom of God can cause two completely different reactions. The first reaction is one of terror. I am a wretched sinner and deserve God’s righteous, eternal wrath. The second reaction is one of comfort, reassurance, and confidence. God is with me. Now I am safe.
We see these two reactions in today’s Gospel. The Gospels for these past few Sundays have been working their way through Jesus’ teaching concerning the Last Day. There was the “Parable of the Five Wise and Five Foolish Virgins.” Then there was the “Parable of the Talents.” Today, we heard about sheep and goats. In each case, there are those who rejoice that the reign of God has come, and there are those who despair at its coming. What is the difference?
Our Lord Jesus Christ has an ability that we do not have. He can look into the human heart. It is as He spoke through His prophet Jeremiah, [Jeremiah 17:10] “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” In today’s Gospel Jesus teaches that it is as easy for Him to judge the heart as it is for a shepherd to tell the difference between a sheep and a goat. In fact, today’s Gospel teaches us that Jesus knows you better than you know yourself.
Jesus will hand out two verdicts on the Last Day. In today’s Gospel, Jesus said that He would place some people to His right and others to His left. Since Jesus already knows the heart, there is no questioning, no testimony, no presenting of evidence. There is only the verdict and the sentence.
The first verdict is for those on His right. The King will say to those on his right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Those on the right enter the Judges home with a verdict of … forgiven.
Notice a few things about the judge’s statement:
First of all, note that the blessing flows from the Father. It is not something that these people work up for themselves.
Second of all, note that this is an inheritance. You don’t work for an inheritance. You receive an inheritance because someone put you in the will. You cannot earn an inheritance.
Finally, note that God prepared this outcome before any of us were even born. The kingdom is prepared from the foundation of the world. This tells us that this eternal kingdom was God’s will for these people from the very beginning.
The second verdict is for those on His left. Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” Those on the left receive the verdict of guilty. The sentence is eternal fire.
In this instance the source of the curse remains un-named. The cursed condition is simply a characteristic of these people.
Secondly, notice that this condemnation was not prepared for people. It was prepared for the devil and his angels. People end up in eternal fire only because they reject God’s salvation. If they are arrogant enough to judge God and find Him offensive, then the eternal fire is the only alternative. There is no other place to spend eternity.
As the judge welcomes those on His right into eternal bliss, he recalls the work that His salvation has produced in their lives. Now here is the important point of the story. The sheep don’t remember any of it. The list of the works is a total surprise to the sheep. “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?” They haven’t got a clue.
On the other hand, those on the left are angry that Jesus gives a similar list of things that they have NOT done. They have kept a careful record of their good works and they know for a fact that Jesus did NOT present Himself for their help at any time. Even as they stand before the judge of all things, they maintain that they have lived a life of good works and high moral character.
The point is that those who inherit the eternal kingdom do not look to their own good works for their salvation. Instead, the Holy Spirit finds dead souls and brings them to life through the proclamation of Christ crucified for the forgiveness of sins. The Holy Spirit keeps those souls alive through that same proclamation of Christ crucified for the forgiveness of sins. The proclamation of our crucified and risen Lord and savior leads the Christian, carries the Christian, and follows the Christian. The Holy Spirit causes us to relax in Christ.
Good works are the result of the salvation that we already have. The Holy Spirit inspired the Prophet Isaiah to write, [Isaiah 64:6] “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.” So even our best most righteous deeds are still sinful before God, but Jesus Christ redeemed our deeds with His suffering and death on the cross. It is Christ on the cross who makes our deeds righteous. Those who have had their good deeds sanctified by Jesus, focus on Jesus and not on their works. Therefore, they notice their good works about as much as they notice that their fingernails are growing.
Jesus warned us and said, [Matthew 6:1–2] “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.” “They have received their reward.” That is one of the saddest statements in the Sermon on the Mount. They have traded away their eternal joy for the temporary praise of man.
You are pleasing to God, not because of what you do or don’t do. You are pleasing to God because of what Jesus did for you. Jesus lived a life that met God’s perfect standard. He died a death that paid our sin debt in full. He rose from the dead as a sign that our Father in Heaven accepted His work for us. Your salvation has been paid in full. Recline in the Lord.
As you recline in the Lord, you will be among those who can pray, “Thy kingdom come,” and look forward to the day. You can take comfort in the promise of Jesus, [Matthew 28:20b] Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” You can look forward in eager expectation to the day when you hear [Revelation 21:3] a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
While you wait for that day, you will produce good works. These works do you absolutely no good, but they are precious to your neighbor. God will accomplish His will in this world through your works. Confess your sins – even those righteous deeds that are actually polluted garments. Receive the forgiveness of Jesus. Live for your neighbor. Don’t waste time trying to measure your good works. You don’t need them. You are heir to the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Rejoice that God wants to dwell with you. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Last Sunday of the Church Year - 22 November 2020
Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
We pray for the faithful proclamation of Christ, our King, and for the strengthening of God’s people in this true faith and their baptismal life in Christ; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for Christ’s holy, catholic and apostolic Church; for all who faithfully confess the saving name of Christ; and for the protection of the Lord to extend over us against the devil, the world and our own sinful selves; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for God’s people in this place, for the mission and work God has given us to do, and for the unity of the Spirit and a spirit of cooperation and harmony in our life together; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for all the schools of our church body, for the seminaries where our pastors are being trained for Your service, and for the campuses where our young are prepared for their occupations by their vocation as God’s people by Baptism and faith; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those who have wandered from the flock of God, for the faithful shepherds who gather them in through the voice of God’s Word, for our forgiveness, and for our willingness to forgive others in Christ’s name; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for a right reception of the true body and blood of Christ, for grace to use well what we receive here in Christ’s name, and for the day when no division of doctrine and faith will hinder our communion together at the Lord’s altar; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for our president, our governor, and all in authority over us, that they may not abuse the trust and power placed in their hands but use it honorably and for the good of all people; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for all artists and artisans; for science and invention; for those who serve us in the medical arts; for tradespeople and laborers; and for those who serve and protect us as police, firefighters and military personnel; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the hungry and homeless, for the unemployed and underemployed, for those who work in disaster relief, and for the social-service agencies of our church; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for a giving spirit, that we may not neglect the poor nor fail to provide resources to the Church to fulfill the Lord’s bidding and spread the Gospel to every place; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those afflicted by illness of body or mind and for those who care for them, that with God’s strength they may be kept through patience and delivered to everlasting life; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the grieving, that they may have hope, and for those near the end of their earthly lives, that they may be sustained in faith to everlasting life; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Lord God, heavenly Father, we here remember the sufferings and death of Your dear Son, Jesus Christ, for our salvation. Praising His victorious resurrection from the dead, we draw strength from His ascension before You, where He ever stands for us as our own High Priest. Gather us together, we pray, from the ends of the earth to celebrate with all the faithful the marriage feast of the Lamb in His Kingdom, which has no end. Graciously receive our prayers, deliver and preserve us, for to You alone we give all glory, honor and worship, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
NOVEMBER 15, 2020
SERMON AND PRAYERS
Using God’s Varied Gifts – Matthew 25:14-30
The Gospel readings for last week, today, and next week are all part of the private instruction that Jesus gave to His disciples on the Mount of Olives just a few days before He died on the cross. Last week, we heard the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. Next week, we will hear about the sheep and the goats. Today, we hear the parable of the talents. Jesus used each of these readings to help us learn what we need to know about the Last Day … the Day of Judgment … the day when each of us must appear before the Lord and give an account.
Today’s parable tells of a man who left on a long trip and returned at a later time. While he was away, he entrusted his wealth to three servants. When he returned, he called these servants before him to give an account of what they had done with his wealth.
The man in the parable represents Jesus who was about to leave on that long trip. In a few days, He would be hanging from a cross and paying for the sins of all humanity. After He paid for all our sins, He would rise from the dead and then ascend into heaven. The parable in the Gospel illustrates our lives during this time of waiting for Him to return. It also illustrates the judgment that will come to each of us at the end of our time on this earth.
Note that the man entrusts his wealth to servants. He does not entrust his wealth to two servants and a stranger. The fact that he entrusts his wealth to servants indicates that Jesus is talking about people who consider themselves members of a congregation. Even as Judas was still a member of Jesus’ congregation, so also we need to understand that not all who claim membership are really members. As Jesus said, [Matthew 7:21] “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Just as not all three servants were faithful, Jesus teaches that not all members are faithful.
Now, it would be very easy to get hung up on the amounts: the five, two, and one talent that the man gave to each of his servants. Instead, when we understand that even one talent is a lot of money, we can realize that the man put each of his servants in charge of a fortune … even one talent is worth millions of dollars. The stewardship this man entrusted to his servants was huge.
The first part of this parable illustrates the incredible wealth God gives to us. He has created us and the entire world. The different amounts indicate that God gives a unique set of gifts to each person. He gives these gifts so that each of us can care for himself and for others. Most importantly, He has given Jesus who earned salvation with His suffering and death on the cross. That salvation is not just for a few, but the salvation Jesus earned is for the entire world. It is as Jesus said, [Matthew 5:45b] “[Our Father in Heaven] makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” God’s gifts to us are beyond anything we could measure or even imagine and He gives those gifts to all people.
We need to understand that the wealth in the parable is symbolic. There are many ways God’s gifts can be a blessing to us. Just as God gives out different gifts, so also there are different returns when we invest those gifts. On occasion, the Lord may bless with a financial return. Most of the time, the return is more valuable than mere earthly wealth.
As the parable continued, two of the servants put their stewardship to work. They invested and made a return. The third servant dug a hole and buried the entire talent. He hid his master’s money.
Jesus told this parable along with other parables to illustrate the final judgment on the Last Day. On the Last Day, some will stand before the Lord and rejoice like the two faithful servants. They will praise the Lord for the things they were able to do because of the Lord’s gifts. Others will stand in terror. Some of those who stand in terror will have their names on the rolls of the local congregation.
When we entered the world all of us were like the servant who stood before the master in terror. It is as David says, [Psalm 51:5] “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” The Apostle Paul writes, [Ephesians 2:1] “You were dead in the trespasses and sins,” and again, [Romans 8:7] “The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.”
By nature, we, like the unfaithful servant, imagine a master who is not generous, loving, and kind. Our imagination prevents us from seeing the true master who pours out generous salvation and all the other gifts without calculation or measurement. We imagine the master to be “a hard man, reaping where [he] did not sow, and gathering where [he] scattered no seed.” This belief causes fear instead of joy. It paralyzes us so that the gifts of God terrify us and we despise them.
Fortunately, the Father of all mercy and grace has sent His Son Jesus Christ, who atoned for the sin of the whole world, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. God does NOT desire our terror. Instead, He loves us with the Holy, precious blood of His Son poured out in innocent suffering and death on a cross. Jesus brought into this world a love that was priceless, a love that would not balk at the cost of sin, a love that would suffer death and eternal damnation so that the debt of all humanity would be paid and every sin would be forgiven before God. God offers this love to us with a generosity that Jesus described as [Luke 6:38] good measure, pressed down, shaken together, [and] running over.
When the Holy Spirit creates faith in us, He brings this generous love and forgiveness to us. The terror is gone. Instead, we become like the two faithful servants who rejoiced in the presence of their master. Like the two faithful servants, we will rejoice in the presence of the master as we celebrate the return we will have made with the wealth the master gives to us. We will hear those wonderful words, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”
The terrified servant heard different words, “You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
This parable shows that there are two judgments on the Last Day: the joy of the master and the outer darkness. The other readings for this day also inform us of the terror of the Day of the Lord. The Old Testament reading speaks of wailing, punishment, plundering, waste, bitterness, ruin, devastation, darkness and gloom. The epistle speaks of destruction and the labor pains of childbirth. These readings make it very clear that there will be a very real day of judgment, and that day will terrify many. It will even terrify some who claim membership in a local congregation.
At the same time, there are some who look forward to that day with joy. These are the ones whom God has brought into His household of salvation. By God’s grace they celebrate and confess the gift of forgiveness, life, and salvation that God has given to them.
God’s love for us delights in the different gifts He gives to each of us. He rejoices in the various ways he has created us for service. As Paul writes to the saints in Corinth, [1 Corinthians 12:17] “If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?”
Our service to God does not earn us a place in his kingdom. God has freely given us that in Christ. Instead, God gives us a variety of gifts at the same time that He gives us our place in God’s kingdom. Those who rejoice in the coming Day of the Lord will readily use these gifts to confess their faith to their friends and acquaintances. Who knows but that the Holy Spirit may use your confession to bring salvation to another so that they too will one day hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” Amen
Prayer of the Church - Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost - 15 November 2020
Almighty God, everlasting Father, You are worthy of being praised for all Your gifts and graces, which You have given to us, Your unworthy people. Hear us this day as we cry to You for mercy toward all people as they have need.
You have made us Your people and preserved us through the ministry of Your Word and Sacraments. Continue to pour out upon us grace upon grace, that we may be kept in faith and guarded in hope. Make Your Church throughout the world one in doctrine, confession and life, and give to Your Church faithful pastors who will preach and teach Your Word with conviction. Deliver us from confusion and error by the power of Your Holy Spirit, and raise up those who will continue to serve in faithfulness and humility. Deliver all enemies of Your Church and convert their hearts to repentance and faith. Strengthen all Christians in their faith and in their vocation of service as Your children, that we may be obedient to Your Word and receive the salvation of our souls. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Deliver the nations from oppression and ungodly rulers and governments. Bless all in authority within our own nation, that righteousness may flourish and injustice end. Bless all those places where Your people teach and learn, that our children may honor You, walk in Your commands, and show forth in their lives the fruits of the Spirit. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Prevent all disaster and calamity, deliver us from war and violence, and spare us from pestilence. Help us to know and rejoice in the good fruits of the earth, bless all noble occupations, and help the arts to flourish, that our lives may be enriched by beauty. Help us to receive with thanksgiving the fruits of the earth You supply for our common good. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Receive with our song of praise and sacrifice of thanksgiving the tithes and offerings we bring, that, through good use of the skills, talents and time You have given us, You may be glorified in all we are and do. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Give unity to Your people, that we may not be divided in doctrine or witness, and grant us grace, that we may come to the Lord’s table and receive there the body and blood of our Lord Jesus in sincere repentance and faith.
Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Give to the sick healing, to the suffering relief, to the grieving hope and to the dying peace. Hear us especially on behalf of those who have requested our prayers [especially _____________]. Sustain us in the day of trial, deliver us from all our enemies of body and soul, and keep us steadfast in the day of trouble. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Remembering that here we have no abiding city but heaven is our home, give us Your aid so that we may by true faith and godly life prepare for the coming of our Savior, doing the works You have called us to do and accomplishing Your purpose in our daily lives. Help us to multiply Your mercy by loving our neighbor in need and loving You with all our body, soul, strength and will; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
SERMON AND PRAYERS
Using God’s Varied Gifts – Matthew 25:14-30
The Gospel readings for last week, today, and next week are all part of the private instruction that Jesus gave to His disciples on the Mount of Olives just a few days before He died on the cross. Last week, we heard the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. Next week, we will hear about the sheep and the goats. Today, we hear the parable of the talents. Jesus used each of these readings to help us learn what we need to know about the Last Day … the Day of Judgment … the day when each of us must appear before the Lord and give an account.
Today’s parable tells of a man who left on a long trip and returned at a later time. While he was away, he entrusted his wealth to three servants. When he returned, he called these servants before him to give an account of what they had done with his wealth.
The man in the parable represents Jesus who was about to leave on that long trip. In a few days, He would be hanging from a cross and paying for the sins of all humanity. After He paid for all our sins, He would rise from the dead and then ascend into heaven. The parable in the Gospel illustrates our lives during this time of waiting for Him to return. It also illustrates the judgment that will come to each of us at the end of our time on this earth.
Note that the man entrusts his wealth to servants. He does not entrust his wealth to two servants and a stranger. The fact that he entrusts his wealth to servants indicates that Jesus is talking about people who consider themselves members of a congregation. Even as Judas was still a member of Jesus’ congregation, so also we need to understand that not all who claim membership are really members. As Jesus said, [Matthew 7:21] “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Just as not all three servants were faithful, Jesus teaches that not all members are faithful.
Now, it would be very easy to get hung up on the amounts: the five, two, and one talent that the man gave to each of his servants. Instead, when we understand that even one talent is a lot of money, we can realize that the man put each of his servants in charge of a fortune … even one talent is worth millions of dollars. The stewardship this man entrusted to his servants was huge.
The first part of this parable illustrates the incredible wealth God gives to us. He has created us and the entire world. The different amounts indicate that God gives a unique set of gifts to each person. He gives these gifts so that each of us can care for himself and for others. Most importantly, He has given Jesus who earned salvation with His suffering and death on the cross. That salvation is not just for a few, but the salvation Jesus earned is for the entire world. It is as Jesus said, [Matthew 5:45b] “[Our Father in Heaven] makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” God’s gifts to us are beyond anything we could measure or even imagine and He gives those gifts to all people.
We need to understand that the wealth in the parable is symbolic. There are many ways God’s gifts can be a blessing to us. Just as God gives out different gifts, so also there are different returns when we invest those gifts. On occasion, the Lord may bless with a financial return. Most of the time, the return is more valuable than mere earthly wealth.
As the parable continued, two of the servants put their stewardship to work. They invested and made a return. The third servant dug a hole and buried the entire talent. He hid his master’s money.
Jesus told this parable along with other parables to illustrate the final judgment on the Last Day. On the Last Day, some will stand before the Lord and rejoice like the two faithful servants. They will praise the Lord for the things they were able to do because of the Lord’s gifts. Others will stand in terror. Some of those who stand in terror will have their names on the rolls of the local congregation.
When we entered the world all of us were like the servant who stood before the master in terror. It is as David says, [Psalm 51:5] “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” The Apostle Paul writes, [Ephesians 2:1] “You were dead in the trespasses and sins,” and again, [Romans 8:7] “The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot.”
By nature, we, like the unfaithful servant, imagine a master who is not generous, loving, and kind. Our imagination prevents us from seeing the true master who pours out generous salvation and all the other gifts without calculation or measurement. We imagine the master to be “a hard man, reaping where [he] did not sow, and gathering where [he] scattered no seed.” This belief causes fear instead of joy. It paralyzes us so that the gifts of God terrify us and we despise them.
Fortunately, the Father of all mercy and grace has sent His Son Jesus Christ, who atoned for the sin of the whole world, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. God does NOT desire our terror. Instead, He loves us with the Holy, precious blood of His Son poured out in innocent suffering and death on a cross. Jesus brought into this world a love that was priceless, a love that would not balk at the cost of sin, a love that would suffer death and eternal damnation so that the debt of all humanity would be paid and every sin would be forgiven before God. God offers this love to us with a generosity that Jesus described as [Luke 6:38] good measure, pressed down, shaken together, [and] running over.
When the Holy Spirit creates faith in us, He brings this generous love and forgiveness to us. The terror is gone. Instead, we become like the two faithful servants who rejoiced in the presence of their master. Like the two faithful servants, we will rejoice in the presence of the master as we celebrate the return we will have made with the wealth the master gives to us. We will hear those wonderful words, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”
The terrified servant heard different words, “You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
This parable shows that there are two judgments on the Last Day: the joy of the master and the outer darkness. The other readings for this day also inform us of the terror of the Day of the Lord. The Old Testament reading speaks of wailing, punishment, plundering, waste, bitterness, ruin, devastation, darkness and gloom. The epistle speaks of destruction and the labor pains of childbirth. These readings make it very clear that there will be a very real day of judgment, and that day will terrify many. It will even terrify some who claim membership in a local congregation.
At the same time, there are some who look forward to that day with joy. These are the ones whom God has brought into His household of salvation. By God’s grace they celebrate and confess the gift of forgiveness, life, and salvation that God has given to them.
God’s love for us delights in the different gifts He gives to each of us. He rejoices in the various ways he has created us for service. As Paul writes to the saints in Corinth, [1 Corinthians 12:17] “If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?”
Our service to God does not earn us a place in his kingdom. God has freely given us that in Christ. Instead, God gives us a variety of gifts at the same time that He gives us our place in God’s kingdom. Those who rejoice in the coming Day of the Lord will readily use these gifts to confess their faith to their friends and acquaintances. Who knows but that the Holy Spirit may use your confession to bring salvation to another so that they too will one day hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.” Amen
Prayer of the Church - Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost - 15 November 2020
Almighty God, everlasting Father, You are worthy of being praised for all Your gifts and graces, which You have given to us, Your unworthy people. Hear us this day as we cry to You for mercy toward all people as they have need.
You have made us Your people and preserved us through the ministry of Your Word and Sacraments. Continue to pour out upon us grace upon grace, that we may be kept in faith and guarded in hope. Make Your Church throughout the world one in doctrine, confession and life, and give to Your Church faithful pastors who will preach and teach Your Word with conviction. Deliver us from confusion and error by the power of Your Holy Spirit, and raise up those who will continue to serve in faithfulness and humility. Deliver all enemies of Your Church and convert their hearts to repentance and faith. Strengthen all Christians in their faith and in their vocation of service as Your children, that we may be obedient to Your Word and receive the salvation of our souls. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Deliver the nations from oppression and ungodly rulers and governments. Bless all in authority within our own nation, that righteousness may flourish and injustice end. Bless all those places where Your people teach and learn, that our children may honor You, walk in Your commands, and show forth in their lives the fruits of the Spirit. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Prevent all disaster and calamity, deliver us from war and violence, and spare us from pestilence. Help us to know and rejoice in the good fruits of the earth, bless all noble occupations, and help the arts to flourish, that our lives may be enriched by beauty. Help us to receive with thanksgiving the fruits of the earth You supply for our common good. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Receive with our song of praise and sacrifice of thanksgiving the tithes and offerings we bring, that, through good use of the skills, talents and time You have given us, You may be glorified in all we are and do. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Give unity to Your people, that we may not be divided in doctrine or witness, and grant us grace, that we may come to the Lord’s table and receive there the body and blood of our Lord Jesus in sincere repentance and faith.
Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Give to the sick healing, to the suffering relief, to the grieving hope and to the dying peace. Hear us especially on behalf of those who have requested our prayers [especially _____________]. Sustain us in the day of trial, deliver us from all our enemies of body and soul, and keep us steadfast in the day of trouble. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Remembering that here we have no abiding city but heaven is our home, give us Your aid so that we may by true faith and godly life prepare for the coming of our Savior, doing the works You have called us to do and accomplishing Your purpose in our daily lives. Help us to multiply Your mercy by loving our neighbor in need and loving You with all our body, soul, strength and will; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
NOVEMBER 8, 2020
SERMON AND PRAYERS
SERMON AND PRAYERS
Called by the Gospel – Matthew 25:1-13
Back in October, we joined Jesus as He taught in the temple just a few days before He died on the cross. Two weeks ago, we broke away from the temple as we celebrated the 503rd anniversary of Luther posting the 95 Theses. Last week, we observed the Feast of All Saints. Today, we return to the teachings of Jesus on that day.
The teaching we just heard happened later in the day. Jesus finished His debates with the Pharisees, the Herodians, and the Sadducees. Then He condemned their hypocrisy. Finally, He and His disciples left the temple. As the disciples looked at the temple, they remarked on its majesty and beauty. Jesus used their remarks to warn them about the future destruction of Jerusalem. When they returned to their camp on the Mount of Olives, Jesus continued to teach about the end of Jerusalem, the end of life, and the end of time. The Gospel we heard this morning is one of the parables He used to illustrate the end.
Earlier in the day, when Jesus was still in the temple, He compared the Kingdom of Heaven to a royal wedding banquet. In today's Gospel, we heard Him use the more common community wedding celebration as the background for His parable. Since we are talking about peasant farmers, the customs were not as lavish as the royal wedding. Still, there are differences between wedding customs back then and the wedding customs of our culture. I've shared some of these differences with you in the past, but a quick review won't hurt.
Marriages in first century Jewish culture began with two ceremonies. One ceremony began a time called the betrothal. The second came when the groom and the bride began living together as husband and wife.
During the betrothal ceremony, the groom and the bride officially became husband and wife, but they did not begin living together. Instead, they began a time of preparation. The husband built and decorated a home for his bride. The wife gathered together the things she needed to set up housekeeping with her groom. This period of betrothal could last more than a year.
After everything was ready, there would be a second ceremony and a great community celebration as the groom and the bride began to live together as husband and wife. The ceremony began at the groom's home. He would send out a messenger to let the bride know that everything was ready. Then, he would call together his family and friends and form a procession. The procession would then proceed to the bride's home celebrating along the way. If the groom and the bride lived in the same town, this procession would be over quickly. On the other hand, if they lived in different towns, the procession could be quite an adventure.
Travel was not as reliable back then as it is today. There were no planes, trains, or automobiles. While the groom and a few others might ride an animal or use a cart, most of the procession went on foot. They might encounter obstacles on the way. There was no telling when they might arrive at the bride's house. It could be at any time of the day or night.
In the meantime, the messenger would arrive at the bride's home. He would let the family know that the groom was on his way. Soon all the neighbors would help the bride get ready to travel. The anticipation would build. Everything would be ready and waiting.
Ordinarily, the watchmen on the walls would be looking for danger approaching the city, but now they had the joyful duty of watching for the groom. Day and night, they would scan the horizon looking for his procession. Eventually, the shout would go up, "The groom is here!" Then the bride's family and friends would join the procession.
Now the process is reversed. Once the groom arrived and the bride was ready, the entire community would accompany them in grand procession to their new home. There they would celebrate the beginning of this new family for about a week. No one in the community would miss it.
This is the culture into which Jesus told the parable of the five wise and five foolish virgins. All ten women were part of the community who wished to celebrate the beginning of a new family. At first, all ten of them were ready for the arrival of the groom. But then, Jesus said that the groom was delayed. As I said earlier, travel was unpredictable, and delays were the rule rather than the exception.
The delay separated the wise from the foolish. The wise were prepared. They had extra oil. The foolish ran out. The wise virgins joined the community in grand procession to the new home and the wedding feast. The foolish were not ready and so they missed out.
Jesus gave many warnings on that day. Earlier in the day, back at the temple, He had warned about the wicked tenants who killed, not only the servants, but even the son of the landowner. He warned of the wedding guest who refused to wear the clothing provided by the king. He warned of an evil son who promised to work in the vineyard, but did not. These parables illustrate the warning. God offered His gift of salvation and the people who should have known better rejected it.
The psalmist says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Psalm 111:10) He also says, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'" (Psalm 53:1) Within the parable, the wise were those who took the simple precaution of extra fuel for their lamps. The fools were those who thought the fuel in their lamp would last long enough.
In real life, the wise are those who fear the Lord. They examine their lives in light of the Ten Commandments and find themselves lacking. The serious nature of their sin terrifies them. They know that they do not have enough in themselves to work their own salvation. They know that their only hope for salvation must come from elsewhere. It must come from God.
The fools believe that they are sufficient to themselves. Salvation lies within. Self-esteem, confidence, positive thinking--these are the things that bring salvation. These are all things that we can produce in ourselves. We need nothing extra. We need nothing outside of ourselves. A little bit of self-improvement, a little bit of elbow-grease, that's all it takes. We can pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. We can be winners.
Even those who follow false religions still rely on themselves. The Buddhist must walk the eight-fold path and follow the middle way. The Moslem must keep the five pillars. The Baal worshipers of the Old Testament drew their own blood to get the attention of their false god. Even when you believe in a false god, that god gives you things to do to earn salvation. Your salvation still depends on you. You are still acting foolishly.
The wise one believes in the God who “loved the world by giving his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) The wise believes in the God who earns salvation Himself and then gives it freely. The wise one has salvation that does not come from within. Instead, the wise one has salvation that comes from God in the person of Jesus Christ.
The writer to the Hebrews reminds us of reality. “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27) At the time of death, the wise one trusts the God who took on humanity and died on the cross. The wise one knows that the God who died also rose from the dead and lives forever. The promise of that God is certain. The wise one is ready.
The fool suddenly becomes wise when death strikes, but by then it is too late. The fool suddenly realizes he has nothing. At death, the fool learns who the true God is, but by then the door is closed. There is no entry to eternal life. The fool is lost forever.
What about you? When you do a good work, does it flow out of confidence in and thankfulness for your salvation? Does it flow out of love for your neighbor? OR does a little part of you think that God is a little more kindly disposed toward you because of your good deeds?
The wise one rests in God. God sends the Holy Spirit to fill us with the Gospel: the Gospel that we hear the wet Gospel of Holy Baptism; the Gospel consumed in the body and blood of Jesus. It is by these Means of Grace that God keeps us ready. It is by the Means of Grace that we are like the wise virgins who had the oil they needed.
The devil, the world, and even our own sinful flesh use us up and empty us out. If we rely on the flame within, we rely on nothing. Instead, the Holy Spirit calls us by the Gospel, enlightens us with His gifts, sanctifies and keeps us in the true faith. In this way, He supplies us with all we need for eternal life. We are like those who were ready [and] went in with [the groom] to the marriage feast. (Matthew 25:10) Amen
Prayer of the Church - Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost - 8 November 2020
Lord, You are our help and deliverer and to You we bring the prayers and petitions of Your people, that You may grant to us all things good and needful and guard us against all things evil and harmful.
We pray that the Lord would rule over the darkness and shine His light over all the earth, that those from many nations may be united as one people through Baptism and live together in faith, by the power of the Holy Spirit; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that the Lord would grant us wisdom and courage, that we may be prepared at all times to receive Him when He comes in His glory and that we may not be distracted by earthly glories that fade away or disillusioned by earthly disappointments, which will come to an end; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that the Lord would give courage to all pastors as they preach and teach the Word of the Lord, that all those who hear may believe, and that believing, they may live in righteousness and godliness before the world and be kept to the day when Christ returns as Lord and Judge of all; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that the governments of the world and our leaders would act justly and with mercy, that we may be spared war and violence, and that we may use wisely and for the Lord’s glory His gift of liberty and the abundant blessings He has poured out on our land; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that the Lord would give aid and comfort to the sick, the suffering and those in their last days, that He may grant healing according to His will and strength to bear up under the weight of loneliness or affliction, [we pray especially for _____________,]; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that we may not grieve as those who have no hope, that we may rejoice in the promise of the resurrection to life everlasting, and that we may encourage one another with these words, [especially the families of _____________,]; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that we may find a home within the house of the Lord here on earth, that we may rejoice in the Lord’s Word and Sacraments by which we are brought to faith and nurtured in this faith, and that we may be sustained in the days of waiting, serving the Lord in anticipation of His return; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that the Lord would prepare our hearts by His Spirit for this Holy Communion upon the body and blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and that we may keep in holy hearts and live out in holy lives what we have received here upon holy lips; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that we may be ready to receive the Lord when He comes again in glory, that the Lord may open the hearts of those who have wandered away from the faith, and that the Lord may restore those caught up in error’s maze; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that the Lord may hear and answer the prayers of His people and that we may be content with His answer, trusting in His Fatherly will and wisdom to grant us all that we need and all that will profit our salvation, let us pray in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, our Lord. And God’s people said: Amen.
Back in October, we joined Jesus as He taught in the temple just a few days before He died on the cross. Two weeks ago, we broke away from the temple as we celebrated the 503rd anniversary of Luther posting the 95 Theses. Last week, we observed the Feast of All Saints. Today, we return to the teachings of Jesus on that day.
The teaching we just heard happened later in the day. Jesus finished His debates with the Pharisees, the Herodians, and the Sadducees. Then He condemned their hypocrisy. Finally, He and His disciples left the temple. As the disciples looked at the temple, they remarked on its majesty and beauty. Jesus used their remarks to warn them about the future destruction of Jerusalem. When they returned to their camp on the Mount of Olives, Jesus continued to teach about the end of Jerusalem, the end of life, and the end of time. The Gospel we heard this morning is one of the parables He used to illustrate the end.
Earlier in the day, when Jesus was still in the temple, He compared the Kingdom of Heaven to a royal wedding banquet. In today's Gospel, we heard Him use the more common community wedding celebration as the background for His parable. Since we are talking about peasant farmers, the customs were not as lavish as the royal wedding. Still, there are differences between wedding customs back then and the wedding customs of our culture. I've shared some of these differences with you in the past, but a quick review won't hurt.
Marriages in first century Jewish culture began with two ceremonies. One ceremony began a time called the betrothal. The second came when the groom and the bride began living together as husband and wife.
During the betrothal ceremony, the groom and the bride officially became husband and wife, but they did not begin living together. Instead, they began a time of preparation. The husband built and decorated a home for his bride. The wife gathered together the things she needed to set up housekeeping with her groom. This period of betrothal could last more than a year.
After everything was ready, there would be a second ceremony and a great community celebration as the groom and the bride began to live together as husband and wife. The ceremony began at the groom's home. He would send out a messenger to let the bride know that everything was ready. Then, he would call together his family and friends and form a procession. The procession would then proceed to the bride's home celebrating along the way. If the groom and the bride lived in the same town, this procession would be over quickly. On the other hand, if they lived in different towns, the procession could be quite an adventure.
Travel was not as reliable back then as it is today. There were no planes, trains, or automobiles. While the groom and a few others might ride an animal or use a cart, most of the procession went on foot. They might encounter obstacles on the way. There was no telling when they might arrive at the bride's house. It could be at any time of the day or night.
In the meantime, the messenger would arrive at the bride's home. He would let the family know that the groom was on his way. Soon all the neighbors would help the bride get ready to travel. The anticipation would build. Everything would be ready and waiting.
Ordinarily, the watchmen on the walls would be looking for danger approaching the city, but now they had the joyful duty of watching for the groom. Day and night, they would scan the horizon looking for his procession. Eventually, the shout would go up, "The groom is here!" Then the bride's family and friends would join the procession.
Now the process is reversed. Once the groom arrived and the bride was ready, the entire community would accompany them in grand procession to their new home. There they would celebrate the beginning of this new family for about a week. No one in the community would miss it.
This is the culture into which Jesus told the parable of the five wise and five foolish virgins. All ten women were part of the community who wished to celebrate the beginning of a new family. At first, all ten of them were ready for the arrival of the groom. But then, Jesus said that the groom was delayed. As I said earlier, travel was unpredictable, and delays were the rule rather than the exception.
The delay separated the wise from the foolish. The wise were prepared. They had extra oil. The foolish ran out. The wise virgins joined the community in grand procession to the new home and the wedding feast. The foolish were not ready and so they missed out.
Jesus gave many warnings on that day. Earlier in the day, back at the temple, He had warned about the wicked tenants who killed, not only the servants, but even the son of the landowner. He warned of the wedding guest who refused to wear the clothing provided by the king. He warned of an evil son who promised to work in the vineyard, but did not. These parables illustrate the warning. God offered His gift of salvation and the people who should have known better rejected it.
The psalmist says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Psalm 111:10) He also says, "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'" (Psalm 53:1) Within the parable, the wise were those who took the simple precaution of extra fuel for their lamps. The fools were those who thought the fuel in their lamp would last long enough.
In real life, the wise are those who fear the Lord. They examine their lives in light of the Ten Commandments and find themselves lacking. The serious nature of their sin terrifies them. They know that they do not have enough in themselves to work their own salvation. They know that their only hope for salvation must come from elsewhere. It must come from God.
The fools believe that they are sufficient to themselves. Salvation lies within. Self-esteem, confidence, positive thinking--these are the things that bring salvation. These are all things that we can produce in ourselves. We need nothing extra. We need nothing outside of ourselves. A little bit of self-improvement, a little bit of elbow-grease, that's all it takes. We can pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. We can be winners.
Even those who follow false religions still rely on themselves. The Buddhist must walk the eight-fold path and follow the middle way. The Moslem must keep the five pillars. The Baal worshipers of the Old Testament drew their own blood to get the attention of their false god. Even when you believe in a false god, that god gives you things to do to earn salvation. Your salvation still depends on you. You are still acting foolishly.
The wise one believes in the God who “loved the world by giving his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) The wise believes in the God who earns salvation Himself and then gives it freely. The wise one has salvation that does not come from within. Instead, the wise one has salvation that comes from God in the person of Jesus Christ.
The writer to the Hebrews reminds us of reality. “It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27) At the time of death, the wise one trusts the God who took on humanity and died on the cross. The wise one knows that the God who died also rose from the dead and lives forever. The promise of that God is certain. The wise one is ready.
The fool suddenly becomes wise when death strikes, but by then it is too late. The fool suddenly realizes he has nothing. At death, the fool learns who the true God is, but by then the door is closed. There is no entry to eternal life. The fool is lost forever.
What about you? When you do a good work, does it flow out of confidence in and thankfulness for your salvation? Does it flow out of love for your neighbor? OR does a little part of you think that God is a little more kindly disposed toward you because of your good deeds?
The wise one rests in God. God sends the Holy Spirit to fill us with the Gospel: the Gospel that we hear the wet Gospel of Holy Baptism; the Gospel consumed in the body and blood of Jesus. It is by these Means of Grace that God keeps us ready. It is by the Means of Grace that we are like the wise virgins who had the oil they needed.
The devil, the world, and even our own sinful flesh use us up and empty us out. If we rely on the flame within, we rely on nothing. Instead, the Holy Spirit calls us by the Gospel, enlightens us with His gifts, sanctifies and keeps us in the true faith. In this way, He supplies us with all we need for eternal life. We are like those who were ready [and] went in with [the groom] to the marriage feast. (Matthew 25:10) Amen
Prayer of the Church - Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost - 8 November 2020
Lord, You are our help and deliverer and to You we bring the prayers and petitions of Your people, that You may grant to us all things good and needful and guard us against all things evil and harmful.
We pray that the Lord would rule over the darkness and shine His light over all the earth, that those from many nations may be united as one people through Baptism and live together in faith, by the power of the Holy Spirit; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that the Lord would grant us wisdom and courage, that we may be prepared at all times to receive Him when He comes in His glory and that we may not be distracted by earthly glories that fade away or disillusioned by earthly disappointments, which will come to an end; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that the Lord would give courage to all pastors as they preach and teach the Word of the Lord, that all those who hear may believe, and that believing, they may live in righteousness and godliness before the world and be kept to the day when Christ returns as Lord and Judge of all; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that the governments of the world and our leaders would act justly and with mercy, that we may be spared war and violence, and that we may use wisely and for the Lord’s glory His gift of liberty and the abundant blessings He has poured out on our land; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that the Lord would give aid and comfort to the sick, the suffering and those in their last days, that He may grant healing according to His will and strength to bear up under the weight of loneliness or affliction, [we pray especially for _____________,]; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that we may not grieve as those who have no hope, that we may rejoice in the promise of the resurrection to life everlasting, and that we may encourage one another with these words, [especially the families of _____________,]; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that we may find a home within the house of the Lord here on earth, that we may rejoice in the Lord’s Word and Sacraments by which we are brought to faith and nurtured in this faith, and that we may be sustained in the days of waiting, serving the Lord in anticipation of His return; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that the Lord would prepare our hearts by His Spirit for this Holy Communion upon the body and blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and that we may keep in holy hearts and live out in holy lives what we have received here upon holy lips; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that we may be ready to receive the Lord when He comes again in glory, that the Lord may open the hearts of those who have wandered away from the faith, and that the Lord may restore those caught up in error’s maze; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray that the Lord may hear and answer the prayers of His people and that we may be content with His answer, trusting in His Fatherly will and wisdom to grant us all that we need and all that will profit our salvation, let us pray in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, our Lord. And God’s people said: Amen.
NOVEMBER 1, 2020
SERMON AND PRAYERS
Blessings and Banes—Saints and Sinners Matthew 5:1-12
We live in a world full of contrasts. Naturally, our language reflects this. Black and white, up and down, east and west, apples and oranges, hot and cold—these are just some of the expressions we use all the time to express differences and contrasts in our lives. It is this same idea of contrast that I find so interesting with the language in our Gospel lesson for this morning. You might be thinking: "Pastor…I don't think you're on the same page here. There are no contrasting statements in these Beatitudes." Let me know what you think after the sermon!
Before we go any farther, we need to start off by first explaining what these Beatitudes are and what they are not. Contrary to popular opinion, these are not rules and guidelines you need to follow in order to attain blessings from God. I say that because so often that's exactly how these are treated. "If I want the kingdom of heaven, I need to become poor in spirit. I need to be persecuted. If I want comfort, I need to mourn. If I want mercy, I need to be merciful." Here's the problem with this mentality: It puts the onus on you to first hold up your end of the bargain and do your part. After you've done your part, then God will bless you. I can't tell you how often I've seen people struggle in their faith because they're working hard to keep these Beatitudes and they're still not attaining blessings in their lives. "I do and I do and do, and I'm still getting hammered. The more I try and do, the more banes—not blessings—do I receive."
Here's something that will probably rattle your cage a bit: These Beatitudes aren't about you; at least, not primarily about you. That may be difficult to swallow for some of you because, lets face it, everything is always about you. If you aren't happy, then no one is happy. These Beatitudes, first and foremost, are about Jesus. These Beatitudes—these statements of blessedness—are not prescriptions for us, but descriptions of Christ Jesus. Jesus has the perfect faith in His Father. He is pure in heart. He is totally poor in spirit, meaning that He brings nothing to the table except faith and trust in His Father alone. Jesus does mourn for the sinner in their sin. Almighty God Himself is meek and lowly. He doesn't force anyone to believe. He doesn't bully you into being faithful. He doesn't strike you down the moment you mess up. He is patient and merciful and long-suffering. He is the true peacemaker, and He is persecuted and reviled for doing it.
Contrast these Christological realities with your realities. And notice how I worded this. I didn't ask you to take a look around and determine how everyone else is falling short of these Christ-centered descriptions. I want you to take a look in the mirror and contrast yourself with these Christological realities. If we're honest—faithfully, repentantly honest—we know the truth…and it isn't pretty!
Perfect faith, poor in spirit, trusting in God above all things? Not me. I confess. Mourning and grieving over sin—my sin—the sin I commit against God and against my neighbor? Again, notice how I worded this. We're very good at mourning and grieving and warring over the sin somebody else commits. However, when it comes to our own sin, we rarely mourn and grieve, unless we get caught. We'll justify our sin. We'll defend our sin, calling it something other than sin, declaring it to be "okay" in this particular instance, but we rarely mourn and express grief over the fact that we have indeed committed sin; sin that caused Christ Jesus to give up heaven and die on a cross. Yes—that should grieve you! Jesus died because of you and your sin, and yet all too often we're too busy defending and justifying ourselves to let that sink in and take effect and bear abundant faithful fruit.
Meek and lowly, patient and long-suffering, a persecuted peacemaker? Let me tell you what true meekness and lowliness is all about. True meekness and lowliness takes up the cross and journeys on. True meekness and lowliness gets reviled and persecuted and spit at and beaten and cursed because of righteous, justifying faith…and takes it. Meek and lowly stands like a lamb, silent before the shearers. How about you? Meek and lowly…or a resounding gong and clanging cymbal?
And don't be fooled into thinking that you're going to make the Beatitude cut by playing the persecution card. Why are you feeling persecuted? Is it because of matters pertaining to faith and righteousness and justification, or is it because of matters pertaining to self? And here, again, meekness and lowliness comes into play. There are times when we are called to stand and fight. But what are we to stand and fight and defend? The faith! The purity of the doctrine of salvation through faith alone in God's grace alone because of Jesus Christ alone! The purity of "This is My body and blood. This is My baptism. All for the forgiveness of your sin." This is what we are to stand and fight and defend. This is what we vow on confirmation day (page 273 LSB). This is what I vowed on ordination day. We vow that we would rather suffer death than allow false doctrine to be taught and promulgated in our midst.
Sadly, this is where things often take a terrible twist. We become meek and lowly and impotent when it comes to defending orthodox doctrine and practice, but we'll stand and fight and war over such things as light fixtures, bylaws, plants, coffee cups, and the like. We'll get our way, or there will be hell to pay! And then we wonder why we're feeling so persecuted. Perhaps it's not the devil persecuting you in your own self-righteous war. Perhaps its God fighting against the sinful, non-theological things you're so mightily defending. Perhaps that persecuted feeling you are experiencing is the just and loving hand of God, pulling you back from the cliff you're blindly trying to steamroller yourself over.
Here's the reality with these Beatitudes—We can't do them in order to attain God's blessing. Like I said earlier, a good, honest look in the mirror reveals that we have all sinned and failed miserably when it comes to earning the blessings of God. But that's just it! We don't earn the blessings of God! We don't earn blessedness. We can't earn blessedness. Blessedness is not a goal we achieve. It's a condition we're found to be in. We're found to be blessed. Blessedness is a perspective thing. In faith, we are poor and lowly and persecuted and reviled and beat down. Man looks at us in our faith and calls us "cursed." He sees banes, not blessings in our lives. And yet…God looks at us in the midst of our faith; in the midst of all the banes of living in this fallen and sinful world, and sees blessedness. He finds us and declares us to be blessed. And why does He find us in the state of blessedness? Why does He declare us to be blessed? Because of Christ alone! Because we cling to Christ alone!
This is why I love this reading for All Saints Day. The very Lutheran doctrine of simul justus et peccator (at one and the same time a saint and a sinner) comes through loud and clear in this lesson of contrasts. We can look, as we did, at these descriptions of Christological blessedness and recognize the fact that Christ Jesus, and only Christ Jesus, fulfills these descriptions perfectly. And for this we rejoice. We give thanks for these Christ-centered realities because we know the truth that as prescriptions, we'd be doomed. We can't do them. Not even a little bit. We fail miserably in our sin.
And yet…on this day that celebrates and gives thanks to God for all the saints of His one, holy Christian Church, we can look at this same text and rejoice because we know that the saints of God have always and will always cling to Christ alone and therefore be found by Him to be in a state of true, everlasting blessedness and grace. The saints of God who've gone on before us and who make up the membership of the heavenly Church—the Church Triumphant—are there precisely because of this Christ-centered, Beatitudinal reality. They are members of the eternal Church Triumphant, not because they were good people who did all these good and saintly works, but because they were damned sinners who deserved nothing but present and eternal punishment, but who also clung to the grace and mercy of their heavenly Father; grace and mercy which He so lovingly bestowed upon them because Jesus Himself declared, "It is finished." The saints of God cling to these words. These words of justification were the basis and boundary for the lives of those dearly departed saints of God, even as they lived out their sinful lives in this sin-filled world. Did those saints do good works and wonderful things? Sure! But that's not why God called them saints. They didn't trust in those works or merits. Those good works were a result of their justification. The joy of their justification produced these fruits of faith. When it came down to it, they trusted in nothing but their justification in Christ alone, because of Christ alone. That's why they were (and are) saints of God.
And here's the thing that is so often forgotten on All Saints Day: We're saints too! All too often we think of the saints of God only in terms of those who died in the faith and have now gone home to heaven. My fellow redeemed: Look around you! You are surrounded by saints! You are surrounded by souls whom God has found to be in a state of blessedness. Why are they blessed? Because of faith, and faith alone in Christ alone. Now, does that faith produce good works and good fruits? Absolutely! That's only natural. Faith without works is dead. But take notice: The justified faith naturally produces good, sanctified fruits; not the other way around. Good works do not produce blessedness. In fact, as Scripture tells us, the good works we rely upon and present to God apart from the cross of Christ—the fruits that do not flow from the basis and boundary of justification, but rather flow from the depths of our own selfish, sinful natures—are viewed as nothing more than dirty, soiled rags; a dirty diaper.
May God bless you and keep you in the one, true saving faith; the faith that clings to the cross of Christ alone; the faith that is grounded in justification by God's grace alone because of Christ alone. My fellow saints and sinners: May God bless you and keep you continually grounded in your justification so that He may continually find you in the state and condition of saintly blessedness; blessedness that is known only through faith in Christ Jesus. May this Good News of your justification bring you peace that surpasses all human understanding, and may this same peace take root in your heart and bear abundant, faithful fruit in all that you say and do. May your confession of faith correspond to the fruits you bear. May there be no contrast. May you be, not a bane, but a blessing—God's justified and saintly blessing—to all those whom your Lord calls you to serve.
Prayer of the Church - All Saints’ Day - 1 November 2020
Standing with the great multitude of saints before the throne of God and the Lamb, let us join in prayer, praise and thanksgiving to the God of our salvation.
Mighty and eternal God, we remember before You the saints and martyrs of every generation, who trusted in You in the face of terror and threat. Grant that when facing persecution and trial in our own day, we may be steadfast in faith. Deliver those whom You have washed in Baptism, granting the new life that death cannot overcome. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, You established the Church and have granted her Your aid and protection through these many years. Continue to pour out upon us Your Spirit and grace, that we may accomplish Your bidding and proclaim Your saving name to every corner of the earth. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, we give You thanks for the faithful pastors who have spoken to us Your Word and the church workers who have served us in Your name. Grant that we may continue to receive their ministry of Word and Sacrament with willing ears and open hearts. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, we beg Your grace that our lives may be ordered by Your commands, and we ask You to bless those who govern us in Your name. Bless our president, the Congress, our governor, the legislature and all local officials, that pursuing the path of justice they may act with humility and honor for the good of all people. Give wisdom to all who vote this week, and bless its result, that our nation may elect our leaders peacefully and orderly. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, we rejoice that You have rescued us from the power of death and raised us in Christ to dwell with Him in everlasting life. Give to those who grieve the comfort of the promise of the resurrection of the dead and eternal life, and bestow Your peace upon the dying, that they may fall asleep here and awaken in Your glory. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, You have made us Your children, and You continue to guard us as Your own possession. According to Your will, give healing to the sick, calm to the troubled in mind, and patience to those facing sorrow and struggle. Give health and peace to our nation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, show forth Your kindness to the poor and Your compassion to those who suffer injustice. Deliver us from the scourge of racism and prejudice, and help us to acknowledge our common life from Your creative power and our common redemption in Christ, our Savior. Lord… hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, we are unworthy of all Your blessings and do not deserve the mercies new every morning of our earthly lives. Give us the will and desire to care responsibly for all that You have entrusted to us and to be generous with those in need and for the support of Your Church and the work of Your Kingdom. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, Your Son has set His table among us in the presence of our enemies, giving us a foretaste of the eternal feast to come. Prepare us in heart and mind to come to this Sacrament and receive the blessing of His body and blood for our benefit. Deliver us from divisions that prevent our communion together, and bring us soon to the day when we will be fully united in doctrine and life to the glory of Your holy name. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, bring us to that day when every tear shall be wiped from our eyes and we shall hunger and thirst no more. Knowing You now by faith, we yearn for the day when we shall know You face to face. Until the dawn of that eternal day, keep us in Your faith and fear through our Good Shepherd and Lord, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
SERMON AND PRAYERS
Blessings and Banes—Saints and Sinners Matthew 5:1-12
We live in a world full of contrasts. Naturally, our language reflects this. Black and white, up and down, east and west, apples and oranges, hot and cold—these are just some of the expressions we use all the time to express differences and contrasts in our lives. It is this same idea of contrast that I find so interesting with the language in our Gospel lesson for this morning. You might be thinking: "Pastor…I don't think you're on the same page here. There are no contrasting statements in these Beatitudes." Let me know what you think after the sermon!
Before we go any farther, we need to start off by first explaining what these Beatitudes are and what they are not. Contrary to popular opinion, these are not rules and guidelines you need to follow in order to attain blessings from God. I say that because so often that's exactly how these are treated. "If I want the kingdom of heaven, I need to become poor in spirit. I need to be persecuted. If I want comfort, I need to mourn. If I want mercy, I need to be merciful." Here's the problem with this mentality: It puts the onus on you to first hold up your end of the bargain and do your part. After you've done your part, then God will bless you. I can't tell you how often I've seen people struggle in their faith because they're working hard to keep these Beatitudes and they're still not attaining blessings in their lives. "I do and I do and do, and I'm still getting hammered. The more I try and do, the more banes—not blessings—do I receive."
Here's something that will probably rattle your cage a bit: These Beatitudes aren't about you; at least, not primarily about you. That may be difficult to swallow for some of you because, lets face it, everything is always about you. If you aren't happy, then no one is happy. These Beatitudes, first and foremost, are about Jesus. These Beatitudes—these statements of blessedness—are not prescriptions for us, but descriptions of Christ Jesus. Jesus has the perfect faith in His Father. He is pure in heart. He is totally poor in spirit, meaning that He brings nothing to the table except faith and trust in His Father alone. Jesus does mourn for the sinner in their sin. Almighty God Himself is meek and lowly. He doesn't force anyone to believe. He doesn't bully you into being faithful. He doesn't strike you down the moment you mess up. He is patient and merciful and long-suffering. He is the true peacemaker, and He is persecuted and reviled for doing it.
Contrast these Christological realities with your realities. And notice how I worded this. I didn't ask you to take a look around and determine how everyone else is falling short of these Christ-centered descriptions. I want you to take a look in the mirror and contrast yourself with these Christological realities. If we're honest—faithfully, repentantly honest—we know the truth…and it isn't pretty!
Perfect faith, poor in spirit, trusting in God above all things? Not me. I confess. Mourning and grieving over sin—my sin—the sin I commit against God and against my neighbor? Again, notice how I worded this. We're very good at mourning and grieving and warring over the sin somebody else commits. However, when it comes to our own sin, we rarely mourn and grieve, unless we get caught. We'll justify our sin. We'll defend our sin, calling it something other than sin, declaring it to be "okay" in this particular instance, but we rarely mourn and express grief over the fact that we have indeed committed sin; sin that caused Christ Jesus to give up heaven and die on a cross. Yes—that should grieve you! Jesus died because of you and your sin, and yet all too often we're too busy defending and justifying ourselves to let that sink in and take effect and bear abundant faithful fruit.
Meek and lowly, patient and long-suffering, a persecuted peacemaker? Let me tell you what true meekness and lowliness is all about. True meekness and lowliness takes up the cross and journeys on. True meekness and lowliness gets reviled and persecuted and spit at and beaten and cursed because of righteous, justifying faith…and takes it. Meek and lowly stands like a lamb, silent before the shearers. How about you? Meek and lowly…or a resounding gong and clanging cymbal?
And don't be fooled into thinking that you're going to make the Beatitude cut by playing the persecution card. Why are you feeling persecuted? Is it because of matters pertaining to faith and righteousness and justification, or is it because of matters pertaining to self? And here, again, meekness and lowliness comes into play. There are times when we are called to stand and fight. But what are we to stand and fight and defend? The faith! The purity of the doctrine of salvation through faith alone in God's grace alone because of Jesus Christ alone! The purity of "This is My body and blood. This is My baptism. All for the forgiveness of your sin." This is what we are to stand and fight and defend. This is what we vow on confirmation day (page 273 LSB). This is what I vowed on ordination day. We vow that we would rather suffer death than allow false doctrine to be taught and promulgated in our midst.
Sadly, this is where things often take a terrible twist. We become meek and lowly and impotent when it comes to defending orthodox doctrine and practice, but we'll stand and fight and war over such things as light fixtures, bylaws, plants, coffee cups, and the like. We'll get our way, or there will be hell to pay! And then we wonder why we're feeling so persecuted. Perhaps it's not the devil persecuting you in your own self-righteous war. Perhaps its God fighting against the sinful, non-theological things you're so mightily defending. Perhaps that persecuted feeling you are experiencing is the just and loving hand of God, pulling you back from the cliff you're blindly trying to steamroller yourself over.
Here's the reality with these Beatitudes—We can't do them in order to attain God's blessing. Like I said earlier, a good, honest look in the mirror reveals that we have all sinned and failed miserably when it comes to earning the blessings of God. But that's just it! We don't earn the blessings of God! We don't earn blessedness. We can't earn blessedness. Blessedness is not a goal we achieve. It's a condition we're found to be in. We're found to be blessed. Blessedness is a perspective thing. In faith, we are poor and lowly and persecuted and reviled and beat down. Man looks at us in our faith and calls us "cursed." He sees banes, not blessings in our lives. And yet…God looks at us in the midst of our faith; in the midst of all the banes of living in this fallen and sinful world, and sees blessedness. He finds us and declares us to be blessed. And why does He find us in the state of blessedness? Why does He declare us to be blessed? Because of Christ alone! Because we cling to Christ alone!
This is why I love this reading for All Saints Day. The very Lutheran doctrine of simul justus et peccator (at one and the same time a saint and a sinner) comes through loud and clear in this lesson of contrasts. We can look, as we did, at these descriptions of Christological blessedness and recognize the fact that Christ Jesus, and only Christ Jesus, fulfills these descriptions perfectly. And for this we rejoice. We give thanks for these Christ-centered realities because we know the truth that as prescriptions, we'd be doomed. We can't do them. Not even a little bit. We fail miserably in our sin.
And yet…on this day that celebrates and gives thanks to God for all the saints of His one, holy Christian Church, we can look at this same text and rejoice because we know that the saints of God have always and will always cling to Christ alone and therefore be found by Him to be in a state of true, everlasting blessedness and grace. The saints of God who've gone on before us and who make up the membership of the heavenly Church—the Church Triumphant—are there precisely because of this Christ-centered, Beatitudinal reality. They are members of the eternal Church Triumphant, not because they were good people who did all these good and saintly works, but because they were damned sinners who deserved nothing but present and eternal punishment, but who also clung to the grace and mercy of their heavenly Father; grace and mercy which He so lovingly bestowed upon them because Jesus Himself declared, "It is finished." The saints of God cling to these words. These words of justification were the basis and boundary for the lives of those dearly departed saints of God, even as they lived out their sinful lives in this sin-filled world. Did those saints do good works and wonderful things? Sure! But that's not why God called them saints. They didn't trust in those works or merits. Those good works were a result of their justification. The joy of their justification produced these fruits of faith. When it came down to it, they trusted in nothing but their justification in Christ alone, because of Christ alone. That's why they were (and are) saints of God.
And here's the thing that is so often forgotten on All Saints Day: We're saints too! All too often we think of the saints of God only in terms of those who died in the faith and have now gone home to heaven. My fellow redeemed: Look around you! You are surrounded by saints! You are surrounded by souls whom God has found to be in a state of blessedness. Why are they blessed? Because of faith, and faith alone in Christ alone. Now, does that faith produce good works and good fruits? Absolutely! That's only natural. Faith without works is dead. But take notice: The justified faith naturally produces good, sanctified fruits; not the other way around. Good works do not produce blessedness. In fact, as Scripture tells us, the good works we rely upon and present to God apart from the cross of Christ—the fruits that do not flow from the basis and boundary of justification, but rather flow from the depths of our own selfish, sinful natures—are viewed as nothing more than dirty, soiled rags; a dirty diaper.
May God bless you and keep you in the one, true saving faith; the faith that clings to the cross of Christ alone; the faith that is grounded in justification by God's grace alone because of Christ alone. My fellow saints and sinners: May God bless you and keep you continually grounded in your justification so that He may continually find you in the state and condition of saintly blessedness; blessedness that is known only through faith in Christ Jesus. May this Good News of your justification bring you peace that surpasses all human understanding, and may this same peace take root in your heart and bear abundant, faithful fruit in all that you say and do. May your confession of faith correspond to the fruits you bear. May there be no contrast. May you be, not a bane, but a blessing—God's justified and saintly blessing—to all those whom your Lord calls you to serve.
Prayer of the Church - All Saints’ Day - 1 November 2020
Standing with the great multitude of saints before the throne of God and the Lamb, let us join in prayer, praise and thanksgiving to the God of our salvation.
Mighty and eternal God, we remember before You the saints and martyrs of every generation, who trusted in You in the face of terror and threat. Grant that when facing persecution and trial in our own day, we may be steadfast in faith. Deliver those whom You have washed in Baptism, granting the new life that death cannot overcome. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, You established the Church and have granted her Your aid and protection through these many years. Continue to pour out upon us Your Spirit and grace, that we may accomplish Your bidding and proclaim Your saving name to every corner of the earth. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, we give You thanks for the faithful pastors who have spoken to us Your Word and the church workers who have served us in Your name. Grant that we may continue to receive their ministry of Word and Sacrament with willing ears and open hearts. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, we beg Your grace that our lives may be ordered by Your commands, and we ask You to bless those who govern us in Your name. Bless our president, the Congress, our governor, the legislature and all local officials, that pursuing the path of justice they may act with humility and honor for the good of all people. Give wisdom to all who vote this week, and bless its result, that our nation may elect our leaders peacefully and orderly. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, we rejoice that You have rescued us from the power of death and raised us in Christ to dwell with Him in everlasting life. Give to those who grieve the comfort of the promise of the resurrection of the dead and eternal life, and bestow Your peace upon the dying, that they may fall asleep here and awaken in Your glory. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, You have made us Your children, and You continue to guard us as Your own possession. According to Your will, give healing to the sick, calm to the troubled in mind, and patience to those facing sorrow and struggle. Give health and peace to our nation. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, show forth Your kindness to the poor and Your compassion to those who suffer injustice. Deliver us from the scourge of racism and prejudice, and help us to acknowledge our common life from Your creative power and our common redemption in Christ, our Savior. Lord… hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, we are unworthy of all Your blessings and do not deserve the mercies new every morning of our earthly lives. Give us the will and desire to care responsibly for all that You have entrusted to us and to be generous with those in need and for the support of Your Church and the work of Your Kingdom. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, Your Son has set His table among us in the presence of our enemies, giving us a foretaste of the eternal feast to come. Prepare us in heart and mind to come to this Sacrament and receive the blessing of His body and blood for our benefit. Deliver us from divisions that prevent our communion together, and bring us soon to the day when we will be fully united in doctrine and life to the glory of Your holy name. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty and eternal God, bring us to that day when every tear shall be wiped from our eyes and we shall hunger and thirst no more. Knowing You now by faith, we yearn for the day when we shall know You face to face. Until the dawn of that eternal day, keep us in Your faith and fear through our Good Shepherd and Lord, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
OCTOBER 25, 2020
SERMON AND PRAYERS
God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage – John 8:31-32
Today is Reformation Sunday. Next Saturday is the 503rd anniversary of Martin Luther posting the 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenberg. It became the triggering event that led to a reformation in the church.
Many people are confused about what the word reformation means. Reformation is not the same as revolution. It is not about innovation. It is not about creativity. Reformation is about getting back to the basics. Reformation is about going back to the truth.
Most of the time, when we Lutherans say “Reformation,” we mean the sixteenth century reformation in Europe. While that reformation was important while that reformation was a great event in world history, it is NOT the only reformation. In fact, there have been many reformations. We can find several of them in the Old Testament. For example:
“In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign. And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him.” (2 Kings 18:1,3-4a, 5) Hezekiah led people back to the truth. He brought back the true worship of the true God. That is what reformation is about getting back to the truth.
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. “In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.’ And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it before the king.”
“When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying, ‘Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.’" (2 Kings 22:1-13) Josiah's ancestors had strayed so far from the Lord that the Book of the Law got lost in the temple. When Josiah learned what the Book of the Law said, he and the members of his court became reformers. They were getting back to the truth.
There are many reformations in the Bible. Israel often strayed from the Lord, and God often sent a reformer to bring them back to the truth. In a way, Jesus Christ Himself was the greatest of all reformers, for He led the people back to the truth. In today's Gospel, we heard Him say, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32)
After Jesus ascended, He sent many people to lead the church back to the truth. Martin Luther is one of a long line of reformers that God used to bring a straying church back to the truth. We could say that because we are always straying from the truth, we always need reforming. We always need to get back to the truth. Reformation is not about starting something new. Instead, it is about getting back to the way things are supposed to be.
When Luther posted the 95 Theses, He had no intention of being a reformer. He only wanted to host a scholarly debate on indulgences. The 95 Theses were simply the points he wanted to debate. He not only posted them on the door of the church, but he also mailed them to people that he thought would be interested in the topic. He had no idea that he was exposing the corruption in the church. He had no idea that the church hierarchy would respond so aggressively.
As the church reacted to Luther's posting, they forced Luther to study the words of Holy Scripture in order to defend himself. As Luther immersed himself in Holy Scripture, he discovered a way of salvation that was very different from the teachings he had received as he grew up. The teaching that he received growing up filled him with terror and dread over his sins and the punishment he deserved. The teaching he discovered in Holy Scripture filled him with confidence in his salvation through Jesus Christ.
The Holy Scriptures taught Martin Luther that he had absolutely nothing to do with his salivation. Instead, Justification before God is solely through the righteousness of Christ, imputed to the believer, without the works of the law. If our salvation depends on Christ and Christ alone, then it is done. Jesus promised, and He died to keep that promise. It is just as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans: “There is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” (Romans 3:22-25)
Luther began to find this teaching everywhere in the Bible. The prophet Isaiah wrote: “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6) Then there is the promise the Lord made to Abraham: "In your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 22:18)
Our enemies, the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh, do not want you to know this truth. They continually tempt you to stray from it. They continually try to convince you that you don't need Jesus for salvation. The teachings of our enemies come in many ways. Nevertheless, in the end, they all want you to believe that you don't need the Jesus of the Bible.
The Universalist reasons that a loving god would never send people to hell. Therefore, everyone will go to heaven.
Others try to explain that the laws in the Bible were written for the primitive people of long ago. Since we have become so advanced, we no longer need to keep those laws.
Others judge themselves by the behavior of their other people. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” (Luke 18:11-12) Have you ever tried to convince a police officer not to give you a ticket because other people were driving faster than you were? It probably only made them mad.
Then there are the "good outweighs the bad" people. "Yes, I know I've done some really bad things, but I've also done a lot of good things. The good outweighs the bad, right?" I once saw a movie about a doctor who had an incredible knowledge of human anatomy. He used this knowledge to treat hundreds of thousands of patients. He saved the lives of thousands. Everyone thought of him as a miracle worker. Then the people learned that his knowledge of the human body came from the "experiments" he conducted in NAZI concentration camps. Eventually, the world court found him guilty of crimes against humanity. He spent the rest of his life in prison. After all the lives he saved, he was still guilty.
There are countless other ways in which our enemies try to convince us that we do not need Jesus. Paul's words in today's epistle tell us otherwise. “By works of the law no human being will be justified in [God's] sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” These words and many other verses in the bible tell us that there is nothing that we are on our own nothing that we can do in our own strength nothing that will earn or merit eternal life. Instead, God's divine law condemns us and shows our sin.
Our enemies constantly tempt us to stray. This is the reason God continually sends reformers people to call us back to the truth. This is the reason pastors need to constantly follow the example of Paul who wrote, "I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2) We need to constantly proclaim Christ crucified not Christ the life coach not Christ the divine example not Christ who was merely a good man, but Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, who led a perfect life and then exchanged His righteousness for your sin with His suffering and death on the cross who rose from the dead to give you absolute certainty of eternal life that even though you die, He will raise you and all the dead, and give eternal life to you and all believers in Christ.
The posting of the 95 Theses was like a small sound that triggers an avalanche. There are times when the deep snow accumulates in the mountains, and the smallest sound can trigger an avalanche of incredible power. Laughter, a sneeze, a shout, a baby's cry, and suddenly it is as if the side of the mountain has come to life villages buried lives lost and so forth. In October of 1517, all of Europe was like a mountain piled high with snow. Luther's 95 Theses set off a historical avalanche that we still feel today, an avalanche that restored the Gospel to the church and gave us comfort and confidence in our salvation. We give thanks for Martin Luther and his fellow reformers on this day. We also remember that we still stray, and God still works reformation in us to bring us back to the truth in His word. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Reformation Day (Observed) - 25 October 2020
Having confidence in our justification by grace through faith and having access to the Father in Jesus’ name, let us turn our hearts in prayer on behalf of ourselves, the Church and all people according to their needs.
O almighty God, You have shown Your faithfulness by raising up those in every generation who call Your Church to repentance and renewal. Continue to raise up voices in our own day who herald the truth of Your Word and proclaim the faith in purity and truth against all enemies. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Everlasting Father, You do not desire the death of the sinner but want all to come to faith and life in Christ. Raise up faithful pastors who will preach Your Word without fail and teach the doctrine delivered to the saints, that many may hear and believe. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Lord, Your Word has been the light and salvation throughout the ages. Help us to bring Your grace to those in darkness, and grant them freedom through the forgiveness of their sins. Bless the missionaries serving far and near and the new congregations they establish in Your name. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of power and might, You have established governments and the order of law for the protection of all people and to preserve the freedom to worship You in spirit and in truth. Grant to our president, our governor, the Congress of these United States, and the legislature of our state wisdom, humility and integrity, that all may enjoy true justice and the protection of life from its conception to its natural end. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy and gracious God, Your power is revealed chiefly in showing mercy to those in need. Give to the sick healing, to the troubled peace, to the grieving comfort and to the dying peace. Hear us first on behalf of _____________ and those we name in our hearts before You. According to Your gracious promise, grant patience to those in tribulation and trial. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You have given great gifts to Your people and provided resources to provide for their own needs and for the poor. Bless the agencies and programs of Your Church by which Your people give aid and support to those in need. Help us to provide gainful employment to all people, that they may enjoy the fruits of their labors and honor You with the works of their hands. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God and Father, Your own Son has set His table among us and gives His own flesh and blood to be the bread of heaven that feeds us everlasting life and the cup of salvation in which our thirst is satisfied forever. Give us Your Holy Spirit, that we may commune worthily and in repentance and faith feast upon His Holy Sacrament. Bring us at last to that day when all earthly divisions will cease and we will be one people before the altar of the Lord. Until that day, preserve among us Your Word and Sacraments. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O faithful Lord, throughout the ages You spoke hope through the prophets until that day when You delivered up Your own Son to be our Savior and Redeemer. Bless those who are just learning the Gospel, and bless us with the desire to know and keep Your Word. Encourage Your people to avail themselves of the grace of confession and absolution so that they may forgive one another and live in the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God and Father, we pray You to grant us all good things that will benefit us in body and soul and to prevent anything harmful to us or to our salvation. Teach us to live in contentment with Your will and purpose and in the freedom You alone supply to serve You with all our heart, mind, body and soul; all these things we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
SERMON AND PRAYERS
God’s Word Is Our Great Heritage – John 8:31-32
Today is Reformation Sunday. Next Saturday is the 503rd anniversary of Martin Luther posting the 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenberg. It became the triggering event that led to a reformation in the church.
Many people are confused about what the word reformation means. Reformation is not the same as revolution. It is not about innovation. It is not about creativity. Reformation is about getting back to the basics. Reformation is about going back to the truth.
Most of the time, when we Lutherans say “Reformation,” we mean the sixteenth century reformation in Europe. While that reformation was important while that reformation was a great event in world history, it is NOT the only reformation. In fact, there have been many reformations. We can find several of them in the Old Testament. For example:
“In the third year of Hoshea son of Elah, king of Israel, Hezekiah the son of Ahaz, king of Judah, began to reign. And he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father had done. He removed the high places and broke the pillars and cut down the Asherah. He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him.” (2 Kings 18:1,3-4a, 5) Hezekiah led people back to the truth. He brought back the true worship of the true God. That is what reformation is about getting back to the truth.
Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem. “In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found the Book of the Law in the house of the Lord.’ And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, and he read it before the king.”
“When the king heard the words of the Book of the Law, he tore his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Micaiah, and Shaphan the secretary, and Asaiah the king's servant, saying, ‘Go, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.’" (2 Kings 22:1-13) Josiah's ancestors had strayed so far from the Lord that the Book of the Law got lost in the temple. When Josiah learned what the Book of the Law said, he and the members of his court became reformers. They were getting back to the truth.
There are many reformations in the Bible. Israel often strayed from the Lord, and God often sent a reformer to bring them back to the truth. In a way, Jesus Christ Himself was the greatest of all reformers, for He led the people back to the truth. In today's Gospel, we heard Him say, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31-32)
After Jesus ascended, He sent many people to lead the church back to the truth. Martin Luther is one of a long line of reformers that God used to bring a straying church back to the truth. We could say that because we are always straying from the truth, we always need reforming. We always need to get back to the truth. Reformation is not about starting something new. Instead, it is about getting back to the way things are supposed to be.
When Luther posted the 95 Theses, He had no intention of being a reformer. He only wanted to host a scholarly debate on indulgences. The 95 Theses were simply the points he wanted to debate. He not only posted them on the door of the church, but he also mailed them to people that he thought would be interested in the topic. He had no idea that he was exposing the corruption in the church. He had no idea that the church hierarchy would respond so aggressively.
As the church reacted to Luther's posting, they forced Luther to study the words of Holy Scripture in order to defend himself. As Luther immersed himself in Holy Scripture, he discovered a way of salvation that was very different from the teachings he had received as he grew up. The teaching that he received growing up filled him with terror and dread over his sins and the punishment he deserved. The teaching he discovered in Holy Scripture filled him with confidence in his salvation through Jesus Christ.
The Holy Scriptures taught Martin Luther that he had absolutely nothing to do with his salivation. Instead, Justification before God is solely through the righteousness of Christ, imputed to the believer, without the works of the law. If our salvation depends on Christ and Christ alone, then it is done. Jesus promised, and He died to keep that promise. It is just as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Romans: “There is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” (Romans 3:22-25)
Luther began to find this teaching everywhere in the Bible. The prophet Isaiah wrote: “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6) Then there is the promise the Lord made to Abraham: "In your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 22:18)
Our enemies, the devil, the world, and our own sinful flesh, do not want you to know this truth. They continually tempt you to stray from it. They continually try to convince you that you don't need Jesus for salvation. The teachings of our enemies come in many ways. Nevertheless, in the end, they all want you to believe that you don't need the Jesus of the Bible.
The Universalist reasons that a loving god would never send people to hell. Therefore, everyone will go to heaven.
Others try to explain that the laws in the Bible were written for the primitive people of long ago. Since we have become so advanced, we no longer need to keep those laws.
Others judge themselves by the behavior of their other people. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” (Luke 18:11-12) Have you ever tried to convince a police officer not to give you a ticket because other people were driving faster than you were? It probably only made them mad.
Then there are the "good outweighs the bad" people. "Yes, I know I've done some really bad things, but I've also done a lot of good things. The good outweighs the bad, right?" I once saw a movie about a doctor who had an incredible knowledge of human anatomy. He used this knowledge to treat hundreds of thousands of patients. He saved the lives of thousands. Everyone thought of him as a miracle worker. Then the people learned that his knowledge of the human body came from the "experiments" he conducted in NAZI concentration camps. Eventually, the world court found him guilty of crimes against humanity. He spent the rest of his life in prison. After all the lives he saved, he was still guilty.
There are countless other ways in which our enemies try to convince us that we do not need Jesus. Paul's words in today's epistle tell us otherwise. “By works of the law no human being will be justified in [God's] sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” These words and many other verses in the bible tell us that there is nothing that we are on our own nothing that we can do in our own strength nothing that will earn or merit eternal life. Instead, God's divine law condemns us and shows our sin.
Our enemies constantly tempt us to stray. This is the reason God continually sends reformers people to call us back to the truth. This is the reason pastors need to constantly follow the example of Paul who wrote, "I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified." (1 Corinthians 2:2) We need to constantly proclaim Christ crucified not Christ the life coach not Christ the divine example not Christ who was merely a good man, but Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, who led a perfect life and then exchanged His righteousness for your sin with His suffering and death on the cross who rose from the dead to give you absolute certainty of eternal life that even though you die, He will raise you and all the dead, and give eternal life to you and all believers in Christ.
The posting of the 95 Theses was like a small sound that triggers an avalanche. There are times when the deep snow accumulates in the mountains, and the smallest sound can trigger an avalanche of incredible power. Laughter, a sneeze, a shout, a baby's cry, and suddenly it is as if the side of the mountain has come to life villages buried lives lost and so forth. In October of 1517, all of Europe was like a mountain piled high with snow. Luther's 95 Theses set off a historical avalanche that we still feel today, an avalanche that restored the Gospel to the church and gave us comfort and confidence in our salvation. We give thanks for Martin Luther and his fellow reformers on this day. We also remember that we still stray, and God still works reformation in us to bring us back to the truth in His word. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Reformation Day (Observed) - 25 October 2020
Having confidence in our justification by grace through faith and having access to the Father in Jesus’ name, let us turn our hearts in prayer on behalf of ourselves, the Church and all people according to their needs.
O almighty God, You have shown Your faithfulness by raising up those in every generation who call Your Church to repentance and renewal. Continue to raise up voices in our own day who herald the truth of Your Word and proclaim the faith in purity and truth against all enemies. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Everlasting Father, You do not desire the death of the sinner but want all to come to faith and life in Christ. Raise up faithful pastors who will preach Your Word without fail and teach the doctrine delivered to the saints, that many may hear and believe. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Lord, Your Word has been the light and salvation throughout the ages. Help us to bring Your grace to those in darkness, and grant them freedom through the forgiveness of their sins. Bless the missionaries serving far and near and the new congregations they establish in Your name. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of power and might, You have established governments and the order of law for the protection of all people and to preserve the freedom to worship You in spirit and in truth. Grant to our president, our governor, the Congress of these United States, and the legislature of our state wisdom, humility and integrity, that all may enjoy true justice and the protection of life from its conception to its natural end. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy and gracious God, Your power is revealed chiefly in showing mercy to those in need. Give to the sick healing, to the troubled peace, to the grieving comfort and to the dying peace. Hear us first on behalf of _____________ and those we name in our hearts before You. According to Your gracious promise, grant patience to those in tribulation and trial. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, You have given great gifts to Your people and provided resources to provide for their own needs and for the poor. Bless the agencies and programs of Your Church by which Your people give aid and support to those in need. Help us to provide gainful employment to all people, that they may enjoy the fruits of their labors and honor You with the works of their hands. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God and Father, Your own Son has set His table among us and gives His own flesh and blood to be the bread of heaven that feeds us everlasting life and the cup of salvation in which our thirst is satisfied forever. Give us Your Holy Spirit, that we may commune worthily and in repentance and faith feast upon His Holy Sacrament. Bring us at last to that day when all earthly divisions will cease and we will be one people before the altar of the Lord. Until that day, preserve among us Your Word and Sacraments. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O faithful Lord, throughout the ages You spoke hope through the prophets until that day when You delivered up Your own Son to be our Savior and Redeemer. Bless those who are just learning the Gospel, and bless us with the desire to know and keep Your Word. Encourage Your people to avail themselves of the grace of confession and absolution so that they may forgive one another and live in the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty God and Father, we pray You to grant us all good things that will benefit us in body and soul and to prevent anything harmful to us or to our salvation. Teach us to live in contentment with Your will and purpose and in the freedom You alone supply to serve You with all our heart, mind, body and soul; all these things we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
OCTOBER 18, 2020
SERMON AND PRAYERS
God’s Third Way – Matthew 22:15-22
Today's Gospel is a continuation of the teachings of Jesus a few days before He died on the cross for our sins. So far, we have heard the high priests and elders challenge Jesus' authority. When their challenge failed, Jesus began teaching in parables. Many of the parables exposed the corruption and hypocrisy among the religious leaders of that day. He was damaging their reputation … exposing their hypocrisy. Rather than repent and amend their sinful ways, they decided that they had to take Jesus down a notch or two. Today, we heard that the Pharisees sent a delegation to do just that.
The delegation was a strange mixture of two opposing viewpoints. “Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians.” (Matthew 22:15-16) In order to understand how strange this delegation is, we need to review a few cultural details. The reading mentions the Herodians. Herodians were people who supported the Herod family as rulers over Israel. The Herods were puppet kings of the Roman empire. They were not Jewish. They were Gentiles. Since the Herodians were big fans of the Herod family, they were also big fans of Roman rule. After all, it was the Romans who kept the Herods in power.
Then there were the Pharisees. We've met them before. One of the things we know about the Pharisees is that they tried very hard to keep the law of Moses. Well, the law of Moses said, "You may indeed set a king over you whom the Lord your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother." (Deuteronomy 17:15) Herod's rule was in direct contradiction to this passage in Deuteronomy.
Ordinarily the Pharisees and the Herodians were enemies. That is the reason that the delegation who came to Jesus that day was so strange. The fact that these two groups worked together to attack Jesus tells you something about how much they both hated Jesus.
So we've got two groups of people who are planning to entangle Jesus in His words. The disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians came to Jesus saying, "Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" (Matthew 22:16-17) The strategy is obvious. First you compliment a person to give him a false sense of security. Then you hit him with a "got-cha'" question.
The question was designed to put Jesus between a rock and a hard place. Remember that they are in the temple surrounded by Passover pilgrims. Many of those Passover pilgrims hate the Roman occupation. If Jesus answered, "Yes, it is lawful to pay taxes," then the people who hated the Roman occupation would hate Him too. If He answered no, then the Herodians would report Him to the Romans and get Him arrested. If He did not answer, then the crowd would label Him as a coward. The Herodians and the Pharisees thought they had Jesus in a no-win situation.
Those of you who have taken a course in logic should recognize that there is a false dichotomy in this question. A false dichotomy asks a question as though there are only two possible answers even though there may be more possibilities. The disciples of the Pharisees tried to convince Jesus that there were only two answers: "Yes, it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar," or "No, it is not." They didn't think that Jesus could come up with any other answers. They thought they had Jesus trapped.
Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? (Matthew 22:18) Jesus saw through their plan immediately. It was obvious that they were trying to trap Him. Everyone who heard the question knew that they were trying to trap Jesus, but Jesus could look at their heart and see the malice they had toward Him.
Although it was a trap, Jesus answered their question anyway. Show me the coin for the tax. And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, ‘Whose likeness and inscription is this?’ They said, ‘Caesar's.’ Then he said to them, ‘Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.’" (Matthew 22:19-21) Jesus exposed the false dichotomy. He came up with a third answer.
Jesus understood something that they did not. God is in control of both civil authority and religious authority. The physical kingdom of power and the spiritual kingdom of grace are not an "either / or," but a "both / and" situation. In the Old Testament Reading for today, Isaiah pointed out that Cyrus, the pagan king of Persia, despite all outward appearances, was God's instrument. The Lord used him to work out history for the ultimate good of his people. Likewise, when Pilate boasts of his authority either to punish Jesus or to let him go, Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin." (John 19:11)
When Jesus said, "Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's," he was telling us that Caesar and all government is God's instrument at work in the physical world. Obeying the laws of the land and participating in our democracy are a part of our obedience to God.
Now, while it is all well and good to learn that we are to be faithful to the government that God has placed over us, there is more to learn from this reading. The delegation of Pharisees and Herodians tried to trap Jesus with a false dichotomy. What false dichotomies do the forces of evil use against you? Very often our own sinful flesh presents with the false dichotomy of false belief and despair.
False belief looks at God's law in a superficial way and says, "Hey, I can do that." False belief says things like: "I lead a pretty good life. I've never murdered anyone or robbed a bank or anything like that. I'm faithful to my wife. I spend time with my kids. Yeah, I think there's a pretty good chance that I'll end up in heaven." This is the false belief of self-righteousness. This is the false belief that we often associate with the Pharisees. The law is doable, and I am doing it. When you trust your own ability to do good, that is a belief that is false. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8)
The other part of the false dichotomy is despair. Here we find some very honest people. They have looked at God's law thoroughly and deeply. They fully understand that they cannot keep it. An interview with these people would find thoughts such as, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks. I am just too old to be saved." "No matter how hard I try, it just isn't good enough." "After all I have done, there is no way that God will let me into heaven." This is despair. The Biblical poster child for despair is Judas who hanged himself after he betrayed Jesus. These are people who believe that their sin is stronger than God's forgiveness.
The two parts of this false dichotomy have something in common. They both depend on self. False belief lies and says, "I am good enough to get into heaven." Despair says, "I am not good enough to get into heaven." Every time we look to self, we get pulled into one of these two choices. Even those who say, "I will do my best and God will do the rest," have chosen false belief. If all I think about is what I can do for myself, then these are the only two possibilities.
In today's Gospel, Jesus answered with a third way. In a similar way, He breaks into our lives to offer us a third way. Those who live in despair are right about one thing: We can't live the perfect life needed for eternal salvation, but Jesus did. He lived a perfect, sinless life. A few days after the events in today's Gospel, He died a sacrificial death on the cross. The following Sunday, He rose from the dead. Forty days after that, He ascended into heaven. He did all the things that we confess in the creed and did them all for us. He provided a third way a way that leads to eternal life.
In today's Gospel [Jesus] said, "Therefore render to God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:21) With His sacrificial death, Jesus rendered to God the payment for the sin of the world that is every sin for every person who has ever lived for every person who lives now and for every person who will ever live until the end of time. He has paid for your sin. He has paid for my sin. All our sins are paid in full.
The Pharisees and the Herodians in today's Gospel tried to make Jesus irrelevant by asking a trick question. When that didn't work, they gave up on subtlety. They decided that the only way to remove Jesus from the scene was to remove Him from this life - to kill Him. During the next few days they carried out their plan and arranged to have Jesus crucified. When Jesus was dead, the powers of sin, death, and the devil thought they had won. They didn't understand that the death of Jesus is His greatest victory.
It is by this victory that we receive forgiveness, life, and salvation. It is by this victory that even though we die, we shall rise again. For Jesus Himself did not remain in the grave, but became the first fruits of those who rise from the dead. His resurrection is the assurance that the work He did on the cross is the ultimate victory - the assurance that false belief and despair are our only choices, but Jesus has given Himself as a third choice that leads to everlasting life.
The coin in today's Gospel had an image. On the cross Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews is the image of the invisible God. In that image you see what the God of the universe has done to make you his own! “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32) Amen
Prayer of the Church - Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost - 18 October 2020
Let us pray to the Lord on behalf of His Church and for all people as they have need.
God our Father, You have invited us to raise our prayers to You in the name of Jesus, Your beloved Son, and have promised to hear and answer us with all that is best for us. Give us confidence, that we may call upon You as the people of Your name, and teach us to be content with what Your wisdom and love supply. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God our Father, You have appointed on earth governments and institutions that are accountable to You. Bless our nation and those in authority over us, and teach us to be good and faithful citizens who willingly supply the resources needed to provide for the common good. Though we are quick to judge and condemn what we dislike, give us patience and wisdom, that we may encourage and support those who carry the heavy mantle of leadership. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God our Father, You have set apart a people for Yourself and washed them in the blood of the Lamb to be Your own, to live under You in Your Kingdom forevermore. Give us faith, that we may daily be restored through repentance and forgiveness, and renew our hearts and spirits in the causes of holiness, righteousness and faithfulness all our days. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God our Father, You daily and richly supply all things needful for this body and life, and You have provided for us everlasting life in Christ. Give us a clean heart and a new heart so that we may not be deceived or distracted by things temporal, but rejoice and remain focused on the eternal things won for us by our Savior’s death and resurrection. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God our Father, You have loved and chosen us according to Your mercy and called us through the living voice of Your Word. Grant to us the healthful Spirit of Your grace, that what You have begun in us may be brought to completion when Christ appears in His glory on the Last Day. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God our Father, You have given us not only bread for the body but the Word that endures forever. We come to our Lord’s table, at His invitation, to receive the gift of His flesh and blood in this Holy Sacrament. Give us grace, that what we have received with our lips we may keep in holy lives. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God our Father, Your Son has borne the weight of our sins and carried the weakness of our flesh in His body on the cross. Be with the sick, the suffering, the grieving and the dying in their hour of need. [We especially remember before You _____________ and those we name in our hearts. (Brief silence.)] We ask that everyone who calls on You may find comfort in Your presence, healing according to Your will and be sustained through their afflictions. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Remembering St. Luke, the blessed evangelist; St. James of Jerusalem; and Sts. Simon and Jude, apostles, we recall the saints of old who loved You and served Your name. We commend all things to Your mercy in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, trusting that You will hear us and answer us through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
SERMON AND PRAYERS
God’s Third Way – Matthew 22:15-22
Today's Gospel is a continuation of the teachings of Jesus a few days before He died on the cross for our sins. So far, we have heard the high priests and elders challenge Jesus' authority. When their challenge failed, Jesus began teaching in parables. Many of the parables exposed the corruption and hypocrisy among the religious leaders of that day. He was damaging their reputation … exposing their hypocrisy. Rather than repent and amend their sinful ways, they decided that they had to take Jesus down a notch or two. Today, we heard that the Pharisees sent a delegation to do just that.
The delegation was a strange mixture of two opposing viewpoints. “Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians.” (Matthew 22:15-16) In order to understand how strange this delegation is, we need to review a few cultural details. The reading mentions the Herodians. Herodians were people who supported the Herod family as rulers over Israel. The Herods were puppet kings of the Roman empire. They were not Jewish. They were Gentiles. Since the Herodians were big fans of the Herod family, they were also big fans of Roman rule. After all, it was the Romans who kept the Herods in power.
Then there were the Pharisees. We've met them before. One of the things we know about the Pharisees is that they tried very hard to keep the law of Moses. Well, the law of Moses said, "You may indeed set a king over you whom the Lord your God will choose. One from among your brothers you shall set as king over you. You may not put a foreigner over you, who is not your brother." (Deuteronomy 17:15) Herod's rule was in direct contradiction to this passage in Deuteronomy.
Ordinarily the Pharisees and the Herodians were enemies. That is the reason that the delegation who came to Jesus that day was so strange. The fact that these two groups worked together to attack Jesus tells you something about how much they both hated Jesus.
So we've got two groups of people who are planning to entangle Jesus in His words. The disciples of the Pharisees and the Herodians came to Jesus saying, "Teacher, we know that you are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and you do not care about anyone's opinion, for you are not swayed by appearances. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" (Matthew 22:16-17) The strategy is obvious. First you compliment a person to give him a false sense of security. Then you hit him with a "got-cha'" question.
The question was designed to put Jesus between a rock and a hard place. Remember that they are in the temple surrounded by Passover pilgrims. Many of those Passover pilgrims hate the Roman occupation. If Jesus answered, "Yes, it is lawful to pay taxes," then the people who hated the Roman occupation would hate Him too. If He answered no, then the Herodians would report Him to the Romans and get Him arrested. If He did not answer, then the crowd would label Him as a coward. The Herodians and the Pharisees thought they had Jesus in a no-win situation.
Those of you who have taken a course in logic should recognize that there is a false dichotomy in this question. A false dichotomy asks a question as though there are only two possible answers even though there may be more possibilities. The disciples of the Pharisees tried to convince Jesus that there were only two answers: "Yes, it is lawful to pay taxes to Caesar," or "No, it is not." They didn't think that Jesus could come up with any other answers. They thought they had Jesus trapped.
Jesus, aware of their malice, said, "Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? (Matthew 22:18) Jesus saw through their plan immediately. It was obvious that they were trying to trap Him. Everyone who heard the question knew that they were trying to trap Jesus, but Jesus could look at their heart and see the malice they had toward Him.
Although it was a trap, Jesus answered their question anyway. Show me the coin for the tax. And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, ‘Whose likeness and inscription is this?’ They said, ‘Caesar's.’ Then he said to them, ‘Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.’" (Matthew 22:19-21) Jesus exposed the false dichotomy. He came up with a third answer.
Jesus understood something that they did not. God is in control of both civil authority and religious authority. The physical kingdom of power and the spiritual kingdom of grace are not an "either / or," but a "both / and" situation. In the Old Testament Reading for today, Isaiah pointed out that Cyrus, the pagan king of Persia, despite all outward appearances, was God's instrument. The Lord used him to work out history for the ultimate good of his people. Likewise, when Pilate boasts of his authority either to punish Jesus or to let him go, Jesus answered him, "You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin." (John 19:11)
When Jesus said, "Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's," he was telling us that Caesar and all government is God's instrument at work in the physical world. Obeying the laws of the land and participating in our democracy are a part of our obedience to God.
Now, while it is all well and good to learn that we are to be faithful to the government that God has placed over us, there is more to learn from this reading. The delegation of Pharisees and Herodians tried to trap Jesus with a false dichotomy. What false dichotomies do the forces of evil use against you? Very often our own sinful flesh presents with the false dichotomy of false belief and despair.
False belief looks at God's law in a superficial way and says, "Hey, I can do that." False belief says things like: "I lead a pretty good life. I've never murdered anyone or robbed a bank or anything like that. I'm faithful to my wife. I spend time with my kids. Yeah, I think there's a pretty good chance that I'll end up in heaven." This is the false belief of self-righteousness. This is the false belief that we often associate with the Pharisees. The law is doable, and I am doing it. When you trust your own ability to do good, that is a belief that is false. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8)
The other part of the false dichotomy is despair. Here we find some very honest people. They have looked at God's law thoroughly and deeply. They fully understand that they cannot keep it. An interview with these people would find thoughts such as, "You can't teach an old dog new tricks. I am just too old to be saved." "No matter how hard I try, it just isn't good enough." "After all I have done, there is no way that God will let me into heaven." This is despair. The Biblical poster child for despair is Judas who hanged himself after he betrayed Jesus. These are people who believe that their sin is stronger than God's forgiveness.
The two parts of this false dichotomy have something in common. They both depend on self. False belief lies and says, "I am good enough to get into heaven." Despair says, "I am not good enough to get into heaven." Every time we look to self, we get pulled into one of these two choices. Even those who say, "I will do my best and God will do the rest," have chosen false belief. If all I think about is what I can do for myself, then these are the only two possibilities.
In today's Gospel, Jesus answered with a third way. In a similar way, He breaks into our lives to offer us a third way. Those who live in despair are right about one thing: We can't live the perfect life needed for eternal salvation, but Jesus did. He lived a perfect, sinless life. A few days after the events in today's Gospel, He died a sacrificial death on the cross. The following Sunday, He rose from the dead. Forty days after that, He ascended into heaven. He did all the things that we confess in the creed and did them all for us. He provided a third way a way that leads to eternal life.
In today's Gospel [Jesus] said, "Therefore render to God the things that are God's." (Matthew 22:21) With His sacrificial death, Jesus rendered to God the payment for the sin of the world that is every sin for every person who has ever lived for every person who lives now and for every person who will ever live until the end of time. He has paid for your sin. He has paid for my sin. All our sins are paid in full.
The Pharisees and the Herodians in today's Gospel tried to make Jesus irrelevant by asking a trick question. When that didn't work, they gave up on subtlety. They decided that the only way to remove Jesus from the scene was to remove Him from this life - to kill Him. During the next few days they carried out their plan and arranged to have Jesus crucified. When Jesus was dead, the powers of sin, death, and the devil thought they had won. They didn't understand that the death of Jesus is His greatest victory.
It is by this victory that we receive forgiveness, life, and salvation. It is by this victory that even though we die, we shall rise again. For Jesus Himself did not remain in the grave, but became the first fruits of those who rise from the dead. His resurrection is the assurance that the work He did on the cross is the ultimate victory - the assurance that false belief and despair are our only choices, but Jesus has given Himself as a third choice that leads to everlasting life.
The coin in today's Gospel had an image. On the cross Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews is the image of the invisible God. In that image you see what the God of the universe has done to make you his own! “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32) Amen
Prayer of the Church - Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost - 18 October 2020
Let us pray to the Lord on behalf of His Church and for all people as they have need.
God our Father, You have invited us to raise our prayers to You in the name of Jesus, Your beloved Son, and have promised to hear and answer us with all that is best for us. Give us confidence, that we may call upon You as the people of Your name, and teach us to be content with what Your wisdom and love supply. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God our Father, You have appointed on earth governments and institutions that are accountable to You. Bless our nation and those in authority over us, and teach us to be good and faithful citizens who willingly supply the resources needed to provide for the common good. Though we are quick to judge and condemn what we dislike, give us patience and wisdom, that we may encourage and support those who carry the heavy mantle of leadership. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God our Father, You have set apart a people for Yourself and washed them in the blood of the Lamb to be Your own, to live under You in Your Kingdom forevermore. Give us faith, that we may daily be restored through repentance and forgiveness, and renew our hearts and spirits in the causes of holiness, righteousness and faithfulness all our days. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God our Father, You daily and richly supply all things needful for this body and life, and You have provided for us everlasting life in Christ. Give us a clean heart and a new heart so that we may not be deceived or distracted by things temporal, but rejoice and remain focused on the eternal things won for us by our Savior’s death and resurrection. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God our Father, You have loved and chosen us according to Your mercy and called us through the living voice of Your Word. Grant to us the healthful Spirit of Your grace, that what You have begun in us may be brought to completion when Christ appears in His glory on the Last Day. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God our Father, You have given us not only bread for the body but the Word that endures forever. We come to our Lord’s table, at His invitation, to receive the gift of His flesh and blood in this Holy Sacrament. Give us grace, that what we have received with our lips we may keep in holy lives. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God our Father, Your Son has borne the weight of our sins and carried the weakness of our flesh in His body on the cross. Be with the sick, the suffering, the grieving and the dying in their hour of need. [We especially remember before You _____________ and those we name in our hearts. (Brief silence.)] We ask that everyone who calls on You may find comfort in Your presence, healing according to Your will and be sustained through their afflictions. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Remembering St. Luke, the blessed evangelist; St. James of Jerusalem; and Sts. Simon and Jude, apostles, we recall the saints of old who loved You and served Your name. We commend all things to Your mercy in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, trusting that You will hear us and answer us through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
OCTOBER 11, 2020
SERMON AND PRAYERS
The Wedding Feast – Matthew 22:1-14
Today's Gospel is still part of the conversation that began when the high priests and elders asked Jesus about His authority. It is probably Tuesday of Holy Week. Jesus continued to use parables as He taught. This time, the parable is about a royal wedding. The traditions of first century royal weddings are very different from our modern traditions. One of the ways to understand a text like this is to imagine the same customs as they might happen in our time and place. So, imagine a first century Israeli wedding transplanted into the 21st century. And you are there.
One day, a special courier shows up at your home with an invitation from the royal family. The king and queen would like you and your family to attend the wedding of the prince. The courier explains that you and your family will spend ten days as royal guests. The courier waits for your reply and you say, "Yes, of course!" Then you and your spouse get out your appointment books and re-arrange your calendars so that you can attend.
The day arrives and a limousine arrives for you and your family. The chauffeur seems a little nervous. You ask what's wrong and he tells you that some of his friends were killed when they went to pick up some of the other guests. The king sent his guards to arrest the murderers and hold them for trial. Why would people kill a chauffeur when all he wants to do is escort them to a once in a lifetime event? Thankfully, the limo takes you to the airport. A private jet takes you to the royal airport. Another limo takes you to the wedding hall. The wedding hall staff escorts you to a luxury suite for you and your family. Even though it has been an exciting day, you and your family are exhausted. Soon, everyone is off to bed and asleep.
The next morning, after breakfast, a very familiar looking man approaches you. "Good morning," He says, "I hope you had a good breakfast. My name is Giorgio. The king has commissioned me to supervise the wardrobe of his guests." He then motioned to a woman standing next to him, and said, "This is Sarah. If the ladies in your party would follow her, and the gentlemen would follow me, we will introduce you to our staffs who will prepare the clothing you will wear at the celebration." You suddenly realize that Sarah is the same Sarah Burton who designed Kate Middleton's wedding dress, and Giorgio is Giorgio Armani. The king is giving you wedding clothes designed specifically for you by two of the most famous fashion designers in the world.
A few days later, all is ready. Servants arrive in your suite to work on your appearance. It's like a morning at the spa. They work on your hair, give you manicures, pedicures, and so forth. About noon, other servants bring your new wardrobe and help you get dressed. You and your family look like a million bucks. You are ready to go to the wedding.
The wedding is everything that a royal wedding can be. The prince is dashing. His bride is gorgeous. The king and queen are elegant. There are orchestras, choirs, a pipe organ of course, and all the clergy of the land in attendance.
After the wedding, there is a marvelous reception. World class chefs have prepared their best food. The best wine of the royal vineyard is there. The best musicians of the land take their turn in the dance hall. It is all marvelous. As you take in the sights and the sounds around you, you wonder how it was that you and your family were so blessed to be in this place at this time.
Suddenly, there is a disturbance. You hear the king shout, "Guards! Detain this man!" As you move to get a better view, you see a man standing before the king and he is definitely not wearing Armani. Amidst all the elegance of this wedding celebration, the man looks very shabby. Then the king said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' (Matthew 22:12) Although the king had given clothes to everyone and commissioned some of the best fashion designers in the world to design those clothes, this man was wearing casual street clothes. What an insult to the king and his generosity. The king had the man arrested and taken away.
That is how someone might tell the parable if it happened today instead of back in the first century. The big difference is the emphasis on clothing and fashion in the 21st century version. When Jesus first told this parable, he was talking to people who knew that a king always provided special wedding clothes for his guests. When a king held a royal wedding, he not only provided lodging and food for his guests, but he provided special clothes for them as well. Jesus did not have to mention it because everyone who heard him knew that this is how it was done.
So what does this parable have to teach us today? It is very easy for us to look through the pages of the Old Testament and see the many ways that people rejected the prophets. We hear how the people put the prophets in prison, drove them out of their homes, and put them to death, and we rightly condemn such activity. We hear that of the original twelve apostles, only John died of old age. All the others died martyrs' deaths. We wonder at such cruelty and once again, condemn it. It is very easy to point a finger of condemnation at people who lived long ago and far away, but what about you and me. What does Jesus say to us today?
You are gathered in the king's wedding hall right now. The smallest chapel … the largest cathedral … they are places where God comes to be with His people. This is the place of the wedding feast of the lamb that John described in Revelation. Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure” for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." (Revelation 19:6-9)
The man who refused to wear the king's clothes is a warning to you and me today. The king condemned him because he refused the king's clothes. How are we dressed?
Imagine what this man had to do to get into the wedding hall without the right clothes. When he arrived, the servants of the king came to him and offered to clean him up and heal his wounds. They offered him clothing that was just the right style for the feast. They wanted to give him everything he needed to fully enjoy the wedding banquet of the king. The servants offered it all and he refused. He insisted on doing things his way instead of the king's way. He insisted on wearing his clothes instead of the king's clothes. He entered the wedding hall, but rejected the gifts of the king.
God wants to remove the filthy fashion of sin and clothe you in the heavenly style the robes of Christ's righteousness. Hear the words that the Lord gave to Isaiah and that we read earlier in the Introit. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)
The righteousness of Christ is a very expensive style. Jesus had to buy this style with His holy, precious blood, and His innocent suffering and death. When Jesus shed His precious blood on the cross, He washed away your sin and covered you with the righteousness of His holy life. The righteousness of Jesus Christ is the only style that is elegant enough for eternal life. It is the only style that you can wear to the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Sadly, Jesus teaches that there are those who reject the style of heaven. Jesus says that there will always be some in the banquet hall of heaven who insist on wearing their own clothes their clothes of arrogance, narcissism, self-righteousness, adultery, hatred, and so forth. The old sinful nature insists that he is good enough. He has no sin. He does not need the heavenly style of the righteousness of Christ. His style is just fine. "Besides," the old sinful nature will say, "A loving god doesn't really send people to hell."
Jesus tells it differently. The party crasher may have been able to fool the servants, but the servants are not the ultimate judge. We must all stand before almighty God. There is but one verdict for those who trust themselves and refuse the clothing of the righteousness of Christ. Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' (Matthew 22:13) Those who reject Christ, reject salvation. Those who in any way depend on their own efforts for even the smallest fraction of their salvation will meet the king and He will order them out of the wedding hall.
“The king said to his servants, 'Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.'” (Matthew 22:8-9) It is a different story for these. The Holy Spirit works through His precious gifts to bring them to the wedding hall and wash away all their sins. He covers them with the righteousness of Christ, the righteousness earned on the cross. The day will come when they, like Christ, will rise from the dead and enter the wedding feast of the Lamb. There they will receive the fulfillment of today's Old Testament lesson:
“On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 25:6-8) They will rejoice at the eternal wedding feast of the Lamb. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost - 11 October 2020
Invited by Your Word and encouraged by Your promise of mercy we pray: Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the Church, for the leaders of the Church, for all pastors and missionaries, for those preparing for church vocations, and for those considering full-time church service; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the blessing of marriage and the faithfulness of husbands and wives, for the children entrusted to their care, for the loving care of children who have suffered abuse or neglect, and for those who open their homes to children in foster care; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for a welcoming spirit in our congregation, for boldness in our invitation to those without a church home, and for a willingness to serve our neighbor in need and the stranger whose lives cross our paths; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for compassion toward the sick and those who suffer, for our care of those who need our assistance, for the hospitalized and those recovering, and especially for _____________ and those we name in our hearts, that God may grant them healing, comfort, strength and peace; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for all elected and appointed civil servants, for all judges and magistrates, for all emergency personnel, for all members of the armed forces, and for all of us as citizens and neighbors; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the dawn of God’s eternal day, for an end to death and sorrow, for the comfort of those who grieve, [especially _____________,] and for the strength of those facing death; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for our communion upon the body and blood of the Lord, and for hearts that burn with desire for the marriage feast of the Lamb in His Kingdom without end; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those preparing for Baptism, for the catechumens, and for the places where we gather to teach and learn God’s Word; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for gratitude in receiving the Lord’s gifts and blessings, for generosity in sharing these resources with those in need, and for the tithes and offerings to support the work of the Kingdom in this place; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for grace, that we may hear and heed the invitation of our Lord and joyfully wear the baptismal clothing of His righteousness; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
All these things, Lord, we pray You to grant us according to Your mercy in Jesus Christ and to fill us with contentment, that trusting in Your gracious will for all things, our hearts may enjoy perfect rest and peace; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
SERMON AND PRAYERS
The Wedding Feast – Matthew 22:1-14
Today's Gospel is still part of the conversation that began when the high priests and elders asked Jesus about His authority. It is probably Tuesday of Holy Week. Jesus continued to use parables as He taught. This time, the parable is about a royal wedding. The traditions of first century royal weddings are very different from our modern traditions. One of the ways to understand a text like this is to imagine the same customs as they might happen in our time and place. So, imagine a first century Israeli wedding transplanted into the 21st century. And you are there.
One day, a special courier shows up at your home with an invitation from the royal family. The king and queen would like you and your family to attend the wedding of the prince. The courier explains that you and your family will spend ten days as royal guests. The courier waits for your reply and you say, "Yes, of course!" Then you and your spouse get out your appointment books and re-arrange your calendars so that you can attend.
The day arrives and a limousine arrives for you and your family. The chauffeur seems a little nervous. You ask what's wrong and he tells you that some of his friends were killed when they went to pick up some of the other guests. The king sent his guards to arrest the murderers and hold them for trial. Why would people kill a chauffeur when all he wants to do is escort them to a once in a lifetime event? Thankfully, the limo takes you to the airport. A private jet takes you to the royal airport. Another limo takes you to the wedding hall. The wedding hall staff escorts you to a luxury suite for you and your family. Even though it has been an exciting day, you and your family are exhausted. Soon, everyone is off to bed and asleep.
The next morning, after breakfast, a very familiar looking man approaches you. "Good morning," He says, "I hope you had a good breakfast. My name is Giorgio. The king has commissioned me to supervise the wardrobe of his guests." He then motioned to a woman standing next to him, and said, "This is Sarah. If the ladies in your party would follow her, and the gentlemen would follow me, we will introduce you to our staffs who will prepare the clothing you will wear at the celebration." You suddenly realize that Sarah is the same Sarah Burton who designed Kate Middleton's wedding dress, and Giorgio is Giorgio Armani. The king is giving you wedding clothes designed specifically for you by two of the most famous fashion designers in the world.
A few days later, all is ready. Servants arrive in your suite to work on your appearance. It's like a morning at the spa. They work on your hair, give you manicures, pedicures, and so forth. About noon, other servants bring your new wardrobe and help you get dressed. You and your family look like a million bucks. You are ready to go to the wedding.
The wedding is everything that a royal wedding can be. The prince is dashing. His bride is gorgeous. The king and queen are elegant. There are orchestras, choirs, a pipe organ of course, and all the clergy of the land in attendance.
After the wedding, there is a marvelous reception. World class chefs have prepared their best food. The best wine of the royal vineyard is there. The best musicians of the land take their turn in the dance hall. It is all marvelous. As you take in the sights and the sounds around you, you wonder how it was that you and your family were so blessed to be in this place at this time.
Suddenly, there is a disturbance. You hear the king shout, "Guards! Detain this man!" As you move to get a better view, you see a man standing before the king and he is definitely not wearing Armani. Amidst all the elegance of this wedding celebration, the man looks very shabby. Then the king said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' (Matthew 22:12) Although the king had given clothes to everyone and commissioned some of the best fashion designers in the world to design those clothes, this man was wearing casual street clothes. What an insult to the king and his generosity. The king had the man arrested and taken away.
That is how someone might tell the parable if it happened today instead of back in the first century. The big difference is the emphasis on clothing and fashion in the 21st century version. When Jesus first told this parable, he was talking to people who knew that a king always provided special wedding clothes for his guests. When a king held a royal wedding, he not only provided lodging and food for his guests, but he provided special clothes for them as well. Jesus did not have to mention it because everyone who heard him knew that this is how it was done.
So what does this parable have to teach us today? It is very easy for us to look through the pages of the Old Testament and see the many ways that people rejected the prophets. We hear how the people put the prophets in prison, drove them out of their homes, and put them to death, and we rightly condemn such activity. We hear that of the original twelve apostles, only John died of old age. All the others died martyrs' deaths. We wonder at such cruelty and once again, condemn it. It is very easy to point a finger of condemnation at people who lived long ago and far away, but what about you and me. What does Jesus say to us today?
You are gathered in the king's wedding hall right now. The smallest chapel … the largest cathedral … they are places where God comes to be with His people. This is the place of the wedding feast of the lamb that John described in Revelation. Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure” for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." (Revelation 19:6-9)
The man who refused to wear the king's clothes is a warning to you and me today. The king condemned him because he refused the king's clothes. How are we dressed?
Imagine what this man had to do to get into the wedding hall without the right clothes. When he arrived, the servants of the king came to him and offered to clean him up and heal his wounds. They offered him clothing that was just the right style for the feast. They wanted to give him everything he needed to fully enjoy the wedding banquet of the king. The servants offered it all and he refused. He insisted on doing things his way instead of the king's way. He insisted on wearing his clothes instead of the king's clothes. He entered the wedding hall, but rejected the gifts of the king.
God wants to remove the filthy fashion of sin and clothe you in the heavenly style the robes of Christ's righteousness. Hear the words that the Lord gave to Isaiah and that we read earlier in the Introit. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. (Isaiah 61:10)
The righteousness of Christ is a very expensive style. Jesus had to buy this style with His holy, precious blood, and His innocent suffering and death. When Jesus shed His precious blood on the cross, He washed away your sin and covered you with the righteousness of His holy life. The righteousness of Jesus Christ is the only style that is elegant enough for eternal life. It is the only style that you can wear to the wedding feast of the Lamb.
Sadly, Jesus teaches that there are those who reject the style of heaven. Jesus says that there will always be some in the banquet hall of heaven who insist on wearing their own clothes their clothes of arrogance, narcissism, self-righteousness, adultery, hatred, and so forth. The old sinful nature insists that he is good enough. He has no sin. He does not need the heavenly style of the righteousness of Christ. His style is just fine. "Besides," the old sinful nature will say, "A loving god doesn't really send people to hell."
Jesus tells it differently. The party crasher may have been able to fool the servants, but the servants are not the ultimate judge. We must all stand before almighty God. There is but one verdict for those who trust themselves and refuse the clothing of the righteousness of Christ. Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' (Matthew 22:13) Those who reject Christ, reject salvation. Those who in any way depend on their own efforts for even the smallest fraction of their salvation will meet the king and He will order them out of the wedding hall.
“The king said to his servants, 'Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.'” (Matthew 22:8-9) It is a different story for these. The Holy Spirit works through His precious gifts to bring them to the wedding hall and wash away all their sins. He covers them with the righteousness of Christ, the righteousness earned on the cross. The day will come when they, like Christ, will rise from the dead and enter the wedding feast of the Lamb. There they will receive the fulfillment of today's Old Testament lesson:
“On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.” (Isaiah 25:6-8) They will rejoice at the eternal wedding feast of the Lamb. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost - 11 October 2020
Invited by Your Word and encouraged by Your promise of mercy we pray: Lord in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the Church, for the leaders of the Church, for all pastors and missionaries, for those preparing for church vocations, and for those considering full-time church service; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the blessing of marriage and the faithfulness of husbands and wives, for the children entrusted to their care, for the loving care of children who have suffered abuse or neglect, and for those who open their homes to children in foster care; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for a welcoming spirit in our congregation, for boldness in our invitation to those without a church home, and for a willingness to serve our neighbor in need and the stranger whose lives cross our paths; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for compassion toward the sick and those who suffer, for our care of those who need our assistance, for the hospitalized and those recovering, and especially for _____________ and those we name in our hearts, that God may grant them healing, comfort, strength and peace; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for all elected and appointed civil servants, for all judges and magistrates, for all emergency personnel, for all members of the armed forces, and for all of us as citizens and neighbors; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for the dawn of God’s eternal day, for an end to death and sorrow, for the comfort of those who grieve, [especially _____________,] and for the strength of those facing death; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for our communion upon the body and blood of the Lord, and for hearts that burn with desire for the marriage feast of the Lamb in His Kingdom without end; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for those preparing for Baptism, for the catechumens, and for the places where we gather to teach and learn God’s Word; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for gratitude in receiving the Lord’s gifts and blessings, for generosity in sharing these resources with those in need, and for the tithes and offerings to support the work of the Kingdom in this place; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
We pray for grace, that we may hear and heed the invitation of our Lord and joyfully wear the baptismal clothing of His righteousness; Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
All these things, Lord, we pray You to grant us according to Your mercy in Jesus Christ and to fill us with contentment, that trusting in Your gracious will for all things, our hearts may enjoy perfect rest and peace; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
OCTOBER 4,, 2020
SERMON AND PRAYERS
Grace for All – Matthew 21:33-46
Last week, we heard about an encounter between Jesus and the chief priests and the elders. It was Holy Week. On the first day of the week, Jesus rode a donkey from the Mount of Olives to the temple while the Passover pilgrims praised him. Then he chased the merchants and money-changers out of the temple. After that, He healed some people. When Jesus returned to the temple to teach, the chief priests and the elders were waiting to check Him out. When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” (Matthew 21:23) Jesus responded with a question of His own, “The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” (Matthew 21:25) The temple authorities were afraid to answer Jesus’ question and so Jesus declined to answer their question. This is where last week’s reading came to an end.
However, just because last week’s reading came to an end, that does not mean that Jesus stopped talking to the chief priests and the elders. Jesus continued to speak with them and about them. The reading we just heard is just one of the parables that Jesus told while He was in the temple that day.
Keep a few things in the back of your mind as we go through this parable. Many of the events represented in the parable would happen in less than a week. In a few days, Judas will betray Jesus. In less than a week, Jesus will suffer, die on the cross, and rise from the dead. The chief priests and the elders were already having secret talks about how to destroy Jesus. Jesus knew that this was coming when He told this story.
Jesus painted a word picture for His listeners. He said, “Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. (Matthew 21:33–34) The setup for this parable is very familiar territory. No doubt many of the Passover Pilgrims who listened to Jesus had seen vineyards just like the one in this parable. His listeners would be very familiar with the idea of renting land for a share of the crops it produced. There may even have been vineyard owners and workers listening to Jesus when He told the parable
Within the context of this parable, the landowner represented God. The vineyard represented Israel. The many details involved in the planting of the vineyard … the fence, the tower, the winepress, and so forth show that God has blessed Israel with all it needs to thrive and grow. The tenants represent the spiritual leadership of the nation. In the current circumstances, that would be chief priests and the elders of the people … the same people who asked about Jesus’ authority. The servants who came to collect the crop would be God’s servants … especially His prophets. The fruit they expected would be repentance and faith.
After Jesus setup the backdrop of the parable, He started making His point. “The tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.” (Matthew 21:35) The tenants turn out to be violent, insane criminals. There is no sense to what they are doing. Only the most stupid arrogance would believe it could get away with such a crime.
This sentence represents the violent history of Israel towards God’s prophets and other servants. The writer to the Hebrews describes the life of the prophet very well. “Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” (Hebrews 11:35–38) Israel’s history toward the prophets was one of unbelieving rebellion, violence, and torture.
Under these circumstances, the landowner had the right to punish these tenants with death, and that is exactly what the ordinary landowner would do. However, the landowner in the parable is not ordinary. “Again, he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them.” (Matthew 21:36)
Here Jesus illustrated the incredible mercy and grace of God. Instead of judging Israel and destroying it, God sent more prophets. This teaching is consistent with the words God gave to Ezekiel. “As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11) God offered life to Israel. Nevertheless, God’s prophets continued to suffer cruel violence.
At this point the landowner in the parable did something insane. “Finally, he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’” (Matthew 21:37) Given the history of these tenants, no earthly landowner would do this. An earthly landowner might send his son at the head of an army with orders to destroy the tenants, but he would never send his son to collect the fruit of the vineyard.
The amazing thing is that Jesus was teaching about Himself at this point in the parable. He Himself is the Son of God. He has come just as the prophets came before Him. The parable is about the person who first told it.
As Jesus continued, the tenants reveal the extent of their insanity. When the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. (Matthew 21:38–39) Who in their right mind would believe that they could become the heirs to an estate by killing the current heir to the estate? To the best of my knowledge, there has never been a legal system in the history of the world that would allow such a thing.
Nevertheless, this parable is eerily accurate in its detail. The tenants threw the son out of the vineyard before they killed him. In a similar manner, Roman soldiers will lead Jesus out of Jerusalem and crucify Him. The parable illustrates the events that will happen to Jesus by the end of the week.
Jesus closed the parable by asking His hearers to judge the tenants in the parable. “When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” (Matthew 21:40–41) The judgment is death. The owner will kill the tenants and replace them with faithful people. There is a hot place in hell for those who violate the precious trust God has placed in their hands and do not repent. This parable is terrifying in its judgment.
The sad thing about this parable is that it is God’s intent to make all people fellow heirs with Christ as the Apostle Paul said: “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:16–17) So, within the context of the parable, it was the landowner’s intent to make the tenants heirs with His son. The landowner intended to freely give them the very thing that they tried to take by violence. The insanity of their evil not only caused them to lose this gift, but their lives as well. They could have had it all, but they lost it all instead.
The parable in today’s Gospel is a true tragedy. It ends with a dead son and damned tenants. Jesus was not satisfied with this ending so He followed it with a quote from Psalm 118. Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?’” (Matthew 21:42) With these words Jesus made it clear that the fate of those in the parable need not be our fate.
Just as the rejected stone became the corner stone so Jesus Himself did not remain rejected. Although Jesus died in rejection, He did not remain in the grave. He rose from the dead to become the cornerstone upon which the church depends.
Under God’s grace, even the evil tenants need not be damned. It would not surprise me at all if some of those who voted to crucify Jesus later repented. It would not surprise me at all if they heard the preaching of the Apostles and received the gift of faith from the Holy Spirit. It would not surprise me at all if they, through that gift of faith in the one whom they crucified, were now in heaven praising God.
God’s grace is for all. He wants to give it to us freely for the sake of the perfect life, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. If we insist that God must save us on our terms, then we shall follow the example of the wicked tenants in the parable. When God has His way, we will die in Christ and follow Him. We will not remain in the grave, but will rise from the dead just as Christ rose. We are already Sons of the living God. Jesus has placed His righteousness in our hearts and we will live with him forever. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost - 4 October 2020
Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Merciful Lord, You have planted us as Your own vineyard, that we might bear good fruit for Your glory. Grant to us grace, that we may be faithful and show forth in our lives the good works that glorify You and serve Your purpose. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Father, embolden us by Your Spirit, that we may give witness to Your mighty acts. Bless the missionaries who bring the Gospel to people who have not heard, and raise up faithful pastors who will nurture the congregations in their care with Your Word and Sacraments. Give us ears willing to hear, minds willing to be instructed and hearts willing to trust You in all things. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy Lord, rescue us from all enemies of Your Church, and bless us with church leaders whose voices will not waver in the face of threat. Inspire men and women to go into church-work vocations, and bless those preparing for church work. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty Lord, give to the nations both the desire for and the blessing of peace. Thwart the actions of terrorists and those who would oppress with the power of fear. Bless our president, our governor, and all who pass, enforce and judge our laws. Spare us from disease and fear. Deliver the poor from want, and help us to provide jobs and worthy employment for all. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Everlasting Father, guide husbands and wives to love and forgive each other and strengthen them in their life together. Bless the homes in which Your people dwell. Help parents to be faithful examples for their children, and give room in their hearts and homes so that orphans may know the joy of a place and a home to call their own. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of love, deliver the sick from their illnesses, give relief to the suffering, help the troubled to know peace of mind, and be with the grieving and those in their final days. Guide all health care professionals to serve those in need, and give patience to those who must bear with their infirmities, disabilities and infertility. Hear us especially for _____________. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, prepare our hearts to receive the Lord’s body and blood in this Holy Supper, that we may be strengthened in faith, renewed in love and nurtured in faith by our communion. Give to us unity of faith and harmony in our life together. Bring us at last with the saints who have gone before, that we may attain everlasting life and dwell in Your presence forever. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy God, give us a willing spirit, that we may serve You with all that we have and all that we are. Help us to be faithful and fruitful in the godly use of Your resources and gifts, that we may use them in accord with Your will and for Your glory. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Blessed Lord, keep us from resentful hearts that would begrudge Your mercy or live selfishly for ourselves and teach us to live for You the life that You have given us, treasuring in our hearts all that is good and wise and seeking after these things. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Hear us, O Lord, and give answer to the prayers of Your people prayed in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, whom with the Father and the Spirit, You are one God and one Lord, forevermore. And God’s people said: Amen.
SERMON AND PRAYERS
Grace for All – Matthew 21:33-46
Last week, we heard about an encounter between Jesus and the chief priests and the elders. It was Holy Week. On the first day of the week, Jesus rode a donkey from the Mount of Olives to the temple while the Passover pilgrims praised him. Then he chased the merchants and money-changers out of the temple. After that, He healed some people. When Jesus returned to the temple to teach, the chief priests and the elders were waiting to check Him out. When he entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” (Matthew 21:23) Jesus responded with a question of His own, “The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” (Matthew 21:25) The temple authorities were afraid to answer Jesus’ question and so Jesus declined to answer their question. This is where last week’s reading came to an end.
However, just because last week’s reading came to an end, that does not mean that Jesus stopped talking to the chief priests and the elders. Jesus continued to speak with them and about them. The reading we just heard is just one of the parables that Jesus told while He was in the temple that day.
Keep a few things in the back of your mind as we go through this parable. Many of the events represented in the parable would happen in less than a week. In a few days, Judas will betray Jesus. In less than a week, Jesus will suffer, die on the cross, and rise from the dead. The chief priests and the elders were already having secret talks about how to destroy Jesus. Jesus knew that this was coming when He told this story.
Jesus painted a word picture for His listeners. He said, “Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. (Matthew 21:33–34) The setup for this parable is very familiar territory. No doubt many of the Passover Pilgrims who listened to Jesus had seen vineyards just like the one in this parable. His listeners would be very familiar with the idea of renting land for a share of the crops it produced. There may even have been vineyard owners and workers listening to Jesus when He told the parable
Within the context of this parable, the landowner represented God. The vineyard represented Israel. The many details involved in the planting of the vineyard … the fence, the tower, the winepress, and so forth show that God has blessed Israel with all it needs to thrive and grow. The tenants represent the spiritual leadership of the nation. In the current circumstances, that would be chief priests and the elders of the people … the same people who asked about Jesus’ authority. The servants who came to collect the crop would be God’s servants … especially His prophets. The fruit they expected would be repentance and faith.
After Jesus setup the backdrop of the parable, He started making His point. “The tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.” (Matthew 21:35) The tenants turn out to be violent, insane criminals. There is no sense to what they are doing. Only the most stupid arrogance would believe it could get away with such a crime.
This sentence represents the violent history of Israel towards God’s prophets and other servants. The writer to the Hebrews describes the life of the prophet very well. “Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” (Hebrews 11:35–38) Israel’s history toward the prophets was one of unbelieving rebellion, violence, and torture.
Under these circumstances, the landowner had the right to punish these tenants with death, and that is exactly what the ordinary landowner would do. However, the landowner in the parable is not ordinary. “Again, he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them.” (Matthew 21:36)
Here Jesus illustrated the incredible mercy and grace of God. Instead of judging Israel and destroying it, God sent more prophets. This teaching is consistent with the words God gave to Ezekiel. “As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11) God offered life to Israel. Nevertheless, God’s prophets continued to suffer cruel violence.
At this point the landowner in the parable did something insane. “Finally, he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’” (Matthew 21:37) Given the history of these tenants, no earthly landowner would do this. An earthly landowner might send his son at the head of an army with orders to destroy the tenants, but he would never send his son to collect the fruit of the vineyard.
The amazing thing is that Jesus was teaching about Himself at this point in the parable. He Himself is the Son of God. He has come just as the prophets came before Him. The parable is about the person who first told it.
As Jesus continued, the tenants reveal the extent of their insanity. When the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. (Matthew 21:38–39) Who in their right mind would believe that they could become the heirs to an estate by killing the current heir to the estate? To the best of my knowledge, there has never been a legal system in the history of the world that would allow such a thing.
Nevertheless, this parable is eerily accurate in its detail. The tenants threw the son out of the vineyard before they killed him. In a similar manner, Roman soldiers will lead Jesus out of Jerusalem and crucify Him. The parable illustrates the events that will happen to Jesus by the end of the week.
Jesus closed the parable by asking His hearers to judge the tenants in the parable. “When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.” (Matthew 21:40–41) The judgment is death. The owner will kill the tenants and replace them with faithful people. There is a hot place in hell for those who violate the precious trust God has placed in their hands and do not repent. This parable is terrifying in its judgment.
The sad thing about this parable is that it is God’s intent to make all people fellow heirs with Christ as the Apostle Paul said: “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:16–17) So, within the context of the parable, it was the landowner’s intent to make the tenants heirs with His son. The landowner intended to freely give them the very thing that they tried to take by violence. The insanity of their evil not only caused them to lose this gift, but their lives as well. They could have had it all, but they lost it all instead.
The parable in today’s Gospel is a true tragedy. It ends with a dead son and damned tenants. Jesus was not satisfied with this ending so He followed it with a quote from Psalm 118. Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?’” (Matthew 21:42) With these words Jesus made it clear that the fate of those in the parable need not be our fate.
Just as the rejected stone became the corner stone so Jesus Himself did not remain rejected. Although Jesus died in rejection, He did not remain in the grave. He rose from the dead to become the cornerstone upon which the church depends.
Under God’s grace, even the evil tenants need not be damned. It would not surprise me at all if some of those who voted to crucify Jesus later repented. It would not surprise me at all if they heard the preaching of the Apostles and received the gift of faith from the Holy Spirit. It would not surprise me at all if they, through that gift of faith in the one whom they crucified, were now in heaven praising God.
God’s grace is for all. He wants to give it to us freely for the sake of the perfect life, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. If we insist that God must save us on our terms, then we shall follow the example of the wicked tenants in the parable. When God has His way, we will die in Christ and follow Him. We will not remain in the grave, but will rise from the dead just as Christ rose. We are already Sons of the living God. Jesus has placed His righteousness in our hearts and we will live with him forever. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost - 4 October 2020
Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Merciful Lord, You have planted us as Your own vineyard, that we might bear good fruit for Your glory. Grant to us grace, that we may be faithful and show forth in our lives the good works that glorify You and serve Your purpose. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious Father, embolden us by Your Spirit, that we may give witness to Your mighty acts. Bless the missionaries who bring the Gospel to people who have not heard, and raise up faithful pastors who will nurture the congregations in their care with Your Word and Sacraments. Give us ears willing to hear, minds willing to be instructed and hearts willing to trust You in all things. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy Lord, rescue us from all enemies of Your Church, and bless us with church leaders whose voices will not waver in the face of threat. Inspire men and women to go into church-work vocations, and bless those preparing for church work. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty Lord, give to the nations both the desire for and the blessing of peace. Thwart the actions of terrorists and those who would oppress with the power of fear. Bless our president, our governor, and all who pass, enforce and judge our laws. Spare us from disease and fear. Deliver the poor from want, and help us to provide jobs and worthy employment for all. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Everlasting Father, guide husbands and wives to love and forgive each other and strengthen them in their life together. Bless the homes in which Your people dwell. Help parents to be faithful examples for their children, and give room in their hearts and homes so that orphans may know the joy of a place and a home to call their own. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of love, deliver the sick from their illnesses, give relief to the suffering, help the troubled to know peace of mind, and be with the grieving and those in their final days. Guide all health care professionals to serve those in need, and give patience to those who must bear with their infirmities, disabilities and infertility. Hear us especially for _____________. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Heavenly Father, prepare our hearts to receive the Lord’s body and blood in this Holy Supper, that we may be strengthened in faith, renewed in love and nurtured in faith by our communion. Give to us unity of faith and harmony in our life together. Bring us at last with the saints who have gone before, that we may attain everlasting life and dwell in Your presence forever. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy God, give us a willing spirit, that we may serve You with all that we have and all that we are. Help us to be faithful and fruitful in the godly use of Your resources and gifts, that we may use them in accord with Your will and for Your glory. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Blessed Lord, keep us from resentful hearts that would begrudge Your mercy or live selfishly for ourselves and teach us to live for You the life that You have given us, treasuring in our hearts all that is good and wise and seeking after these things. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Hear us, O Lord, and give answer to the prayers of Your people prayed in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, whom with the Father and the Spirit, You are one God and one Lord, forevermore. And God’s people said: Amen.
SEPTEMBER 27, 2020
SERMON AND PRAYERS
By What Authority? – Matthew 21:23-27
The problem with dividing the Bible up into readings for Sunday mornings is that, from time-to-time, the reading for a given Sunday picks up in the middle of things. In this morning’s Gospel, we heard that the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to [Jesus] as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” (Matthew 21:23) What things are the chief priests and the elders of the people concerned about? What has Jesus been doing that has them so concerned? Some context would be helpful.
The conversation recorded in today’s Gospel happened during Holy Week. On the first day of this week, Jesus rode toward Jerusalem on a donkey to the praises of the Passover pilgrims. And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” (Matthew 21:10–11) Then, Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. (Matthew 21:12) And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. (Matthew 21:14) After all that excitement on the first day of the week, the chief priests and the elders wanted a word with Jesus. So when Jesus returned to the temple and began to teach, they were waiting for Him.
Now we need to be careful what we say about these men at this point in the reading. After all, they are the chief priests and the elders … the men who were responsible for the day to day activity in the temple. It was their calling to make sure that things were done decently and in order. They were responsible for making sure that the activity on the temple grounds conformed to the Law of Moses. So, we cannot fault them for wanting to make sure that Jesus had the authority to do what He did. They were fulfilling their calling when they came up to [Jesus] as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” (Matthew 21:23) We can question their motives for asking Jesus about His authority, but, from an outward viewpoint, they are doing what the temple authorities are supposed to do.
Jesus responded to their question with a question of His own. “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” (Matthew 21:24–25) This was not an evasion. It was a traditional response. Many rabbis responded to questions with questions. In fact, Jesus did something quite clever. The answer to both questions is the same. John pointed to Jesus, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29) If John’s authority is from heaven, then Jesus’ authority is also from heaven.
Jesus’ question exposed the true nature of these men. They discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” (Matthew 21:25–26) This discussion exposed the hearts of these men. They are not interested in the truth. They don’t care what the right answer is. Their main concern is their image in the eyes of the crowd. Instead of following the laws of Moses and honoring the truth, these temple authorities honor their own agenda. Their God is not the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but their own agenda is their God.
So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” (Matthew 21:27) In their stubborn unbelief, they refuse to admit that either John or Jesus received their authority from heaven. At the same time, their cowardice prevents them from confessing their unbelief before the crowds. They concluded that the appearance of the ignorant fool was better than admitting the truth.
When the chief priests and the elders refused to answer Jesus’ question, they gave up their right to an answer from Jesus. Even if Jesus gave them the correct answer, they would refuse to accept it. [Jesus] said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” (Matthew 21:27)
The question that Jesus asked exposed the inner thoughts of the chief priests and the elders. It is still a good question to ask today. “The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” (Matthew 21:25) This question is valid for much more than the Baptism of John. What about Jesus? Is He from heaven or merely human? What about the Bible? Is it from heaven or from man? What about Baptism … the Lord’s Supper … Absolution? We can ask this question about these things and more? What thoughts do these questions expose in you and me?
I have heard interviews with people who became members of the Lutheran church as teenagers or adults. Many of them said that there were several parts of the liturgy that made them uncomfortable at first.
One of those parts was the Absolution that came near the beginning of the service. By what authority does the pastor say, “I forgive you all your sins?” It would make sense if the pastor said, “I forgive the sins that you have committed against me.” But how can the pastor forgive all sin?
Then there is that bit in the second part of the service. The pastor gave a piece of generic looking unleavened bread to some of the members and said, “The Body of Christ … given for you.” Then he gave them a sip of some common table wine and said, “The Blood of Christ … shed for you.” By what authority does the pastor say that? It doesn’t look like body and blood. What is that all about?
In both cases, the answer is simple to say. I teach the answer in Catechism class. How do we know that these things are from heaven? Because Jesus promised!
Shortly before He ascended into heaven Jesus came and said to [the disciples], “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18–20) These words teach us that Jesus has all authority in heaven and earth. These words instruct the church to baptize and teach. These words promise the eternal, real presence of the Christ, and since the Christ is now both God and man, this is the eternal, real presence of both the divine and human nature of our Lord.
When Jesus appeared to the disciples on the evening of His resurrection, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (John 20:22–23) With these words, our Lord gave the authority to forgive sins to His church. He also gave the authority to withhold forgiveness from those who refuse to repent. Then He instituted the office of the holy ministry to publicly execute this promise on behalf of the church.
The holy Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and St. Paul write: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.” In the same way also he took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” Our Lord has given us His promise that whenever we celebrate this sacrament according to His command, He will somehow place His body in the bread, and His blood in the wine.
In the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught, “Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” (Matthew 6:9, RSV) With these words, Jesus gives us the authority to pray. And He even gives us the authority to call God our Father.
We have complete certainty in these and all the other gifts that we have because Jesus promised, and Jesus keeps His promises. We know that Jesus keeps His promises because He kept the greatest promise. He said, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” (Matthew 20:18–19) Jesus kept this promise and earned the forgiveness of sins for the entire world. He also demonstrated that not even the combined power of sin, death, and the devil can stop Him from keeping His promises.
Christ on the cross is the authority that stands behind every gift that Jesus has given to His church. Every word of Holy Scripture is reliable and certain. The forgiveness He speaks is authoritative; the sins he forgives are forgiven! The Sacraments he gives to his Church truly deliver forgiveness, life, and salvation. When the ministers faithfully preach God’s Word, the hearers hear Christ.
Christ is the ultimate authority. He is the kingdom of heaven incarnate. The authority of His promise guarantees eternal life to all who believe. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost - 27 September 2020
O Lord, we are Your people, chosen by Your grace to be Your own possession, and granted mercy upon mercy. Hear Your people who cry to You in need, and remember us according to the favor You have shown to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Make us to know Your ways, O Lord, that we may walk in the path of salvation made known in Your Word. Hear our complaints and quiet them by Your merciful deliverance, that we may respond with trust and thanksgiving. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Encourage us, O Lord, by Your Holy Spirit, that we may not lose heart but, being of one mind and one will, may serve You with gladness, doing the works of Your Kingdom and speaking Your Word of witness throughout the world. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Help us, O Lord, to hold fast to Your Word and bless us with faithful pastors who will preach and teach Your eternal Gospel, that we may rejoice in doing Your will. Guide those considering church-work vocations, and bless them as they are formed for Your service. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Shine Your light upon us, O Lord, that we may do what is good and right and live as faithful citizens in our nation. Bless our president; our governor; and all those elected and appointed to make, administer and judge our laws. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Enlighten us with godly knowledge and wisdom, O Lord, and bless those who pursue science to improve our lives and the lives of those in greatest need. Bless all honorable vocations and all honest labor, and lead the unemployed to good jobs and noble work not only for their own interests but for the good of us all. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Show us Your compassion, O Lord, and in Your mercy grant healing, comfort and peace to all those who suffer. Deliver them from all their afflictions, pain, sorrow and fear. We especially pray for _____________ and all those we name in our hearts before You. [Brief silence] Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Guide us, O Lord, that with all our hearts, minds, bodies and resources we may serve You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Unite us, O Lord, that we may be of one mind and one will in doctrine, witness and service. Bless us as we come at Your bidding to receive the body and blood of Your Son at His table. Grant that what we receive in this Holy Communion we may keep in holy hearts and holy lives. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Help us, O Lord, to remember the faithful who loved and served You and who now rest from their labors. Bring us with them to that most blessed day when together we shall dwell in Your presence on high forevermore. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Grant to us all good things needful for this body and life and profitable for our salvation, and keep from us all things harmful, that sustained in time of want and guarded in time of prosperity, we may endure to the day of our Lord’s coming and be judged worthy of eternal life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forevermore. And God’s people said: Amen.
SERMON AND PRAYERS
By What Authority? – Matthew 21:23-27
The problem with dividing the Bible up into readings for Sunday mornings is that, from time-to-time, the reading for a given Sunday picks up in the middle of things. In this morning’s Gospel, we heard that the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to [Jesus] as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” (Matthew 21:23) What things are the chief priests and the elders of the people concerned about? What has Jesus been doing that has them so concerned? Some context would be helpful.
The conversation recorded in today’s Gospel happened during Holy Week. On the first day of this week, Jesus rode toward Jerusalem on a donkey to the praises of the Passover pilgrims. And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” (Matthew 21:10–11) Then, Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. (Matthew 21:12) And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. (Matthew 21:14) After all that excitement on the first day of the week, the chief priests and the elders wanted a word with Jesus. So when Jesus returned to the temple and began to teach, they were waiting for Him.
Now we need to be careful what we say about these men at this point in the reading. After all, they are the chief priests and the elders … the men who were responsible for the day to day activity in the temple. It was their calling to make sure that things were done decently and in order. They were responsible for making sure that the activity on the temple grounds conformed to the Law of Moses. So, we cannot fault them for wanting to make sure that Jesus had the authority to do what He did. They were fulfilling their calling when they came up to [Jesus] as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” (Matthew 21:23) We can question their motives for asking Jesus about His authority, but, from an outward viewpoint, they are doing what the temple authorities are supposed to do.
Jesus responded to their question with a question of His own. “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” (Matthew 21:24–25) This was not an evasion. It was a traditional response. Many rabbis responded to questions with questions. In fact, Jesus did something quite clever. The answer to both questions is the same. John pointed to Jesus, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29) If John’s authority is from heaven, then Jesus’ authority is also from heaven.
Jesus’ question exposed the true nature of these men. They discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” (Matthew 21:25–26) This discussion exposed the hearts of these men. They are not interested in the truth. They don’t care what the right answer is. Their main concern is their image in the eyes of the crowd. Instead of following the laws of Moses and honoring the truth, these temple authorities honor their own agenda. Their God is not the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, but their own agenda is their God.
So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” (Matthew 21:27) In their stubborn unbelief, they refuse to admit that either John or Jesus received their authority from heaven. At the same time, their cowardice prevents them from confessing their unbelief before the crowds. They concluded that the appearance of the ignorant fool was better than admitting the truth.
When the chief priests and the elders refused to answer Jesus’ question, they gave up their right to an answer from Jesus. Even if Jesus gave them the correct answer, they would refuse to accept it. [Jesus] said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.” (Matthew 21:27)
The question that Jesus asked exposed the inner thoughts of the chief priests and the elders. It is still a good question to ask today. “The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” (Matthew 21:25) This question is valid for much more than the Baptism of John. What about Jesus? Is He from heaven or merely human? What about the Bible? Is it from heaven or from man? What about Baptism … the Lord’s Supper … Absolution? We can ask this question about these things and more? What thoughts do these questions expose in you and me?
I have heard interviews with people who became members of the Lutheran church as teenagers or adults. Many of them said that there were several parts of the liturgy that made them uncomfortable at first.
One of those parts was the Absolution that came near the beginning of the service. By what authority does the pastor say, “I forgive you all your sins?” It would make sense if the pastor said, “I forgive the sins that you have committed against me.” But how can the pastor forgive all sin?
Then there is that bit in the second part of the service. The pastor gave a piece of generic looking unleavened bread to some of the members and said, “The Body of Christ … given for you.” Then he gave them a sip of some common table wine and said, “The Blood of Christ … shed for you.” By what authority does the pastor say that? It doesn’t look like body and blood. What is that all about?
In both cases, the answer is simple to say. I teach the answer in Catechism class. How do we know that these things are from heaven? Because Jesus promised!
Shortly before He ascended into heaven Jesus came and said to [the disciples], “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18–20) These words teach us that Jesus has all authority in heaven and earth. These words instruct the church to baptize and teach. These words promise the eternal, real presence of the Christ, and since the Christ is now both God and man, this is the eternal, real presence of both the divine and human nature of our Lord.
When Jesus appeared to the disciples on the evening of His resurrection, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (John 20:22–23) With these words, our Lord gave the authority to forgive sins to His church. He also gave the authority to withhold forgiveness from those who refuse to repent. Then He instituted the office of the holy ministry to publicly execute this promise on behalf of the church.
The holy Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and St. Paul write: Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.” In the same way also he took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” Our Lord has given us His promise that whenever we celebrate this sacrament according to His command, He will somehow place His body in the bread, and His blood in the wine.
In the middle of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught, “Pray then like this: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” (Matthew 6:9, RSV) With these words, Jesus gives us the authority to pray. And He even gives us the authority to call God our Father.
We have complete certainty in these and all the other gifts that we have because Jesus promised, and Jesus keeps His promises. We know that Jesus keeps His promises because He kept the greatest promise. He said, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.” (Matthew 20:18–19) Jesus kept this promise and earned the forgiveness of sins for the entire world. He also demonstrated that not even the combined power of sin, death, and the devil can stop Him from keeping His promises.
Christ on the cross is the authority that stands behind every gift that Jesus has given to His church. Every word of Holy Scripture is reliable and certain. The forgiveness He speaks is authoritative; the sins he forgives are forgiven! The Sacraments he gives to his Church truly deliver forgiveness, life, and salvation. When the ministers faithfully preach God’s Word, the hearers hear Christ.
Christ is the ultimate authority. He is the kingdom of heaven incarnate. The authority of His promise guarantees eternal life to all who believe. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost - 27 September 2020
O Lord, we are Your people, chosen by Your grace to be Your own possession, and granted mercy upon mercy. Hear Your people who cry to You in need, and remember us according to the favor You have shown to us in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Make us to know Your ways, O Lord, that we may walk in the path of salvation made known in Your Word. Hear our complaints and quiet them by Your merciful deliverance, that we may respond with trust and thanksgiving. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Encourage us, O Lord, by Your Holy Spirit, that we may not lose heart but, being of one mind and one will, may serve You with gladness, doing the works of Your Kingdom and speaking Your Word of witness throughout the world. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Help us, O Lord, to hold fast to Your Word and bless us with faithful pastors who will preach and teach Your eternal Gospel, that we may rejoice in doing Your will. Guide those considering church-work vocations, and bless them as they are formed for Your service. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Shine Your light upon us, O Lord, that we may do what is good and right and live as faithful citizens in our nation. Bless our president; our governor; and all those elected and appointed to make, administer and judge our laws. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Enlighten us with godly knowledge and wisdom, O Lord, and bless those who pursue science to improve our lives and the lives of those in greatest need. Bless all honorable vocations and all honest labor, and lead the unemployed to good jobs and noble work not only for their own interests but for the good of us all. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Show us Your compassion, O Lord, and in Your mercy grant healing, comfort and peace to all those who suffer. Deliver them from all their afflictions, pain, sorrow and fear. We especially pray for _____________ and all those we name in our hearts before You. [Brief silence] Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Guide us, O Lord, that with all our hearts, minds, bodies and resources we may serve You. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Unite us, O Lord, that we may be of one mind and one will in doctrine, witness and service. Bless us as we come at Your bidding to receive the body and blood of Your Son at His table. Grant that what we receive in this Holy Communion we may keep in holy hearts and holy lives. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Help us, O Lord, to remember the faithful who loved and served You and who now rest from their labors. Bring us with them to that most blessed day when together we shall dwell in Your presence on high forevermore. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Grant to us all good things needful for this body and life and profitable for our salvation, and keep from us all things harmful, that sustained in time of want and guarded in time of prosperity, we may endure to the day of our Lord’s coming and be judged worthy of eternal life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forevermore. And God’s people said: Amen.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2020
SERMON AND PRAYERS
Fair Is Fair – Matthew 20:1-16
The Gospel you recently heard is part of a longer teaching. Jesus has basically been teaching that everyone who enters the kingdom of God does so by a miracle of God. He has recently taught that the chances of a rich person entering heaven are not even as good as the chances of a camel passing through the eye of a needle. When we understand that the culture of the day believed that rich people were especially favored by God, then we understand that Jesus was saying that no one has a chance. He then went on to say, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) With these words we learn that our entry into the kingdom of God is a miracle.
Then Jesus went on to say something else that is contrary to our understanding. He said, “Many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Matthew 19:30) Jesus then illustrated this with the parable we heard in today’s Gospel.
Jesus used the story of a man who needed laborers, a common situation in most cultures. At the time Jesus told this story, there was usually a market at the city gates. Workers who wished to labor for a wage gathered at the market and offered their services. A man who needed workers in his vineyard went to the marketplace and hired people to work in his vineyard. Apparently, the work was urgent and needed many laborers. The owner of the vineyard visited the marketplace several times during the day to hire more laborers. It is likely that most of those who listened to Jesus had been laborers in the marketplace at one time or another. At first, there is nothing unusual about the story.
The first sign that the vineyard owner might not be normal comes near the end of the day. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ (Matthew 20:6–7) It was very unusual to hire someone at this late hour. By the time the workers traveled to the vineyard and got their instructions and training from the foreman, the day will be over. Those hired at the eleventh hour might not have time to do any work at all. This is the first sign that the vineyard owner is not normal.
The eccentricity of the owner really stood out, though, when he instructed the foreman to pay the workers at the end of the day. And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. (Matthew 20:8–9) The ones who barely had time to get to the field and get their instructions got a denarius … a full day’s pay. They didn’t do much of anything, but they received pay as though they had been there from sunup.
Everyone got a surprise in their pay envelope. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. (Matthew 20:10) In a way, this should not have been a surprise. After all, a denarius is the standard pay for a day. However, those who barely came out to the field and had a look around got a denarius. The first-hires began to anticipate getting more, but they didn’t.
Jesus then repeated the saying, “So the last will be first, and the first last.” (Matthew 20:16) Jesus taught that there will be surprises on the last day. When we meet those who gather around the throne of God in eternity, some will cause us to say, “You’re the last person I expected to see here!”
No doubt there were some there who expected to be first in line for eternity. “We are children of Abraham.” they might say, “Our ancestors were slaves in Egypt and followed Moses to the Promised Land. We not only follow the Laws of Moses, but we also follow the tradition of the elders.” Jesus was telling these people that there are Gentile who will see the Kingdom of Heaven before they do.
Chaplain Henry Gerecke, a farm boy from Missouri, who grew up to be a LCMS pastor, found himself stationed at a prison at Nuremberg. His congregation consisted of Nazi officers who were on trial for crimes against humanity. Eventually, eleven members of Hitler’s inner circle confessed their faith in Jesus as savior. Eight of them received instruction and were able to take the Lord’s Supper from Gerecke’s hand.
Eventually, ten members of his prison flock were sentenced to death. The first to face the gallows was Hitler’s foreign minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop. An American officer asked for his last words. Ribbentrop responded: “I place all my confidence in the Lamb who made atonement for my sins. May God have mercy on my soul.” Then he turned to Gerecke and said, “I’ll see you again.” Moments later, the trap door opened beneath his feet and he breathed his last. Other members of the flock died in like manner. Jesus said, “The last will be first, and the first last.”
Chaplain Henry Gerecke received a lot of mail. Some of the mail gave thanks to Almighty God for enabling the Gospel to reach into the hearts of Nazi war criminals. Other letters condemned Gerecke. They said that he should have been hanged with the war criminals for doing what he did.
The people who condemned Gereke didn’t know it, but they were also condemning themselves. If Jesus did not die for all sins, how do you know that He died for your sins? When they condemn Nazi war criminals to hell in spite of Jesus, they are saying that there is a minimum amount of goodness that each of us must have before Jesus’ forgiveness can be for us. They are saying that Nazi war criminals don’t make the cut. Well if they don’t make the cut, how can you know if you made the cut? If Jesus didn’t die for them, then how do you know that He died for you?
In the rite of baptism, we remind people that the Word of God teaches that we are all conceived and born sinful and are under the power of the devil until Christ claims us as His own. We would be lost forever unless delivered from sin, death, and everlasting condemnation. But the Father of all mercy and grace has sent His Son Jesus Christ, who atoned for the sin of the whole world that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2)
In His parable, Jesus illustrated that people enter the kingdom at all times of life. Some receive baptism as infants. They enter the kingdom at the dawn of their lives. Others enter at the third hour as older children … the sixth hour as young adults … the ninth hour as they approach retirement … at the eleventh hour near death. All receive the same pay … eternal life with Christ. All are saved by grace through faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ.
The parable illustrates that people enter the kingdom in all stations of life. From the world’s point of view, some are pretty good people who never strayed from the path. Some are juvenile delinquents who straighten out when they enter adulthood. Others are career criminals who come to faith on their deathbed. Some are rich. Some are poor. Some are famous. Some are infamous. All recognize that they are sinners in need of a savior. All of them recognize that Jesus Christ is that savior who died for them on the cross and rose to give them eternal life.
There is one thing that this parable does not teach. Some think this parable teaches that they can wait to become a Christian. They see that God works faith in some people on their deathbed, and they think that they can wait. They will say something like, “You know, I can have all the fun I want right now and become a Christian later.” That is not what this parable teaches.
Such a person sees the life of the Christian as a burden. They do not understand that Jesus carried our burden to the cross almost two thousand years ago. They do not understand the Christian life is a gift from the Holy Spirit. They do not understand that the Christian has more reason for enjoyment than any other human being. They just don’t know what they are missing.
Then there is also the possibility that the invitation will never come again. No one really knows when the sun will set on his life. Accidents happen and they happen quickly. Sometimes death is the result of a long illness and we know the time is soon. Other times death comes in the form of a drunk driver or a mechanical failure and death gives us no warning at all. Don’t resist the Holy Spirit because you think you have plenty of time. As the Apostle Paul told the Corinthians, “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)
God continues to search the market place of this world looking for workers for His vineyard. The Holy Spirit may find workers in the market place early in the morning when, as infants, He works faith in us through the Word combined with the water of Holy Baptism. The Holy Spirit may find us in the market and give us faith at the exhalation of the last breath before sun down. He may find us sometime in between. No matter when we receive this faith, we know that all the guilt of every sin is gone – taken away by the Son’s sacrifice on the cross. We know that, by His resurrection and ascension, our Lord Jesus Christ has prepared a place for us. Whether our faith is old or young, we all receive the gift of life everlasting. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost - 20 September 2020
In peace, let us pray to the Lord and offer to Him the petitions and supplications of a people confident of His promise to hear and answer us with mercy.
We pray that we may seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him in the day of salvation, and be prepared by His mercy for the Day of Judgment; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that we may delight in the light of Christ and His salvation, and that sinners may find refuge in His mercy and comfort in His forgiveness; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that we may hear the voice of God speaking in His Word and be nurtured by faithful pastors who preach and teach this Gospel; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that this Word may be the foundation of the home, that husband and wife may be united in this faith and hope, and that their children may hear and be nurtured in this Word by faithful parents; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that the Church may nurture the lives of our children in Sunday school and catechism classes, and that we may all be grounded in the doctrine of Scripture through the study of God’s Word; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that the Lord may bless missionaries far and near, that He may nurture newly planted congregations, and that He may renew those congregations in distress, that those from every nation and culture may be united with us in faith and life; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that we may enjoy the blessing of good government, faithful leaders, peace in our land and peace among the nations, and that we may be good citizens and neighbors; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that the sick may be healed, the troubled know peace, the grieving be comforted and the dying be delivered to everlasting life in Christ, and especially for _____________; and that we may all be delivered from fear, anxiety and despair by God’s gracious care; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that we may commune in faith, that no unrepentant sin may hinder our reception of Christ’s body and blood, and that the fruits of this communion may be reflected in a manner of life in keeping with who we are as God’s children by Baptism and faith; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that we may honor the Lord with praise and thanksgiving and bring to the Lord the tithes and offerings of a grateful people; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that we may not forget the witness of the faithful who lived and died in Christ, and that we may at last be joined with them in the marriage supper of the Lamb in His Kingdom without end; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
Hear the prayers of Your people, O Lord, and grant to us all things good and wholesome and keep from us all things harmful. Give us contentment, that trusting in Your mercy we may delight in Your saving will where the last are made first by Your generosity and grace; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. And God’s people said: Amen.
SERMON AND PRAYERS
Fair Is Fair – Matthew 20:1-16
The Gospel you recently heard is part of a longer teaching. Jesus has basically been teaching that everyone who enters the kingdom of God does so by a miracle of God. He has recently taught that the chances of a rich person entering heaven are not even as good as the chances of a camel passing through the eye of a needle. When we understand that the culture of the day believed that rich people were especially favored by God, then we understand that Jesus was saying that no one has a chance. He then went on to say, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26) With these words we learn that our entry into the kingdom of God is a miracle.
Then Jesus went on to say something else that is contrary to our understanding. He said, “Many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Matthew 19:30) Jesus then illustrated this with the parable we heard in today’s Gospel.
Jesus used the story of a man who needed laborers, a common situation in most cultures. At the time Jesus told this story, there was usually a market at the city gates. Workers who wished to labor for a wage gathered at the market and offered their services. A man who needed workers in his vineyard went to the marketplace and hired people to work in his vineyard. Apparently, the work was urgent and needed many laborers. The owner of the vineyard visited the marketplace several times during the day to hire more laborers. It is likely that most of those who listened to Jesus had been laborers in the marketplace at one time or another. At first, there is nothing unusual about the story.
The first sign that the vineyard owner might not be normal comes near the end of the day. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ (Matthew 20:6–7) It was very unusual to hire someone at this late hour. By the time the workers traveled to the vineyard and got their instructions and training from the foreman, the day will be over. Those hired at the eleventh hour might not have time to do any work at all. This is the first sign that the vineyard owner is not normal.
The eccentricity of the owner really stood out, though, when he instructed the foreman to pay the workers at the end of the day. And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. (Matthew 20:8–9) The ones who barely had time to get to the field and get their instructions got a denarius … a full day’s pay. They didn’t do much of anything, but they received pay as though they had been there from sunup.
Everyone got a surprise in their pay envelope. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. (Matthew 20:10) In a way, this should not have been a surprise. After all, a denarius is the standard pay for a day. However, those who barely came out to the field and had a look around got a denarius. The first-hires began to anticipate getting more, but they didn’t.
Jesus then repeated the saying, “So the last will be first, and the first last.” (Matthew 20:16) Jesus taught that there will be surprises on the last day. When we meet those who gather around the throne of God in eternity, some will cause us to say, “You’re the last person I expected to see here!”
No doubt there were some there who expected to be first in line for eternity. “We are children of Abraham.” they might say, “Our ancestors were slaves in Egypt and followed Moses to the Promised Land. We not only follow the Laws of Moses, but we also follow the tradition of the elders.” Jesus was telling these people that there are Gentile who will see the Kingdom of Heaven before they do.
Chaplain Henry Gerecke, a farm boy from Missouri, who grew up to be a LCMS pastor, found himself stationed at a prison at Nuremberg. His congregation consisted of Nazi officers who were on trial for crimes against humanity. Eventually, eleven members of Hitler’s inner circle confessed their faith in Jesus as savior. Eight of them received instruction and were able to take the Lord’s Supper from Gerecke’s hand.
Eventually, ten members of his prison flock were sentenced to death. The first to face the gallows was Hitler’s foreign minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop. An American officer asked for his last words. Ribbentrop responded: “I place all my confidence in the Lamb who made atonement for my sins. May God have mercy on my soul.” Then he turned to Gerecke and said, “I’ll see you again.” Moments later, the trap door opened beneath his feet and he breathed his last. Other members of the flock died in like manner. Jesus said, “The last will be first, and the first last.”
Chaplain Henry Gerecke received a lot of mail. Some of the mail gave thanks to Almighty God for enabling the Gospel to reach into the hearts of Nazi war criminals. Other letters condemned Gerecke. They said that he should have been hanged with the war criminals for doing what he did.
The people who condemned Gereke didn’t know it, but they were also condemning themselves. If Jesus did not die for all sins, how do you know that He died for your sins? When they condemn Nazi war criminals to hell in spite of Jesus, they are saying that there is a minimum amount of goodness that each of us must have before Jesus’ forgiveness can be for us. They are saying that Nazi war criminals don’t make the cut. Well if they don’t make the cut, how can you know if you made the cut? If Jesus didn’t die for them, then how do you know that He died for you?
In the rite of baptism, we remind people that the Word of God teaches that we are all conceived and born sinful and are under the power of the devil until Christ claims us as His own. We would be lost forever unless delivered from sin, death, and everlasting condemnation. But the Father of all mercy and grace has sent His Son Jesus Christ, who atoned for the sin of the whole world that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1 John 2:2)
In His parable, Jesus illustrated that people enter the kingdom at all times of life. Some receive baptism as infants. They enter the kingdom at the dawn of their lives. Others enter at the third hour as older children … the sixth hour as young adults … the ninth hour as they approach retirement … at the eleventh hour near death. All receive the same pay … eternal life with Christ. All are saved by grace through faith in our Savior, Jesus Christ.
The parable illustrates that people enter the kingdom in all stations of life. From the world’s point of view, some are pretty good people who never strayed from the path. Some are juvenile delinquents who straighten out when they enter adulthood. Others are career criminals who come to faith on their deathbed. Some are rich. Some are poor. Some are famous. Some are infamous. All recognize that they are sinners in need of a savior. All of them recognize that Jesus Christ is that savior who died for them on the cross and rose to give them eternal life.
There is one thing that this parable does not teach. Some think this parable teaches that they can wait to become a Christian. They see that God works faith in some people on their deathbed, and they think that they can wait. They will say something like, “You know, I can have all the fun I want right now and become a Christian later.” That is not what this parable teaches.
Such a person sees the life of the Christian as a burden. They do not understand that Jesus carried our burden to the cross almost two thousand years ago. They do not understand the Christian life is a gift from the Holy Spirit. They do not understand that the Christian has more reason for enjoyment than any other human being. They just don’t know what they are missing.
Then there is also the possibility that the invitation will never come again. No one really knows when the sun will set on his life. Accidents happen and they happen quickly. Sometimes death is the result of a long illness and we know the time is soon. Other times death comes in the form of a drunk driver or a mechanical failure and death gives us no warning at all. Don’t resist the Holy Spirit because you think you have plenty of time. As the Apostle Paul told the Corinthians, “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)
God continues to search the market place of this world looking for workers for His vineyard. The Holy Spirit may find workers in the market place early in the morning when, as infants, He works faith in us through the Word combined with the water of Holy Baptism. The Holy Spirit may find us in the market and give us faith at the exhalation of the last breath before sun down. He may find us sometime in between. No matter when we receive this faith, we know that all the guilt of every sin is gone – taken away by the Son’s sacrifice on the cross. We know that, by His resurrection and ascension, our Lord Jesus Christ has prepared a place for us. Whether our faith is old or young, we all receive the gift of life everlasting. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost - 20 September 2020
In peace, let us pray to the Lord and offer to Him the petitions and supplications of a people confident of His promise to hear and answer us with mercy.
We pray that we may seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him in the day of salvation, and be prepared by His mercy for the Day of Judgment; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that we may delight in the light of Christ and His salvation, and that sinners may find refuge in His mercy and comfort in His forgiveness; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that we may hear the voice of God speaking in His Word and be nurtured by faithful pastors who preach and teach this Gospel; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that this Word may be the foundation of the home, that husband and wife may be united in this faith and hope, and that their children may hear and be nurtured in this Word by faithful parents; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that the Church may nurture the lives of our children in Sunday school and catechism classes, and that we may all be grounded in the doctrine of Scripture through the study of God’s Word; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that the Lord may bless missionaries far and near, that He may nurture newly planted congregations, and that He may renew those congregations in distress, that those from every nation and culture may be united with us in faith and life; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that we may enjoy the blessing of good government, faithful leaders, peace in our land and peace among the nations, and that we may be good citizens and neighbors; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that the sick may be healed, the troubled know peace, the grieving be comforted and the dying be delivered to everlasting life in Christ, and especially for _____________; and that we may all be delivered from fear, anxiety and despair by God’s gracious care; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that we may commune in faith, that no unrepentant sin may hinder our reception of Christ’s body and blood, and that the fruits of this communion may be reflected in a manner of life in keeping with who we are as God’s children by Baptism and faith; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that we may honor the Lord with praise and thanksgiving and bring to the Lord the tithes and offerings of a grateful people; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray that we may not forget the witness of the faithful who lived and died in Christ, and that we may at last be joined with them in the marriage supper of the Lamb in His Kingdom without end; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
Hear the prayers of Your people, O Lord, and grant to us all things good and wholesome and keep from us all things harmful. Give us contentment, that trusting in Your mercy we may delight in Your saving will where the last are made first by Your generosity and grace; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. And God’s people said: Amen.
SEPTEMBER 13, 2020
SERMON AND PRAYERS
SERMON AND PRAYERS
The Importance of Forgiveness – Matthew 18:21-35
Last week, we heard Jesus teach that the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven is the helpless one. Jesus made it clear that the forgiveness of sin is the foundation of the relationship we have with God and the relationships we have with each other … especially the relationship we have with the helpless one who is the greatest in the Kingdom. Forgiveness is how God loves us and how we love each other.
Peter responded to Jesus’ teaching with a question about the forgiveness of sins. Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” (Matthew 18:21) Peter is asking, “How often will my brother sin against me before I no longer love him … before I decide that he is no longer my brother?
Many commentators suggest that the rabbis of the time taught that three times was enough. So, Peter was being generous when he raised the number to seven. Peter had been listening to Jesus. If forgiveness was that important, Peter was willing to raise the level from three to seven.
But even seven was not enough. Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:22) Jesus then told a parable to demonstrate what He meant by seventy times seven. “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.” (Matthew 18:23–24)
It is important to know how much ten thousand talents is. One talent is a unit of weight that is somewhere between 80 and 100 pounds. At the current exchange rate, ten thousand talents of silver would be worth somewhere between $230 and $290 million. Ten thousand talents of gold would be worth between $17 and $22 billion. Either way, this is an incredible debt. This is way beyond the ability of this servant to repay in several lifetimes. This is an important point. There is no way that this servant could ever pay off this debt.
Since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. (Matthew 18:25) Within the context of this parable, Jesus is teaching us about our standing before God. Our sin has burdened us with a debt that is several orders of magnitude beyond our ability to repay. We deserve to be sold into eternal punishment. We are beyond all hope. We are lost forever.
Nevertheless, when this servant appeared before the king, he tried to convince the king that he could pull it off. The servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ (Matthew 18:26) With these words, Jesus teaches us that our sinful condition is so bad that we don’t even know how bad it is. Despite the reality of our situation, we believe that we can work it off … we can pay back the debt we owe. We are in denial.
Now here is where the parable leaves all earthly kingdoms behind. Out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. (Matthew 18:27) The king took on the debt of the servant. No earthly king would do this. Only our father in Heaven has the resources and the generosity to do this kind of thing. Only our Father in Heaven would send His only-begotten Son to take up our human flesh to pay the debt we owed. Only the Son of God would allow mortal men to beat Him and nail Him to a tree to pay that debt. It is here that Jesus illustrates the perfect loving-kindness that He has for you. You are forgiven.
After Jesus spoke of the incredible forgiveness of the king, He told of the response of the servant. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii … (Matthew 18:28) A denarius is about a day’s pay. Since they worked about twelve hours a day back then, let’s round that up to a hundred dollars. A hundred denarii would be about $10,000. This is not a small amount, but it is workable. It would be reasonable to expect someone to work off this loan over time. This debt is miniscule in comparison to a debt of ten thousand talents.
But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ (Matthew 18:28) The response of the servant indicates that he does not really believe the generosity of the king. Seizing and choking demonstrate a desperate attitude. He is behaving as though he still needs the money to pay back the king. The king’s generosity is not real to him even though neither he nor his family are in prison.
His fellow servant used almost the same words that he used before the king. His fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ (Matthew 18:29) The big difference is that his fellow servant is asking for time to do something possible. Whereas, in his plea before the king, he himself was asking for time to do something that he could never do.
His fellow servant’s words and actions should have taken his memory back to his time before the king. They should have reminded him of the mercy of the king, but they did not. He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. (Matthew 18:30) Here the unforgiving heart of the servant is a symptom that he does not believe the forgiveness of the king.
When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. (Matthew 18:31) These servants illustrate the grief that the church has when there is conflict in its midst. When there is conflict, the church turns to our Lord in prayer. We remember that the Lord still rules in His church and knows how to deal with our difficulties.
“Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.” (Matthew 18:32–34) The king clearly expected the servant to share the king’s mercy with his fellow servants. Not only has the servant soiled the reputation of his king, but he has also demonstrated that he did not really accept the mercy that the king extended to him when the debt was forgiven.
Jesus concluded His teaching with the meaning of the parable. “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18:35) Each of us owes God a sin debt that we cannot even comprehend. Nevertheless, for the sake of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God forgives that monstrous debt. The sins that our fellow man commit against us pale in comparison to that monstrous debt. The forgiveness of sins that we have from God should overflow in us so that we will sincerely forgive and gladly do good to those who sin against us.
Jesus’ parable makes it clear. Just as there is no end to the forgiveness God has for us, there is to be no end to the forgiveness we have for others. We forgive others indefinitely just as God in Christ forgives us.
There are a few points that we should consider as we meditate on this parable.
To begin with, the life of forgiveness that Jesus illustrates in the parable is impossible unless we first recognize that the mercy in the parable began with the king. That is, we forgive others as a result of the forgiveness, life, and salvation that we have in Jesus Christ. God must first forgive us. Then, and only then, can we forgive others. The life of forgiveness, like all the good works that God works in us, are the result of our salvation. It is NOT the cause of our salvation.
Secondly, our old, sinful nature may fight us on this. Our emotions may not be able to keep up with our faith. Even though the Holy Spirit has worked through our faith to forgive, we may still feel sad, frustrated, betrayed, and so forth. This struggle is not a reason to doubt. Instead, we take comfort in Paul’s words, I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18) We shall receive full healing when our Lord takes us into eternity to live with Him.
Thirdly, circumstances sometimes revive the memory of a sin. As fallible human beings, we cannot forgive as God forgives. With God, forgiveness is complete, generous, eternal. Although our memories may embarrass us with the memories of our sins, we can be confident that God has no such problem. Once He forgives a sin, it is forgiven forever. On the other hand, we should not be surprised when we need to forgive the sins of others more than once. The fact that I need to forgive a sin more than once does not mean that I refuse to forgive. It simply means that in my weakness, I need to forgive again.
Finally, we have a resource that the servant in the story did not have. God is not just our king, but Jesus has told us to call Him our Father. As our Father in Heaven, we can come to Him at any time and confess our reluctance to forgive. We can ask Him to forgive us and renew our desire to forgive others as we do in the Lord’s Prayer. Thankfully the source of our forgiveness … the suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord, Christ Jesus Christ is a never-ending flow of forgiveness, life, and salvation. In Him, we receive the grace and mercy of God forever and ever. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost - 13 September 2020
Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty God, as once You kept Joseph from evil and brought good from his suffering in Egypt, deliver us by Your grace so that we may learn patience in trials. Teach us to be slow to judge, quick to forgive, and steadfast in love for You and for one another. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Lord, You have shown great compassion to us; teach us to show such compassion to others, that we may welcome the stranger, love our neighbor in need, and be attentive to those new to the faith or vulnerable to temptation. Help us to serve the refugee seeking safety, and give us opportunity to share Your gifts with those who live in poverty and want. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, bless those who preach and teach Your Word, and give the hearers willing ears to hear and willing hearts to learn the Scriptures well. Bless those now training to be pastors and church workers. Grant to all the baptized the aid of Your Holy Spirit so that, receiving Your Gospel with joy, we may share it freely with those outside the household of faith. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty God, give wisdom and courage to our elected and appointed leaders, that they may pursue justice, seek peace and protect life from its natural beginning to its natural end. Bring an end to the threats of terror and violence among the peoples, and open all nations to the voice of Your Word. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy Lord, lead us to pursue reconciliation, that we may stand before You forgiven and united in faith. Give us unity of doctrine, and help us to walk together in harmony of life. Prepare us to receive Your own Son’s body and blood with faith, and bring to fruition in our lives the precious gift of grace we receive in this communion. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Blessed Father, You know our weakness of body and soul. Give to the troubled in mind Your peace, to the suffering relief, to the sick healing, to the grieving comfort and deliver the dying into everlasting life. Hear us especially for _____________ and also for those named in our hearts. [Brief silence] Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Giving Lord, all good things come from You. Open our hearts to be generous with the poor and to bring You the tithes and offerings You are due, that Your Church and all her agencies may serve Your gracious purpose and suffer no lack of people or resources to do the work of Your Kingdom. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty and everlasting God, deliver us from temptation and the powers of evil, that we may be faithful unto death and receive from Your hand the crown of everlasting life. Whether we live or die, we belong to You, and we pray You to comfort us with this promise, that we may join the company of the saints on the day You have appointed and enter into the heavenly places to worship at Your throne on high; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forevermore. And God’s people said: Amen.
Last week, we heard Jesus teach that the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven is the helpless one. Jesus made it clear that the forgiveness of sin is the foundation of the relationship we have with God and the relationships we have with each other … especially the relationship we have with the helpless one who is the greatest in the Kingdom. Forgiveness is how God loves us and how we love each other.
Peter responded to Jesus’ teaching with a question about the forgiveness of sins. Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” (Matthew 18:21) Peter is asking, “How often will my brother sin against me before I no longer love him … before I decide that he is no longer my brother?
Many commentators suggest that the rabbis of the time taught that three times was enough. So, Peter was being generous when he raised the number to seven. Peter had been listening to Jesus. If forgiveness was that important, Peter was willing to raise the level from three to seven.
But even seven was not enough. Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:22) Jesus then told a parable to demonstrate what He meant by seventy times seven. “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.” (Matthew 18:23–24)
It is important to know how much ten thousand talents is. One talent is a unit of weight that is somewhere between 80 and 100 pounds. At the current exchange rate, ten thousand talents of silver would be worth somewhere between $230 and $290 million. Ten thousand talents of gold would be worth between $17 and $22 billion. Either way, this is an incredible debt. This is way beyond the ability of this servant to repay in several lifetimes. This is an important point. There is no way that this servant could ever pay off this debt.
Since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. (Matthew 18:25) Within the context of this parable, Jesus is teaching us about our standing before God. Our sin has burdened us with a debt that is several orders of magnitude beyond our ability to repay. We deserve to be sold into eternal punishment. We are beyond all hope. We are lost forever.
Nevertheless, when this servant appeared before the king, he tried to convince the king that he could pull it off. The servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ (Matthew 18:26) With these words, Jesus teaches us that our sinful condition is so bad that we don’t even know how bad it is. Despite the reality of our situation, we believe that we can work it off … we can pay back the debt we owe. We are in denial.
Now here is where the parable leaves all earthly kingdoms behind. Out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. (Matthew 18:27) The king took on the debt of the servant. No earthly king would do this. Only our father in Heaven has the resources and the generosity to do this kind of thing. Only our Father in Heaven would send His only-begotten Son to take up our human flesh to pay the debt we owed. Only the Son of God would allow mortal men to beat Him and nail Him to a tree to pay that debt. It is here that Jesus illustrates the perfect loving-kindness that He has for you. You are forgiven.
After Jesus spoke of the incredible forgiveness of the king, He told of the response of the servant. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii … (Matthew 18:28) A denarius is about a day’s pay. Since they worked about twelve hours a day back then, let’s round that up to a hundred dollars. A hundred denarii would be about $10,000. This is not a small amount, but it is workable. It would be reasonable to expect someone to work off this loan over time. This debt is miniscule in comparison to a debt of ten thousand talents.
But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ (Matthew 18:28) The response of the servant indicates that he does not really believe the generosity of the king. Seizing and choking demonstrate a desperate attitude. He is behaving as though he still needs the money to pay back the king. The king’s generosity is not real to him even though neither he nor his family are in prison.
His fellow servant used almost the same words that he used before the king. His fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ (Matthew 18:29) The big difference is that his fellow servant is asking for time to do something possible. Whereas, in his plea before the king, he himself was asking for time to do something that he could never do.
His fellow servant’s words and actions should have taken his memory back to his time before the king. They should have reminded him of the mercy of the king, but they did not. He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. (Matthew 18:30) Here the unforgiving heart of the servant is a symptom that he does not believe the forgiveness of the king.
When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. (Matthew 18:31) These servants illustrate the grief that the church has when there is conflict in its midst. When there is conflict, the church turns to our Lord in prayer. We remember that the Lord still rules in His church and knows how to deal with our difficulties.
“Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.” (Matthew 18:32–34) The king clearly expected the servant to share the king’s mercy with his fellow servants. Not only has the servant soiled the reputation of his king, but he has also demonstrated that he did not really accept the mercy that the king extended to him when the debt was forgiven.
Jesus concluded His teaching with the meaning of the parable. “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” (Matthew 18:35) Each of us owes God a sin debt that we cannot even comprehend. Nevertheless, for the sake of the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God forgives that monstrous debt. The sins that our fellow man commit against us pale in comparison to that monstrous debt. The forgiveness of sins that we have from God should overflow in us so that we will sincerely forgive and gladly do good to those who sin against us.
Jesus’ parable makes it clear. Just as there is no end to the forgiveness God has for us, there is to be no end to the forgiveness we have for others. We forgive others indefinitely just as God in Christ forgives us.
There are a few points that we should consider as we meditate on this parable.
To begin with, the life of forgiveness that Jesus illustrates in the parable is impossible unless we first recognize that the mercy in the parable began with the king. That is, we forgive others as a result of the forgiveness, life, and salvation that we have in Jesus Christ. God must first forgive us. Then, and only then, can we forgive others. The life of forgiveness, like all the good works that God works in us, are the result of our salvation. It is NOT the cause of our salvation.
Secondly, our old, sinful nature may fight us on this. Our emotions may not be able to keep up with our faith. Even though the Holy Spirit has worked through our faith to forgive, we may still feel sad, frustrated, betrayed, and so forth. This struggle is not a reason to doubt. Instead, we take comfort in Paul’s words, I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18) We shall receive full healing when our Lord takes us into eternity to live with Him.
Thirdly, circumstances sometimes revive the memory of a sin. As fallible human beings, we cannot forgive as God forgives. With God, forgiveness is complete, generous, eternal. Although our memories may embarrass us with the memories of our sins, we can be confident that God has no such problem. Once He forgives a sin, it is forgiven forever. On the other hand, we should not be surprised when we need to forgive the sins of others more than once. The fact that I need to forgive a sin more than once does not mean that I refuse to forgive. It simply means that in my weakness, I need to forgive again.
Finally, we have a resource that the servant in the story did not have. God is not just our king, but Jesus has told us to call Him our Father. As our Father in Heaven, we can come to Him at any time and confess our reluctance to forgive. We can ask Him to forgive us and renew our desire to forgive others as we do in the Lord’s Prayer. Thankfully the source of our forgiveness … the suffering, death, and resurrection of our Lord, Christ Jesus Christ is a never-ending flow of forgiveness, life, and salvation. In Him, we receive the grace and mercy of God forever and ever. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost - 13 September 2020
Let us pray for the whole people of God in Christ Jesus and for all people according to their needs.
Almighty God, as once You kept Joseph from evil and brought good from his suffering in Egypt, deliver us by Your grace so that we may learn patience in trials. Teach us to be slow to judge, quick to forgive, and steadfast in love for You and for one another. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Merciful Lord, You have shown great compassion to us; teach us to show such compassion to others, that we may welcome the stranger, love our neighbor in need, and be attentive to those new to the faith or vulnerable to temptation. Help us to serve the refugee seeking safety, and give us opportunity to share Your gifts with those who live in poverty and want. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Gracious God, bless those who preach and teach Your Word, and give the hearers willing ears to hear and willing hearts to learn the Scriptures well. Bless those now training to be pastors and church workers. Grant to all the baptized the aid of Your Holy Spirit so that, receiving Your Gospel with joy, we may share it freely with those outside the household of faith. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Mighty God, give wisdom and courage to our elected and appointed leaders, that they may pursue justice, seek peace and protect life from its natural beginning to its natural end. Bring an end to the threats of terror and violence among the peoples, and open all nations to the voice of Your Word. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Holy Lord, lead us to pursue reconciliation, that we may stand before You forgiven and united in faith. Give us unity of doctrine, and help us to walk together in harmony of life. Prepare us to receive Your own Son’s body and blood with faith, and bring to fruition in our lives the precious gift of grace we receive in this communion. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Blessed Father, You know our weakness of body and soul. Give to the troubled in mind Your peace, to the suffering relief, to the sick healing, to the grieving comfort and deliver the dying into everlasting life. Hear us especially for _____________ and also for those named in our hearts. [Brief silence] Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Giving Lord, all good things come from You. Open our hearts to be generous with the poor and to bring You the tithes and offerings You are due, that Your Church and all her agencies may serve Your gracious purpose and suffer no lack of people or resources to do the work of Your Kingdom. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Almighty and everlasting God, deliver us from temptation and the powers of evil, that we may be faithful unto death and receive from Your hand the crown of everlasting life. Whether we live or die, we belong to You, and we pray You to comfort us with this promise, that we may join the company of the saints on the day You have appointed and enter into the heavenly places to worship at Your throne on high; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forevermore. And God’s people said: Amen.
SEPTEMBER 6, 2020
SERMON AND PRAYERS
SERMON AND PRAYERS
Who Is the Greatest? - Matthew 18:1-20
This morning’s Gospel begins with a question from the disciples “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1) Jesus used this question as a starting point for describing the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, how the church should deal with the greatest in the kingdom, and the magnitude of the forgiveness of sins that is set aside for the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Last week’s Gospel described that point in time when Jesus began to show his disciples that “he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” (Matthew 16:21) “Shortly after that time, Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.” (Matthew 17:1–2) We covered that reading on the Sunday of the Transfiguration at the end of the Epiphany season. A few verses before today’s Gospel begins, we have another Passion prediction. As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” (Matthew 17:22–23)
So, Jesus has recently given some of the disciples a glimpse of His glory, and, at least twice, He has told them about His upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection. You would think that the disciples would be interested in the topic that Jesus placed before them … His upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection. You would think they would have questions about that. That is what you would think, but that is not what they asked. At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1) Some of them had seen Jesus shining brighter than the sun and talking with Moses and Elijah. All of them had heard Jesus talk about His upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection in Jerusalem. And this is the question that comes to their minds?
Jesus never skipped a beat. He knew a good teaching opportunity when it happened. Calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:2–4) Jesus took the opportunity of their question to teach them that greatness in the kingdom of heaven is totally different than in the kingdoms of this world.
Right away a lot of people are saying something like, “Ah, the innocence of youth. That is what Jesus is teaching. He is pointing to a child because the child is so innocent.” I’ve got to admit that when they are all decked out in their Sunday best, they can look pretty innocent, but ask any parent who has raised a couple of kids. You must teach children to tell the truth because they are natural liars. You must teach children to share because they are selfish by nature. Have you ever seen infants with murder in their eyes? Children may look innocent, but they are not. As King David wrote, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Psalm 51:5)
So why did Jesus use a child as an example of the greatest? What is so special about them? What can they do for the kingdom? What can they do for Jesus? The answer of course is nothing.
That’s just the point, isn’t it? Children have no capacity for entering the kingdom of God and not much for serving in it. Children are helpless. We think of Jesus with the children, but those children never came on their own. “Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them.” (Luke 18:15) Notice that someone brought the infants. They didn’t come of their own power or volition. In today’s Gospel, Jesus put him in the midst of them. Did the children even know what was going on in these situations? Probably not.
Which, again, is just the point, isn’t it? For when it comes to the Kingdom and a right relationship with God, there is no room for human initiative, effort, self-seeking, self-promotion, self-justification, self-advocacy … none at all! In fact, that all gets in the way, forms obstacles to grace, and misses the point entirely of how God wants to save us, God’s way of saving us … by doing it all for us Himself in Jesus!
So Jesus taught His disciples that the one who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven is the one who needs the most help. The one who is totally helpless is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. This is the opposite of this world where the one who gives the most help is the greatest.
So the one who is the most helpless comes under God’s protection. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!” (Matthew 18:6–7) “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew 18:10–14)
Even the verses that deal with church discipline are about the helpless … the helpless one who has strayed. Even here, Jesus teaches, “If [your brother] listens to you, you have gained your brother.” (Matthew 18:15)
So the helpless are the greatest. They are the perfect candidates for grace.
At another time, Jesus said, “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26–28) God himself became helpless, humble, lowly. The one who needs no one’s help became not only a little child, but also a suffering, dying grown-up. He humbled himself even to death on the cross to secure God’s grace for these little ones.
This sinful world seeks greatness through power. Jesus Himself said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. (Matthew 20:25) That is the way of the world … get power and use it to control others. The one who uses power and control the most effectively is the greatest.
On the other hand, Jesus points to a helpless child as the standard of greatness in the kingdom of heaven. The one who is the most helpless, the weakest, the humblest, the lowliest, the most dependent on God, and the most reliant on Jesus … this is the greatest.
There are the times when the difficult life of bearing the cross beats down. The flaming darts of the evil one are especially fierce. Those who suffer these attacks are the little ones who are the greatest. Jesus said, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.” (Matthew 18:5) In this way, the Holy Spirit works through the church to bear one another’s burdens.
Then there is the way that all of us need and depend on God. At the time that God the Holy Spirit works faith in us, He must take us back to infancy. We are all helpless to save ourselves. Therefore, we are all like helpless children who need rescuing. That is what the Holy Spirit does when He gives us the faith that relies on Jesus alone.
When we were at our most helpless, when we were dead in trespasses and sin, the Lord treated us as the greatest in the kingdom. He took on our weakness and died that we might live. He rose that we might have eternal life with Him forever. It is He who takes the most helpless and makes them the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost - 6 September 2020
Blessed Lord, You have promised that where two or three are gathered in Your name, You are in the midst of them. Hear the prayers of Your people, and grant our supplications.
O Lord, grant to Your people courage, that with boldness we may speak Your name in witness and warn sinners so that they may come to faith and repentance and so enjoy the forgiveness of their sins. Give Your Church wisdom and strength by Your Spirit, that she may be steadfast and unmovable in Your Word and truth. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, be present among Your people to serve us with the gifts of Your grace, and grant that we may receive them with joy. Give to us faithful pastors and church workers who will minister to us in Your name and strengthen our faith and life together as Your baptized people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, give to us good and honest leaders who will govern according to Your Word and will. Give us grace, that we may not fail to pray for those who lead us and to act as good citizens and good neighbors to one another. Give peace to the nations, and bring an end to violence, prejudice and racism. Guide us to know and respect all life, from the infant in the womb to the youth beginning maturity, and from the mature to the aged. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, You send rain upon the earth and turn the seeds into plants rich with fruit for harvest. Accept our thanks and praise for Your continued goodness in providing a good harvest and food for all. Give us wisdom so that we may use Your resources wisely and extend Your care to those in need. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, You urge us to give special care and guidance to the young and those new to the faith. Give us grace, that we may not lead them into temptation or sin but guard their faith by making known to them the full counsel of Your Word. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, You are the strength of the weak, the healing of the sick, the comfort of those who grieve and the peace of those near death. Hear us on behalf of _____________, that they may be sustained in their afflictions, comforted in life and death, and delivered to everlasting life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, You have given the day for work and the night for rest. Bless all honest labor and industry, artists and artisans, and those in caring professions. Keep us in humility, and guard us against pride and arrogance. Give to us a spirit of generosity, that we may share with others the blessings that flow from our labors. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, teach us to forgive others as You have forgiven us and bless the fellowship of the forgiven, that we may be united in doctrine and life. Bless us as we commune today upon the body and blood of our Savior, and help us to keep in holy lives what we will receive upon our lips in this Holy Sacrament. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, deliver us from pandemic and pestilence, from disaster and danger, and from a sudden death, that kept in faith, we may be preserved through this mortal life and in death be received into the arms of Your mercy and into the blessed rest of everlasting life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Hear us, O Lord, who cry to You in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, whom with the Spirit, You are one God and one Lord, now and forevermore. And God’s people said: Amen.
This morning’s Gospel begins with a question from the disciples “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1) Jesus used this question as a starting point for describing the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, how the church should deal with the greatest in the kingdom, and the magnitude of the forgiveness of sins that is set aside for the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
Last week’s Gospel described that point in time when Jesus began to show his disciples that “he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” (Matthew 16:21) “Shortly after that time, Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.” (Matthew 17:1–2) We covered that reading on the Sunday of the Transfiguration at the end of the Epiphany season. A few verses before today’s Gospel begins, we have another Passion prediction. As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.” (Matthew 17:22–23)
So, Jesus has recently given some of the disciples a glimpse of His glory, and, at least twice, He has told them about His upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection. You would think that the disciples would be interested in the topic that Jesus placed before them … His upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection. You would think they would have questions about that. That is what you would think, but that is not what they asked. At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matthew 18:1) Some of them had seen Jesus shining brighter than the sun and talking with Moses and Elijah. All of them had heard Jesus talk about His upcoming suffering, death, and resurrection in Jerusalem. And this is the question that comes to their minds?
Jesus never skipped a beat. He knew a good teaching opportunity when it happened. Calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:2–4) Jesus took the opportunity of their question to teach them that greatness in the kingdom of heaven is totally different than in the kingdoms of this world.
Right away a lot of people are saying something like, “Ah, the innocence of youth. That is what Jesus is teaching. He is pointing to a child because the child is so innocent.” I’ve got to admit that when they are all decked out in their Sunday best, they can look pretty innocent, but ask any parent who has raised a couple of kids. You must teach children to tell the truth because they are natural liars. You must teach children to share because they are selfish by nature. Have you ever seen infants with murder in their eyes? Children may look innocent, but they are not. As King David wrote, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” (Psalm 51:5)
So why did Jesus use a child as an example of the greatest? What is so special about them? What can they do for the kingdom? What can they do for Jesus? The answer of course is nothing.
That’s just the point, isn’t it? Children have no capacity for entering the kingdom of God and not much for serving in it. Children are helpless. We think of Jesus with the children, but those children never came on their own. “Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them.” (Luke 18:15) Notice that someone brought the infants. They didn’t come of their own power or volition. In today’s Gospel, Jesus put him in the midst of them. Did the children even know what was going on in these situations? Probably not.
Which, again, is just the point, isn’t it? For when it comes to the Kingdom and a right relationship with God, there is no room for human initiative, effort, self-seeking, self-promotion, self-justification, self-advocacy … none at all! In fact, that all gets in the way, forms obstacles to grace, and misses the point entirely of how God wants to save us, God’s way of saving us … by doing it all for us Himself in Jesus!
So Jesus taught His disciples that the one who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven is the one who needs the most help. The one who is totally helpless is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. This is the opposite of this world where the one who gives the most help is the greatest.
So the one who is the most helpless comes under God’s protection. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!” (Matthew 18:6–7) “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew 18:10–14)
Even the verses that deal with church discipline are about the helpless … the helpless one who has strayed. Even here, Jesus teaches, “If [your brother] listens to you, you have gained your brother.” (Matthew 18:15)
So the helpless are the greatest. They are the perfect candidates for grace.
At another time, Jesus said, “Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26–28) God himself became helpless, humble, lowly. The one who needs no one’s help became not only a little child, but also a suffering, dying grown-up. He humbled himself even to death on the cross to secure God’s grace for these little ones.
This sinful world seeks greatness through power. Jesus Himself said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. (Matthew 20:25) That is the way of the world … get power and use it to control others. The one who uses power and control the most effectively is the greatest.
On the other hand, Jesus points to a helpless child as the standard of greatness in the kingdom of heaven. The one who is the most helpless, the weakest, the humblest, the lowliest, the most dependent on God, and the most reliant on Jesus … this is the greatest.
There are the times when the difficult life of bearing the cross beats down. The flaming darts of the evil one are especially fierce. Those who suffer these attacks are the little ones who are the greatest. Jesus said, “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.” (Matthew 18:5) In this way, the Holy Spirit works through the church to bear one another’s burdens.
Then there is the way that all of us need and depend on God. At the time that God the Holy Spirit works faith in us, He must take us back to infancy. We are all helpless to save ourselves. Therefore, we are all like helpless children who need rescuing. That is what the Holy Spirit does when He gives us the faith that relies on Jesus alone.
When we were at our most helpless, when we were dead in trespasses and sin, the Lord treated us as the greatest in the kingdom. He took on our weakness and died that we might live. He rose that we might have eternal life with Him forever. It is He who takes the most helpless and makes them the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost - 6 September 2020
Blessed Lord, You have promised that where two or three are gathered in Your name, You are in the midst of them. Hear the prayers of Your people, and grant our supplications.
O Lord, grant to Your people courage, that with boldness we may speak Your name in witness and warn sinners so that they may come to faith and repentance and so enjoy the forgiveness of their sins. Give Your Church wisdom and strength by Your Spirit, that she may be steadfast and unmovable in Your Word and truth. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, be present among Your people to serve us with the gifts of Your grace, and grant that we may receive them with joy. Give to us faithful pastors and church workers who will minister to us in Your name and strengthen our faith and life together as Your baptized people. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, give to us good and honest leaders who will govern according to Your Word and will. Give us grace, that we may not fail to pray for those who lead us and to act as good citizens and good neighbors to one another. Give peace to the nations, and bring an end to violence, prejudice and racism. Guide us to know and respect all life, from the infant in the womb to the youth beginning maturity, and from the mature to the aged. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, You send rain upon the earth and turn the seeds into plants rich with fruit for harvest. Accept our thanks and praise for Your continued goodness in providing a good harvest and food for all. Give us wisdom so that we may use Your resources wisely and extend Your care to those in need. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, You urge us to give special care and guidance to the young and those new to the faith. Give us grace, that we may not lead them into temptation or sin but guard their faith by making known to them the full counsel of Your Word. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, You are the strength of the weak, the healing of the sick, the comfort of those who grieve and the peace of those near death. Hear us on behalf of _____________, that they may be sustained in their afflictions, comforted in life and death, and delivered to everlasting life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, You have given the day for work and the night for rest. Bless all honest labor and industry, artists and artisans, and those in caring professions. Keep us in humility, and guard us against pride and arrogance. Give to us a spirit of generosity, that we may share with others the blessings that flow from our labors. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, teach us to forgive others as You have forgiven us and bless the fellowship of the forgiven, that we may be united in doctrine and life. Bless us as we commune today upon the body and blood of our Savior, and help us to keep in holy lives what we will receive upon our lips in this Holy Sacrament. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, deliver us from pandemic and pestilence, from disaster and danger, and from a sudden death, that kept in faith, we may be preserved through this mortal life and in death be received into the arms of Your mercy and into the blessed rest of everlasting life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
Hear us, O Lord, who cry to You in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, whom with the Spirit, You are one God and one Lord, now and forevermore. And God’s people said: Amen.
AUGUST 30, 2020
SERMON AND PRAYERS ONLY
SERMON AND PRAYERS ONLY
What Does This Mean? Matthew 16:21-28
There are times when I think about how hard it must be to assign readings for the various days of the church year. I am very thankful for the admirable job that our church fathers have done in creating a lectionary that fairly represents the teachings of the Bible over the course of three years in the case of the Three Year Lectionary. At the same time, we should also remember that every reading happens within a context. There is the context of the rest of the book … the context of the Bible as a whole … and the context of the culture of the author and the original audience of the book. The Gospel reading that we recently heard has even more to teach us when we consider it as a continuation of the Gospel we heard last week.
Last week, we heard that marvelous confession by Peter: “You are the Christ, the Son of the God who lives.” You may recall that Jesus praised God the Father for revealing this special confession to Peter. Then Jesus sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone about this confession. As we read the rest of the Gospel accounts, we learn that Jesus regularly told people to keep His identity to themselves. It almost seems as though Jesus did not want people to know that He was the promised Messiah or Christ. This particular instruction puzzles many people. Why wouldn’t Jesus want people to know His true identity? Why did He strongly warn people not to tell others about Him?
Today, we hear the answer to that question. The disciples got the words right when they confessed that Jesus is the Christ, but they did not know what those words meant. If you read last week’s Gospel and this week’s Gospel together, you understand that right after Peter made this marvelous confession, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. Basically, Jesus had heard this great confession and now He wanted the disciples to understand what it means to be the Christ. It means suffering, death, and resurrection. It means taking your sin onto Himself and carrying it to the cross.
Peter very ably demonstrated that the disciples did not get it. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” That word rebuke is just a fancy way of saying that Peter chewed Jesus out. Think about that for just a minute. Peter is the one whose mouth confessed that Jesus is the Almighty Son of the God who lives. Then, just five verses later, that same Peter is chewing out the Almighty Son of the God who lives … the one through whom all things were created. It becomes very obvious that the title Christ means one thing to Jesus and something entirely different to Peter.
Jesus lost little time in straightening out Peter’s theology. He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” There is a lot going on in this reply.
First of all, Jesus demonstrates zero tolerance for false teaching. We live in a world that has corrupted tolerance into the encouragement of any and every activity that the sinful mind of man can imagine. Consenting adults can agree to any activity, and this corrupted form of tolerance requires us to celebrate their activity no matter how stupid or immoral that activity may be. Jesus is not very politically correct.
Second of all, the reference to Satan is not just a figure of speech. The devil regularly tempted Jesus throughout His ministry. The basic premise of those temptations was for Jesus to take a short cut that allowed Him to accomplish His mission while avoiding the cross. That is what the temptations in the wilderness were all about … when the devil offered to crown Jesus as the king of the entire world if He would simply fall down and worship him. Peter was actually acting as an agent of Satan by chewing out Jesus for talking about the cross.
There have always been many false teachings in the world and things are no different today. Most of the false teachings that seem so new today are really ancient heresies that have been remarketed with new names and appearances, but the same old lies. Most of them are wrong ideas about what it means to be the Christ. Some teach that Jesus was only a man. Others teach that Jesus did not become fully human, but only took on the appearance of a man. Still others teach that Jesus only appeared to die on the cross. Then there are those who teach that Jesus did not earn our full salvation on the cross. Instead, His death on the cross gave us the power to save ourselves. AND there are many, many more. The point is that Satan and his demons often try to deprive us of our salvation by depriving us of a true understanding of what it means that Jesus is the Christ.
All four Gospel accounts tell us that Jesus often explained what it means to be the Christ … that he regularly spoke of His suffering and death. Those same Gospel accounts tell us that the disciples were unable to understand this meaning until after the events happened. It was not until after Jesus rose from the dead that the disciples began to understand the true meaning of what it means to be the Christ. It was on the day of His resurrection that [Luke 24:45-46] [Jesus] opened [his disciples’] minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.” It was when they understood this that Jesus told them, [Acts 1:8] You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” It was after they understood that the Christ is about suffering, death, and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins that Jesus sent them as witnesses – that Jesus sent them to tell the world that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
This is the golden thread that forms the tapestry of God’s Word. This is the key to the right understanding of Holy Scripture. The Old Testament points forward to the Christ. The New Testament tells of the Christ. The life, suffering, death, and resurrection of the Christ are what make the Bible a love letter from God that offers forgiveness, life, and salvation to you.
The devil wants to take this love letter away from you. He continues to work through his agents in order to tempt you to abandon the Christ. That is what Jesus was talking about when He said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” When Jesus talks about the cross we bear, He is not talking about the type of hardships that sin brings to everyone in this world. He is not talking about illnesses, family squabbles, economic hardships, injuries and so forth. He is not even talking about death. Instead, He is specifically talking about the difficulties that we have simply because we are Christians.
When we think about the cross that Christians carry, we often think about the persecution of the church in this world. The violence in the Middle East is just one example of the persecution of Christ in the world today. A quick check with Voice of the Martyrs informs us that Christians die for their faith all around the world. There are many nations in this world where Christianity carries the death sentence by the law of the land. There are other countries where Christianity is legal, but law enforcement will look the other way if a crime is committed against a Christian. We in the West have been fairly blessed to avoid such persecution for now, but at the rate things are going in this nation, our children and grandchildren may be asked to surrender their lives for the sake of the cross.
As bad as all of this is, it is not the most dangerous cross we face. The most dangerous cross comes from within. Our own sinful nature works to convince us that the plan of salvation laid out in the Bible just doesn’t make sense. It insists that God’s plan of salvation should conform to our wants, our desires, our felt needs. Our sinful nature wants to judge itself according to its own rules and not according to God’s rules. Instead of relying on God’s promises, our sinful nature wants to judge God. Does God’s way make me healthy, wealthy, and wise? Does it make me feel good? Our sinful nature wants us to forget about what God said and rely on our own feelings instead. This cross is actually more dangerous than outward persecution. When we deny the true meaning of what it means to be the Christ, we reject the very forgiveness, life, and salvation that Jesus earned for us by being true to His mission as the Christ … by suffering and then rising from the dead.
The devil used Peter to tempt Jesus to give up the mission of the Christ. Jesus resisted the temptation and kept His appointment with the cross. Jesus’ suffering and death earned the forgiveness of sins for all people. His resurrection from the dead opened heaven to us all.
After Jesus rose from the dead, He gave Peter and all the disciples a clear understanding of what it means to be the Christ. On Pentecost, Peter preached the confession that he received from God the Father Almighty. He understood it so well that he eventually lost his life on earth for that confession.
Peter and his fellow apostles suffered much for this confession and they wrote this confession down so that the church could pass it down through the generations. Now that confession is ours. Because Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, all of us who trust in Him will receive the eternal gift of heaven from Him. He will always be with us and we will always be with Him. Amen
There are times when I think about how hard it must be to assign readings for the various days of the church year. I am very thankful for the admirable job that our church fathers have done in creating a lectionary that fairly represents the teachings of the Bible over the course of three years in the case of the Three Year Lectionary. At the same time, we should also remember that every reading happens within a context. There is the context of the rest of the book … the context of the Bible as a whole … and the context of the culture of the author and the original audience of the book. The Gospel reading that we recently heard has even more to teach us when we consider it as a continuation of the Gospel we heard last week.
Last week, we heard that marvelous confession by Peter: “You are the Christ, the Son of the God who lives.” You may recall that Jesus praised God the Father for revealing this special confession to Peter. Then Jesus sternly warned the disciples not to tell anyone about this confession. As we read the rest of the Gospel accounts, we learn that Jesus regularly told people to keep His identity to themselves. It almost seems as though Jesus did not want people to know that He was the promised Messiah or Christ. This particular instruction puzzles many people. Why wouldn’t Jesus want people to know His true identity? Why did He strongly warn people not to tell others about Him?
Today, we hear the answer to that question. The disciples got the words right when they confessed that Jesus is the Christ, but they did not know what those words meant. If you read last week’s Gospel and this week’s Gospel together, you understand that right after Peter made this marvelous confession, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. Basically, Jesus had heard this great confession and now He wanted the disciples to understand what it means to be the Christ. It means suffering, death, and resurrection. It means taking your sin onto Himself and carrying it to the cross.
Peter very ably demonstrated that the disciples did not get it. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” That word rebuke is just a fancy way of saying that Peter chewed Jesus out. Think about that for just a minute. Peter is the one whose mouth confessed that Jesus is the Almighty Son of the God who lives. Then, just five verses later, that same Peter is chewing out the Almighty Son of the God who lives … the one through whom all things were created. It becomes very obvious that the title Christ means one thing to Jesus and something entirely different to Peter.
Jesus lost little time in straightening out Peter’s theology. He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” There is a lot going on in this reply.
First of all, Jesus demonstrates zero tolerance for false teaching. We live in a world that has corrupted tolerance into the encouragement of any and every activity that the sinful mind of man can imagine. Consenting adults can agree to any activity, and this corrupted form of tolerance requires us to celebrate their activity no matter how stupid or immoral that activity may be. Jesus is not very politically correct.
Second of all, the reference to Satan is not just a figure of speech. The devil regularly tempted Jesus throughout His ministry. The basic premise of those temptations was for Jesus to take a short cut that allowed Him to accomplish His mission while avoiding the cross. That is what the temptations in the wilderness were all about … when the devil offered to crown Jesus as the king of the entire world if He would simply fall down and worship him. Peter was actually acting as an agent of Satan by chewing out Jesus for talking about the cross.
There have always been many false teachings in the world and things are no different today. Most of the false teachings that seem so new today are really ancient heresies that have been remarketed with new names and appearances, but the same old lies. Most of them are wrong ideas about what it means to be the Christ. Some teach that Jesus was only a man. Others teach that Jesus did not become fully human, but only took on the appearance of a man. Still others teach that Jesus only appeared to die on the cross. Then there are those who teach that Jesus did not earn our full salvation on the cross. Instead, His death on the cross gave us the power to save ourselves. AND there are many, many more. The point is that Satan and his demons often try to deprive us of our salvation by depriving us of a true understanding of what it means that Jesus is the Christ.
All four Gospel accounts tell us that Jesus often explained what it means to be the Christ … that he regularly spoke of His suffering and death. Those same Gospel accounts tell us that the disciples were unable to understand this meaning until after the events happened. It was not until after Jesus rose from the dead that the disciples began to understand the true meaning of what it means to be the Christ. It was on the day of His resurrection that [Luke 24:45-46] [Jesus] opened [his disciples’] minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.” It was when they understood this that Jesus told them, [Acts 1:8] You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” It was after they understood that the Christ is about suffering, death, and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins that Jesus sent them as witnesses – that Jesus sent them to tell the world that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
This is the golden thread that forms the tapestry of God’s Word. This is the key to the right understanding of Holy Scripture. The Old Testament points forward to the Christ. The New Testament tells of the Christ. The life, suffering, death, and resurrection of the Christ are what make the Bible a love letter from God that offers forgiveness, life, and salvation to you.
The devil wants to take this love letter away from you. He continues to work through his agents in order to tempt you to abandon the Christ. That is what Jesus was talking about when He said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” When Jesus talks about the cross we bear, He is not talking about the type of hardships that sin brings to everyone in this world. He is not talking about illnesses, family squabbles, economic hardships, injuries and so forth. He is not even talking about death. Instead, He is specifically talking about the difficulties that we have simply because we are Christians.
When we think about the cross that Christians carry, we often think about the persecution of the church in this world. The violence in the Middle East is just one example of the persecution of Christ in the world today. A quick check with Voice of the Martyrs informs us that Christians die for their faith all around the world. There are many nations in this world where Christianity carries the death sentence by the law of the land. There are other countries where Christianity is legal, but law enforcement will look the other way if a crime is committed against a Christian. We in the West have been fairly blessed to avoid such persecution for now, but at the rate things are going in this nation, our children and grandchildren may be asked to surrender their lives for the sake of the cross.
As bad as all of this is, it is not the most dangerous cross we face. The most dangerous cross comes from within. Our own sinful nature works to convince us that the plan of salvation laid out in the Bible just doesn’t make sense. It insists that God’s plan of salvation should conform to our wants, our desires, our felt needs. Our sinful nature wants to judge itself according to its own rules and not according to God’s rules. Instead of relying on God’s promises, our sinful nature wants to judge God. Does God’s way make me healthy, wealthy, and wise? Does it make me feel good? Our sinful nature wants us to forget about what God said and rely on our own feelings instead. This cross is actually more dangerous than outward persecution. When we deny the true meaning of what it means to be the Christ, we reject the very forgiveness, life, and salvation that Jesus earned for us by being true to His mission as the Christ … by suffering and then rising from the dead.
The devil used Peter to tempt Jesus to give up the mission of the Christ. Jesus resisted the temptation and kept His appointment with the cross. Jesus’ suffering and death earned the forgiveness of sins for all people. His resurrection from the dead opened heaven to us all.
After Jesus rose from the dead, He gave Peter and all the disciples a clear understanding of what it means to be the Christ. On Pentecost, Peter preached the confession that he received from God the Father Almighty. He understood it so well that he eventually lost his life on earth for that confession.
Peter and his fellow apostles suffered much for this confession and they wrote this confession down so that the church could pass it down through the generations. Now that confession is ours. Because Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, all of us who trust in Him will receive the eternal gift of heaven from Him. He will always be with us and we will always be with Him. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost - 30 August 2020
Knowing the will of God that all would come to the knowledge of Your Son and find salvation in Christ, let us pray on behalf of our parish community and for all people according to their needs.
We pray for our faith and faithfulness, especially for those persecuted for the cause of Christ; and
For our strength in time of trial and for us to persevere in grace in the day of trouble; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for the Church, Jerusalem on high, our mother in Christ until Christ is fully formed in us;
For the pastors who serve us, that they may be faithful stewards of God’s mysteries; and
For those at home and abroad, who bring the message of salvation to those who have not heard; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for our president; our governor; and all legislators and civil servants;
For those who must render judgment and impose punishment upon lawbreakers; and
For those who work for peace among the nations; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for favorable weather and for those who tend the soil and harvest its fruits;
For business and industry, service workers and artisans;
For generosity toward those in need; and
For the unemployed and underemployed; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for those married, that they would live in fidelity to their vows and promises;
For parents as they teach their children to know and love the Lord;
For single adults, that they may find fulfillment in their service to others; and
For our lives together showing the love of Christ one to another; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for grace to take up the cross and follow the Lord wherever He leads;
For courage in the face of challenge and adversity; and
For compassion and harmony in our life together; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for holy lives of faith;
For faith to receive the Lord’s gift of His flesh and blood in the Holy Sacrament; and
For this holy assembly, that we may present ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray in remembrance of the saints and grace to follow their example of faith;
For God to grant us a place with them in their fellowship; and
For our eternal life in God’s kingdom without end; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
Almighty God, You have forgiven our sins and delivered us from death through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Continue to pour out Your mercy upon us, and grant to us all good things needful to this body and life and keep from us all things harmful. From You, through You and to You are all things, O Lord, holy Father, mighty God; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, whom with the Holy Spirit, You are one Lord, one God, now and forevermore. And God’s people said: Amen.
Knowing the will of God that all would come to the knowledge of Your Son and find salvation in Christ, let us pray on behalf of our parish community and for all people according to their needs.
We pray for our faith and faithfulness, especially for those persecuted for the cause of Christ; and
For our strength in time of trial and for us to persevere in grace in the day of trouble; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for the Church, Jerusalem on high, our mother in Christ until Christ is fully formed in us;
For the pastors who serve us, that they may be faithful stewards of God’s mysteries; and
For those at home and abroad, who bring the message of salvation to those who have not heard; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for our president; our governor; and all legislators and civil servants;
For those who must render judgment and impose punishment upon lawbreakers; and
For those who work for peace among the nations; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for favorable weather and for those who tend the soil and harvest its fruits;
For business and industry, service workers and artisans;
For generosity toward those in need; and
For the unemployed and underemployed; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for those married, that they would live in fidelity to their vows and promises;
For parents as they teach their children to know and love the Lord;
For single adults, that they may find fulfillment in their service to others; and
For our lives together showing the love of Christ one to another; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for grace to take up the cross and follow the Lord wherever He leads;
For courage in the face of challenge and adversity; and
For compassion and harmony in our life together; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for holy lives of faith;
For faith to receive the Lord’s gift of His flesh and blood in the Holy Sacrament; and
For this holy assembly, that we may present ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray in remembrance of the saints and grace to follow their example of faith;
For God to grant us a place with them in their fellowship; and
For our eternal life in God’s kingdom without end; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
Almighty God, You have forgiven our sins and delivered us from death through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Continue to pour out Your mercy upon us, and grant to us all good things needful to this body and life and keep from us all things harmful. From You, through You and to You are all things, O Lord, holy Father, mighty God; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, whom with the Holy Spirit, You are one Lord, one God, now and forevermore. And God’s people said: Amen.
AUGUST 23, 2020
SERMON AND PRAYERS ONLY
SERMON AND PRAYERS ONLY
Who Is Jesus? Matthew 16:13-20
Last week’s Gospel had the disciples in the area around Tyre and Sidon located on the shore of the Mediterranean in Gentile territory. Jesus had taken the disciples North of Galilee in order to get away from the badgering of the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem. In the Gospel we recently heard, Jesus and the disciples had traveled east from Tyre and Sidon to the area around Caesarea Philippi. This is still in the Gentile territory north of Galilee.
Jesus used this time away from the crowds of Galilee to teach the disciples. Today’s lesson was about the true identity of Jesus. Who is He? Jesus opened the topic by asking the disciples about the opinion of the crowds. [Jesus] asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” It is sort of interesting that all of the guesses are dead prophets. Herod had recently killed John the Baptist. Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind hundreds of years earlier. Jeremiah had disappeared into Egypt after the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem. The people thought that Jesus was one of these dead prophets come back to life.
I wonder what people would say if you took a poll at a busy shopping area in 21st century America and asked who Jesus is. I would guess that some would say community organizer, life coach, great teacher, and so forth. Some of the crowd who are spiritual, but not religious might regard Jesus as a great guru who was able to tap into the Christ consciousness that dwells in all of us. Others regard Jesus as this permissive personality who pretty much lets you do whatever you want as long as you don’t hurt anyone else.
There were many opinions back then and there are many opinions today. The problem with opinions is that opinions based on guesswork are usually wrong. Opinions about who Jesus is are no exception. People who guess about Jesus’ identity will get it wrong.
The really sad thing about this is that when you get the identity of Jesus wrong, you get salvation wrong. You can talk like a Christian and fool a lot of people into thinking you are a Christian, but, in the end, you will enter into eternal punishment. It is essential to get the identity of Jesus right in order to get salvation right.
There is one answer that is right and we heard that answer from Simon Peter of all people. [Jesus] said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. This is the right answer back then and it is still the right answer today.
But what does it mean that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God? Jesus knew that the disciples would not know the answer to that question until after He suffered, died, and rose from the dead.
That is the reason that Jesus gave that odd little instruction near the end of today’s reading. He strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. He did not want the disciples to teach the wrong understanding of what it means to be the Christ.
The title Christ comes from the Greek word that means to anoint. The Hebrew equivalent is Messiah. So we can say Christ. We can say Messiah. We can say the anointed one. They all mean the same thing.
Anointing was a rite for setting someone aside for a special office. In the Old Testament, Aaron was anointed priest, David was anointed king, and Elijah anointed Elisha to be the prophet after him. The anointed offices of the Old Testament are priest, king, and prophet. As the anointed one, Jesus fulfilled all of these offices.
Jesus is the prophet anointed by God. It is easy to see Jesus as prophet when we realize what a prophet is and who Jesus is. A prophet is someone who speaks for God. Jesus is both one hundred per cent human and one hundred per cent God. Well, who better to speak for God than God Himself, Jesus the Christ? This already makes Jesus the ultimate prophet.
But Jesus went above and beyond the role of the normal prophet. God made many promises through the prophets down through the centuries. As prophet, Jesus Himself made many promises. Jesus went beyond the role of prophet because He did not just speak the promises of God, but He also keeps the promises that God made through the mouths of the prophets.
Jesus is the king anointed by God. As God, Jesus also reigns over all things. That makes Him the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It is by the reign of His power that all things exist and have their being. It is by the reign of His grace that He brings forgiveness to His church on earth. It is by the reign of His glory that He leads His church into eternity.
Here too, Jesus serves above and beyond any other king. As King, He establishes the law of His kingdom. But Jesus went beyond the role of king. Even though the king rules even the law, Jesus humbled Himself in obedience to the law. He not only kept the law for Himself, but He also kept the law in our place.
Jesus is the priest anointed by God. The priest represents the people before God. Who better to represent humanity before God than the one who is both God and man? In fact, Jesus is the only one truly qualified to be our priest. All the other priests in the Old Testament were merely shadows who pointed forward to the true high priest, Jesus the anointed one.
Once again, Jesus went beyond the role of priest. The priests of the Old Testament offered up sacrifices before God. Jesus offered up Himself as the once for all sacrifice that truly does take away the sin of the world.
It is at the cross that we see what it means to be the Christ. There on the cross is the Christ sacrificing Himself for the sins of the world. There is the Christ, the rock on which the church is built.
With His suffering and death on the cross, Christ has overcome sin. Since death relies on sin, Christ has also defeated death. Resurrection must follow the victory that Christ won for us on the cross. It is with His resurrection from the grave that Jesus finished showing the disciples and us what it means to be the Christ. It is after the resurrection that [Luke 24:45-46] [Jesus] opened [his disciples’] minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.”
It is with the complete picture of Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection that we have a complete picture of what it means to be the Christ. It is with this complete picture that we begin to understand Peter’s confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Peter did not dream this confession up on his own. Jesus said that the Father in heaven gave this confession to Peter. This confession is so reliable that it is the foundation of Christ’s church. Jesus continued speaking and said, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” This confession is solid like a rock and it tells us who Jesus is and what Jesus did.
Today we heard Peter’s confession as it is recorded in the Gospel according to Matthew. We can proclaim this confession in our words and in our songs. We can proclaim that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Since we live after the resurrection, we can know that the Christ is the one who lived a perfect life for us, carried our sins to death on a cross, and rose from the dead in order to take away our sin and give us His righteousness.
We who have this faith in Jesus as the Christ have a relationship with God that will last forever. Jesus promised that He would always dwell with us while we lived on this earth. He has also promised that we who believe will live with Him forever when we leave this world. The blessing of this confession is way better than anything our speculation can provide. And because it comes from God the Father Almighty, we know it is the truth. Amen
Last week’s Gospel had the disciples in the area around Tyre and Sidon located on the shore of the Mediterranean in Gentile territory. Jesus had taken the disciples North of Galilee in order to get away from the badgering of the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem. In the Gospel we recently heard, Jesus and the disciples had traveled east from Tyre and Sidon to the area around Caesarea Philippi. This is still in the Gentile territory north of Galilee.
Jesus used this time away from the crowds of Galilee to teach the disciples. Today’s lesson was about the true identity of Jesus. Who is He? Jesus opened the topic by asking the disciples about the opinion of the crowds. [Jesus] asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14 And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” It is sort of interesting that all of the guesses are dead prophets. Herod had recently killed John the Baptist. Elijah was taken up in a whirlwind hundreds of years earlier. Jeremiah had disappeared into Egypt after the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem. The people thought that Jesus was one of these dead prophets come back to life.
I wonder what people would say if you took a poll at a busy shopping area in 21st century America and asked who Jesus is. I would guess that some would say community organizer, life coach, great teacher, and so forth. Some of the crowd who are spiritual, but not religious might regard Jesus as a great guru who was able to tap into the Christ consciousness that dwells in all of us. Others regard Jesus as this permissive personality who pretty much lets you do whatever you want as long as you don’t hurt anyone else.
There were many opinions back then and there are many opinions today. The problem with opinions is that opinions based on guesswork are usually wrong. Opinions about who Jesus is are no exception. People who guess about Jesus’ identity will get it wrong.
The really sad thing about this is that when you get the identity of Jesus wrong, you get salvation wrong. You can talk like a Christian and fool a lot of people into thinking you are a Christian, but, in the end, you will enter into eternal punishment. It is essential to get the identity of Jesus right in order to get salvation right.
There is one answer that is right and we heard that answer from Simon Peter of all people. [Jesus] said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. This is the right answer back then and it is still the right answer today.
But what does it mean that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God? Jesus knew that the disciples would not know the answer to that question until after He suffered, died, and rose from the dead.
That is the reason that Jesus gave that odd little instruction near the end of today’s reading. He strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. He did not want the disciples to teach the wrong understanding of what it means to be the Christ.
The title Christ comes from the Greek word that means to anoint. The Hebrew equivalent is Messiah. So we can say Christ. We can say Messiah. We can say the anointed one. They all mean the same thing.
Anointing was a rite for setting someone aside for a special office. In the Old Testament, Aaron was anointed priest, David was anointed king, and Elijah anointed Elisha to be the prophet after him. The anointed offices of the Old Testament are priest, king, and prophet. As the anointed one, Jesus fulfilled all of these offices.
Jesus is the prophet anointed by God. It is easy to see Jesus as prophet when we realize what a prophet is and who Jesus is. A prophet is someone who speaks for God. Jesus is both one hundred per cent human and one hundred per cent God. Well, who better to speak for God than God Himself, Jesus the Christ? This already makes Jesus the ultimate prophet.
But Jesus went above and beyond the role of the normal prophet. God made many promises through the prophets down through the centuries. As prophet, Jesus Himself made many promises. Jesus went beyond the role of prophet because He did not just speak the promises of God, but He also keeps the promises that God made through the mouths of the prophets.
Jesus is the king anointed by God. As God, Jesus also reigns over all things. That makes Him the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It is by the reign of His power that all things exist and have their being. It is by the reign of His grace that He brings forgiveness to His church on earth. It is by the reign of His glory that He leads His church into eternity.
Here too, Jesus serves above and beyond any other king. As King, He establishes the law of His kingdom. But Jesus went beyond the role of king. Even though the king rules even the law, Jesus humbled Himself in obedience to the law. He not only kept the law for Himself, but He also kept the law in our place.
Jesus is the priest anointed by God. The priest represents the people before God. Who better to represent humanity before God than the one who is both God and man? In fact, Jesus is the only one truly qualified to be our priest. All the other priests in the Old Testament were merely shadows who pointed forward to the true high priest, Jesus the anointed one.
Once again, Jesus went beyond the role of priest. The priests of the Old Testament offered up sacrifices before God. Jesus offered up Himself as the once for all sacrifice that truly does take away the sin of the world.
It is at the cross that we see what it means to be the Christ. There on the cross is the Christ sacrificing Himself for the sins of the world. There is the Christ, the rock on which the church is built.
With His suffering and death on the cross, Christ has overcome sin. Since death relies on sin, Christ has also defeated death. Resurrection must follow the victory that Christ won for us on the cross. It is with His resurrection from the grave that Jesus finished showing the disciples and us what it means to be the Christ. It is after the resurrection that [Luke 24:45-46] [Jesus] opened [his disciples’] minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.”
It is with the complete picture of Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection that we have a complete picture of what it means to be the Christ. It is with this complete picture that we begin to understand Peter’s confession, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Peter did not dream this confession up on his own. Jesus said that the Father in heaven gave this confession to Peter. This confession is so reliable that it is the foundation of Christ’s church. Jesus continued speaking and said, “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” This confession is solid like a rock and it tells us who Jesus is and what Jesus did.
Today we heard Peter’s confession as it is recorded in the Gospel according to Matthew. We can proclaim this confession in our words and in our songs. We can proclaim that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Since we live after the resurrection, we can know that the Christ is the one who lived a perfect life for us, carried our sins to death on a cross, and rose from the dead in order to take away our sin and give us His righteousness.
We who have this faith in Jesus as the Christ have a relationship with God that will last forever. Jesus promised that He would always dwell with us while we lived on this earth. He has also promised that we who believe will live with Him forever when we leave this world. The blessing of this confession is way better than anything our speculation can provide. And because it comes from God the Father Almighty, we know it is the truth. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost - 23 August 2020
Having heard the Word proclaimed, let us pray for ourselves, for all the faithful and for all people as they have need.
We pray for all people, that they may have faith in Christ and heed the voice of God calling by His Word;
For the Church, that the people of God may pursue righteousness with peace and joy in their hearts; and
For all pastors and their ministry of Word and Sacrament and for all vocations to the ministry, that the lives of God’s people may redound to His praise and glory; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for our president, Congress, governor and all civic leaders in their pursuit of peace and unity;
For all judges and magistrates in their pursuit of justice with mercy; and
For those who protect us from violence and preserve order here and everywhere; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for all noble professions, and for the flourishing of the arts and music;
For favorable weather and the fruits of the earth; and
For those unemployed, the poor, the homeless, the hungry and all people in need; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for all families and children, single adults and youth;
For those who teach and those who learn, that they may advance in wisdom and grace; and
For the catechumens and those who teach the faith to them; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for victims of disaster and for those stricken by illness or infirmity;
For the aged and infirm, as well as those in nursing homes and assisted living facilities;
For those who grieve the loss of those whom they love; and
For those who meet with sudden death, [and especially for those who have requested our prayers _____________,]; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for the work of God’s kingdom in this place;
For our faithful support of the Church and the renewal of our parish life through the Means of Grace;
For our communion this day upon the life-giving body and blood of Christ; and
For our growth in grace, that we may attain to the full stature of Christ; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
Be merciful to us, O Lord, and hear our prayers. Grant to us the grace of Your Holy Spirit, that we may be led into all truth and be steadfast in the confession of Christ; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
Having heard the Word proclaimed, let us pray for ourselves, for all the faithful and for all people as they have need.
We pray for all people, that they may have faith in Christ and heed the voice of God calling by His Word;
For the Church, that the people of God may pursue righteousness with peace and joy in their hearts; and
For all pastors and their ministry of Word and Sacrament and for all vocations to the ministry, that the lives of God’s people may redound to His praise and glory; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for our president, Congress, governor and all civic leaders in their pursuit of peace and unity;
For all judges and magistrates in their pursuit of justice with mercy; and
For those who protect us from violence and preserve order here and everywhere; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for all noble professions, and for the flourishing of the arts and music;
For favorable weather and the fruits of the earth; and
For those unemployed, the poor, the homeless, the hungry and all people in need; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for all families and children, single adults and youth;
For those who teach and those who learn, that they may advance in wisdom and grace; and
For the catechumens and those who teach the faith to them; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for victims of disaster and for those stricken by illness or infirmity;
For the aged and infirm, as well as those in nursing homes and assisted living facilities;
For those who grieve the loss of those whom they love; and
For those who meet with sudden death, [and especially for those who have requested our prayers _____________,]; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
We pray for the work of God’s kingdom in this place;
For our faithful support of the Church and the renewal of our parish life through the Means of Grace;
For our communion this day upon the life-giving body and blood of Christ; and
For our growth in grace, that we may attain to the full stature of Christ; Lord, in Your mercy: hear our prayer.
Be merciful to us, O Lord, and hear our prayers. Grant to us the grace of Your Holy Spirit, that we may be led into all truth and be steadfast in the confession of Christ; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
AUGUST 16, 2020
SERMON AND PRAYERS
SERMON AND PRAYERS
Some Vacation! – Matthew 15:21-28
The disciples needed a break now more than ever. Two weeks ago, we noted that the disciples had just learned that Herod executed John the Baptist. This was a source of great grief for Jesus and the disciples. They had also been working very hard. Jesus took them to the wilderness on the other side of the Sea of Galilee for a little R&R. However, the crowds figured out where they were going and were waiting for them when they got there. Jesus spent all day ministering to those crowds and then He fed them in the event known as the Feeding of the Five Thousand. Then, last week, we learned that right after the Feeding of the Five Thousand, Jesus put the disciples back in the boat and told them to go back to the other side while He dismissed the crowds. The disciples ended up spending the entire night crossing the sea because of a brutal head wind. It was almost dawn when Jesus came walking to them on the water and they finally made it to the other side. The verses after that tell us that some early risers recognized Jesus and woke up the neighborhood and the crowds gathered as soon as they landed. Then the Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem and Jesus had to have a debate with them. Basically, it has been almost two days without sleep and a night full of hard labor since Jesus first decided that the disciples needed a break. If they needed a break then, they really need a break now.
The portion of the Gospel that we heard today informs us that Jesus finally took the disciples completely out of Jewish territory. Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. (Matthew 15:21) Tyre and Sidon are two cities on the Mediterranean coast in the territory of Phoenicia. This means that Jesus has taken the disciples about a day’s journey into the Gentile territory north of Galilee. Perhaps there, in Gentile territory, completely outside the borders of Galilee, they can finally get some rest and deal with the death of John the Baptist.
Well, not so much. Behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” (Matthew 15:22) What would you think if you were one of the disciples under those circumstances? I’d be thinking, “Oh no! Not again!” At first, it seems as if even Jesus is thinking that way. For the Gospel said He did not answer her a word. (Matthew 15:23) It almost seems as if Jesus is hoping that if He ignores her, she will go away.
Notice that the text does not say that she cried. It says that she was crying. This means that she continually repeated her prayer, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” Over and over again, she repeated this prayer. She was getting on the disciples’ nerves. His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” (Matthew 15:23) It is as if the disciples were saying, “Look Jesus, we’ve seen this kind of woman before. She is not going to give us any peace until you answer her one way or the other. Just drive out the demon. She will go away, and we can get some peace.”
Jesus knew something about this woman that the neither the disciples nor even the woman knew. He knew that somewhere along the line, someone had told this woman who He was. The Holy Spirit used this information to create faith in this woman. She referred to Jesus as the Son of David. This meant that she believed that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus saw a great and beautiful faith in this woman. Jesus wanted the woman, the disciples, and you to know how strong this faith was. Since only God can look at the heart, Jesus set up a few tests to demonstrate the strength of the faith in this woman.
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24) Although Jesus was speaking to the disciples, I am certain that the woman heard what He said. Take a moment to put yourself in the woman’s shoes. Jesus has just said, “I was sent to the Jews. You are a Gentile. Too bad for you!” Be honest! Would you be angry? Would you be crushed? How would you respond?
But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” (Matthew 15:25) This woman ran in front of Jesus and fell before Him so that He almost tripped over her. Then she kept right on praying, “Lord, help me.” The faith that the Holy Spirit has given this woman will not be denied.
But Jesus knew there was even more to this woman’s faith. This time He spoke directly to the woman and he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” (Matthew 15:26) I’ll tell you right now that calling a woman a dog was no more of a complement back then than it is today. Again, how would you respond if Jesus called you a dog? Be honest.
She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” (Matthew 15:27) This woman took Jesus at His word. “Yes, Lord, if you say that I am a dog, then I must be a dog. But ya’know, even the dogs get to eat the crumbs that fall. If you give me a crumb, it will be enough.” She knew that even a crumb from Jesus would be enough to drive out the demon.
I’m pretty sure they didn’t have fist pumps in the first century, but if Jesus were around to day, He would go, “YES!” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. (Matthew 15:28)
It is interesting that a few verses before today’s Gospel, Jesus was debating with Pharisees and scribes … some of the best educated people in the area. Jesus simply tore their case apart. Now here is this Gentile woman … probably uneducated, and she won her debate with Jesus. The Holy Spirit had given this woman faith to move mountains. Jesus put up some serious blockades and this woman’s faith knocked them aside as though they were soap bubbles on a light breeze. Now this woman could praise God for the wonderful faith He had given to her. She knew it. The disciples knew it. The Holy Spirit inspired Matthew to record this account so that you would know it too.
Why is it so important for you to know about this woman’s faith? Remember that Matthew’s Gospel was originally written for Jewish converts to the faith. There was a great controversy in the early church. Many people believed that you had to convert to Judaism before you could become a Christian. The Gospel according to Matthew regularly puts that idea to rest. Matthew regularly recorded the faith of Gentiles throughout His Gospel account … the magi, Roman Centurions, the woman in today’s reading, and other Gentiles show that salvation is for all people in all places and times.
A Canaanite woman is about as Gentile as you can get. The Canaanites were on the list of people that the Israelites had to drive out of Canaan as the Lord said through His servant Moses, “You shall devote them to complete destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the Lord your God has commanded.” (Deuteronomy 20:17) If a Canaanite woman can have the faith that causes Jesus to say, “O woman, great is your faith!” then that faith is for you too. The Holy Spirit can work saving faith in anyone. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. (Colossians 3:11)
The Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write, “It is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.” (Romans 9:8) With these words, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the true Israel is not based on genetics, but faith in the promises of forgiveness, life, and salvation that we have in Jesus Christ. This woman has demonstrated that the Holy Spirit has given her a great faith. Jesus acknowledged her faith and in so doing proclaimed that, although she was a Gentile genetically, by grace she is a child of Abraham – one of the lost sheep of Israel.
Jesus loved this woman deeply. He loved her enough to suffer the offense of living among sinners and interacting with them even though He never sinned. He loved her enough to suffer an unjust trial and cruel physical torture. He loved her enough to lift up her sins and carry them to the cross. With His holy precious blood and His innocent suffering and death He earned a place for her at the table with the rest of the children of God. She now waits with Jesus for the Last Day. On that day Jesus will raise her body from the grave just as Jesus Himself rose from the dead. On that day, she will join the true and eternal Israel at the wedding feast of the Lamb. She does not deserve this, but she has it because Christ earned it for her.
Like the Canaanite woman, we do not deserve to be at the table of the Lamb. Never the less, the Lamb offers His table to us. Not only did Jesus sacrifice Himself to earn eternal life for this woman, but He also did that for you. When the Holy Spirit plants faith in you, He makes you a part of the true, eternal Israel … the Holy Christian Church. He cleanses you with the blood of Jesus and covers you with righteousness. You deserve none of it, but it is all yours because the Holy Lord, Jesus Christ earned it for you. You also have a place at the table with the rest of God’s children. It is all yours by grace through faith in the crucified and risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen
The disciples needed a break now more than ever. Two weeks ago, we noted that the disciples had just learned that Herod executed John the Baptist. This was a source of great grief for Jesus and the disciples. They had also been working very hard. Jesus took them to the wilderness on the other side of the Sea of Galilee for a little R&R. However, the crowds figured out where they were going and were waiting for them when they got there. Jesus spent all day ministering to those crowds and then He fed them in the event known as the Feeding of the Five Thousand. Then, last week, we learned that right after the Feeding of the Five Thousand, Jesus put the disciples back in the boat and told them to go back to the other side while He dismissed the crowds. The disciples ended up spending the entire night crossing the sea because of a brutal head wind. It was almost dawn when Jesus came walking to them on the water and they finally made it to the other side. The verses after that tell us that some early risers recognized Jesus and woke up the neighborhood and the crowds gathered as soon as they landed. Then the Pharisees and scribes came from Jerusalem and Jesus had to have a debate with them. Basically, it has been almost two days without sleep and a night full of hard labor since Jesus first decided that the disciples needed a break. If they needed a break then, they really need a break now.
The portion of the Gospel that we heard today informs us that Jesus finally took the disciples completely out of Jewish territory. Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. (Matthew 15:21) Tyre and Sidon are two cities on the Mediterranean coast in the territory of Phoenicia. This means that Jesus has taken the disciples about a day’s journey into the Gentile territory north of Galilee. Perhaps there, in Gentile territory, completely outside the borders of Galilee, they can finally get some rest and deal with the death of John the Baptist.
Well, not so much. Behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” (Matthew 15:22) What would you think if you were one of the disciples under those circumstances? I’d be thinking, “Oh no! Not again!” At first, it seems as if even Jesus is thinking that way. For the Gospel said He did not answer her a word. (Matthew 15:23) It almost seems as if Jesus is hoping that if He ignores her, she will go away.
Notice that the text does not say that she cried. It says that she was crying. This means that she continually repeated her prayer, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” Over and over again, she repeated this prayer. She was getting on the disciples’ nerves. His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” (Matthew 15:23) It is as if the disciples were saying, “Look Jesus, we’ve seen this kind of woman before. She is not going to give us any peace until you answer her one way or the other. Just drive out the demon. She will go away, and we can get some peace.”
Jesus knew something about this woman that the neither the disciples nor even the woman knew. He knew that somewhere along the line, someone had told this woman who He was. The Holy Spirit used this information to create faith in this woman. She referred to Jesus as the Son of David. This meant that she believed that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus saw a great and beautiful faith in this woman. Jesus wanted the woman, the disciples, and you to know how strong this faith was. Since only God can look at the heart, Jesus set up a few tests to demonstrate the strength of the faith in this woman.
He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24) Although Jesus was speaking to the disciples, I am certain that the woman heard what He said. Take a moment to put yourself in the woman’s shoes. Jesus has just said, “I was sent to the Jews. You are a Gentile. Too bad for you!” Be honest! Would you be angry? Would you be crushed? How would you respond?
But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” (Matthew 15:25) This woman ran in front of Jesus and fell before Him so that He almost tripped over her. Then she kept right on praying, “Lord, help me.” The faith that the Holy Spirit has given this woman will not be denied.
But Jesus knew there was even more to this woman’s faith. This time He spoke directly to the woman and he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” (Matthew 15:26) I’ll tell you right now that calling a woman a dog was no more of a complement back then than it is today. Again, how would you respond if Jesus called you a dog? Be honest.
She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” (Matthew 15:27) This woman took Jesus at His word. “Yes, Lord, if you say that I am a dog, then I must be a dog. But ya’know, even the dogs get to eat the crumbs that fall. If you give me a crumb, it will be enough.” She knew that even a crumb from Jesus would be enough to drive out the demon.
I’m pretty sure they didn’t have fist pumps in the first century, but if Jesus were around to day, He would go, “YES!” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly. (Matthew 15:28)
It is interesting that a few verses before today’s Gospel, Jesus was debating with Pharisees and scribes … some of the best educated people in the area. Jesus simply tore their case apart. Now here is this Gentile woman … probably uneducated, and she won her debate with Jesus. The Holy Spirit had given this woman faith to move mountains. Jesus put up some serious blockades and this woman’s faith knocked them aside as though they were soap bubbles on a light breeze. Now this woman could praise God for the wonderful faith He had given to her. She knew it. The disciples knew it. The Holy Spirit inspired Matthew to record this account so that you would know it too.
Why is it so important for you to know about this woman’s faith? Remember that Matthew’s Gospel was originally written for Jewish converts to the faith. There was a great controversy in the early church. Many people believed that you had to convert to Judaism before you could become a Christian. The Gospel according to Matthew regularly puts that idea to rest. Matthew regularly recorded the faith of Gentiles throughout His Gospel account … the magi, Roman Centurions, the woman in today’s reading, and other Gentiles show that salvation is for all people in all places and times.
A Canaanite woman is about as Gentile as you can get. The Canaanites were on the list of people that the Israelites had to drive out of Canaan as the Lord said through His servant Moses, “You shall devote them to complete destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the Lord your God has commanded.” (Deuteronomy 20:17) If a Canaanite woman can have the faith that causes Jesus to say, “O woman, great is your faith!” then that faith is for you too. The Holy Spirit can work saving faith in anyone. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. (Colossians 3:11)
The Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write, “It is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.” (Romans 9:8) With these words, the Holy Spirit teaches us that the true Israel is not based on genetics, but faith in the promises of forgiveness, life, and salvation that we have in Jesus Christ. This woman has demonstrated that the Holy Spirit has given her a great faith. Jesus acknowledged her faith and in so doing proclaimed that, although she was a Gentile genetically, by grace she is a child of Abraham – one of the lost sheep of Israel.
Jesus loved this woman deeply. He loved her enough to suffer the offense of living among sinners and interacting with them even though He never sinned. He loved her enough to suffer an unjust trial and cruel physical torture. He loved her enough to lift up her sins and carry them to the cross. With His holy precious blood and His innocent suffering and death He earned a place for her at the table with the rest of the children of God. She now waits with Jesus for the Last Day. On that day Jesus will raise her body from the grave just as Jesus Himself rose from the dead. On that day, she will join the true and eternal Israel at the wedding feast of the Lamb. She does not deserve this, but she has it because Christ earned it for her.
Like the Canaanite woman, we do not deserve to be at the table of the Lamb. Never the less, the Lamb offers His table to us. Not only did Jesus sacrifice Himself to earn eternal life for this woman, but He also did that for you. When the Holy Spirit plants faith in you, He makes you a part of the true, eternal Israel … the Holy Christian Church. He cleanses you with the blood of Jesus and covers you with righteousness. You deserve none of it, but it is all yours because the Holy Lord, Jesus Christ earned it for you. You also have a place at the table with the rest of God’s children. It is all yours by grace through faith in the crucified and risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen
Prayer of the Church
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 15A)
16 August 2020
Let us pray to the Lord for all that we need and on behalf of all people, that He may bestow upon us the riches of His grace and that we may receive His gifts with faith and thanksgiving in our hearts.
Brief silence
For true unity in the faith; for the preservation of pure doctrine; for harmony in the lives of our congregation, district and Synod; and for charitable hearts that put the best construction on what we see and hear, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For those outside the kingdom; for missionaries near and far; for the ministries and agencies of our Church whereby the Gospel is spoken to those who have not heard; and for those who hear, that they may be brought to faith, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all pastors and church workers, for those preparing for full-time church work, and for those considering church-work vocations, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all families, for husbands and wives to live in faithfulness to each other, for all mothers with child, for all children, and for those who bring them to Baptism and nurture them in the faith, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our president; the Congress; our governor; all elected and appointed leaders; all judges and magistrates; the members of the armed forces; and our police, firefighters and emergency medical personnel in their duties to protect and serve us, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the healing of the sick, the relief of the suffering, the comfort of the grieving and the peace of the dying, [especially _____________,] and for those who care for them in their afflictions, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For this holy assembly and for our communion upon the Lord’s body and blood, and for us to bear in our lives the fruits of the Spirit and do the good works for which we were created, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all honest work and occupations, for our good use of the fruits of our labors, for generosity for those in need, and for the tithes and offerings that accompany our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our remembrance of the saints and in thanksgiving for their faithful witness, that at last we may be joined with them in Your eternal presence, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
Lord God, giver of all that is good, mercifully hear the prayers of Your people and grant us Your grace, that we may endure the changes and chances of this mortal life and be found worthy when our Savior comes to bring to completion all things; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 15A)
16 August 2020
Let us pray to the Lord for all that we need and on behalf of all people, that He may bestow upon us the riches of His grace and that we may receive His gifts with faith and thanksgiving in our hearts.
Brief silence
For true unity in the faith; for the preservation of pure doctrine; for harmony in the lives of our congregation, district and Synod; and for charitable hearts that put the best construction on what we see and hear, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For those outside the kingdom; for missionaries near and far; for the ministries and agencies of our Church whereby the Gospel is spoken to those who have not heard; and for those who hear, that they may be brought to faith, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all pastors and church workers, for those preparing for full-time church work, and for those considering church-work vocations, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all families, for husbands and wives to live in faithfulness to each other, for all mothers with child, for all children, and for those who bring them to Baptism and nurture them in the faith, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our president; the Congress; our governor; all elected and appointed leaders; all judges and magistrates; the members of the armed forces; and our police, firefighters and emergency medical personnel in their duties to protect and serve us, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For the healing of the sick, the relief of the suffering, the comfort of the grieving and the peace of the dying, [especially _____________,] and for those who care for them in their afflictions, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For this holy assembly and for our communion upon the Lord’s body and blood, and for us to bear in our lives the fruits of the Spirit and do the good works for which we were created, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For all honest work and occupations, for our good use of the fruits of our labors, for generosity for those in need, and for the tithes and offerings that accompany our sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
For our remembrance of the saints and in thanksgiving for their faithful witness, that at last we may be joined with them in Your eternal presence, let us pray to the Lord: Lord, have mercy.
Lord God, giver of all that is good, mercifully hear the prayers of Your people and grant us Your grace, that we may endure the changes and chances of this mortal life and be found worthy when our Savior comes to bring to completion all things; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
AUGUST 9, 2020
SERMON AND PREAYERS
SERMON AND PREAYERS
Let’s Take a Walk—on Water! Matthew 14:22-33
A challenge faces us as we make our way through the Bible on Sunday mornings. As we focus on the readings for the day, it is easy to forget that those readings come in a context. If we are not careful, we can focus on the readings in isolation. When we do that, we miss out on some of the teachings that God’s Word has for us.
The account of Jesus and Peter walking on the water has much to teach us. It has even more to teach when we consider why Jesus and the disciples were in separate places at the beginning of today’s reading.
The part of the Gospel account that we heard this morning began by telling us that Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. (Matthew 14:22) The original Greek indicates that Jesus was very urgent when He made the disciples get into the boat. The Greek could be translated as Jesus forced or compelled the disciples to get into the boat. Why was Jesus so eager to get the disciples on their way across the Sea of Galilee?
The greater context of the Gospel account constantly teaches us that most people did not understand the true nature of Jesus’ ministry. It was not until Jesus suffered, died, and rose from the dead that people began to understand the reason He came to earth and took up human flesh. Before the Passion, the crowds were looking for someone who would make life easier here on earth … perhaps drive out the Romans … maybe even restore the earthly kingdom of David and Solomon. They did not understand that Jesus came to save the entire creation from sin, death, and the power of the devil.
From time-to-time this misunderstanding of Jesus’ true mission became a tool for the devil. Recall that when the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness he took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:8–9) The devil tempted Jesus with the temporary glory of the kingdoms of this world, but Jesus resisted. That does not mean that the devil gave up. The devil often used the misunderstanding of the people to tempt Jesus again and again.
The events we heard about in today’s Gospel happened right after the events in last week’s Gospel … the Feeding of the 5,000. Jesus had just spent a day ministering to people. He healed their diseases, and then, when they got hungry, He converted a couple of sardines and five tortillas into a banquet for 5,000 men and their families. The crowds began to think that someone who could heal diseases and provide free food would make a pretty good king. The Gospel according to John describes the crowd’s response this way: When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. (John 6:14–15) The people, in their ignorance, simply wanted a king who could provide free food and medical care. They did not know that they were tempting Jesus to be an earthly king.
Jesus needed to deal with the situation. He quickly sent the disciples back across the Sea of Galilee. Then He dismissed the people. After he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. (Matthew 14:23) Jesus regularly prayed to His Father … especially after He had endured another temptation from the devil. So it was that Jesus was up on the mountain in prayer while the disciples were struggling to cross the sea against a strong headwind.
Jesus finished His prayers and set out to rejoin the disciples. In the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. (Matthew 14:25) The fourth watch is the last watch of the night. This means that both Jesus and the disciples were up all night. Jesus was praying and the disciples were trying to fight the headwind that prevented them from crossing the sea. Ordinarily, they could cross the sea in a few hours, but this time they struggled all night and got nowhere. The disciples had to be functioning on pure adrenaline.
Imagine, then, what is was like for the disciples to see Jesus walking on the water toward the end of that night. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. (Matthew 14:26)
But then Jesus identified Himself. “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27) Because they were troubled, Jesus said, “Take heart.” Because they did not know who Jesus was, He said, “It is I.” Because they were terrified, Jesus said, “Do not be afraid.” He does not come to bring doom, but salvation. Jesus is there for them. In His reassuring word, He has given them all they need. This should be enough.
Apparently, this was not enough for Peter. Matthew does not give any insight into Peter’s mind, but he does give us Peter’s reply to Jesus. “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” (Matthew 14:28) Peter wanted more proof than the simple word of God. He wanted a personal sign.
This is where we see Jesus do something that is quite consistent with the actions of God throughout the Bible. Sometimes, when God’s people ask for something stupid, God gives it to them as a learning experience. Jesus said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. (Matthew 14:29) At first, everything went well.
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” (Matthew 14:30) Something happened and Peter’s attention shifted from Jesus to the weather. Here is the learning experience for Peter … an experience that is instructive for us as well. We talk a lot about faith, but it is important to talk about faith accurately. It is NOT ENOUGH to have a very powerful and very sincere faith if that faith is in the wrong thing. You can have faith the size of the universe, but if that faith is in the wrong thing, it will do you no good.
Consider the words of our culture. “Ya’ gotta have faith.” The question is, “Faith in what!” Faith in your own faith will do you no good. The world says, “Believe in yourself.” Really! Examine yourself in light of the Ten Commandments. Do you really want to place your faith in yourself? Peter had faith in his experience with the wind. His faith in his experience drew him away from his faith in Jesus.
Thankfully for Peter, and for us, Jesus is patient, gracious, and merciful. Jesus took hold of Peter and brought him back to the boat.
When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:32–33) This is one of those times that Jesus accepted praise as God. If Jesus were only a good man, then He should have rebuked the disciples for worshipping Him, for worship only belongs to God. If Jesus were only a man, then accepting the worship of the disciples makes Him a blasphemer. If we believe that Jesus is a good man, then we must believe that He is also the Son of God.
Although today’s Gospel is certainly not a parable, but a real historical event, we can still use it to remind us of Christ’s mercy and grace in our lives. Ever since the days of Noah and the great flood, the boat has been a symbol of Christ’s church. There are times when we are not satisfied with the Word that Jesus gives to us in His boat, the church. Like Peter, we want a bigger experience. We want more emotion. We want more pizazz. We want more pep. So we leave the church in order to find a greater experience … something that is a little more spectacular than the same old, same old. We put our faith in our feelings instead of in God’s promise.
Jesus is patient. Even though we often find ourselves sinking in a situation that we ourselves created, He is always ready to rescue us and haul us back to the place where He restores us with His gifts … His boat, the church.
Jesus did a lot more than walk on water to save His people. The ultimate expression of His desire to save us comes in the cross. For it is on the cross that Jesus became the greatest sinner of all time – not with His own sin, but with your sin, my sin, and the sin of the entire world. The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) Jesus carried that sin to the cross and sacrificed Himself in order to remove that sin from the world. When Jesus died, that sin died with Him. When Jesus rose, He left that sin in the grave where it can have no power over us.
Now Jesus brings salvation to each of us. He does not come on the water of the sea, but in the water of Baptism. When God’s water is joined with God’s Word according to God’s command, the Old natural man who enslaved us to sin is drowned. He dies with all sins and evil desires. In His place a new holy man arises who lives before God in righteousness and purity forever. As Martin Luther wrote in the Small Catechism:
Baptizing with water indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever. Amen
A challenge faces us as we make our way through the Bible on Sunday mornings. As we focus on the readings for the day, it is easy to forget that those readings come in a context. If we are not careful, we can focus on the readings in isolation. When we do that, we miss out on some of the teachings that God’s Word has for us.
The account of Jesus and Peter walking on the water has much to teach us. It has even more to teach when we consider why Jesus and the disciples were in separate places at the beginning of today’s reading.
The part of the Gospel account that we heard this morning began by telling us that Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. (Matthew 14:22) The original Greek indicates that Jesus was very urgent when He made the disciples get into the boat. The Greek could be translated as Jesus forced or compelled the disciples to get into the boat. Why was Jesus so eager to get the disciples on their way across the Sea of Galilee?
The greater context of the Gospel account constantly teaches us that most people did not understand the true nature of Jesus’ ministry. It was not until Jesus suffered, died, and rose from the dead that people began to understand the reason He came to earth and took up human flesh. Before the Passion, the crowds were looking for someone who would make life easier here on earth … perhaps drive out the Romans … maybe even restore the earthly kingdom of David and Solomon. They did not understand that Jesus came to save the entire creation from sin, death, and the power of the devil.
From time-to-time this misunderstanding of Jesus’ true mission became a tool for the devil. Recall that when the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness he took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” (Matthew 4:8–9) The devil tempted Jesus with the temporary glory of the kingdoms of this world, but Jesus resisted. That does not mean that the devil gave up. The devil often used the misunderstanding of the people to tempt Jesus again and again.
The events we heard about in today’s Gospel happened right after the events in last week’s Gospel … the Feeding of the 5,000. Jesus had just spent a day ministering to people. He healed their diseases, and then, when they got hungry, He converted a couple of sardines and five tortillas into a banquet for 5,000 men and their families. The crowds began to think that someone who could heal diseases and provide free food would make a pretty good king. The Gospel according to John describes the crowd’s response this way: When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” 15Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. (John 6:14–15) The people, in their ignorance, simply wanted a king who could provide free food and medical care. They did not know that they were tempting Jesus to be an earthly king.
Jesus needed to deal with the situation. He quickly sent the disciples back across the Sea of Galilee. Then He dismissed the people. After he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. (Matthew 14:23) Jesus regularly prayed to His Father … especially after He had endured another temptation from the devil. So it was that Jesus was up on the mountain in prayer while the disciples were struggling to cross the sea against a strong headwind.
Jesus finished His prayers and set out to rejoin the disciples. In the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. (Matthew 14:25) The fourth watch is the last watch of the night. This means that both Jesus and the disciples were up all night. Jesus was praying and the disciples were trying to fight the headwind that prevented them from crossing the sea. Ordinarily, they could cross the sea in a few hours, but this time they struggled all night and got nowhere. The disciples had to be functioning on pure adrenaline.
Imagine, then, what is was like for the disciples to see Jesus walking on the water toward the end of that night. When the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. (Matthew 14:26)
But then Jesus identified Himself. “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27) Because they were troubled, Jesus said, “Take heart.” Because they did not know who Jesus was, He said, “It is I.” Because they were terrified, Jesus said, “Do not be afraid.” He does not come to bring doom, but salvation. Jesus is there for them. In His reassuring word, He has given them all they need. This should be enough.
Apparently, this was not enough for Peter. Matthew does not give any insight into Peter’s mind, but he does give us Peter’s reply to Jesus. “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” (Matthew 14:28) Peter wanted more proof than the simple word of God. He wanted a personal sign.
This is where we see Jesus do something that is quite consistent with the actions of God throughout the Bible. Sometimes, when God’s people ask for something stupid, God gives it to them as a learning experience. Jesus said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. (Matthew 14:29) At first, everything went well.
But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” (Matthew 14:30) Something happened and Peter’s attention shifted from Jesus to the weather. Here is the learning experience for Peter … an experience that is instructive for us as well. We talk a lot about faith, but it is important to talk about faith accurately. It is NOT ENOUGH to have a very powerful and very sincere faith if that faith is in the wrong thing. You can have faith the size of the universe, but if that faith is in the wrong thing, it will do you no good.
Consider the words of our culture. “Ya’ gotta have faith.” The question is, “Faith in what!” Faith in your own faith will do you no good. The world says, “Believe in yourself.” Really! Examine yourself in light of the Ten Commandments. Do you really want to place your faith in yourself? Peter had faith in his experience with the wind. His faith in his experience drew him away from his faith in Jesus.
Thankfully for Peter, and for us, Jesus is patient, gracious, and merciful. Jesus took hold of Peter and brought him back to the boat.
When they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:32–33) This is one of those times that Jesus accepted praise as God. If Jesus were only a good man, then He should have rebuked the disciples for worshipping Him, for worship only belongs to God. If Jesus were only a man, then accepting the worship of the disciples makes Him a blasphemer. If we believe that Jesus is a good man, then we must believe that He is also the Son of God.
Although today’s Gospel is certainly not a parable, but a real historical event, we can still use it to remind us of Christ’s mercy and grace in our lives. Ever since the days of Noah and the great flood, the boat has been a symbol of Christ’s church. There are times when we are not satisfied with the Word that Jesus gives to us in His boat, the church. Like Peter, we want a bigger experience. We want more emotion. We want more pizazz. We want more pep. So we leave the church in order to find a greater experience … something that is a little more spectacular than the same old, same old. We put our faith in our feelings instead of in God’s promise.
Jesus is patient. Even though we often find ourselves sinking in a situation that we ourselves created, He is always ready to rescue us and haul us back to the place where He restores us with His gifts … His boat, the church.
Jesus did a lot more than walk on water to save His people. The ultimate expression of His desire to save us comes in the cross. For it is on the cross that Jesus became the greatest sinner of all time – not with His own sin, but with your sin, my sin, and the sin of the entire world. The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21) Jesus carried that sin to the cross and sacrificed Himself in order to remove that sin from the world. When Jesus died, that sin died with Him. When Jesus rose, He left that sin in the grave where it can have no power over us.
Now Jesus brings salvation to each of us. He does not come on the water of the sea, but in the water of Baptism. When God’s water is joined with God’s Word according to God’s command, the Old natural man who enslaved us to sin is drowned. He dies with all sins and evil desires. In His place a new holy man arises who lives before God in righteousness and purity forever. As Martin Luther wrote in the Small Catechism:
Baptizing with water indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever. Amen
Prayer of the Church - Tenth Sunday after Pentecost - 9 August 2020
O Lord, our God, we do not presume to know Your ways or inform Your judgment. We ask You to grant us Your Holy Spirit so that we may apprehend Your ways and know Your Son, Jesus Christ, by faith. Give us wisdom, that we may trust in Your Word amid the stormy seas of this mortal life and be safely delivered from all danger onto the eternal shores of heaven. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we have no righteousness of our own but only the righteousness of Christ into which we were clothed in Baptism. Grant us grace, that we may be faithful in every circumstance and bold in the confession of His saving name. Guard those who preach Your Word to us so that, hearing, we may believe and, believing, we may have everlasting life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we see the great need and ask You to raise up those who will serve us as pastors, teachers, missionaries and in all church-work vocations. Bless church planters and the younger congregations, that they may endure. Bring hope and renewal to all struggling congregations and to the pastors who serve them, and do not let fear keep us from Your Word and Sacraments. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we ask You to bless us, our nation and those who lead us. Guide all elected and appointed civil servants in their judgments, that we may know justice in our land and peace among the nations. Make us especially mindful of those who need our special protection, the unborn, the aged and the oppressed. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray for Your blessing upon the schools where children learn, especially for the schools, universities and seminaries of our church. Give Your blessing to all places where Your people gather to teach and learn Your Word. Help us to remember that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we remember the sick, those who suffer, those troubled in mind, the grieving and the dying. Deliver them according to Your will and grant them the comfort of Your Word in their afflictions, that they may depend upon Your mercy in every circumstance. Hear us especially for _____________. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we do not presume to come to this Your table trusting in our own merits. Give to us faith to discern Christ in His body and blood and repentance that we may receive for our good His gift of Himself in this blessed communion. What we have received with our lips, help us keep in holy, upright and godly lives. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we give thanks for the saints of old who trusted in You in life and now rest in Christ from all their labors. Deliver us from all evil, and lead us through all temptation so that at last we may join them in the marriage supper of the Lamb in Your kingdom without end. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray You to be our light in darkness, our strength in weakness, our courage in fear and our peace in distress. Speak to us by the voice of Your Word, that we may call upon You in the day of trouble and confess Your saving name before all people. Hear us on behalf of ourselves and those for whom we have prayed; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
O Lord, our God, we do not presume to know Your ways or inform Your judgment. We ask You to grant us Your Holy Spirit so that we may apprehend Your ways and know Your Son, Jesus Christ, by faith. Give us wisdom, that we may trust in Your Word amid the stormy seas of this mortal life and be safely delivered from all danger onto the eternal shores of heaven. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we have no righteousness of our own but only the righteousness of Christ into which we were clothed in Baptism. Grant us grace, that we may be faithful in every circumstance and bold in the confession of His saving name. Guard those who preach Your Word to us so that, hearing, we may believe and, believing, we may have everlasting life. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we see the great need and ask You to raise up those who will serve us as pastors, teachers, missionaries and in all church-work vocations. Bless church planters and the younger congregations, that they may endure. Bring hope and renewal to all struggling congregations and to the pastors who serve them, and do not let fear keep us from Your Word and Sacraments. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we ask You to bless us, our nation and those who lead us. Guide all elected and appointed civil servants in their judgments, that we may know justice in our land and peace among the nations. Make us especially mindful of those who need our special protection, the unborn, the aged and the oppressed. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray for Your blessing upon the schools where children learn, especially for the schools, universities and seminaries of our church. Give Your blessing to all places where Your people gather to teach and learn Your Word. Help us to remember that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we remember the sick, those who suffer, those troubled in mind, the grieving and the dying. Deliver them according to Your will and grant them the comfort of Your Word in their afflictions, that they may depend upon Your mercy in every circumstance. Hear us especially for _____________. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we do not presume to come to this Your table trusting in our own merits. Give to us faith to discern Christ in His body and blood and repentance that we may receive for our good His gift of Himself in this blessed communion. What we have received with our lips, help us keep in holy, upright and godly lives. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we give thanks for the saints of old who trusted in You in life and now rest in Christ from all their labors. Deliver us from all evil, and lead us through all temptation so that at last we may join them in the marriage supper of the Lamb in Your kingdom without end. Lord, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, our God, we pray You to be our light in darkness, our strength in weakness, our courage in fear and our peace in distress. Speak to us by the voice of Your Word, that we may call upon You in the day of trouble and confess Your saving name before all people. Hear us on behalf of ourselves and those for whom we have prayed; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. And God’s people said: Amen.
SERMON FOR JULY 26, 2020
The Grace of the Court – Romans 8:31-39
The Word of the Lord from Romans 8:32-33: “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.” This is the Word of the Lord.
The prosecutors nodded thoughtfully—case closed, according to plan. The next defendant was brought forward. “How do you plead?” asked the Judge. “Your Honor,” she began, “I plead ‘mostly innocent.’ I mean, I’ve broken the Law, but many of those laws are difficult to keep. I kept the ones I could, and I’ve done my best. Yes, I think that ‘innocent enough’ is a good plea. I’m more innocent than guilty.” The Judge fixed her with a steely glance and said, “To be mostly innocent is to be partly guilty, yes?” “Well, yes,” she said, “but it’s not like I’m happy about it.” “But one is either innocent or not,” responded the Judge. “If one is mostly innocent or mostly pure, he is still guilty and impure. Therefore, My verdict for you is ‘guilty.’ Guards, take her away.”
The prosecutors were having a good day. The defendants were making it easy. It was starting to look like a sweep. The next defendant was brought forward, unresisting and head bowed. “How do you plead?” asked the Judge. The reply was quiet, barely audible: “I plead guilty, your Honor. I don’t have the privilege of writing those laws: it’s my duty to follow them. But I haven’t. I don’t know that I’ve broken them all, but I’ve broken much more than one or two. I think I do every day. And as you said, there’s no such thing as ‘mostly innocent.’ I’m not innocent, so I must be guilty.” He continued to stare at the ground. Then spoke one more time: “Your Honor, I throw myself at the mercy of the court.”
A pause, then the Judge responded, “Along with the mercy of the court, what if I offered you the grace of the court?” One of the prosecutors frowned: this was a new one. The defendant looked puzzled: “The grace of the court, sir? I’m not familiar with the term. I mean, I’ve studied the Law quite extensively, but I’ve never found ‘the grace of the court’ there.” “It is not part of the Law, but quite separate from it,” said the Judge. “The ‘grace of the court’ goes like this. When the Law is broken, the transgression must be punished. Normally, it is the guilty one who suffers; that is only fair. But what if an innocent man suffered your sentence? If the sentence was already carried out, would it be right to carry it out again?” He paused. “I have news for you: I have a Son. My Son is innocent. But, with His full consent, I have already declared Him guilty of your crimes. In fact, I have already punished Him for your crimes—I have already sentenced Him to death instead of you! The sentence for your guilt has already been carried out upon My Son; and for His sake, I have no intention of carrying out again on you. That is the grace of the court. Therefore, I say you’re innocent.”
“Innocent? Free to go?” asked the man. “Well, you don’t have to be. I won’t force you to go free,” said the Judge. “If you still want to go to jail, the door is right over there. But if you go, it is not because I condemn you, but because you reject My verdict. I was going to give the same pardon to the previous defendants, but they didn’t want it. You heard their pleas: they wanted to declare themselves innocent, not hear Me do it. But only I can make you truly innocent again. I say it to you once again: for the sake of My Son, who has served your sentence for you, I declare you ‘not guilty.’ You may go.” “Objection!” shouted the prosecutor, standing and livid. “He’s guilty! He said so himself! He deserves judgment by his own admission. According to the Law, you can’t just let him go free!” Anger flashed across the Judge’s eyes. “I’m not letting him go according to the Law. I’m letting him go by the grace of the court. Did you not hear Me? He’s innocent because I say he’s innocent, and My decision stands.” “I’ll...I’ll appeal! I strenuously object and I’m going to appeal Your decision!” shouted the prosecutor, but he was deflating. He knew what was coming. “Appeal?” asked the Judge. “Appeal to whom? I am the highest court. I Am the Supreme Court Justice. There is no appeal. Who will bring a charge against My elect? I am the One who justifies. My verdict is final. This man is not guilty, because for My Son’s sake I declare him not guilty.”
How could they offend God more? He sacrifices His Son for their salvation, and they want the credit to go to an idol instead? Ah, but none of this is for you. By the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, you trust in Jesus, your Savior. You gladly confess your guilt, knowing that God desires to give you forgiveness. In fact, while the world faces Judgment Day with dread, you face it with joy: could there be a more merciful Judge than the One who has already suffered your sentence so that He could set you free? Even now, you rejoice in the verdict: God declares you innocent for Jesus’ sake. But beware of the prosecutors—the devil, the world and your own sinful flesh. They hate the grace of the court and they want your conviction; therefore, they will do their evil best to make you forget or reject the grace of the court. There is always the tactic of appealing to your pride, that you’re not that bad. There’s always the devil’s seductive way of making some sin seem so important that you’re afraid you can’t live without it, that you’d rather cling to it and say, “I don’t want Jesus to have died for this one! I don’t want Him to save me from this sin!” But, as we’ve said before, the devil is at his best when he’s the prosecutor who levels the accusations. “You think that the Lord still has patience with you?” he asks. “Time and time again, you sin. Even as a Christian, you give into temptation every day. Do you really believe that God would still find you innocent?” It’s a ploy you could fall for, but God proclaims, “See My Son, tempted in the wilderness. He resists—He remains sinless. And as He has borne your sins to the cross, He’s also given you credit for His perfect righteousness. When I look at you, I don’t see your sin: I see My Son—My innocent Son. Therefore, I say again: I declare you ‘not guilty’!” You can count on the fact that, when trials hit, the devil will hit hard, too. He’ll use every sorrow and tribulation to beat you down, to accuse you that God must be out to get you for your sin. If you go by what you see at such a time, it’s a convincing argument. But you hear God’s Word and you say, “It’s true that I face trouble in this life, and it’s true I don’t deserve God’s help. But I have His promise that nothing will ever separate me from Him. Why? Because I’m forgiven for Jesus’ sake—because He says so.” Who shall bring a charge against you? It is God who justifies. And if He says you’re not guilty, your enemies have no appeal.
The Lord has the final Word. He truly is the Supreme Court Justice. So you rejoice this day to hear His verdict of “not guilty” once again: “You are forgiven for all of your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Amen
The Word of the Lord from Romans 8:32-33: “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.” This is the Word of the Lord.
- The Trial
The prosecutors nodded thoughtfully—case closed, according to plan. The next defendant was brought forward. “How do you plead?” asked the Judge. “Your Honor,” she began, “I plead ‘mostly innocent.’ I mean, I’ve broken the Law, but many of those laws are difficult to keep. I kept the ones I could, and I’ve done my best. Yes, I think that ‘innocent enough’ is a good plea. I’m more innocent than guilty.” The Judge fixed her with a steely glance and said, “To be mostly innocent is to be partly guilty, yes?” “Well, yes,” she said, “but it’s not like I’m happy about it.” “But one is either innocent or not,” responded the Judge. “If one is mostly innocent or mostly pure, he is still guilty and impure. Therefore, My verdict for you is ‘guilty.’ Guards, take her away.”
The prosecutors were having a good day. The defendants were making it easy. It was starting to look like a sweep. The next defendant was brought forward, unresisting and head bowed. “How do you plead?” asked the Judge. The reply was quiet, barely audible: “I plead guilty, your Honor. I don’t have the privilege of writing those laws: it’s my duty to follow them. But I haven’t. I don’t know that I’ve broken them all, but I’ve broken much more than one or two. I think I do every day. And as you said, there’s no such thing as ‘mostly innocent.’ I’m not innocent, so I must be guilty.” He continued to stare at the ground. Then spoke one more time: “Your Honor, I throw myself at the mercy of the court.”
A pause, then the Judge responded, “Along with the mercy of the court, what if I offered you the grace of the court?” One of the prosecutors frowned: this was a new one. The defendant looked puzzled: “The grace of the court, sir? I’m not familiar with the term. I mean, I’ve studied the Law quite extensively, but I’ve never found ‘the grace of the court’ there.” “It is not part of the Law, but quite separate from it,” said the Judge. “The ‘grace of the court’ goes like this. When the Law is broken, the transgression must be punished. Normally, it is the guilty one who suffers; that is only fair. But what if an innocent man suffered your sentence? If the sentence was already carried out, would it be right to carry it out again?” He paused. “I have news for you: I have a Son. My Son is innocent. But, with His full consent, I have already declared Him guilty of your crimes. In fact, I have already punished Him for your crimes—I have already sentenced Him to death instead of you! The sentence for your guilt has already been carried out upon My Son; and for His sake, I have no intention of carrying out again on you. That is the grace of the court. Therefore, I say you’re innocent.”
“Innocent? Free to go?” asked the man. “Well, you don’t have to be. I won’t force you to go free,” said the Judge. “If you still want to go to jail, the door is right over there. But if you go, it is not because I condemn you, but because you reject My verdict. I was going to give the same pardon to the previous defendants, but they didn’t want it. You heard their pleas: they wanted to declare themselves innocent, not hear Me do it. But only I can make you truly innocent again. I say it to you once again: for the sake of My Son, who has served your sentence for you, I declare you ‘not guilty.’ You may go.” “Objection!” shouted the prosecutor, standing and livid. “He’s guilty! He said so himself! He deserves judgment by his own admission. According to the Law, you can’t just let him go free!” Anger flashed across the Judge’s eyes. “I’m not letting him go according to the Law. I’m letting him go by the grace of the court. Did you not hear Me? He’s innocent because I say he’s innocent, and My decision stands.” “I’ll...I’ll appeal! I strenuously object and I’m going to appeal Your decision!” shouted the prosecutor, but he was deflating. He knew what was coming. “Appeal?” asked the Judge. “Appeal to whom? I am the highest court. I Am the Supreme Court Justice. There is no appeal. Who will bring a charge against My elect? I am the One who justifies. My verdict is final. This man is not guilty, because for My Son’s sake I declare him not guilty.”
- The Verdict
How could they offend God more? He sacrifices His Son for their salvation, and they want the credit to go to an idol instead? Ah, but none of this is for you. By the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit, you trust in Jesus, your Savior. You gladly confess your guilt, knowing that God desires to give you forgiveness. In fact, while the world faces Judgment Day with dread, you face it with joy: could there be a more merciful Judge than the One who has already suffered your sentence so that He could set you free? Even now, you rejoice in the verdict: God declares you innocent for Jesus’ sake. But beware of the prosecutors—the devil, the world and your own sinful flesh. They hate the grace of the court and they want your conviction; therefore, they will do their evil best to make you forget or reject the grace of the court. There is always the tactic of appealing to your pride, that you’re not that bad. There’s always the devil’s seductive way of making some sin seem so important that you’re afraid you can’t live without it, that you’d rather cling to it and say, “I don’t want Jesus to have died for this one! I don’t want Him to save me from this sin!” But, as we’ve said before, the devil is at his best when he’s the prosecutor who levels the accusations. “You think that the Lord still has patience with you?” he asks. “Time and time again, you sin. Even as a Christian, you give into temptation every day. Do you really believe that God would still find you innocent?” It’s a ploy you could fall for, but God proclaims, “See My Son, tempted in the wilderness. He resists—He remains sinless. And as He has borne your sins to the cross, He’s also given you credit for His perfect righteousness. When I look at you, I don’t see your sin: I see My Son—My innocent Son. Therefore, I say again: I declare you ‘not guilty’!” You can count on the fact that, when trials hit, the devil will hit hard, too. He’ll use every sorrow and tribulation to beat you down, to accuse you that God must be out to get you for your sin. If you go by what you see at such a time, it’s a convincing argument. But you hear God’s Word and you say, “It’s true that I face trouble in this life, and it’s true I don’t deserve God’s help. But I have His promise that nothing will ever separate me from Him. Why? Because I’m forgiven for Jesus’ sake—because He says so.” Who shall bring a charge against you? It is God who justifies. And if He says you’re not guilty, your enemies have no appeal.
The Lord has the final Word. He truly is the Supreme Court Justice. So you rejoice this day to hear His verdict of “not guilty” once again: “You are forgiven for all of your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Amen
ARCHIVED SERMONS
JULY 19, 2020
The Hope of Salvation – Romans 8:18-25
One of the most frustrating things for a pastor to hear is when someone says that their religion or their faith is a “private thing” between them and God. Many people have this belief, which has nothing to do with what Scripture teaches, that their relationship with God is something strictly between them and the Lord and no one else is involved or has anything to say about it. I understand the feeling, but the concept is still contrary to the teachings of the Bible. And nowhere in Scriptures are we going to see that more clearly than right here, in our text.
Now, it is true that what you believe is personal and individual in the sense that you are the one doing the believing, but our text shows us how wrong the idea is that "its just between you and God." Here, the whole creation waits, and the whole creation groans as it eagerly awaits the public revelation of just who is and who is not a child of God. The creation also awaits that day looking forward to the freedom from the curse of corruption and decay and futility under which God placed it for the sake of man, who had just fallen into sin and death. Far from being personal and private and just between you and God, your faith and your relationship to God is of cosmic significance and has the very fabric of reality involved in it. Let us look at our text this morning, and our theme, “The Hope of Salvation.”
Our text teaches us two important truths. These words of St. Paul teach many things, of course, but we consider the two most important things this morning. These two truths are: first, that we have been saved, and, second, that it is in hope. Everything else here is a reflection of those two truths, or something that we understand because of these two truths.
We are often tempted to think of our being saved as an inconsequential "spiritual" matter. We think of heaven, perhaps. Many people imagine that salvation is something like getting a ticket upgraded, or going to Paris rather than Bismarck, North Dakota. Somehow we see it as a one time event of personal and finally, heavenly value. But our salvation is the undoing of the damage of sin! And what has sin done among us? It has killed us, our friends, our parents - and everyone we know, one-by-one. Sin has spoiled our lives and our plans and our joys. Sin is why things rust and decay and get old. Sin is why the good old days seem to be the "good old days." It isn't your imagination, things are going downhill morally, socially - and, sadly, physically. All of this is the work of sin!
Even the world of nature around us has been subjected to futility - that is how God sees our corruption and decay. You cannot build forever because it is just going to fall apart eventually - futility. Raise the perfect tree and it will die one day - futility. Weed your garden immaculately, and the weeds will just keep on coming - futility. Dust the house today, and next month it will need to be dusted all over again. God subjected the entire creation to this futility of corruption and decay for our sakes, because we sinned.
If He hadn't, could you imagine how difficult it would be to have flowers last longer than you? Your sin possesses cosmic influence and significance - and so does your salvation!
There are two ways to look at that, of course. First, your salvation is of cosmic significance because the Creator of all that is personally got involved on your behalf. He came, He became one of us, He suffered for you and in your place the agonies that you have earned and deserve, and then He died in your stead. God Himself did all of that for you. He humbled Himself - even to the point of death on a cross, taking upon Himself His own curse upon anyone who hangs from a tree. What love! What cosmic importance! The One who holds all of reality together and guides the destiny of entire galaxies took a personal interest in you, had mercy on you, set Himself aside for your redemption and forgiveness, and died that you might live!
Because of Jesus Christ, because of the cross, because He rose from the dead, and because He promised it to you, your sins have been forgiven! Because your sins have been forgiven, death has been set aside, and you have been given eternal life! And while you walk through this life and this world, He who holds all things in His hands is your benefactor. He loves you and blesses you, and watches over you, and rules all things for your good - little things like your car starting this morning so you could be here to hear His Word, and big things, like the course of history and the fate of nations - is all for your good.
Of course it doesn't always feel good. We don't experience it as pleasure or enjoyment. Sometimes it is downright miserable and painful. That is where the hope part comes in - and we will get to that soon, but first we have the other half of the cosmic significance of your salvation. Not only is it of cosmic significance because God was personally involved, but your salvation is the point of this world and this life, and all of nature - every bird, tree, bush, rock, and catfish out in the lake - is awaiting eagerly the revealing of the sons of God - they are looking forward to the day of judgment pronounced to see who is God's. Their existence is for our sake. Their work, their lives, and their deaths are for our well-being. They don't know which of us they serve, but they are waiting eagerly to see.
The way St. Paul describes it, it sounds almost as if the whole creation - right up to the sun and moon and stars - are standing on tippy-toe trying to peek over the fence and see who we are - and who is not among us in truth. God speaks of creation as having a will, and intelligence, and a hope - and who can say that it does not, just because we do not perceive it. He tells us through Paul that, The anxious longing of creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. So when you are tempted to think that your faith and your religion is a personal, private matter just between you and God, think again! All of creation is involved - and vitally interested. Not that you can tell by looking around you.
The world seems the same for everyone - believers and pagans alike. We cannot see who are the hypocrites or tell them from the true believers. At least not usually. And neither can creation. None of this cosmic significance stuff appears to be true. You can't see it or feel it. Those who clearly reject Jesus seem to thrive and prosper better than those who cling to Him. You would think that having all of that cosmic significance, that power and all of nature working with you and for you would make some sort of difference you could feel!
But that is where the hope comes in. Hope in the Biblical sense of the word is that knowledge which has no clear support in the experience of life, just the attestation of God's Word. It is the possession of realities which are not fully sensed or experienced here, but are guaranteed to us and will be fully revealed - and experienced - in the future. Hope is confident expectation of something God promises which you cannot empirically prove to be so. It is precisely what the writer to the Hebrews called faith in Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
We have been saved--in hope. Our salvation is sure, and yet it is not felt. If you think you can feel it, you are experiencing a feeling about your salvation. You cannot feel salvation. You may have feelings about your forgiveness, but you are not feeling forgiveness itself, for we have no nerve endings in the soul to experience the sensation of forgiveness. It is in hope, confident and certain and sure, and a real possession, not just wishful thinking, but without that certain something that we can press to the litmus paper and prove it to the unbelieving around us, demonstrating that it really is so! Verses 24-25 say it well, For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
The one thing we can be sure of feeling in this world is suffering. The world hates us, just as Jesus said that it would. The flesh hates denying itself the fruits of sin. The world around us hates us and the judgment implicit in our faith -
that we are right and they are wrong, that we are holy and they are evil, that we are going to heaven and that they are going to hell, if they remain without faith in Jesus Christ.
They hate it and they try to lure us away from the faith, or to destroy us if we will not be moved. That is the only way to silence the implicit judgment that our confident hope speaks to them.
Then there is the old evil foe, whose one mission and goal it has been to destroy. He will attack wherever he can. The one feeling you can be confident of experiencing as a Christian is suffering. And St. Paul tells us the truth about suffering in the midst of this cosmic relationship we share with one another and with God, For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
God has always been aware of the already-not yet nature of the salvation He was pouring out on us. He understood long ago the suffering we would have to endure in order to still remain faithful, and He did not leave us utterly without that which we could see and hear and taste and touch. He left us His Word. He pours out His Spirit through the Word, that we who hear might believe. He tells us, in His Word, that what He has prepared for us is so wonderful that the sufferings of this present age are not even worth comparing to it. When we get there, we will find it so glorious that we will wonder that we were so reluctant to endure the little while and the little bit of pain and trouble here.
And while we are here, enduring, He has also given us the Sacraments. Baptism allows us to "see" the pouring out of the Spirit on us and on our children, and to hear God speak our names and claim us as His own. And in the Holy Supper Christ gives us His body, once given on the cross, to eat — and His blood, once shed for us and for our forgiveness and salvation, to drink. He has arranged for His salvation to be given to us personally and individually so that we cannot ignore that this good will and love is meant for us, personally, individually. Yet even these wonderful and comforting signs, He has placed beneath the forms of the bread and the wine, hiding them, as it were, from the eyes of all but faith.
But, as Luther said, we will not be rationalistic know-it-alls who doubt and question the Word of the Lord, but we will expect and believe and trust in all that He has promised, and so confess and believe that here, in this Holy Supper is something also of cosmic significance - the body and blood of the one who died for us and won for us peace and freedom, forgiveness and salvation. Here is the support for the hope that is in us. And it is in a "communion" - a sharing together in something sacred. So even here - particularly here where God deals with you individually - your faith and your relationship with God is nothing strictly personal, or "just between God and you." It is a fellowship thing, and a common confession, and a shared thing. So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
We are linked. Each of us and our faith and our relationship to God is part of that cosmic thing called "the body of Christ" or "the Church". What we believe and the salvation we possess and share is not merely personal, but communal - a family thing shared by us all. And your healthy participation in it, each of you, makes a difference to the whole body as well - and to the world of nature around us, although we do not always perceive that difference and significance, except through the Word of God. And what we share, that unites us, is summarized by our sermon theme - the Hope of Salvation.
One of the most frustrating things for a pastor to hear is when someone says that their religion or their faith is a “private thing” between them and God. Many people have this belief, which has nothing to do with what Scripture teaches, that their relationship with God is something strictly between them and the Lord and no one else is involved or has anything to say about it. I understand the feeling, but the concept is still contrary to the teachings of the Bible. And nowhere in Scriptures are we going to see that more clearly than right here, in our text.
Now, it is true that what you believe is personal and individual in the sense that you are the one doing the believing, but our text shows us how wrong the idea is that "its just between you and God." Here, the whole creation waits, and the whole creation groans as it eagerly awaits the public revelation of just who is and who is not a child of God. The creation also awaits that day looking forward to the freedom from the curse of corruption and decay and futility under which God placed it for the sake of man, who had just fallen into sin and death. Far from being personal and private and just between you and God, your faith and your relationship to God is of cosmic significance and has the very fabric of reality involved in it. Let us look at our text this morning, and our theme, “The Hope of Salvation.”
Our text teaches us two important truths. These words of St. Paul teach many things, of course, but we consider the two most important things this morning. These two truths are: first, that we have been saved, and, second, that it is in hope. Everything else here is a reflection of those two truths, or something that we understand because of these two truths.
We are often tempted to think of our being saved as an inconsequential "spiritual" matter. We think of heaven, perhaps. Many people imagine that salvation is something like getting a ticket upgraded, or going to Paris rather than Bismarck, North Dakota. Somehow we see it as a one time event of personal and finally, heavenly value. But our salvation is the undoing of the damage of sin! And what has sin done among us? It has killed us, our friends, our parents - and everyone we know, one-by-one. Sin has spoiled our lives and our plans and our joys. Sin is why things rust and decay and get old. Sin is why the good old days seem to be the "good old days." It isn't your imagination, things are going downhill morally, socially - and, sadly, physically. All of this is the work of sin!
Even the world of nature around us has been subjected to futility - that is how God sees our corruption and decay. You cannot build forever because it is just going to fall apart eventually - futility. Raise the perfect tree and it will die one day - futility. Weed your garden immaculately, and the weeds will just keep on coming - futility. Dust the house today, and next month it will need to be dusted all over again. God subjected the entire creation to this futility of corruption and decay for our sakes, because we sinned.
If He hadn't, could you imagine how difficult it would be to have flowers last longer than you? Your sin possesses cosmic influence and significance - and so does your salvation!
There are two ways to look at that, of course. First, your salvation is of cosmic significance because the Creator of all that is personally got involved on your behalf. He came, He became one of us, He suffered for you and in your place the agonies that you have earned and deserve, and then He died in your stead. God Himself did all of that for you. He humbled Himself - even to the point of death on a cross, taking upon Himself His own curse upon anyone who hangs from a tree. What love! What cosmic importance! The One who holds all of reality together and guides the destiny of entire galaxies took a personal interest in you, had mercy on you, set Himself aside for your redemption and forgiveness, and died that you might live!
Because of Jesus Christ, because of the cross, because He rose from the dead, and because He promised it to you, your sins have been forgiven! Because your sins have been forgiven, death has been set aside, and you have been given eternal life! And while you walk through this life and this world, He who holds all things in His hands is your benefactor. He loves you and blesses you, and watches over you, and rules all things for your good - little things like your car starting this morning so you could be here to hear His Word, and big things, like the course of history and the fate of nations - is all for your good.
Of course it doesn't always feel good. We don't experience it as pleasure or enjoyment. Sometimes it is downright miserable and painful. That is where the hope part comes in - and we will get to that soon, but first we have the other half of the cosmic significance of your salvation. Not only is it of cosmic significance because God was personally involved, but your salvation is the point of this world and this life, and all of nature - every bird, tree, bush, rock, and catfish out in the lake - is awaiting eagerly the revealing of the sons of God - they are looking forward to the day of judgment pronounced to see who is God's. Their existence is for our sake. Their work, their lives, and their deaths are for our well-being. They don't know which of us they serve, but they are waiting eagerly to see.
The way St. Paul describes it, it sounds almost as if the whole creation - right up to the sun and moon and stars - are standing on tippy-toe trying to peek over the fence and see who we are - and who is not among us in truth. God speaks of creation as having a will, and intelligence, and a hope - and who can say that it does not, just because we do not perceive it. He tells us through Paul that, The anxious longing of creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. So when you are tempted to think that your faith and your religion is a personal, private matter just between you and God, think again! All of creation is involved - and vitally interested. Not that you can tell by looking around you.
The world seems the same for everyone - believers and pagans alike. We cannot see who are the hypocrites or tell them from the true believers. At least not usually. And neither can creation. None of this cosmic significance stuff appears to be true. You can't see it or feel it. Those who clearly reject Jesus seem to thrive and prosper better than those who cling to Him. You would think that having all of that cosmic significance, that power and all of nature working with you and for you would make some sort of difference you could feel!
But that is where the hope comes in. Hope in the Biblical sense of the word is that knowledge which has no clear support in the experience of life, just the attestation of God's Word. It is the possession of realities which are not fully sensed or experienced here, but are guaranteed to us and will be fully revealed - and experienced - in the future. Hope is confident expectation of something God promises which you cannot empirically prove to be so. It is precisely what the writer to the Hebrews called faith in Hebrews 11:1, Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
We have been saved--in hope. Our salvation is sure, and yet it is not felt. If you think you can feel it, you are experiencing a feeling about your salvation. You cannot feel salvation. You may have feelings about your forgiveness, but you are not feeling forgiveness itself, for we have no nerve endings in the soul to experience the sensation of forgiveness. It is in hope, confident and certain and sure, and a real possession, not just wishful thinking, but without that certain something that we can press to the litmus paper and prove it to the unbelieving around us, demonstrating that it really is so! Verses 24-25 say it well, For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
The one thing we can be sure of feeling in this world is suffering. The world hates us, just as Jesus said that it would. The flesh hates denying itself the fruits of sin. The world around us hates us and the judgment implicit in our faith -
that we are right and they are wrong, that we are holy and they are evil, that we are going to heaven and that they are going to hell, if they remain without faith in Jesus Christ.
They hate it and they try to lure us away from the faith, or to destroy us if we will not be moved. That is the only way to silence the implicit judgment that our confident hope speaks to them.
Then there is the old evil foe, whose one mission and goal it has been to destroy. He will attack wherever he can. The one feeling you can be confident of experiencing as a Christian is suffering. And St. Paul tells us the truth about suffering in the midst of this cosmic relationship we share with one another and with God, For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
God has always been aware of the already-not yet nature of the salvation He was pouring out on us. He understood long ago the suffering we would have to endure in order to still remain faithful, and He did not leave us utterly without that which we could see and hear and taste and touch. He left us His Word. He pours out His Spirit through the Word, that we who hear might believe. He tells us, in His Word, that what He has prepared for us is so wonderful that the sufferings of this present age are not even worth comparing to it. When we get there, we will find it so glorious that we will wonder that we were so reluctant to endure the little while and the little bit of pain and trouble here.
And while we are here, enduring, He has also given us the Sacraments. Baptism allows us to "see" the pouring out of the Spirit on us and on our children, and to hear God speak our names and claim us as His own. And in the Holy Supper Christ gives us His body, once given on the cross, to eat — and His blood, once shed for us and for our forgiveness and salvation, to drink. He has arranged for His salvation to be given to us personally and individually so that we cannot ignore that this good will and love is meant for us, personally, individually. Yet even these wonderful and comforting signs, He has placed beneath the forms of the bread and the wine, hiding them, as it were, from the eyes of all but faith.
But, as Luther said, we will not be rationalistic know-it-alls who doubt and question the Word of the Lord, but we will expect and believe and trust in all that He has promised, and so confess and believe that here, in this Holy Supper is something also of cosmic significance - the body and blood of the one who died for us and won for us peace and freedom, forgiveness and salvation. Here is the support for the hope that is in us. And it is in a "communion" - a sharing together in something sacred. So even here - particularly here where God deals with you individually - your faith and your relationship with God is nothing strictly personal, or "just between God and you." It is a fellowship thing, and a common confession, and a shared thing. So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
We are linked. Each of us and our faith and our relationship to God is part of that cosmic thing called "the body of Christ" or "the Church". What we believe and the salvation we possess and share is not merely personal, but communal - a family thing shared by us all. And your healthy participation in it, each of you, makes a difference to the whole body as well - and to the world of nature around us, although we do not always perceive that difference and significance, except through the Word of God. And what we share, that unites us, is summarized by our sermon theme - the Hope of Salvation.
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St. Paul Lutheran Church
275 Nation Dr Auburn, CA 95603 (530) 885-5378 stpaul[email protected] Pastor: Rev. Dr. David Poganski Sunday Worship Schedule
*Sundays 9:00 AM IN-PERSON & ONLINE Christian Education on ZOOM *Youth Class 10:15 *Adult Bible Study 10:15 |
