Luke.4.31-44; The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany, February 2, 2025

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath, and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority. And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, “Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm. And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region. And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon’s house. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them. Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. And demons also came out of many, crying, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ. And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. (Luke 4:31-44, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Today will be a good day to review the 2nd article of the Apostles’ creed. P. 322 in the front of your hymnal. Let’s read it together. I believe in Jesus Christ, His-only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. From thence He will come to judge the living and the dead.

What does this mean? I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord, who has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person, purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil; not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death, that I may be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence, and blessedness, just as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns to all eternity. This is most certainly true.

Now the part I want you to pay close attention to today is the part that says: [Jesus] purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil not with gold or silver but with his holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death…

This Gospel reading today from St. Luke reflects what Luther is talking about right here. When we talk about the work of Jesus, which is what he did for us through his life, death and resurrection, we are talking about those three things: rescue from sin death and the power of the devil. And that’s what we see in this reading today. It starts with the power of Satan.

Jesus casts out a demon from a man in the synagogue. First, we must remember that Satan has real power. These demons that possessed people were and are real. In those days they were well recognized. We don’t know what kind of trouble this one caused but we are reminded by St. Peter to be on the watch for Satan.

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8, ESV)

And it’s true and we’ve all seen Satan’s handiwork. We don’t have to go far either. All we have to do is look around us, we can see it right here. You’ve seen the destructive power of Satan at work even in our church. He divides. He distracts. He sets friends against friends. He urges us to concentrate on things that are unimportant, making us think they are most important. He whispers lies in our ears that we gladly believe because it’s the easy way. His goal is for you and me to go to hell. He works especially hard among Christians to get them to take their eyes of the Cross of Christ. And we listen to him all too often. In fact, if it weren’t for God’s Word and the Sacraments, if it weren’t for Jesus we’d be slaves to Satan and all his works and all his ways.

It’s no different in the Gospel. This possessed man was in the Synagogue. Life in Christ is no different than any other church where God’s Word is proclaimed. But Jesus shows he is more powerful than any demon, and even Satan. When he commands the demon out, the evil spirit throws a tantrum by throwing the man on the ground, but he can’t hurt the man anymore. Jesus has commanded him to come out and he must do so immediately. This evil angel, this unclean spirit asks Jesus, “Have you come to destroy us?” Jesus’ answer is an emphatic “Yes!”

For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39, ESV)

Jesus performs this miracle for us. That’s what Luke wants us to see. Jesus rescues us from the power of the Devil.

Next, we see Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law. She has a very high fever. She is dangerously sick. This is Jesus rescuing us from death. After all illness is just death lying in wait for us. Every time you and I get sick we are pushed closer to the grave. When you have the flu you might say, “I just want to die and get it over with.” Illness and disease take away our abilities. We can’t take care of ourselves. We can’t take care of other people. When we are sick, we are slaves to it. And no matter how hygienic we are we just can’t always avoid it either. We don’t have to look very far to see that this is true either. Right here, just look at our prayer list. It is long. It seems to grow every day. While it’s good that we pray for all these folks, each name on the list is illness taking its toll; cancer, influenza, pneumonia, blood clots, heart attacks and death and more. Each illness is a sign that we will all die. And there isn’t anything we can do about it. Death has us in its grasp. We are slaves to illness and death. Well at least that is without Jesus.

Jesus shows us his rescue again. I think it is very interesting that St. Luke uses the very same word about what Jesus does. He rebuked the demon. He rebuked the fever and it comes right out of her. Now we should see right away that this isn’t healing in the way that we’ve seen it. When someone is released from the hospital we pray for their recovery. Peter’s Mother-in-Law had no recovery. She got up and went right to work without any effects. Jesus’ healing shows more than just the removal of the illness. It shows a return to life the way that God has designed it. She was free to do what she was called to do, serve the guests that had come to her house.

Jesus performs this miracle for us. That’s what Luke wants us to see. Jesus rescues us from the power of the death.

But Luke also wants us to know that Jesus does even more yet. The news spreads and people bring all kinds of sick, and demon possessed to Jesus. He laid his hands on every one of them and healed them, the text says. He heals them all, every one of them. St. Luke wants us to see Jesus rescuing us, too.

Now there’s one of the three yet to go, and admittedly it’s not mentioned directly in the text. But it is here. Jesus rescues us from sin. You see, Satan has power among us because there is sin among us. Death has power among us because sin is among us. What we see Jesus doing here, is restoring things to the way they should be, because without sin there would be no illness and death. Without sin Satan would have no power over us. It is important to see that Jesus healing miracles are always accompanied by Jesus’ preaching. That’s how the text starts out. Jesus was teaching on the Sabbath. And that’s how the text ends Jesus says, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God…” What is the good news of the kingdom of God? Back to Luther’s words: I believe that Jesus Christ… has purchased and won me from all sins, from death, and from the power of the devil.

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, [God/Jesus] himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. (Hebrews 2:14-15, ESV)

That’s it exactly. Through death Jesus rescues us from lifelong slavery to sin, death and the power of the devil. How does Luther say it: not with gold or silver, but with his holy and precious blood and his innocent suffering and death. You see those miracles we see here, commanding demons and fevers to leave, are just the little ones that point to the big one, the important one, the miracle of God-come-in-the-flesh, Jesus Christ. I like how Luke, who’s always interested in Jesus direct connection to people, says that Jesus laid his hands on every one of them and healed them. That very hand that he stretched out to heal and cast out demons is the very same hand that he stretched out on the cross. It’s there that he paid the price for sin, not with gold or silver, but with his holy and precious blood and his innocent suffering and death.

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Being alive to God in Christ Jesus, means that we don’t have to tolerate Satan’s temptations, we don’t have to live in sin. Satan wants us to think that money is more important than people. Satan wants us to think that the budget is of a higher priority than the telling people of this community that Jesus lived and died and rose again for them. But that’s not being alive to God in Christ Jesus. We don’t have to live that way anymore. Instead, we can get our priorities right. Our income is a gift from God, not to be used to purchase the latest and greatest toys for ourselves, but to use in service to our families, our church and our community.

Being alive to God in Christ Jesus, means that illness, death and Satan are nothing to fear. We may not be able to avoid them, but Jesus tells us that they are done in. Our death isn’t the end but only the beginning of life forever with him. So, illness is an opportunity to serve; first, in prayer, then in presence. I would urge you to pay particular attention to those among us who are ill, or suffering, and make an extra effort to touch them, as Jesus did. And what about all those on our prayer list? We care for them by praying, and that’s important, but is there more you can do. Especially, I would urge you to be the loving hand of Jesus to those on our prayer list. Nothing will break down those cliquish walls we’ve been so eager to build up at Satan’s prompting faster than the loving touch of Jesus Christ.

All of that is possible, not just possible but happens, through Jesus. Picture this one last thing. There’s a practice in our church that we don’t use much here, but you can see it in print if you turn to p. 293 in f your hymnal. There in red letters toward the top of the page you’ll see these words.

The pastor places his hands on the head of the penitent and says:

In the stead and by the command of my Lord Jesus Christ I forgive you all your sins in the name of the Father and of the  Son and of the Holy Spirit.

That’s the touch of Jesus, forgiving you all your sins. As your called and ordained servant of the Word, Jesus speaks his words through my lips, and he touches you through my hands. Understand that it’s not my forgiveness that I give to you, it’s his. He purchased and won you from all sins, death and the power of the devil, not with gold or silver but with his holy and precious blood and innocent suffering and death. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Luke 4:16-30; The Third Sunday after The Epiphany; January 26, 2025;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN

And [Jesus] came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘ “Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’ ” And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went away.” (Luke 4:16–30, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Wow! This is quite a way to criticize a sermon. I would ask you to please find a more productive way to critique my sermons.

Jesus visits home. He has a plan. As was his custom, means he had done it before, preaching in the hometown synagogue. He stood up to read, as was the privilege of any adult male, especially one who was recognized as a teacher. He takes the scroll and unrolls it to Isaiah. It was probably the assigned reading for that sabbath. He reads it and sits down for his commentary. All eyes are upon him. The anticipation is thick as they wait for what Jesus will say and do.

In the paragraph just before this account we see Jesus has been doing the all-around Gallilee.

And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all.” (Luke 4:14–15, ESV)

They were anxious to hear what they had heard about.

Then Jesus says,

Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.

The words are pregnant with meaning. Today, right now, Scripture has been fulfilled. The same words he will use with the thief on the cross beside him.

And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”” (Luke 23:43, ESV)

The word fulfilled means has been fulfilled and will continue to be fulfilled. (perfect, passive, indicative, for the grammar pros among us). In your hearing, the one they hear, Jesus, is fulfilling it. So, what is Jesus saying?

Jesus is talking about his ongoing ministry forthtold by Isaiah. Listen again for the three times preaching is referenced.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. (Luke 4:18–19, ESV)

The word proclaim here is three different words in Greek. It highlights the primary purpose of Jesus ministry. Preaching. The Messiah will be a teacher, it was exactly what the hearers in the Synagogue expected. But the wonderous, confusing thing is that Jesus says the Messiah is here, now.

The crowd marveled at what Jesus said. Could their expectations of the coming of the Messiah be happening? They spoke well of Jesus. What he said was a positive thing. But how could this boy that we have known all our lives be saying such a thing. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” The expectation rise, “Will Jesus speak more? Will he heal people, right here, right now?”

Then everything goes south.

Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian.

The room exploded in wrath. Not just anger but wrath, it says. They are overcome with extreme anger. They aren’t just a little bit angry. They are so mad, in fact, they push him out of the synagogue to the precipice of a hill to throw him down and most likely stone him. They want him dead.

The truth is that Jesus has told them, beyond doubt, that he is the Messiah. He wasn’t just Joseph’s son. Their familiarity breeds contempt. They expected the Messiah to appear in power and glory, not the son of someone they knew, a simple tradesman.

Jesus also confronts them with their false understanding of God’s grace. Grace is universal, gentiles also. Jesus points to the nature of the healings in the OT as example. Every example he gives is the healing of a Gentile. They were depending on God’s grace only to themselves. God blesses only the sons of Abraham.

The words Jesus spoke also violated what they expected from the Messiah. They wanted freedom from the Romans. They were not looking for a Savior from sin. They didn’t want repentance and faith to be the means of salvation. Jesus preaches law that cuts them to the heart.

And more so, their hatred is aimed at the truth. Jesus confronts them with the truth about their sinful condition. God intends for the Gospel to be proclaimed to all nations. Instead of repentance and faith, their hearts turn to extreme anger.

All in all, this is a complete rejection of Jesus, the Messiah. He told them it would happen.

Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown.

And in fact, John’s gospel starts with the same idea.

He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.” (John 1:11, ESV)

Jesus sets before them who he is as their savior. He tells them what the Messiah had come to do, preach the Good News to everyone, including Gentiles. They understood it very well. The knew full well who Jesus said he is, but he was not the savior they wanted.

On the edge of the cliff, they intend to kill him, and make God send a different messiah. But

But passing through their midst, he went away.

Jesus would indeed suffer death at the hands of the Jews, but this wasn’t the time. His time was not now but on the cross. There he would suffer at the hands of sinful men. There he would suffer for the sins of the world, and not only for the children of Abraham, but for all. Wonderfully, unexpectedly, that includes you and me. On the cross, God shows himself, his power and grace hidden in suffering and weakness. It is the very thing the people of Nazareth rejected. The hometown boy, born in their very town, not anything special. Jesus went on his way. He passed through their midst. It wasn’t his day to suffer and die. He had much to do. His ministry is based on preaching and teaching as emphasized in the Prophet Isaiah.

Preaching and teaching. The church continues Jesus’ ministry, it is, in fact, Jesus preaching and teaching through simple means right here and now,

Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.

Fulfilled. Scripture has been fulfilled today and will continue to be fulfilled in your hearing. The universal Gospel is preached and taught thorough Christ’s Church. Our little church here, the large churches in St. Louis, the thousands of rural churches, dotted across the Midwest, the churches in Europe, Africa, Asia, and all over the world. Everywhere the Gospel is taught in its truth and purity. Oh, and the sacraments are administered according to Jesus words. That is the ongoing ministry of Jesus.

I hope you have a sense of wonder at all of this. You and I can freely gather to receive the ongoing ministry of Jesus. It hasn’t always been the case for Christians of the world. Every Sunday, Jesus himself, reaches out to press the Good News of the forgiveness of sins right into your ears. Every Sunday, Jesus himself, puts his body and blood on your tongue, into your body, and you receive him, and the forgiveness he offers. This is exactly what Jesus foretold on that Sabbath so long ago in Nazareth.

So, the ongoing ministry of Jesus is preaching, particularly the preaching of repentance and forgiveness. I urge you to remember what I said about sermon critic at the beginning of this sermon!

You are a sinner. Sin permeates all you do. If you need a stronger reminder of that look at the Commandments. You sin against them, and God, every day in thought, word and deed. But let’s get very specific. We, collectively, and individually, don’t do enough in our community to ease suffering and share the Gospel. We do send our tithe to the district, and that is good, and rare, but we are place here in this community for God’s purpose. We have been blessed with so many resources, should we not be doing more? Have you given your gifts of income to help those who have lost everything on both coasts? Have you invited a friend or acquaintance to church? Are you afraid of losing your friendship? Are we so focused on our new building that we are ignoring the other needs of the community, and the world?

Jesus says, Repent! Turn to him for forgiveness he so freely gives on the cross. He has suffered for those specific sins, and all your sin, there. He took them to death and the grave. He rose from death to show you your resurrection from death. The penalty for your sin is paid in full. You are his through faith in what he has done for you. Holy Baptism is the sign of his ongoing forgiveness. And even though you continue to sin, every day, he forgives. It is only the power of God, in Jesus on the cross, that changes anything.

Every Sunday, Jesus comes to you in his body and blood on this altar. He comes to strengthen you in your faith. He, along with the deposit of the Holy Spirit, comes to guide you into doing the things you should be doing. When you have Jesus in you, you can and will do what is pleasing to God.

That is the ongoing ministry of Jesus. He said so in his sermon to the people of his hometown, Nazareth. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Ephesians 1:3-14; The Second Sunday after Christmas; January 5, 2025;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:3–14, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Star Wars, Return of the Jedi, Episode VI in the Saga. Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader have it out in a last epic struggle. After a long series of blows, Luke finally wins the fight by cutting off Vader’s hand. The evil emperor, watching over the event, tells Luke to “fulfill his destiny,” kill the man he now knows to be his father and take his place at the emperor’s side and rule the galaxy with him. Luke refuses his “destiny”, at least the one the emperor said he had.

The idea of having a destiny is very popular in the movies and it isn’t outside of Christian belief either. It is in fact at the heart of what we believe. We are born with a particular future. But that leaves a question.

Is your destiny the destiny one that you would wish to fulfill?

The text says we are “predestined”, that “God has predestined us.” It gives some possibilities, doesn’t it? It’s a bit unnerving. We sometimes get the idea that our destiny with God is carved in concrete from all eternity. Like, being “destined” to meet the perfect spouse, or serving God in a particular vocation. If it’s not “meant to be” then you just lose out. If you make the wrong move you are out of God’s plan for your life.

John Calvin, a Swiss Theologian (and father of many of the non-Lutheran protestant denominations) that was a generation younger than Martin Luther talked a lot about Predestination. He said that everyone was predestined by God for one of two eternities. Heaven or Hell. Calvin said, before God made the world, he determined the final destination of every single human that would ever live. It was set in eternal concrete, God’s unchangeable plan. Some people were set for heaven and others set for hell.

John Calvin was wrong in one particular, very important way. Look at you: We have all been born destined to sin. Even though God created everything perfect, Adam and Eve brought sin into the world and saddled us with it. We say we are “by nature, sinful”. We sin often, and often we like it. And oh, how easy it is to sin with the world, and our sinful flesh, and the world, backs us up. Lots of people think that Christianity is a way to stop sinning. But we don’t. Our old sinful nature keeps up its bad habits, we are often tempted and often fall. Christians are often seen dishonoring the name of Christ. Are we just living up to our destiny?

Doesn’t God predestine us to be saved? Yes. It was always God’s plan to save his people. You might even say our destiny was born on Christmas morning. The baby in the manger, Jesus Christ, is God’s promised plan of salvation in a picture we can understand. The re-creation of everything begins with God-in-Human-Flesh Jesus. Our destiny is made perfect in his death on the cross. Forgiveness of sin is an essential part of our destiny.

And yet, God demands perfection. He can’t do anything else because he is perfect and holy. The great news is that he provides the perfection he requires. Jesus is God, perfect and holy. He takes on human flesh to be perfect for us, to live up to God’s expectation for us. Through faith in Jesus and his life, death and resurrection Jesus perfect life is accounted to us. Our destiny is in Christ Jesus. God declares us to be perfect because of Jesus. That is how we will be judged according to Jesus, not according to what we have done. We are predestined to heaven.

How can we know? Listen again:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:3–6, ESV)

“In love he predestined us”; “He chose us!” it’s done, not might be done, but a done deal. “He has freely given.” There is no fear, threat or uncertainty. John Calvin was just wrong. The bible only speaks of one predestination, that of those adopted as Sons through Jesus Christ. It doesn’t say that he predestines people to hell. It sounds like a contradiction. But we can only go by what scripture says. God views all people the same. God wants all people to be save. And yet, some go to hell. God has done everything necessary to save us, in Jesus Christ. If we are save God is the reason. If we are not, it is solely our own doing.

The great thing is that God has also chosen to save us from our destiny to sin. It is in the promises made to us in Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. In these wonderful gifts God gives the gift of Jesus himself. We are predestined always, in Christ Jesus. Baptism is a re-creation of who we are. We receive Jesus perfect life, and our old sinful nature is drowned in the water. We are called, that is baptized, into the perfect name of God. We receive forgiveness, life and salvation though Jesus. We have all the blessings promised by the Father to the ones he loves. And Baptism isn’t just true when your head is still wet. It’s true every day of your life after. It’s God’s way of giving you something to look at, see and feel. “I’ve been baptized!”

We are not destined to be enslaved by sin and death. We are predestined to be saved. Jesus became a complete human being, just like you and me. He chose to come and live a perfect life in the place of imperfect people. You have been baptized into Jesus. You have forgiveness of all your sins. Jesus perfect life has been accounted to you. Your destiny is to be raised from your death to eternal life with all those who are “in Christ”. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 2:13-18; Holy Innocents; December 28, 2014;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marias, MN;

Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more. (Matthew 2:13–18, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

It is an interesting, deadly, horrible story. It’s not the kind of thing we want to hear at Christmas time. We want the sweet baby in the manger. We don’t want to be reminded of the blood, the cost of Jesus being born. We don’t what to hear about the vitriol that Satan would wreck, even on innocent children. But his this, his first attempt to stop the Savior would ultimately fail. As would they all.

Here we see a king, Herod, so paranoid, so hungry for power, that he would kill innocent children rather than face the possible threat of being dethroned. He doesn’t understand Jesus at all. He is focused on his power. He fears the loss of his throne, but Jesus’ kingdom is not of this world. It isn’t out of character for this evil king, who had his children, wives, friends, not to mention his enemies, killed, to give the order to have a few dozen children slaughtered. It is also reported that Herod gave the order, that upon his death, thousands of city officials were to be escorted into the Jerusalem arena to be killed. The king wanted to be sure that on his death there would be mourning over his death.

After the Magi left for home without betraying the identity of the “newborn king”, Harod was furious. He kills the babies to stop Jesus’ reign. He strikes out against children to prevent Jesus from becoming king. He does his worst. Many of our hymns today talk about Bethlehem. But none of them speak about the pain of the fathers and mothers at Herod’s slaughter or the pure evil of this king.

But the angel warns Joseph. The baby and his mother are spirited away to Egypt in the cover of darkness. It is ironic, but totally in accord of prophecy, that Jesus flees to Egypt, the place where Hebrew children were slaughtered, so that God’s chosen prophet could escape death. Moses escapes that slaughter, Jesus escapes from Bethlehem.

The children’s blood is shed.

Jesus, Herod's intended victim, would later say

For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person...” (Matthew 15:19-20a, ESV)

This is the evil that we see around us every day. Only a few days ago, a young woman, slaughtered children in a school. We see the ongoing slaughter of innocents as abortion continues. It was heartening to see Roe vs. Wade overturned. But the slaughter continues in many states, including our own. Every day, these children die as sacrifices on the altar of choice, convenience, and financial security. As if somehow, it is right and good that my right to choose is more important than the life of any other person. Now is the time to double down on our efforts to end this scourge.

Lord, have mercy! Christ, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

This is the evil that Jesus was born to bring to an end. But have no illusions, it isn’t just an evil king, bent on power. It is sin. This is massacre reveals the depth of human depravity and the length to which sinful and rebellious will go against God. It is easy to point to this and other big public sins and wag our finger. The truth is sin is much worse than we see here. It is much more prevalent than we know.

How do I know that? Look into the manger. See the Son of God born in human flesh. See the depth of the opposition against him. The innocents slaughtered. See him walk that roads of Israel and the vitriol of the people that spoke against him. See the lengths they will go to end him. False testimony. Blasphemy. “Crucify him!” See the nails driven into his hands and feet, and the crown of thorns on his head. See the mocking and the laughter of his enemies. See him breath out his last with the words “it is finished.”

If sin was a small matter, if sin was something people could deal with on their own, none of this would be necessary.

We act surprised and appalled when this kind of evil shows itself. But there should be no surprise. It is the nature of sin, and how deeply it affects the human person. What should appall us is that the same sin that slaughters children, the same sin that yelled “Crucify him!” Lives in you and me.

“We are by nature sinful and unclean” we confess on Sunday mornings. It isn’t the way we were created but we have been corrupted by sin. We are by that sinful nature, enemies of God, and helpless.

Indeed, if we could deal with it on our own, God would not have sent Jesus to suffer such a fate.

And yet, that is exactly what God did. He came to suffer the effects of sin, all of it, outward and inward. Sin pushes us away from God as our enemy. Our savior reconciles us to God, “while we were still enemies”.

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:10, ESV)

Because Jesus did what he did, his life lived according to God’s will, his death died at God’s will, his perfect life lifted up as our punishment, his death as the reconciling moment, we are declared by God as forgiven. If sin was a small thing, if it was only slightly corrupting, Jesus would not have been necessary.

If you hear the account of Herod’s slaughter, if you read the news hearing about people ramming cars into a crowd, or setting people on fire in the subway, or our own slaughter of the innocents as abortion continues, it should drive you to repentance. Because the very same inclinations to sin reside in you. It is only God’s grace in Jesus Christ that prevents you from the same.

Grace is gifts you don’t deserve. Grace is the forgiveness Jesus won for you. Grace is the Holy Spirit given by God as a counter to your sin. Grace is his acting to prevent your sin from controlling you. Grace is God’s gift of Baptism that marks you as one redeemed by Christ sacrifice on the cross. Grace is God’s declaration of your forgiveness in Christ, despite your sin. Grace is your sin tamped down. Grace is God’s promise that you won’t live with sin forever. Grace is your sinful nature done away with at your death. Grace is you who are “by nature” and enemy of God given the inheritance of a son. Grace is faith given to you as a gift to hold these things true for you. Grace is this congregation, where God blesses you with a place to hear again of all these gifts. Grace is the Holy Supper given here for the fortifying of your gift of faith.

It sounds rather rough to accuse you of your sin, complicit with Harod, complicit with mass murderers, complicit with those who kill children today. But it is true. If you would count your sin as small and Herod’s as great, you are missing the key to the Good News of Jesus. This is exactly what God means when he tells us we are helpless. If you could satisfy God with the things you do, they would have to be perfect, uncorrupted by sin. But your sin, and mine, is inherit in all we think, do and say.

This is the beauty of the Christmas manger, and the baby there. This is the beauty of God born in human flesh. This is the beauty of what Jesus taught us. This is the beauty of the cross. This is the beauty of Jesus. Amen. The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

John 1:1-5, 14; The Festival of the Nativity of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. December 25, 2024;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:1–4, ESV)
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Translation is an art, not a science. It is very difficult to transfer meaning from one word in one language to another. That is particularly true of the word “Word” in our text. Underlying it is the Greek word λόγος. I don’t know what word I would have chosen, maybe this is the best one, but if you take it at face value a lot is left out. For us Word, is spoken or read. It means a vocable in a sentence. It is grammatical and in that sense the meaning is limited. It can mean a promise, like “My word is true.” What stands behind that idea is the character of the person who speaks it.

John stole the word λόγος from Greek Philosophy. It meant cosmic order or universal reason or even truth. Λόγος could also mean the rational principle behind everything. For the Greek philosophers this word, itself, was a constant topic of discussion.

John didn’t steal the word willy-nilly. He well knew the background. He intended some of the meaning to bleed into this text. When he equates λόγος with the second person of the Trinity it is very intentional. Things like comic order, universal reason, and truth clearly indicate God, and specifically Christ. When he says, the Word (λόγος), was around in the beginning, that the Word (λόγος) was with God, and that the Word (λόγος) is God, he’s saying a mouthful.

He coopts the original meaning and fills it with new meaning. The Word (λόγος) is eternal. The Word (λόγος) created everything. The Word (λόγος) is life, and the Word (λόγος) is the “light of men.” And finally, that light was not overcome by the darkness of the world. He spends the rest of the Gospel fleshing out (pun intended) exactly what it means.

So, when he, only a few verses later, says:

And the Word (λόγος) became flesh and dwelt among us… (John 1:14a, ESV)

It is one of the most profound statements in all of scripture.

The sentence begins with “and”, don’t through it away as a simple connecting word. And connects it to all that came before. God becoming flesh in Jesus Christ is all because he is comic order, universal reason, and truth. Through the Word, God created the world, through the Word God sets the corrupted world right. The Word (λόγος) became flesh. Flesh is another significant word in Greek. It means “body” the muscular part of a human. The Word, God himself, became flesh, a body. Flesh, body, λόγος all joined into one person. And as much as these things, λόγος and flesh, don’t fit together (from our perspective), Jesus in the flesh, becomes a part of this world. He, the λόγος, dwelt among us.

Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14b, ESV)

The Gospel writer had this in mind. Immanuel, God with us. God a human person, a body, in our flesh dwelt among us.

He, God in Jesus, lived in our sinful and corrupted world. He became flesh and was subjected to all that it means to be flesh. He was pursued by sinful men who tried to destroy him. He was mocked and threatened by the powerful. He was misunderstood and misquoted. He was betrayed and beaten. He was condemned and killed. His flesh was buried in a tomb.

But that was exactly why the λόγος became flesh and dwelt among us. It was only the λόγος, the wisdom, the creative force, the truth, that could overcome the power of death. God in the flesh, became a man so that he would be subject to all the powers of sin and death.

He became subject to all that we humans are. We suffer from sin in the world. It is impossible to avoid. But it is not only the forces outside of us. Even more powerful are the forces within us. We can blame the corruption of the world on what is out there. But worse is the sin, in here (our own hearts). Sin is personal, in the flesh, so to speak. 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.” (Isaiah 64:6, ESV)

Isaiah knows of what he speaks. Our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. He included himself in that statement. It is even more crass than you might expect. It is this fleshly corruption that condemns us to hell. Sin permeates our flesh, sin permeates our minds, our hearts, and so, it permeates all we do. It is a condition of being human, in the flesh. All the proof that is necessary to show the truth of our in breed sinfulness is that we all die. That is what Isaiah means when he says, We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

It is this condition that the λόγος became flesh to resolve. Jesus Christ, a true man, became flesh and dwelt among us. He became the only man ever not to be so corrupted. He was affected by sin, from outside of himself. But his righteous deeds were righteous. He does it as a man. It was necessary. A sinful person, totally corrupted by sin, could not be a sacrifice for sin.

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. (Isaiah 53:5, ESV)

Again, Isaiah speaks clearly. He is speaking of the cross. It was the unjust suffering of Jesus, as a perfect man, that brings us peace and healing. Why? Because God charged him with our sin. Jesus became sin for us. On the cross he is the death of sin’s punishment. The Father fills his perfect life with the sin of us all. Jesus punishment for sin, is ours. He was crushed for our transgressions. What makes it possible is that Jesus is the λόγος made flesh. In Jesus God, dies. The punishment we deserve is taken up in the λόγος, the son of God. To say it in human terms, our judgment is set aside, our sentence is commuted.

And what of sin? Well, we still live with it. It still permeates all we do. But there is no eternal punishment for it. It does not push us away from God. It is true that when we sin, we have the earthly effects. The world is still corrupted. But we are not liable for judgment.

Although our text doesn’t explicitly talk about the Holy Spirit, he is the gift that comes with faith in Jesus. When we listen to his prompting, we can, at times, avoid even the worldly consequences of our sin. Sin doesn’t have to rule our lives anymore.

The Word (λόγος) became flesh and dwelt among us. How profound it is. How utterly simple it sounds. John’s Gospel was the last written. He leaves the details of the moment to the other writers. On Christmas Day we celebrate the Incarnation of the Son of God, incarnation means, the λόγος made flesh. When we peer into the manger and see a baby, we are seeing God, the λόγος, in human flesh. It is the miracle of miracles. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Luke 1:39-56; The Fourth Sunday in Advent; December 22, 2024;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

In those days Mary arose and went with haste into the hill country, to a town in Judah, and she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” And Mary remained with her about three months and returned to her home.” (Luke 1:39–56, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Mary, the mother of Jesus is a singular person in human history. The idea that God would choose a singular female, likely a teenager, to bear the Son of God, that God would even come into the world has a human being, is remarkable. Mary displays all the hallmarks of faith. All you have to do is read the Magnificat to see it. Luther said of this wonderful hymn:

“She [Mary] is not filled with pride by the great honor bestowed upon her, but in true humility gives all the praise to God alone, to whom it belongs.” Martin Luther

And

“She [Mary] does not boast of her worthiness, but gives all the glory to God alone, to whom she ascribes all that she has.” Martin Luther

Mary is a picture of faith. She is faithful. She shows an unwavering faith in God’s plan of salvation, no matter where it leads her. She is humble. She calls herself “servant of the Lord”. She is blessed beyond measure. The angel Gabriel and Elizibeth, both call her “blessed among women.” And she "treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." She reflects on God’s word and actions in her life.

But there is one thing I know about Mary. If she was here today among us, sitting beside any one of you, she would confess her sin. Yes, Mary was a sinner. She would confess boldly that she had indeed “sinned against [God] in thought, word and deed.” She would confess that she had done nothing to deserve forgiveness, or the special place that God had given her. She would beg for the forgiveness of her Son, her Savior. She would revel in that forgiveness brought by his death on the cross.

In the church, over the ages, Mary has been called, Theotokos. It is Greek word meaning God-bearer, or mother of God. It may seem like a very high title. One that elevates her to a higher status than ordinary human beings. But it doesn’t. She is theotokos because of her son. It says nothing about her, and everything about Jesus. To be very clear, Mary is Jesus’ mother. Jesus is God. Everything Jesus is, is tied up in his identity. You can’t separate Jesus’ humanity from his divinity. Everything he does, he does as God, and man. When he is born, he is God, born of Mary.



When you hear our text for today, you might think it is about Mary. After all it says that Mary went to visit Elizabeth. That Mary sang the Magnificat. But at the center of the text is Jesus.

Elizabeth, and the unborn John, rejoice at Mary’s coming to them. But, not because of Mary, but because of Jesus. John leaped in Elizabeth’s womb at the presence of his Lord. John’s mother rejoices at Mary’s coming because she brings “the fruit of your womb”. In Mary’s womb is “her Lord.” And, in fact, nothing that is said, done, or sung here, would have happened if God’s Son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of the World, was not present.

What we have here, in the Magnificat, after Elizabeth’s greeting and John’s leaping, is, in essence, Mary’s personal testimony. Underlying it all is what Jesus had done and not what Mary had done. Think about it, Mary was singular in human history, not because of what she did, but because of what Jesus did. All she did was what billions of mothers throughout history have done. She gave birth, raised, cared for, and nurtured a child.

Mary’s testimony is full of what God is doing. He “Looked on the humble estate of his servant.” All generations will call her blessed because, “he who is mighty has done great things for me.” But she doesn’t stop there. She continues to “magnify the Lord”. The rest of the song says nothing about her. God’s mercy, through Jesus is, “for those who fear him from generation to generation.” He brings down the mighty and lifts up the ones of humble estate. He remembers his mercy, as he promised Abraham.



When Jesus was brought, by faithful Joseph and Mary, to present their child to the Lord and offer the prescribed sacrifices, they came across a prophet, Simeon. He told of what Jesus would do. He also told of what Mary would suffer.

and a sword will pierce through your own soul also (Luke 2:35a, ESV)

He was speaking about the death of her son. I’m sure, for Mary, it felt just like that, a burning sword going right through her. The is no greater anguish for a mother than to see their child die. But here again, Mary is not unique. From Eve to many mothers today, that pain continues.

It is Jesus who is unique. Mary’s son, God’s son, died. Mary’s pain was nothing like his. Hers was human and temporal. His was eternal and spiritual. He suffered literal hell for his mother, and for all of us. He was rejected by God, his true father. That is what hell is. His death on the cross was more than physical, it was also spiritual. God turned his back and allowed him to die. That is the punishment for sin. But it was not his sin, it was ours. We deserved God’s back. But instead, God embraces us in love, because Jesus took our punishment. That punishment was hung on Jesus as he hung on the cross. That punishment was paid in full when he died in our place. That is what Mary’s son had come to do.



Mary was an extraordinary woman, just like many extraordinary women over the course of time. She had great faith. It was God’s gift to her. It prepared her for what was to come. Her pain and suffering was the same as so many. And eventually, she suffered the wages of sin in her own death. Mary was an extraordinary woman, worthy of remembering and even call her blessed among women. Not because of who she was, her deeds where ordinary human things, but because of who God is.



Jesus Christ is the extra-ordinary one. Mary is the woman God chose to come into our world as a human being. Mary suffered all the normal human suffering of motherhood. Morning sickness, birth pain, skinned knees, and the death of her child. God, himself, came through Mary’s womb as a complete human being. Jesus did marvelous things without number (Job 5:9). His life, perfectly lived without sin. His suffering and death. Which sets aside our verdict of death and hell. And his resurrection. A promise of a day in our future when we will rise from death.



When the story of my life is told, yours also, and Mary’s for that matter, we will all have one thing in common.

…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. (Confession, Divine Service Setting One, LSB)

And that would be it, full stop, if not for what Jesus did extraordinarily for all of us. Our lives are full of ordinary things. In fact, everything we do is ordinary. We may break an addiction, but millions have done that. We may give sacrificially, but millions do that. We may change our lives from evil to good, it’s been done by millions. Even if we save a life, or many lives, millions have done that, too. The overarching thing about everything we do is sin. It so permeates all we do that it corrupts even the best. And in God’s eyes,

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.” (Isaiah 64:6, ESV)

But, extraordinary Jesus, does his extraordinary thing and brings forgiveness. Our sin, though it plagues us daily, will not have the last word. Jesus saves us from sin’s eternal punishment. How extraordinary is that! How amazing that God, himself, loves me in such a way that he, himself, in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, is has paid the debt of sin I owe.

So, what about Mary’s personal testimony. What about mine, and yours? Let it be about Jesus, not shaded by the ordinary things we do, but by the marvelous, extraordinary, things he has done.

Luther’s last words, scribble on a piece of paper on his death bed were,

Wir sind Bettler, das ist wahr. We are beggars, this is true.

It is sometimes considered his epitaph. It highlights his understanding of our place before God, and Jesus’ work to save us.

Maybe our epitaph should be.

I did ordinary things. Jesus did extraordinary things for me.

Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Luke 7:18-30; Third Sunday in Advent; December 15, 2024;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And when the men had come to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’ ” In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who are dressed in splendid clothing and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is written, “ ‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’ I tell you, among those born of women none is greater than John. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” (When all the people heard this, and the tax collectors too, they declared God just, having been baptized with the baptism of John, but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)” (Luke 7:18–30, ESV)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Today is "rejoice" Sunday. Right there in the epistle lesson it says, "Rejoice in the Lord always; Again I will say, rejoice." It's why we have that pink candle in the Advent wreath. We rejoice because of what God has done, is doing, and will do in Jesus Christ. This is all well and good, this is what we expect from this time of year. People going around with big smiles on children’s faces. Shopping trips to exotic locations, like Duluth, or the Twin Cities, to show people how much we love them by spending money we don't have. And we have the passage from Zephaniah. It's a rejoicing of what God is doing even in the very midst of trouble in hardship. And so today as we rejoice in the Christmas story, we have the account of John the Baptist reaching out to Jesus by sending his messengers and asking, "Are you the one?"

We should back up just a bit. John doesn't send his disciples to Jesus without any provocation. What he sees doesn't quite reckon with what he's expecting. He stood out knee-deep in water baptizing people warning them about God's wrath to come. "You brood of vipers!" He shouts. But what does he see? Right before this text Jesus heals the Centurion's servant. This is the Roman soldier who other people said was a good guy but told Jesus you don't need to come to my house, I'm not worthy. Jesus marveled at his faith and healed the servant. I'm sure the Centurion was more than happy with the outcome.

And then Jesus raises the widow's son from Nain. They were coming into town and the boy was being hauled out to be buried. The widow was in desperate straits. Her only means of support was about to be buried in the earth. Jesus tells her, "Do not weep." He walked up to touch the coffin raised the dead boy and gave him back to the widow. All the people around the widow marveled at the good thing God had done for her.

And then we get to John the Baptizer. He has some real reasons to question what he's seeing in Jesus. It isn't quite what he expected to see given his preaching. "The ax is already at the root of the trees. Everyone who does not repent will be cast into the fire and burned." And so, he sends his disciples to question Jesus. "Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?"

Jesus sends a message back to John. We might be a bit surprised that he doesn't use the words, "I Am He!" Instead, he sends a picture back to John. John was no uneducated country preacher. The picture Jesus paints is a specific one. A picture of the fulfillment of God's word plucked right from the scroll of Isaiah and Malachi. A picture the points directly to Jesus as God's Messiah.

And he answered them, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”” (Luke 7:22–23, ESV)

John got the message. Jesus is it.

It's a curious thing though. The reason why John sends messengers is because he can't go himself. He's in prison. Herod the king has him there for speaking out boldly about Herod's sin. Herod's birthday is coming and soon John's head will be on a platter, severed at the whim of a teenager. John is not in a happy place. One might even question if John is reaching out to Jesus with the question, "When is it my turn?" After all we have just seen here Jesus healing every disease, giving sight to the blind, and raising the dead. We have Jesus proclaiming John is the greatest among men. Why didn't he just send a message back, "Get ready for the doors of the prison to spring open." But he doesn't. John is a dead man. It's not fair. Ultimately Jesus answer to John is "... Blessed is the one who is not offended by me."

"Jesus, are you the right one?" This is the very important question of the text. This is the very important question of life. "Jesus, are you the right one?" And it's an especially important question when things don't go the way we want them to go. Cancer is an ugly thing. God can and does heal it from time to time. But sometimes he doesn't. Violent death is out there. It could come for our family members or us at any time. The near miss doesn't always make a family closer. Money is tight. Somebody's got to win the lottery. But even when they do it doesn't make life better. Separation is the hardest thing. Whether it's distance, hardship, stubbornness or death. We grieve at separation and call out for God to end it. He is certainly able, but sometimes he doesn't. It's enough to make you ask, "Jesus, are you the right one?" What does Jesus say? "Blessed is the one who is not offended by me." The word offended is the word σκανδαλίζω. It is related to the English word scandal. It means to be caused to stumble, to be caused no longer believe.

This is the scandal isn't it. We are a consumer society. We are pragmatic, that means we worship whatever works. The world says God should give us Our Best Life Now. Or The Secret to life is how to get the most out of it through God. Shouldn't that happen when we gather and tell God how good he is? Shouldn't we get some consideration for spending our time and money to keep this church going? Shouldn't we get that when we stand with our hands in the air with our pretend smile on our face showing God that we really are happy? Doesn't that make God do what we want? This is the scandal isn't it. God doesn't always give us what we think we need.

But He does promise to give us what we really do need. "Blessed is the one who is not offended by me." Jesus is the one. He does heal and restore life. In fact, he is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the one to hold onto, even when he doesn't spring open the prison door. Even when bloody death reigns down on us. Even when disease plagues us. There is only one answer to these kinds of issues, because these issues have at their very heart sin. The sin sick broken world goes on this way. There are many questions, mostly the question "why?" But there is no answer in the world. The answer comes from God, and Jesus Christ. The answer is in the babe in the manger. Who would think that a pink squirming baby in a manger could be the answer for what sin does in the world. But he's not just a baby in the manger, he is God in human flesh. He is the God-man who does these things:

...the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them.

He is the God-man who does these things and promises that all the world will receive its healing. He is the God-man who went to the cross to suffer sins punishment. He is the God-man who reconciles the whole world to God in his life death and resurrection. He is the God-man whose birth we celebrate on Christmas and death we celebrate because of what he has done for us. Because the answering of the "why?" question is answered first in Jesus’ death on the cross for your sin. He reconciles you to God. He removes your sin. He makes the promise of new life to you. He is coming again to make all things new, completely remove the effects of sin in the world, and make a world where human beings live together in perfect relationships with one another and a perfect relationship with God.

So today we rejoice because the joy of the Christmas story leads to the cross. "Blessed is the one who is not offended by me." Do not leave the cross or the resurrection out of the Christmas story. It is the answer. It is the reason for Christmas joy. Jesus is the one, the only one who can save the world. Amen.

The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.