Watt's What

John 1:43-51; Second Sunday After Epiphany; January, 15, 2012;

2012-01-13T14:17:00.001-06:00

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”” (John 1:43–51, ESV)

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

“I doubt it!” Bobby wasn’t convinced. He heard the story but just couldn’t fit the account into his way of thinking. “No, Bobby it’s really true. I saw it yesterday. She’s back in town and asking for you!”

“I doubt it.” Bob replied, even though he’d been waiting to hear just that for a very long time. “It just isn’t possible. She’s not due back for a month yet. And Besides, why would she ask for me?”

“Well, maybe she changed her mind?” answered his friend. “Women always say that they’re allowed, you know.”

It was all that Bob could do to suppress the hope that was trying to surface. “She’s not going to change her mind! She already told me ‘No.’ and anyway, I’ve already taken the ring back.” It wasn’t exactly the truth; he only quit carrying the ring in his pocket. It had found a new place among the clutter on his dresser. “She knows where I am. If she wants me she can find me.”

“I’m telling you, she wants to talk to you.”

“I doubt it!”

We all have doubts. Not only the kind of doubts Bob has either. We have doubt about our families, weather we are doing our best with our kids. We have doubts about our work, will our job be there tomorrow? We even have doubts about ourselves. “Can I really handle all this pressure?” It’s perfectly natural and human to have doubts.

There is one place though we often don’t admit to having doubts. For some reason when it comes to our faith, we think that we shouldn’t have any doubts at all, when it comes to the things of God. That can be a real problem for us when we think that way, because the truth of the matter is this: everyone in this room has had doubts about their faith. And we are not alone. Our parents had doubts, those German Lutherans who huddled together on the banks of the Mississippi River and founded the churches that became he Missouri Synod had doubts. Martin Luther himself, had doubts about his faith too. You see the people of God have never been with out their doubts, even Jesus disciples. And just look at Nathaniel Jesus would-be-disciple. He has doubts. Philip tells him about Jesus and he says, “I doubt it.” When we have doubt, especially about our faith, we stand in good company.

So what are some of the things that you have doubts about? In regard to your faith? Sometimes doubt comes up in our lives, not because we don’t believe what the bible says, but because people all around tell us we should have doubts. We are educated people. Education is a great thing. It’s a wonderful gift that God has given us. You may even feel that a good education is essential for the world today. A good education can teach us to think logically about things, and even to be a little bit skeptical. It’s good to question the status quo and established norms. It’s one way in which we grow.

Sometimes our education can be the reason for doubt. Miracles, we are told, don’t really happen. Everything has a natural and logical explanation. Educated people believe in the scientific method. Did Jesus really feed five thousand people by a miracle? Did he really multiply five loaves and two fish to a meal for multitude? Isn’t it more logical to think, and believe that his charisma moved the people into sharing the food that they had all already brought? It’s a more logical solution to the miracle problem, after all. Well, the bible says it quite simply. They had five loaves and two fish, and Jesus fed them all with what he had. The bible doesn’t call upon us to believe only the most logical solution, but only to believe what it says. We just don’t see miracles like that around here, and science can’t explain it. So, sometimes, in spite of what we believe, we have our doubts about miracles.

And science has an impact on other teachings of the bible, too. You see, according to most people today, educated people don’t believe in creation, either. They say that the facts point to evolution instead. There’s a prof. at Texas Tech who won’t write recommendations for medical school for students who believe in creation. His criterion for a recommendation letter is simple. Get at least one a in you major class, get to know him, and don’t believe in creation. If you reject evolution you are unfit to practice medicine and you are sure to make ‘bad clinical decisions.’ Pressure like that can make us all wonder what’s going on. It can cause us to doubt the simple Word of God that says He created the world in six days. And even though creation is very well supported by science we still have our doubts.

We have other doubts about God, too. Does he really care about me? If he does why does he allow such bad things to happen to me? Why are there things in my life that hurt so much? Did God really do all those things written in his word? Did Jesus Christ really die on the cross, and did he really do it for me? These and many other questions have crossed all our minds, but we have difficulty admitting our doubts about God. We think that it will show that we have a weak faith. Instead we take Jesus own words to heart. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Mark 10:15 Doesn’t that say that we must be like children, totally believing and without any doubt? Well again, the truth is that we doubt, it can’t be denied or avoided. You have doubt. I have doubt. The only way to deal with it is to go to Jesus and see what he says about it.

Well, first we need to see that Jesus accepts doubt. Look again at our text for today. Here we see that Jesus finds Philip and says to him, “follow me!” Philip reacts to the call of Jesus and runs of to recruit Nathaniel. Nathaniel isn’t so quick to act and believe though.

Philip says, “Nathaniel, we’ve found the Christ, the Messiah!”

“I doubt it.”

From what we know about Nathaniel, he was probably an educated man. He knew about the promises of the Messiah. Jesus saw him “under the fig tree.” In those days “under the fig tree” meant that you were studying God’s word. The teachers of the day said that every man should “study the law under their own vine and fig tree.” So there Nathaniel was reading the bible and Philip comes and says he found the Christ. Nathaniel probably knew what he was talking about. “Can anything good come from Afton?” It was like that any way. He knew the prophecy; they didn’t say anything about Nazareth. It was a question of doubt from an educated man.

And there we are. We too are educated people, sitting under our own fig tree. We know the stories of the bible, the wonderful things God did for his people. We know about the destruction of the evil of the world with the flood. … the way God lead his people out of slavery in Egypt and saved them at the Red Sea. We know about how Jesus healed sick people everywhere he went, and how he tenderly cared for children. We are educated people. But when our lives get difficult and sticky, and God doesn’t act as we expect… we begin to doubt. When the evil of the world seems to triumph time and time again, it seems as if the God we’ve read about isn’t acting as a good God should act. And so we once again have doubts.

But Jesus didn’t scold Nathaniel for his doubts. The conversation didn’t begin like this: “Well, doubter, if you had more faith you’d not have trouble with that doubt.” Jesus didn’t accuse Nathaniel of depending too much on reason. Instead Jesus surprises us all. Nathaniel is given a complement. “Here is an Israelite in whom there is no guile.” (Guile is deceit or lying) Nathaniel didn’t keep his doubts hidden, when he had a problem with what was told to him he said, “I doubt it!” It was healthy skepticism. Nathaniel knew what he was looking for, the true Messiah, no imitation would do. He wanted to be sure that what he was hearing was right before he was going to believe. There are times when doubt has a way of bringing out the truth. “Is it really true?” doubt asks. Jesus sees the usefulness of Nathaniel’s question and his doubt. He knew it was a part of Nathaniel’s growing faith.

Nathaniel didn’t have to remain in his doubt. His question would really be answered. Jesus offered him proof. He took Nathaniel’s doubt and turned it around for his benefit (and he often does the same with you and me!) Notice what Jesus doesn’t say to Nathaniel. It’s not “Look deep into your heart, that’s where you’ll find the truth about me.” He told him that he had miraculously seen him sitting under the fig tree (probably reading about the Messiah!) The proof of our faith doesn’t come from deep in our hearts. It doesn’t come from our feelings. Our feelings and thoughts are often wrong, and very misleading. The proof of the things of God come from outside of us. We find it in His Word. We find it in this room whenever we gather to hear his words of forgiveness for us. We see it, and touch it, and taste it in the very body and blood of Jesus, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins.

Nathaniel was impressed that Jesus could see him under the fig tree, even though Jesus wasn’t there. But Jesus says there’s more to be seen, proof of a different kind. “There’s more here than you think.” He says to Nathaniel. “You believe that I am the Messiah, but do you really know what that means? You will see heaven opened!” Nathaniel’s educated ideas about the Messiah were going to be put to the test. “Heaven is going to be opened. Sinners are going to have a right relationship with God once again. Are you ready to see that kind of proof Nathaniel?” I’m sure it’s not the last time Nathaniel had doubts as he walked, and talked with Jesus.

Do we believe in Jesus because he offers us proof? No. Rather we believe in Jesus because of his great love for us. That’s the real proof of who his is. We see his love in the joy of the Christmas child, warm and protected in Mary’s arms. We see his love as he walks dusty roads and calls doubting disciples. We see his love as he tenderly takes helpless people by the hand and heals them. We see his love as he hangs on the cross, bloody and bruised, suffering and dying. If there is doubt about his love for you, just look there, because he died in your place. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 Jesus Christ laid down his life for you. No matter how much doubt you have in your life, no matter how much sin plagues you, no matter what you’ve done in the past, none of it matters to Jesus. His love for you is so great that he chose to die for you. And even more than that, he rose again to life, and he promises that you too will conquer death.

Doubt isn’t something that you’ll ever be able to totally get rid of. But just like you go to the people who love you when you need help, remember how much Jesus loves you, and go to him when you have doubts.

We don’t trust him for answers because he answers all our questions or even because he helps sort out of faith question in our mind. Sometimes we never get some questions answered. We trust him because of what he has done for us. We trust him because he loves us so much that he died for us and rose again. That is love that banishes all doubt. Amen.

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

Mark.1.4-11; Baptism of Our Lord; January 8, 2012;

2012-01-10T08:50:00.001-06:00

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa

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John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”” (Mark 1:4–11, ESV)

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

I’ve been read this text over and over again wondering what it's really talking about. Is it about who John the Baptist is? Yep, it surely talks about him, camel’s hair coat and all. We’ve already talked about him before Christmas… It’s interesting that he shows up again here so close after. Is it about the people who came to John, confessing their sins? Sure, it’s important to see that these people came to be baptized, but first they confessed their sins. They knew their place before God. They knew they were sinners needing forgiveness. Is it about the beginning of Jesus earthly ministry? Yea, this is the turning point for Jesus, up until now we’ve heard precious little from the gospel writers about Jesus was doing from the time he was 12 years old. But, now everything is different. Jesus Baptism is where the story really gets going. I’d have to say that this text is surely about that too. This text about Jesus coming to John to be baptized is about all those things. And it’s about something else too. It’s about relationships. There are lots of relationships described here and they’re not as confusing as this is:

76-year-old Bill Baker of London married Edna Harvey. She happened to be his granddaughter’s husband’s mother. That’s where the confusion began, according to Baker’s granddaughter, Lynn.

“My mother-in-law is now my step-grandmother. My grandfather is now my stepfather-in-law. My mom is my sister-in-law and my brother is my nephew. But even crazier is that I’m now married to my uncle and my own children are my cousins.”

From this experience, Lynn should gain profound insight into the theory of relativity.

Our text today speaks about several much simpler relationships. There’s the relationship between John and Jesus. They’re cousins, and yet John knows something more about Jesus, the one whose “sandals he’s not worthy to stoop down and untie.” John knows that God has sent Jesus and that he is the one who will deliver God’s people from their sin. “He will baptize with the Holy Spirit,” says John. And yet Jesus comes to John to be baptized. We read earlier that John’s baptism had to do with repentance and forgiveness. So why is Jesus there to be baptized? According to the writer of Hebrews Jesus is without sin: he was “…tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” (4:15) Clearly he doesn’t need to confess his sin and be baptized. So just what does John think he’s doing? Well, he isn’t giving Jesus forgiveness he doesn’t need. Jesus is acting in accordance with God’s plan, and John is simply helping Jesus to do just that. Jesus baptism has everything to do with his relationship to God the Father… and to us.

And that’s the relationship we want to look at next… Jesus didn’t need to be baptized for forgiveness, but we do. Jesus is acting on our behalf. He came to be a God’s servant to people, he didn’t come to be served by people. Jesus said it himself; “… the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 That was his mission. Just like John served Jesus by baptizing him, Jesus serves us by being baptized. You see, no way can God look at us and say, “with this one I am well pleased.” We are sinful people, born into sin because of the sin that came to us from our parents. As soon as we were conceived we were out of relationship with God, and actually object of his wrath. (Eph 2:3) Very often don’t want to follow God’s will for our lives; we want to be in control ourselves. How many of you guys have a hard time letting your wife drive? You may think it’s with good reason… even your wife knows she’s a better driver. But that’s kind of the way it is with our relationship with God. Most of the time we want him along as we speed through life. We want him to call out and tell us what’s ahead to keep us from having an accident. We want to know what’s over the next hill, and where to find the smoothest road. But most of all we want to decide where the car should go. We want to have a hold of the wheel. If God’s way gets a little rough we start looking for that little red button that says, “ejection seat,” so we can get back on a smother road. It’s God’s will bent to our own, instead of our will following God’s.

“You are my son, whom I love, with you I am well pleased,” said the Father of Jesus. Jesus followed God’s will, even though His road was going to be very rough. Jesus followed God’s will even though it meant that people would hate him and try to kill him. Jesus followed God’s will even when it meant that He would have to suffer… even when it meant he would have to die. Instead of going the way that we often do, Jesus went the way of God. He was the perfect servant to you and me. He lived the life that we cannot live, and he died the death that we dare not die. He was perfect but died for our disobedience. We are disobedient but we receive forgiveness because He earned it for us. He earned it by living his life perfectly in the will of God the Father. He let God drive. He also earned it by dying in our place and suffering the punishment that we should have suffered. And God was so pleased with his son that after he had died, He gave him life again, and Jesus rose from the dead. That’s what Jesus relationship is to us. That’s what his baptism was all about, taking our place and being our servant.

You know, that’s what your baptism is about too. It’s about what Jesus Christ did for you. It’s about what Jesus Christ did for your relationship to God the Father. St. Paul wrote that: You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. Galatians 3:26-27 To be baptized is to become a “son” that God loves. It is to be once again in a relationship with God. To be clothed with Christ is to be seen by God as the Father saw Jesus, a beloved son in whom he is well pleased. That means that God looks at us differently. We are wearing Jesus’ clothes. God sees us like he sees Jesus.

So what exactly does that mean? Well it’s like this. We’ve been driving along minding our own business. Everything seems to be going very well. Suddenly out of nowhere there’s a bump in the road. It’s more than a flat tire; it is actually deep muddy path. At first we think we can get through it. So we press on the gas a little bit more. But the mud cakes up the front end and we can’t steer. Finally, the car comes to a halt buried half up the door in a muddy mess. We’ve made a wrong turn somewhere and gotten into a big mess. We’re buried deep in the mud and there is no way out. That’s when we realize that we’ve left God out all together. We’ve been driving ourselves. We’ve been ignoring his direction because the road seemed to be much easier this way. “God!” we say. “I’ve done it again! I’m stuck in the mud again and I can’t get out. I should have listened to you.” God doesn’t look at you and say, “It serves you right for not listening to me. I ought to just leave you there to suffer on your own.” Instead he says. “You are my beloved child, whom I love. I forgive you. I’ll help you.” He does it because of Jesus. You see, our relationship, the one that was made by Jesus, means that when we sin we can turn to God for forgiveness and he will forgive. Not because we deserve to be forgiven, but because Jesus earned forgiveness for us, and he has given it to us in our baptism.

There’s one more relationship we should talk about today. It’s the relationship we have with everyone else. It has to do with being baptized into Christ Jesus, and being clothed with Christ. Remember how John was a servant to Jesus? And Jesus is a servant to us? Well, being a child of God means that we too are to be servants. We can be servants to others because Jesus Christ is a servant to us. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying that we aren’t servants of others already. We do lots of great things right now. Because of Jesus, we are servants to people right here, where God has placed us. Time and time again this church has proved it can do anything it decides to do. I’d like to challenge you to do something special for this community. Something new! Not something to gain new members. But something to show people the love of Jesus Christ, weather they know him or not.

“You are my beloved Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” The Father said to Jesus. Jesus had seen the sign, and now he heard it. He knew what God’s will was for his life, and he followed it. That was his relationship to God, the Father. Everything Jesus did he did for us: his life, death and resurrection. He did it all to make us God’s children, too. Amen.

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

Luke 2:22-35; First Sunday after Christmas; January 1, 2011;

2012-01-01T06:31:00.001-06:00

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa

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And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”” (Luke 2:22–35, ESV)

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

Ok, so Christmas is long gone... well, at least in some ways it feels that way. It's New Year's day and those of you who are here, and not sleeping off New Year's Eve are probably not thinking much about Christmas. But here in the church it is still Christmas, after all in the church the Christmas Season continues until Jan 6. So it's been a whole week since you opened your gifts and there's been time for the luster to wear off, and maybe even a few of them are broken, don't fit, or not exactly what you wanted. Well, your friends and family meant well. They just missed the mark. There's always next year... or you can use that gift receipt and try to get something you want for yourself... In that way, Christmas is always a disappointment. When we focus on the stuff (and who doesn't!) we are setting ourselves up for it.

Now that's quite a contrast with Simeon. This is the last real Christmas story in scripture and one of the most important. He sees the True Gift for what it is, and rejoices.

Here's the picture. The temple is crowed as usual. Mary and Joseph are dutiful parents. They have brought the baby Jesus to the temple to do what the law requires. Every first born male child in Israel was to be dedicated to the Lord at 40 days old. This was all set up by God in Exodus (13:1). It has to do with the Passover. All those years ago in Egypt, the angel of death took every first born child that was not protected by lamb's blood on the doorpost. Since God provided for the first born of Israel to be redeemed by the blood of a lamb, he claimed them all has his own. "Consecrate them to me!" God said. "Remember that I am the one who redeemed you out of slavery in Egypt."

And so faithful parents for all those generations packed up the first born and made the offerings at the temple. Joseph and Mary sacrifice the two doves, because they didn't have the means to sacrifice a lamb (this was allowed for in the law, Lev 12:8). But when God appears in human flesh nothing is quite that simple. The couple and the baby enter the temple but they are immediately interrupted. A man, Simeon, takes the baby from the parents. Now Simeon is no ordinary man. He is full of the Holy Spirit. A devout believer, waiting for the Messiah, "the Consolation of Israel." That is the "comfort" of Israel. Think of the words from Isaiah 40.

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.” (Isaiah 40:1–2, ESV)

Think forgiveness of sins. Simeon is holding in his arms the forgiveness of sins for Israel! He was faithfully waiting, who knows how long. And he was uniquely gifted to know that he would not die until he had actually seen forgiveness with his own eyes. So, holding him in his arms and filled with joy he sings... "Lord now let your servant depart... I've seen what you promised. I can die in peace."

Now I don't know if you catch what's going on here or not. In fact, it's been kind of a theme in the Gospel of Luke so far. It actually beings in the fields, with shepherds watching sheep. The angels appear and scare the beejesus out of them. After all the shouting is over (yes the angels probably didn't sing the Gloria they spoke it!). It ends up like this. The angel said:

And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”” (Luke 2:12, ESV)

Really! That's the sign? A baby in diapers! There's nothing special about that. And the manger thing is very easily explained. In fact, there may have been other babies in Bethlehem in mangers that night. After all it was a crowed town, unable to hold all the visitors. A manger in an inn would be a perfectly logical place to place a new born. The sign is nothing. The baby is doesn't seem like much. In fact, everyone who hears the story the shepherds told, "wondered" at it, as if to say, "That's the sign? But that's just a baby!"

That's all that Simeon has too! A baby, in the crowded temple, among many other babies who were there for the same reason. Nothing unique. Nothing special. Nothing miraculous. In fact, a bit under-whelming wouldn't you say. Kinda like the gifts you got for Christmas. Kinda like the things you went out and bought for yourself. Kinda like the let down every day of your life because things just don't live up to their promise. Nothing special. Nothing unique. Nothing miraculous.
But, Simeon has eyes to see it differently. He has eyes of faith. For him, the baby he is holding is salvation, comfort, and forgiveness. He sees past the plain everyday looking things to the reality of what is there. He sees the baby Jesus, but he sees something else.

And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”” (Luke 2:34–35, ESV)

It's a perfect picture of what Jesus would do. He would be rejected by everyone even to the point of death on the cross. Jesus, the humble baby in his arms was the "suffering servant" spoken about in Isaiah (53). But don't forget he also sees baby Jesus as God's salvation for Israel and the whole world.

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.” (Isaiah 53:4–5, ESV)

There was nothing in Jesus that would point you to that conclusion. To look at the baby, in diapers, in the temple was to see what had happened thousands of times over the years. But, Simeon sees with the eyes of faith. This is the promised Savior of the world. The biggest thing in a humble package. And don't forget why Jesus is there. He's to be consecrated to the Lord. Set aside for God's purposes. It all comes full circle from the Passover. All the male children were saved by the blood of the lamb, so they are dedicated to the Lord. Now God-in-the-flesh, baby Jesus, is dedicated as the Lamb of God who sheds his blood to redeem people from slavery to sin. You can't see it by looking. But you can see it with the eyes of faith.

Now about Christmas and presents and disappointment and a New Year with failed resolutions already in the works. When we look back at our Christmas joy from here it just seems a bit foolish, or maybe a bit misguided. After all, Christmas comes and goes and nothing really changes. People are still poor. Car accidents still take lives. Politicians still lie. You and me, we can't live up to our expectations. Our relationships are difficult, at best. A little Christmas joy didn't really change any of that. At least that's what it looks like. But that's only when you see it with your sin-filled eyes. If you look at it with the eyes of faith you can see something different. Baby Jesus does make a difference. His birth is joyful because he is the "Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world." When we look with the eyes of faith, our...
eyes have seen [God's] salvation [which he has] prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to [God's people]."

You see (you know) that the little joy we have a Christmas is joyful only because it points to a greater joy to come. Everything that Jesus did, beginning with his birth, his circumcision, his dedication in the temple, his first miracle, his life with his disciples, his passion, death and resurrection are for the purpose of the great restoration yet to come. The new heavens and the new earth. Perfect and sinless human bodies. Perfect and sinless human relationships. Joy-filled reunions with all those who have died in faith before us. Not to mention power over sin and Satan right now. All of it ours, right now, in the forgiveness of sins won for us by the baby grown, crucified, dead, buried and raised on the third day. All of it seen in the eyes of faith, if not by regular human sight. It's what makes Christmas more than a fleeting, month long festival of avarice and selfishness. It's what makes Peace on Earth something real instead of only a human wish. It's what make Good Will Toward Men something that is true even in the face of bloodshed and violence.

Oh, and don't forget Simeon's song. Yep, we are going to sing it today. And not only that but if you look at what God places in the cup and on the platen you'll see...

[God's] salvation [which he has] prepared [for you].

There it is again, something that doesn't look like much. But with the eyes of faith you see Jesus, God's salvation, in his very body and blood, hanging on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins, and placing himself in your mouth to give it to you. It's God making his promise true for you right now, forgiving your sin, restoring your relationship with him. Showing you that all that is promised is yours right now. It's the joy of Christmas. It's the joy of Christ. Amen.

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

Isaiah.40.1-11; The Festival of the Incarnation of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. December 25, 2011;

2011-12-24T19:00:00.000-06:00

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, IA

Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” (Isaiah 40:1–11, ESV)

From a Series by Dr. Reed Lessing, "Savior of the Nations Come"

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

You know it happens, you fail, you fall, you stop dead in your tracks unable to move forward. "dead as a doornail" "lost cause" "throw in the towel" "mighty Casey has struck out."

Israel was there. They were in exile from their loved land. They rejected God. He sent the Babylonian army to conquer them and drag them into captivity. They had no temple. They had no capital city, Jerusalem. They had no king to rule. The had no hope. "dead as a doornail" "lost cause" "throw in the towel" "mighty Casey has struck out." Isaiah speaks to them.

To those who had thrown in the towel he writes "Comfort, Comfort" He doubles up the word to show how strong the comfort will be. "Comfort, comfort my people, says your God." The words explode with comfort from God's promises. As he said when he brought them out of slavery in Egypt, "I will be your God, you will be my people!" (Ex 6:7). "Speak tenderly," he continues. Literally "upon the heart" to bring the comfort right where it is needed most. This text has comfort at the beginning and comfort at the end. Like bookends. Spoken in the beginning and in-fleshed in the Shepherd at the end. Just like the beloved Psalm "The Lord is my shepherd" the image brings the comfort of God's compassion and tenderness that were needed by the exiles. The people, like sheep, had gone astray. God their Shepherd, would fold them in his arms and take them home again.

Now sheep are not very intimidating creatures. In the NFL there are teams called the Chicago Bears, the Detroit Lions, the Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings and the Atlanta Falcons. But there isn't, and I dare say, there will never be a team called the Los Angeles Lambs or the San Antonio Sheep.

Sheep are not intimidating creatures. The truth is they are dumb. They graze on the same hills until they turn it to a waste land. They get too close to the water when they drink and the water wicks up into their wool and they fall in, and drown. We aren't like that... are we?

Sheep are dirty. Their wool is a magnet for every foul thing on the ground, dirt, mud, manure, and maggots. Sheep absorb every particle of filth in the atmosphere. We aren't like that... are we?

Sheep are defenseless. They turn over on their back to rest. Then they can't get up. Wild dogs, coyotes and cougars all know that a cast sheep is a sitting duck. But we aren't like that... are we?

Israel had been just like that. They were lost, defenseless. The Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar set upon them. The towel was thrown in 586 because they were like sheep.

Israel had been dumb. Isaiah 1:3 — “The ox knows his master, the donkey his owner's manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.”

God’s people were dirty. Isaiah 64:6 — “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.”

Israel had been defenseless. Isaiah 1:6 — “From the sole of your foot to the top of your head there is no soundness; only wounds and welts and open sores.” We're not like that…are we?

Hear the word of the LORD: Isaiah 53:6 — “We all like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way.” And the result? “By the rivers of Babylon we sat and wept when we remember Zion.” You and I are living testimonies of lost causes. We are exiled. We are so far from the Father's will and ways…so far from bearing each other's pain and burdens…so far from spouses, children, sisters and brothers. Mighty Casey has struck out!

So what's the Shepherd to do? He only has one option; to become a Lamb. But not any ordinary lamb. “A virgin will conceive and bear a Son and you will call his name Immanuel” (Is 7:14). “His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Is 9:6).

This was no ordinary baby. Angels sang over him. Shepherds marveled at him. Simeon worshipped him. Mary pondered over these things and stored them up in her heart. Herod plotted to kill him.

But where he failed others would succeed. “He was led like a Lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth” (Is 53:7).

There were no green pastures. Rather spit and blood are caked to his cheeks. Neither were there quiet waters, in fact, no water at all. His lips are cracked and swollen and his throat is parched from the hot Palestinian sun. He's passing through the valley of the shadow of death as pain twangs her morbid melody. There's no rod or staff for comfort. The cup overflows all right…he drinks from the cup of the fury of wrath of God Almighty. Surely goodness and mercy have been twisted and perverted in the most inhumane way. Mary’s little Lamb is crucified, dead and buried.

Isaiah says, though, "The Word of our God stands forever!" The word stands when God burst the people free from exile in Babylon. The word stands when the Babe bursts from Bethlehem. And the word stands when Jesus bursts from three days dead in the tomb.

"Comfort, comfort my people!" That what the shepherd does. When I'm lost and exiled he leaves the 99 and runs after me. When I'm confused by voices of demons and devils he calls me by name and I know that voice. When I'm dirty and full of filth he is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. There is a Shepherd who gathers me in his arms until I’m better, holds me until I can live with the hurt, and carries me close to his heart forever!

Dumb, dirty and defenseless. We are like that…aren't we? There is one more word to describe us, though, this Christmas Day. We are delivered! Jesus delivers comfort, like bookends: in the beginning all the way through to the comfort at the end of life…until we dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Amen.

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

Isaiah.40.10-11; The Nativity of Our Lord; December 24, 2011;

2011-12-24T11:07:00.001-06:00

Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.” (Isaiah 40:10–11, ESV)

From a Series by Dr. Reed Lessing, "Savior of the Nations Come"

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

A man was walking through a cemetery late one night when he fell into an open grave. Frantically, he began to feel around the walls of the pit. Pretty soon he began trying to jump out. Exhausted after a few minutes he gave up all hope and sat down. Just then he heard someone say, “Forget it pal. You are stuck!” And guess what? Being totally shocked and surprised, the man was out of that grave in no time!

How does it feel when you are stuck in a pit and can't get out? How does it feel to be stuck in a grave, clawing at the walls, only to fall back down again and again?

You now how it feels and so do I.

As we sit in our pit of disappointment people pass by and offer their help. A sensitive person walks by and says, “I feel for you down there. I’ll get around to sending you some flowers real soon!”

A religious person walks by and says, “Only bad people fall into pits. What did you do so wrong to end up so stuck?”

A math teacher walks by and says, “Let me calculate how you fell into the pit.” So he takes out his calculator and crunches some numbers.

A news reporter walks by and says, “Let me do an exclusive story on your pit.”

An IRS man walks by and says, “Hey, are you paying taxes on your pit?”

A friend walks by and says, “Things could be worse.”

A pessimist walks by and says, “Things will get worse.”

The truth is, most of the time we are responsible for being stuck in our own pit, for digging our own grave. You know how it goes. You can't hold your anger. You can't manage your money. You can't tame your tongue. You can't get along with that co-worker. You can't say good things about your neighbor.

The big problem with our pit comes when we get so used to being there we set up housekeeping. We decorate the walls, hang pictures, and wall paper. A couch here, a chair there, a place to pay the bills and it almost looks like home. But it's not!

Isaiah tells us that God comes with his mighty arm. That's what he always does for his people. He is strong to save, defeating enemies and ending conflict. He comes with an outstretched arm a compassionate arm that cares for our needs. What's great about God's work is that it never ends. God is eternal. He reaches out to save and beneath are the everlasting arms.

Back in the pit, night falls. It is an ordinary night with an ordinary sky. There are some ordinary sheep. You hear them from the pit.

And you hear shepherds, plain old, ordinary, smelly, poor shepherds. They smell like sheep, and look like them too.

It all seems like an ordinary night. But God has other plans. The black night explodes with bright light. The sheep begin to get noisy, too. What in the world is going on?

Jesus is coming into our human hell. Jesus is entering into our deep darkness. Jesus is coming into your pit, right where you are.

His arms feel the burn of the whiplash as he is beaten for our sins.

His arms feel the flaming fire of the nails piercing his flesh.

His arms feel the weight of his body as he hangs on the old rugged cross.

His arms feel the warmth of his own blood as it runs from his open wounds.

He is crucified, dead and buried for you. He suffers the pain of our punishment. He is there in our pit to bring us forgiveness and rescue. Underneath us are the everlasting arms. He jumps down into our pit of death and despair. He reaches out and holds grabs us with everlasting arms. These arms, though, dead, are alive again. They are everlasting!

Our Savior’s arms welcome us, hold us, lead us, and guide us forever. And they are there in our pit carrying us up and out. Amen.

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

2011-12-24T09:39:00.000-06:00

It's time!

John.1.6-8.19-28; Third Sunday in Advent; December 11, 2011;

2011-12-13T12:07:00.001-06:00

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

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There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. John 1:6-8

Now this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing. John 1:19-28

Songs of Emmanuel – The Agnus Dei

From a sermon by Pastor Tim Pauls

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

There’s something compelling about John the Baptizer. Even for you and me, after all what would advent be without taking one Sunday and talking about him. Though, I don’t think that it’s his clothing. Camel’s hair isn’t exactly a popular fashion statement. I don’t think it’s his diet either. When was the last time you heard of a diet guru promoting a diet of locust and wild honey? If that were my diet I’d surely loose weight! But, John is a commanding presence; there must be something about him that draws people’s attention. It has to be because the text says the “all Judea” was going out to see him. They went out to hear his message and to be baptized. Those flocks of people must have seen something more than “John son of Zacharias.”

The Scribes and Pharisees sent people to him because they wanted to know what he was all about. They were probably looking for a reason to kill him for all his attention.

"Are you the Christ?” they ask. He was certainly drawing crowds like they expected the Messiah to do. He had words for even Roman Soldiers. But John answered their question clearly, “I am not the Christ.”

“What then? Are you Elijah?” They wanted to know if John thought he was the great prophet returned from the dead. Elijah was the prophet who spoke God’s word and brought famine, and then again and the rains refreshed the land. He is the one who killed 400 prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. And he even raised the dead. Maybe John saw himself as Elijah. “Are you him?” they asked. “I am not.” John says.

“Are you the Prophet?” came the next question. Israel had for millennium expected a prophet greater than Moses to appear; one to preach like Moses; one to lead the people out of slavery like Moses; one to supply them with their needs like Moses did with manna and quail. John was gathering crowds, maybe he thought he was the Prophet Moses promised. “Are you him?” they asked. “No.” said John, simply.

“Then who?” they needed to know. “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?"

John’s answer may have surprised them. “I am The Voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Make straight the way of the LORD,” as the prophet Isaiah said.” Oh, so that’s who he is, they may have said to themselves. For all of his talk, all of his crowd gathering, all of his charisma, he’s just “the voice.” He’s just the preparer. But the voice is preparing the way for Christ himself. John’s isn’t the Messiah but if he is the voice then his message is that the Messiah is coming.

If John draws so much attention what will the Christ, who comes after him, be like? Will he stand out head and shoulders above the crowd? Will he come in power and strength and authority? If John is the voice and he draws this kind of attention, the Messiah that he announces will surely draw even more. The Christ is one who is anointed by God to save his people, and govern them and lift them up forever. He must be a strong and powerful person indeed! If he is coming we’ll know him when we see him, right?

The Pharisees ask one more question: “Why do you baptize if you are not any of these people, sent by God?” John says, “I baptize with water, but there is one who stands with us now, he is the coming one, you don’t see him but he is here. I’m not worthy even to stoop down to take off his shoes.”

Those people must have been scratching their heads and looking around. “You mean he’s here right now? “Standing among us,” you say. But we don’t know him? Why doesn’t he stand out? Don’t you think we’d recognize someone who’s greater than Moses and Elijah? Don’t you think we’d recognize someone greater than the Baptizer? Prophecy tells us that when the Christ comes he’ll flatten mountains and rise up valleys. He’s called the Lion of Judah.”

Jesus was there and quiet. And they don’t recognize him. He’s just a face in the crowd. For the Christ that God did send you can’t go by appearance. If you want to know who this Christ is you have to go by what he says and does. John knows and identifies him. Pointing a finger at Jesus he says “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” He was right there with them and John called him the “Lamb of God” not the “Lion of Judah.”

A lamb isn’t what is expected. Lambs don’t bring images of power and glory to mind. They don’t conquer worlds and kingdoms. They are taken care of. They don’t care for others. They are lead to slaughter and sacrifice without putting up even so much as a struggle. But isn’t the Messiah supposed to be strong and powerful, why is he the “Lamb of God?”

He is strong; in fact he is all-powerful. But he is also meek. He is going to conquer his enemies but he will do it by meekness. Just like everyone standing on that riverbank he submits to John’s baptism. He isn’t going to save by being overpowering he is going to save by serving. He will draw his followers by being their servant. He won’t punish his enemies either. Instead he will allow himself to be punished by them. Most of all he will save by sacrifice. He will offer himself as the sacrifice for the whole world’s sins. He will take them to the cross and shed his blood, just like the lambs in the temple. He is indeed the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

Many will miss this Savior because he doesn’t look like what they expect. In their eyes he should be a powerful king. He should have a throne of power that people can look up to. People go by appearances, so many reject Jesus out of hand, and pass him by as if he is nothing special.

But there are some who hear his word and believe in him. They don’t care what he looks like, they don’t care if he’s just a face in the crowd. They look on the one who dies on the cross for them and say, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.”

"O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
"O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have mercy upon us.
"O Christ, Thou Lamb of God, that takest away the sin of the world, have grant us Thy peace."
"Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” John says those words because Jesus was right there the face in the crowd. John spoke what was true; Jesus had come to save the world. He was on his way to the cross to bear the sins of the world and set everything right between God and man.

We don’t repeat John’s song just out of a sense of what God has done for us in the past. We sing it because he is present with us here and now. We sing those words in our worship because the Son of God has become flesh and he promises to be with us here whenever we gather in his name. He is here right now, flesh and blood, just as he was with the people who crowded around John on the banks of the Jordan River.

Jesus Christ conquered sin and death and rose in victory over the grave, he even “sits that right hand of God” and rules all things. But he still comes to you humbly. He still comes to you to serve. He is present here with his Word. He is the Word made flesh, so when his Word is here, he is here. He is present whenever he pours the water of baptism, when he washes away the sins of the world. He is here in bread and wine, giving you himself, his very body and blood for the forgiveness of sins.

It’s rather a humble way to come, isn’t it? The spoken word, water and wine. These are everyday things you can find in the grocery store. Just in the same way he was quietly standing on the banks of the Jordan, he comes to us humbly in common things. That’s his promise to us that he is with us here in Word and Sacraments.

The problem for us is that we often want to look for God where he isn’t found. Our sin makes us want to see him in less common things. There are plenty of charismatic leaders out there, who proclaim a popular message. We want to see Jesus there, but if they don’t proclaim the Gospel, if they don’t point to what Jesus Christ has done for the world, Jesus isn’t there. We want to see Jesus in our feeling and experiences. We say to ourselves that we need to “feel” the Holy Spirit in our lives to know that God is with us. But Jesus never promises that we will feel any different when we become Christians. We don’t look inside ourselves to prove God’s favor to us, our feelings and experiences can be wrong. We look to Jesus Christ and what he promises to do. We want to see Jesus in powerful, growing, successful churches. We want to see him in big programs that appeal to the “felt needs” of people. But if God’s word isn’t preached and the Sacraments are not administered, if the Gospel isn’t found in those programs, it’s all for nothing. Jesus Christ isn’t there either.

We walk by faith, not by sight. We believe in the Word, not what things look like. That’s why we rejoice in the promises of our Savior. He promises to be here in Baptism, Communion and his Word. They may look like everyday things but everyday we need what God promises to give through them: We need the forgiveness of sins won for us by Jesus Christ on the cross. Our Lord comes humbly as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” It doesn’t look very glorious, but it is.

If we think about this just a little more we can see that it explains a lot about our lives, in general. Some people will tell you that when you become a Christian, you should expect an extraordinary life. You should see miracles and wonderful things a proof of God’s love for you. When you hear that and look at your life, that may be very unremarkable, and everyday, you may think that something must be wrong. But, there’s nothing wrong at all. Jesus Christ works in very un-remarkable looking ways for your salvation. He also works in some very ordinary, everyday ways for your other needs also. Instead of using a glorious healing, he may use ordinary doctors and medicine to heal you. Instead of sending manna from heaven he provides you with a job so you can work to provide for your family. These ordinary things don’t point to God’s absence in your life, they in fact point to God working and providing for your every need.

Jesus was just a face in the crowd at the Jordan River, he was unrecognized by the crowds. You too, may live a life that is unrecognizable from people around you. Just as Jesus suffered, you too will suffer. It’s not because Jesus has abandoned you, but because you are his disciple. You are the sheep of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. You are forgiven. You are his. Amen.

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

2 Peter 3:8-14; The Second Sunday in Advent; December 4, 2011;

2011-12-03T13:57:00.001-06:00

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

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

This waiting thing during Advent is a difficult thing, especially these days. Christmas runs full bore beginning with Black Friday through 9am Christmas morning. And then it should be done. After that we move into bleak winter, or look forward to Valentine's day or spring. The time of "Peace on earth" is over, let's get on to the next thing. But, here in Church we have it all backwards. There's the yearly struggle between Pastor and the Christmas decorations. He says we should wait till the week before Christmas, we need to get it done while people are still in the mood to decorate for Christmas. Pastors can be such Scrooges when it comes to Christmas time. When we talk about waiting, we are trying to swim up stream, kicking against the goads, as Jesus said to Paul. (By the way a goad is a cattle prod). Waiting is the last thing we want to do these days. We want what we want and we want it now! Hey, I'm not just talking about you here. I'm talking about me. It's easy to click that little button on the web order to get the package in 2 days rather than 5 days, the heck with how much it costs. So, when we talk about waiting... When God tells us that we should be waiting, that's hard for us, all of us.

Well, the waiting at Advent isn't about killing the joy of Christmas, or fighting against the culture. It's about reminding ourselves what we are really waiting for and what that waiting is to look like. What St. Peter wrote in his letter he wrote to us, he could have just as well said, "to the church at Creston". He reminds us, those who have obtained faith... by our Lord Jesus Christ (1:1), why we are waiting.

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.” (2 Peter 3:8–14, ESV)

So, talking about all this burning up and destroying doesn't sound very Christmassy does it. But it is good to remember, that this life that we live is heading somewhere, and that somewhere is the return of Jesus, our Savior. The judgment of the whole world. The setting of all wrongs right. A new heavens and a new earth where there is no more waiting, or pain, or sorrow, or trouble, or death. If we keep our eye on the ball, that is looking toward Jesus return, the ultimate goal of Christians, then everything will make sense. So that's exactly what we are doing during Advent. Christmas Day is a day full of Joy to the World. We have every right to celebrate. God became man in Jesus Christ. The account of his coming is something special. The whole world recognizes that. But we push off the joy just a bit during Advent, just as we are right now waiting for the joy of his coming again. And so St. Peter helps us keep our eye on the ball. Everything he says here could be summed up like this: While you are waiting for the coming of Jesus, live lives of holiness and godliness.

Well, talk about kicking against the goads. Living a life of holiness isn't exactly in vogue. Just a quick example. We all pretend that the great deals we are looking for on Black Friday are for Christmas gifts. But most of the mountain of purchases that packed on already full credit cards this year were not Christmas gifts. They were opened at home right away. We pretend to be in a giving mode but our favorite giftee is us. How quickly the giving season becomes self-centered when there are shiny things to be had. Well that's certainly not being holy, is it?

Let's make sure we understand exactly what the Bible means when it tells us live in holiness. First, we usually think that holy means to be good, or sinless, or perfect. And while that's a part of the meaning, there really isn't an English word that gets it all. In Bible the word holy most often means "set apart for God." The opposite of holy isn't sinful, the opposite of holy is common. That is able to be used by anyone, for anything.

Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. What does this mean? We should fear and love God so that we do not despise preaching and His Word, but hold it sacred and gladly hear and learn it.

It means to set aside the Sabbath day for God's use. That's why we come together here, isn't it. We receive the things God promises to give us here, on this day. We set aside this time for God to do what God wants to do. This day, this time, is holy, that is set apart for God's use.

And so St. Peter says that while we wait the coming of the Lord, we are to live lives of holiness, to be holy. So, he means, lives set apart for God. You have already been set apart for God, you are already holy. Another way to say this is to say that you are a 'saint'. Now you know that you are not perfect, or sinless, or better than anyone else. You are a saint, because God says you are. You were made a saint, that is holy, in Holy Baptism. There God declares you his holy, forgiven child, because Jesus' life, death and resurrection are yours. God removes sin from you and sets you apart as his.

In his other letter St. Peter describes you like this:

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9–10, ESV)

There we have it. You are holy, that is set apart for God, to "proclaim the excellencies" of God. You are set aside for God, to proclaim the great things that God has done. You have received mercy, forgiveness, life forever, salvation, through God's work in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

You do this by living life as God directs. Because you are set aside for God, you do as God would want. Now that's quite a bit different from what's going on in life around you. People live for themselves. You live for others. People sleep in on Sunday morning. You make Sunday holy to God, set aside for him. People do what ever they think is right. You do what God says is right. It's because you are holy, set aside for God.

Ah, but there it is, isn't it? You don't think your are holy because you don't live up to any of these expectations. You find yourself being selfish. You find yourself skipping church. You find yourself influenced by what the world says is right. You know it isn't as God would have you live. If only you could live a perfectly holy life. Now we go back again to what St. Peter said.

[God] is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

God is not patient because he tolerates sin. He is patient, because he sent Jesus to suffer the punishment for your sin. He doesn't just push sin under the carpet, he pushes sin onto his son, Jesus on the cross. And repentance is just that. Seeing our sin, and pushing it on Jesus on the cross, and receiving forgiveness through faith that Jesus death is my death. His punishment for sin, is my punishment for sin. Because of Jesus I have received mercy! So, I am set aside for God, to do what God would have me do, to be holy as God is holy.

And so, we look forward to a time when we won't have sin to give to Jesus. A time when everything will be perfect and holy. A time when there will be no more waiting and everything that God promises will come to completeness.

Until then we wait. And so we wait at Advent. Looking forward to the coming of Jesus, and the joy of the stable. The joy of the stable, the baby Jesus, is the joy of sins forgiven at the cross. The joy of Christmas is the promise that all things will be made new again, and that Jesus is coming again at any time, in a day or a thousand years. And when he does there will be such joy. Amen.

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

Mark 11.1-11; First Sunday in Advent; November 27, 2011;

2011-11-29T12:52:00.001-06:00

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Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

Now when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’ ” And they went away and found a colt tied at a door outside in the street, and they untied it. And some of those standing there said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” And they told them what Jesus had said, and they let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it, and he sat on it. And many spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields. And those who went before and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!” And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.” (Mark 11:1–11, ESV)

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

Well this story seems a bit out of place. I thought Christmas was coming, not Easter. Isn't this Palm Sunday? Are you sure this is the right text for today, Pastor? Yes, it is the right one, and if we think about it a little bit I’ll bet we can come up with a few ideas just why it is a good text for the beginning of Advent. Most of us think of the Christmas season beginning as soon as Thanksgiving is over. I’ll bet a lot of you did some Christmas shopping on Friday. But really, the Christmas season (according to the church year) is the time after Christmas. The song the 12 days of Christmas is all about the 12 days after, not before. We are careful here in the church to hold off singing Christmas carols during the time before Christmas because, in a way, we want to build the suspense. That’s what this season of blue is all about before Christmas. It sets up the Joy, by emphasizing the wait. So we talk about how our savior is coming. That’s what the word Advent means – coming.

We do some special things to mark the season of Advent. Like the advent wreath, the blue paraments, etc. It's all to get us ready to celebrate Christmas, the coming of Jesus as an infant.

So, what does the Palm Sunday text, the text about Jesus riding in to Jerusalem on a donkey, have to do with Advent? Why would we talk about something that happened the week he died? What does that have to do with the time before he was born?

Well I’ll tell you; this text is about Jesus coming, and coming as King. The donkey, the shouts of the people, and coming to Jerusalem tell us all of that. And any text about Jesus coming is appropriate for Advent, as we await his coming as the Baby of Bethlehem. You see Jesus is the Coming One. God planned his coming from eternity, even before humans made a mess of things in God’s created world; God had a plan to straighten it all out by sending… himself. By coming to earth as a human being to do what human beings couldn’t do. Jesus the Coming One, came into human history. He was born, just like any human being would be born, but not as we would expect God to be born. Instead of a palace Jesus came in a dark stable in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. And instead of coming to a royal family his parents were a carpenter and a poor teenage girl. But, he is / and was God in the flesh. The ultimate power in the universe reduced to a pink, squirming bundle in a woman’s arms. It was just as messy, just as painful, and just as joyful a birth as any birth, just like yours and mine. Jesus Christ, the Coming One came as promised, flesh and bone, God and man, Savior.

Jesus comes to us still. “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20 Jesus is with us now, in this place, at this time in human history. It is for that very reason we have gathered together, as the church has for centuries. We are here to be with the One Who Promises to Come in his Word and in his Sacraments. We gather around to listen to God speak to us, to instruct us, to comfort us, and to make us joyful. Jesus Christ, himself, is present in his Word, and it strikes our hearts and does what God wants it to do. It too, is a real physical coming, as the words leave the mouth and pass through the air and strike your eardrums, and enter your consciousness, and cut straight to your heart.

And don’t forget that Jesus Christ, comes in the flesh to us today also. While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, and they all drank from it. “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. Mark 14:22-24 In a few moments Jesus Christ will be present with us in the very same body that Mary fed in her arms; and the very same body that was broken and bled and died on the cross for you and me; and the very same body that rose from the tomb alive again. And we will eat and drink to receive him. It isn’t a coincidence that we sing the same song that the people who were celebrating the coming of Jesus on Palm Sunday sang. “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Holy, Holy, holy Lord, God of power 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!” Jesus Christ is coming to us right here. The Body and Blood of Christ enter us and we touch and feel Jesus Christ, we are forgiven and strengthened by his presence with us.

And don’t forget that the same Jesus who came in history to Bethlehem, and the Jesus who comes to us today in his word, and in his body and blood, is the Jesus who is coming again. Over the last few Sundays we’ve been talking a lot about his coming in our future. This Jesus who wore diapers, this Jesus who lived and breath as every human being lives and breathes, this Jesus who suffered pain and death. He speaks to us today and touches us with his very body and blood. And He will come again to make complete everything he has done for us.

Notice how Jesus sets everything up, in the text. He is deliberate about what he says. “Bring me a young donkey that no one has ever ridden. It’s time to go to Jerusalem.” Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. Zechariah 9:9ff Jesus was sending a very strong message. He was saying exactly who he was, and why he had come. He was the king coming into the royal city of Jerusalem. The word of Zechariah would be fulfilled; Jesus, the King was coming. Jesus is the Messiah the King of Israel, and the descendent of David who would rule of God’s kingdom forever. He would be like David but greater.

Remember how David destroyed the enemies of God’s people? He was the shepherd boy who stood against the giant. Goliath shouted out curses against God, and David delivered stone to his forehead and used the giant’s own sword to cut off his head. Jesus too, defeats the great giant enemy of God’s people. Satan shouts curses at God, and Jesus, the Shepherd of his people, defeats him by using Satan’s own actions against him. When Jesus breath out his breath on the cross and died, Satan must have shouted with joy! He thought he’d won, but instead he lost. When Jesus pushed the stone away from the tomb, Satan’s head was crushed, and he went whimpering back to his corner. David’s rule over God’s people ended. But, Jesus reign as King will be forever.

And the Kingdom he brings is for us. We have a Savior. Not only did Jesus destroy our enemy the great giant, Satan, but he also removes the power of sin in our lives. We are his children, born into his family by water and the word. We are re-born into the new life that he won for us by his death and resurrection. That new life is one over which sin holds no power. Sin causes death, but Jesus Christ makes us alive again.

That’s what the Coming One has done for us; that’s what the Coming One does for us, and that’s what the Coming One will do for us; and that’s what Advent is all about. Sometimes we talk about life from cradle to grave… in Advent we think about new life, Jesus’ cradle to Jesus’ grave… but it doesn’t stop there. His grave wasn’t the end, but really a beginning for us, because he came from that grave alive again and he makes us alive again. Jesus Christ is coming! Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Amen.

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

Luke.17.11-19; Thanksgiving Eve; November 24, 2011;

2011-11-23T14:08:00.001-06:00

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”” (Luke 17:11–19, ESV)

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

I know, your ready for a good scolding. After all it is Thanksgiving, you need to feel guilty so you can be thankful. So here goes.... You have been given so much, there are starving people in China, what you eat tomorrow for your feast would feed them for a week. You need to be more thankful. Like the unexpected Samaritan leper. The other guys, the nine, weren't very thankful they were just like you. Look at what they got. And they can't even be bothered to say thanks. You should be more thankful, but your not, but Jesus forgives you anyway. Amen.

I think I've preached that sermon on this text before. I'm sure you've heard any number of preachers do it that way. I'll bet if you turn on the radio tomorrow you'll hear a sermon just like that, too. But the thing is that way makes the text about the lepers and you. And I'm pretty sure the bible isn't about you. Ok, so who is the text about... well I think we can figure this out if we notice a couple of things about the text and make a couple of well warranted adjustments to the English translation.

First, Jesus is "On the way to Jerusalem." Never underestimate Jesus' journey to Jerusalem. Remember what Jesus is going to Jerusalem to do. Especially in Luke he sets his mind and heart there. He is heading there to die on the cross for the forgiveness of sinful people. He is heading there to die on the cross to end the curse of sin on the world. He is heading there to restore creation to its rightful order. Forgiveness, healing, restoration: That is what Jesus and his journey to the cross is all about. He is God in human flesh making this journey for you.

So on his way to Jerusalem the ten lepers come to Jesus expecting healing. "Master, have mercy!" Have mercy is a common prayer but the use of the word "master" shows that they know something about Jesus that seems to escape others. They expect to be healed. They are willing to ask for it and do whatever Jesus says.

We see the same thing from Peter earlier in the Gospel. The disciples were fishing all night without a catch. Jesus tells them to try again. "Whatever you say Master." is Peter's reply. He knows something is special about Jesus. Jesus says "Try again." He does what Jesus says. They catch more than they can carry. Peter responds in terror. “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." (5:8) Jesus is more even then Peter expected. Peter sees Jesus as God, himself.

It's there for the lepers, too. Jesus answers their prayer by sending them on their own journey of healing to the priests. They get what they asked for while they go. Indecently, do you know what the priests will tell them to do after they show themselves to be clean and free from the disease? They are to go to the temple and offer sacrifices. These bloody gifts at the temple are God's way of showing them where healing really comes from. They remind us again that Jesus is on that journey to Jerusalem. He is going to shed his blood for forgiveness, healing, restoration. He sends them on the same journey.

When they see that they are healed nine of them speed to see the priests. Only one returns to Jesus. He comes back to give thanks to Jesus, praising God in a loud voice. He has figured something out. He knows something more than he knew before. He has figured out a very important connection. He falls at Jesus feet in thanks. This is the only place in the NT where this kind of thanksgiving is given to Jesus. He now knows who he is dealing with. He praises God and gives thanks to Jesus (It is important to note that the Greek word for thanksgiving is εὐχαριστῶν). He had faith before, "Master, have mercy!" but now he has faith in Jesus as his God, the healer of his body, the sacrifice for his sins. He sees Jesus as Savior. He give thanks to Jesus and glory to God all at the same time. And look what Jesus does! He sends him on another journey. "Go your way." It's just as if Jesus said, "You don't need to make a sacrifice at the temple, you have me for that. You have faith in me." He is the only one found to do this out of the nine. That's the first correction I'd like to make in the English translation. Instead of a question, "Where are the other nine?" I believe it actually makes more sense as a statement. There are none found to return and give glory to God except this foreigner. This Samaritan leper is the most unlikely person to make this connection. He is the outsider. But he is the one who gets Jesus.

Once again we see this same thing in other places in Luke's Gospel.

The woman who wanted to be healed by touching Jesus' garment in the crowd. She knew Jesus had come to heal and forgive. She reaches out only to touch Jesus robe. When she does it she his healed of her long illness. Jesus tells her to go in peace.

The blind beggar on the road calls out to Jesus. "Have mercy!" "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asks. "Lord, let me recover my sight." "You have it!" Jesus says.

And finally, the woman who poured ointment and tears on Jesus' feet and washed them with her hair and kissed them. Jesus tells her also to "Go in peace! Your sins are forgiven."

The one thing that they all have in common is the second correction I'd like to make to the English translation. The text says, "Your faith has made you well." But Jesus uses the very same words for all of these people. "Your faith has saved you." ("ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε.)" Using "made you well" is focuses on the healing. But all these unlikely people all see something more in Jesus. They figure out who he really is. They come to know Jesus as their Savior. That's what's going on with the leper, too. He shows his giving thanks to God by giving thanks to God in the Flesh, Jesus.

Now that's a model for you to take up on Thanksgiving. Not that you should be more thankful, but that you know where to give thanks. On this Thanksgiving, and every day for that matter, our thanks should be directed to God through Jesus Christ. After all, all God's gifts to you are pointless without the gift of Jesus Christ crucified, dead and buried. Without Jesus there is no real God. Just like Jesus says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, ESV) That means you can give thanks to God all you want, but without Jesus and his forgiveness, it doesn't' mean a thing. Thanks that don't go through Jesus go to the void of the false gods that don't really exist.

The leper has it right. He gives God glory and thanks Jesus. It is one and the same. Jesus gives him access to the Father. Jesus heals and forgives. Jesus is the real savior and the real focus of the text.

So today is Thanksgiving. Tomorrow you'll have a feast, a family meal. Remember how I said the word Luke uses for the thanks given by the leper is εὐχαριστῶν. Well, our Christian family meal is set on the altar. We call it the Lord's Supper, but another name for it is The Eucharist. The Thanksgiving. When we do the liturgy in a few minutes just listen to how many times the words "thanks" and "thanksgiving" come up. It really is the great thanksgiving, the great thanksgiving to Jesus. It is the real thanksgiving meal. Here God gives to us what we need through the really present body and blood of Jesus our savior in, with and under the bread and wine. The body that took the journey to Jerusalem. The body that healed the leper. The body that walked, and ate and taught. The body that hung on the cross. The body that bled and died. The body that was stabbed by the Romans. The body that lay dead in the tomb. The body that rose again and ascended into heaven. The body now here for you, to bring you the forgiveness of sins won on the cross.

You see, this thanksgiving, I could tell you to be more thankful for what you've got. But I'd rather point you to Jesus. He gives you all you need.

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

1.Corinthians.15.20-28; The Last Sunday of the Church Year; November 20, 2011;

2011-11-19T08:59:00.001-06:00

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Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:20–28, ESV)

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

Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. This is the simplest yet most important of Christian creeds. If fact, our whole faith rides on it. A few passages before this Paul makes it very clear.

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:14, ESV)
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” (1 Corinthians 15:17, ESV)

It is that simple, we stake everything on Jesus' resurrection. If Jesus' bones are still buried somewhere in Palestine we may as well go home and go to bed because nothing we do here means anything at all. As foolish as the crucifixion of Jesus is to the world, that is that God died on the cross, the resurrection is the miracle that seals the deal for them. When skeptics look at you when you claim to be a Christian they think you are naive, or crazy, or uneducated, or... anything but rational. That's because people don't raise from the dead. There's a whole cemetery full of the proof for that. And yet, here we are confessing, "I believe in the resurrection of the body." Here we are listening to preaching that claims Jesus' resurrection. Here we are claiming that not only did the resurrection happen but it proves that Jesus' death (that is God's death) on the cross means the forgiveness of our sins. But, it would seem, it is a house of cards built on an irrational belief. Or so the skeptics say.

And yet, over the centuries many skeptics who have undertaken the task of proving Jesus dead and buried forever, have come to believe that he is not dead and decomposed[1]. The proof is here in the historical accounts. The Gospels are an accurate record of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. But reading them and studying them isn't just an academic or historical exercise. We know that the record of the Good News of Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again has God's power of changing the hardest of hearts, the most skeptical of skeptics. It is wholly because in this book (the bible) God speaks the truth. And the truth works miracles.

And that brings us to "But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead." Paul is telling you and me what is so important about the resurrection of Jesus. The power of the resurrection isn't in it's proof. The power of the resurrection is in what it means. Jesus' resurrection is the miracle of miracles. Because Jesus really did rise from the grave, because he was dead and is now alive death is undone. You see, any old miracle worker and do any old miracle. But it doesn't mean a thing for you because no miracle can stack up to the promise of eternal life, that is the result of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. That's what Paul means by firstfruits. Jesus is rose from the dead and Jesus promises the same for you. Saint Peter calls this a living hope.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Peter 1:3, ESV)

Living hope has a double meaning. The hope that we have isn't some pious wish but a solid promise. A living hope, that we will be living forever because Jesus himself died but now he lives. Without this promise of living there is only death. Death with no resurrection takes away everything you have. It separates you from the people you love. It ends all hope. Death is the destiny of all the sons and daughters of Adam. Death is the result of sin.

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—” (Romans 5:12, ESV)

It really doesn't matter that Adam's sin caused death to come into the world. Your sin, by itself, brings you death. It is the ultimate problem of everyone. People die; old people; young people; rich people; poor people. All people hate death. All people want there to be a solution for death. Jesus' great miracle is the miracle of solving the death problem. He is the firstfruits. His promise to you is that you will be made alive.

Now get out your hymnal and turn to p 278. Read the Remembrance of Baptism together with me. Where is says [name] speak your name. Where it says [his/her] say "my".

In Holy Baptism [name] was clothed with the robe of Christ's righteousness that covered all [his/her] sin. St. Paul says, "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.

St. Paul says,

But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

You see, we die with a living hope. The promise of resurrection. The solution to the big problem. Paul calls it the last enemy. And every day that enemy seems to have his way. Year after year we lay our loved ones in the ground. We gather in this building and confess our faith in the firstfruits. We mourn, and rightly so, because the enemy has struck a blow. And you and I are next. In Adam we all die. But God has more in store for the dead.

Then comes the end. The Apostle says. The word end is teloj. "It means the purpose or goal of an event viewed in terms of its result." The result of death, the result of his resurrection, the result of his coming again is just this.

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:51–57, ESV)

Dear Christians, Jesus Christ is, in fact, risen from the dead. Your life in Christ means exactly this. Christ, the firstfruits of the dead, promises you resurrection. In him you have a living hope, that is a true and certain promise of living forever. Your enemy death has been destroyed. And even though he will seem to win by taking you, in Holy Baptism, Jesus death and resurrection guarantees your death and resurrection. There is nothing more sure and certain.

Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. Amen.

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

[1] Ludwig Wittgenstein, p. 9. Tractatus Logico-Theologicus. Dr. John Warwick Mongomery.

Psalm.149; All Saints Day; November 6, 2011;

2011-11-05T08:32:00.001-05:00

Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a | new song,*
his praise in the assembly of the | godly!
Let Israel be glad in his | Maker;*
let the children of Zion rejoice | in their King!
Let them praise his name with | dancing,*
making melody to him with tambou- | rine and lyre!
For the Lord takes pleasure in his | people;*
he adorns the humble with sal- | vation.
Let the godly exult in | glory;*
let them sing for joy | on their beds.
Let the high praises of God be | in their throats*
and two-edged swords | in their hands,
to execute vengeance on the | nations*
and punishments on the | peoples,
to bind their | kings with chains*
and their nobles with fet- | ters of iron,
to execute on them the judgment | written!*
This is honor for all his godly ones. |
Praise the Lord!

Glory be to the Father and | to the Son*
and to the Holy | Spirit;
as it was in the be- | ginning,*
is now, and will be forever. | Amen.

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

Now let's be honest. This psalm makes you a bit uncomfortable, doesn't it. I mean, you agree with it at first, then toward the middle it gets a bit rough. I mean praising God with a two-edged sword isn't quite the image we have of church. I forgot my saber at home, what about you? And that "executing vengeance" and "punishments on the peoples" is a bit strong. Does God really mean to slap kings in irons? All of that just doesn't fit with "Sing to the Lord a new song". Well, at the very least it's not a NEW song. It sounds like this is one of those things in the bible that's just a bit outdated, one of those embarrassing things we push under the carpet with a broom when no one is looking. I guess pastor wasn't paying attention when this one was printed in the bulletin... should have stopped it with "Let the godly exult in glory let them sing for joy on their beds."

Actually there are lots of ways to understand this psalm. First of all, in its historical context it made perfect sense for God's people to rejoice in God doing just what the psalm is talking about. They had enemies all around them that we bent on their destruction. God's promise of a Savior extended to his protection of the people from where the Savior would come. They rejoiced in God's protection. And it was right for them to do so. But why then do WE read and sing this psalm? Maybe it would be better just to cut it off in the middle.

Well before we get to that point, I think its a good time to review a bit about the Book of Psalms. First and foremost I want you to remember that the Psalms are the prayer book of the church for all time. In them you'll find every aspect of Christian life described, every emotion, every evil called out, every claim and promise of God. Martin Luther thought very highly of them and used them every day in his daily devotions. The Psalter is a book of poetry. But it is much more than that. It is a prayer book, the prayer book of the church. It you want ample proof that it's ok to pray pre-written prayers you have an example here of 150 of them. The way to understand what the psalms are saying is to understand two things about them. First they are poetry, Hebrew poetry. They have a specific structure. Each verse (usually) contains one thought. The thought is expressed in the first half of the verse (called a strophe, marked by the *). Then in the second half the thought is repeated and expanded or explained. And so the psalms are written to sing antiphonally. That is, back and forth, person to person. Each thought is sung and then repeated by the other person. That's why we speak / chant them the way we do on Sunday morning. Hebrew poetry is also known for its compactness. In Hebrew the psalms don't often rhyme, but they do have a meter, and lots of alliteration (that is words that have complementary sounds). It's like a conversation about God, from God. It's confessing (same-saying) what God tells us about himself.

But the really important thing to remember about the Psalms, and the best way to get meaning out of them is to read them as World War II Pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer says:

“the Psalter is the prayer of Christ for his church in which he stands in for us and prays in our behalf…In the Psalter we learn to pray on the basis of Christ’s own prayer [and] as such is the great school of prayer.”

“In the first place, we learn here what it means to pray on the basis of the word of God, to pray on the basis of promises…In the second place, we learn by praying the Psalter what we should pray for just as surely as the range of the prayers of the Psalms goes far beyond the experience of any individual, we still pray the whole prayer of Christ in faith, the prayer of the one who was the truly human being and who alone has taken into his life the full range of the experiences of this prayer…In the third place, praying the psalms teaches us to pray as a community…the deeper we penetrate into the Psalms and the more often we ourselves have prayed them, the simpler and richer our own prayer will become.”\

Jesus Christ has brought every need, every joy, every gratitude, every hope of men before God. In his mouth the word of man becomes the Word of God, and if we pray this prayer with him, the Word of God becomes once again the word of man. (The Psalms: The Prayerbook of the Bible, Dietrich Bonhoeffer)

A simple way to remember it is to "put the psalms on the lips of Jesus." He did that all the time in his ministry. He quoted them. He prayed them. All at the most important times in his ministry. The psalms are Jesus prayer book.

The best example is Jesus on the cross quoting Psalm 22. It tells us exactly what's going on in Jesus, as he hangs there.

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest. Psalm 22:1–2 (ESV)

Jesus means for us to see him speaking the whole Psalm there. And there He wants us to understand that there on the cross he is suffering the eternal punishment of our sin. That is, he was abandoned by God. He suffered the eternal punishment of hell. Eternal separation from God. It is what you and I earn for our lives of sin. It is what you and I could not avoid because we are "by nature sinful and unclean." Had it not been for Jesus sacrifice on the cross there; all we could look forward to is dying in our sin and eternity separated from God, in the eternal punishment of hell. You see, if it were not for Jesus, there would indeed be no "new song" to sing. There would be no reason for "dancing" and "melody" to God. In Jesus this psalm rings out in praise to God for saving us from our enemies; sin, death and hell.

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.” (Colossians 2:13–15, ESV)

So the old testament saints sang this psalm in praise for God's deliverance from their enemies, and in light of the Savior who would do the same. And so we sing it, too, because we have been delivered from our enemies.

And what about those saints whose names we'll read in a moment? Well, they are singing this psalm right now. For them the words of salvation are most poignant. They have passed through death to life.

For the Lord takes pleasure in his | people;*
he adorns the humble with sal- | vation.

Let it be so also for us!

And... there's always one more thing. It's that sword thing:

Let the high praises of God be | in their throats*
and two-edged swords | in their hands,

I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't make the connection here to Jesus himself.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” (Hebrews 4:12–13, ESV)

Our message is this Word of God and it does just what the psalm says. It executes judgment, it binds kings (and all people) to their sin. And that is our proclamation of the Law. Remember the S O S? The Law shows us our sin. It is a necessary part of our message to ourselves and the whole world. So that people see their true place before a holy God, deserving only God's wrath and punishment. Without the proclamation of the Law no one would see their need for Jesus on the cross. But the Sword of Word is also the S O S of the Gospel. It shows us our Savior. Jesus saves us by his life, death and resurrection. The Book of Hebrews continues:

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14–16, ESV)

This is our two-edged sword. The Good News of a Savior from sin. And is it ours to wield in the world. Amen.

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

John 8.31-36; Festival of the Reformation; October 31, 2011;

2011-11-01T16:59:00.000-05:00

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So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:31–36, ESV)

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

Every text comes with a context. I've told you many times that you can't just take a text plop it out on the table and say what it means. You have to read it in its context. Today's text is a great example. When you look at the part we have here it looks quite simple. Jesus is encouraging believers to remain in his Word. It's true. That's exactly what he's doing. But the text is so much more complicated than that. What we don't read before and after this text is Jesus' conflict with these believers. In fact, just prior to this the same crowd (of believers) tries to kill him but he escapes because, John says, it was not yet his time. And following this text he tells these believers that they are doing the works of their father, the devil. They are plotting to kill him. It just seems a bit out of sorts. Why would believers do these things? But I think this conflict is pushing toward the very point of what the Evangelist is saying. Jesus is talking about being set free from sin, and not being slaves to it. And this struggle against sin isn't easy. In fact, it is the most difficult struggle in which a believer will ever engage.

It happens for these Jews, who believe in Jesus. They are here listening to Jesus, and believing in him. They have been hanging around and they like Jesus and they have begun to believe in what he does and says. They are starting to think that he is who he says he is. But Jesus won't leave it at that. He pushes their buttons. It's like he's saying, "Listen to what I'm saying. It is the truth. Cling to my words and set aside the things that conflict with the truth I tell you. Then you will be set free. " These believers do just what you and I do. We hear Jesus' words and we push them aside and say they don't apply to us. They answered Jesus, "We've never been slaves to anyone. We are perfectly free already. We don't need this." They are proving Jesus' exact point. They want to be easy believers. They want to be disciples and keep their previous assumptions. They want to work and live just like the rest of the world and still hold on to Jesus. "We are the seed of Abraham!" They are not talking about their blood line. They are talking about their place before God. We are free because we are who we are. We don't need to saved because we are God's people already. If we put it in terms of Jesus' words (Mark 2:17), "We are not sick, so we don't need a doctor. We are not slaves, we don't need to be liberated." They push back hard against Jesus and what he says. It's an echo of what they are going to do. They are going to kill Jesus. They want to believe but they want to believe on their own terms.

Now that sounds like us. Jesus is ok for Sunday morning, but I'm not going to take what he says out there. After all what he says makes me look foolish, out there. He says God created the world in six days. If I agree with that, out there, my friends will laugh at me because, out there, science says that it took millions of years. He says homosexuality is an abomination. If I agree with that, out there, I'll be called a bigot and homophobe. He says sex is for marriage. If I agree with that, out there, I'll never get married, because out there, they say you have to have sex to see if you're compatible, then you get married. He says women can't be pastors... he says the table of his supper is closed to those who don't believe the same things... And on and on the list goes of the things that we hold in reserve, and still want to believe in Jesus.

And there's more. It's not just morality. It's economics. Out there, self-fulfillment comes with stuff. The marketplace teases us with the latest bit of technology that claims it will make us smarter, better and more popular. And we buy in, literally. The new car, the new computer, the latest gadget have more meaning to me and you than Jesus warning, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind. We want to be believers because we think that if we believe, if we trust in God, he'll make us healthy, wealthy and wise. We believe in Jesus because we believe that God's greatest desire is to make us happy. We want to believe just in case cancer strikes and we need a miracle. God is like our great concierge. We believe in him and he gets us what we want. Jesus says Love your neighbor as yourself. We love ourselves over our neighbor. Our belief in God is just the means to loving ourselves. Out there, after all, you have to take care of yourself because no one else will.

And even with all this we think that we are free. Jesus pushes our buttons.

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

It's easy to believe, until belief lays its demands on us. Being a disciple doesn't mean a life of ease. It means to hold what Jesus says is the truth through cross and suffering. And make no mistake, if you hold to what Jesus says, you will have cross and suffering.

But let's be very clear. I'm not saying that doing any of these things will save you. I'm saying that we place these things, the things out there, the way they think out there in the place of Christ. We think that doing or saying those things, and following those people, out there, will make us free. Free from trouble and pain and persecution and worry. Free to be ourselves. But in reality, the truth is (as Jesus says), these things enslave us. These things are sin. And anyone who sins is a slave to sin. And not only that but the doing of sin actively enslaves. Human beings are slaves to moral failure. All of it is an active rebellion against the God who created us, in favor of the god of ourselves. That which we think would set us free doesn't The Scottish preacher, George McDonald said,

A man is in bondage to whatever he cannot part with that is less than himself.

Martin Luther says it like this:

For anything that is not God’s Son will not make me free.

Luther, M. (1999). Vol. 23: Luther's works, vol. 23 : Sermons on the Gospel of St. John: Chapters 6-8 (J. J. Pelikan, H. C. Oswald & H. T. Lehmann, Ed.). Luther's Works (Jn 8:38). Saint Louis: Concordia Publishing House.
That is exactly what Jesus is telling the Jews in this text. He is the way to freedom. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to freedom (to the Father, into a relationship with God) except through him. Jesus offers the only way to be free people. Know the truth, that is know Jesus, and the truth will set you free.

What does the freedom that Jesus gives look like. Well, it starts with the freedom from the punishment that we deserve. Sin, rebellion from God, selfishness and self worship, deserves punishment. Like the murderer waiting on death row for the guards to carry him to the hangman. The death sentence hangs over us. We are guilty. We deserve to die. But Jesus Christ brings freedom:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8:1–4, ESV)

To be in Christ is to be free. Jesus hangs on the cross as punishment for your sin, for my sin. Again Luther makes this very personal. He says the most important words in the bible are "for you." Jesus does this for you. He dies for you. He dies for your sin. You have no punishment due. The Chaplin has come to the prison cell and let the murderer go, he has received a pardon, he is free. You are forgiven in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. You receive the pardon you are free.

This freedom also means, not only are we free from sin and its punishment, but we are free NOT to sin.

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

The problem with sin is its effects. The spiritual effects of sin are our broken relationship with God that deserves hell. Jesus mends that. The worldly effects of sin are the things we see it do to us every day. It damages our relationships. It muddles our thinking. It breaks our hearts. It separates people. It hurts the helpless. Those damages will continue until our Savior returns and sets all things right. But free people, people in Christ, have opportunities that slaves to sin do not have. They are free to serve. St. Paul says in his letter to the Galatians:

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1, ESV)

and a bit later in the same letter:

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”” (Galatians 5:13–14, ESV)

We have freedom to serve. Just as Jesus served us and gave us what we need, the forgiveness of our sins that means freedom from punishment, we are free to serve the people around us and give them what they need. Instead of being selfish we are free to be unselfish. When our neighbor is suffering we are free to comfort him. When our neighbor is hit with the effects of sin we are free to tell him the Good News about the One who sets us all free from slavery to sin. When our relationships are breaking we are free to do what is necessary to restore them. When the world professes lies, we are free to proclaim the truth.

This is the Reformation.

that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting [our] trespasses against [us], and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 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 5:19–21, ESV)

Amen.

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

Matthew 22:34-46; Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost; October 23, 2011;

2011-10-21T14:02:00.001-05:00

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But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet” ’? If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?” And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions.” (Matthew 22:34–46, ESV)

(From a Sermon by Rev. Nathan Dudley)

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

One way you know that you've won an argument is when your opponent has nothing left to say. When this happens you know that you've answered all their points and they can't respond to yours. When you are looking at stunned silence you can be reasonably sure that you've won.

That's what we are looking at in this text for today. Jesus has answered the pointed questions put to him. He has answered unexpectedly and removed himself from the danger his opponents sought for him. Last week we heard about the Pharisees who tried to trap Jesus in a question of Church / State relations. They wanted Jesus dead so they asked a question that they thought had no good answer for Jesus. But Jesus easily defeated the attempt and sent them scurrying for cover.

“Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”” (Matthew 22:21b, ESV)

What we haven heard about it what happened after that and before what we are reading today. After the Pharisees failed the Sadducees tried their hand. The Pharisees and the Sadducees didn't agree on a lot of things, but they were of one accord when it came to Jesus. He had to be stopped. They tried to tangle with Jesus on the question of the resurrection of the dead. It was one of their primary concerns because they didn't believe in it. They lock horns with Jesus thinking they have an unbeatable argument.

“Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. So too the second and third, down to the seventh. After them all, the woman died. In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.”” (Matthew 22:24–28, ESV)

This argument was based on the idea of how preposterous the afterlife would be for cases such as this. "Whose wife will she be?" "Who can tell?"

Jesus shows these learned men that they are ignorant. "There is no marriage in the resurrection." He says. You show how little you understand.

‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.”” (Matthew 22:32, ESV)

"I am the God of Abraham" not "I was..." Jesus shows that God is the God of the living. He shows that God believes in the resurrection, even if they don't.

That's why the text today begins with

But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together

These guys were now ready for another attempt to trap Jesus again. They know the scriptures. Exactly what Jesus accused the Sadducees of not knowing. Reading and studying is the life's work of the Pharisees. They bring the question that that occupies there study. "Which of God's commandments is the greatest?"

It's an important question for them. They were hardcore legalists. They argued the smallest details of every commandment given to Moses and added some 600 more. For them the argument on the ordering of the commandments was endless. Each commandment broken led to another and another. Was lying worse than murder? What if the lie led to someone's death? They thought that they had Jesus now, caught in an endless argument. They would have the upper hand because no matter what he said, they would be able to turn it back on them. Their problem is they didn't know the spirit of the law. God sums up the law in one word, love. When you love God, you love your neighbor. When you love your neighbor you don't kill him, or take his things, or say false things about him. When you love your neighbor you look to his interests beyond your own. Love fulfills the law.

They are about to learn that arguing with Jesus is a losing proposition. No matter how much you think you hedge your bets you will lose. He answers the commandment question easily. Jesus knows the spirit of God's law. He lives it. He is committed to love. He is it. He loves God with his whole heart and his whole soul and his whole mind and he loves his neighbor completely. That's what leads him to become human and die on the cross for human sin. We see what Jesus is talking about in how the commandments are organized. The first three commandments are about our relationship to God. The last seven are about our relationship with other people. If you keep the first, by loving God, you would keep all of the rest in loving the people that God loves. This is the answer to the Pharisees' question. Love God first, then love your neighbor.

It's not what they thought they'd hear. There is no counter argument. There are no chinks in the amour. Jesus answer is perfect. But Jesus doesn't let it stand at that. While they are still standing in their shock, he makes the killing blow.

saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.”” (Matthew 22:42, ESV)

They answer quickly because they know the scriptures. The messiah is a descendent of David. They may be thinking they have gained the upper hand again. But Jesus drives the killing spike.

He said to them, “How is it then that David, in the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet” ’? If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?”” (Matthew 22:43–45, ESV)

That's a question they can't answer. It seems easy to us. We know who Jesus is. He is God, the second person of the Trinity. He is God in human flesh.

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.

But the Pharisees don't understand this. In fact, they can't see that this is true. It defies what they think their religion is all about. They have nothing to say. They stand there in dumb silence.

Then St. Matthew says, "from that day did anyone dare to ask him any more questions." The whole world in fact stands in silence before Jesus. That's exactly the way it should be. In fact, it is one of the reasons God gives his law, to shut us up. In the face of the law's perfect demands we stand guilty. We would speak about the good things we do and hold them up to God, demanding that he consider us righteous because of them. He shuts us up with the declaration that good isn't good enough. Only perfect people can stand before a perfectly holy God. We offer excuses as if excuses erase the effects of or sin. Instead of loving God we place his precious gifts of Word and Sacrament and church low on our priority list. We worship only when it is convenient. We pray half heartedly for our neighbor, if at all. Instead of love for our neighbor we covet what he has, lust after his wife, secretly plot to take his money, and lie about him to get the upper hand. The law shows us our sin. We have no excuses. When it speaks clearly, as it does, we can only shut up. We do not love God. We do not love our neighbor. We love ourselves. In everything we think, do and say, we have ourselves in our hearts. This kind of self love is deadly sin. It deserves only God's anger. It deserves only God's punishment. When the law has done its work we can only stand in silence, guilty and accountable, just like the whole world.

The Pharisees and Sadducees who where silenced by Jesus weren't about to let it stand that way. They couldn't silence Jesus with their arguments so they chose another way to quite him. A few days later they stood around Jesus again, this time accusing him of crimes. This time Jesus is silent. They need to find something worthy of death so they ask a question that will nail shut the case against him.

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.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so.”” (Matthew 26:63b–64a, ESV)

And the trial is over. Jesus says he is the same as God. They simply cannot believe that truth. Jesus is condemned worthy of death. The continue speaking. They accuse him before Pilate, calling for his death. But even the crucified Jesus doesn't stop them. They stood at the foot of the cross mocking him. And in all this it is Jesus who stays silent. He is keeping God's commandments. He is shows his perfect love for God. He submits to the Father's will, even to death on the cross. He shows his perfect love for all people. He was silent for us. Hanging on the cross he carries our guilt and punishment for us. And there on the cross we see the perfect picture of God's love. Love for God (vertical part of the cross) and love for all people (horizontal part of the cross). There is Jesus hanging in love for you and me. Keeping the law perfectly and perfectly sacrificing himself for us.

When Jesus cold body was placed in the tomb and the stone was rolled in front of the door, Jesus' enemies where sure they had heard the last from him. They didn't know the scriptures or the one true God. But just as he told his disciples Jesus rose again from death. So much for the Sadducees! Having risen Jesus now has lots to say. And he continues to speak through the church.

Jesus speaks to you and me. He speaks these words of God's perfect law. Love God with all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself. In that speaking we see our inability to keep it. We stand in silence convicted. That is when he speaks his words of forgiveness. Peace. Be still. Do not fear. I forgive you all your sins. Receive the Holy Spirit. Take, eat this is my body, this is my blood. Go in peace. I am with you always.

Lord you have the words of eternal life. We say. And we say also... Amen. Let it be so. Amen.

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

Places I’ve Visited (updated 10/14/2011)

2011-10-14T16:52:00.001-05:00

A few years ago I posted another version of these maps. Since I’ve done some traveling lately

Namely

The Academy of Apologetics, Evangelism and Human Rights, Stasbourg, France, http://www.apologeticsacademy.eu/
and taking Miciah to school at Patrick Henry College http://www.phc.edu

I thought it was time to update my maps again.

So here’s my world map:

create your own visited country map or check our Venice travel guide

This summer I was in France and Germany.

create your personalized map of europe or check out our Barcelona travel guide

Here's my travels in the United States.

create your own personalized map of the USA or check out ourCalifornia travel guide

and here's Canada.

create your own personalized map of Canada or check out ourVancouver travel guide

Matthew 22:15-22; Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost; October 16, 2011;

2011-10-14T16:31:00.001-05:00

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Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle him in his words. And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, 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?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? 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.” When they heard it, they marveled. And they left him and went away.” (Matthew 22:15–22, ESV)

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

One of my favorite parts about my trip to France this summer was the day we spent at the Louvre. In the Louvre you find art from all of human history. I remember seeing coins with their beautiful inscriptions and images. The funny thing about these coins is that where they were, in a display case at one of the most famous museums in the world, you kind of forget what they were for. You tend to think of them as art, because they are surrounded by art. You forget that they were the means of commerce. You forget that they had value beyond their artistic value. That happens sometimes on Sunday mornings here, too. This text is an example of that. We hear about Jesus commending us to give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's and we miss the whole context. Especially in the current politically charged atmosphere. We get focused on the connection between church and state and think that that is what this text is all about. Especially because what Jesus says is a very memorable proverb about or relationship to government and church.

“Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

But it all happened in a context. Jesus says what he says in a time and place and to a particular people. Let's not lose the sense of what is being said simply because the saying itself is particularly artful.

So, let's set the scene. It's Passover. People are everywhere. Visitors from out of town. Relatives in for the holiday. Actually it is that Passover. We call it Holy Week. Jesus has come to celebrate with his disciples... and more. In Jesus, God has come to be with his people. This whole visit begins with Jesus riding into town hailed as king, riding on a donkey, Palm Sunday. Jesus goes to the temple. He doesn't like what he sees and drives out the money changers. He has set the stage. He is by himself in the temple. He is the valuable treasure. He does what God has come to do. He heals and teaches. He becomes the center of the temple.

It doesn't set well with the religious leaders. The scribes and Pharisees don't want this God. He is not the Messiah they expected. He doesn't follow them, and encourage them. He doesn't praise them. They don't want someone who changes the way they have set things to work. Jesus hurls the word "hypocrite" at them. They deserve it. They pretend that the law is uppermost in their minds when at the same time they break it. They want to get rid of Jesus. They are looking for chinks in his armor. They scheme to trap him in his words. The want him dead. Jesus makes the contrast very clear. He hhHHmakes their sins plain. God wants mercy. They pretend to be merciful. God looks for faith. They flatter Jesus with empty words of praise. God has given them the sacrifices to remind them of the necessity of repentance and forgiveness. They are willing to shed blood over their own righteousness. They want to argue with Jesus over money. But they are spiritually bankrupt.

Nothing makes it more plain than their pushing to get Jesus to the cross. They prove they don't understand, and in fact reject, Jesus' words, "... render... to God the things that are God’s.” Over and over again they fail to do just that. They have taken Jesus, the true king of Israel and turned him over to Caesar. They have rendered God's things to Caesar.

It is most telling, when Judas comes begging them for mercy, his guilt over Jesus' betrayal hanging over him. He has come for forgiveness. He pleads for mercy. He has come to the right place. The temple place that God has given for that very thing. He has come to the shepherds who should be tending to the God's sheep. "What is that to us?" Is their reply. They have turned God's temple into a building built to them. They have neglected the true gift of God. When they reject Judas they argue about the money he has thrown at them. They have set their budget over their calling to be shepherds to God's people. They don't care about the things of God. They care about the things of Caesar. They are standing in their temple, holding blood money and spiritually bankrupt.

But outside the temple, outside the city, outside of Jerusalem, Jesus, the true king of Israel, reigns. It doesn't look as we think it should. His throne is a cross. His holy and precious blood and innocent suffering and death are a treasure for all people. Jesus has come "...not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28, ESV) Here is God's mercy. Here is God's forgiveness. God has come to save his people. He does it through his own sacrifice. Jesus has rendered to God all there is to give. His perfect life. His innocent suffering and death. He gives what is necessary for all people to be saved from the punishment they deserve. Jesus is himself the priceless treasure.

We have that treasure here. Here we render the things that are God's back to him. He gives us what we need more than anything else. Here he speaks the truth about our sin. We confess it. He takes our burden of guilt and hangs it on Jesus. He tells us that we are forgiven because of Jesus on the cross. We rejoice and sing back his praise. And this is no coin under glass. Although sometimes we treat it that way. In fact, we sometimes look very much like the hypocrites Jesus confronted in the temple. We act as if the treasure here is the budget. We act as if the gifts that God gives for the maintenance of this property are more important than what God does here through his Word, more important that what God does here through water and bread and wine. We are tempted to be satisfied with the beauty of what happens here and forget that the gift, the forgiveness of sins, is not just for us in this place. This priceless gift is God's gift for all people. It is given to us freely it is to be given freely to all people. It's value is in the giving. It has value beyond its beautiful expression here in the pews. Forgiven people forgive. People who have been shown mercy, show mercy. It is why we don't live in the church and around the church but we live in the community and around the people who need what God gives here.

The precious, priceless, gift is the forgiveness of sin, and life forever. It has been purchased by God himself, Jesus Christ, through his life, death and resurrection. It is the treasure that is that all people need. It is ours for the giving. Amen.

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

…falling from faith happens slowly and imperceptibly.

2011-10-07T10:11:00.001-05:00

Rev. William M. Cwirla has written a blog post that really resonated with me. You should read it too (On the Death of Steve Jobs).

At my congregation, Trinity, Creston Iowa we are currently seeing a huge drop off in worship and Sunday school attendance among the young. Many folks in the congregation think that there are no young people, but that isn’t the case. They aren’t in church. They’re parents aren’t in church. Rev. Cwirla’s blog post was about falling away from faith. It was written in response to the death of Steve Jobs. Steve was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Later in life he apparently dabbled in Buddhism and the like. The post isn’t so much about Mr. Jobs as it is about the danger of falling away from faith. How it happens not “with a shaking fist” but quietly, without notice.

One day the dimly flickering light of faith simply goes out, like a little candle in a puff of wind, and you don’t even notice. Faith doesn’t die with a shout of protest or a clenched fist of defiance. It takes faith to be angry with God. When faith dies, it simply withers away like a dry untended plant.

The only protection against a dying faith is God’s work through His Word and Sacraments.

I think falling from faith happens slowly and imperceptibly. It begins with that Sunday soccer game or basketball tournament, the boy scout event, the part-time job that forces you to work on Sunday morning and then the next time, you volunteer. The late night party on Saturday that leaves you too tired to get up for church. The hectic calendar. Family concerns, the business, the house, the investments.

All these things seem important. After all, church happens every week. Some of these things are unrepeatable. We can always pick it up next Sunday. It is Satan’s lie. The consistent feeding of faith is necessary. Faith is either dying or growing. It is either nourished by the Word or it goes hungry. It is either fed by The Lord’s Supper or it is starving.

God has provided the means for faith to grow. We are so blessed to have such easy access. So much so that we seem to take it for granted. Don’t.

Pastor Watt.

Matt.21.33-43; Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost; October 2, 2011;

2011-10-02T18:15:00.001-05:00

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Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa

[Jesus 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. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But 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. 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.” 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’? Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. (Matthew 21:33-43, ESV)

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

Pastor Hubert Beck, once told this parable.

There were two beggars. Both were very successful at their occupation. They traveled from town to town collecting food. But there was a very great difference between the two.

The one found many open hands as he traveled, and so he colleted the goods in a sack over his back. Now times were bad, and the outlook for the future wasn’t so good. So he collected as much as he could, saving for a “rainy day.” Hording what he received because he was sure that worse times were coming. As he traveled and continued to place everything in his bag and the bag grew heavier and heavier. The bread that he received freely went stale and the vegetables rotten. Finally, the sack became too heavy to carry, and he broke down on the side of the road from the sheer weight of his horde. And there he died, trying to eat rotten food and stale bread.

The other beggar also met with success. He too carried what he received in a bag over his shoulder. But unlike the first, whenever he found people in need he gave out what he had. He traveled light because there were always people who needed what he had in his bag. He was always more than generous. He never grew weary of bearing the weight like the first beggar, because his sack was always light. In fact, during his many years of travel he was able to care for many people who were in far more need than he was.

These two parables are connected. The men in the vineyard were provided with everything they needed to produce a good crop for the landlord. They didn’t own the property; they were, in a sense, beggars living off the good graces of the owner. He had provided everything that was needed for a successful venture; a fence to keep unwanted animals and people out; a press to squash the grapes into wine, and even a watch tower to keep watch over everything. The tenants were there to watch it and make sure it produced fruit while the master was away.

Jesus doesn’t make any bones about it. The tenants were God’s people of the day, the people of Israel and their leaders. They had been provided a land and opportunity. They had been chosen by God to show his wonderful gift of grace to the whole world. They were beggars who had been richly blessed to give to the people around them.

But we shouldn’t be too quick to look down our noses at them, because we can be just like they were. We’ve been given so much. We’ve been given wonderful gifts to fill our sack in this vineyard. Through God’s Word and Sacraments, God’s undeserved love, we receive new life through the forgiveness of our sins. We live here; we have life here; not because we deserve anything from God, we are beggars, and receive these good gifts because of his mercy.

Jesus’ parable seems a bit strange. How could it be that tenants would do what those tenants did? After all the landlord did to make a perfect place to work, he provided them with everything they needed. How could they repay him by beating up his messengers. And not just once but twice. And finally they even kill his son. The landlord isn’t doing anything unreasonable in asking for rent. Their reaction seems out of place.

Well, according to scholars this kind of thing actually happened in Jesus’ day. The law said that if a landlord didn’t collect a harvest for three years the tenants could claim the property for themselves. The killing of the son outside of the vineyard, in public was their way of making that claim. So, as Jesus often did, he probably used a real life event to make his point. But there is something even more real life about the parable. The set up comes right from the pages of the Old Testament. Did you hear how the preparation of the vineyard was repeated in the two readings? The way Jesus tells it by using Isaiah he puts God’s people squarely in the vineyard. The crowd standing around him where the children of those who had brutally beaten God’s messengers, the prophets and even killed them. And standing right before them was Jesus. Finally, God sends his Son. The church leaders were so angry with him that they had him dragged outside the city and crucified. These tenants of God’s vineyard followed the parent’s example. They had gladly received all God’s gifts, all the produce of the vineyard but it turned to arrogance. They didn’t see that what they had received wasn’t just for them to horde for themselves but it was to be used to show God’s love to the whole world.

How could this happen? We might ask. How could they? But, don’t miss the log in our own eye. It happens with us, too. We gladly receive the things of God, his forgiveness, his life, his joy, his Word. But we often miss the chances we have to give it away, and we foolishly act as if it is only for us and only for us in this place. There are always excuses, like lying ourselves into believing that everyone we know already knows Jesus, or believing that they don’t need to hear about the forgiveness of sins in Christ. We excuse ourselves for being afraid of persecution, or telling ourselves that it’s the pastor’s job to meet new people and getting them to come to church. And we even pretend that it’s none of our business that our friends and neighbors have stopped coming to church. We have been known to live our lives as if God’s gifts to us are only for us and our welfare, to be stuffed into a sack on our backs and saved for our use only.

That’s where Jesus comes in, reminding us that the gifts that he gives are for everyone. In last week’s epistle reading we heard about Jesus humbling himself by taking the form of a servant. He gave all that he had, just like the beggar who traveled light. He was blessed to be a blessing and He continually gave to those who gathered around Him. He healed the sick. He fed the hungry. He clothed the naked. He constantly reminded the people of God’s great love for them. The bag that was filled with good things was emptied. He didn’t die like the beggar who was overcome by the weight of his treasures. Jesus died giving finally even Himself. And finally gave up everything, even his very life, for the sake of sinful human beings.

You and I have been placed as tenants in the vineyard. We’ve been very blessed with everything that we need to bear fruit. I look around here and marvel at all that we have, all that we’ve been given by God’s grace. Here in this church there are people with all kinds of talents and abilities. Here in this church there are people with time and treasure. Those are wonderful gifts from God. But just like the vineyard was very complete with its fence, press and tower, we have all that we need and more. God’s most important gift is his Word and Sacraments, where we continually receive forgiveness of our sins, and as Luther reminds us, where there is forgiveness of sins there is also life and salvation. You see, He promises that where his Word is there will be fruit. And you surely don’t have to look far to see it. We’ve got children in Sunday School classes hearing about Jesus. We’ve got shut-ins listening to recordings they can actually understand. We’ve sent cash to people hurting from the forces of nature. You see, even though we are selfish God is selfless in Christ. You see, even though we often fail, God is faithful. Even though we sometime horde, God provides growth.

Can we do more? Could we get out there and share these blessings with more people all around us. Of course we can. That’s precisely what God wants us to do, that’s why we are in this community. That’s why God opened the doors of this church those 90 some years ago. He wanted to give you all you need, and he wants you to give it to others.

You see, we don’t have to wonder what beggar we are like. We don’t have to worry about whether we are good tenants or bad. We are in God’s vineyard and have that we need. Lot’s of times we act like the first beggar who kept everything for himself. And God offers us forgiveness through Christ. We receive his wonderful gifts and promise to do better. But it’s through God’s promises, through God’s work in us through the Holy Spirit, we can and often are like the beggar who gave until his bag was empty. Amen.

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

Funeral Sermon for "Curley"

2011-10-02T18:14:00.001-05:00

September 29, 2011

but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

David's Confirmation Verse

Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord! Psalm 31:24

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

You know, I only got to know Curley (and Curley is the only way I will every know him, that's how I was first introduced to him with his full white Santa beard... I think he was even wearing one of those red plaid flannel shirts), I only got to know him for a bit more than three years. It was not long enough. But you know that. Because for you too, it was not long enough. Pat you were married to him forty four years, and that wasn't enough. You brothers and sisters, children, friends, firemen, and military... all of you who knew Curley realize today that it doesn't matter how long it was it wasn't enough. I'll miss him and so will you. You don't get a guy like Curley very often and when you meet one and you call him friend, father, husband, brother or anything else you know you have met someone special. And when death comes it comes too soon.

You all know lots more stories about Curley than I do. And now is a good time to tell them and remember how wonderful it was, what a gift of God he was. The one I like is his retirement flight in the F16 over Lenox. When the jet buzzed main street some folks thought it was an invasion. When they made a low run over his house, windows every where rattled. I love the picture from that day. Curley standing in a flight suit next to the pilot, grinning from ear to ear. In fact I'm not sure which is bigger his smile or the fighter. Now that's taking up eagle's wings!

Another thing I know about Curley is how strong he was. When he and Pat sat in my office a few short months ago and said he had cancer I had no doubt that if anyone could put up a good fight it would be him. When we received the cancer free news it was a day to rejoice. How devastating it was to find out that it was back. And then to be here so soon. And yet, even then, as he was home dying among his family and friends, his airplanes and eagles, there was strength there... to the end. He fit his confirmation verse. "Be strong!" and we are not only talking about physical strength here. His faith was strong. Not in the sense that he depended on himself to get through this fight. He looked to Jesus, especially at the end when his body failed him. He took great comfort in God's saving work for him in Jesus Christ.

There is so much good to say about Curley. And yet, we need to recognize the truth. And the truth is, Curley was a sinner. Of course I'm not saying anything that those of you who knew him didn't know. Especially you who knew him best. You know that more than anyone. He was a good father, but not a perfect one. He was a good husband, but not a perfect one. He was a good friend, but not a perfect one. Curley wasn't any different in this respect that you and me. There were times when he was selfish. There were times when he was unjustly angry. There were times when he wanted nothing to do with God at all. The whole ugly awful truth is, that we are here today because David "Curley" Stream was a sinner. There is no greater proof needed than his body lying before us. This right here is the wages of sin. Now don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that the cancer that killed him was some personal judgment for some evil thing that he did. He hasn't received anything that we don't all deserve because of our sin. God's word is very clear.

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 3:23, ESV)

And so, Curley was a sinner no different from you or me. That's what all means. It's just that at a funeral we are a bit reluctant to speak like this. But the thing is even if I didn't know him I could say these things. Even if it were you here in this casket I could say the same about you. And you could say the same about me. There is nothing that brings home God's point about sin better than our gathering together with tears and heavy hearts at the problem of sin and death. It's our problem. It's your problem. It's mine. There is no amount of physical strength, no mental attitude, no human spirit that can prevent what we are seeing and feeling today. Sin means death. So open your eyes and see it. Open your heart and feel the awfulness of it. Be angry. Be afraid. This is sin's face full on. You will one day be here, just like Curley.

What made Curley so strong in the face of this enemy? How did he cope with his coming death? It wasn't the strength of his arm or heart, it was his faith in Jesus Christ. I saw it these last few months when I sat beside his hospital bed and spoke of Jesus. I saw it when Curley longed to receive Holy Communion before he went to the hospital or when he came back from the hospital with bad news. God blessed him with physical strength to fight against the evil in his body. His spiritual strength came from complete dependence on Jesus for the forgiveness of his sin. Curley knew that when the physical fight was over, if and when this enemy took his life, his sin wasn't going to keep him from life with Jesus forever. It may kill his body, but Curley is with Jesus now. On the cross, Jesus suffered and died for this sins of the whole world. God's eternal punishment for our sin. That means he suffered and died for Curley's sin. That means that Curley's suffering and death aren't about punishment for his sin. It is simply his turning from one life to another. Setting behind a sin broken world for life with Jesus. An end to sin, and pain and suffering to wait for the resurrection of the body.

That's the renewing of strength that that the passage is talking about. That's the waiting it's talking about too. Some day Jesus will return and raise all of our bodies out of their grave. That means Curley, too. We'll place his body there for safe keeping. At Jesus words that strength will return to his body. And all those who died in faith trusting in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, like Curley, will live in these newly strengthend bodies forever. Amen.

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

Isaiah 55:6-9; Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost; September 18, 2011;

2011-09-19T19:25:00.001-05:00

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

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⁶“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; ⁷let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. ⁸For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. ⁹For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:6-9 (ESV)

(Thanks to Rev. Richard Jordan)

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

When we are young it seems that we spend a lot of time thinking about growing up. Later on it changes and we spend a great deal of time trying to stay young. Part of growing up is a little ritual that happens, and it seems to happen to almost everyone. When we are very young, our parents carry us. These days there’s appears to be a comeback in the infant carrying slings that people wear. But, it isn’t long until we can walk on our own. Now usually walking on our own comes with an agreement between us and our parents. “You can walk, but you must hold my hand.” It’s a good agreement. We were too old to be carried like babies, our parents were allowing us to grow up and walk on our own, but they would provide direction and guidance. They gave us their hand to show us the way and so that we wouldn’t get lost. But soon we begin to think that we don’t need to hold their hand anymore, so we push it away and take off on our own. We think we are too old to hold our parents hand, we want to find our own way and we are sure we won’t get lost.

Now we could say that all this is just a part of growing up. Really it is SIN showing up in our young lives. We are rebelling against authority. We don’t want to obey our parents, and for the first time act like God, making our own way, trying to do our own thing. That’s really what the first sin is all about, too. Adam and Eve pushed God’s hand away. They wanted to find their own way and make their own decisions. Most of the time, we think about sin as the things we do wrong or about how we don’t measure up to God’s standards. But, another way of looking at it is to see sin in terms of rebellion.

Rebellion is the rejection of authority. We’ve all been there. At some point in time we violated the agreement between us and our parents. We slipped our hand out of theirs. You wanted to go it on your own. You may have even had somewhere you wanted to go but you knew that the hand holding yours wouldn’t allow. So, with some effort you disconnect yourself and off you went on our own. After a time of freedom, after a brief dash out of sight, you found yourself alone. At first it was ok, but soon you begin to realize the position you are in, alone and you looked again for the hand to hold. Panic set in and soon tears may have even flowed, because you were lost.

When we are lost our parents go out to look for us, even though we have pushed ourselves from them. It is their love that compels them to find us. They will go to great lengths to come to where we are and take hold of our hand and guide us again.

Every day of our lives we go through the very same thing with God. Just like we didn’t want to hold on to our parent’s hand, every day we struggle with God not wanting him to direct us. We are positive we are “grown up” enough to walk on our own. We know that we are “mature enough” to handle life however it comes to us. We don’t want God to carry us, and we certainly don’t want God to hold our hand, keeping us from things we want to do.

It sounds wrong to us. We have a strong tendency to think that God really wants us to grow up to be mature enough to live life on our own. My little daughter has been eating a lot lately; it seems she’s headed for a growth spurt. I asked her if she wanted to grow up. “No!” she said. I agreed, for a moment, and then I realized that she needed to grow up and become independent. But that’s not how it is with our relationship with God. We can never really be independent from him. Independence from God means to be separated from him and his will for our lives. Independence from God is to live life on completely human terms. When we want to do things on our own, we push God out of our lives. Independence from God is a place called hell. When we push God away from our lives, when we reject his guidance for our lives, we reject all that he has for us. When we live on our own terms we live in terms of our sinful nature. St. Paul says it like this:

⁵For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. ⁶To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. ⁷For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Romans 8:5-7 (ESV)

The response of God to rejection is punishment and death. Well deserved punishment and death. Those who push themselves away from God should be lost forever.

And this is where our text speaks to us. We know God and still we continually push him out of our lives. God’s response to our slipping our hand out of his is to say to us (as Isaiah says), “let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. (Isa. 55:7)” That’s God calling out to us to repent and return to him. And just like the child who is lost from his parents, we don’t find our way back to God, we can’t find our way back. He comes to us and finds us.

God comes to the place where we are lost and finds us. He asks us to repent and turn toward him, but first he makes it possible by finding us. “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;” He comes near to us, right to the place we are lost. God came into a dark and sinful world, a world full of his human creatures who had pushed themselves away from him. Jesus Christ found human beings right in the middle of their lives. He found us by becoming one of us. He was flesh and blood. He could be touched and seen and heard; God, able to be found; God, near enough to call on. Look at the picture on the front side of the worship folder. Just think, God himself, became a human person, with arms able to hold a child just like that picture. We can find Jesus because he wraps his loving arms around us. The only thing the picture is missing is nail marks in his hands. God so much wants us to be found that he did what was necessary to make it possible. He has compassion on us, even when we push him away; he abundantly pardons our sin of rebellion. And it’s not arbitrary. God doesn’t look the other way and ignore our rebellion. He takes care of the punishment we deserve. He does by taking it upon himself, our deserved punishment and death is placed on Jesus, and he took it and right there in our midst, right there in the middle of our world he paid that punishment in full, with is “holy and precious blood, and innocent suffering and death.” He was beaten and crucified to restore us to God. He received the eternal punishment for our rebellion. He suffered the punishment of hell for us. And that is where we find God. That is where he is to be found, hanging on our cross, suffering and dying for us.

Where is God to be found today? The very same God, Jesus Christ is found right here in our worship. He promises to be present with us to forgive our sins. He is found here in his word and sacraments. His hand reaches out to us with the water of baptism that says, “This is my child, I have found him.” He is found in his supper. The very same body and blood that hung on the cross is given to you in the bread and wine. You can find God right there in a very specific place. And where you find him you find forgiveness. You find his compassion. You find his pardon for your rebellion. God makes it possible for us. He puts himself right here to be found. He comes near to us. Reaches out his and takes our hand, when we are lost. So we can walk with him, and he can direct our lives again. Amen.

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

Matthew 18:21–35; Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost; September 11, 2011;

2011-09-10T08:19:00.001-05:00

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Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

Then 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?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but 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.And 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. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 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.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 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. 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. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”” (Matthew 18:21–35, ESV)

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

You know what? Peter doesn't get it. That's what Jesus is telling him in this parable. Peter asks Jesus "How many times do I have to forgive?" Jesus blows his expectations out of the water. Peter was being quite generous, after all seven times was one more than double the conventional wisdom of the day. The church leaders of the day said you and to forgive someone three times. Peter doubles that and adds one. Seven times, seems like a lot. For me too it seems like a lot! Seven times seems more than generous. I know how difficult it is to even forgive once. But when a person does the same thing over and over again it becomes down right impossible. It's a great question for Jesus. "How many times do I have to forgive?" "What about that guy I can't stand?" "What about that co-worker that keeps doing rotten things to me at work?" "What about the unspeakable things that were done to me?" "How many times do I have to forgive them, Jesus?"

These questions show that we don't get forgiveness either. I know. We think we get it. We've been raised to get it from the time water was dumped on our foreheads, every Sunday school class, every sermon, every time we pray the Lord's prayer! And yet, we still have trouble in the forgiveness area. We still want there to be a limit to our forgiveness. I've heard it. You may have even said it. "I can't forgive you now, maybe later when it doesn't hurt so much." "God may forgive him, but I'll never forgive him." "I forgive you, but I'll never forget what you did to me." We don't get it. Jesus explains it to us, again in this parable.

It really is an amazing story. The first servant owes a tremendous debt. It's the national debt. It's 200,000 years worth of debt (one talent is 20 years wages). It's absurd. How does one person get to owe so much. He is brought before the master. "Throw him in prison, and his family, until every penny is paid." It never will be. It's and impossible debt. He and his family will rot in prison. He begs on his knees. ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' The thing is he can't. He won't. His whole life's work will only pay a tiny fraction. He'd have to work 200,000 years! The amount of the debt is staggering. And then comes the thing that would never happen. The master has compassion and forgives it. He doesn't set up a payment plan. He doesn't forgive part of it. He forgives it all, every penny. Talk about what would never be done. He releases the man and forgives the debt, a clean slate. You know this is a picture of Jesus. He does what would never be done. He forgives our debt of sin. This is what we have learned from Baptism day one. Jesus died on the cross for my sins. So what's the problem that we have with forgiveness. Well, we miss the unforgivable debt. We simply take our sins lightly. Especially when we compare them with the sins done by others, especially the sins done by others to us. My sins are small. Your sins are great. What we don't seem to realize is the magnitude of our own debt, the unforgivable nature of our own sins. We are the servant begging the master to allow us to pay back our impossible debt. We want God to accept our tiny good works as some sort payment for our sin. To us when we put our goodness on one side of the scale and our sins on the other we think they balance out in our favor. But the debt of sin is insurmountable. You couldn't pay it back in 200,000 years! It's just like the servant in the parable. He's forgiven a unforgivable debt. But he takes it lightly and treats it as if it was nothing. He goes out, seeks out and finds the first guy who owes him and tries to choke the money out of him. The other debt isn't chicken feed. It's about 100 days wages. But, of course, it is nothing in comparison to 200,000 year. When the other servant says he'll pay it back, it's doable. But the guy won't have it. He wants the money. He refuses to forgive as he has been forgiven. He betrays the master's generosity. He throws his fellow servant in prison, to rot. When the master finds out he becomes livid and treats him just like he treated his fellow servant. The master throws the unforgiving servant back into prison... forever.

We have been forgiven a great debt. The amount of it is unforgivable. There are lots of ways to think of just why that is the case, but the easiest one to understand is this. If you were the only person on earth, God would still have sent Jesus to the cross for you. Your sin, your debt, the cost of restoring you to a clean relationship with God, is so great that yours alone require the death of God's only son, and the eternal punishment of hell. This is exactly what Jesus does. He has compassion and suffers the eternal punishment of sin on the cross for you. He suffers God's great anger over your rebellion, your sin, your disobedience, your refusal to forgive as you have been forgiven. This is no small matter. It is in fact, the greatest price that could ever be paid. And Jesus Christ, your Savior, pays it for you and forgives you your great, impossible debt.

In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10, ESV)

This love, this compassion, this forgiveness is God's free gift to you. You see, it has to be free because you couldn't earn it in 200,000 years.

And then we ask the question. "How many times do I have to forgive?" or we think we have the right to only forgive when the conditions are right. "I'll forgive her when I know she is really sorry for what she did to me." Dear Christians, we have no right to demand anything from anyone in order to forgive. We are required to forgive. Our faith in Jesus Christ demands forgiveness. It isn't as if we don't get forgiven if we don't forgive, but our lack of forgiveness shows we don't understand forgiveness at all. Our lack of forgiveness threatens to destroy our faith. It belittles God's sacrifice for us. Our lack of forgiveness forgets the value of what we have received. It betrays the Master's generosity. If you are a Christian you will and you do forgive.

But you know what the issue is, we don't feel like forgiving. We hold grudges. We can't forget the hurt. We what to see some sign that our forgiveness is worth giving. But for Christians, forgiveness is an act of the will, not a feeling. We know that feelings are faulty. Forgiveness comes from Christ on the cross. Forgiveness from Christ is perfect, and perfectly free. When we are sinned against, because we have been forgiven, we forgive. What we give is Christ's forgiveness, not ours. We have no right to withhold it. It is given freely to you, freely to all. It's then that the sinful nature perks up and complains. But I've already forgiven them seventy times seven. They don't deserve forgiveness. Our sin becomes bold again. And there is only one thing to do with sin. Take it to the cross and kill it. Drown it in the water of your baptism. This is the Christian life of repentance. Every day seeing our sin, our unforgiveable debt, that is in fact, forgiven.

In this broken, sin driven world, it is not always possible to bring complete reconciliation between people. Forgiveness is perfect. We are not. We live with the worldly effects of our sin every day. That is our burden, our cross to bear. That is the reason we look forward to our Lord's return when all the effects of sin will be burned up with this sin stained world. We will then be raised from death to live in perfect bodies, in a perfect world, free from the devastation of sin. And to that we say, Come Lord Jesus. Amen.

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

Matthew 13:1-9; Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost; Sept 4, 2011;

2011-09-02T16:18:00.001-05:00

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear.” (Mt 13:1-9, ESV)

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

Wow this is such a familiar text… in some ways that makes it really hard to preach about. First, we’ve all heard it so much we think we know everything there is to know about it. Second, there’s the real danger of saying something that disagrees with a long held and favorite understanding. “That’s not what pastor so-and-so said it meant!” That’s the burden of a preacher. Just like the sower my job is to sow the Word.

You’ve all got some corn this morning. We’re going to talk a little bit about that in just a moment but I gave you corn because it’s obvious the seed that the farmer is sowing in the parable is corn. Who can tell me why? The clue is right there in the text… Well, it’s obviously corn because after the parable Jesus says, “He who has ears, let him hear.” I couldn’t give you all a whole ear… but he who has ears let him hear. Just hang on to that seed a little longer, we’ll get back to it.

Let’s talk a little about this parable. It’s been called the parable of the sower, or the parable of the soils. Now both of these have their merits. The seed lands on the soil and it grows according to what kind of conditions it finds there. Jesus is telling us that he casts his word out upon human beings and they react differently depending on their soil type. Originally I was going to stick the corn onto different colored pieces of paper, so that each of you would get different colors. But it didn’t seem quite right. After all I’m assuming that if you hear in church you’re here to hear God’s Word, and have it sown on you. So you must in some sense be “good soil.” We could go into a detailed description of all the kinds of soil there are. Accusing those who aren’t here of being the path or rocky or weed infested. “Shame on you!” we could say about them. But the truth is that we all have those same kinds of problems. We reject God’s Word that we hear, it just bounces off of us especially when it tells us of sinful behavior we don’t want to change. Satan comes and snatches it away, “you don’t need to worry about that little sin. God isn’t really talking to you. There are so many people who are so much worse than you are, that one little weakness doesn’t matter.” We all at times don’t have God’s Word deeply rooted. Trouble and hardship in our lives, that should push us to Christ, instead our faith withers. Instead of looking to Christ and saying that without Him we are lost, we look inside ourselves to find the strength to go on. And we all have those weed that threaten to choke out God’s Word, too. It’s so easy to get out of the habit of coming to church. Life is busy all year round not to mention our “summer schedule.” And there’s even the temptation to think that we come to church to be entertained. It’s easy to think that God’s Word by itself isn’t enough to do the job, we’ve got to make it more acceptable, by doing something flashy. All of it serves to distract us from hearing the simple message of God’s love for us in Jesus. Those weeds seem to grow up before we know it and choke out our interest in worship, and bible study, and prayer, and even a five minute devotion from Portals of Prayer. And then there’s the good soil… we’ll talk about that later. You see how it really doesn’t matter what type of soil we are. We’re really all kinds of soil. Jesus is describing where the seed of His Word falls. He’s describing human beings, just like you and me. Without faith in Jesus we’d all reject His Word. Satan’s word to us would always sound like the truth. Without faith in Jesus, we’d all get scorched by persecution and trouble. Without faith in Jesus, His Word would always be choked out of our lives.

Well, I think there’s different point being made by this parable. When we are looking at the soil, we are looking at us. Whenever we look at ourselves as the answer to any problem we’re looking in the wrong place. God doesn’t promise that you’ll have the strength to do whatever you want or need to do. He promises that He’ll give you whatever you need. When we look at ourselves, in light of the soil the best we can do is say, “Let’s be good soil!”

You farmers out there, can any one of you tell me what the dirt does to be good dirt? Can the rocky soil get rid of the rocks? Can the earth beneath the bean field zap its own weeds? Can the soil that lacks nitrogen get it on its own? Of course it can’t. But a farmer can do something about it. What did it take to make the farmland around here arable? I’ve been told many times about the hand dug tiles that drained the water. But the land couldn’t do it by itself.

I don’t think this parable is so much about the soil as it is about the Sower. In fact, one way of interpreting parables is to look for the thing that’s out of place, look for the thing that people would never do. When you find that crazy thing you’ll usually find what Jesus is saying about himself. So what’s the thing out of place here? What’s the thing that someone would never do? Let me ask you this question. What’s up with this Sower? What farmer is going to run his planter over the road? What farmer is going to through his best seed corn in the fence row? What farmer isn’t going to do something about the weeds that are growing up among the plants he planted? You see, this isn’t a proper Sower. He’s very reckless with His seed. He seems to throw it all over and He doesn’t care where it lands.

Actually, what Jesus is saying is that He, as the Sower, is very generous with the gift of His Word. He spreads it all over, without regard to where it’s going to land (I like this picture… see the sower, he’s not even looking!). His Word is for all people, those who out right reject it, those who let the concerns of the world choke it out, people who don’t take is seriously, and even those who don’t hold on to it and treasure it. You see, that’s God’s great love for all people. He wants all people to know what He has done for them in Christ. He spreads His Word high and low to all people. That’s the God we have. He loves to give and give in amounts and ways that are more than we can fathom. We see the generosity of God in Jesus. Not just that He feed people who needed food. Not just that He healed people who needed healing. But mostly that He gave His very life on the cross for sinful people. There were those who were there at the cross who mocked Him. His death was even for them. You and I are sinful people who need the generosity of Christ. Our sins and failures keep us from a relationship with God. But God tells us in the seed of His Word that Jesus blood covers our sins. And that even though we aren’t “good soil” in the sense that we can earn His love, He gives us the forgiveness we need as a free gift for the sake of Jesus.

How about a concrete example? At the very beginning of the service we confessed our sins to God. Well, He knew them all already. He knows even the ones we don’t know and the ones we keep hidden very deep in our hearts. But have you ever noticed that God’s forgiveness isn’t conditional? The Word of God that I speak to you from Christ’s lips isn’t “I forgive you some of your sins.” Or “I forgive you only the sins you know about.” Or “I forgive the sins of those of you who were in church last week.” No Jesus says through me, “I forgive you all your sins…” I’m not offering you my forgiveness. That wouldn’t mean a thing. I’m offering you Jesus forgiveness, in His own Words. You see that’s the Sower sowing the seed. It’s as if it took that corn and threw it over all of you. Not caring where it lands. Not being specific to throw it at anyone. But to everyone. That’s the reason God has given you a pastor. He wants you to hear and see God forgiving you of all your sins. He wants you to be sure that the forgiveness that Jesus accomplished on the cross covers the 2000 years of history and gets to you right here and now. So look at that corn in your hand. If you didn’t get any raise your hand now and the usher will give you some. Think of that corn there like God’s Word given to you, God’s forgiveness, just as if I’d thrown it out and hit you in the head.

I think that’s what the OT lesson is talking about too. Did you remember that phrase, “seed to the sower and bread to the eater?” (Isa 55:11) When you are hungry for forgiveness, when you are starving to hear God’s Word, when you know that you are doomed without God, He gives you the Bread that you need. He offers you forgiveness in Christ. He offers you comfort in the promises found in His Word. That’s bread to the eater. Eat the gifts of God here and be satisfied! God loves to give bread to the eater.

And there’s another thing. It’s in that “seed to the sower.” You know what God offers to you. You’ve received it today through God’s Word. Think about the Sower again. He sows all over without regard to the reaction, without regard to the reception, without regard to the fruitfulness of the soil. You see that corn in your hand, that’s for you, and it’s for you to spread around. You see, there’s plenty where that came from. God sows His seed Himself; He doesn’t need you to do it. But He gives you another gift in that Word that He gives. He gives you the gift of sharing that Word with other people. He gives you the seed to sow right where you are. Now your first thought it that you’re supposed to find people to share the Word with that don’t know Jesus. But that wouldn’t be like the Sower in the parable would it? The person right next to you needs to hear about Jesus too. They already know about the forgiveness of Jesus. But they need to hear about it again. I need to hear it again. So take one of those kernels of corn in your hand and give it to a person sitting next to you. And when you give it say, “Jesus died for you, you are forgiven.” Now take a kernel to someone across the room, and say “Jesus died for you, you are forgiven.” Wasn’t that easy? What a privilege to give the Word of God to someone who needed to hear it! Now this week you take that little pile of corn with you. Find just one person (it doesn’t matter who!) to give it to and say, “Jesus died for you, you are forgiven.” When you are helping your neighbor, given them one of those kernels. They’ll look at you funny, but you can blame it on me. Tell them that your pastor made you do it. Don’t forget to say, “He wants me to tell you, Jesus died for you, you are forgiven.” And when you are making out your offering envelope you can put one of those kernels in with your check. That’s to help you remember that the money you give to the church here is for the sowing of God’s Seed. And the money that you give to support missionaries and mission projects is God’s gift to you to sow God’s Seed. And just think, Jesus doesn’t tell you to worry about the reception of the Seed. That’s His department, that’s His worry. Some of that Seed will produce fruit and some won’t. But God promises that it won’t return “empty” but will do what God wants it to do.

Well, even if you don’t give any away… remember, “Jesus died for you, you are forgiven.” Amen.

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

Matthew 16.13-20; Tenth Sunday after Pentecost; August 21, 2011;

2011-08-23T08:24:00.001-05:00

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

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Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 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. 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. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. (Matthew 16:13-20 ESV)

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

And Peter said, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.”

Well, the confession doesn’t get any clearer than that. “Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God.” Peter surely doesn’t understand all the implications of the confession, but he is saying something miraculous. The man, Jesus, his friend, his teacher, standing before him, breathing the same air, eating the same food, wearing out the same sandal leather, this human being is from God, himself; the promised Messiah; the Christ. Christ is a title that means “the anointed one.” Saying that Jesus is the anointed one is saying that he is the one set aside and appointed to do a specific task for God. The specific task of the Christ is to save God’s people from their sin. Peter was saying exactly that. He knew who the Messiah was supposed to be and why he was supposed to come. That’s the promise of God that Peter heard from his parents and his church. That’s the promise of God throughout Peter’s bible.

Peter may be thinking about the promise made in the garden:

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15 ESV)

It means that Satan is defeated. He won’t have control over God’s people anymore. This is the first promise of what the Messiah, the Christ, is going to do.

Peter may have been thinking about the promise made to Abraham as he sheathed the knife that was held at Isaac’s throat. You remember the story. God tells Abraham to take his son, his only hope for the future, and offer him as a sacrifice, a burnt offering. Abraham faithfully obeys all the way to placing the knife against the soft flesh of his son’s neck. God intervenes and provides a substitute and a promise. A ram is caught in the thorns. The lamb’s life is sacrificed in place of Isaac’s. Isaac is spared. A different sacrifice is given. Its blood is shed instead. And God promises Abraham:

and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” (Genesis 22:18 ESV)

This event isn’t just a picture of Abraham’s willingness to do what God said. It is a picture of faith, but also a picture of the object of the faith. It is a picture story of the Christ and Peter’s confession of faith. Jesus is the substitute in death for the sin of the world. Jesus is The Lamb of God, who comes to take away the sin of the world.

Peter may have even been thinking about the confessions of the prophets. Like King David who writes in Psalm 22 the very words Jesus uses on the cross:

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? (Psalm 22:1 ESV)

Jesus is suffering the just punishment for sin. He uses David’s words (which are God’s Words) to describe it. God turns away from Jesus. God abandons Jesus to punishment and death and hell. Jesus receives the just punishment for sin, eternal separation from God, that’s exactly what hell is. The just punishment for sin is poured out on Jesus on the cross.

Peter may have been thinking about Isaiah. He describes the Christ as the one who carries the load of sin. The Messiah is the one who removes the punishment of the sins of the world, by bearing its burden.

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But 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. 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 ESV)

All this is Peter’s confession. It comes from God’s Word. All this is what it means when Peter says that Jesus is the Christ. It is something miraculous and amazing. He didn’t just figure it out on his own, God, the Holy Spirit revealed it to him. God, the Holy Spirit spoke through him. And it isn’t just the words that are amazing it’s also the fact that Peter utters them so clearly without reservation. In this instance Peter lives us to his nickname, the Rock. He is rock solid, faithful, and confessional.

My friends in Christ, Peter’s confession is our confession. “Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God.” We’ve said it already a half a dozen times this morning. We’ll say it more times before our worship time is through. It is one of the reasons we gather as a congregation; to say clearly what God has given us to say about Jesus; to confess our faith in Jesus as the Messiah, our Savior from sin, death and hell. To worship God by proclaiming who He is and what He has done for us.

Peter gives a great confession. But he very shortly erases all that he said. When Jesus tells the disciples all what it really means to be the Christ, Peter reacts outside of his clear confession.

From that time 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. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But 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.” (Matthew 16:21-23 ESV)

Jesus sets Peter in his place. It’s as if he says, “You’ve forgotten what you just confessed. You are off topic. You’ve got something else at the center instead of me, and my life, death and resurrection, all that I have come to do. You are listening to Satan speaking to your heart instead of the Holy Spirit that spoke in your confession before. Get back on track. I am at the center. Confess me again as the Christ. Keep clear what I have come to do for you.”

But we are no different than Peter. Life happens. Stuff happens. Roofs leak. There are bills to pay. Pastors come and go. Long faithful members die. As the community shrinks attendance declines. Families fight and struggle for power. We worry and fret about survival. And our confession evaporates in a cloud of trouble. Jesus is not at the center anymore. So our Lord Jesus rebukes us. “Get behind me Satan. You are not setting your mind on the things of God, but instead the things of man have been put at the center.”

Jesus puts us in our place. “You’ve forgotten what you just confessed. You are off topic. You’ve got something else at the center instead of me, and my life, death and resurrection. You are listening to Satan speaking to your heart instead of the Holy Spirit that spoke in your confession before. Get back on track. I am at the center. Confess me as the Christ. Keep clear what I have come to do for you.”

How do we survive at such criticism? How do we react to God’s Word that convicts us of our sin? It is all in the confession. It is in the answer to the question, “Who is Jesus?”

Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, come into the world to bring us forgiveness of sin. This isn’t some un-practical, un-revelevant thing. You and I are sinful. We tend push Jesus out of the center. We do it not only as the church, but also in our personal lives. As we just heard:

“… we have sinned in thought, word and deed, and that we cannot free ourselves from our sinful condition.” (Divine Service, Setting Four, LSB, p. 203)

Life happens. Stuff happens. Our sin comes to the surface again and again. We pay for it over and over again; broken church, broken lives, broken promises, and broken friendships. It never ends as long as we live. We cannot free ourselves. And more than that, when we die in our sin, without faith in Jesus, there is only eternal punishment. There is nothing more relevant, more important than the message spoken by Peter, “Jesus, you are the Christ, the son of the living God.”

My dear Christian friends, today I come to you to proclaim exactly what I did the first time I spoke from this pulpit. With Jesus there is forgiveness. There is forgiveness in Jesus only. He has forgiveness for your failures, forgiveness for your broken promises, forgiveness for your thinking more of money than of Jesus, forgiveness for thinking that it is your job to save the church, forgiveness for thinking of yourselves first instead of others. Forgiveness is all here, in Jesus Christ. It is found here at the font, where born sinful people are washed clean and adopted by God; where sin is washed away forever; where God’s promises put on people with His name. It is found in Jesus on the cross. It is found in Jesus in His holy and precious blood shed for you. You receive it right here in, with and under bread and wine, Jesus’ special meal for you. It is found in his suffering and death as payment for the debt you owe for your sin. It is found in his bearing of your grief and sorrow over sin. He is wounded for your transgressions. He is crushed for your iniquities.

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. (Psalm 130:3-4 ESV)

What does that forgiveness mean? It means that as life happens, as stuff happens, our sin is taken care of. We can serve each other without fear. The things we do for one another are washed clean of sin. Our self-serving motives are taken to the grave by Jesus. Dear Christians, confess with me and Saint Peter, the confession that makes all the difference for us. Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Amen.

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

Romans 10.5-17; Eighth Sunday after Pentecost; August 7, 2011;

2011-08-07T17:23:00.001-05:00

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Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa

For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down) or “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Romans 10:5-17 ESV)

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

There is a very strong contrast in this text. It talks about two kinds of righteousness. Righteousness is just a $10 word that means being right with God, or having God look at us and seeing only good. So this text is talking about that. The first way is simple. If you keep the commandments, so says Moses, you will live by them. And at first we may like what we hear. We are pretty keen on the law and the commandments after all. How many of you were distressed at the fight to remove the Ten Commandments from courtrooms around the country? God gives us laws, if we obey them we can live. If we could just get everyone to follow those Ten Commandments then we’d have a country that was blessed by God. It is interesting that recent polls show that even Christians don’t know the commandments. If you ask what they are you usually get a list containing something about killing, stealing, and maybe even littering. How are you supposed to keep the commandments if you don’t even know what they are? And that’s just the problem. When we look at our lives we think we see that we are keeping them pretty good. It’s those folks out there who aren’t on the ball. We’re not lazy like those folks down the road who never work and don’t even try, but live on the handouts of others. We’re not drinking our way to an early grave like those who are always parked out in front of the bars. We’re not worshipping that Posturepedic god instead of warming our place in the pew. We’re putting “our fair share” in the collection plate, not like those folks who never give anything so the church can meet its budget. We’ve got it all over them. When Moses says, we shall live by them… We’re very quick to point out where others aren’t keeping them. And we, if we just look at the surface, are doing pretty well. The problem with looking at the commandments this way is that we forget something very important about them. The important thing is how they start. The first commandment is really the key to them all. That’s what Jesus tells us when he was asked: What is the greatest commandment?

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40 ESV)

The first commandment is the key. If you can’t do it you aren’t keeping the rest. You shall have no other gods is a tall order and it is infinitely personal. It’s between me and God. He is to be first and only. I am to depend on him for everything. I am to love him more than anything, including myself. He is to be in my every thought, always. The rest of the commandments don’t matter after this. The righteousness that Moses says lets me live is really having a perfect relationship to God. And when I look at my life, when you look at your life in light of God’s demand in just this first commandment we end up standing in the rubble of all the commandments broken. But the proof is in the living. Your life and mine is littered with the broken pieces of the commandments. We have enemies because we don’t keep the commandments. We hurt friends and family because we don’t keep them. We toss and turn in the night with our well earned guilt. What Moses says is true. The person who does the commandments will live by them. But it is just as true that those who don't live by the law perfectly, will die by them. The way for righteousness by the law isn’t in the cards. But we still try, we gather up the broken pieces of the law all around us and dutifully carry it to God and say, doesn’t this count for anything? But the commandments must be whole. Broken pieces offered to God are nothing. In fact, only bring God's justified anger. Isaiah says it clearly.

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)

Now I said the passage talks about two kinds of righteousness. And that’s a good thing because the first way is out of reach. The second way is a righteousness based on faith. St. Paul tells us what this way is like. First, he says, this righteousness isn’t like the way of the law because it admits it can’t keep the law. That’s what he means when he says “Who can bring Christ down?” or “Who can raise Christ from the dead?” He’s just saying that faith admits we can’t do anything to make these things happen. Faith confesses the truth about who we are.

If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins, O Lord, who could stand? (Psalm 130:3 NIV)

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. (Psalm 51:3 NIV)

But the righteousness of faith is more than that. We know we are sinful because the law condemns us. But God’s Word also gives us hope.

But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); (Romans 10:8 ESV)

The thing is the way of righteousness by the law is hard, in fact impossible. We can’t keep the commandments. That is we can’t keep them perfectly to be right with God and have a relationship to him. But the way of faith is easy. In fact, there is nothing to be done at all.

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (Romans 10:9-10 ESV)

We confess with our mouth what we believe in our hearts. Faith expresses itself in words.

In confession it says,

But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared. (Psalm 130:4 ESV)

At the baptismal font it says,

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. (Mark 16:16 ESV)

At the altar it says,

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:26-28 ESV)

At the hospital it says,

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. (Matthew 6:10 ESV)

At the grave it says,

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26 ESV)

That’s the word that is near you, in your heart, and confessing the faith that saves. Jesus gives the victory in all these times because he is the one who has won them. Actually that’s the other way that what Moses says is true. He says that the man who does the commandments shall live by them. We know he’s not talking about you and me. He is talking about someone. It’s Jesus. Jesus did the commandments perfectly. He had no trouble with keeping God as the center of his life. It shows too in everything else he does. He had compassion on sinful people who needed help. He healed sick people. He fed hungry people. He gently (and not so gently) corrected those who believed false things. He placed other people’s needs above his own. Jesus is the one who can and does present the commandments in whole stone to God, the Father. There are no chips or scratches or cracks at all. By all rights Jesus should live, as the commandments promise, if they are kept whole. And Jesus does live. But first he dies. When we present our works to God all that we should receive is his anger and punishment for destroying his perfect law. But instead Jesus steps between us and God’s anger. He takes it all. On the cross God’s perfectly just anger is poured out on Jesus. All the punishment for the broken tables of the law. All the punishment for not doing what we should. All the punishment for doing what we shouldn’t. All of what we deserve for trying to deflect our own sinfulness on other people. But Jesus does live. He earned life through his perfect life and sacrificial death on the cross. He lives, just as Moses says. And what’s more, he presents his perfectly kept law to God, not for himself, but for you and for me. So, what Moses said about living is true for us to. That’s God’s promise in our baptism in Jesus, through his life, death and especially his resurrection from death.

But that’s not all that Paul says here either. He tells us what the church, what this church; Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Union County, Iowa; and all our sister congregations across the state, nation, and world, are all about. In short he says our task as the church is to do just exactly what faith does. Faith has an expression in proclamation. It isn’t really difficult. “Faith comes from hearing” he says, “and hearing through the Word of Christ.” Our task is to preach. How can they call on him if they don’t believe? They can’t. How can they believe without hearing? They can’t. How can there be hearing without a preacher? There isn’t. The job of the church above all things is to proclaim the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ alone. The job of the church is to remain focused on the message of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Budgets and buildings are necessary to that end but we don’t worship bricks, and we don’t keep a beautiful building for the sake of its beauty. This is all here for the sake of hearing.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ: We rejoice in this gift from God; the proclamation of eternal life through the forgiveness of sins won for us by the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, our Savior. Amen.

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

Matthew 14.13-21; Seventh Sunday after Pentecost; July 31, 2011;

2011-07-29T13:42:00.001-05:00

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Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa

At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus. Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14:1-21 ESV)

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

It’s really quite a party we’ve got here, all those people out there far from home. Just think about all the joy that’s going on as Jesus heals the sick. Jesus touching the folks who have a fever and the fever is gone. Jesus rubbing a red rash and poof the skin is normal. Jesus straightening a crooked limb and the straight leg dances with joy. Jesus speaking to a person who can’t speak and the still tongue begins to sing his praises. Jesus fixing all their problems. Jesus making all their hurts go away. Jesus doing what Jesus does.

The disciples must have been enjoying the moment, but then the something goes wrong. The good stuff lasts too late and it’s time for supper. Jesus’ disciples are getting nervous. They start thinking about something besides Jesus. They are distracted by the time. They think they need to give Jesus a nudge, a reminder. I can hear their conversation. “Peter, you tell him. You know how he is. He gets so busy helping folks he loses track of the time.” So they say to Jesus, “Send the folks away so they can buy food in the villages around here on their way home.”

But Jesus isn’t ready for the party to be over yet.

“They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”

Now the disciples are in the thick of it. It’s probably the last thing they expected. Maybe they made a plan, “What should we do? We’ll ask everyone to pitch in.” If they were Lutheran they’d call for a pot-luck. But the best laid plans of disciples often go astray. Just look at how inept their efforts turn out. With five thousand men there and some women and children too, the disciples, doing what they do, come up with a snack pack. Five loves and two fish is the modern day equivalent of one of those little plastic packages with a tiny dish of cheese and a couple of Ritz crackers. Ok, so now picture the crowd, a hungry crowd of some five thousand people and more. With the disciples’ best effort, they don’t even come up with enough of a meal for one person, let alone five thousand plus. Well now the party is over. The mob won’t even fight over what they’ve found. They drop the ball. They can’t provide. The disciples have failed. The crowd is going to go away hungry. It’s a bit surprising that they even show what they’ve found to Jesus at all.

Jesus uses it all to make a point. Maybe the disciples should have just answered out of the gate, “Lord, we can’t do it. Only you can provide for all these people.” That’s just what he’s about to show them. Jesus makes the party. First, he tells everyone to sit down. He commands them to sit, in fact. He wants everyone to know for sure who is doing what and who isn’t doing what. He wants everyone to know who is in control and who is about to provide. “Don’t do anything,” he’s saying. “I’ve come to give you what you need.” Then he takes the snack, the bread and fish, and blesses it; he breaks the bread, and gives it to the disciples to distribute. And they do. And he does. I don’t know what it was like, whether every time someone took a piece of fish or bread another appeared or if the baskets refilled only after they were empty, or whether there were suddenly bunches of baskets, it really doesn’t matter. Jesus provides for the people in abundance. He could have done it without the snack the disciples found. They show who they are by their thinking that they actually can do something. Jesus shows who he is by providing. Jesus is the life of the party, literally.

There was another party too. St. Matthew tells us about it right before he tells us of this one. The author wants us to make some kind of a connection between the two. That’s why he starts out,

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself.

The “this” is the other party. It’s a party of a different kind. It’s King Herod’s birthday. It’s not difficult to imagine the difference. There’s drinking and carousing, and dancing, drunken laughter and over indulging of all kinds. Herod’s sexual fantasies are indulged. The daughter of Herod’s live in lover dances for him. It is quite a dance. Herod is so impressed or so moved that he offers her anything she wants. Who knows what he thought she wants. “What I really want, my King,” she says a death drips from her lips, “is John the baptizer’s head on a platter.” Her mother told her to as for that because John was telling everyone, in public, that she and the king were living in sin. He was causing such a stir that Herod had John thrown in prison. Now Herod is trapped. He made the promise right there in front of all of his guests. He doesn’t have the backbone to say “no.” He sends the solders to the cell to retrieve the gift. Just to show you what kind of a party it really is, just to show you what kind of people are living in the palace, when this young girl, this teenager, gets John’s head on a platter, it seems she calmly accepts it and takes it to her mother without any other reaction. Now that’s a party of a different kind.

Now we’d much rather have the first than the second. We’d much rather have Jesus fixing all our problems, Jesus balancing our checkbook, Jesus healing our cancer, Jesus smoothing over our arguments with our neighbor. And in fact, if you listen to those radio and TV preachers they’ll tell you that that’s what Jesus is really all about. Live for Jesus, find his purpose for your life and your life will be better. Obey God’s principals for living and God will give you health, wealth and happiness. Do such and such for God and he’ll be obligated to do such and such for you. Say this prayer 20 times a day and God will give you the desire of your heart. Jesus comes to make you all that you can be and give you your best life now. In fact, that’s what we might conclude by the feeding of the five thousand. But that’s only because we aren’t really seeing what’s going on here. That’s our sinful nature putting ourselves at the center instead of Jesus. We want Jesus to provide the way we want him to provide. “Jesus, if you’re not going to make my life easier, what good are you?” So when we see Jesus healing and feeding, our hearts naturally go straight to our own hopes and desires. We start thinking about how we can get God to do for us what we want him to do for us. That’s the kind of party we want Jesus to bring.

But lots of the time our lives really reflect the second party better. Oh, I’m not necessarily talking about the carousing. I’m talking about the suffering of John the Baptizer. John is hardly living his “best life now.” There’s not much victory in his severed head on a platter for a teenager. But that’s John’s whole life. He lived in the desert, ate bugs, and dressed in less than fashionable clothing. But look at what Jesus says about him.

Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. (Matthew 11:11 ESV)

And for all his trouble all his pointing to Jesus for all his greatness, John the Baptizer only loses his head.

Now what we might be missing is what’s actually going on in these two parties. That’s because we focus on ourselves instead of Jesus. Jesus provides for us. Of course he does. He became a man to provide for what we need. It’s right there in the story. Jesus tells the disciples to feed the crowds. They can’t do it. It’s the most basic need of people. They are helpless. They focus on themselves. They focus on the process. They focus on what they can do instead of focusing on Jesus. When they fail Jesus provides fully. John is helpless too. The thing is Jesus provides even in cases like John. The baptizer suffers. God is still providing. The baptizer dies. Jesus is still in control. It doesn’t matter if things are rosy in your life, or if things are sour. God is still providing. It doesn’t matter if you’re living your dream life, in your dream marriage, in your dream house, or if you’re life is at its lowest point ever. Jesus is still in control. That’s what faith is; believing that no matter what, God is providing what is most needed.

But our faith is weak. We are selfish, self-centered, self-focused. We read God’s word with our hearts looking for self help instead of looking for Jesus’ help. We are sinful people unable to provide for ourselves what we need most. We cannot remove our selfish sin from our lives. We try our own way but come up with a meager offering for God. We can change the external things and make ourselves look good, but the heart is still soiled and spoiled with sin. God doesn’t judge on external appearance. He judges based on the heart. Yours and mine are filled with sin. We fall back into it in a black heartbeat.

But Jesus provides. It just doesn’t look the way we think should. We think the first party; enough bread to go around; enough money to pay the bills; a little miracle here and there to keep our health up to par; a church that grows in numbers in spite of the declining population. But much of the time Jesus provides like the second party.

In fact Jesus’ life looks more like the second party. No not the carousing, but the suffering of John; Jesus suffering in the garden praying to God, the Father, for relief; Jesus suffering under the punishment of the Roman whip; Jesus suffering the humiliation of an unjust trial; Jesus enduring the pain of nails piercing his hands and feet and thorns in his head; Jesus dead on the cross, naked and bloody, stabbed and shamed. In all that suffering and death, Jesus is providing.

Jesus provides us with our greatest need. Like the bread in the wilderness Jesus gives us what we can’t possibly get any other way. Jesus provides for us the forgiveness of sins. You can’t get rid of the sin in your heart. Jesus can. He earns forgiveness for all people through his perfect life, death and resurrection. And he gives it to you and me, he provides it, as freely as he gave those folk the bread in baskets on the green grass. He provides it as abundantly as he did on that day at that party.

And we’ve got the party still going on today. Listen to how much it sounds like what we do here:

Then [Jesus] ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

You see, Jesus provides. He give you the forgiveness you need. But he doesn’t just make it available. He makes sure you know it is for you. He makes sure you know you’ve got it. Just like he broke that bread on the green grass, he breaks bread here. You open your mouth and receive what Jesus provides. Here he gives his very body and blood, the same that was bruised and beaten on the cross. You open your mouth and Jesus pours his forgiveness right into you. Jesus is the host of this wonderful meal. He is the provider here. Jesus is the host here, not your pastor. Jesus gives what you need, his body and blood for the forgiveness of your sins.

This party, the one on the green grass, is a picture of eternity. God is providing. And this party, the one where Jesus is giving, the one that happened on that green hillside, the one that continues here at our altar, well it goes on forever and ever and ever. Amen.

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

Matthew 13:44-52; Sixth Sunday after Pentecost; July 24, 2011;

2011-07-24T16:40:00.001-05:00

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Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (Matthew 13:44 ESV)

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

Well, there it is in black and white… well in some bibles it’s red and white, because it is Jesus words… Jesus tells us that if we want the treasure of the kingdom of heaven we should be willing to sell everything we have. Get out your check book and write the big one. You know the check that leaves the big goose egg in your account. Don’t worry you’re going to put some more in there anyway because you’ve still got your house to sell… that new car in the parking lot… the new computer you got last month with the ‘free money’ the government gave you to stimulate the economy. And you farmers get your deeds in order that farmland has to go too… all of it. Ladies your mothers good china that dad brought back from Korea. Your knick-knacks; your quilts; Guys your tools; trucks; tractors; lawnmowers; etc. It’s all gotta go. Don’t forget your personal jewelry, wedding rings, rings you inherited from your father, and the clothes; yep, all those extra shoes in your closet; the pants that fit; and even the ones that don’t. Am I forgetting anything? Well if I am that’s gotta go also. And then write out another check and close up the account. ‘Cause that’s what Jesus says. Isn’t it? Well, that’s what the parable says:

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. (Matthew 13:44 ESV)

When you read this parable you read that the kingdom of heaven is like treasure in a field. The Kingdom of Heaven, isn’t that our salvation. Isn’t that all that Jesus came to bring to us? So be like the guy in the parable and sell everything you have and buy it. That’s what this guy does, isn’t it? He finds that valuable treasure in the field and he sells everything?

Well before we get out our garage sale signs maybe we should back up and talk just a minute about this short parable so we understand it right. So we understand it like the folks Jesus was talking to. How would they have understood it? Well, those days were not like these days in a lot of ways. First, be clear and understand that this guy in the parable isn’t doing anything illegal or underhanded. Back then when you owned a plot of land you didn’t own everything in it. Not like today with mineral rights and all that. You didn’t own anything in the field that you didn’t know about. So the treasure doesn’t ‘belong’ to the guy who owns the field just because it’s in his field. He doesn’t own the treasure because he doesn’t know about it. And there’s another very small detail to take notice of. The story doesn’t say that the guy picked up the treasure. It says he found it and covered it up again. That’s because, if he’s a hired hand, working in the field, everything he does he does on behalf of the guy he’s working for. So if he picks up the treasure it belongs to his boss. So he covers it up instead. Then he goes and sells everything he has to get possession of the field, and since he knows about the treasure, it’s his. Jesus listeners would have thought this man very wise, very smart. No one would have accused him of doing anything underhanded. It’s the way anyone there would have operated. This guy in the parable is the “good guy.”

Ok, so now back to our reading of the parable. Jesus says (doesn’t he?) that if you find the kingdom of heaven, you should be willing to sell all you have to get it. You should be as shrewd as this guy, as smart as this guy. You should be willing to sell all you have and buy treasure. Now if the treasure is God’s Kingdom, Jesus Christ and all that He has done for you, you know exactly where to find it. You know where to find Jesus. He’s here. Right here in his Word and Sacraments. The treasure isn’t even hidden in a field. So get crackin’; get sellin’; get moving the merchandise. Right?

Well, let’s ask a simple but important question. What if you sell everything and you don’t have enough to buy the land? What if you’ve disposed of all your wealth, all your possessions, all your worldly goods but the cloths on you back and you still don’t have enough to get the treasure? Well, that’s a real problem isn’t it? And in fact, that is our problem. The Bible tells us that we can’t earn our salvation or purchase it in any way. Our good works aren’t good enough and our money is worthless. So maybe Jesus doesn’t mean exactly what He’s saying here. Maybe the parable isn’t really about ‘getting’ the treasure but just about ‘wanting’ the treasure. Maybe he’s saying that we should be willing to sell all that we have to get the kingdom, or to get Jesus. Yea, that must be it. “I’ve Decided to Follow Jesus” as one hymn says. “I’d give up anything for Jesus.”

Hey, there’s a story about that in the bible isn’t there? Yea, it’s in Matthew 19.

And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:16-24, ESV)

Well, there’s a guy who just doesn’t get does he. He had the chance to do exactly what the parable says, and he tanked it. Jesus showed him the “treasure in heaven” he’s asking the right question isn’t he? What must I do to have eternal life? But in the end he walks away simply because he’s unwilling to sell everything he has to get it. Well, that’s rich folks for you; all they think about is their money. He could have easily spread the love a bit and made all those folks around Jesus happy, you know like the movies where the money from the stingy rich guy gets thrown in the air and everyone around gets a handful. But no, he thinks more of his money than the Kingdom of God.

Ah, but wait a second. Look at what the disciples say when Jesus says, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” They don’t say, “those silly rich people. They think too much of their money.” They say, “Who than can be saved?”

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:24-26 ESV)

You see, the disciples see something; hear something that we don’t see at first. When Jesus talks about a camel going through the eye of a needle he’s not talking about something that doable, he’s talking about something that’s impossible. You can tell by the disciples’ reaction. All of the sudden the disciples are afraid for their own salvation. And Jesus tells them they otta be. “With man this is impossible.” Jesus says. “You can’t do it, guys.” You can’t sell enough stuff to buy it. You can’t do enough good stuff to earn it. “For you it’s impossible,” Jesus says.

And now guess what? Jesus words reach right out of the pages of the book and grab you by the throat too. You can’t do it either, dear Christians, fellow members of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa. No matter how much you sell, you can’t sell enough to buy the field the treasure is in. You can’t do enough good stuff to make God like you and save you. You are a poor miserable sinner, deserving of God’s wrath and punishment. No matter how hard you try you can’t do enough to earn the treasure. And I’m not just talking about money either. You can write checks till you’re blue in the face. You can come to church every Sunday. You can sing in the choir (if we had one). You can teach Sunday school for years. You can be better, cleaner, less arrogant than the whole town of Creston, Iowa, but none of that will get you one lick closer to the treasure. You can want the treasure more than anything else but you can’t have purchase it, because you don’t have enough, and you aren’t good enough. Because for you Jesus says, “this is impossible.” It’s because the price of the field is too high. The cost of getting the treasure is too much.

If the treasure is salvation, the Kingdom of God, then the only way you could earn it is to be perfect. Jesus tells us that, too. “Be perfect as your father in heaven is perfect.” Look how he pushes that rich young man to the brink of despair. Jesus keeps upping the ante until what he’s looking to get by his works is out of reach. Jesus does that in other places too. He tells people if they call people stupid, or even think it they deserve hell because it’s just the same as killing them. He says that if you look at a woman with lust in your heart it’s the same as sleeping with her, and you deserve hell. You see. To buy the field you’d have to do more than you can do. You’d have to sell more than you have to sell. And just wanting to do it, just having the desire to have the treasure won’t get you the treasure either. So… what are we to think? What are we to do? What is Jesus trying to do to us here? What kind of a parable is this anyway?

You know, it occurs to me that we might just be reading this thing all wrong. Well, at least I hope we are reading it all wrong. What is it I always say about reading the bible? Jesus is at the heart and center of it all. If you want to understand what the bible is talking about you’ve got to put Jesus Christ crucified for you at the center of your thinking. You know what, when I read the parable with me as the guy who finds the treasure that puts me at the center. How would I read it so Jesus is there instead? How about this? Jesus is the guy who finds the treasure. Jesus is the guy who sells everything he has and buys the field and then rejoices in the treasure. Then what is the treasure?

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:16-17 ESV)

Now remember that “for God so loved” in this passage isn’t talking about the amount of God’s love but rather the way that he showed his love. God loved the world in this way… Jesus Christ humbles himself to be a living breathing man. He leaves God the Father’s side, the glory of heaven to suffer the same things that all people suffer. He cried. He had sore feet from walking and he was hungry. He was tired and weary needing rest. He lost loved ones to death, and was hated by enemies, and betrayed by friends. And this is where Jesus is different from you and me. In all of this he didn’t sin. He didn’t give up his relationship to God, the Father. He constantly obeyed God’s will for his life. He loved people selflessly always. In fact, Jesus human life, was perfect in every single way. That’s where you and I fall short. We aren’t perfect. We can’t be. We can’t sell enough to buy the field. But Jesus can. And he does. On a cross, a perfectly horrible means of punishment, created by Satan himself, Jesus bore the sin of the whole world, giving his perfect life in the place of imperfect people. He suffered punishment for all sinful, imperfect people everywhere. He bought the field. He purchased it with his holy and perfect, sinless, priceless death on the cross. He bought the field with his holy and precious blood and his innocent suffering and death. St. Paul told it to our Christian brothers and sisters in Philippi like this:

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8 ESV)

Why in the world would Jesus do that? Well, to get the treasure, of course. So what’s the treasure? What is so valuable to Jesus that he would is willing leave heaven and walk the earth as poor, humble man? What has so much worth to Jesus that he suffers a criminal’s death, a sinner’s death, the punishment of hell for all human sin? What does Jesus love so, that he makes sure the story of what he did is told over and over again? What is Jesus’ treasure, the thing that he joyfully sold all he had in order to have it for himself? You. Amen.

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

The Cathedral at Strasbourg, France

2011-07-06T16:51:00.001-05:00

I took these images are of the Cathedral at Strasbourg, France this week. They say it is one of the most beautiful in all of Europe. As far as I'm concerned it is, but it is the only one I've seen. Construction began on this building in the 12th Century. Can I say, "They don't make them like this anymore!

This summer there is a light show on the Cathedral coordinated with classical music.

This is just one of the small bonuses of attending the Academy of Apologetics, Evangelism and Human Rights this year in Strasbourg.

Acts 2:1-4; The Day of Pentecost; June 12, 2011;

2011-06-13T10:22:00.001-05:00

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Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ (Acts 2:1-21, ESV)

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

“Lost Dog!” The sign said. “$500 reward. Description: Black and tan mixed breed. Flea-bitten. Left hind leg missing. Blind in right eye. Answers to the name, ‘Lucky’”

Now Lucky doesn’t seem like much of a dog. Not to me anyway. But there is someone who wants him back and he is willing to pay the price to do it. The funny thing is that Lucky doesn’t sound like a dog that’s even able to do a lot. He certainly isn’t worth the reward that’s offered. He has no pedigree, can’t see, can’t run, plagued by fleas… and yet someone wants him back. Someone loves him that much.

Have you ever felt like Lucky? Lost? Unable to do what needs to be done? I have. We all feel that way at one time or another. Actually, God makes it quite clear that we were all like Lucky. The entire human race is “lucky”: lost in our sins, hell-bound, spiritually blind and unable to see God, unable to do what God wants us to do. And yet, God paid the price to have us back. The price He paid was more than a $500 reward. He paid the price of His only begotten Son. Jesus suffered and died on the cross to have us found. Someone loves Lucky a lot. God loves us even more. You and I have already been found, and returned home to have a relationship to God again.

Now just think another moment about crippled, blind, worthless, Lucky again. I think the Disciples and the folks gathered on the first Pentecost felt. It’s true they’d seen the resurrected Jesus, but they probably felt pretty worthless to tell people about Him. Who’s going to believe a bunch of flea-bitten fishermen from Galilee? That’s where I think you and I can relate. I’m sure those folks gathered together there had the same fears and problems and questions you have when you think about sharing the Good News of Jesus with people. We feel pretty worthless when it comes to that kind of thing. It’s much easier to get out the checkbook and pay to have it done for us. I’ll bet you’ve had thoughts like these: “I don’t know the bible well enough to answer questions that will come up if I talk about Jesus.” “Christianity is too difficult to understand. It takes years to learn. Where do I begin?” “I can’t tell that person about my faith we have too much questionable history, they know me too well to believe my faith is real.”

That last one thought is one of the reasons why I think evangelism is more difficult in communities like ours than anywhere else. It is very difficult to speak about Jesus to someone you’ve known all your life and never had anything remotely spiritual pass between you. And Jesus name has only been spoken of as part of a curse. In communities like ours, we already have well established relationships, and those relationships have well established expectations, which may very well include the idea that religion isn’t to be discussed.

Well, the disciples had similar problems. They doubted their ability to tell people about Jesus, just as you do. They didn’t just feel lost, like Lucky, but worthless, too.

That’s one of the things I like about this account of Pentecost. I’ve read it hundreds of times, and every time I come to the same conclusion. The disciples didn’t do a thing. They sat in a room waiting, un-inspired to do what Jesus told them they would be doing. The thing that fired them up was the fire… of Pentecost. The rushing wind told them that God was there. They were filled with the Holy Spirit, the writer tells us. The tongues of fire that showed them what was happening to them also told them what to do next… it was the sign of what the Holy Spirit was giving them. I know the common picture you have in your mind is of the fire setting on their heads. It’s not a bad picture. But I think the fire is just as a literal translation would picture it. The fire distributed to them, in “tongues like fire.” Not on top of their heads but in their mouths, after all as soon as the Spirit came to them they began to speak.

Now by this time the crowds had gathered to see what was going on. That windy sound drew them. And the disciples were speaking in languages they hadn’t learned, to people from all over the world, who understood what they were saying. And don’t think for one moment they were talking about the weather. When the Holy Spirit speaks, as He did on that day, He always speaks about Jesus. Nobody expected it to happen, least of all the disciples. But you see, God had promised that this is what they would do, and He always makes good on His promises.

Peter got up before the crowd and preached a sermon. When it was done, the Holy Spirit gave the gift of faith to about 3,000 people. Pretty astonishing for a rag-tag group of fishermen from Galilee. Even though they were more like our dog Lucky, God used them to accomplish something great. The Holy Spirit equipped them to do the task that He gave them to do.

Now, this is the point I want you to think about. You’ve been equipped to do exactly what God has called you to do. It might not be as dramatic as speaking in foreign languages you’ve never been taught. You might not hear the violent wind and have fire coming out of your mouth, but the very same Holy Spirit is in you that was in those disciples in Jerusalem. You see, that’s Jesus’ promise to you. “If I go, I will send Him to you.” In your Baptism God came to you in the person of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). He lives in you and He equips you to do the task at hand. Think about it this way: If He can make “Galileans” speak in foreign languages that they never learned, He can and will help you speak the simplicity of what Jesus did for you.

That’s why we lit the candles during the Acts reading today. That fire you held in your hands isn’t the Holy Spirit, but I wanted you to feel connected to the disciples. There was no way for me to put that fire into your mouth… but that’s exactly what God has already done through the Holy Spirit in you. You might feel worthless like the dog, Lucky, but that doesn’t matter. It’s not up to you to say the right thing anyway. It’s only up to you to speak. Just like He gave the disciples the foreign words to say, He’ll give you the words to say. That’s exactly why He’s there.

So, where do you start? How about a few practical tips: First, pray that the Holy Spirit will show you the opportunities you have. They are there in your everyday life. He’ll make you aware of them. Second, remember that even your Christian friends need to hear about Jesus. Just think about what it means to you to hear of God’s love for you in Jesus. It doesn’t matter if they are Presbyterian, Methodist, or even members of Trinity, we all need to hear about Jesus again and again. Keep it simple. You don’t have to preach a sermon, that’s my job. Just take a deep breath, call upon the Spirit and say something about Jesus. The Holy Spirit is right there to guide you, depend on Him. You have God’s promise that it will be enough.

There’s a story in the Old Testament about the Prophet Elisha and a poor widow (2 Kings 4:1-7). She was about to loose everything so she came to Elisha for help. Her husband had died and the creditors were at the door. Since she couldn’t pay them her sons were to be made slaves to pay the debts. All she had was a little flask of oil. The prophet told her to go to her neighbors and borrow all the containers she could get her hands on, “not too few!” He urged her. “Go into your house and start pouring… and pouring… and pouring.” She did what he said and as long as there was another pot to pour into, the oil kept flowing and flowing and didn’t run out.

You know, God poured out His Holy Spirit on Pentecost just as He promised. He poured out His
Spirit on you in Baptism and the Spirit never runs out. You see Him at work all the time. Every time another baby is baptized, every time the Cross of Christ is proclaimed, every time you hear “I announce the grace of God to all of you …” and even when you receive the body and blood of Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, that is the Holy Spirit giving and giving.

So Pentecost is for you. It’s a reminder that you aren’t alone but Jesus is with you through the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life. God promises us, “I will not leave you or forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5) He proves it through the life death and resurrection of Jesus, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. He rescued you when you were lost and helpless. Amen.

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

Acts.1.1-11; The Ascension of Our Lord; June 5, 2011;

2011-06-06T18:22:00.001-05:00

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In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. To them he presented himself alive after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But 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.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” (Acts 1:1-11, ESV)

John.14.15-21; Sixth Sunday of Easter; June 29, 2011;

2011-05-29T14:56:00.001-05:00

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Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” (John 14:15-21, ESV)

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

I know it sounds like a silly question, especially in light of the words of Jesus we just heard, but I’m going to ask it anyway. “Does Jesus really want us to keep the commandments?” You know it’s easy to go “all Lutheran” here and say, “Ya God wants us to keep the commandments, but we can’t so we should feel bad and turn to God for forgiveness.” And that’s true, the commandments are the law that show us our sin, they show us very clearly that we don’t live up to God’s perfect standards. Especially the way Jesus defines them. “If you are angry at your brother you are guilty of killing him.”; “If you call your brother a fool you deserve to burn in hell.” (Matt 5:21-22) Those are pretty harsh words, and if that’s what Jesus really means when he says he wants us to keep the commandments we’re all in trouble. After all, he says right here “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” So doesn’t that mean that if we get angry at someone we don’t love him? If Jesus really wants us to keep his commandments, we’re all in trouble. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been angry this week.

Maybe we should look into what Jesus is saying here just a little deeper. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Are we really talking about the Ten Commandments? Or is there some other commandment that Jesus is talking about? It wasn’t that long ago we heard Jesus say something about a “new commandment.” Remember back to Maunday Thursday (that’s what Maunday means: command). He washed the feet of the disciples and then said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have love you, you are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35) Does that really let us off the hook? Well actually it doesn’t. The commandment isn’t anything new in the sense of something completely different. A confirmation student could tell you that the commandments are divided into two parts. The first three are about our relationship to God. The last seven are about our relationship to other people.

Jesus was asked this very question once by Pharisees who wanted to see if Jesus really knew the law. They wanted to catch him in some hypocrisy. “Teacher,” one asked Jesus, “which is the great commandment in the Law?” Jesus answered by dividing the Ten into the two parts, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39, ESV) So when Jesus is talking about keeping his commandments, when he says to love one another, he’s talking about the same, The Commandments. And at first, we might think that that’s not a very good thing at all. But notice how Jesus defines them. Look at the word that he uses most in his definition: According to Jesus, keeping the commandments, all of them, is to love.

It starts with Commandment one: “You shall have no other Gods” or “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind.” If we could just do that one we’d also be able to do the “Love your neighbor as yourself” too. Sounds a lot like what Jesus says too, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

But our inability to completely love God isn’t our only problem. We also have a problem with understanding the commandments as love because have been affected by the definition of love that’s been floating around our culture. At the prompting of the world around us we tend to think that love is a feeling. We think it’s something that happens here… in our hearts. God makes it clear that it’s not… with all your heart, soul and mind, that’s not just an emotion that much more than that. We connect love with the euphoria that comes from personal contact with a person we want to be with. But according to Jesus, love isn’t something that’s only found here (heart) it’s something that’s found here (hands)… keep my commandments. In other words, love isn’t just a feeling. Real love is much more than emotions, real love is a promise and a choice to keep a promise.

The best example I can think of is something that you’ve all heard:

Bridegroom, will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony as God ordained it? Will you nourish and cherish her as Christ loved His body the Church, giving Himself up for her? Will you love, honor, and keep her in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others remain united to her alone, as long as you both shall live? [Eph. 5:29]

Bride, will you have this man to be your wedded husband, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony as God ordained it? Will you submit to him as the Church submits to Christ? Will you love, honor, and keep him in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others remain united to him alone, as long as you both shall live? [Eph. 5:24]

Marriage vows from Lutheran Service Book Agenda, (CPH, 2006)

Our picture of love comes from romantic movies. There’s always that heartfelt scene between parent and child… “I know you’re going to get married, but do you really love him?” Did you notice that’s not the question we ask at the wedding? That’s not what God asks a newly weds. The vows don’t say “do” you love, they say “will” you love. Love is stated here as an act of the will, a promise, a decision. There’s nothing there about a burning feeling in the bride and grooms heart. Love isn’t just here (heart) love is here (hands). Any long married couple will tell you that. If marriage is based just on feelings found in the heart, there’ll be trouble: feelings and emotions don’t last, they change frequently. In fact, this misunderstanding of love and marriage is probably why one in four marriages end in divorce (even among Christians!). Marriage that is built on feelings that are thought to be love will always falter. God wants more than good feelings between a man and his wife. He wants them committed to each other in sickness and health, good times and bad, wealth and poverty, anger and calm. The world says that lack of loving feelings is a reason for divorce. In God’s eyes divorce never acceptable and is always sinful. (Mal 2:16; Matt 5:32; Mark 10:9, 11; Luke 16:18; 1 Cor 7:10 etc.) True love keeps its promise. The love that Jesus commands us to do in marriage and in every day of our lives isn’t just found in here (heart), it is found here (hands). Ask any wife, she’ll tell you doing the dishes can be one of the most loving things a husband can do.

Well marriage is one thing. But there are other commandments than the one talking about marriage (6^th). Our wife/husband might be our closest neighbor but what about all the rest. Jesus wants us to love them, too. Right? Well, yea.

There was this man traveling on the road between Jerusalem and Jericho… he got beat up robbers and left for dead. The people who were expected to help him didn’t. The priest and the bible teacher just walked by because they had better things to do. The Samaritan is the only one who stops and helps. The story tells us that this unlikely person had compassion on him. That compassion isn’t a just a feeling, it’s an action. The priest and Levite undoubtedly felt bad for the beat up man, but they didn’t do a thing for him. But the Samaritan’s compassion shows in his actions. He bound up the wounds and took the man to the inn. That’s what Jesus means. According to Jesus, that is loving your neighbor. He’s saying, love isn’t only found here (heart) but here (hands). And what’s more, love found here (hands), acts even if there’s no feeling here (heart). It takes away the idea that’s often in our heads that we’ve got to have good feelings for someone to love them. We can show love in our actions even if we don’t feel it in our heart.

Well, if that’s love, then we are going to need some help. It’s hard to put that kind of thing into practice. It’s hard to do things for people who don’t seem to appreciate it, or even abuse the help. It’s hard to do things for people who are different from us. We want people to earn our help, and deserve our help. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition wouldn’t be a very popular program if they were dealing with undeserving families. “Joe’s been on Welfare because he’d rather sit on his butt all day watching cable and sucking down beer. Good Morning Joe! We’re here to tear down the cockroach infested shack you live in and build you a multi-million dollar house! We’re here to fulfill all your consumerist fantasies.” Well, I admit that’s a little extreme but that’s how we feel on a smaller scale. We aren’t able to love that way.

But Jesus does. Jesus’ love is a perfect love. It has feelings, he wept over the people who would kill him (Matt 23:37), and Lazarus his friend who died (John 11). But he really shows his love in action. He healed, taught, fed, and forgave undeserving people who gathered around him. Remember he ate with tax collectors and sinners. (Matt 9:10-13) He got his hands dirty serving dirty people. He shows us love that’s here in his hands. In fact, Jesus’ love is shown right here (hands) most clearly when he allowed nails to be driven right through them. He took our sins into his own hands and carried them to the cross. He served us. Like the Samaritan on the road, he helped us when we were helpless. There isn’t any better description of God’s love than John 3:16.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:16-17, ESV)

And remember the word “so” at the beginning means “in this way.” “God loved the world in this way that he sent Jesus to die on the cross for your sins and mine.”

We certainly don’t deserve the forgiveness Jesus works for us on the cross. But he didn’t die for deserving families (there are no deserving families, we are all sinful from the time we are born) he died for sinners and tax collectors. He died for people who don’t feel like giving a hand to other people, especially when they are different or dirty. Jesus death on the cross forgives your sin and mine, even the sin wanting to pass by the helpless man on roadside.

Jesus knows you need help. He puts his love into action. He knows you can’t get rid of sin in your life, so he dies on the cross to remove it. He also knows that you don’t always feel like helping other people, so he gives you another Helper. That’s the very next thing he says after he says, “keep my commandments.” “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever.” (John 14:16, ESV) Just as he promised, Jesus gives you and me the Holy Spirit as a Helper. I really like the choice of translation in this text (ESV). “Comforter” in some of the other translations makes the Holy Spirit sound like someone whose been sent to make us “feel better.” But he’s so much more than that. He puts God’s love in action in our lives. He makes the love of Jesus flow from here (heart) to here (hands). In fact, the word there (helper, comforter, paraclete) can even be translated “the one who kneels beside.” Think of the Good Samaritan kneeling beside the man on the road. That’s Jesus working through the Holy Spirit in you; helping you when you need help, and helping other people through you. Jesus makes it very clear, where the Holy Spirit is He is too. He doesn’t leave us as orphans. We love because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19, ESV) He’s right there with you when you help your neighbor who’s behind on his planting. He right there beside you when you give a can of food to the food bank. He’s there when you slap a pork and bacon patty on a bun for a biker.

You see, if you love Jesus, and every Christian does love Jesus, because they know that Jesus loves them first, with his life, death and resurrection… if you love Jesus, you will keep the commandments. Jesus makes sure of it. That’s love here (heart) and here (hands). Amen.

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

Psalm 146; Fifth Sunday of Easter; May 22, 2011;

2011-05-23T08:15:00.001-05:00

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Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin. The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord! ” (Psalm 146, ESV)

Grace and Peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ;

Did you ever go to camp and do one of those “faith walks.” You know how they go, one person is blindfolded and the other leads them all around… up and down steps, around corners, through doorways, maybe even outside… The whole idea is that, if you are the blindfolded person, your supposed to learn to trust the person who is leading you around. If you’re the leader then you are suppose to show yourself as trustworthy. You do it by example, by showing that you can trust someone else, or that you are trustworthy. The “faith walk” is supposed to begin to help you to develop a new relationship with another person, a relationship based on trust.

Trust is very important in life. Just think about how people react when their trust has been violated. Remember the time when you broke a promise to a friend. Remember how you felt when the secret you told came back to you from a different source. Did you lose money in Enron? Clearly that whole scandal is a violation of trust. It isn’t just feelings that are hurt when trust is violated. Life is full of placing our trust in one place or another. In a way life is a faith walk. It’s important to be able to put your trust in someone. It’s important to learn who is actually trustworthy.

Life is a faith walk…. In some sense you have the opportunity to pick who you want to lead you around while you are blindfolded. When I was young had to do a faith walk, I always tried to get next to some pretty girl, it was a chance to hold her hand… in fact I think that’s how I met my wife.

The Psalm for today is about trust. The author of this poem isn’t known. No one knows exactly when it was written either. But, some of the language suggests that it was written after the great Babylonian exile. They had lost what God had given them because of this very issue. They had trusted in themselves, they had trusted in their kings, they had trusted in everything except for their God. It cost them the land that God had given them, and they spent about a generation away from the land they loved. During that exile they learned what it meant to trust in God.

The author says here, “Don’t let the princes of this world lead you! They will fail you. They will lead you astray.” He knew it probably from personal experience. He maybe lived under a government that failed. I’m not sure that in many ways we trust our government far too much. We trust it to bail us out of poverty, we trust it to take care of us in times of disaster, and provide for us when we retire. We trust it to keep the peace, and we trust it to be just. While God has given us government we are not to put our trust in it. Governments fail the daily news is full of crumbling governments. Don’t think for a moment that our government here is so strong that it can never fail. Don’t think that this democratic form of government, this country is so blessed by God that it can never fall apart. “Don’t trust in princes.” The Psalmist says.

Don’t let mere mortal men lead you in your faith walk either. Don’t trust what human beings say or do. Don’t make glorious plans with them. Death is in their future. When they die all their plans come to nothing. Death is the great equalizer. It removes wealth, it cancels plans, it ends partnerships, and it ignores social status. Don’t trust mortal men either.

In case you forgot, you are in that category. You, too, will die. You to are not trustworthy. But, even before death, we find people untrustworthy, we find ourselves untrustworthy. We constantly make promises we don’t keep. We constantly forget to do the things that we should. There are even times when we make promises that we have no intention at all of keeping. We know who we are, and we know that other people are the same.

Life is a faith walk… but, you can’t trust in yourself, you can’t trust in other people, you can’t trust in government, who can you trust in? Well, the Psalm has an answer for that; it says God is the one who is trustworthy.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, ” (Psalm 146:5, ESV)

When God leads you around, even when you can’t see where you are going, you can trust when here leads you.

But, the Psalm isn’t just speaking in generalities, it tells us exactly why God is trustworthy. “Because” it says,

[He] made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free; ” (Psalm 146:6–7, ESV)

This is First Article. I believe in God the father almighty maker of heaven and earth. God created everything, he preserves and protects is. He has an interest in how it all goes. That includes being trustworthy.

There’s more though, and here is where the faith walk becomes even more interesting. He is faithful and trustworthy forever. The psalm says. Even when ‘blindfolded’ people are oppressed, God helps them. Here the Hebrew language for oppressed means economically oppressed, the poor. He helps those who are lead through hunger. He leads prisoners so that they become free, he helps the blind to see, and the humble and people who have no place to call their own; and even the widow… He helps. You see, no matter where your faith walk leads you, no matter what condition you find yourself in… if you’re trust is in “the God of Jacob” you will find him faithful.

Sometimes we find it difficult to trust in the God of Jacob. When we are honest with ourselves we know that this is true. As you go through life, as you go on the faith walk, sometimes you trust God a lot, and sometimes you don’t feel like you can trust him at all. It’s not unusual, because our sin constantly threatens to separate us from God. While we are walking around blindfolded, we will at times try to pull our hand out of God’s hand so that we can rip of our blindfold. We don’t always trust where God is leading us. Those are the times when we God is most faithful. If you remember the Gospel lesson from last week, Jesus is the one who said that no one could snatch us out of our Father’s hand. (John 10).

But it is Jesus who shows us exactly how faithful God is. “I am in the Father and the Father is in me.” “I and the Father are one.” What you see me doing… you see God doing. We have many accounts of God being faithful, just as this Psalm says He is. Jesus is God being faithful. He is found among the poor, and the oppressed. Even his own disciples were working class people and despised people. He gives the blind sight, and even heals the sick people who were outcast. He feeds hungry people on the green grass slopes of the mountains around the Sea of Galilee. Jesus Christ was faithful just as God is faithful. He loves the least, the last, and the worst. It is shown to us most clearing in the life of Jesus our Lord.

Jesus Christ shows his love for us. We, too, are the least, the last and the worst. We are unfaithful; we are untrustworthy; prisoners of our own hearts and minds, and blind to the way that God would lead us. We fail to put our trust in him so very often even when our lives aren't even on the line. We panic over finances, friendships, church property, and so many other earthly things. But Jesus is faithful; He sets prisoners free and gives sight to the blind, just as the Psalmist wrote. He is so faithful; the He doesn't even spare His own life. He is so faithful that He allows himself to be nailed to a cross and suffer the full punishment of our sin. Jesus on the cross is God's billboard of faithfulness. He is so faithful that he hangs on the cross not only for you and me but even those who hate him, deny him, curse him, and say no matter what they will not receive Jesus' forgiveness. This is God's faithfulness. That he forgives those who are his enemies. Just as you and I once were, as is all those who refuse to believe in him.

Life is a faith walk… Jesus Christ the faithful one, has placed your hand in his, right there next to the nail print. No one can snatch you out of His hand. He leads you on your faith walk through all kinds of interesting places. Even though you are blindfolded you can trust in Him to lead you because he is trustworthy. He has proved it through His willingness to die for you, and for your sin, but even more than that, he has proved it by rising again from the dead. Remember Death, the great equalizer; the canceller of plans, faithful Jesus defeated him. He didn’t thwart His plans. Jesus Christ wasn’t a mere mortal man; He was God and Man together, united. He alone is worthy of trust. He is God himself.

The psalm begins and ends the same way. “Praise the Lord,” is says. Praise him because of what he has done. Praise him because he is worthy to be praised. Praise him because he alone is worthy of being trusted. Life is a faith walk… Trust Jesus. Amen.

The peace of God, keep your heart and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Luke.24.13-35; Third Sunday of Easter; April 8, 2011;

2011-05-09T08:31:00.000-05:00

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Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. (Luke 24:13-35, ESV)

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

There’s a painting. You’ve all seen it. It’s a beautiful landscape with huge arching trees and bright light… and a road… maybe I should call it a “Way.” On the Way are three men walking. One of them, the one in the middle, is obviously engaged in conversation. He has his arm raised in the air to animate and important point. The other two who are walking with him, are listening intently leaning ever so slightly toward the Traveler between them. The artist, a man named Robert Zünd (1827-1909) has captured a pregnant moment. You can tell in the picture that something very important is happening. Maybe it’s the majestic trees that frame the scene, or the bright light that seems to reach out of the background and envelop the Speaker. The painting is about this text for today. It’s called The Way to Emmaus. I remember seeing the picture when I was very little. It was one of the many prints that hung in the basement of my Grandmother’s church (Along with a print of Christ of St. John of the Cross). Every time I hear or read this text that picture pops into my mind. In my mind, that must be exactly as it looked that first Easter Sunday. (Never mind that the trees are grossly out of place for the road between Jerusalem and Emmaus).

Today, I don’t think it’d be very difficult to put on our sandals and walk with these brothers of ours in that picture for a while. We could join them a little while before Jesus joins them. It will be easy to join in the conversation. We know about their pain. We know the kind of sorrow they are feeling. We know the kind of doubts they have. We know about death and the pain and sorrow and doubt it brings. Let’s join the conversation: (Spoken by “Travelers” from the congregation)

“He was so young. Why did he have to die?”

“Why did he have to die like that?”

“He was such a good person he didn’t deserve to die.”

“After all the miracles he did why did those people want to kill him?”

“Couldn’t he have found a way to avoid the … cross?”

“He deserved better than that.”

“We all thought he was Messiah, but how could it be that Messiah would die?”

“The women said that angels told them that Jesus was alive.”

“That’s just wishful thinking… foolish talk.”

“He’s not alive. I saw his blood dripping on the ground. I saw pale death cross his face.”

“Why didn’t God do something to stop it all?”

“Dead is dead. But… why is his body gone from the tomb?”

The more we walk, the more we struggle. The more we struggle, the more sorrowful we become. But, we have cried all the tears that we have. We just have to get away. Emmaus seems like a good place to go. It is as far as we can bear walk in a day. A place far away from all that has happened.

The problem that our brothers on the way have, the problem we share with them is that we are unable to believe. You see, the road to Emmaus is the road away from Jerusalem. Even though we have all the facts; the words and promises of Jesus before his death, the angels announcement, and the empty tomb. We can’t believe. We can’t make a faith appear in our hearts. We can’t build a faith that is strong enough to believe that Jesus is raised from the dead. We can’t choose to believe what can’t possibly be true. We know the reality of death. We’ve carved too many names in stone monuments. We know that our names will be there all too soon. Any faith we would drag out of our own hearts, stands in the face of cold death. Any faith of our own making is full of doubt.

Ah, but thanks be to God, he doesn’t leave us to generate faith from our own sinful hearts. God gives us the faith we need to believe. And the faith that God gives is just that—the faith that God gives. It is faith to believe. It is faith that saves. That’s what’s just about to happen on the Way to Emmaus. Right there in the middle of our pain and sorrow and doubt, a Man, appears walking with us. We didn’t really notice when he joined us but he doesn’t carry the same painful expression we have. But he’s walking the same way we are. He’s come from Jerusalem, too.

“What are you talking about?” (Luke 24:17) He asks.

It’s hard to believe that someone from Jerusalem wouldn’t know what we’ve been talking about. It’s hard to believe that someone from Jerusalem wouldn’t feel the sorrow and pain over innocent death that was the center of so much of last few days. His question stops us dead in our tracks.

Cleopas, our fellow traveler says what we are all thinking, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” (Luke 24:18)

And when the new Traveler answers, “What things?” it all spills out again; Jesus the great prophet of God, crucified, dead and buried, three days in the tomb; Jesus who we thought had to be Messiah, the one who would redeem us all, turned over to the Romans and death on the cross; Jesus’ whose body is now missing, and claimed to be alive again by angels. We want to believe, but how can we possibly believe that Jesus is actually alive.

The Traveler looks at each of us with a smile. “O foolish ones,” He said, “and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” (Luke 24:25-26) And he gives us a gift. Well, actually two gifts, one gift to bring the other. From beginning to end, he tells us about Jesus using nothing but God’s Word. He shows us Jesus in what Moses wrote, Adam, Eve, and the fall into sin. He shows us that Jesus is the one who God promised would crush Satan’s head. (Gen 3:15) He shows us that Jesus is promised in the way that Moses lifted up a bronze serpent on a pole, so that any of God’s people who looked at it would be saved from the poison bite of snakes in the desert. (Num. 21:4-9) He shows us how the prophets tell us that Jesus is the one who is born of a virgin (Isa 7:14), suffers under Pontius Pilate (Isa 50:6), is crucified (Isa 50:13-53:12), dead and buried, and raised again to life. On and on he goes, with each step we take down The Way to Emmaus. This Traveler tells us that every word written in the bible is really all about Jesus. He opens to us the real meaning of God’s Word. And what’s more, that Word about Jesus brings us faith in Jesus. That’s the second gift that we receive as we walk along the way. As we hear God speaking to us about his promise of forgiveness of sins through Jesus, life, death and resurrection, our doubts disappear. It’s as if our hearts are burning as we learn the truth about Jesus. And because the faith that we now have comes from God through his word we know it’s faith that saves us. Faith that God gives is sure faith, it’s not filled with the doubt of sin.

Finally, we reach our destination: A small house in the village, a place to spend the night. But we are hardly finished listening to what Our New Friend has to say. And it looks like He’s going to continue traveling and not stay with us. (Spoken by “Travelers” from the congregation)

“Stay with us!”

“We want to hear more about the Messiah!”

“It’s too late to travel any farther, stay and eat, and talk.”

“We want to hear more about how Jesus is our Savior.”

Our hearts fill with joy when He agrees to stay. So we gather around the table to eat with Him. It’s funny, that as we sit at table with this Traveler, our pain and sorrow and doubt are gone. Suddenly, the most amazing thing happens. As He takes the bread blesses it, breaks it and gives it to us to eat, we all realize that all this time along the way, we’ve been speaking to Jesus. And just as we see it’s Him, He’s gone. Jesus didn’t leave us doubting. He didn’t leave us to make our own faith from deep inside our hearts. He came to us on the Way to Emmaus. He came to us in His Word, and brought us the faith we need to believe. That is, in fact, what he does every time we gather to hear His Word. He didn’t leave us alone to find the strength to live our lives in faith; He came to us in the breaking of the bread to give us the faith we need. That is, in fact, what he does every time we break bread together, and celebrate the special meal that He gave us.

You and I don’t have to generate the faith that God gives. There’s nothing that we do deep in our hearts to make it grow either. Since it’s a gift from God we can be sure of it, even when we have doubts. Jesus doesn’t say to us, “Stay away from me until you believe in me.” The risen Jesus who was crucified, dead buried, comes to us and gives us the faith to believe.

So what do we do? We live in the faith that is given. Do you have doubts? Of course you do. So do I. Life is difficult and full of trouble. Talk to God anyway. Jesus says, pray these words, “Our Father who art in heaven…” Does the death threaten you with helplessness and despair? Of course it does. It does me, too. Gather with the rest of God’s people where the Gospel, the Good News about Jesus, is told in its fullness and truth. Go where the bible is proclaimed as the story of God’s love for sinful people, centered in Jesus Christ. Gather with other believing Christians, break the bread, and drink the cup that is Jesus very body and blood, there for you. Don’t look to yourself to make your faith strong. Look to Jesus who comes to you and gives the gift of faith through His Word and Sacraments. Amen.

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

A Marvelous Catch of Fish!

2011-05-02T12:55:00.001-05:00

Literally. Sometimes a “fisher of men” needs to be a “fisher of fish.”

Last Sunday a member of my congregation asked if everything was ok. I said I was a bit disheveled. It’s understandable, Lent, Holy Week, Easter for two congregations can be quite a load. The week after is a let down. As the church year reaches a crescendo, the pastor’s time is at a premium. The expectations are very high. When Easter Monday comes it isn’t unusual for a pastor to crash. This year, the crash lasted a whole week. She could tell.

“Why don’t you go out to our pond and do some fishing tomorrow? The fish are really biting.” It was a wonderful example of Christian care. A member of the congregation caring for her pastor. It made my day. I wasn’t sure I’d go, I hadn’t been fishing in years. It didn’t really matter. The suggestion was life giving, the body of Christ working as the body works.

As it happened, I went. They were biting. After a few hours of wonderful time in the sun, a marvelous catch of fish. I was refreshed, encouraged, revived. Thank God for wonderful lay folk, who think about the personal needs of their pastor.

Rev. Jonathan C. Watt

1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Sunrise Service; April 24, 2011;

2011-04-25T21:17:00.001-05:00

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. ” (1 Corinthians 15:1–8, ESV)

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

Christ is risen! He has risen indeed! Amen.

Christ IS risen! Did you hear it in the text? Saint Paul tells us the Christian faith in a nutshell. Christ died for our sins, he was buried, and he was raised on the third day. Actually a careful translation of the text could actually read he has been raised. Meaning he is raised and he is still alive (for those grammar buffs the verb is perfect passive). Jesus resurrection isn’t only a past event. It is a current event. What he did in his life, death, burial and resurrection is true even today, even for you, even for me! He stands risen. Jesus is alive even now. He HAS BEEN raised and still is raised. He was dead but now is alive. Christ died, he was buried, but Christ IS risen.

And it isn’t just wishful thinking either. Paul gives us a whole list of witnesses, reliable ones. When he penned it you could, with a little foot work, go and find people who saw Jesus alive after he was crucified, dead and buried. A group of five hundred people isn’t a group in a corner. Paul says, most of whom are still alive, inviting the inquiry. Why is this so important? Well, listen to what he says a paragraph later:

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. ” (1 Corinthians 15:12–19, ESV)

Everything we do here, everything we believe, teach and confess, everything we say, hangs on that thread. If the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a myth all of Christianity is a myth and untrue. Then we may as well go home and try to enjoy the spring weather. But Paul continues

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ” (1 Corinthians 15:20, ESV)

It all links together. Jesus’ death on the cross for your sin means everything. It is punishment for your sin, your rebellion against God, your inability to do completely what the law requires, what God requires. Your selfish thoughts, deeds and actions. Your desire to have what God has given to your neighbor. Your self justification. Your excuses for not giving aid to those who need it. All of it against God’s perfect law. All of it deserving his punishment, eternal punishment. AND All of it paid for by Jesus Christ crucified. He is the answer to your sin. He is God given for you for forgiveness. That’s Jesus dead on the cross… for you.

But just as his crucifixion is everything, so is the resurrection. Jesus goes to his death for you willingly, giving himself in your place, but he also chooses to live again. He takes up his life again. He stands risen. No one before or since has ever done such a thing. It comes about just as he said.

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” ” (John 10:14–18, ESV)

This is the resurrection. This is its meaning for you and me. Jesus’ resurrection sets everything in its place. It means everything. My and yours sin, done for on the cross. My and yours punishment done for in Jesus’ death. The resurrection of Jesus Christ makes everything he does and says true. He says he’ll die and rise again. He does it. He says our sins are forgiven. They are. He says death has no hold on us and we too will rise with him. It doesn’t. We will. He says my enemy Satan is vanquished. He is. He says we receive him in, with and under bread and wine, for the forgiveness of our sin. It is true. He says he puts his name on us with water. In Holy Baptism we are his. He says his Word, the Bible, is dependable and true in everything it says. It is. It is all proven by his resurrection. Christ IS risen!

This is the Gospel, the Good News of God. This is how you are being saved. Believe it. Trust it. Rejoice in it. Because Christ IS risen!

Oh, and don’t forget. Jesus also promises you will rise from your death. Listen to Jesus:

Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. ” (John 5:28–29, ESV)

And even more, through faith in him, you will share in a resurrection like his. That’s all a part of the forgiveness he won for you on the cross. Speaking of God’s promise to you in Holy Baptism Saint Paul says,

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. ” (Romans 6:5, ESV)

What it means is that the death we think is the big one is really the little one. Our body will die. We will be with Christ. Our body will decay. We will be rejoicing with our brothers and sisters in Christ, thanking him for his great mercy and forgiveness. And then, as promised, one day soon Jesus will come on the clouds with his holy angels and call us from our graves. Our bodies will rise again, and we will live forever, without sin, without suffering, without tears, in our completely human bodies. “The hour is coming”, Jesus says. And his word is true because Christ IS risen. This is why our funerals are different. We mourn because of separation. We mourn because our sin has brought us to death. But we also rejoice. Death isn’t forever. It is only the beginning of eternity, an eternity of rejoicing in what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Christ is risen! He has risen indeed! Amen.

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

Good Friday Devotion - Luke 23:55

2011-04-22T18:00:00.000-05:00

At the Grave of Jesus. .. Luke 23:55
They witnessed his burial. His body lay there, lifeless... pale... inside the white linen shroud. The women held each other for comfort; they couldn't believe what they were seeing; His lifeless body. Lifeless? How could He be lifeless? After all that He had done... after all He had said... Hadn't he confronted evil everywhere he went? Didn't the demons run screaming away from him? Hadn't he proven he was stronger than death? But now the darkness of the death held him, and his life was gone. The brightness of his eyes... the smile that brought warmth... the voice that calmed fears... they were all gone. Mary Magdalene struggled to remember his voice. She remembered how gently it would come over her when he spoke. She remembered how the sound would fill her like life itself. She remembered how fear and doubt evaporated into nothing. She wanted to hear it now... as she looked in the tomb... the tomb where her Lord lay dead. Mary's mind traced over the time she had spent with him, following him, watching him, and listening to him. What would he say at this moment? What words of hope would he offer? Hope? Yes, that was it... he would give her hope. But, what hope was there in the face of death? What hope was there as she stood staring into the dark hole that swallowed up everyone? Death was her future. Death was the future of all who breathed and dreamed. Every time she visited a grave she saw it. Each death she witnessed brought her own into focus. Every death moved the darkness a little closer. The darkness would come to her, soon enough. And yet, with the crucified Jesus lying before her there must be some hope. He had spoken of death often enough. She remembered the little girl, who died of a fever. "Why do you weep? She is only sleeping." Jesus said. His words filled Mary's mind as she remembered being told how Jesus lifted the girl alive again to her mother's arms. But, most of all she remembered the words Jesus had spoken at the grave of Lazarus. When they all stood there looking into that open grave, just like they were looking now into his. "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will never die." The sound of the rolling stone pushed his words from her mind, and the loud dull thud that sealed the tomb left only silence. But, in that silence she realized that death was sealed there in that tomb with Jesus. The death of all those she had mourned... the death her of parents... the death of her friends... and even her own death lay there wrapped in that shroud and sealed in that tomb. And in her mind, was a flicker of hope, like a single candle in a darkened room. It was hope that was stronger than the image of her dead Lord that now filled her mind. It was hope that knew that this was not the end.

2 Peter 3:8-13; Weekday Lenten Service Five; April 13, 2011;

2011-04-13T14:11:00.001-05:00

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn! But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. ” (2 Peter 3:8–13, ESV)

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

We are waiting the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. You and I, living in our sin soaked culture; our brothers and sisters under persecution the Middle East; Faithful saints struggling to feed themselves in Africa; All over the world the primary occupation of all Christians is waiting. We wait for the resurrection of the body as we say every worship service in the Creeds of the church. It will be a glorious day when Jesus comes on the clouds with his holy angels and the graves split open and dead rise and we are all caught up with him in the air (1 Corinthians 15). The joy of it will be beyond compare. To think that this body, this soul, this person will be with Christ and family and friends forever, perfect in Christ, is indeed a life long comfort. So until that day of resurrection we wait, eagerly, in hope.

And yet, unless the Lord comes before, we also wait for another event, death. Maybe not so eagerly. Open eyed my grave is staring. It’s there in my future and yours. How will it come? Car accident. Cancer. Heart failure. Violence. War. Old Age. Disease. This is known only to God. Your grave waits for you and it never sleeps. Your grave threatens all that you have, all your relationships, all your accumulated wealth, all of your education, all of you. No one is spared from it. Your children, your parents, your spouse, your friends, your family, you! Open eyed it stares over all you do. Like the old cartoons of the vulture hanging over the character’s head as he slogs through the desert in search of water. It shadows everything you hope to do and accomplish. How could there ever be any comfort here in the face in this enemy?

Our comfort isn’t found in death. In fact, Saint Paul calls it the last enemy that will be defeated. Death is the unnatural end to a sinful life, the just punishment for a sinful body. A funeral is proof of the wages of sin. Even though the body lay in state it must eventually, go to the grave.

God’s Own Child, I Gladly Say It. LSB 594, v 5

There is nothing worth comparing
To this lifelong comfort sure!
Open-eyed my grave is staring:
Even there I’ll sleep secure.
Though my flesh awaits its raising,
Still my soul continues praising:
I am baptized into Christ;
I’m a child of paradise!

I am baptized into Christ, what comfort does this give whilst I look into the eye of my grave? Well, indeed if it were not for Jesus Christ there would be no comfort here. If there were no God at all there would be no comfort. If there is no God death is a forever sleep in nothingness, an end of all things. Everything that is done, thought and loved in life is all there is and nothing more. The vastness of forever nothing has no comfort only the coldness and darkness of nothing. And worse, with God’s existence. Sinful human beings cannot be with God (nor do they desire to be with him). That means to be separated from all that is good and right and true, living in the presence of God’s never ending anger over your sin.

There is no comfort in death, indeed there can be no comfort, apart from Jesus Christ. And listen to Saint Paul again:

May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. ” (Colossians 1:11–14, ESV)

Forgiveness of sins is the key. Forgiveness of sins is our rescue from the domain of darkness, our rescue from death that ends in nothing or eternal punishment. And Jesus Christ is the forgiveness of sins. His death on the cross is your forever death. His death on the cross is your eternal punishment for sin. He faces God’s eternal wrath and anger over sin. He suffers hell, your hell. This is exactly what Saint Paul means; he calls death empty of its victory and power.

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ” (1 Corinthians 15:54–57, ESV)

All of the horror of death is emptied in Jesus Christ. What is the connection to Holy Baptism? I am baptized into Christ. In Holy Baptism you have been “clothed with Christ” (Galatians 3:27). In it you have died with Christ and been raised to new life with him. In it you are given the gift of eternal life with Christ, eternal life with the Father not in his eternal anger over our sin. In fact, for those in faith, for those in baptism, for those clinging to the cross of Christ for forgiveness, death is completely changed. Instead of all that it is, it becomes what Christians already are doing, waiting. It is interesting that what we are doing now, waiting for the day of our Lord, doesn’t really change in death but only becomes even more intense. We sing Even there that is in death, I’ll sleep secure. After your death, as your body decays, as it must. While it sleeps, You’ll be rejoicing in your salvation in Jesus. Like the thief on the cross, through death’s sleep you’ll awake with and find Christ. Your first thoughts and only thoughts will be praise, and joy, and wonder at the salvation of God for you, a sinner. A child of paradise. And there you’ll wait again for the resurrection of my body; wait for all God’s promises in Christ to come to their fullness; wait again to be joined by those who have preceded you and those who will follow you in death. Amen.

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

John 11:47-57; Fifth Sunday in Lent; April 10, 2011;

2011-04-11T08:28:00.000-05:00

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So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the Council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they made plans to put him to death. (John 11:47-53, ESV)

Why did Jesus have to die? (From an outline by Rev. Thomas Manteufel, CJ Vol 31, 1)

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

“Papa,” the inquisitive young boy said to his father, as they paged through a picture book together, “why is that man bleeding? And what is he doing on that piece of wood?” (from a story by Søren Kierkegaard) He’s asking a good question. But he’s not the only one. Look at the beautiful stain glass window there. John the disciple of Jesus and Mary Jesus mother, stand close enough to be spattered with his blood. Can you see the question in their eyes? “Why do you have to die?” Peter said as much also when Jesus informed him of his upcoming suffering and death. Jesus told Peter about his coming death in Jerusalem. Peter took Jesus aside and said, “This shall never happen to you!” he said, meaning, “Why would you have to die?” Jesus rebuked him in the strongest terms. Saying Peter’s words were the work of Satan. As for us, today we continue our push through the season of Lent. It’s a time when we focus specifically on the Crucified Christ. We have less than two weeks before we gather in the darkness of Good Friday and at the glow of a single candle ask that very question again. “Why did Jesus have to die?” It is an important question; some might argue the most important question that any person can ask. That’s because knowing the answer to that question and clinging to it in faith is the difference between life and death, the difference between spending eternity with God among the praises of His angels, or suffering for eternity in the presence of Satan and his demons.

The question of why Jesus must die, is also being discussed by Jesus’ enemies in the Gospel reading for today. The Sanhedrin, the church council, gathered to discuss “the problem of Jesus.”

“What are we to do?” They asked. “If we don’t do something it’s all going to end very badly. Everyone is going to believe in Jesus and the Romans will destroy us.” Their fears are based on unbelief and misunderstanding. They see Jesus as a threat to the nation and more specifically their political power. So from that day on they made plans to put him to death. In their minds, Jesus had to die for the sake of the peace, to protect them from the realities of Roman occupation. There unbelief leads them to their plot. Jesus gave them many signs of who he was. He healed, preached and even raised the dead. They don’t see it. They refuse to acknowledge that Jesus is from God. St. Paul describes their unbelief in his letter to the Corinthians:

None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Corinthians 2:8, ESV)

You might say that on the surface, Jesus had to die, because people plotted to kill him. But there is a deeper truth. It is spoken unknowingly by Caiaphas. He speaks better than he knows. He declares exactly why Jesus must die but he means it for his own purposes and his own benefit.

You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish. (49-50)

The Gospel writer John tells us that in spite of himself, Caiaphas speaks the truth for God. He unwittingly prophesies about Jesus. When Caiaphas speaks God is speaking, too, even though they are saying different things. Jesus indeed dies for the people. But it isn’t as the Chief Priest thinks, Jesus gives up his own life, I lay down my life for the sheep. (John 10:15b, ESV) Jesus is the man who gives His life for all people. He goes to the cross in their place. He suffers the punishment that sin deserves. And through His punishment and death all people have everything they need to avoid an eternity in hell.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, ESV)

Martin Luther says it like this:

Our sins must be either upon our own necks or upon Christ. If they remain upon us, we are lost forever, but if they be upon Christ, we are saved.

…and St. Peter like this:

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, (1 Peter 3:18, ESV)

“Why did Jesus have to die?” He died to guarantee that you and I could live with God forever. He was “railroaded” into death by jealous human beings to be the unfailing source of forgiveness of sins that all people need, you and me, the boy and his father, and even the ones who made the plans that led to his death.

Caiaphas said that Jesus should die for the nation. Once again he understates the truth. According to St. John there is still more to Jesus death. As he tells us, Jesus died to gather into one the children of God. Caiaphas knew Jesus had to die, but he refuses to believe that Jesus’ death is for him. Knowing about Jesus death isn’t enough. Satan himself believes that Jesus died. Faith in Jesus is believing that he died for you. Faith in Jesus is trusting his death on the cross to remove your sin. Faith in Jesus is holding on to the promises of eternal life that Jesus earned for you on that cross. That’s what it means to be a child of God, having that kind of faith in Jesus. It is through that faith we are made one family in Christ.

for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-28, ESV)

Why did Jesus have to die? He died to gather his people into his family the church. Picture the scene in your mind. Jesus, dead on the cross, a soldier pushes a spear into his side to assure that he is dead. Out pours blood and water. When we gather here to worship, we begin in the name of God. The very same name is spoken over us and connected to us through water. We just heard Paul tell us that in Baptism we put on Christ. Jesus’ death brings us together. No matter who we are or where we come from Jesus’ death for our sin is our common ground. We say as much when we gather around the Lord’s altar to eat and drink the bread and wine that is his body and his blood. When we eat and drink we say that no matter what has happened between us, Jesus’ death forgives it all.

Maybe we take it for granted Sunday after Sunday. It is tempting after all to look past his death it to something else that seems to be more important. “I know Jesus died for me now tell me something I can use in my everyday life.” But there is nothing more important that I can tell you. As Paul said to the Corinthians we preach Christ crucified… to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Cor 1:23,25, ESV)

Sin separates us from God; all sin is ultimately against him, a rejection of his ownership of us. But sin also affects our relationships with other people. You know how difficult it is to talk with people you’ve hurt. You’ve seen it on talk shows; the host brings together victims of violent crime and the ones who committed the crime. The pain is evident. The difficulty of the confrontation makes for dramatic television. The offenders seek forgiveness; the offended seek closure and restoration. But sin doesn’t have to be violent to cause separation, even the smallest sins causes disruption of our relationships. That’s the reality of every day of our lives. Our sins push people away. Their sins turn us away from them. The forgiveness we receive through faith in Jesus death ends our separation from God and one another. It makes us one in Jesus.

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. (Ephesians 4:1-7, ESV)

“Why is that man bleeding? What is he doing on that wood?” The boy asked his father. In the story the father has an answer for his son. Now you have an answer to. Amen.

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

Romans 6.23; Weekday Lenten Service Four; April 6, 2011;

2011-04-06T10:20:00.001-05:00

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. ” (Romans 6:23, ESV)

Death. The utter horror of it is beyond question. It amazes me at every funeral, someone says, “She looks so peaceful, so natural.” “No,” I think to myself (because it would be inappropriate to say what I’m thinking at that time) “it’s not natural.” Natural would be sitting up, laughing, breathing, talking, and eating. Dead is the most unnatural, unpeaceful, horrible thing for a person to be. It is the exact opposite of natural. There is no joy in death. Where there is death there is separation, loss, pain, and sorrow. We Christians should understand this better than any. We know what death is all about. It is the wages of sin. Your sin leads to your death. My sin leads to my death. Every funeral is a reminder that one day we will be the guest of honor. And it is no honor in it.

There’s a little dialogue in the movie Unforgiven:

The Schofield Kid: [after killing a man for the first time] It don't seem real... how he ain't gonna never breathe again, ever... how he's dead. And the other one too. All on account of pulling a trigger.
Will Munny: It's a hell of a thing, killing a man. Take away all he's got and all he's ever gonna have.
The Schofield Kid: Yeah, well, I guess they had it coming.
Will Munny: We all got it coming, kid.

That’s the horror of it, isn’t it? We all got it coming. It is no wonder that we’ve done our best to lighten the load. “The circle of life”, “death is as natural as sleeping”, “God just wanted that child to be with him”, “this funeral isn’t about a death, it’s a celebration of life”. I’m sorry, a funeral is a funeral. The main point of which is not to hide death in human sentimentality. We have a funeral to recognize the great cost of sin. The open coffin is the best advertisement there is. It is God’s law played out in a visual object lesson. You are a sinner and there is no stopping your death. The utter horror of it all is beyond question.

It’s clearly spelled out by God

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— ” (Romans 5:12, ESV)

Not to belabor the point, but if we really want to understand the horror of death we need to understand what it is, and what it is not. A human being is a body and soul. Physical and spiritual. A created physical body with a spiritual life, or soul that is created to have a relationship with God and other people. A body without a spirit is not a complete person, and neither is a disembodied spirit. Death does this very thing. It separates what God has joined together. Life is ripped out of the body. The body decays. The spirit is displaced from its body. But that is only the half. Following this ripping physical death is spiritual death. That is eternal separation from God; an eternity of God’s just anger; an eternity of aloneness; an eternity of no relationships to any but oneself; an eternity of the wages of sin. All of it as Eastwood says, “takes away” what is best about being a living human being; our relationships, our families, our possessions… everything.

It could, and should take joy away from everything. And yet, here we stand singing this hymn

Death, you cannot end my gladness:
I am baptized into Christ!
When I die, I leave all sadness
To inherit paradise!
Though I lie in dust and ashes
Faith’s assurance brightly flashes:
Baptism has the strength divine
To make life immortal mine. (Lutheran Service Book 594:4)

What is it could that could possibly end the horror of death? Saint Paul addresses death in his letter to the Christians at Corinth.

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. ” (1 Corinthians 15:55–57, ESV)

The “sting” of death is sin and here Saint Paul tells us Jesus gives us his victory over sin and death. When I die I leave all sadness. Let’s be clear. This world is full of trouble and death but it is also full of joy and life. Because of Holy Baptism, the hymn says, what we leave when we die is sin. American Author Elbert Hubbard (died on the RMS Lusitania, 1915) defines ‘die’ as a verb: To stop sinning suddenly[i]. Baptism is our comfort because there can be no comfort in death without Jesus Christ. When I die I leave all sadness To inherit paradise! The horror of sin and death is separation that is what would kill gladness. Jesus Christ your savior has ended the horror of death, the sting of death, in his death. The utter horror of the cross is unquestioned. And yet, Jesus died there by his own choosing. He is separated from all on the cross.

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?” ” (Matthew 27:46, ESV)

Here Jesus dies. Here is the separation of human body and life. Here is the separation from God. Here is sin’s punishment paid out. Here is the unnatural, unpeaceful, horror of death. God’s anger over sin, your sin, my sin, laid on God’s Son, Jesus Christ. And paid in full. Paid in full because it is God who does it. Paid in full in all its horror. Paid in full… for you, for me, for all. Paid in full because perfectly pure, sinless Jesus carries your sin into his death.

All that Jesus does, in life and death he does for you. Your punishment for your sin is paid. You will not suffer eternal separation from God. Even though you will pass through physical death. You will not suffer eternal separation from any who die with faith. That is the joy of paradise. Life immortal is a human life immortal. A created physical body and life in permanent and perfect relationship with God and other people, forever. For those who know that Jesus lived, died and rose again for them the horror of death is set aside.

I am baptized into Christ! There is not doubt about it. Jesus’ cross is for me, for you. Jesus’ death is for me, for you. Faith’s assurance brightly flashes: Baptism isn’t some empty symbol of my faithfulness to God, or my promise to God. That would be empty of any power. Instead Holy Baptism is God’s work. His promises made personal. Martin Luther describes it like this:

Second - http://www.cph.org/t-topic-catechism-baptism.aspx
What benefits does Baptism give?
It works forgiveness of sins, rescues from death and the devil, and gives eternal salvation to all who believe this, as the words and promises of God declare.

Which are these words and promises of God?
Christ our Lord says in the last chapter of Mark: “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mark 16:16)

And Saint Paul says the same:

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. ” (Romans 6:1–10, ESV)

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

[i] Elbert Hubbard. (n.d.). BrainyQuote.com. Retrieved April 6, 2011, from BrainyQuote.com Web site: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/e/elberthubb104815.html

Ephesians 5:8-14; Third Sunday in Lent; April 3, 2011;

2011-04-04T16:04:00.000-05:00

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for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5:8-14, ESV)

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

“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, … I will turn the darkness into light before them” (Isa 42:16) Isaiah writes that in the Old Testament lesson for today. Those words remind us a lot of the reading from the book of John where Jesus heals the man who was born blind. Jesus does exactly what Isaiah said, he turns this man’s darkness into light. That blind man himself said as we will sing in our closing hymn today, “I was blind but now I see!” as the story continues he sees more and more. The more the Pharisees grill him about how he was healed the more his faith grows. In the end he gives a very powerful witness to Jesus. He worships Jesus, the one who took his blindness away. He moves from darkness into light.

The Pharisees go the other way. They see the light that Jesus brings but they choose to stay in the darkness. The fulfillment of the prophecy is there for them to see, the blind man who was healed, stands before them. It is sight and light brought to a man born blind, but they refuse to believe. For the man born blind, Jesus created a completely new world of light where there was only darkness before. How much different would his life be now?

That brings us to the answer to that question according to St. Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. The man that Jesus healed was blind, in darkness, and now he is in the light, he could see. The world that he only knew by his other senses was brought to new light. And not only that, but he could see the one that God had sent to be the Savior of the world. He saw the “Son of Man,” the light of the world.

You and I, we can see. We’re not blind. Only a few of you even know what it’s like to struggle with problems with your sight. Maybe you know person who is blind, but most of us do not. We have the best of medical care that corrects and protects most of the problems we have with our eyes. I have three pair of glasses! In lots of ways we see better now than any generation. When I was a senior in High School the teachers told me they thought I might need glasses. I didn’t believe them, but I went to the eye doctor anyway. It was one of those “in-the-mall” eye clinics. After the checkup the doctor brought me out to pick the frames for the new glasses he said I needed. As I sat there he must have seen the dubious look on my face. “You don’t think you need glasses do you.” “No!” I answered. “I can see just fine.” He pointed out the window of the shop to a tree. “What do you see?” he asked. “A tree,” I said in a sarcastic voice. Holding the lens that would be my glasses prescription in front of my eye he asked again. “Now what do you see?” “Leaves!” I said. Before that, I didn’t know that that when you looked at a tree you were supposed to see leaves. I was blind to it. I was brought into the light. I couldn’t wait for the glasses to be done.

We also have light… at least the electric sort. It’s not very often that the power goes out around here. The lights are very dependable. Once in a while, we have power outages from snow and ice. Whenever you mention the power being out you always here about the old days when the snow piled up the roof and power was out for weeks. All that is just in our memory, our lights rarely go out today. But even if we can see and we have light there is darkness to be found in our lives. It’s blindness that doctors have no cure for. It is darkness that you can’t fix with a flashlight. And it all lives in the chambers of our hearts.

We live with this darkness every day. We struggle with what we know is right and what we want for ourselves. It comes out in our selfish desires. It comes out in our anger. It comes out in our laziness. It comes out in our apathy. We know the darkness. We most often point it out when we see it in other people. But we know that what we see in others is only a reflection of our own troubles. What’s more, God’s light, His Holy and Perfect Word exposes us for what we really are. It shines the light on our sinful nature. When what’s in our hearts is in control of our lives there can be only darkness in our lives.

Saint Paul also knew well what he was talking about when he said; “You were once in darkness…” He lived it in his own life. Before Jesus changed his life he stood by and approvingly watched as people threw stones at Stephen until he was dead. Stephen died because he confessed Jesus. He was the first Christian martyr. Paul even held the killers coats while they worked. Paul’s world, before Jesus, was darkness. And even if we don’t care to admit it, we know what he’s talking about, too. We don’t like it when the light of truth shines on our dark hearts and reveals our sin. We would rather keep our secrets, secret. We want our private lies, our private desires, and our private darkness, to be only ours. But, God’s light shines on it and exposes it all and when it does we want to cower in the corner, and stay in the darkness.

But, Paul also says that we are Children of the Light. We are that because we have been made so by the Jesus. He said himself that he is the light of the world. He not only brings light into the world, like when he made the blind man see, but he is the light of the world. Jesus is life, and that life, is the light of men. St. John says at the beginning of the Gospel of John. So Saint Paul can talk about our darkness as a thing of the past. Just look how Paul says it You were once in darkness… he said, but now you are light in the Lord. God’s Word of Light shines on us and tells us of our need for a Savior. It shines on the darkness in our hearts and exposes it. God’s Word also tells us that Jesus Christ is the Savior we need. He won forgiveness for the sin that is in our hearts. God’s Word tells us again and again of God’s great love for us in Jesus. His love was so great that, on a darkened hillside outside of Jerusalem, the Light of the World endured the pain and suffering, the punishment and the condemnation, that our darkness deserved. All the darkness of the world was gathered into that one place, and placed on Jesus. He took the darkness of our sin to death, and left it in the grave. We know what happened after that, he rose again. He came alive. The darkness of death was defeated by the Light of the World. That’s the Light that shines into your darkness with God’s great love.

When you walk into a darkened room you simply flip a switch and soon light floods every corner. We do it every day without thinking. Light makes a difference in the room. The Light of Jesus makes a difference in your life. Jesus is your Light. Through the work of the Holy Spirit in Word and Water and Bread and Wine, he pushes the darkness away, and we see Jesus even more clearly. The Light that Jesus gives defeats the unholy, secret, dark things in our hearts. Like the blind man who saw the light of the world for the first time when Jesus fixed his eyes, our lives are also forever different.

Paul tells us again, Live as Children of the Light. The fruit of a life as a Child of Light is evident goodness, righteousness, and truth. And that describes you and me, too. Even though there still times when the darkness comes out, because of Jesus we always have the moments of light. Visits to the hospital miles away from home, a caring touch for a hurting relative, and an understanding smile. Speaking the truth in love when it is needed. Faithful, often unnoticed, work for the church, or your family. Money that sends missionaries to the farthest, darkest corners of the earth. The Light of God shines in and through us, as the love of God reaches out from us, to the dark world that is all around us.

And there are times when we point to the darkness of the world around us, and shine the Light of Truth there, too. It isn’t that there isn’t darkness in us, but that God’s light is needed out there. “…light that makes everything visible.” There are times to speak up about sin in the world: to defend the lives of the helpless; to point out what God says is evil. So there are times when we must speak out against public sin. It’s not that we want to condemn but that we want to bring to light what God had done about the whole world’s sin. We want there to be repentance to life. We what God’s light for other people, too. Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. “God has sent Jesus Christ to remove the darkness from your life.” We say to those whose lives are controlled by the darkness. “Turn to him and live in the light.”

Jesus sent the blind man to a pool of water to wash the mud off his eyes. When he did his new life in the light began. Our new lives, our new life in the light begins with our washing too. Every day we as we wake, when the light of day wakes us from sleep and we hop into the shower or wash our face, we remember the new life, the light that Jesus brings to our lives in Baptism. We remember that we were blind but now we see. We remember that Jesus washed the darkness in our hearts away. We are no longer blind but are in the light. We also remember that every day we wake and rise only because the Light of Jesus Christ has shines on us. The Light of the World shines through us to make us a light to the world. Darkness no longer controls us, but light, the light of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

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

1 Peter 5:6-11; Weekday Lenten Service Four; March 30, 2011;

2011-03-30T11:17:00.001-05:00

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

Satan, hear this proclamation:
I am baptized into Christ!
Drop your ugly accusation,
I am not so soon enticed.
Now that to the font I’ve traveled,
All your might has come unraveled,
And, against your tyranny,
God, my Lord, unites with me! (LSB 594:3)

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. ” (1 Peter 5:6–11, ESV)

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

Not so long ago I was visiting the zoo. I remember standing behind a large sheet of glass staring at a huge lion staring back at me. I couldn’t help but think the lion had in his mind something different than what I was thinking. In fact, I think he may have been drooling. We humans don’t think of ourselves as food. But there are many animals that would see us as an easy meal. Last year sometime there was a popular video on YouTube about a Japanese man who foolishly got out of his car at one of those drive thru zoos. He wanted a closer photo. The lions wanted a meal. His family watched helplessly from the car as the man was devoured.

This is the picture of Satan that St. Peter paints for us in the reading for this evening: Satan as a powerful, dangerous, hungry, prowling lion looking for something easy to eat. The man at the zoo would have been safe had he stayed in his car. I was safe as long as the glass was strong enough. But lions are dangerous. They will kill and eat should the opportunity arise. And that is Satan. He is looking to kill. That’s all that’s left of his nature. This is what Jesus says about him:

“…[the devil] was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. ” (John 8:44b, ESV)

Satan is a powerful, dangerous, hungry, prowling enemy. Be sure that he is your enemy. His only desire is your death. And we’re not talking about only your physical death here. We Christians have nothing to fear in that. He wants your eternal death. He would have nothing more than to drag you to hell. That’s what Jesus is saying. Satan is a powerful, dangerous, hungry, prowling enemy, bent on your eternal separation from God. He will do whatever he can to accomplish that. Luther carried this picture in his mind. In comments on Holy Baptism he wrote:

…it is no joke to take sides against the devil and not only to drive him away from the little child, but to burden the child with such a mighty and lifelong enemy.^{^[1]}

Saint Peter says the same thing. Satan is not to be trifled with. You are powerless to defeat him. Be sober-minded; be watchful. “Don’t get out of the car!” “Stay behind the glass!”

Satan is the accuser. That’s actually what his name means, that’s what he does. He takes the opportunity to plant doubt in your mind. When things don’t go well for you, when you are suffering, when you are lonely, when you are stressed by the trouble of the world, Satan is prowling around waiting for his chance to accuse. “God must be angry with you! Where is He in all of this? How can you love a God who would let you go through this? You don’t deserve this kind of treatment. You’ve been faithful to God. Why isn’t he faithful to you?” He knows what to say. He knows what your weakness is. He’s got the wisdom of thousands of thousands of years on his side. When the cares of the world go haywire you can’t help but listen. And you listen and fall into doubt and sin again. And Satan growls and digs his teeth in deeper. “I’ve got you now, you worthless Christian. You can’t even trust God for your simple little troubles. If you can’t trust him you are lost. If you can’t trust him you are mine!”

Satan, hear this proclamation:
I am baptized into Christ!
Drop your ugly accusation,
I am not so soon enticed.
Now that to the font I’ve traveled,
All your might has come unraveled,
And, against your tyranny,
God, my Lord, unites with me! (LSB 594:3)

Listen to Luther on Baptism again.

For the ship of Baptism never breaks, because (as we have said) it is God’s ordinance and not our work [1 Peter 3:20–22]. But it does happen, indeed, that we slip and fall out of the ship. Yet if anyone falls out, let him see to it that he swims up and clings to the ship until he comes into it again and lives in it, as he had done before.

⁸³ In this way one sees what a great, excellent thing Baptism is. It delivers us from the devil’s jaws and makes us God’s own. It suppresses and takes away sin and then daily strengthens the new man. It is working and always continues working until we pass from this estate of misery to eternal glory.^{^[2]}

The image is this. You are stuck in Satan’s hungry jaws, his prey and prize. But God rescues you in Holy Baptism. Through word and water, through his powerful promises made sure for you in the forgiveness of your sins won by Jesus on the cross, he slaps Satan across the muzzle and makes him release you. “You can’t have this one.” He says. This one is mine. Saint Peter says it here:

Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 3:21,ESV)

Your sin is forgiven. The troubles you have in life have nothing to do with your eternal destiny. Through faith in Jesus Christ, through the promises of Holy Baptism, you are forgiven. Your sin does not enter into your relationship with God. The punishment for all your sin has already been paid. Jesus, your Savior, died for you and your sin on the cross. He suffered God’s judgment and your punishment there. Listen to the Saints of old:

He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up. ” (Isaiah 50:8–9, ESV)

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. ” (2 Corinthians 4:8–10, ESV)

Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 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 8:33–39, ESV)

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6, ESV)

The promise is this. Satan, the accuser, is a powerful, dangerous, hungry, prowling enemy. But he has no power over you that you don’t give him. He is defeated. He is hell bound. His only power is hell. He tries to convince you that hell is yours. But it isn’t. “I am baptized into Christ.” Heaven is promised to you. God’s promises to you don’t depend on you overcoming your weakness, your temptation or your sin. Jesus Christ has done that for you. His life, death and resurrection are yours through faith in God’s water soaked promises to you. That means your suffering and trouble here on earth are not for you to overcome or defeat. They are yours to give to Jesus. They are yours to see his suffering on the cross for you. And… they are yours to see that you are not alone in your troubles. Your suffering helps you to see suffering in others and point them to Jesus. Amen.

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

^{^[1]} Luther, M. (1999). Vol. 53: Luther's works, vol. 53 : Liturgy and Hymns (J. J. Pelikan, H. C. Oswald & H. T. Lehmann, Ed.). Luther's Works (102). Philadelphia: Fortress Press.

^{^[2]} Concordia : The Lutheran Confessions. 2005 (Edited by Paul Timothy McCain) (431). St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.

Psalm 51; Weekday Lenten Service Two; March 23, 2011;

2011-03-24T07:24:00.001-05:00

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Psalm 51; Weekday Lenten Service Two; March 23, 2011;

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar. ” (Psalm 51, ESV)

God’s Own Child I Gladly Say It LSB 594 v. 2 2 Sin, disturb my soul no longer:
I am baptized into Christ!
I have comfort even stronger:
Jesus’ cleansing sacrifice.
Should a guilty conscience seize me
Since my Baptism did release me
In a dear forgiving flood,
Sprinkling me with Jesus’ blood?

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

You know how if feels. You toss and turn and worry. It’s a restless night. “Why did I say that? Why did I do that? I didn’t mean it. I could see how it hurt. I didn’t need what I got. I just couldn’t help it. I wish I could have that hour over again. I hope no one finds out that that was a lie. If I wouldn’t have been so insistent on my own way. How am I going to keep from loosing my friend when she finds out? If I could just clear my mind, I could get some sleep.” You know what a conscience is. You’ve had it plague you long into the night or wake you up from a dead sleep only to taunt you. Even years later you are tortured as the simplest thing brings up the memory. Worst of all your guilt, are the things you can’t change because the people you have hurt are dead. And so the plague of guilt steals your sleep, occupies your mind when there are other things that should be concerning you.

Guilt is repulsive. You’d do anything to avoid guilt and a guilty conscience. You talk yourself out of it. You avoid the people you’ve hurt. You’d rather end your friendship than face up to your issues. Amazingly, guilt drives you away from God’s house. I wonder how many of those folks that used to sit in our pews are not here anymore because of guilt. There are even stronger reactions. Denial of sin and guilt lead to outright denial of God. A god who considers that a sin is no god I want to worship.

And this gets to the real heart of the issue. What David knew, and confesses so clearly in this psalm is what all people instinctively know. All sin is really against God, and we are accountable to him. It is guilt that drives people to deny God. But as the scriptures say

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. ” (Psalm 14:1, ESV)

David says it. “Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight.” It’s pretty amazing considering some of his sins. Uriah, the husband of his lover, lay dead on the battle field to cover up his little tryst. He made his most trusted general a part of it by giving orders for Uriah to be left alone on the battle field in danger. David had the affair because he was neglecting his soldiers. They were on campaign he was home pacing on his roof and peeping at Bathsheba while she bathed. And yet, David says his sin, all of it, is really against God and only. He uses the word bloodguiltiness. It’s repulsive, dirty, filthy, guilty, sin. It is against God because it separates us from him. It blocks him out of our lives. It destroys our relationship. Sin turns God from friend to angry enemy.

It no wonder when you struggle with your sin and guilt, when it disturbs your soul you want to find relief. Where do you turn? David shows us.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

He turns to the injured party and asks for forgiveness. He turns to the only one who can forgive. He turns to the only one who promises to forgive. God forgives completely. But you shouldn’t think he just forgives out of some forgetfulness. Sin and guilt are repulsive to us but even more so to a perfect, holy, and just God. There is no way to forgive sin and guilt without the shedding of blood. Anything else would not be justice. It’s clear that this is true. We shout in disgust when the guilty go free on a technicality. But when our own case is before the judge we look for the same possibility. The fear of punishment is what gives guilt its force, its ability to taunt and trouble us. If God is the perfectly just judge, how do you know that when you turn to him, as David did, that you are not running straight to punishment? How do you know you are not running directly to the angry judge?

That’s what the hymn says so nicely.

Sin, disturb my soul no longer:
I am baptized into Christ!
I have comfort even stronger:
Jesus’ cleansing sacrifice.
Should a guilty conscience seize me
Since my Baptism did release me
In a dear forgiving flood,
Sprinkling me with Jesus’ blood? (LSB 594:2)

It isn’t just spouting wishful thinking, either. It’s paraphrased these words from Saint Peter:

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him. ” (1 Peter 3:18–22, ESV)

What it says is the flood of Holy Baptism washes your sin onto Jesus. He suffers and dies, the righteous (that’s him) for the unrighteous (that’s you!). Baptism, this “life-giving water, rich in grace, and a washing of the new birth in the Holy Spirit”, now saves you. It saves you from God’s anger and punishment over your sin. Your sin washed onto Jesus is carried by him onto the cross where he is punished in your place. Your sin paid for in full by the perfect sacrifice for sin. This is how Baptism saves you. It’s not the water, it’s the word, it’s the work of God in and with the water. It’s the promise of sins forgiven because of Jesus. It is the release of your punishment because Jesus was punished for you. All this given to you through God’s promise, his name, washed over you with water, that dear forgiving flood, sprinkling me with Jesus blood.

There is nothing in the world more sure for you than God’s promise to you in Holy Baptism. Your wet head proves it. You were washed. You were cleansed. Your sin was washed away in that forgiving flood. Jesus life, death and his resurrection are yours. Amen.

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

John 3.1-17; Second Sunday in Lent; March 20, 2011;

2011-03-20T15:00:00.000-05:00

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Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ” (John 3:1–17, ESV)

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

Everyone wants to make sense out of life. As we live and work and play we want there to be meaning. The problem is it isn’t always clear; meaning isn’t all that easy to find. It’s difficult to find meaning in watching people swept away with their houses by a giant wave. It’s difficult to find meaning in a struggle against nuclear power gone haywire. There just isn’t an easy answer. No one can say they know exactly how the death of those thousands of people fits into the over all plan for life on earth.

Gas prices continue to climb as revolution erupts in the Middle East and Africa. Are the rebels good guys seeking democracy or are they bad guys looking for an in for Sharia Law? Why can’t world leaders take a stand while hundreds die? What does all this unrest in that eternally unstable part of the world mean for us? It’s difficult not to be frightened and confused when with all this going on all over the world. What is it all about? No one can really answer the question. But many people try.

With all these questions about why floating around, this entire struggle, it’s easy to feel lost and in the dark. If only I could find the key to understanding these problems… If I watch just one more hour news coverage, I’ll understand what it’s all about. Just one more expose about mad dictator … Just one more interview with Japanese woman who saw her whole life swept away in angry muddy water… then I’d be able to make sense out of it all. And everything would fall into place. But it never happens. It’s like wandering around in the dark hoping to find the path. It is very danger dangerous to bump around in the dark. We so easily stumble into dangerous places. But we can’t see where we are going; the way is hidden from us. The key to understand the whole thing is hidden from us in the darkness.

There was another man who felt this way. He was trying to understand the struggles that were going on around him. Something unexpected was happening and he was in the dark, groping for answers. Nicodemus wanted to know who Jesus really was. He was looking for the key to understanding Him. We hear about him in the verses immediately preceding the Gospel for today, in fact Chapter 3 is all about a discussion between Jesus and Nicodemus.

Nicodemus came to Jesus, at night, in the dark, to talk, to understand, to shine light on the darkness in his mind. “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who comes from God, no one does the things you have done without having God with him.” What he was asking, what he dare not really say was, “Jesus, who are you really? What makes you tick? What makes you do things like driving all the sacrifices out of the temple? What makes you say things like ‘destroy this temple and I’ll rebuild it in three days’? I’m in the dark and I want to know what all of this means.”

But, Jesus gives and interesting answer. He tells Nicodemus that it is not that he lacks the key to understanding. “If you are not born again you can’t understand the things of God.” It’s not a matter of knowledge; it’s not figuring out the puzzle, it’s not finding the light switch. What is born of the flesh is flesh.” The flesh only gives birth to evil things. Human beings are sinful. You feel like you are lost because you are lost. You feel in the dark and dead because you are dead.”

That’s were we find ourselves, too. The bible tells us that we are evil. It’s not just criminals and the mad dictators. There’s more than enough evil and sin in even our hearts. We can try all we want to shield ourselves from the light God’s law and hide our evil from Him, but it penetrates us and shows our most secret sins… the lust, the greed, the self-service… It sends us cowering back into the cover of darkness.

We don’t need just some secret knowledge to help us. It isn’t knowing some key to life that brings light to our darkness. The key is looking to the one who is the Light. All the knowledge in the world won’t help us make sense out of the darkness, and trouble in our nature and war torn world. If we are missing the foundation, the One and True Light, we will stumble around in the darkness all our lives.

Light has come into the world.

That’s what Jesus told Nicodemus. “Light has come into the world.” He said. That’s the Good News. We blindly search for meaning, and God has provided what we need to survive, to avoid the dangers in the darkness. We don’t have to crawl up a high mountain to get knowledge from some guru, to find the secret to life. Jesus was lifted up for us to plainly see.

Just like Moses lifted up the snake for the Israelites to be saved from their snake venom. Jesus saves us from the darkness in our hearts. He is lifted up on the cross for our sins. He dies our death there, he dies because of sin, the evil in us goes into the darkness of death with him, and when he comes to life again darkness is changed into light.

Our attempts to make sense of life find completion in Jesus Christ. He is the light of the world, the way the truth and the life. We have seen Jesus lifted up, we have seen God’s answer to all the questions of sin, death and destruction in life. God gave us this light not by taking us out of it but by coming into the darkness himself. He came, in Jesus, and was enveloped in the darkness of our death. He was oppressed by the darkness of our evil, and lived among the darkness of our ignorance.

We look to Jesus Christ, lifted up and crucified. He shines the light of forgiveness from the cross into your dark heart and makes it light again. He dies for you, goes into death’s darkness where you should go, but don’t have go to anymore. When the light of day, shined into the dark tomb on Easter morning, Jesus ended the reign of death in your life. The brightness of Easter, the Light of the promise of life is yours, through Baptism, in the name of Jesus.

We don’t live in the darkness anymore. The light of Jesus, lifted up, still shines on us to bring light to our darkness. Even though darkness is all around us, even though we struggle to understand what’s going on in the world. What does it mean that there is war in Iraq? Why do people want to kill us? All of that darkness threatens us every day, but we live as “children of the light.” We know the answer for a world that is still groping around in darkness, looking for meaning. We have seen the Way. We have seen the Light. It is Jesus Christ. Amen.

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

Joel 2:12-13; March 9, 2011; Ash Wednesday;

2011-03-14T13:08:00.000-05:00

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

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 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. (Joel 2:12-13, ESV)

Dear Christian friends;

Everything good, every positive thing the church has ever done begins with repentance. That’s what the prophet Joel is urging for us tonight. Return, repent, revive… God is gracious and merciful. He restores and rebuilds. Repentance is the first step to anywhere for the church. That’s because repentance first requires an accurate assessment of where we are, who we are and what we are. That’s what Ash Wednesday beings. That’s what the season of Lent is about; repentant joy in a Savior from sin and a realistic soul searching for the reason for this season.

It all begins here at Ash Wednesday. So far we’ve carefully examined our lives using God’s law the Ten Commandments. When we are honest with ourselves and not doing what comes natural to our sinful nature (like blaming others for our failings, making excuses, or exceptions for ourselves) we find we are far lacking of what the Commandments, and God requires. When you listen to each commandment as it piles on top of the previous one it destroys our self delusions and crushes all hope of living up to the demands. And then with all your sin hanging out the death blow comes “Remember, oh man, that dust you are and to dust you shall return!” Death is coming for you. It is the wages of sin. And death means judgment and God is a severe judge. Keeping the commandments is a pipe dream. If we don’t fall into the thousand generations because we don’t keep the commandments, we surly fall into the third and fourth generation facing punishment. And right there on your face is the sooty smudge to prove it.

All of this is the first part of confession that we read in Luther’s Catechism. It’s the “we confess our sins” part. It doesn’t only mean to add up the cost of our particular sins. It means also to “plead guilty of all sins, even those we are not aware of.” That is, to say about ourselves what God says about us. We are sinners who sin. We sin in thought word, and deed by what we have done and left undone. We do not deserve anything God would give to us, let alone forgiveness.

And here we stand, before God, with nothing to offer but our sin, pleading for mercy,

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. (Psalm 51, ESV)

And then, there is the second part of confession. It is the pronouncement of what we don’t deserve. We call it absolution. It is a wet word. Do you hear “solution” in it? It is the drowning of our sinful nature again in Holy Baptism. Martin Luther says that Baptism

…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.

It isn’t some kind of magic, but a connection to God’s grace and mercy. It is God abounding in steadfast love. It is the gift of Jesus on the cross.

When we go to God with our sins in hand he doesn’t forgive because we repent. He doesn’t forgive because we are sorry for our sin and don’t want to sin again. He forgives because of Jesus. That’s what Holy Baptism is a connection to Jesus. Without Jesus even repentant sinners would have nothing but God’s anger.

Jesus is God’s answer to his anger. Get out the Self Examination Sheet again. Look over the questions again, especially the one where you see your own failure. Mark them with a little cross. Because where you failed Jesus did not. The questions that are your downfall are Jesus’ victory. In fact, that’s exactly what righteousness means, “keeping God’s commandments perfectly.” On every single question (and more) Jesus answers correctly. He keeps the commandments to their fullest and deepest meaning. And Jesus doesn’t just do it right, he is perfectly righteous in every thought, word and deed. It is so utterly true that God the Father says of Jesus, “This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased!” And to prove to you that this is true for Jesus, after Jesus was … crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell. The third day He rose again from the dead (Apostles’ Creed). No history is more important that the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He conquers sin by conquering death. The wages of Jesus death is life. This is why God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. On the cross innocent Jesus is put to death as the greatest sinner of all time. Every commandment is piled on him. One after another the wages of the broken commandments are heaped on Jesus. Sinless Jesus carries our sin through the cross into death. His righteousness is enough to cover it all. The punishment for sin is done to death in Jesus Christ.

And now, dear Christian, the connection: It is for you. Jesus life. Jesus death. Jesus resurrection. For you, all of it. Trust God to be gracious and merciful to you because Jesus did all this for you. God relents from disaster because Jesus was the disaster for you. Cling in faith to Jesus. Rejoice in Jesus as your forgiveness in the face of your confession. Jesus is the absolution. And it is right here at the font. The old Adam drowned. The new man rising. Jesus death and resurrection. Your death and resurrection. Your confession of sins. God’s gracious and merciful forgiveness. That’s Holy Baptism for you.

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. ” (Romans 6:3–7, ESV)

In this Baptism God claims you as his own child. The hymn says it: “God’s own child, I gladly says it, I am baptized into Christ!” This is what it means. This is repentance. Sin and forgiveness coming together for me in Jesus Christ. Poured over me with water and God’s Word. Confession and absolution are that Baptism re-visited, remembered, repeated every day. The drowning of our sin again and again and the raising of a new child of God. Amen.

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

From the Synod President–Japan Earthquake Relief

2011-03-11T16:05:00.001-06:00

Dear brothers in Christ,
As you are well aware, a deadly tsunami struck the coast of Japan in the early hours this morning. Hundreds of people have lost their lives and many more are missing. As the morning progressed, the lethal waves moved across the Pacific Ocean striking other land masses in their path. While the full effect of the tsunami is not yet known, the losses are expected to be great.
We have been in touch with our missionaries and partner church leaders in the affected parts of the world. At this time, we have been assured that our missionaries in Japan and the presidents of the two Japanese Lutheran churches are safe. We will continue to closely monitor the aftermath of the storm, and our disaster response team is preparing to respond.

We encourage you to visit the LCMS website, http://www.lcms.org, often for periodic news updates. Also, we will be posting links to worship resources later today that may be suitable for use this Sunday or at another appropriate time.
In closing, please join me in prayer for the victims of the tsunami and their families. I would suggest the Litany. And let us also during this Lenten season make use of the historic discipline of caring for the needy (Matt. 6:2-4).

God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea. Psalm 46: 1-2
In His peace,
Rev. Matthew C. Harrison, President
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod