Matthew 21:23-32; The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost; September 27, 2026

Matthew 21:23-32
The Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 27, 2026
Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, Minnesota

And when [Jesus] entered the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching, and said, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority?” Jesus answered them, “I also will ask you one question, and if you tell me the answer, then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, from where did it come? From heaven or from man?” And they discussed it among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ we are afraid of the crowd, for they all hold that John was a prophet.” So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And he said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.”

Matthew 21:23–32, ESV

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

Authority. Who has it? Where does it come from? That’s what the Chief Priests and Elders wanted to know.

Who gave you the right?

Only days before Jesus had entered Jerusalem as King. The people spread palm branches in front of him. He rode on a donkey, fulfilling the scriptures. He drove the buyers and sellers out of the temple.

It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.

Matthew 21:13, ESV

It wasn’t a pretty sight. Jesus turning over tables. Then calmly he returns to teach.

By what authority are you doing these things? They ask.

Seems like a reasonable question.

But they aren’t asking in honesty seeking the truth. They don’t want to know about Jesus. They are challenging his right to interfere with their authority, their worship, their place in their communities. Their whole lives.

You and I might ask the same question of God’s Word. There are things that we want to protect.

• Who gives it authority to command forgiveness when I have been wronged?
• Who gives it authority to call my sexual desires sinful?
• Who gives it authority to forgive people whom I do not think deserve forgiveness?

We ask these questions; we don’t always reject Christ and his Word openly. Sometimes we hide it in questions and excuses.

Chief Priests and Elders wanted to know. They calculate instead of confessing. They ask the question,

Who gives you the authority…

Jesus is patient. He asks a defining question.

Did John’s baptism come from heaven or from man?

They don’t consider if either answer is true. What they do is calculate what each answer will cost them. If they say, “from heaven,” Jesus will ask why they did not believe John. If they say, “from man,” they fear the crowd. “We do not know” is not uncertainty. It is calculated evasion.

We manage our issues the same way. We wonder what we can safely admit. We avoid the question of what God has said. We are worried about appearances in the eyes of other people. We want to avoid embarrassment. We fear that more than unbelief. We defend instead of confess.

But repentance is the end of managing appearances before God.

When we listen to Jesus’ parable about the two sons, we try to push ourselves into who did better. The first son openly refused his father but later changed his mind. The second respectfully says he will go but never does. One son rebels against his father with his mouth. The other rebels beneath obedient words. Both sons reveal things about us.

That’s us. Sometimes we simply say no to God. Other times we have the right words, religious words about trusting or obeying. Church membership, theological vocabulary, offices, and years of service cannot substitute for faith.

Jesus didn’t praise the tax collectors and prostitutes for their sin. They entered because they believed John’s word. They repented. Respectable unbelief remains unbelief.

So, who actually did the father’s will? The first. He initially refused but repented and went anyway. Jesus’ parable shows us our sin. We sometimes openly refuse then do what God asks anyway. At the same time, we sometimes say the right thing but don’t follow through. Neither of those responses is perfect obedience to God’s will. Neither son obeyed perfectly.

But there is One Son who does the Father’s will perfectly.

He is standing there in the temple confronting sin and preaching the truth. It is Jesus.

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 emptied himself, by 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. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Philippians 2:5–11, ESV

Jesus possesses God’s authority, but he doesn’t use it as we would. He doesn’t use it to protect himself. He comes with authority in the form of a servant. To serve you and me. He humbles himself. He obeys God’s will even though it meant his brutal death on the cross.

You and I have said no and disobeyed. We have said yes and failed to go. Jesus says yes to His Father and went all the way to the cross. We are openly rebellious and outwardly respectable. We deserve the judgment of God’s Word. But Jesus received the judgment instead of us. He hangs on the cross in our place. He fulfills God’s Word perfectly, completing the Father’s saving will for us.

The real question isn’t just “Who gave Jesus this authority?” It is also, “What did Jesus do with it?” Receive Jesus’ righteousness. He went to the cross for you. It is yours through faith.

That same authority does even more. In Baptism, the Lord places His name upon sinners. In Absolution, Christ authoritatively forgives what we can no longer excuse. In Scripture, He calls us out of evasions and into faith. In the Supper, the exalted Lord still stoops down to give His body and blood for forgiveness.

Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him.”

Jesus is mercy. His warnings come with a summons. Believe! Stop protecting the appearance of righteousness. Stop defending your refusal to do what he commands. Believe the Word of God. Receive Jesus’ righteousness that sent him to the cross for you. It is yours through faith.

“Who gave Jesus the right?”

His Father did. He is the eternal Son and risen Lord.

But see what He does with that right: He places Himself beneath sinners, bears their judgment, and opens His kingdom to them.

Jesus has the authority to expose your sin.

And Jesus has the authority to forgive it.

Amen.

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

Matthew 20:1–16; Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost; September 20, 2026

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too.' And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.' And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.' But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?' So the last will be first, and the first last." (Matthew 20:1-16)

Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Jesus tells the story. A man owns a vineyard. Early in the morning, before the sun grows hot, he goes to the marketplace looking for workers. Men are standing there waiting. They need work. He agrees to pay them the usual wage for a full day, and they go into his vineyard. At nine in the morning, the owner goes out again. More men are standing in the marketplace. He tells them, "You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you." They trust him, and they go.

At noon, he goes out again. At three in the afternoon, again. Then, at five o'clock, with only one hour left in the working day, the owner goes to the marketplace one more time. He finds still more men standing there. "Why do you stand here idle all day?" he asks. "Because no one has hired us." They weren't hiding from work. They weren't sleeping late. No one had chosen them. Maybe they weren't as strong as the others. Maybe they were too old. Maybe they were too young. Maybe every time an employer came through, someone else looked like a better choice.

But the owner chooses them. "You go into the vineyard too." They go. They barely get their hands dirty before the day is over. Then the owner does something strange. He tells his foreman to call the workers and pay them, beginning with the last ones hired. The men who worked only one hour step forward. They haven't done enough to feed their families for the day. They know it. But the foreman puts a whole denarius into each man's hand - a full day's wage.

Imagine their faces. They came expecting almost nothing. They receive everything they need. The workers who started at sunrise see it happen. They begin calculating. If the owner gave a full day's pay to those men, surely we will receive more. We worked twelve hours. We carried the load through the hottest part of the day. Surely generosity toward them means a bonus for us.

But each one receives a denarius. Exactly what the owner promised. And they grumble.

You Have Made Them Equal to Us

"These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us." There it is. "You have made them equal to us." The owner hasn't cheated them. They received the full wage they agreed upon. Their complaint isn't really about what they received. Their complaint is about what the others received. They don't want merely to have enough. They want to have more.

They don't want the owner's generosity if he is going to be just as generous to someone else. They want their long day in the vineyard to make them better than the workers who came at the end. We understand them. We know how to count our hours in the vineyard. At Life in Christ, with only thirty-three members, the work is personal and visible. There isn't a large crowd to carry it. We remember the years we have belonged here, the offices we have held, the meetings we have attended, the money we have given, the repairs we have made, and the Sundays we continued to gather when only a handful of worshipers were here.

But the distinction between the first workers and the last workers does not fit neatly into longtime members and newer members. Some of our newer members have stepped eagerly into the work. They have taken responsibility, offered their time, and become some of the most active people in this congregation. They may have arrived later, but they have not stood idle.

That does not mean we are free from the workers' sin. We still know how to notice what we have contributed. We remember what required our time, our money, our patience, and our sacrifice. We may not say it aloud, but the heart quietly turns those good works into reasons that our judgment should matter more or that our service should be recognized. Then God's gifts become entries on our timecards. The new building becomes something we accomplished. New members become evidence that our plans were right. Faithful service becomes a claim upon the congregation - or even upon God.

Their pastor is not outside this temptation. I can count sermons preached, visits made, years served, and burdens carried. I can look at the good things God has done here - the new building, the new members, and the faithful service of so many - and quietly take credit for what belongs to Him. Then even God's generosity becomes another entry on my timecard, another reason to think my work deserves recognition. But I did not create these blessings. The Lord of the vineyard did. I stand beside every member of this congregation as another sinner whom He called and to whom He gives the same undeserved Christ.

And beneath all those calculations is the same complaint: "You have made them equal to us." But these good things do not belong on our timecards. God sustained this congregation when only a handful gathered for worship. God brought new members. God provided the new building. God gave His people the willingness and ability to serve. These are not wages proving that one worker is worth more than another. They are gifts from the generous Lord of the vineyard.

God Is Not in Our Debt

But God is not in our debt. Not after twelve hours. Not after fifty years. Not after a lifetime. If God pays us what our works deserve, the wages of sin is death. Even our best work is stained by pride. We help, but we want to be noticed. We give, but we keep score. We serve, but we resent those who do less. We confess salvation by grace, and then we look for some little reason why we should stand ahead of our neighbor.

The owner says, "Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?" Literally, "Is your eye evil because I am good?" The problem is not that the owner lacks fairness. The problem is that the workers resent goodness.

And this is what Isaiah tells us today: God's thoughts are not our thoughts, and His ways are not our ways. We often use those words when we don't understand why something happened. But listen to the words around them. The wicked man returns to the Lord, and the Lord has compassion. The sinner returns to our God, and He abundantly pardons. That is the higher thought of God.

Abundant pardon. We calculate what people deserve. God gives mercy to those who don't deserve it. We rank the first and the last. God gives them the same Savior. We count our hours. God looks to the work of Christ. Jesus is the One who bore the burden of the whole day. He entered this world not at the cool end of the afternoon but under the full burden of God's Law. He did every work His Father gave Him to do. He loved God with all His heart. He loved His neighbor without keeping score. He welcomed sinners who had wasted their lives. He received the thief who had only hours left to live.

Jesus did not grumble because mercy came to the latecomer. He came to give mercy to the latecomer. Then Jesus received the wage that belongs to us. "The wages of sin is death." He had no sin, yet He carried ours. He bore the heat of God's judgment on the cross. He was treated as the faithless servant, the grumbler, the proud worker, the sinner who resents grace. He received our wage - suffering, condemnation, and death.

And He gives you what belongs to Him. His righteousness. His place as the beloved Son. His resurrection. His eternal life. Jesus took the wage you earned and gives you the life He earned. That is grace.

God Does Not Prorate Christ

And God does not prorate Christ. The child baptized this morning does not receive a fraction of Jesus. The adult brought to faith after decades away does not receive a lesser Jesus. The Christian who has struggled and stumbled all his life does not receive the leftovers after stronger Christians have been paid. There is one Lord, one faith, one Baptism. There is one body and blood of Christ, given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.

There is one absolution: "I forgive you all your sins." The first and the last receive the same Christ because there is only one Christ to give, and He gives Himself whole. So where does that leave the work? It leaves the work exactly where God intended it: serving your neighbor. You do not serve to make God generous. He is already generous. You do not work to move yourself ahead of another sinner. Christ has made you both His own.

You work because there are people in the vineyard who need you. There is a congregation to care for during a time of change. There are children who need to learn the faith. There are grieving people who need comfort. There are lonely people who need a visit. There is a building to finish and a church to maintain. There are neighbors who need food, patience, truth, and the good news of Jesus.

The Work Matters Because the Neighbor Matters

The work matters because the neighbor matters. But the wage - forgiveness, life, and salvation - is God's gift in Christ. Perhaps you came into the vineyard early. Thanks be to God. He has sustained you through the long day. Perhaps you came at noon. Thanks be to God. He called you when He did. Perhaps you feel as though you have arrived at the eleventh hour, with little to show and no time to make up what was lost.

The owner still goes out. He still calls sinners. He still says, "You go into the vineyard too." And when evening comes, His generosity will not fail. The Lord has not cheated the first. He has been good to the last. He gives the same promise, the same forgiveness, the same resurrection, and the same eternal life in Jesus Christ. God is good. And His goodness is for you. Amen.

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

Matthew 18:21–35; Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost; September 13, 2026

The Debt You Cannot Pay

Matthew 18:21–35
Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
September 13, 2026
Life in Christ Lutheran Church
Grand Marais, Minnesota

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-seven times. “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. Amen.

Peter wants a number. “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”

Seven sounds generous. Forgiving someone once can be difficult enough. Twice is harder. By the seventh time, we think we have done more than anyone could reasonably expect. Surely there must be a limit. Surely there comes a point when we can say, “That’s enough. I don’t owe you forgiveness anymore.”

Peter wants a number because numbers make forgiveness manageable. Keep track of the offenses. Count the apologies. Record how many chances have been given. Then, when the limit is reached, close the account.

But Jesus will not give Peter a manageable number. “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Jesus is not replacing seven with seventy-seven. He is telling Peter to stop counting.

Then Jesus tells a story about a king who settles accounts with his servants. One servant owes the king ten thousand talents. It is an absurd amount—more money than a servant could earn in thousands of lifetimes. The servant could work every day for the rest of his life and never make a meaningful payment.

The king orders that the servant, his family, and everything he owns be sold. The servant falls to his knees. “Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.”

That may be the most foolish thing anyone says in the entire parable. “I will pay you everything.” No, he won’t. He can’t.

His debt is far beyond his ability to repay. More time will not solve his problem. A payment plan will not solve it. Working harder will not solve it. The servant needs something far greater than patience. He needs mercy.

And the king has compassion. The king does not extend the deadline. He does not reduce the interest. He does not ask for a token payment to prove that the servant is sincere. He releases the servant and forgives the debt. All of it. The servant asks for more time. The king gives him forgiveness.

This is how God deals with you.

We would rather believe that our debt is manageable. We compare ourselves with other people and decide that we are doing fairly well. My sins are ordinary. His sins are serious. I made a mistake. She knew exactly what she was doing. I have faults. They have debts.

We remember the sins committed against us in remarkable detail. We remember the words, the date, the expression on the person’s face, and exactly how much it hurt. Meanwhile, we reduce our sins against God to a few unfortunate mistakes.

But God’s Law does not permit that kind of bookkeeping. You have not feared, loved, and trusted in God above all things. You have not loved your neighbor as yourself. You have withheld kindness, repeated gossip, treasured anger, judged motives, and used another person’s sin as permission for your own.

You have said the words of the Lord’s Prayer: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” Then you have returned to the ledger.

We cannot pay what we owe. We cannot repair our standing before God. We cannot balance the account with better behavior, religious effort, good intentions, or promises about what we will do tomorrow.

Like the servant, we fall before the King with an impossible promise: “Be patient with me, and I will pay you everything.” But you will not pay it. You cannot. You need mercy.

And the King has compassion. God does not pretend that your debt is small. He does something far greater. He gives the debt to His Son.

Jesus takes the account bearing your name. He takes your lovelessness, resentment, pride, unbelief, and refusal to forgive. He carries it all to the cross. There He is treated as the guilty servant. There He bears the judgment. There He pays what you could never pay—not with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and His innocent suffering and death.

Jesus does not put you on a payment plan. He says, “It is finished.” The debt has been paid.

Christ is risen, and the King speaks His verdict over you: Forgiven. Not partly forgiven. Not forgiven provisionally. Not forgiven until God sees whether you deserve it. Forgiven for the sake of Christ.

In Holy Baptism, God placed His name upon you and joined you to Christ’s death and resurrection. In Holy Absolution, Christ speaks through the mouth of your pastor: “I forgive you all your sins.” In His Supper, He places into your mouth the body and blood that paid your debt.

The forgiveness of Christ does not depend upon whether you feel forgiven. It rests upon His finished work and His promise. Your impossible debt has been canceled.

Then the servant leaves the king’s presence and finds a fellow servant who owes him one hundred denarii. That is not a trivial debt. It represents months of work. The second servant has truly wronged him.

Jesus is not saying that sins committed against you do not matter. Some wounds are deep. Some sins change families and friendships. Some cause consequences that last for years.

Forgiveness does not call evil good. It does not mean pretending that nothing happened. It does not always restore trust immediately. It does not require someone to remain within reach of abuse or danger. Forgiveness does not eliminate the proper work of parents, employers, church authorities, or civil authorities.

The debt owed to the servant is real. But the servant has just been forgiven an immeasurably greater debt. He finds his fellow servant, grabs him by the throat, and demands, “Pay what you owe.”

The second servant falls down and uses almost exactly the same words the first servant used before the king: “Have patience with me, and I will pay you.” The forgiven servant hears his own plea coming from his neighbor’s mouth. But he refuses. He throws the man into prison.

He walks away from the king’s mercy and returns to a world of accounting. He treats the forgiveness he received as though it changed nothing. That is why Jesus’ warning is so severe.

The servant does not lose the king’s mercy because he failed to earn it by forgiving enough people. Mercy cannot be earned.

His refusal to forgive shows that he rejects the mercy by which he lives. He wants grace for himself and judgment for everyone else. He wants his impossible debt canceled while every smaller debt owed to him is collected in full.

That is not faith. Faith receives Christ. Faith lives from mercy.

When you struggle to forgive, Jesus does not direct you to pretend that the wound was small. He directs you again to the mercy of the King. Look at your own ledger. Then look at the cross. The ledger that condemned you has been marked “Paid in full.”

Your neighbor does not need your anger to pay for your sins. Jesus already has. You do not need to keep rehearsing the offense to prove that it mattered. Jesus has carried every sin into His death.

You may still hurt. Trust may need time to grow. Earthly consequences may remain. Complete reconciliation may not be possible now. But vengeance belongs to God, not to you.

Joseph understood this in today’s Old Testament reading. His brothers had sold him into slavery and allowed their father to believe that he was dead. Their sin was real. Joseph did not call it good. “You meant evil against me,” he said.

But Joseph would not take God’s place. “Am I in the place of God?” He did not seize his brothers by the throat. He comforted them and spoke kindly to them. He provided for them and their children. Joseph could do that because he trusted the God who brings life out of death.

You know that God even used the greatest evil for your salvation. Sinful men betrayed, condemned, and crucified Jesus. Yet through that cross, God saved sinners.

Jesus is the faithful Brother whom we betrayed. He is also the risen Brother who comes to frightened, guilty sinners and says, “Do not fear.” He does not repay you according to your sins. He gives you His peace.

So when anger returns, when an old wound begins speaking again, and when the Old Adam reaches for the ledger, bring that sin to Christ. Remember your Baptism. Hear His Absolution. Receive His body and blood.

Your forgiveness of your neighbor will never be the source of God’s forgiveness. Jesus is the source. His cross is the source. His Word is the source.

You forgive because you live entirely by forgiveness. You show mercy because the King has shown mercy to you. You release the debt into God’s hands because Christ has canceled the debt that you could never pay.

Peter wanted a number. Jesus gave him a Savior. And that Savior has forgiven you.

Amen.

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

Psalm 32:1–7; The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost; September 6, 2026

# The Blessèd Sinner *Psalm 32:1–7* *The Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost* *September 6, 2026* *Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, Minnesota* > **1** Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. > **2** Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. > **3** For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. > **4** For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. *Selah* > **5** I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. *Selah* > **6** Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. > **7** You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. *Selah* > > Psalm 32:1–7 (ESV) Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. Psalm 32 may have grown out of the darkest chapter of David’s life—his adultery with Bathsheba, his arranged death of her husband Uriah, and the long silence before Nathan confronted him. Scripture does not tell us that for certain. David leaves the particular sin unnamed. Perhaps that is better. We cannot dismiss this as merely David’s sin. His silence becomes our silence. His hiding becomes our hiding. Yet David does not begin by describing the sinner’s misery. He begins with blessing—or, more precisely, with someone who is blessèd. We usually pronounce blessed as one syllable when it describes what God has done: “God blest him.” But the older, two-syllable pronunciation—blessèd—describes what that person now is. And who does David call blessèd? Not the person who has never sinned. Not the person who has made up for his sin. Not even the person who has successfully hidden it. > “Blessèd is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” David had tried to cover his own sin. It nearly crushed him. But when David stopped covering his sin, God covered it for him. That is the lesson David learned the hard way: the blessèd person is not the sinless person. He is the sinner whose sin God has taken away. ## “For When I Kept Silent” We often think of David as the great king of Israel. That is true. But the Bible clearly shows him as a sinner. Often, he sinned against God. And yet, God still called him a “man after my own heart.” David says, “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away.” That does not mean David made no sound. He tells us that he was groaning all day long. He was making plenty of noise. He simply would not say the one thing that needed to be said. “I have sinned.” David knew something was wrong. He felt it in his conscience and even in his body. But he would not name his sin before God. Perhaps he excused it. Perhaps he blamed circumstances. Perhaps he simply tried not to think about it. If Bathsheba and Uriah stand behind this psalm, David’s silence included an elaborate cover-up. He tried to hide adultery with deception, and deception with bloodshed. But beneath all that activity was a terrible silence: David would not agree with what God said about his sin. That is what confession finally does. It does not give God information He lacked. It does not persuade an unwilling God to become merciful. Confession ends the argument. It stops defending, renaming, and covering the sin. David had been silent toward God while groaning everywhere else. Then he finally said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD.” And God forgave him. We have many ways of doing the same thing. We try to hide what we have done. We think that if we can push it to the back of our minds, it will no longer bother us. We like to rename sin so that it sounds less sinful. Gossip becomes “sharing a concern.” Cruelty becomes “just being honest.” Envy becomes “wanting things to be fair.” Greed becomes “being responsible.” Pride becomes “having standards.” Neglect becomes “being busy.” A lie becomes “leaving out a few details.” Resentment becomes “remembering what happened.” Refusing to forgive becomes “protecting myself.” We do not merely hide our sins from other people; we hide them inside respectable-sounding words. But confession stops renaming. Confession says what God says: “I have sinned.” And because Christ has borne that sin, God answers with forgiveness. We like to explain away our sin. If they hadn’t done that to me, I wouldn’t have had to do this. And besides, there are worse sinners out there. My sin is small; theirs is big. We keep very busy to avoid thinking about our sin. But none of those things take care of sin. It lingers. It places a wall between us and God, and between us and other people. David felt it in his bones. “As by the heat of summer,” he says, his strength was dried up. God showed a heavy hand to David. He hadn’t abandoned him. He was just refusing to let David find peace in a lie. He pressed on David’s wound, hard, so that David would stop pretending there was no wound. God knows, and He tells us clearly: the sins we cover are ours to carry. ## “I Acknowledged My Sin to You” When God pushed David to the breaking point, when he finally confessed his sin, God performed the great reversal. David stops covering his sin—and God covers it for him. > “I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.” This isn’t a bargain with God. Confession isn’t something we do as a transaction, and then God forgives. David can’t repair the damage. He can’t prove his repentance is sincere enough. He simply stops defending himself. He stops hiding his sin. David confesses. God forgives. God forgives not because of David or his confession. David can’t carry his sin, but God does through Jesus. Jesus does not ignore David’s adultery, deception, and bloodshed. He takes that guilt upon Himself. At the cross, Jesus is counted among the transgressors. The sinless One is treated as guilty so that the guilty may be declared righteous. We try to cover sin by hiding it. God covers sin with the blood of Christ. That same forgiveness comes to us from outside ourselves. In Absolution, Christ places His verdict into our ears: “I forgive you all your sins.” ## “You Are a Hiding Place for Me” David is still hiding—but now he is hiding somewhere different. At first, David hides from God. Now David hides in God. The Lord does not merely remove something from David. He surrounds David. The sinner who feared being found now prays to the God who found him. The rushing waters may still come. Forgiveness does not mean that David will escape every earthly consequence of his sin. It means that judgment cannot sweep him away from God’s mercy. > “You preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.” This is what Christ has done for you. In Baptism, you were joined to His death and resurrection. Your life is hidden with Christ in God. When guilt accuses you, God does not direct you inward to the strength of your repentance. He directs you to Christ—crucified, risen, and given for you. The God from whom the sinner tried to hide becomes the sinner’s hiding place. Who is the blessèd person? It isn’t the person who has no sin. That isn’t possible in this life. Sin is ever present. It isn’t the person who successfully hides his sin. God sees all; He knows every detail of your sin. It isn’t even the person whose confession is good enough to earn God’s mercy. The blessèd person is the sinner whose transgression has been lifted away, whose sin has been covered by Christ, and whose guilt the Lord no longer counts against him. You and I don’t have to cover up our sin or hide it. We don’t have to carry it. Christ has carried it to the cross. He put it to death there. We can confess it. God releases it. Christ has carried it. You do not have to hide from God. In Christ, God Himself is your hiding place. Amen. The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Matthew 16:13-20; The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost; August 23, 2026

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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. Amen.

What is going to happen to the Church?

That question is never far away. Especially now. We are working on a new building. We are looking toward a pastoral vacancy. We look around and see empty places where faithful Christians once sat. Long-time members die. Families change. Communities change. Pastors come and go. What is going to happen to the Church? We ask it with concern. Sometimes with fear. And when fear takes hold, we begin looking for something we can control. The right pastor. The right program. The right building. More members. More money. More energy. A better plan. If we could only get everything lined up correctly, then the Church would be safe.

Who Do You Say That I Am?

But Jesus asks a different question. “Who do you say that I am?”

Jesus first asks His disciples what everyone else is saying. The answers are respectful. John the Baptist. Elijah. Jeremiah. One of the prophets. People know Jesus is important. They know He is unusual. They know that God is somehow at work through Him. But every answer falls short. Jesus is more than a teacher. More than an example. More than a prophet. More than someone who helps us make life work a little better.

So Jesus turns to His disciples. “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answers for them all: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

The confession doesn’t get any clearer than that. The man standing in front of Peter, breathing the same air, eating the same food, wearing out the same sandal leather, is the promised Christ. He is the Son of the living God. He is the One God promised to send. He is the One who has come to save sinners. Peter gets the words exactly right. But Peter doesn’t get the credit.

“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.” Peter did not solve the mystery. He did not put the clues together better than everyone else. He did not discover Christ by the strength of his faith. The Father revealed the Son.

That matters because our sinful hearts want credit. We want to believe that we are Christians because we were wise enough to recognize Jesus. We want to think that the Church continues because we are faithful enough, organized enough, generous enough, or determined enough to keep it alive. But flesh and blood cannot reveal the Christ. Flesh and blood cannot create faith. Flesh and blood cannot build the Church. And yet we try.

We begin to act as though everything depends on us. If the Church struggles, we blame ourselves or someone else. If attendance declines, we panic. If the future is unclear, we imagine the worst. If our plans do not work, we act as though Christ Himself has failed. We turn gifts into foundations. A pastor is a gift, but a pastor is not the foundation. A building is a gift, but a building is not the foundation. Programs, money, volunteers, music, and plans are gifts. Important gifts. But none of them can carry the weight of Christ’s Church.

And neither can you. You cannot save the Church. You cannot even save yourself. You and I are sinners. We have sinned in thought, word, and deed. We have trusted our plans more than Christ’s promise. We have treated our opinions as though they were God’s Word. We have withheld love from our neighbors. We have worried as though Christ were dead and His Church were ours to rescue. Flesh and blood cannot fix that. But there is One who can.

I Will Build My Church

Listen to the verbs Jesus uses. “My Father has revealed.” “I will build.” “I will give.” The Father reveals the Son. The Son builds His Church. The Son gives the keys.

Jesus does not say, “Peter, you will build My Church.” He does not say, “Pastor Watt will build My Church.” He does not say, “If Life in Christ finds the right next pastor, finishes the right building, gathers enough people, and works hard enough, then My Church will survive.” He says, “I will build My Church.” Jesus. The Christ. The Son of the living God.

And what does it mean that He is the Christ? Peter has the title right, but he does not yet understand what the title means. In the very next verses Jesus tells His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem. He must suffer. He must be killed. And on the third day He must rise. Peter hates that plan. He takes Jesus aside and rebukes Him. Peter wants a Christ without a cross. So do we.

We want a Christ who keeps suffering away. A Christ who makes our plans succeed. A Christ who guarantees growing attendance, balanced budgets, healthy bodies, happy families, and an easy future. But a Christ without the cross cannot save sinners. Jesus does not go to Jerusalem because His plans failed. The cross is the plan. He goes there deliberately. He bears the judgment your sin deserves. He carries your guilt in His own body. He suffers your death. He sheds His blood for you. And then He rises.

Death could not hold Him. Hell could not defeat Him. The stone was rolled away, and the crucified Christ walked out alive. That is why the gates of hell will not prevail against His Church. The Church belongs to the risen Jesus. Long-time members die, but they belong to the risen Jesus. Pastors come and go, but the risen Jesus remains. Buildings age. Communities change. Our plans succeed and fail. But Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. His salvation is forever.

Isaiah tells frightened people to look back to Abraham and Sarah. God began with one man and one barren woman. There was no visible future there. Nothing they could build on. Nothing except God’s promise. And God kept His promise. That is how God has always built His Church. By His Word. By His promise. By doing what flesh and blood cannot do.

Jesus Has the Keys

Then Jesus says, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven.” Keys open and close. They lock and unlock. And Jesus places His keys into His Church. Not as private power for Peter. Not as personal power for a pastor. They remain Christ’s keys. They work by Christ’s command. You have already heard those keys this morning. Your pastor stood before you and said, “I forgive you all your sins.” That was not my personal opinion about you. It was not a wish that God might possibly be merciful. It was Christ’s verdict spoken into your ears.

Christ opened heaven for you. He loosed you from your sins. The Christ who died for you and rose for you said, “I forgive you.” Hell has gates. But Jesus has the keys.

He gave you that same forgiveness when He joined you to His death and resurrection in Holy Baptism. He placed His name upon you and claimed you as His own. That promise has not expired. You return to it every day in repentance and faith: I am baptized. Christ’s death is for me. Christ’s resurrection is for me.

He feeds you at His altar with His true body and blood. The body given on the cross. The blood shed for forgiveness. The living Christ gives Himself to you, strengthening your faith and pledging the resurrection of your body on the Last Day.

This is how Christ builds His Church. Word and water. Bread and wine. Forgiveness spoken into human ears. Simple things that flesh and blood dismiss as weak. But Christ is doing the building.

Free to Serve Without Fear

And because Christ is doing the building, you are free to serve without fear. St. Paul says that we are one body with many members. God gives different gifts. No member has every gift. No pastor has every gift. No single person is indispensable. Christ is indispensable. So use what He has given you. Teach. Encourage. Give. Lead. Show mercy. Pray for the congregation. Welcome the stranger. Care for the grieving. Support the work. Speak the confession.

Not to save the Church. Jesus has already taken that burden. You serve because you belong to the Church He has saved.

Even Here, Even Now

What is going to happen to the Church?

There will be changes. There will be troubles. There will be things we cannot predict and things we cannot control. Jesus has not promised us an easy future. He has promised something better. “I will build My Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

Who do you say that He is? He is the Christ, the Son of the living God. The One who went to the cross for you. The One who rose from death for you. The One who forgives you. The One who holds the keys. The One who is building His Church—even here, even now.

Amen.

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

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Matthew 14:22–33; Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost — Proper 14; August 9, 2026

Matthew 14:22–33
Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost — Proper 14
August 9, 2026
Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, Minnesota

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” (Matthew 14:22–33, ESV)

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

I don’t know about you, but you wouldn’t find me walking on the water in the middle of a deep lake. I like to fish. I like boats. But I’ve always been uncomfortable out there on the water. You see, I don’t swim. Oh, I took swimming lessons when I was young, but they didn’t seem to take. Swimming seems just a little unnatural. I feel like those people who talk about skydiving: “Why would you want to step out of a perfectly good airplane?” And why would anyone want to step out of a perfectly good boat? As I like to say, “Not this little gray duck.”

But Peter does it. He steps out of the boat and expects to walk on the water. And that is usually where we put our attention. Peter gets out of the boat. Peter walks. Peter becomes afraid. Peter sinks. Then we turn the whole account into advice about having a strong enough faith. Keep your eyes on Jesus. Don’t pay attention to the wind. Don’t doubt. Have enough faith, and perhaps you can walk over the storms of your life.

But Peter is not the great miracle in this account. Jesus is. Peter takes a few steps and sinks. Jesus walks across the sea.

Job asks us this morning, “Who shut in the sea with doors?” Who established its limits? Who commands the morning and causes the dawn to know its place? The Lord does. The sea does not answer to Peter. It does not answer to the disciples. It does not answer to you or me. It answers to its Creator. And now that Creator comes walking across it.

The disciples had been struggling all night. Jesus had made them get into the boat. They were not in trouble because they had disobeyed Him. They were exactly where He had sent them. Faithfulness does not guarantee calm water. The wind was against them. The waves battered the boat. They were tired. They were making little progress. It was sometime between three and six in the morning. They were doing everything they knew how to do. It wasn’t enough.

Then they saw someone coming across the water. They were terrified. “It is a ghost!” Notice that they misunderstood the very One who had come to save them. Jesus was approaching them, but they interpreted His arrival as another threat.

Fear does that. Fear looks at the wind and concludes that God has abandoned us. Fear looks at illness and assumes that God no longer cares. Fear looks at empty places in the pews, aging members, changing pastors, tight finances, or an uncertain future and decides that Christ has forgotten His Church. Fear takes the Savior coming toward us and imagines an enemy.

But immediately Jesus spoke to them: “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” The wind was still blowing. The waves were still striking the boat. Jesus did not first change their circumstances. He gave them His Word. “Take heart. It is I. Do not be afraid.” Their comfort did not rest in a calm sea. It rested in the identity and promise of the One standing upon it.

Then Peter said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” Jesus said one word: “Come.” For a few moments, Peter did what he could never do by his own strength. He walked toward Jesus.

But then he saw the wind. Of course, Peter had seen the wind before. It had been against them all night. But now the wind appeared greater than the Word Jesus had spoken. Peter became afraid. The Rock sank like a stone.

What kind of waves cause your faith to waver? Money runs short. The diagnosis is worse than expected. A relationship breaks. The plans you carefully made fall apart. Your strength declines. The future of your family—or your congregation—doesn’t look the way you imagined. You know Christ’s promises. But you also see the wind.

We begin looking inside ourselves for enough strength, enough confidence, or enough faith. We tell ourselves that mature Christians should handle these things better. Then we discover that we cannot keep ourselves above the water.

Peter could not rescue himself by concentrating harder. He could not climb back onto the surface. He could not offer Jesus the strength of his faith. Peter could only pray: “Lord, save me.” No polished speech. No explanation. No promise to do better. “Lord, save me.”

And immediately Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of him. Immediately. Jesus did not wait for Peter to restore his confidence. He did not demand proof that Peter’s faith was now sufficiently strong. He did not stand at a safe distance and give Peter instructions for saving himself. Jesus took hold of him.

That is the heart of this text. The miracle is not that Peter went to Jesus. The miracle is that Jesus came to Peter.

Jesus came to the disciples when they could not reach Him. He came through the darkness. He came against the wind. He came across the waves. He came to frightened people who did not even recognize Him. And Jesus has come to you.

The Son of God left the safety of heaven and entered our fallen creation. He came into our weakness. He came under the Law. He came among sinners who misunderstood Him, rejected Him, and nailed Him to a cross. There He entered a deeper darkness. He carried your doubt, your fear, your unbelief, and every attempt you have made to save yourself. He bore the judgment your sins deserved.

No hand reached down to pull Jesus off the cross. He went all the way into death for you. Then, on the third day, He rose bodily from the grave. Sin could not hold Him. Death could not keep Him. The devil could not defeat Him. The Lord of creation has conquered the deeper storm. And now the risen Jesus reaches out to you.

He came to you in Baptism. Water by itself is plain water, but water joined to Christ’s command and promise gives forgiveness, life, and salvation. At the font, Jesus took hold of you. He placed His name upon you: the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Your Baptism does not promise that no wind will ever blow against you. It promises that you belong to the Savior who has conquered sin and death. When the waves cause your faith to waver, return to what Jesus has done: “I am baptized into Christ.”

Jesus also comes through His Word. Paul tells us today that we do not need to climb into heaven to bring Christ down. We do not descend into the depths to bring Christ up from the dead. Christ has already come down. Christ has already risen. And now His Word is near you. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”

Jesus comes in the forgiving Word of Absolution. He comes in the Gospel proclaimed into your ears. He comes with the same promise He spoke over the waves: “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

And Jesus comes to His frightened people in His Supper. Not as a ghost. Not as an idea. He gives you His true body and blood, given and shed for the forgiveness of your sins. The same Lord who stretched out His hand to Peter places His saving gifts into your mouth. He is not far away. He is here for you.

Jesus asked Peter, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” That is a rebuke. Peter’s fear exposed his divided trust. But notice where Peter was when Jesus said it. Peter was already in Jesus’ hand. The rebuke came from the Savior who was holding him.

Your salvation does not depend upon the size of your faith. Faith receives Christ, but faith does not complete His work. A trembling hand receives the same gift as a steady one because the gift depends upon the Giver.

Jesus may not calm every storm when we want Him to. Cancer still kills. Bones still break. Arthritis does not easily surrender. Families struggle. Congregations face uncertain futures. Christians grieve. Christians become afraid. Christians die. Jesus has not promised that faithful Christians will always have calm water. He has promised something better. He has promised you Himself.

The disciples entered the boat with Jesus, and the wind ceased. Then they worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.” We confess the same thing: God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God, who for us and for our salvation came down from heaven, was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered and was buried, and on the third day rose again.

That is the One who comes to you. That is the One who speaks to you. That is the One who has taken hold of you.

When the waves cause your faith to waver, you may have nothing left but Peter’s prayer: “Lord, save me.” That is enough—not because your prayer is powerful, and not because your faith is strong, but because Jesus is the Son of God. And He has already come to save you. Amen.

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

Romans 9:1-5; The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost; August 2, 2026

The Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

The Greatest Gift Has Always Been Christ

Romans 9:1–5 • August 2, 2026
Life in Christ Lutheran Church • Grand Marais, Minnesota

“I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.”

—Romans 9:1–5

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

Paul Begins with Tears

Paul begins this chapter with tears.

“I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.”

Why? Because the people he loves do not believe in Christ.

He isn’t angry. He doesn’t say, “Well, they made their choice.” He doesn’t wash his hands of them. Instead, he grieves. He even says something almost unbelievable:

“I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers.”

Paul knows that is impossible. No sinner can take another sinner’s place before God. No one can bear the guilt of another’s unbelief. But that is how deeply he loves them.

That raises a question for us.

How do we see unbelievers? As enemies? As political opponents? As “those people”? Or do we grieve because, without Christ, they are lost?

There are many things about which we may be indifferent. We don’t all have to like the same music, the same food, or the same hobbies. But the Church must never become indifferent to unbelief. Christ certainly isn’t.

The Compassion of Christ

That is where today’s Gospel helps us understand Paul’s words. Jesus has just learned that John the Baptist has been murdered. He withdraws to a lonely place. We can only imagine the sorrow He carried. Yet the crowds follow Him. If we are honest, most of us would have wanted to be left alone. We might have said, “Not today. I just need some time.”

But Matthew tells us something remarkable:

“When He went ashore He saw a great crowd, and He had compassion on them and healed their sick.”

Jesus didn’t see an interruption. He saw people who needed Him. That is the heart of Christ. It is the same heart we see reflected in Paul. Paul’s tears are simply a reflection of the compassion of his Savior.

The disciples saw the same crowd, but they saw something entirely different. The day was growing late. The people were hungry. The nearest villages were some distance away. Their solution seemed perfectly reasonable:

“Send the crowds away.”

Let them take care of themselves. Let them find food somewhere else.

Jesus answered with words that must have shocked them:

“You give them something to eat.”

Their response was immediate:

“We have only five loaves and two fish.”

The disciples looked at what they had. Jesus looked at what He could give. The disciples saw scarcity. Jesus saw abundance. The disciples saw impossibility. Jesus saw an opportunity to show His compassion.

That is always the difference between our hearts and the heart of Christ. Our first instinct is to count what we lack. Christ’s first instinct is to give.

Christ Became the Curse for Us

Paul’s wish is impossible. He cannot become accursed for anyone else. No sinner can stand before God in another sinner’s place.

But there is One who can.

Jesus Christ did not merely wish He could take our place. He actually did.

The eternal Son of God took on our flesh. He became one of us so that He could stand where we deserve to stand. Every sin you have committed, every sinful thought, every selfish word, every failure to love God with your whole heart or your neighbor as yourself—He carried it all to the cross.

St. Paul writes elsewhere,

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us.”

On Calvary, Jesus was treated as though He were the sinner, though He had never sinned. He endured the judgment that belonged to us. He cried out,

“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

so that you would never be forsaken by God.

Paul wished he could do that for Israel.

Jesus actually did it for the world.

That is why I often say:

“If you go to hell, it is your own fault. If you go to heaven, it is God’s fault.”

Hell is never the result of Christ failing to save. Christ has already done everything necessary for the salvation of every sinner. Hell is the tragic rejection of the salvation Christ won on the cross.

Heaven, however, is never our accomplishment. It is Christ’s. He lived the life we could not live. He died the death we deserved to die. He rose again to declare that sin, death, and the devil have been defeated. Faith simply receives what Christ has already accomplished.

Salvation belongs entirely to Him.

God’s Greatest Gift

Part of Paul’s sorrow is that Israel had received incredible gifts from God. They had the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the Law, the worship, the promises, and the patriarchs. No nation had ever received so much from the hand of God.

Yet none of these was the greatest gift.

Paul saves that until the very end:

“From their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever.”

Everything God gave Israel pointed to Christ. The sacrifices pointed to Christ. The Passover pointed to Christ. The Temple pointed to Christ. The promises pointed to Christ. Every one of God’s gifts was leading His people to His greatest gift—His Son.

The same is true for us.

God has given us wonderful gifts. He has given us Holy Baptism. He has given us the Scriptures. He has given us Holy Absolution. He has given us the Lord’s Supper. These are precious gifts, but they are precious because they give us Christ. Without Christ they would be empty ceremonies. With Christ they become God’s own means of forgiving sins, creating faith, strengthening His people, and bringing them safely to eternal life.

He Takes, Blesses, Breaks, and Gives

Notice what Jesus does with those five loaves. He takes them. He blesses them. He breaks them. He gives them.

Those words should sound familiar.

They are the very pattern of our Lord’s ministry. They are the words that lead us to the Upper Room. There, on the night when He was betrayed, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to His disciples. But before He could give them His body and blood, He first had to give Himself to the cross.

The feeding of the five thousand was never just about bread.

It pointed to the greater feeding still to come.

Christ would offer not five loaves, but His own body. He would pour out not merely compassion, but His own blood for the forgiveness of sins. The cross is where the heart of Christ is seen most clearly. There the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. There the innocent One becomes the curse for the guilty. There the Son of God gives everything so that sinners might receive everything.

And now He still gives. He gives His body. He gives His blood. He gives forgiveness. He gives life. He gives salvation.

The greatest gift has always been Christ.

He Has Borne the Curse for You

Paul’s tears are a reflection of Christ’s tears. Jesus wept over Jerusalem because He desired her salvation. Then He went to Jerusalem for one purpose—to die for the very people who rejected Him.

That is the heart of Christ. A heart that grieves. A heart that suffers. A heart stretched out upon the cross. A heart that refuses to stop loving sinners, even as nails are driven into His hands.

That crucified and risen Lord still comes to you today. He does not send you away hungry. He feeds you with His own body and blood. He does not leave you in your sins. He forgives them. He does not leave you under the curse. He has borne the curse for you.

If you are lost, it is your own fault. If you are saved, it is entirely God’s doing.

For Christ has done everything necessary for your salvation. Amen.

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