John 13:31-35; The Fifth Sunday of Easter; May 18, 2025;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”” (John 13:31–35, ESV)

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

Jesus’ love is better than we can ever achieve. His love is selfless, ours is selfish. His love doesn’t tolerate sin, it exposes, condemns, and removes it. He forgives sin, not by ignoring it, but by his holy and precious blood, and his innocent suffering and death. He pays the debt of sin against God, it cost him everything. Our love wants to tolerate sin for the sake of unity. We don’t want to condemn, because others think it is unloving. We do little to speak the truth of sin, even though it usually costs nothing. There is nothing loving in ignoring sin, it is, in fact, quite the opposite. Sin is an affront to God’s purpose. It opposes God’s design for human life. It tears down relationships. It destroys trust. Left to its own devices, it is all consuming and all corrupting. No part of life can escape its influence. We rank sin. Murder is worse than speaking against our neighbor. Adultery against your spouse is worse than pornography. Homosexuality is worse than cohabitation. Lying is categorized as white lies and outright lies. Denying Christ is worse than overlooking an opportunity to speak about him. On and on it goes. We justify ourselves with excuses when there is no justification. In God’s eyes, sin is sin. It all comes from the same place. The corrupted human heart. It is all rejection of God. It is all damnable.

Jesus confronts sin. One example is in John 8, where the scribes and Pharisees bring before him a woman caught in adultery. “Moses commanded us to stone such women.” they said. Jesus stoops down and begins writing in the dirt. We don’t know what he wrote, but it was apparently convicting.

Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.

Her accusers all left; she was alone with Jesus.

Has no one condemned you?... No one, Lord. She replied. Neither do I condemn you, go and from now on, sin no more.

Jesus doesn’t ignore her sin or the sin of her accusers. He calls for repentance. Sin no more.

Love is not love when it ignores or justifies sin. A toddler will play in the street, ignorant of the danger. A loving parent will not allow it and may even punish the child. They must learn that the street is an unsafe place to play. Ignoring sin is the same. In Lutheran terms it is the First Use of the Law. That is to curb, or control dangerous sinful behavior. There is no salvation in the First Use, only condemnation, only correction, only expected behavior change. The means is the cattle prod, not grace. This is why God has established Government,

for [the government] is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. (Romans 13:4, ESV)

Or as Luther stated:

The sword is necessary in the world, and without it the world cannot exist. If there were no law and no sword to restrain the wicked, everything would go to ruin. — AE 45:91

The church is different, yet the same in one respect. The church, that is Christians, act with love, the government acts with the threat of force. Both are commanded by God to confront sin. The government acts to restrain sin. The churches’ reason for confronting sin is much different. It speaks the truth in love, hoping for the unrepentant sinner to repent. Hoping for them to see their sin and turn to Christ for forgiveness. The church cannot function, as God has designed it, by ignoring or justifying sin. A church that doesn’t practice discipline isn’t loving.

Why doesn’t the church confront sin, as it ought? We don’t really understand the depth of it. We see it as a small thing, especially our own. We think that God simply overlooks it, because he is loving. But that isn’t the case. Sin sick is what we are. It is dangerous and deadly. There is no such thing as a small sin. And even Christians struggle with deep-rooted sin. Paul himself says:

For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. Romans 7:18, ESV

For a loving God, this is an intolerable situation. His love can’t put up with sin. There are two responses from him. Eternal hell for sinners, or grace. But grace isn’t just ignoring sin. He can’t do that. Instead, he chooses to deal with sin in the only way possible. He pays the price, the debt himself. So caught up and trapped in sin are we, that we can’t resolve it. But God does.

So, once in history, God became a human being.

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” (Isaiah 53:5, ESV)

It is only in understanding the depth of our own sin that we take grace seriously. It is only in the cross that we clearly see the cost of sin. Instead of hell, that we deserve, we receive grace. God’s undeserved favor. When we look on the cross, as ugly as it is, with Jesus there, in all his gory glory, we see the price paid for our little sins, our great sins, everything we have ever done or will do against God’s law. It is utterly amazing what God does through the cross. What Jesus was willing to do for us, to resolve our sin problem.

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.” (Philippians 2:5–8, ESV)

There is no grace without the bloody cross. God can’t just set aside sin; it must be dealt death. Forgiveness without the cross, and Jesus on it, is cheap grace. Detrich Bonhoffer, the Lutheran Theologian during the Third Reich, said,

Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, Communion without confession... Grace without the cross.

Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again... It is costly because it cost God the life of His Son; it is grace because God did not reckon His Son too dear a price to pay for our life. (from The Cost of Discipleship)

It is right there, Jesus, bloody, broken, bleeding and dying. It is the cost of your sin. That is why the real symbol of the truth of the cross is a cross with Jesus on it. It speaks to your sin, its depth, its seriousness. We dare not take our sin lightly. God, in Jesus, didn’t.

But there is more. Going back to Luther, he understood that it wasn’t enough to believe that the Gospel is true in general.

It is not enough to believe that Christ died and rose again. This must be for me. If I do not believe that it is for me, it does me no good. — Galatians Commentary (1535), AE 26:177

That’s faith. That’s the key. Because my sin is so great, your sin is so great, Jesus did what was necessary, for me and for you.

The Gospel is not only a story about Christ, but it is the power of God for all who believe. It does not say, ‘Christ is such and such a person, who lived and died,’ but rather: ‘He is your Savior; He is yours and all that He has is yours.’ — Sermons on John 3, WA 17/I:463

When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

Text: Isaac Watts, 1707 Common Tune: “Hamburg” (by Lowell Mason)

1. When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of Glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride.

2. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast Save in the death of Christ, my God! All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood.

3. See, from His head, His hands, His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down! Did e’er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

4. His dying crimson, like a robe, Spreads o’er His body on the tree; Then I am dead to all the globe, And all the globe is dead to me.

5. Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a tribute far too small; Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.

Jesus’ love is better than we can ever achieve. How can we confront sin in our brothers and sisters in Christ, when we can’t even see it clearly in ourselves? Lord, help us to see it thus.

The church, and I mean here the whole church, not just the LCMS, is corrupted by sin. It has always been. It will be so until the bridegroom returns to make all things new. He is the only hope for the church. Jesus is the only answer. It begins right here (in the heart), through the prompting of the Holy Spirit. First, we repent of our own sin and take it to the cross. There we receive Jesus, for me, for you, for forgiveness. Then, we proclaim clearly the truth of God’s Word, that speaks clearly about the churches sin. We speak the truth in love, not to judge, but toward repentance. Jesus’ love is better than we can ever achieve. Amen.

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

John 10:22-30; the Fourth Sunday of Easter; May 11, 2025;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”” (John 10:22–30, ESV)

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

Jesus is in the temple. It is Hanukkah. We think of it as Jewish Christmas. For Jews it commemorates the dedication of the second temple in Jerusalem. The building of it marked their return from exile in Persia. Zerubbabel and Joshua (not the Joshua associated with Moses, but the High Priest at the time) had it built by decree from Cyrus the Great, King of Persia. The temple itself was an important theological and cultural symbol for them. God was present there. The sacrificial system was daily practiced. It was the center of atonement, purification and forgiveness. Jesus is there. The Jews believed that the Messiah would come to that temple. And there he was standing among them.

The significance of the temple, and Jesus standing in it, can’t be overestimated. The question they ask is pregnant with meaning. How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly. It is the right question, in a way. If Jesus is the Messiah (the Christ), then their long wait is over.

But there is an issue. They say, tell us plainly. Jesus must have been exasperated. I have told you. And you didn’t listen, you don’t believe. The word believe is a faith word πίστις, in Greek. It holds the meaning to assent, trust in the speaker, and commit the heart. Their unbelief isn’t just not knowing, it is willful, ongoing unbelief, regardless of what he says. You refuse to believe. You reject the Holy Spirit. No matter how many times he tells them plainly, they won’t believe.

Jesus drives the point home. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, Jesus hasn’t only said who he is, but he has shown it to them by his words, his miracles and his redemptive mission, all that he does in obedience to the Father. And yet, with all of that, they refuse to believe. but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. It is the clincher. They have no faith, they can’t believe. They are not among Jesus’ sheep.

Just think about that for a moment. They are not Jesus’ sheep. Jesus judges them and finds them lacking. There they stand, looking into the face of forgiveness. Despite all they believe that the Messiah is coming, that he would stand in that temple, that he would do the works of God, the Father, that he would give the words of eternal life, and they are committing the only unforgivable sin. They lack faith in the Messiah standing right there, where God said he would be. There is no forgiveness for them. They are still in their sins, and hell bound.

This text is a stark reminder about what is at stake. God judges the heart according to faith. Faith is the key, the all-important fact that determines our eternal destination.

If we look at the Gospel of Matthew (25:31-46) we see this played out at the final judgement. Jesus says, [the Father] will place the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left... ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom.’ They are blessed because My sheep here my voice, I know them, and they follow me. The sheep are known by Jesus; they belong to him. They are saved. It’s not because of what they do, what they do is because they belong to Jesus.

The goats, on the Father’s left, are those who do not know Jesus, and Jesus doesn’t know them. They do not serve him because they don’t have faith. They have rejected the Savior’s voice.

The contrast couldn’t be stronger. Jesus spells it our for them.

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

Jesus outlines a faithful relationship with him.

My sheep hear my voice – The Word of God, comes to us from outside of ourselves. It sinks into our ears. It impresses on our minds. It does what God sends it to do.

Jesus knows them – Jesus has intimate knowledge of those who have faith in him for salvation. It was on the cross that he displays exactly what it means. He knows each of us, his sheep, so personally that he does what is most necessary for us. He brings forgiveness of sins through his death on the cross. So personal is his knowledge of you, that if you were the only Christian ever, his response would have been the very same. He would have died on the cross for you only.

He gives them eternal life – He gives. It is a gift, not deserved by you. Nothing you do can make Jesus love you more. All your works are nothing, compared to faith. Faith in Jesus, and all that he has done is the key. This life isn’t just for the future either. Jesus says it begins with faith. Right now.

They will never perish – Jesus is speaking in the strongest terms here. They will absolutely never, ever perish. There isn’t any doubt. It isn’t they will probably not perish. This is one of the strongest statements of Christian security in the whole bible. Jesus’ sheep will absolutely never, ever perish.

No one can snatch them – It is a double grip. I and the Father are one. The Father and the Son are both gripping you. Holding on to Jesus’ sheep. You are not saved because you hold fast to Jesus, but because he and the Father hold fast to you. And no one, or no thing is greater than that grip. Not Satan and his demons, not the world’s hatred and persecution, not even your own sin and doubt. And not death. It’s bind on you was broken when Jesus rose from his tomb.

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

Your past sins are forgiven. They won’t snatch you out of Jesus hand. Your present struggle with sin won’t pull you away either. Jesus died on the cross to ensure his grip on you, even in your weakness. And all your future failures are forgiven, done and paid for. His sheep are held tightly, and no one, not even yourself, can snatch you out of his hand.

It’s a sheep thing. That’s who you are through faith in Jesus. He is the shepherd. He stands guard over you. When you stray, he comes to get you. When you are in danger, he protects you. When you are hungry, he feeds you. Psalm 23 is loved by Christians, because it says all that it means to have faith. Why don’t we, as the sheep of the Shepherd say it together.

Psalm 23 A Psalm of David.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall 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.

John 21:1-14; Third Sunday of Easter 3, April 4, 2025;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

After this Jesus revealed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias, and he revealed himself in this way. Simon Peter, Thomas (called the Twin), Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing. Just as day was breaking, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in, because of the quantity of fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved therefore said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment, for he was stripped for work, and threw himself into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, but about a hundred yards off. When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, 153 of them. And although there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. (John 21:1-14, ESV)

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

You know, lots of times when I read about the disciples in these accounts, I get to feeling sorry for them. I mean, often in these lessons they come off pretty much like failures. How many times have we heard of how they didn’t do what Jesus wanted? How often have we heard about how they didn’t understand what Jesus was saying or what he was doing? Like when they misunderstood what Jesus meant when he said that Lazarus had “fallen asleep.” (John 11:1ff) They were walking along the road, and they received word that Lazarus was sick. Jesus waited three after hearing before going to him. “It’s time to go, Lazarus, our friend, has fallen asleep.”

“Lord, if he sleeps, he’ll get better!” the disciples answered.

“No guys,” Jesus answered, “you’ve missed the point again. When I said he was sleeping, I meant that he is dead.” I have this image in my mind of the twelve standing around with a puzzled look on their faces. “Lazarus is dead.” Jesus finally says in response.

“Oh!” they answer, “I guess we missed that.” Oops, another mistake.

It has always amazed me that the gospels, even though they were mostly written by the disciples, aren’t very flattering for the authors. They failed often and they failed big, especially when Jesus was in the most danger. As Jesus waits in the garden for the betrayer, they fail to stay awake. When the guards show up to arrest him, they fail again. All Peter can do is cut off the servant’s ear. (John 18:10) Not only has he failed to protect his master, but he’s also a failure at wielding a sword, too! He didn’t do what he should have done and what he did is all wrong. “Put away your sword.” Jesus says. All the disciples run away in fear, and let Jesus be taken.

And again, in the court yard outside of Jesus trial Peter fails when he is accused of being Jesus disciple. “I told you before, curse you, I don’t know that man! He’s nothing to me! Now leave me alone!” And then faced with that failure he ran out and wept bitterly. (John 18:15-18; 25-27)

Now later after Jesus has been crucified, they gather in a darkened room, huddled together afraid, for three days. And even when Jesus appeared to them, they had their doubts. Thomas speaks for all of them when he says, “Unless I see him, and touch him. I refuse to believe!” They had all failed to remember what Jesus said to them, they had all failed to believe in Jesus.

And that brings us to the account for today. After so many failures… so many misunderstandings, and now they are about to fail again. We’ve heard about their failures as disciples, now we hear how they can’t even seem to go back to their old lives, “that night they caught nothing.” Looks like failure again. There they are in the boat, even after Jesus has risen from the dead, failing again. They couldn’t do what Jesus wanted, and they couldn’t go back to their old life. There they sat early in the morning looking at their empty nets wondering if they would ever again be successful at anything.

“Boys,” came a voice from the shore, “Have you tried the other side of the boat?” Now, I don’t know of many professional fishermen who will take instructions from a stranger on how to fish. But the disciples did on that morning. Maybe it was the sense of failure that led them. Maybe they didn’t have the energy to dispute it, but they took the criticism. And when they did… 153 large fish jumped into the net. John was the first to realize that it was Jesus. “It’s the Lord!” he said. Peter put John’s words into action and leapt into the water to make the hundred-yard swim to shore. Jesus had turned their failure into success. He gives them what they need. Fish in their nets, and once they get to shore, he feeds them breakfast.

Are we failures too? We don’t like to think of ourselves that way. But I think that if we look honestly at ourselves, we can see that we are. We can’t help but be failures. That’s our sinful human nature. We try to make progress against it but no matter how hard we try we fail again. For instance, we know the resurrected Jesus, but there are many times in our life that what we know about Jesus just doesn’t seem to make any difference in how we live. Jesus says, “Love your neighbor” There are many times when we don’t even seem to love our family. How easy is it to hurt our parents, or our children, or even our spouse? Our hurtful words aren’t often blasted over the news, but we often take out our frustrations on those who are closest to us. And just sometimes we do it because we mean to do it. We are just like the twelve we fail; we fail to love.

How often have we stood in Peter’s sandals, denying Jesus? Maybe we don’t outright say that we don’t know him, but what about when we act as if being a Christian doesn’t mean anything, or when we make light of our faith. What about speaking up against those things we know the God’s Word tells us are wrong. What about being tolerant of open sin? Whenever we pretend that sin isn’t sin, or try to carve out exceptions for ourselves and others we are participating in that sin ourselves. When we participate in open sin either directly or in a failure to confront our brothers and sisters who are in it, we deny Jesus’ sacrifice for sin. We know the failure of Peter very well.

And as far as being successful fishermen… we fail there too. We know who the absent members of our church are, and yet we let year after year go by without a word, without an invitation. We know there are folks who don’t go to any church, and we do nothing. We know friends and family who out right deny the faith and we say nothing. We think that the church is only a place for those who have their lives straightened out, those who have money to give, and those who have good reputations. Jesus died for sinners. We are about to give that message to everyone.

The truth of the matter is, the disciples were failures, and we are failures, poor miserable failures… poor miserable sinners. That’s the real problem, isn’t it? Our sins threatened to separate us from the God who created us. Our sins are the real problem. In the eyes of a God who demands perfection, we are utter failures because we aren’t perfect. No matter how hard we try we can’t be perfect.

But Jesus is perfect. It is perfect Jesus that gives us success. When the disciples listened to advice from the shore, they knew it was Jesus because they had success. They ended up with a net so full that it should have broken; it was too large to fit in the boat. It wasn’t only success it was SUCCESS! It wasn’t just a good day fishing; it was an amazing day fishing. Imagine the best fishing story you’ve ever heard. And it was because of Jesus. They couldn’t wait to get to shore. And Jesus was there waiting to feed them.

That’s what Jesus does. He forgives failures. I’m not talking about a plastic Jesus on the dashboard to bring good luck. He’s not the kind of God that helps you to win the lottery. He’s the kind of God that lives in you through his Holy Spirit and show you how to do the right thing. He prompts you to show the love of Jesus in the community through what you do and speak. He makes success out of you, even when you fail.

What Jesus Christ has done makes a difference for your failures. In his great love he paid the ultimate price for your failures. He suffered pain and death. He hung on the cross and endured the punishment that we failures deserved. Even though he was treated as a failure, he changed that awful event into success. On Easter morning some 2000 years ago, he turned what seemed like the failure of his death into the success of life. The tomb was opened, and he breathed again. He lived and walked, smiled and laughed again. He met with his disciple, he met them on the road, he met them in the darkened room, and he met them on the shore of the lake. He was alive. Death had failed! Jesus succeeded!

But the most important thing to remember is that Jesus’ success wasn’t just his success. Everything Jesus did, his whole life, his whole horrible death, he whole glorious, successful, resurrection; everything he did, he did for you! He gives that success to you in Holy Baptism. There he washed you clean of your sin and your failures. There he gave you, his success; His perfect life, His self-giving death, and even His glorious resurrection. He covered you with the perfect robe of his perfect life. Now when God looks at you, He sees Jesus. In God’s eyes you are a perfect success.

We really do know all this. Most of us have been hearing it all our lives. It is rather funny though that as much as we know it to be true, we don’t really feel that much like a success. There are those days when we just can’t seem to get it right. There are those days when the love we should have just isn’t there. There are days when we don’t really want to risk exposing ourselves as a Christian. There are days when we just want people, we think don’t who don’t fit here in this church just to stay out. That’s the sinful nature, dragging us to failure again. That’s the failure in us trying to take control again. That’s when it’s important to remember the success that Jesus has won for us. That’s when it’s important to remember when our heads got wet. That’s when we turn to Jesus and say, “You have forgiven me. I am yours. Jesus, help me!” And our loving and gracious Lord says, “I’ve died for your failure already. I took them all to the cross. You don’t have to live with it anymore. My success is yours.” And then sometimes we can love as Jesus would have us love, even when the people around us aren’t very lovable. Then we can set aside our prejudice, even when I don’t feel like it. And sometimes we even find ourselves speaking words about Jesus, even when we’re afraid. And sometimes we can even ask people to come to church that we really don’t even want to sit by. It isn’t because of us, because our failure only gets us empty nets, just like the disciples. It’s all because of Jesus. It’s the Holy Spirit working in our hearts to bring success as only He can do.

The disciples enjoyed breakfast that early morning. Jesus brought them success in their fishing. For them there would be many more failures. But Jesus would turn them also into successes. Through His Word preached, through His Sacraments, Baptism and Holy Communion, given, Jesus used those fishing failures to build His church. There were bigger nets to drag ashore, more fish to count. They weren’t fish from the sea; they were people that God, in Jesus, died to save. They were failures like you and me that Jesus died to save. Amen.

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

1 Corinthians 15:26; The Festival of the Resurrection of Our Lord, Jesus Christ; April 20, 2025;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:26, ESV)

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

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. Alleluia!

The grave. Everyone must face the grave. That rectangular, deep, black hole waits for us all. It is no respecter of persons. The richest man in the world to the penniless. The Buddhist, the Mormon, the atheist, the Christian. Life ends in the grave. It is the single biggest mystery of human existence. For millennia people have struggled with the grave. Religion tries to give an answer. The struggle with the cause of death is the province of world religions. It is a natural thing, some say. Dharma and karma are the ideas that we die because we haven’t figured out life, so we must do it again and again until we do. Still others say death is willed by God as part of his divine plan. And still another says death comes from suffering, that is caused by desire and ignorance. But all are the same, in one way. The solutions they offer are living a better life makes what happens after death better. Even those who don’t believe anything lies after death, promote doing good things as the answer to life’s fulfillment.

All these things that world religions struggle to answer show how serious the human condition is. None has an answer that satisfies. The grave is still waiting. The grave is patient. The grave is persistent. The grave is eternal. The grave is totally inclusive.

The biggest problem with religion is it offers no real proof. All the ideas that are touted as the answer were made by people… who died.

So, how do you choose? Most people are born into a religion. They don’t question its teachings. They simply believe because their parents believed. Others have bounced around from one belief to another, until all meaning in any is lost.

You could just try each one out. It seems like a worthwhile project, until you consider how many there are. ChatGPT tells me that religions are countless, but world religions exceed 4000. So, how do you start, alphabetically? How much time do you give each one? World life expectancy is 70 years. If you get started at 20 (quite early actually) divided evenly that would be 4 days for each. How can you evaluate the truth of a religion in 4 days? Even if you narrow it down to just the top 12 (those with the most adherents) the number drops to 4 years for each. Even that is unrealistic because the tenants for most of them require you to die to find out.

Maybe you choose the most important doctrine of each (called the Material Principal)?

Material and Formal Principles of Major World Religions

They all sound important. But they all fall short of the real human problem. None of them has an answer to death, that rectangular, deep, black hole waits for us all.

There are only (Judaism, Islam, Zoroastrianism, Christianity) four even believe in a resurrection, a physical, bodily raising from death. Since death is the greatest problem that faces humanity, I think this is a pretty poor showing.

Of the four, one (Zoroastrianism) doesn’t claim divine inspiration (from God) for the writings that talk about resurrection. Only three do. Now we are getting to the nub. The three that we have left are Judaism, Islam and Christianity. And yet, only one offers any real proof of bodily, physical resurrection. In fact, of all the religions in the world, it is only Christianity that claims that its major teacher, Jesus, defeated death.

On the point of the grave, only Christianity offers any real solution, that, it claims, is proven. And, in fact, it claims that the religion is ultimately disprovable. Listen to Paul from 1 Corinthians 15:

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 15:14–19, ESV)

While most religions ground their truth in ethical teachings, mystical insight, or subjective experience. Paul, in contrast, puts everything on a public, falsifiable historical claim:

If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless.

Let’s make this very clear. If Jesus hasn’t risen, the disciples are liars, Christians are still in their sin, the dead are all just dead, faith in Jesus is futile, and Christians are deluded, pitiful fools. But mostly, there is no answer to that rectangular, deep, black hole that waits for us all.

Paul says,

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

In Greek, Paul uses the phrase Νυνὶ δὲ (But now) translated here as “but in fact”. It stands in contrast to what he said before about the verifiability of Christianity. It is a declaration of reality over speculation. He’s not just stating a hope, but a fact.

From a historical perspective—not theological—the resurrection of Jesus cannot be dismissed easily. It remains one of the most attested and transformative events in ancient history, with no natural explanation that fully accounts for the evidence. (ChatGPT)

To quote the great philosopher Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Conan Doyle),

“When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” — The Sign of the Four, Arthur Conan Doyle

And of course, Occam’s Razor, that states that the simplest explanation that accounts for all the evidence is likely to be the truth.

Yet, for us Christians, the resurrection isn’t only a historical curiosity. Historians agree that it is defensible, grounded in early eyewitness testimony, and the explosive growth of the Christian church. We don’t get to it by eliminating all the other alternatives. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is at the very heart of the Gospel. Paul says it has a meaning beyond simple life. He says that because of Jesus we are forgiven.

[Jesus] was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. (Romans 4:25).

Jesus’ resurrection is God’s very public declaration that Jesus did just that. His atoning sacrifice for sin was accepted. The solution to death is Jesus. He died on the cross for our forgiveness. Jesus defeated death. We are justified. And what’s more, Jesus, the one who rose from death, the only one, promises a solution for the grave. Our resurrection.

Jesus said to Mary, ‘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.’ John 11:25–26

For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 1 Thessalonians 4:14

Knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. 2 Corinthians 4:14

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. 1 Corinthians 15:20–22

So, the rectangular, deep, black hole waits for you. You have some options. You can hitch your wagon to any one of the myriads of world religions that offer no real solution to the very real problem. Or you can put your faith and trust in the one who defeated death. The one who confirmed his promises with his resurrection. The one who offers not only your resurrection but a solution to your sin. There really is no option because,

The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (1 Corinthians 15:26, ESV)

Χριστός ἀνέστη, Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen.

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

Luke 22:14-20; Holy Thursday; April 17, 2025;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

And when the hour came, [Jesus] reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” (Luke 22:14–20, ESV)

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

On this holy night, we remember that Jesus gave us his supper. Tomorrow, he hangs on the cross to forgive our sins. On Sunday he rises from the dead, to give us the promise of resurrection. Tonight, he makes his last will and testament. This text says, covenant, but it is the same thing. Jesus, himself, gives us this supper as his testament and promise of our sins forgiven and our resurrection.

We would do well to look at exactly what he does, what he says and what he asks us to do when we celebrate this supper. This being a will, the words are very specifically chosen. No one says anything in a will that is useless, or unmeaning.

Firstly, the context, all this takes place during the celebration of Passover. That’s when the Jews gather to remember God’s salvation from Egypt. God sent plagues to convince Pharoah to set them free. Pharoah refused until the final stroke. God sent the angel of death and killed all the first born in Egypt. He made one provision. Every house that had the blood of a lamb spread on the door post would be spared. So, as the people of God sat in their houses with blood on the door, God’s angel brought death everywhere else. For them it was an act of faith. Those who believed God’s promise lived. Afterwards, Pharoh couldn’t wait to get rid of them. His own son was dead. He would later change his mind, but that’s another story.

This event, Passover, is the major saving event of the Old Testament. God’s name YHWH is a reminder of that. It’s the name he gave them to use at that time. He gave it to Moses when the whole process of ending their slavery began. Every time that name is used, every time rescue is mentioned, every time the promised land is mentioned, in the Old Testament, every Hebrew would make the connection to the Passover.

It is in this context that Jesus makes his new covenant. Simply stated, Jesus’ blood saves us from slavery to sin and death. Just like the sacrificed lamb’s blood. Of course, I’m preaching to the choir when I say it is much more than a symbol of what he is doing. When we look at the actual words he uses, one in particular, chosen with great care, we see that. The word is is. In Greek

τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ σῶμά μου (literally: this is the body of me)

You could say this phrase in many ways and Greek doesn’t require the linking verb, is. But remembering that Jesus is choosing his words very carefully, is is very important. It’s not “depends on how you define, is” ala Bill Clinton. From the context, the importance of what Jesus is doing, Passover and the blood of and actual lamb spread on the door posts, is means is.

There may have been more ink spilled on this single word, theologically speaking, than any other word. William of Ockham was a late 13th-century philosopher and theologian who despised overcomplicating things. His theorem, called Occam’s Razor, points this out.

Entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity. — William of Ockham (c. 1287–1347)

In plain English it means:

When you’re faced with competing hypotheses that make the same predictions, the one with the fewest assumptions is preferable.

Or even simpler: The simplest explanation that accounts for all the facts is usually the best one.

So, how does this apply here? Well, in Greek the word ἐστιν means is. It is never used to mean symbolically. In fact, Greek has another word for that Σημαίνω. It means signifies. Should Jesus have just used this word to avoid confusion? I think it’s fair to say the creator of the universe knows what he said. I would rather stand before the throne of God, having to explain why I took Jesus at his word than the other way around. In other words, given all the facts, the context, and the words, the simplest meaning is that is means is. What Jesus meant to say is that the bread and wine are his body and blood. How that is true is a mystery.

There is one more phrase that is critical in understanding the supper. The words in Greek again are: τὸ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν διδόμενον. Or “the thing given on behalf of you” or as we say in the Words of institution “given for you”. And the phrase is a present passive participle. That’s fancy grammar for “starting right now” it’s not just a future event on the cross but already beginning in the Supper when Jesus gave. So, the gifts, forgiveness, life and salvation are for you in this meal beginning now. The disciples at the table received Jesus body and blood and the forgiveness of their sins.

Martin Luther said about these words,

“The words ‘for you’ require all hearts to believe. This treasure is not begged for nor earned by our works. It is offered without cost and is to be received with thanksgiving.” — Luther, LC V.62–64

So, the for you is exclusive. It is for those who believe. In other words, it is for some, but not all. Every church has exclusions from the supper. Most would deny it to Buddhists, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, or even the Klu, Klux Klan. If you ask them why they will say they lack faith in Jesus (even though the KKK claims to be Christian). The question is, where do you draw the line as to who is excluded and who is included? It is in the for you. Quite simply, Jesus first gave it to believers and said it was for them, for believers. The Supper of Jesus is for the Church, that is, for the community of believers.

The Lord’s Supper is not neutral. Through faith it gives grace. Without faith it gives judgement.

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 1 Corinthians 11:27–29 (ESV)

In some ways, I think we don’t take these words seriously. But it is serious, in fact, deadly serious. Paul adds,

That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 1 Corinthians 11:30 (ESV)

So, in this Congregation of Corinthians, there were those who were sick and died, because they weren’t discerning the body. Paul is being literal. Is he only speaking about unbelief? No, obviously, it is a congregation of believers. This was an admonition, not of faith, but wrong faith. The body isn’t only the presence of Jesus, his body, in the supper but the body of faith.

How do I know this? Paul, himself, in the next chapter of the letter, calls the church, the Body of Christ.

You are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 Cor. 12:27)

And in 11:20-22 he condemns the Corinthians for division and selfishness in the Supper. In this larger context Paul says to discern the body is to: Recognize your brothers and sisters in Christ, act with love, humility and unity in the gathered body. And to avoid factionalism and pride. So, the church is responsible for avoiding obvious division in the Church, especially when considering the Supper of the Lord.

I think it is fair to say that Church of Christ is divided, much more now than when Jesus gave this gift to her. On any topic from the Real Presence of Jesus body and blood in the supper to what will happen at the end of time. What it means to be saved by faith and how works are active in the life of a believer. Not to mention the gross distortions of unrepentant homosexual behavior and support for the killing of the unborn. These are serious divisions in the body of Christ. Should they not be considered when it comes to the Lord’s most holy gift to the church? Paul says so. This is the simplest understanding of what he says.

Earlier in the Letter, Paul also says this,

This is how one should regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:1–2, ESV

He is of course talking about pastors here, as stewards. Stewards of the mysteries of God. The Lord’s Supper is one of the greatest mysteries of the faith. The word steward (οἰκονόμος) here means one who is obligated to follow the instructions of the master. I take these words (in fact all of scripture) seriously. I don’t own the supper; I am responsible for its distribution. It is improper (that is not being a faithful steward) to give sacred food to those who are hostile to the faith. Anyone who doesn’t believe what it is, Jesus body and blood for the forgiveness of sins, those who are unrepentant, that is, those who don’t seen the need for repentance, and are not united in faith. This responsibility can be and often is a great burden. But thankfully there is forgiveness for err. And I have often done so.

The question is, what is unity? The divisions in the church are clearly defined. Baptist churches don’t believe in the real presence, ELCA Lutherans believe in supporting homosexuality. Roman Catholics believe they participate in their salvation. I realize that not all members of these churches believe in everything they teach. But it is the responsibility of Christians to seek out churches that teach the word faithfully. It is my responsibility to faithfully administer the Sacrament according to God’s Word. And the word warns against spiritual harm for those who do not discern the Body of Christ. The supper isn’t for everyone. A pastor is responsible for this work, in his own congregation, not as a doorman, but as a steward.

So, what about the gift? We return to Jesus’ words, for you. That is what Paul means when he says, examine yourselves, he is talking about you confidently grasping the gifts offered in the supper for you. He is talking about you firmly holding on to the promise of salvation for you, in the forgiveness of your sin. He is talking about your confession of faith, in all that Jesus has said. The attitude should be one like the desperate father in Mark. His son was demon possessed. He asks for healing for his son. Jesus says to him, “All things are possible for one who believes.” His response: “I believe; help my unbelief.”

In this context, the supper is here for you. Doubt isn’t the issue. We all have doubt. In fact, doubt is reversed through the gift of faith and assurance of forgiveness that is offered in this sacred meal. If you believe in the for you of the supper, it is indeed here for you.

Again, Luther says,

If a person does not desire the Sacrament, I let him go. [I do not preach much to him about the benefits, for he is a coarse pig; he does not desire it.] But if he comes on his own and says, ‘I want to be a Christian and receive the Sacrament,’ I cannot refuse him, if only he gives evidence of his faith and receives instruction, lest we give it to swine and dogs. Luther’s Works, AE 51:98

He doesn’t mean he lets him go to the supper, he means he lets him go without it. Then he says what is necessary to receive it. gives evidence of his faith and receives instruction.

You may not like the practice of closed communion. Sometimes, I hate it. But we must for the sake of what Jesus and Paul say, continue to do it. Amen.

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

Luke 22:14-20; Holy Thursday; April 17, 2025;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

And when the hour came, [Jesus] reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” (Luke 22:14–20, ESV)

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

On this holy night, we remember that Jesus gave us his supper. Tomorrow, he hangs on the cross to forgive our sins. On Sunday he rises from the dead, to give us the promise of resurrection. Tonight, he makes his last will and testament. This text says, covenant, but it is the same thing. Jesus, himself, gives us this supper as his testament and promise of our sins forgiven and our resurrection.

We would do well to look at exactly what he does, what he says and what he asks us to do when we celebrate this supper. This being a will, the words are very specifically chosen. No one says anything in a will that is useless, or unmeaning.

Firstly, the context, all this takes place during the celebration of Passover. That’s when the Jews gather to remember God’s salvation from Egypt. God sent plagues to convince Pharoah to set them free. Pharoah refused until the final stroke. God sent the angel of death and killed all the first born in Egypt. He made one provision. Every house that had the blood of a lamb spread on the door post would be spared. So, as the people of God sat in their houses with blood on the door, God’s angel brought death everywhere else. For them it was an act of faith. Those who believed God’s promise lived. Afterwards, Pharoh couldn’t wait to get rid of them. His own son was dead. He would later change his mind, but that’s another story.

This event, Passover, is the major saving event of the Old Testament. God’s name YHWH is a reminder of that. It’s the name he gave them to use at that time. He gave it to Moses when the whole process of ending their slavery began. Every time that name is used, every time rescue is mentioned, every time the promised land is mentioned, in the Old Testament, every Hebrew would make the connection to the Passover.

It is in this context that Jesus makes his new covenant. Simply stated, Jesus’ blood saves us from slavery to sin and death. Just like the sacrificed lamb’s blood. Of course, I’m preaching to the choir when I say it is much more than a symbol of what he is doing. When we look at the actual words he uses, one in particular, chosen with great care, we see that. The word is is. In Greek

τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ σῶμά μου (literally: this is the body of me)

You could say this phrase in many ways and Greek doesn’t require the linking verb, is. But remembering that Jesus is choosing his words very carefully, is is very important. It’s not “depends on how you define, is” ala Bill Clinton. From the context, the importance of what Jesus is doing, Passover and the blood of and actual lamb spread on the door posts, is means is.

There may have been more ink spilled on this single word, theologically speaking, than any other word. William of Ockham was a late 13th-century philosopher and theologian who despised overcomplicating things. His theorem, called Occam’s Razor, points this out.

Entities should not be multiplied beyond necessity. — William of Ockham (c. 1287–1347)

In plain English it means:

When you’re faced with competing hypotheses that make the same predictions, the one with the fewest assumptions is preferable.

Or even simpler: The simplest explanation that accounts for all the facts is usually the best one.

So, how does this apply here? Well, in Greek the word ἐστιν means is. It is never used to mean symbolically. In fact, Greek has another word for that Σημαίνω. It means signifies. Should Jesus have just used this word to avoid confusion? I think it’s fair to say the creator of the universe knows what he said. I would rather stand before the throne of God, having to explain why I took Jesus at his word than the other way around. In other words, given all the facts, the context, and the words, the simplest meaning is that is means is. What Jesus meant to say is that the bread and wine are his body and blood. How that is true is a mystery.

There is one more phrase that is critical in understanding the supper. The words in Greek again are: τὸ ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν διδόμενον. Or “the thing given on behalf of you” or as we say in the Words of institution “given for you”. And the phrase is a present passive participle. That’s fancy grammar for “starting right now” it’s not just a future event on the cross but already beginning in the Supper when Jesus gave. So, the gifts, forgiveness, life and salvation are for you in this meal beginning now. The disciples at the table received Jesus body and blood and the forgiveness of their sins.

Martin Luther said about these words,

“The words ‘for you’ require all hearts to believe. This treasure is not begged for nor earned by our works. It is offered without cost and is to be received with thanksgiving.” — Luther, LC V.62–64

So, the for you is exclusive. It is for those who believe. In other words, it is for some, but not all. Every church has exclusions from the supper. Most would deny it to Buddhists, Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, or even the Klu, Klux Klan. If you ask them why they will say they lack faith in Jesus (even though the KKK claims to be Christian). The question is, where do you draw the line as to who is excluded and who is included? It is in the for you. Quite simply, Jesus first gave it to believers and said it was for them, for believers. The Supper of Jesus is for the Church, that is, for the community of believers.

The Lord’s Supper is not neutral. Through faith it gives grace. Without faith it gives judgement.

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 1 Corinthians 11:27–29 (ESV)

In some ways, I think we don’t take these words seriously. But it is serious, in fact, deadly serious. Paul adds,

That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 1 Corinthians 11:30 (ESV)

So, in this Congregation of Corinthians, there were those who were sick and died, because they weren’t discerning the body. Paul is being literal. Is he only speaking about unbelief? No, obviously, it is a congregation of believers. This was an admonition, not of faith, but wrong faith. The body isn’t only the presence of Jesus, his body, in the supper but the body of faith.

How do I know this? Paul, himself, in the next chapter of the letter, calls the church, the Body of Christ.

You are the body of Christ and individually members of it. (1 Cor. 12:27)

And in 11:20-22 he condemns the Corinthians for division and selfishness in the Supper. In this larger context Paul says to discern the body is to: Recognize your brothers and sisters in Christ, act with love, humility and unity in the gathered body. And to avoid factionalism and pride. So, the church is responsible for avoiding obvious division in the Church, especially when considering the Supper of the Lord.

I think it is fair to say that Church of Christ is divided, much more now than when Jesus gave this gift to her. On any topic from the Real Presence of Jesus body and blood in the supper to what will happen at the end of time. What it means to be saved by faith and how works are active in the life of a believer. Not to mention the gross distortions of unrepentant homosexual behavior and support for the killing of the unborn. These are serious divisions in the body of Christ. Should they not be considered when it comes to the Lord’s most holy gift to the church? Paul says so. This is the simplest understanding of what he says.

Earlier in the Letter, Paul also says this,

This is how one should regard us: as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. 1 Corinthians 4:1–2, ESV

He is of course talking about pastors here, as stewards. Stewards of the mysteries of God. The Lord’s Supper is one of the greatest mysteries of the faith. The word steward (οἰκονόμος) here means one who is obligated to follow the instructions of the master. I take these words (in fact all of scripture) seriously. I don’t own the supper; I am responsible for its distribution. It is improper (that is not being a faithful steward) to give sacred food to those who are hostile to the faith. Anyone who doesn’t believe what it is, Jesus body and blood for the forgiveness of sins, those who are unrepentant, that is, those who don’t seen the need for repentance, and are not united in faith. This responsibility can be and often is a great burden. But thankfully there is forgiveness for err. And I have often done so.

The question is, what is unity? The divisions in the church are clearly defined. Baptist churches don’t believe in the real presence, ELCA Lutherans believe in supporting homosexuality. Roman Catholics believe they participate in their salvation. I realize that not all members of these churches believe in everything they teach. But it is the responsibility of Christians to seek out churches that teach the word faithfully. It is my responsibility to faithfully administer the Sacrament according to God’s Word. And the word warns against spiritual harm for those who do not discern the Body of Christ. The supper isn’t for everyone. A pastor is responsible for this work, in his own congregation, not as a doorman, but as a steward.

So, what about the gift? We return to Jesus’ words, for you. That is what Paul means when he says, examine yourselves, he is talking about you confidently grasping the gifts offered in the supper for you. He is talking about you firmly holding on to the promise of salvation for you, in the forgiveness of your sin. He is talking about your confession of faith, in all that Jesus has said. The attitude should be one like the desperate father in Mark. His son was demon possessed. He asks for healing for his son. Jesus says to him, “All things are possible for one who believes.” His response: “I believe; help my unbelief.”

In this context, the supper is here for you. Doubt isn’t the issue. We all have doubt. In fact, doubt is reversed through the gift of faith and assurance of forgiveness that is offered in this sacred meal. If you believe in the for you of the supper, it is indeed here for you.

Again, Luther says,

If a person does not desire the Sacrament, I let him go. [I do not preach much to him about the benefits, for he is a coarse pig; he does not desire it.] But if he comes on his own and says, ‘I want to be a Christian and receive the Sacrament,’ I cannot refuse him, if only he gives evidence of his faith and receives instruction, lest we give it to swine and dogs. Luther’s Works, AE 51:98

He doesn’t mean he lets him go to the supper, he means he lets him go without it. Then he says what is necessary to receive it. gives evidence of his faith and receives instruction.

You may not like the practice of closed communion. Sometimes, I hate it. But we must for the sake of what Jesus and Paul say, continue to do it. Amen.

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

Luke.20.9-20; The Fifth Sunday in Lent; April 7, 2019

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN

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

We love stories. People have always loved them. Around the campfire, dad tucking the children in for sleep, tales about family escapades… and Jesus’ parables. Some folks say that Jesus’ stories, his parables, are earthly stories with heavenly meaning. I think it’s much simpler than that. Jesus’ parables are Jesus-parables. In other words, the stories Jesus tells are about him. It’s the simplest rule to keep in mind when reading and hearing them. Without that, people won’t understand them. When the disciples asked him to explain the parable of the sower…

he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ ” (Luke 8:10, ESV)

The secret is knowing Jesus and seeing Jesus in the parable. It is about him. The hard part is that we are going against our sinful nature. You see, whenever we start to talk about religious ideas, we go into a kind of auto pilot. Our first thought is us. In fact, without the work of the Holy Spirit through God’s Word that’s all human religion is, human work to raise up humans. Any example you look at is going to show that. Buddhism, Mormonism, Islam, etc., they are all religions about what people do. Christianity is the only religion that is about what God does, and the key to it all is Jesus. His life, death and resurrection are God doing, God saving.

And so today we have this parable. And right here in the middle of it we have a great example of this very thing I’ve been talking about. Before I read it again, I want to set up the context and remind you of the keys to interpreting parables. First the context:

This is probably Monday after Palm Sunday. Remember Jesus rides into Jerusalem surrounded by people shouting, “Hosanna! The king is here.” He weeps over Jerusalem’s upcoming destruction. He goes into the temple, the “home territory” of his enemies, and flushes out the money changers. Then comes this important sentence:

And [Jesus] was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words. ” (Luke 19:47–48, ESV)

So, Jesus’ enemies confront him in the temple asking where he gets his authority. He shuts them down by asking,

“I also will ask you a question. Now tell me, was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?” (Luk 20:3–4, ESV)

They are afraid of the people. If we answer “from heaven” Jesus could ask why they didn’t believe what he said. If they answer “from men” they were afraid of the people’s reaction because the people knew he was from God. So, they answer “We don’t know.” So, Jesus doesn’t answer their question either. The tension is thick. The people are hanging on Jesus words. The priests and scribes have blood in their eyes. Then Jesus tells the parable… not to them but to the people.

Now the parable: Remember the two helps in interpreting the parable. First, it’s about Jesus. Second, watch for the thing that would never happen and that’s usually describing what Jesus is doing.

And [Jesus] began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while. When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully and sent him away empty-handed. And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

Ok so it’s about Jesus. It’s obvious that the son in the parable is the Son of God. The servants are the prophets. The vineyard is God’s people who reject prophet after prophet and finally Jesus. But take care. The thing that would never happen isn’t that the tenants would kill the son. According to the law of the land, this could happen. And the tenants would be in a good position to take the property because the landlord was out of the country. It’s the people who hear the parable that tell you what’s out of place. When Jesus says,

What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!”

Do you see what they’ve done? They have made the parable about them losing the vineyard. Almost like saying, “That could never happen!” They are thinking, “God would never do that!” That’s what we are likely to do too. When we hear it, we start asking questions like, “What do we have to do to not be like the people in the parable?” Do you see how we automatically center it on us? Jesus tells them they’ve missed the point. Listen:

But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written: “ ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”

Jesus directs them back to the main thing, him. He is the son who will be cast out of the vineyard and killed. He is the rejected stone. In a matter of days, they are going to see it in all its bloody detail. God’s glory, his work for us, God doing what is needed, is accomplished by the rejection of his son. In the garden the priest’s thugs arrest him and beat him. In an illegal trail they condemn him. They force Pilate to put him to death on the cross under threat. And so, Jesus dies just as he tells in this parable. Rejected! He is the cornerstone. The parable is about him and his work for us, his people. On Wednesday nights we’ve been singing the Magnificat. It’s Mary’s song about God’s great reversal in Jesus Christ. God working to undo injustice. God turning the world’s order upside down. God doing things like no one else would do them. Jesus talks about it like this. You may have wondered why that song is so prominent in that evening prayer service. Listen to some of the words:

Oppression halted; The meek exalted. Full are the hungry; Empty, the wealthy— O sing the greatness of God the Lord!

It’s not a song about the rich getting their comeuppance. It’s about God turning making everything right again in Christ, the rejected stone becomes the corner.

And there’s even more here than meets the ear… Jesus says:

‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.

It’s a quote from Psalm 118:22, and an explanation. I want you to notice something here too. He says everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces. He’s not just talking about the scribes and priests that rejected him. He’s not just talking about today’s religious leaders that lead God’s people astray with false teaching. He’s not just talking about popes and pastors who push their works before the work of Christ, he says everyone. Yep, he means you and me, too. Everyone who falls on this stone will be broken. He does that to us. We must be broken and crushed. Otherwise we fall into to our old selfish patterns. We make ourselves the center of our religion. Repeatedly Our Lord breaks us with the law. He doesn’t do it the way we do. We use the law to show how good we are. See I keep the law. I haven’t stolen from my neighbor even though he deserves it. I haven’t cheated on my husband, even though I could do much better. No, Jesus uses the law to kill us. He shows us that we must be perfect, and nothing short of perfect will do. When we see our sin clearly, we fall at his feet and call on him to save us. He does. The stone the builders rejected becomes the corner stone. He was cast out of the vineyard and onto the cross for us. We are forgiven. He is our savior. In repentance, the gift of faith, we broken sinners cling to Jesus for forgiveness and receive it. Those who reject him, he falls on them and they are crushed.

Jesus is the ultimate stumbling stone. Jesus is Christianity, not good works of any kind, not transforming culture, or getting good laws through the legislature. Jesus only. Jesus for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus the rejected stone. Jesus for you and me.

And that’s how the text ends today too.

The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. (Luke 20:19, ESV)

It all begins just as Jesus told in the parable. Amen.

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