Luke 14:1-14; The Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost; July 27, 2025;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” And they could not reply to these things. Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”” (Luke 14:1–14, ESV)

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

A few weeks ago, when the Epistle reading was from Hebrews, you know, the faith chapter. It begins with

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1, ESV)

And then proceeds with the faith of the saints. Abel, Enoch, Noah, etc. I began to wonder what would the author have said about pride. So, I asked Chatgpt. Generate a “Hall of Faith” like Hebrews 11, that talks about pride instead. It wrote this:

Now pride is the assurance of self and the conviction of one’s own greatness.

By pride, Adam and Eve reached for the fruit, desiring to be like God, and they fell.

By pride, Cain offered a sacrifice from his hand without faith, and his anger consumed his brother.

By pride, the builders of Babel said, “Let us make a name for ourselves,” and the Lord scattered them.

By pride, Pharaoh hardened his heart against the Lord, though the plagues destroyed Egypt.

By pride, Saul grasped the throne, spared what God had cursed, and lost the kingdom.

By pride, Nebuchadnezzar declared, “Is not this great Babylon that I have built?” and he was driven to eat grass like an ox.

By pride, Haman built a gallows for Mordecai, but he himself was hanged upon it.

By pride, Herod arrayed himself in royal robes and received the praise of men as of a god, and he was struck down by the angel of the Lord.

By pride, the Pharisee prayed in the temple, boasting in himself, and he went home unjustified.

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Absalom, of Sennacherib, of Jezebel, of Judas—who through arrogance sought their own way, trusted in their own strength, boasted in their own wisdom, were brought low, shamed, scattered, struck, and undone.

Of them the Scripture testifies: “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Pride. It is the original sin. Nothing is more destructive. Nothing is more of an offence to God. Biblically speaking, from the examples above we see that (biblically speaking) pride always ends in being humbled.

Adam and Eve fell to pride. Satan said to them “You will be like God.” That would be good, we deserve that. It ended in there being expelled from the Garden. Cain killed his brother, Abel, because God accepted Abel’s sacrifice, but not Cain’s. “sin is crouching at your door.” (Gen 4:7b). God told him. Abel paid the price of Cain’s pride. I don’t deserve this. He was also exiled. Pharoah wouldn’t listen to Moses. He was too proud to accept the release of the Hebrews from Egypt. Plague after plague came upon Egypt, but Pharoah refused still, until God took his son. Kings, Prophets, Pharisees, and even the Apostles, all fell by pride. Scripture is a litany of people falling because of pride. The verdict is the same for all of them,

Pride goes before destruction (Prov. 16:18).

The Epistles give us more warnings about pride than anything else, except sexual sins. And it is apt. Pride is the basis for most of our issues with God. We compare ourselves to others. “At least I’m not like those people…” Sound familiar? “God, I thank you that I am not like other men…”. We think that we can try harder to increase our faith, as if discipline is the answer to sinning less. The Word tells us it grows by God’s grace through Word and sacrament. Pride hides in piety. Prayer falters, because we get comfortable. It only comes out in times of trouble and when we find ourselves in real need. It is pride that tells us we can depend on ourselves. It is pride that tells us that the validity of worship depends on our how we feel about it. “I don’t like that hymn” or “That sermon didn’t do much for me.” Worship is about what God gives through grace. It is a place where sinners receive forgiveness. Pride tells us we must feel something, or it isn’t working. The law is for other people, and we deserve to be saved. Oh, and don’t think Pastors are immune. I read an article that talked about pastors boasting about all the good things happening in their congregations instead of the troubles and challenges they are having. Pride pushes accomplishments against God’s Work, over time, that isn’t always seen.

All this pride in our lives, as pointed out clearly in Scripture, shows us that it isn’t just a problem of the Pharisee in Jesus’ parable. It is the insidious sin that fills even our Christian lives. It hides in the good things like piety, service, care, and competence. The Law makes our pride clear and accuses us. We are prideful, sinful, people.

Let’s face it. When you hear Jesus’ parable of the banquet, you put yourself in it. You think, “Ah, that’s how I get the recognition I deserve. I’ll slink to the lowest spot at the table and then the host will see me and lift me up to the highest.” After all it is what Jesus said to do. Humble yourself to be exalted. It is the so that, that is the problem. You should humble yourself, because it is the right thing to do, not for the reward. It is just hidden pride. You can’t help it. Pride will always get the better of you. But hear God’s warning:

Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled. Luke 14:11

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant… 1 Cor 13:4

The false teacher “is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.” 1 Timothy 6:4

If anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Galatians 6:3

That’s the problem with the parables. We think they are about us (pride again), when they are really about Jesus. Jesus is the one who attends the banquet and puts himself in the lowest place. He humbles himself. He shows the greatest humility.

He was despised and rejected by men… one from whom men hide their faces. Isaiah 53:3

He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8

And God, sees his sacrifice and says to him, “Friend, come up higher!”

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 2:9–11, ESV)

Pride is insidious. You will struggle with it your whole life. It is the original sin. And what’s worse you can’t kill it. Only God can do that. Only death will finally kill the Old Adam who is prideful and wants nothing to do with humility.

But God doesn’t leave us in the terrible state. He offers forgiveness for your sinful pride. That’s where the word applies to you. Jesus reminds you that in Holy Baptism you are joined to his suffering and death. You are joined to his humiliation. You are raised up with him in his exaltation. You can’t even fathom what the resurrection will be like, when your sinful pride is finally defeated. It is so much a part of your everyday life that you can’t imagine life without it. When I got my first knee surgery, I couldn’t believe how much my knee had been hurting. I had become so used to the pain that when it was finally gone, I felt free. That’s what the resurrection will be like for you. You have become so used to your pride that when it is gone, you will feel utterly free.

The parable about the banquets tells us another thing. Jesus prepares a banquet. He doesn’t invite the proud, he invites those who have been humbled.

[Jesus] said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.

We can’t repay Jesus for what he has done for us on the cross. We can’t repay Jesus for what he will do for us in the resurrection. But you have an invitation to the feast. You certainly don’t deserve it. Jesus has overcome your pride, through his humility. He gives you forgiveness.

At his banquet, he looks down the table and he sees you. A poor, crippled, lame, blind, prideful sinful person. He has compassion on you and takes you by the hand. Through my cross and resurrection, I have saved you from your pride. I have saved you from your sin. Not because you have overcome it, but because I have. Come Beloved Friend, move up higher.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:38-30, ESV)

Amen.

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

Genesis 18:17-33; The Seventh Sunday after Pentecost; July 27, 2025;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” Then the Lord said, “Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great and their sin is very grave, I will go down to see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me. And if not, I will know.” So the men turned from there and went toward Sodom, but Abraham still stood before the Lord. Then Abraham drew near and said, “Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city. Will you then sweep away the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” And the Lord said, “If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” Abraham answered and said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking. Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?” And he said, “I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.” Again he spoke to him and said, “Suppose forty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of forty I will not do it.” Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. Suppose thirty are found there.” He answered, “I will not do it, if I find thirty there.” He said, “Behold, I have undertaken to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.” Then he said, “Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak again but this once. Suppose ten are found there.” He answered, “For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.” And the Lord went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.” (Genesis 18:17–33, ESV)

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

You know that Jesus intercedes for you, right? Do you understand how utterly amazing that is? At this very moment, the Lord of the Universe, the Crucified Son of God, sitting at the right hand of the Father, reigning over all things, is speaking your name to God, the Father. He isn’t distant. He is pleading for your faith. He is there before God, showing his justifying wounds pleading for you. When your words of prayer fail, when you are tired and harassed by the things of this world, when you don’t know what to say, he is praying for you. He is your advocate. He is your high priest. He is your brother. Despite all your sins, all your sorrow, all your doubt, all your selfishness, he pleads for you. If you could see what he is doing for you, right now, you would never doubt his love for you.

Let that sink in for just a moment.

When I was at the seminary, I took a class call “The History of the Christian Church”. We called it “The History of Heresy”. We went through history step by step, heresy by heresy, highlighting the churches’ failures, misinterpretations, errors, and downright lies. By the end of the class, we were wondering how the church ever survived. My professor, Rev. Ron Feuerhaun, seemed to understand how we were feeling. During a lecture highlighting a particularly heinous error, he stopped the lecture, walked around the podium and sat on the desk. The room fell silent. “Gentlemen,” he began, “Remember, the Lord is still praying for his church.” What he meant was, despite all the error, pain and suffering, Jesus is still interceding for his church.

Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. (Romans 8:34, ESV)

Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)

Even a cursory look at the History of The Christian Church, bears out, that it has only survived because of Jesus’ intercession. Faithful Christians sin. Faithful Christians doubt. Faithful Christians push toward error. That is the constant struggle of the church. We bring our sin; Jesus brings his forgiveness. We are Saints and Sinners. Our sinful flesh would have us push out everything to do with God’s grace. Without his constant intercession on our behalf, the church would never grow. Keep that in mind as we move forward with our building project.

Jesus is our intercessor. There is no other. Roman Catholics try to use the Saints as intercessors, not replacing Christ, but using them as subordinate intercessors. From the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

The saints do not take Christ’s place. They do not answer prayers by their own power. But in their closeness to God, they lovingly pray for us—just as we lovingly pray for others on earth. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, summary of §§956–957)

This false idea doesn’t come from scripture, or even the books the Roman church sticks in between the testaments. It is a post-scriptural development. There is nothing in scripture that says the dead in Christ hear or even see anything on the sinful earth. The dead are cut off from the living.

For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing [of earth], and they have no more reward, for the memory of them is forgotten. (Ecclesiastes 9:5, ESV)

Grandma isn’t looking down on your life. If she did, she’d be appalled at your sin. If you think about it that’s a good thing. Grandma is enjoying the presence of Christ. No more sin. No more death. No more suffering.

The false teaching that the Saints intercede for us has led to an even greater sin. Just an example. Have you heard that if you bury a statue of Joseph upside down in your yard before you sell your house, he’ll be forced to help it sell (be sure to dig him up after the sale or he’ll curse you instead!)? The truth is, the carpenter, the step father of Jesus, Joseph, doesn’t know or much less care about your house.

So, how do we get here from our text today about Abraham bargaining with God? Well, Abraham is interceding for the sinners in Sodom and Gomorrah. He boldly asks if 50 faithful are found, would God destroy the city. God says he won’t if 50 are found. Then Abraham asks about 45, 40, 20 and 10. God relents at 10 and says he won’t destroy the city if he finds 10. Abraham is silent. He has pushed God as far as he can. So, why did Abraham stop at 10? Didn’t he know how many people were in Lot’s family? 10 seems like a small number for such large cities. Maybe he realized that even though his intercession was bold and faithful, it had a limit. He could not save the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. He could plead with God, but he could not save. He could ask, but righteousness was not his to give. Abrham was a friend of God, he spoke to him boldly on account of the people of the cities. But he isn’t the redeemer. Abraham stopped at 10, but Jesus doesn’t stop. He is the righteous one who saves, who gives his own righteousness freely. He is the one who pleads to the Father on account of the guilty, offering them (especially you and me!) that righteousness. Abraham plead his case; he was willing to speak very directly to God. Jesus is willing to die. On the cross Jesus pleads to the Father for sinners. His death there is the reason we are saved from hell. Abraham reflects God, although limited. Jesus is the very image of God in human flesh. Jesus is the more complete Abraham. Better. He is the only one.

So, what does that mean for us today? We have an advocate, a perfect advocate. You can see it in the history of the church. It is preserved because of Jesus. Century after century, heresy after heresy, corruption, persecution and weakness, the church still stands on the Word of God, protected by Christ himself.

Numbers don’t matter. 10, 20, or 33. The church lives in Christ, and for Christ. It isn’t us, it’s him. “Brothers, Jesus is still praying for his church!” He does it when we are too weary. He does it when everything seems to go wrong. He does it when our worship is weak, when our doctrine is confused, and our witness is tainted. Jesus Christ remains faithful. He doesn’t bargain. He paid the price for his church in blood.

And so, like Jesus, we plead to the Father for “the whole church of God and all people according to their needs.” It is because we are part of Christ. It is exactly what he does. And we are joyfully able to pray because he is the perfect advocate. We never pray alone. The Spirit interprets our feeble prayers. We have an advocate at the right hand of the Father. He is speaking to the Father for all those we pray for. And he is speaking your name, advocating for you, right now. Jesus has covered you in his robe of righteousness. You are his. Amen.

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

Genesis 18:1-14; The Sixth Sunday after Pentecost; July 20, 2025;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate. They said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” And he said, “She is in the tent.” The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.” And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years. The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, “After I am worn out, and my lord is old, shall I have pleasure?” The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”” (Genesis 18:1–14, ESV)

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

Sarah was skeptical. And who could blame her. She was 89 years old. “The way of woman had ceased to be with her”. So, technically, it was impossible for her to have children. She laughed at having a son. God would call the child “He laughs”, Isaac, pointing to her doubt. “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” God indeed does what is impossible, notwithstanding Sarah’s doubts.

When you consider the context of the text, you can see how all this was set up. Abraham looks up and “suddenly” three men were standing before him. Abraham knew it was a special appearing of God. All at once they were there. His reaction says so. Abraham bowed down to the ground in worship. He offers them what he has. His actions were urgent; quickly ran to the tent to ask Sarah to prepare bread. He ran to the herd to get a calf to slaughter.

The contrast is quite strong. Mary and Martha like. Martha was busy with much service. Martha is busy in the tent. Mary was sitting a Jesus’ feet. Abraham is clinging to faith while he listens to the Lord. What Abraham saw, was God’s appearing, God’s presence with them. Did Martha just see three visitors?

In a way, you can’t blame her. God appeared in a plain ordinary way. Three travelers. There was no lightning, no thunder, no kings, no temple. Only a tree, a tent, a meal and a kitchen. But God was there, and he was there to offer Sarah a promise.

Where is Sarah your wife? She is in the tent.

God continues:

“I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.”

Sarah was skeptical. She laughs at the promise. Maybe it was all too simple. Maybe unlike her husband, she didn’t see God in the three visitors. But she laughs at the thought of having a son. God is faithful, just like he was to Martha.

Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her. Luke 10:42:

Is anything too hard for the Lord?

And God was faithful, even when Sarah doubted. He came with a word of promise, and Sarah hears it. She has a son of promise. Maybe she doubted from the outset of the promise 25 years earlier, or maybe her hope just faded. But until the baby was born, who could blame her.

So, here we sit, week after week, month after month, year after year. We come to hear God’s promises. We come to receive his forgiveness—won by Christ. It is delivered faithfully by God, even when we are faithless. We wait in weakness. We wait with doubts. There are distractions and even laughter at the idea that God could use our weak, little congregation to do anything. That he can bring life from bareness and joy from sorrow.

We sit here in our temporary space; the same space used for LGBT+ celebrations and speak our quiet words of God’s hope and promise. While our building project struggles at every step; red tape, shifting timelines, and unexpected delays. It’s enough to make us laugh like Sarah. It’s enough for us to ask the question Did God really want us to build?

We sit in doubt when our prayers go unanswered. Like Sarah, who must have thought that God had long forgotten about his promise of children like the stars of the sky. Family issues persist with no end in sight. A child that has gone astray. A brother or sister that refuses to be reconciled to us. Healing from a deep emotional wound. Prayers about our community, our country and the world seem to go unanswered. Natural disasters pile up, our prayer seems ineffective. Maybe he doesn’t hear my prayers. The doors seem closed. Has God forgotten about me?

But God is faithful. Not because we have a great vision. Not because we have made a great plan. Not because we are persistent in prayer, or not. Not because we are strong. But because he is faithful above all our doubts and all our sorrows and all our frustrations. The same Lord Jesus who comes to us faithfully every Sunday is the same Lord who sat beneath the oaks of Mamre. He comes to us in Word and Sacrament. He comes to us in preaching. He comes to us when, as he promised, we gather where two or three are gathered in his name. The same Lord who said, ‘I will return, and Sarah shall have a son,’ now says to us: ‘I am building My Church. I am with you always. Take and eat… given for you.’

Now, I want to speak very clearly here. Our church project doesn’t have a clear promise from God. In fact, after all that we do, it could still fail. Our church could fail. But even in the face of all that, God is still faithful. His promises are not tied our plans, our buildings or our budgets. God doesn’t promise we will always see the fruit of our prayers. The promises he makes to us are tied to Christ. He is not going anywhere. Even if we worship in a tent, even if we lose every earthly support, we still have everything—because we still have Him. Our hope is not in brick or wood, but in the cross and empty tomb. And that promise stands, even if everything else falls.

So, while the foundation still isn’t poured, we don’t look to our success. While we are frustrated with waiting on God to answer our prayers, we look to the cross. We come here because this is where we hear of God promises anew. The cross is where God’s promises are given and received in full. We look to what God does in his church, children are baptized, Christ’s body and blood are given, the Word is proclaimed in faithfulness. This is where we pray continually for the church, the world, our nation, and all people. And this is where we see it. This is why we gather, small as we are, week after week, month after month year after year. God’s promise is true. Is anything too hard for the Lord?

There are doubts. We are more like Sarah than we want to admit. But with those doubts we cling to the cross. Jesus tears down sin and death by sacrificing himself for us. He hung there—not in glory, but in weakness and shame and blood. He bears the curse of our failures. He bears our doubts. He bears our pride. He bears our sorrows. He bears our frustrations. He bears our fear. The cross is stronger than any human sin. The cross is stronger than any human frustration. The cross looks like failure, but it is where God is most at work. There he is as work for you and me. That is where we find our hope, no matter what happens. No matter how dark our lives get. No matter how frustrations cling to everything we do. Christ is still crucified for us. Christ is still risen for us. Christ is still here for us. Christ is still coming again to end all frustration, sin, fear, doubt and failure. And because of his promises, proven at the cross, it means we are still his beloved church. Amen.

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

Luke 10:25-37; The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost; July 13, 2025;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”” (Luke 10:25–37, ESV)

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

There was a Fad in the church a few years ago (well in the 90s anyway). It has its origin in the 19 century (1800s). A pastor, Rev. Charles Sheldon, a congregationalist minister, wrote a book. “In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do?” In the book, the pastor says that anytime a Christian has a decision to make, he should ask the question: What Would Jesus Do? In the 90s, WWJD bracelets became popular among youth groups. The idea was to use Jesus as the best example of Christian living. If you do what Jesus would do, you’ll make the right decisions.

Jesus is certainly a great example to follow. From 1 Peter 2:21

Christ suffered for you, leaving you and example…

And 1 John 2:6

Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Our Gospel reading for today seems to bear this out. The Lawyer asks, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus explains with the parable. A guy, a Jew presumably, is traveling and falls among thieves. He is left for dead beside the road. Two people pass by failing to help, the last helps. Be like this guy. Your neighbor is the guy God puts before that needs help to help.

But there is much more going on here than the simple reading. First of all, notice that the one asking the question is a lawyer. The two who pass by, the priest and the Levite (a pastor and a lawyer), are the ones the listeners would expect to help. The crowd would have been shocked. Pastors and Lawyers were highly respected for their knowledge of scripture. They were highly respected for their moral convictions. What’s up with that? They probably asked.

Jesus continues. “Then came a Samaritan. He has compassion on the man. He helps him.” This is another shock, bigger than the first. The Jews would have expected the story to go, “The Samaritan saw him on the side of the road and kicked him for spite. Such was the hatred between the Jews and the Samaritans. And the Samaritan wasn’t just helpful; he spent a fortune to see to the Jew was restored. You can tell the lawyer doesn’t like the conclusion. When Jesus asks,

Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?

He replies,

The one who showed him mercy.

He can’t even bear to say he was a Samaritan.

You go, and do likewise. Jesus says.

Implying that he should do the same for Samaritans. Jesus turns everything around on his listeners. He does what no one expects. Of course, the parable is about Jesus. He puts himself in place of the Samaritan, he saves us at great cost, giving his very life for our forgiveness. He beams forth as the ultimate example to follow.

But there is something more here: You are not the Samaritan in the story, you are the man at the side of the road. You can’t help yourself, you have been robbed, beaten by sin, and left for dead. The priest and the lawyer pass you by. They can’t save you, they won’t save you. Jesus, is the true and better Samaritan. He is despised by the world, but full of unexpected mercy. He binds your wounds. He pays the price for your sin. He heals with his own blood. He brings you into the church. The parable isn’t a call to try harder. It is about Christ who rescues you when you could do nothing.

There is an issue with WWJD. And it’s partially set out in this parable. The Samaritan, Jesus, does what no one would expect. All throughout his ministry he confused people by doing what no one expected. He spoke to a Samaritan woman, he touched lepers, he doesn’t condemn a woman caught in adultery and allows a sinful woman to anoint his feet. All of it is shocking. All of it is unexpected. And don’t forget, before you ask, ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ — remember that flipping tables and driving out corrupt religious leaders with a whip is on the list.

The fact is, what would Jesus do? Is often answered in the bible, he’d do only what he can do.

WWJD is law centered. It says we must act like Jesus. The burden is on the believer, not on the Holy Spirit’s work in them. Luther says,

The law says, ‘Do this,’ and it is never done. Grace says, ‘Believe in this,’ and everything is already done. Martin Luther, Heidelberg Disputation (1518)

And what has been done? Jesus, the law keeper, has kept the Law perfectly for you. He isn’t only our example, he is your substitute. On the cross, he hung with the guilt of you passing by people who needed help. Every time you fail to love. Every time you live for yourself.

If you have the wrong mindset, unbound to the work of Spirit and the Gospel, it leads to moralism, Christianity becomes about changing behavior.

Jesus is an example, but an impossible one. He is our savior, not our role model. He is first and foremost our atoning sacrifice for sin. We must always keep in mind, not what he would do, but what he did.

Christ is not merely a teacher and example, but a gift and present given us by God, so that we may be saved through Him. – Formula of Concord, SD III.41

The question WWJD subtly assumes that we can choose the right thing if we just try harder. It often sets aside the biblical truth the sin corrupts everything we are and do. We are saved sinners, yet still sinners until Jesus’ return or death. It is only the New Man, not the Old Adam, that even desires to do the right thing. The new creation lives alongside the sinful self. Sanctification is caused by the word working in our lives, not by our moral striving. We are so prone to shifting the thing backwards. Instead of putting justification first, we like to put sanctification first. Sanctification flows from justification. As the Book of Concord says:

Faith alone justifies… Good works necessarily and invariably follow. – Apology of the Augsburg Confession IV.64

So, of course, ask yourself WWJD. But more than that, trust what he has done. He has put you on his shoulders and carried you to safety. He has paid your debt of sin fully.

And because of that you now have confidence, you are free to love as you have been loved. Not for recognition by God, not to earn God’s favor, you are already his forgiven child. You don’t have to try to be good enough. God himself has declared you righteous on account of Christ. In that knowledge you can serve your neighbor just as you are called to do.

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

Luke 10:1-20; The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost; July 6, 2025;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not receive you, go into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable in the judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. “The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”” (Luke 10:1–20, ESV)

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

It is spiritual warfare. That is exactly what it is. Jesus sends out the 72 disciples to do battle—not with sword, or guns but with the Word. Deamons scream. Satan falls like lightning. The villages and towns are warned. And peace, above all, is proclaimed. The battle is dramatic. The battle is visible.

The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”

It is filled with victory. It sounds like victory. It looks like victory.

It is what we want, but seldom see. For us our spiritual warfare doesn’t feel like lightning striking villages, or demons fleeing in terror. It looks more like bitterness in a committee meeting. A quiet despair filled night sitting beside an ailing parent. Doubt that God really means that there is forgiveness for all our sin. It feels like when we give up on prayer because we are tired. The creeping sense that the church is failing as churches everywhere close. That it is weak and scattered. It looks like the media mocking what we believe as unenlightened. It’s that awful gut feeling that we are losing.

But don’t be fooled. The battle is the same. In fact, everything is the same.

C.S. Lewis, in The Screwtape Letters, puts it like this—a senior demon instructing a junior one:

You will say that these are very small sins … But do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from the Enemy [for demons the Enemy is God]. It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing.

That’s spiritual warfare, a bitter battle of small things not just wild rebellion.

In this battle, Satan stands against God—he always loses. The outcome is already assured. Jesus wins. Satan is defeated. He fails every time the Word is preached, every time a sinner is absolved, every time a baptized child of God, shows up in worship, to sing, pray and give thanks. It is a real battle, bloody and vicious. No prisoners are taken. And God, in Jesus Christ, wins, every time.

And when I say the battle is real, I’m talking about the spiritual combat. When Jesus sent the 72 he sent them saying,

Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.

They don’t go with anything worldly substantial. No money, no weapons, and no protection. They are sent with the Word alone. We don’t hear about it from them, but Jesus prepared them for rejection, resistance, and opposition.

That is our battle also. We go into our families, workplaces, and even in our congregation. We are armed with nothing worldly, but with the same Word. It looks a bit different for us. Because it does, we are tempted to believe that the fight isn’t happening—or worse that we are losing.

Our enemy isn’t flesh and blood. It’s not the people who cause us delays or speak against us openly. It isn’t the conflicts we face in the church. The real enemy we face is Satan and his demons. The enemy sows division, fear, and despair.

For the devil… causes such great mischief in order to lead us into sin, shame, and unbelief. — Large Catechism, Sixth Petition

The devil may work with whispers and slow erosion—but the Lord doesn’t leave us defenseless. He arms us with something sharper than shame, deeper than doubt, and stronger than despair:

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. — Hebrews 4:12 (ESV)

It doesn’t only soothe us in times of despair. It pierces the soul. It exposes sin, kills pride and causes faith in Christ to grow. And remember, it never returns empty but always does what God intends. It doesn’t look like much, but the demons run in terror. The daily battle in the spiritual war isn’t fought with power, but rather with proclamation of Christ.

The real fight is in your forgiving sin in an underserving sinner; in teaching children the faith as found in the Catechism; in sermons preached by a sinful pastor; in showing up for church, even when you are tired, discouraged and angry.

Jesus wasn’t surprised when the 72 returned with their report. They were amazed; he was not.

I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. (v. 18)

He was saying that the battle and the war are already over. It is not in doubt. The devil is already falling. The language is a dramatic event; Jesus compares it to lightning. He could be saying:

When you were casting out demons, I was watching Satan, already collapsed, cast down, and completely undone.

You may feel tired, discouraged, or even defeated. But Jesus’ victory over Satan is complete.

Do not rejoice in this… but rejoice that your names are written in heaven. (v. 20)

That’s you, the baptized child of God, whose name is written in the book. Jesus has accomplished it for you. His death on the cross, brings you forgiveness, his resurrection secures if for you. That’s where the battle is won, forever.

Though devils all the world should fill, All eager to devour us, We tremble not, we fear no ill; They shall not overpower us. This world's prince may still Scowl fierce as he will, He can harm us none. He's judged; the deed is done; One little word can fell him. LSB 656

Martin also writes:

The devil is called the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4), yet the Gospel is stronger. When it is preached purely, it is a lightning bolt from heaven, tearing down strongholds and setting captives free.”— Adapted from Martin Luther’s Lectures on Galatians

This victory, Christ’s victory can’t be taken away from you. The joy of it is not in dramatic spiritual success. The real joy is you and your identity in Christ. You belong to him. He has proved it through Holy Baptism, marking you as one redeemed by Christ the Crucified. That is God’s promise, and it can never be undone. No delay, no conflict, no fear, not even the devil himself, can remove your name from the Book.

You may not feel powerful. In fact, you may feel exactly the opposite. You may not see dramatic results (though sometimes you will!) Your baptism stands.

We are in a war. That war isn’t with flesh and blood. Christ has already won it. He has already stormed the battlefield and defeated our enemies. He has crushed the Serpent’s head and risen in victory. The fight was fierce, but it was never in doubt. It is proclaimed every time you hear about Jesus’ life, death on the cross, and the resurrection from death.

So, we fight—not for victory—but from victory. We serve where we are needed despite the opposition. We forgive the unforgivable. We pray for the others caught up in the battle. But we don’t fight to win. That is already done.

Rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

That’s all the security you need. Amen.

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