1 Corinthians 15:1–11; The Festival of the Resurrection; April 5, 2026

The Festival of the Resurrection

1 Corinthians 15:1–11

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN
April 5, 2026

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

P: Christos Anisti, Christ is risen!
C: He is risen indeed, Alleluia!

Paul says,

I delivered to you… what I also received

The Truth. The Christian church teaches the truth. It isn’t Paul’s ideas, or a made-up theology. It wasn’t invented by the church. Paul says he delivers what he received. All of Christianity hinges on that idea. The Resurrection of Jesus is the truth.

You are not saved by what you invent—you are saved by what was delivered to you. Through the Word that is preached. The Word that strikes your ears. The Word passed down from generation to generation.

Paul makes it very clear. He proclaims the simple Gospel. Christ Jesus died for our sins. He hung upon the cross. He was buried in a tomb. He was as dead as could be. On the third day he rose again to life. It is simple, clear and unmistakable.

If it is true, it means everything for you and me.

And it is true.

It is not advice or inspiration. These are simple irrefutable facts. People have gone out to disprove them and come back believing the truth. We know that we are sinners. We know the consequences of our sin. Your sin requires death. Jesus died and rose again.

There is no separating Good Friday, Jesus death on the cross, from Easter. Jesus’ resurrection is proof of everything he did. All his preaching, all his miracles, all his actions, all his claims about himself.

He said he would die and rise again. His claims are made true in the Resurrection. The resurrection stands as proof that he accomplished all that he became human to do.

Christ did not almost die.
He did not spiritually rise.
He actually did both.

And Paul emphasizes the truth of it. He called on the Corinthian church to seek out the truth. There were plenty of witnesses. Cephas, the Twelve, 500, James, all the apostles, Paul, himself.

What happened to Jesus, his preaching, his death, burial and resurrection, were public event. Verifiable and proclaimed. Our faith stands strong on events in history. They are not just ideas in your heart.

While we want faith to be private and unprovable, subjective; God anchors your salvation outside of you, in real history, real happening, a real person, a real death, a real resurrection.

The Gospel is not something you discover—it is something delivered to you. Given through the proclamation of Jesus Christ.

And the resurrection of Jesus Christ is not just victory—it is mercy for real sinners.

Paul points to himself.

I am the least… unworthy…

He names his sin plainly: persecutor of the Church.

Then he sets the contrast of God’s grace.

By the grace of God I am what I am.

What he is saying is that if the Gospel reaches the persecutor of the church, it reaches you. God’s grace is that no one is too far gone. No sin outruns the risen Christ.

Paul makes it clear and simple.

By this Gospel you are saved.

You are saved by this Gospel. This Gospel. The accounts of Jesus preaching, death, burial and resurrection.

Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Your salvation does not rest on your faith—it rests on Christ’s resurrection. You have salvation when you have faith in that resurrection, your sins forgiven, trust in Jesus.

The resurrection is not optional. It is the beating heart of the whole thing. It is the line between life and death. All of Christianity hinges on this fact.

If Jesus Christ is not raised, you are still in your sins and lost.

But he has risen from death.

And because of that you are made right with God.

Christ is risen—and that means your sin is forgiven and your death is finished. Amen.

P: Christos Anisti, Christ is risen!
C: He is risen indeed, Alleluia!

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

1 Corinthians 15:30-45; The Seventh Sunday after the Epiphany; February 23, 2025;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

Why are we in danger every hour? I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15:30–45, ESV)

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

Every sickness, every accident, every injury, every form of suffering leads to the question that Paul poses in this text. It was especially poignant for the Corinthians who had seen their brothers and sister die for the faith. And it is an important question considering the context he sets. In the first few sentences he contends that Christian suffering is only valuable if there is a resurrection. In fact, he says that if there is no resurrection we may as well be doing something else. We are moving our services to “Up Yonder”. If there is no resurrection, we may as well skip the service all together, order a stiff drink, and watch hockey. So, given that the resurrection validates Christian suffering, he states the obvious question,

How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?

In our language we might ask, “Will it be worth it?” Paul’s answer is straight forward and a little blunt.

You foolish person!

Of course it will. The resurrection of the body is the primary hope of all Christians. Without the resurrection there isn’t any hope at all.

Christianity is false, in fact, if Christ isn’t raised from the dead. If he is not, Paul says a few verses earlier in 1 Corinthians,

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

Paul says, if Jesus is not raised, then you are not to be raised, our preaching is in vain, our faith is futile, we are still in our sins, those who have gone before us have perished, and we are “most to be pitied”. It is a blunt answer, making Christianity dependent on the resurrection, and particularly Jesus’ resurrection. Christianity can, in fact, be proven false, if the body of Christ is produced. That’s how important the resurrection is to our faith.

Paul uses a metaphor, the seed. A seed can’t grow into a plant, it can’t bear the fruit intended if it isn’t planted in the ground. The seed can’t see the glory of the plant any more than a baby in the womb can understand the fullness of life outside the womb.

For you and me, he says, what is sown, that is planted in the ground in death, is perishable, dishonorable and weak, a natural body.

Our human body is perishable, sickness and injury are a part of our everyday life. Sore knees, hips, broken bones, cancer, bird flu, failing eyesight… the list goes on and on. Perishable means heading toward death. Food in the fridge doesn’t last forever. And that is the body we have. It is the consequence of sin. That’s what it means when the bible says,

For the wages of sin is death… (Romans 6:23, ESV)

We are perishable. But, Paul says, through the resurrection of the body, we will become imperishable. No more illness, no more injury, no more failing eyesight. The food in the fridge lasts forever.

What is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory.

What Paul is saying here is profound. Today and every day we breathe, we live in dishonor. We wear it on our sleeve. We do what we don’t want to do. We don’t do what we want to do.

For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. (Romans 7:15, ESV)

That’s the daily struggle against sin, that is so ingrained in us that we can’t stop sinning.

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? (Romans 7:24, ESV)

That is the dishonor. The dishonor of daily sin. And death is the result. A sinful body rotting sown in the ground.

But it is raised in glory. The promise of resurrection is the removal of dishonor. No passage of scripture describes this better than Romans 6:5-7.

For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. (Romans 6:5-7, ESV)

It is our death in Jesus that accomplishes it. Our old self, our sinful dishonor, was crucified with Christ. The body of sin, the dishonor, is brought to nothing. We have died, in Christ, and are set free from sin. The resurrection cannot be separated from the cross. Our sin is done away with there. Holy Baptism is the promise of the old self, the sinful dishonor, dead and buried. It is the promise of the resurrection where the dishonor is completely gone.

It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.

The weakness of what is sown is obvious. We get sick. The world rejoices in diseases that have been irradicated. But the truth is they are lurking below the surface, ready to strike our weak bodies. Work is hard. We are easily fatigued. It doesn’t matter how fit you are, you get tired. And our bodies break down with age.

“It was much more fun to live in the sixties, that to be sixty.” A quote from the internet.

And worst of all, we die. That is the culmination of our weakness, again death is in the picture.

Raised in power is the answer. All our weakness is gone. No longer will sickness plague us. No longer will fatigue be a problem. No longer will the frailty of age sneak up on us. We will be filled with divine life and strength.

Paul calls this a “spiritual body”. It doesn’t mean a non-physical body. It isn’t that we will be raised from death to living on clouds with harps in our hands having sprouted wings. Job says it.

For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been thus destroyed, yet in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. My heart faints within me! (Job 19:25-27, ESV)

In this flesh, with these very eyes. This body will raise from death because of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Our spiritual body will be physical, it won’t be subject to all the things that are buried in the grave. Death is done in. We will no longer die. Sin is dead in the grave. We will no longer sin. We will be fully controlled by the Holy Spirit.

It is return to Creation.

first man Adam became a living being

Everything that Adam was created to be, will be ours again. God’s perfect design for people will be fully realized.

Will it be worth it? I think so. And so did Paul. He said it this way to the congregation in Rome.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (Romans 8:18, ESV)

The sufferings of the present time. All of them are part of this natural body, perishable, dishonorable and weak. But that’s just it, the present time, not forever, passing away and sooner than any of us believe. Unless Jesus returns first, we will all close our eyes in death. And when they open all of that perishable, dishonorable, weakness will be gone. We will be delivered from this body of death.

Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:24-25, ESV)

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

1 Corinthians 15:1-8; Festival of the Resurrection of Our Lord, Jesus Christ; April 9, 2023;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

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

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

Christ is risen! He has risen indeed! Amen.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. ” (Romans 6:5, ESV)

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

Christ is risen! He has risen indeed! Amen.

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

1 Corinthians 2:1-16; Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany; February 5, 2023;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. ” (1 Corinthians 2:1–16, ESV)

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

It is difficult for a pastor to talk about Christian maturity. The problem, for a pastor, is this: many of you will think you are spiritually mature. Your first thoughts on this topic are to think that you’ve obtained some spiritual level higher than your brothers and sisters in Christ. You’ll think you’ve put away certain sins evidenced by the fact that you no longer struggle with them. You joyfully participate in the activities of the church, give your fair share to the budget, say good things about your pastor, and pray through the whole prayer list in the bulletin. You’ve weathered the storms of church politics, pastors with problems, and a long vacancy. You look at the blessings of your church, life, family, work, security as proof that you’ve been blessed by God because you are spiritual, because you have stood firm, because you have run the race and won. Obviously those who struggle to give anything to the church with joy haven’t reached that level of maturity. Obviously those who struggle with sexual temptation haven’t reached that level of spiritual maturity. Obviously, those who… how does the saying go? “I don’t smoke, drink or chew and I don’t date girls who do.” If I’ve heard it once I’ve heard it a million times. “Before I came to the Lord, I insert your favorite sin here, but now I don’t even have the desire to insert your favorite sin.” It just all sounds vaguely familiar.

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ” (Luke 18:10–11, ESV)

You see, the Pharisee thought he was spiritually mature. He’d conquered all those sins. The tax collector hadn’t. Obviously, he was spiritually lacking, immature. Maybe if he just worked a little bit harder, attended church on a more regular basis, dropped just a bit more in the collection plate, sat closer to the front of the church, worked building committee, maybe then God would clear all those sins out of his life.

You see, that’s the problem with talking about spiritual maturity. Whenever we, sinful human beings, begin to think about growing up in the faith we naturally turn to ourselves. We look to what we must do to make it all happen. And then we boast in our accomplishments and congratulate ourselves on our spiritual maturity.

Paul calls this the “spirit of the world.” And it had invaded the church at Corinth. There were divisions in the church. Some claimed to be more mature because they followed Paul or Apollos. Some thought that they were spiritually mature so they could do whatever they wanted (one man even married his father’s wife!). Paul’s letter to them points out these errors in thinking. He doesn’t go easy on them either, calling for excommunication for open unrepentant sin. It is chilling, “Hand this one over to Satan.” (5:5) he says. For a Christian to live according to the “spirit of the world” is a very dangerous place to be. For a Christian to live in unrepentant sin is to be on the path to denying Jesus Christ. Our own confessions say, But those who walk according to the flesh [Galatians 5:19–21] retain neither faith nor righteousness.

Paul’s warning comes from a firm hand, as does my pastoral warning to you. Beware of your sin, beware of your pride, and beware of your natural tendency to put others in their place while ignoring the log in your own eye. There is only one thing that can be done with a sinner. He must die. Shall I say it even stronger? There is only one thing that can be done with a sinner. He must suffer hell’s punishment. So beware of your sin, Christian. It can only lead you to one place, eternal separation from the Holy God.

Now, dear Christian, I would be neglecting my job as your pastor, if on the heels of that strong law I would direct you to yourself as a solution. “Try harder!” “Do these ten biblical principal and you’ll remove temptation to sin.” “Read your bible every day and God will make you strong enough to overcome.” “You can be victorious if you pray everyday.” “Of all the things Jesus talked about he talked most about money. The bible tells you more about managing your money than anything else!” These are actually more of the same. These are reflections of the wisdom of the world creeping to the church. In fact, if I preached these kinds of sermons, you’d soon be nodding your head in agreement. “Yea, that’s what I need some practical stuff to make a difference in my life.” But that’s not Paul’s solution to the problems of spiritual immaturity in the Corinthian church. What does he say?

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (2:1)

In fact, this is exactly what St. Paul calls spiritual maturity. It is seeing the foolishness of the cross of Jesus as the solution over and against the wisdom of the world. Not our doing anything. Not our working out our own way out of sin. But clinging to the cross, to Jesus and Jesus Christ crucified as our solution for sin. Spiritual maturity is here at the font, here at the altar, here in the pew when Jesus’ forgiveness from the cross is poured out on you and spoken into your ears. The two most important words you will ever hear in this church are “for you.” This is the Spirit of God at work against the spirit of the world.

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. (2:12)

So what are the things freely given? The forgiveness of sins won by Jesus on the cross, life and salvation. For as the Catechism says, For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ” (Galatians 2:20, ESV)

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ” (Galatians 6:14, ESV)

So there it is spiritual maturity as defined by God’s Word. It is not my victory over sin; my improving life. It’s not my best life now or my pursuing the purpose God give me in my heart. It is not thinking that there is something I can do to deal with my own sin. It is seeing that my sin is over my head. It is seeing the absolute danger of my sin and fearing the eternal consequences of it. It is also seeing that God has done what it necessary to remove it. It is seeing Jesus Christ bleeding and dying on the cross as the only answer. It is clinging, in faith, to Jesus as my savior and boasting in Jesus Christ crucified for me. Amen.

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

1 Corinthians 1:26-31; The Fourth Sunday after The Epiphany; January 29, 2023;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:26-31, ESV)

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

President Lincoln once said Better to be silent and thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt. He’s reflecting the idea that nobody really wants to be called a fool. Nobody wants to be thought of as foolish. But there was a time when he was called a fool, and he didn’t mind. During the Civil War Lincoln visited one of the forts north of Washington during the heat of battle. While inspecting the front lines he asked to be shown where the enemy was. When they were pointed out Lincoln stood to get a better view, thus making his tall frame, beard, and black hat the perfect recognizable target. Under a hale of bullets, a junior officer grabbed his arm and pulled him from harms way, shouting “Get down, you fool!” The president was reported to have replied. “I’m glad to see you know how talk to a civilian.” It was the president’s first and last visit to an active battle front.

In not so many words, Paul calls the Christians who are members of the small Corinthian church, foolish. But like President Lincoln, they probably weren’t upset. Paul was clarifying the way that God works. He wanted the Corinthians to recognize that God does things differently than people would do them. He especially wanted them to recognize God’s work in their midst. He begins by reminding them who they were before God called them to faith. He wanted them to remember where they came from. It was not uncommon for Christians those days to be primarily from the lower classes. Many were former slaves and even current slaves. Many were poor and un-influential. It’s not the kind of group you would gather to be a major force of influence in any town. Paul’s words tell the story: …not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth… and still there were wealthy people who were part of God’s family at Corinth. Note that Paul says, “not many”; not “not any.” He includes them with an “m.” And yet, Paul reminds them that God doesn’t recognize social status. He calls all people into his family, regardless of their standing. Those who become a part, realize that all the things that people boast in, wealth, education, prestige, and moral standing don’t count for anything in God’s sight. Instead of boasting in those things that Paul calls them “rubbish” (Phil 3:4-10), Christians boast in Jesus (1 Cor 1:31). Christians know that nothing they have done can ever make them right with God. That’s what Paul means when he calls the Corinthians foolish. He means foolish in the eyes of everyone else.

God chose the foolish things to shame the wise, Paul says. Paul is emphasizing that God doesn’t consider human merit or human ideas in his calculations of what is important and how he is going to work. And you can see it easily with a quick look at the people Jesus hung out with. His followers came from tax-collectors, prostitutes, the sick and the poor. One of the Pharisee’s primary complaints against Jesus was that he received sinners, and not only that, but he had the gall to eat with them. (Luke 15:2) It went against the way they thought God worked. It went against their belief that people got connected with God by working to clean up their life first. Jesus shamed them by loving the people they deemed unlovable and, in fact, doing what they should have been doing. The very

thought of helping those people was foolish to them. But Jesus didn’t just start doing things like that out of the blue. The history of God working in the world is full if foolish examples. There are two good examples mentioned in the Old Testament lesson for today. (Micah 6:1-8) God is reminding his people, the Israelites, about what he had done for them. For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery, and I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. (Micah 6:4, ESV) Egypt was a superpower. But the God, the God of slaves showed that he was The True God. He used foolish slaves to show his true nature to save. You and I would have chosen the grandeur and prestige of the King of Egypt to show God’s power.

And then there’s the reference to Balaam the son of Beor. (Micah 6:5) I don’t know if you remember this story but it’s a good one: (See Numbers 22) after the freed slaves, the Children of Israel, had wandered in the desert for a while and were finally ready to occupy the land that God had promised them, they needed to cross the land of Moab. The King of Moab wasn’t very happy to oblige. He called a wise man to help him, a general prophet called Balaam. “Curse these Israelites for me, so I can defeat them.” But Balaam was told by God in a dream not to do it. But because he stood to become very wealthy from the deal, Balaam took two of his servants and began the journey on his donkey. God made the donkey see what Balaam couldn’t. God had set and angel in the road to kill them. So, the donkey stopped and refused to go on. Balaam beat the donkey in anger. But the donkey only trapped Balaam’s foot between himself and a rock on the narrow road. Balaam beat him again, but the donkey still refused to move and lay down on the road. Balaam beat him all the more. After the third beating the donkey spoke up. “What have I ever done to you that you beat me in this way?” Balaam seeming to not be the least surprised at a talking donkey, replied, “You’ve made a fool of me! If I had a sword, you’d be dead.” And the donkey answered back. “I’ve been your donkey all your life. Have I ever acted this way before? Don’t you think I have a good reason?” And at that moment God allowed Balaam to see the angel with the drawn sword in his hand. (Num 22:31) He repented immediately and promised to do whatever God wanted. There’s a song by Christian Song Writer, Don Francisco that’s all about this account. In the song He talks about the foolishness of God and how he chooses what he will to do his work. The song ends with the line:

The Lord's the one who makes the choice of the instrument He's usin' We don't know the reasons and the plans behind His choosin' So when the Lord starts usin' you don't you pay it any mind He 'could have used the dog next door if He'd been so inclined (Copyright Don Francisco; This song appears on the albums: Beautiful to Me Got to Tell Somebody)

And of course, nothing screams foolishness, in human eyes, more than God becoming man, for the specific purpose of dying the death of a common criminal. But Paul wants the Corinthians to remember it is the message of that foolishness that has made all the difference for them.

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:1-5, ESV)

God’s purpose in choosing the poor in spirit (Matt 5:3), like the Corinthian Christians is, as Paul says, “so that none may boast.” (See also; Eph 2:8-9; Rom 3:27-28) There is no room for boasting in human achievement in light of what God has done through Jesus Christ. All the Corinthian Christians had to do was remember who they were and where they came from and they knew they had no room for boasting, they were saved because of Jesus and only Jesus.

This is where Paul’s words should strike us right between the eyes. God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; (1 Corinthians 1:27b, ESV) Paul’s words to us are like the soldier’s words to Lincoln. “Get down you fools!” Because of whom we are and where we come from it is very easy for us to lose sight of Jesus and begin to boast in our own accomplishments. Like those Pharisees we forget what God has given us to do and look down our noses at the people in this community that God has given for us to serve. It’s easy for us to tell ourselves that we’re better than the people who don’t get to church much and pat ourselves on the back for being the financial backbone of the church. Or even more to the point, looking back at the way we used to do church and the way the things used to be and forgetting that this church is here not because of anything our parents did, and not because of anything we have done, but because of the foolishness of God. This church’s future isn’t in us and our ability to make it work, or build a nice new (and needed) building, but in the message of Jesus Christ and him crucified for the sins of the whole world. We are here to boast in Jesus Christ, not in this church.

That’s the foolishness of God again, isn’t it? We want to think that it’s what we do. God wants us to remember that it’s what he does. Through Baptism God has called you to be part of his body. Consider your calling… who were you without Jesus? A lost and condemned person; a sinful person deserving God’s anger and punishment. Yet through the “weak” and “foolish” acts of God in Jesus Christ you have been saved from that. Jesus’ death on the cross is even enough to forgive the sin of boasting that we so easily fall into. He forgives the sin of feeling superior and forgetting why we are here. Paul says [God] is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. (1 Corinthians 1:30, ESV) Just as God saved the Israelites from slavery and death in Egypt he saved you from slavery to sin, and the punishment that results. He does it through his sacrifice that is enough to forgive the sins of the whole world.

I think of the story of a family house that caught in a fire. The two children were saved from death by a stranger who risked his life and suffered serious burns on his hands. The parents didn’t escape. When it came time to adopt the children their savior stated his case without words by showing the scares, he received by saving them. Some people might think it was foolish of the man to risk his life for two children he didn’t know, but not the children he saved.

Jesus does more than risk his life for us. He gives it. His bleeding body on the cross saves us from our own foolishness. His blood washes away all our sin. His death wins for us eternal life. His resurrection promises that life to us. What is there left for us to boast in? Only Jesus; only his cross; only his resurrection; only his choosing foolish things like you and me to be his own. Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:31, ESV)

We boast in the Lord when we remember that it is God’s work through His Word and Sacraments and the foolishness of preaching the Good News about Jesus, that God uses to call people into his kingdom. We boast in the Lord when we point people to Jesus as their only Savior from sin, even when they think it’s foolish. Amen.

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

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany; January 30, 2022;

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; The Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany; January 30, 2022;
Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN; For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of his sermon one Spirit. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?” (1 Corinthians 12:12–31a, ESV)
Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Ben Franklin once said, "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately." Certainly, the kind of unity that Ben Franklin was advocating is not the same as what St. Paul is talking about here, but there is unity that Paul is speaking of here just the same. He uses the analogy of the body to speak about the unity of Christians. Just like all the parts of the body make the body function properly, Christians bring varied gifts and abilities that make the Christian church function properly. It is our sinful human nature that wants to divide the body as useful parts and less useful parts. As those in the know, and those who are out of God’s council. It is our sinful nature that looks with envy on other parts of the body of Christ for what they have and think of ourselves as less. Or to look down on parts of the body of Christ that seem in our eyes to be less important and think that we have no need of them. This was a very important discussion for the recipients of this letter of St. Paul. The Corinthian church was in disunity. They were divided among teachers and teachings. They were divided by social strata. They were not living in the unity that was theirs in their Savior. St. Paul calls them to account. But he doesn't base this unity out of thin air. He bases it on one single truth that is true for all Christians. It is not something they have done, rather something that God has done to them. It's not something they earned by their living rightly or doing rightly, but something gifted to them. It's how the second sentence begins. It is the word for.
For (because) in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body...
What he is saying is that our unity in Christ, in the church, begins in Holy Baptism. We have unity with one another because we have unity in Christ through the water and the Word that was placed on us by the Holy Spirit in baptism. He says it again in his letter to the Romans chapter 6.
Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:3–4, ESV)
"all of us" he says. That's all of us together collectively. When we are baptized, we are baptized into Christ Jesus. We are baptized into his death. We are baptized into his resurrection. We are promised a resurrection from the dead. When I used to speak to \preschool kids about baptism I call it a "special bath". A bath that washes away your sins. A bath where God makes promises to you. In holy baptism God makes true for you Jesus life and saving death on the cross. He takes your sin and punishment to the cross. He has punished for your sin there. In baptism Jesus’ death and punishment is yours. And his new life is poured over you with the water poured over your head in God's name. Although Franklin would never say it this way, we can use his quote to think about it. In Christ we hang together on the cross. Jesus bears the burden of all our sin and punishment. Or we hang separately, without faith in Christ, when we die in our sin, we must receive our own punishment. That punishment is eternal hell. Holy Baptism is God's mark on you that says you hung to death with Jesus and are promised new life, that is no hell for you. We Christians are united together by this promise.
All this unity goes against our American mentality. We think we are the rugged individual. We want to think we don't need anyone. We look at our faith as "me and Jesus". St. Paul puts us in a family of forgiven sinners all. And that forgiveness comes to us by God's gift. There is nothing in us that God looks at and says, "I see something good in that one so I'm going to save him." We are all only sinners deserving hell. God saves us by no merit or worthiness on our part but by grace. The definition of grace is God's undeserved love. The baptism of babies and young children is the perfect picture of this. They do nothing but lay there in their mother's arms while God uses human hands to pour water and speak his name and give all the gifts of Holy Baptism. Baptism is not something we do, but something that God does to us. Baptism is our collective connection to the cross of Jesus Christ and all that it brings. And the fact that faith is a gift of God's grace not based on anything in us or anything we do is the great equalizer. God saves us purely by grace and therefore we are all the same. There are no lesser parts and greater parts. We are a family with different abilities, but all are needed and all are called by God equally to do what we are given to do. This is our common salvation in our common Savior. We are in this together. As Franklin said, "we all hang together."
St. Paul's analogy of the body goes even further. Not only are we all the same but we need each other. If every part of the body were an eye there would be nothing but seeing and the body couldn't function. So, the eyes should look at the ear and rejoice that there is an ear for hearing. For without hearing the body could not function as a complete and whole body. And the eye looks at the foot and rejoices because without the foot there would be no movement. The hand looks at the eye and rejoices because without the eye we would not be able to see the wonders of the created world. The Christian church is this way also. We are called to rejoice in our varied gifts. Some are good at teaching. Some are good at caring. Some are good at meditation and prayer. These are all gifts that strengthen the body as a whole and make it function as a whole body. But we can apply this more broadly also. Congregations are different. They have different strengths and abilities. Some are large, some are small. Some are given many resources some are given few. But because of our unity in Christ large congregations are not more important than small ones, nor are small ones more important than large ones. We all hang together in Christ. God places congregations in specific locations to accomplish the tasks that he calls them to do with the abilities he has given them. And so, we rejoice in the variation of God's calling. Our congregations need each other. What some lack can be found in others that do not. And we will function as the body of Christ more completely when we see this unity. St. Paul says this by speaking about how when some suffer all suffer and when some are honored all are honored.
And so, as Christians united together in Christ we confess our faith to the world. We speak about the Jesus who lived died and rose again for the whole world. And we call people to faith in his saving work. We do it with a gifts and abilities that he has given us and, in the places, where he has placed us. And we do it is the body of Christ. Or as Franklin said, "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately."
The Christian religion, though scattered and abroad will in the end gather itself together at the foot of the cross. (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, German poet)
Never think that you are kneeling or standing alone, rather think that the whole of Christendom, all devout Christians, are standing there beside you and you are standing among them in a common, united petition, which God cannot disdain. Luther, AE 43:198
The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

1 Corinthians 2:1-16; Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany; February 9, 2020;

1 Corinthians 2:1-16; Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany; February 9, 2020;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. ” (1 Corinthians 2:1–16, ESV)

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

It is difficult for a pastor to talk about Christian maturity.  The problem, for a pastor, is this: many of you will think you are spiritually mature.  Your first thoughts on this topic are to think that you’ve obtained some spiritual level higher than your brothers and sisters in Christ.  You’ll think you’ve put away certain sins evidenced by the fact that you no longer struggle with them.  You joyfully participate in the activities of the church, give your fair share to the budget, say good things about your pastor, and pray through the whole prayer list in the bulletin.  You’ve weathered the storms of church politics, pastors with problems, and a long vacancy.  You look at the blessings of your church, life, family, work, security as proof that you’ve been blessed by God because you are spiritual, because you have stood firm, because you have run the race and won.  Obviously those who struggle to give anything to the church with joy haven’t reached that level of maturity.  Obviously those who struggle with sexual temptation haven’t reached that level of spiritual maturity.  Obviously, those who… how does the saying go? “I don’t smoke, drink or chew and I don’t date girls who do.”  If I’ve heard it once I’ve heard it a million times.  “Before I came to the Lord, I insert your favorite sin here, but now I don’t even have the desire to insert your favorite sin.”  It just all sounds vaguely familiar. 

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. ” (Luke 18:10–11, ESV)

You see, the Pharisee thought he was spiritually mature.  He’d conquered all those sins.  The tax collector hadn’t.  Obviously, he was spiritually lacking, immature.  Maybe if he just worked a little bit harder, attended church on a more regular basis, dropped just a bit more in the collection plate, sat closer to the front of the church, worked on the youth board, maybe then God would clear all those sins out of his life. 

You see, that’s the problem with talking about spiritual maturity.  Whenever we, sinful human beings, begin to think about growing up in the faith we naturally turn to ourselves.  We look to what we must do to make it all happen.  And then we boast in our accomplishments and congratulate ourselves on our spiritual maturity.

Paul calls this the “spirit of the world.”  And it had invaded the church at Corinth.  There were divisions in the church.  Some claimed to be more mature because they followed Paul or Apollos.   Some thought that they were spiritually mature so they could do whatever they wanted (one man even married his father’s wife!).  Paul’s letter to them points out these errors in thinking.  He doesn’t go easy on them either, calling for excommunication for open unrepentant sin.  It is chilling, “Hand this one over to Satan.” (5:5) he says.  For a Christian to live according to the “spirit of the world” is a very dangerous place to be.  For a Christian to live in unrepentant sin is to be on the path to denying Jesus Christ.  Our own confessions say, But those who walk according to the flesh [Galatians 5:19–21] retain neither faith nor righteousness. ^[1]

Paul’s warning comes from a firm hand, as does my pastoral warning to you.  Beware of your sin, beware of your pride, and beware of your natural tendency to put others in their place while ignoring the log in your own eye.  There is only one thing that can be done with a sinner.  He must die.  Shall I say it even stronger?  There is only one thing that can be done with a sinner.  He must suffer hell’s punishment.  So beware of your sin, Christian.  It can only lead you to one place, eternal separation from the Holy God.

Now, dear Christian, I would be neglecting my job as your pastor, if on the heels of that strong law I would direct you to yourself as a solution.  “Try harder!”  “Do these ten biblical principal and you’ll remove temptation to sin.”  “Read your bible every day and God will make you strong enough to overcome.”  “You can be victorious if you pray everyday.”  “Of all the things Jesus talked about he talked most about money.  The bible tells you more about managing your money than anything else!”  These are actually more of the same.  These are reflections of the wisdom of the world creeping to the church.  In fact, if I preached these kinds of sermons you’d soon be nodding your head in agreement.  “Yea, that’s what I need some practical stuff to make a difference in my life.”  But that’s not Paul’s solution to the problems of spiritual immaturity in the Corinthian church.  What does he say?  

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (2:1)

In fact, this is exactly what St. Paul calls spiritual maturity.  It is seeing the foolishness of the cross of Jesus as the solution over and against the wisdom of the world.  Not our doing anything.  Not our working out our own way out of sin.  But clinging to the cross, to Jesus and Jesus Christ crucified as our solution for sin.  Spiritual maturity is here at the font, here at the altar, here in the pew when Jesus’ forgiveness from the cross is poured out on you and spoken into your ears.  The two most important words you will ever hear in this church are “for you.”  This is the Spirit of God at work against the spirit of the world. 

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. (2:12)

So what are the things freely given?  The forgiveness of sins won by Jesus on the cross, life and salvation.  For as the Catechism says, For where there is forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation.^[2]

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ” (Galatians 2:20, ESV)

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. ” (Galatians 6:14, ESV)

So there it is spiritual maturity as defined by God’s Word.  It is not my victory over sin; my improving life.  It’s not my best life now or my pursuing the purpose God give me in my heart.  It is not thinking that there is something I can do to deal with my own sin.  It is seeing that my sin is over my head.  It is seeing the absolute danger of my sin and fearing the eternal consequences of it.  It is also seeing that God has done what it necessary to remove it.  It is seeing Jesus Christ bleeding and dying on the cross as the only answer.  It is clinging, in faith, to Jesus as my savior and boasting in Jesus Christ crucified for me.  Amen.

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

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^[1] Concordia : The Lutheran Confessions. 2005 (Edited by Paul Timothy McCain) (135). St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.

^[2] Concordia : The Lutheran Confessions. 2005 (Edited by Paul Timothy McCain) (343). St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.

1 Corinthians 1:18-25; The Third Sunday after the Epiphany; January 26, 2020;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1:18–25, ESV)

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

In September the church generally celebrates The Festival of the Holy Cross. But maybe it is not exactly what you think. Way back in 326 A.D. Helena mother of Emperor Constantine went on a pilgrimage to the holy land and found what she believed to be fragments from the very cross on which our Savior hung. And while maybe it's a bit interesting, it is doubtful that what she found is what she claimed. Enough shards of the "true cross" have been found to build a whole church. And we don't venerate the cross itself, anyway. We hold the cross dear because of the one who hung upon it. Whether Helena dug out a sliver of that old piece of wood is irrelevant. Whether she even actually found the historic location of Jesus' crucifixion is irrelevant.  It's just like the account from the Old Testament. The children of Israel were saved by God giving Moses the command to hang a snake on a pole and put it up before the people. When they saw the snake on the poll, they were healed of the snakebite and didn't die. The snake and the poll were so highly regarded that later they began to be worshiped by the people. They held the thing to be greater than what God did through it. So would be our temptation to the "true cross" were it to be found in our midst. In fact, as we speak, all those slivers all over the world are given special powers for those who bow before them.

For you and me the cross has its power in the Savior. It's not the cross at all, but the blood shed on the cross. It's not the cross at all, but the life given on the cross. It's not the cross at all, it's Jesus Christ crucified. We hold the cross in high esteem. But it's not the cross at all.

St. Paul makes this very clear in this text. He begins "For the word of the cross…". The word of the cross. He's talking about the Good News of Jesus Christ. God in human flesh; born of a virgin in Bethlehem; walking the roads of Jerusalem; Preaching and teaching and healing; Eating and laughing and crying; Living and dying... on the cross. His life lived in perfect relationship to God the Father. His life lived in perfect relationship to the people around him. The sinless son of God in human flesh. Who willingly offered his life on the cross for the sin debt of the whole world. He suffered the complete punishment of hell for all people. This is the word of the cross.

The word of the cross is foolishness… It doesn't make sense for those who don't see their lives considering God's law. It doesn't make sense for those who don't want there to be a God to whom they are accountable. It doesn't make sense for people who believe that they can please God by offering him their good works. After all that's the way the world works. We do good things, we work hard, we take care of our families, we develop friendships and help other people, and we generally receive rewards. So, in our natural way of thinking, God must work the same way.

The problem is there's nothing we have that God needs. And the deeper problem is there's nothing we do for God that we ultimately don't really do for ourselves. I do things to please God to make God like me. I do good things for other people, while God looks on, so that he will think better of me. I think that I am basically a good person. At least I'm better than you. So what need is there for God to send anyone to die for me. I think that if I set out a scale and put all the good things I do on one side and all the bad things I do on the other, the scale will tip in favor of the good. And God should consider that. He should look at me and say, "he's more good than bad." And even more importantly, I think if you line up all the people of the world from bad to good, I would be lined up more on the good end of the line than on the bad. So, I think, you may need the cross, but not me. It is a self-centered delusion.  For a perfect and holy God nothing short of perfection can be in his presence. Jesus was asked about keeping the law, he answered:

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

And loving God with our "all" and loving our neighbors just as we love ourselves is not within us. There's no line from good to bad. There's no scale where good things I do are weighed against the bad. The determining factor is loving God with "all" we have and loving our neighbors as much as we love ourselves. And our lives are filled with the breaking of these commandments. Our lives are filled with self-centeredness. What we do is put ourselves is the object of our own worship. Even though we try to think of other people, the truth is we make ourselves the center of the universe. We make ourselves, god. And while this is certainly a rejection of the commandments, more importantly it's a rejection of the commandment giver. When we reject God there is nothing left for us but his anger in punishment. Eternal separation, hell is the destination for those who do not keep God's perfect commandments perfectly. That's me. That's you.

Enter… The Holy Cross. The foolishness of The Holy Cross. This is the foolishness that we preach. We preach Jesus Christ and him crucified. We preach that on the cross Jesus is eternally separated from God the Father. We preach that on the cross Jesus suffered hell's punishment. We preach that the sins of the whole world were laid on Jesus on the cross. We preach that the death he died is the death we deserve. To a world that is perishing, it is moronic, foolishness, unnecessary. But for those who see their sin it is the power of God. The power is in faith that Jesus on the cross forgives sin. The power is taking sin to the foot of the cross where Jesus' blood is shed for it. The power is faith that my sin, your sin, is forgiven at the Holy Cross. Faith has its power in two simple words: for you. The Holy Cross is Jesus Christ for you.

We are gathered here today with right before our Strategic Planning Seminar. Together we will look at what God has given us and the possibility of embarking together on a mission. That mission is to serve the world, our country, our state and our community with the Good News of Jesus Christ. It is appropriate that we begin together this journey of mission with the contemplation of the Holy Cross. The Holy Cross, were our Savior bled and died for the forgiveness of our sin, is the whole point. For Christians there is no image more powerful than Jesus Christ dying on the cross. It is the heart and center of all we believe, teach, and confess. It encompasses our faith. It's what binds two Christians together as the body of Christ. It's what binds together into a congregation, with one single purpose, to preach Jesus Christ crucified. Jesus himself said "And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." He said this to show us his death on the cross. It is the center point of history. There's nothing more important to proclaim. God has been proclaiming it through faithful preaching here for years. And now it’s maybe time to take a fresh look at our congregation and see what God is calling us to do. Amen.

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

Isaiah 6:1-8; The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany; February 10, 2019;

Isaiah 6:1-8; The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany; February 10, 2019;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”” (Isaiah 6:1–8, ESV)

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

With Uzziah dead, a change was coming to God’s people in Israel. Uzziah was a good and powerful king. He held the Assyrians a bay. He helped the people prosper. The new king Ahaz was not good or powerful. He was controlled by his wife Jezebel. God gives Isaiah the prophet a vision and updates his call. He has been preaching and teaching already. Now things will be different. The security of the people is threatened. But they aren’t going to listen. The prophet’s words will go unheeded. And not just evil king Ahaz but the people, too. Isaiah’s updated calling will be difficult.

So we have God’s vision to Isaiah. He is high and exalted on a throne. Seraphim and Cherubim call out praises to God. “Holy, Holy, Holy! YHWH Sabbath.” Everything shakes. There is smoke that fills the house of God. The angels are addressing God in Trinity and Unity. Three persons, thrice holy. God of Armies.

There is nothing for Isaiah to do but die. No one can see God and live. Even Moses had to be hidden in the cleft of a rock, just to survive God passing by. Isaiah sees God in his holiness, the angels that swarm around him. Isaiah knows his place. He has been given job of speaking for God and yet he recognizes his own sin and failure. He sees his sin clearly. He sees the sin of the people he preaches to also. A sinner in the hands of an angry God is doomed. Lord, have mercy! Christ, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

God is mercy. He forgives. He gives his own righteousness. God sends forgiveness in with a burning coal. The messenger touches Isaiah’s unclean lips and restores them. “Your guilt is taken was; your sin is atoned for.”

Isaiah responds to God’s call and forgiveness. Forgiveness has refreshed and revitalized him. He is restored as God’s mouthpiece. He is strengthened to face Ahaz with the message of God’s coming discipline. “Here I am. Send me!”

God calls, not just prophets, but all his people. He calls them to live and work and play in particular places among particular people. Isaiah didn’t deserve to be called by God. He was a man of unclean lips, who had failed in his calling many times. We do not deserve God’s calling either. We have not chosen God, but he has instead, chosen us. He chooses because he chooses, “without any merit or worthiness in me.” He chooses and places us in places to serve; bankers, teachers, farmers, parents, students, missionaries, and even pastors. Chosen and placed, called and given tasks to do in our calling. And like Isaiah called to speak, called to give the Good News of forgiveness found in Jesus Christ alone.

We are unworthy. We are sinners. We deserve God’s anger and punishment. Woe is us! We are people of unclean lips. We see God’s holiness and our sin.

I, a poor, miserable sinner, confess unto You all my sins and iniquities with which I have ever offended You and justly deserved Your temporal and eternal punishment. But I am heartily sorry for them and sincerely repent of them, and I pray You of Your boundless mercy and for the sake of the holy, innocent, bitter sufferings and death of Your beloved Son, Jesus Christ, to be gracious and merciful to me, a poor, sinful being.

We come before God’s throne pleading repentance, remembering that we have been made God’s very children in Holy Baptism. God puts his very name YHWH on us. And where God’s name is there is forgiveness. And we receive forgiveness by the touching of Christ’s body and blood to our lips (a far sight better than a burning coal!). We are given the righteousness of God. Clothed in the white robe of Christ. All that he did for us. Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. Your punishment done. Hell is not to be your destination. God declares to you and me “Your guilt is taken away; your sin atoned for.”

“Here I am, send me!” is our response. We are called in our baptism. Forgiveness refreshes and revitalizes us. We are restored as God’s mouthpiece. We are strengthened to face a world that is increasingly hostile to Christianity. And we are called as who we are. We all have unique talents and abilities to serve. Some serve as missionaries. Some serve as teachers. Some serve as friends and family. All called and placed to serve, placed to show God’s love and mercy. You are called to be God’s children in the world exactly right now where he has placed you. Each one of you uniquely placed in a family, a job, next to a friend, to serve. To be the best husband, wife, father, teacher, student, government worker, mechanic, builder that you can be.

For we are [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10, ESV)

God calls you to this work. He may not call with burning coals or bushes, visions of glory in the temple or even voices in the night. But he does speak to you in his Holy Word. He does come to you in Word and Water and Bread and Wine in a real presence that you can see and feel and taste and touch. We see our sin clearly proclaimed to us. We confess it and receive God’s pronounce forgiveness. And we are touched directly by God with forgiveness, individually. The Holy Spirit works in us faith in Jesus as the one who has brought that forgiveness through his death on the cross and resurrection. He enables us to live as God’s people among a world of people with unclean lips among a people who will be slow to believe. And the Spirit draws us close to Jesus, the Word of Life himself.  He provides direction and purpose, and changes in our callings.

Job changes place us among new people. Marriage and children give opportunities to teach a new generation directly. Grandparents can show God’s love in ways that parents are unable. Some are called to change their lives and move to a foreign mission field. Some are given the means to support them. Some are called to serve simply in work of service. Wherever we are, whenever things change, we follow God’s leading with the humble response, “Here am I, send me!”

In all of it we are called in our baptism to be God’s children. He has placed us in the world, specifically where and when we are. Each one of us is called to be in this world as God’s children, loving, helping and serving those he puts before us. And in that service we also bring the Word of comfort and hope. Jesus Christ has died on the cross for all your sins. Amen.

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