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

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And that’s how the text ends today too.

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

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

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

2 Corinthians 5:20b-21; Ash Wednesday; March 5, 2025;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

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

Lent begins with ashes, solemn hymns and repentance. Repentance is sometimes the hardest to understand. We want to see the joy of Jesus’ victory over sin. We don’t really like the phrase “poor miserable sinner” in our Sunday morning confession. We want the joy, God’s children should be filled with joy always, because of all the Jesus has done. But, in Lent, with its focus on repentance, we believe that joy must be set aside.

Well, Lent is indeed about solemn reflection on our sin. But in that reflection, there is reason for great joy. In that repentance there is overwhelming thanksgiving for what Jesus has done. If there is no joy in the forgiveness won for us by Jesus on the cross, we are missing the point.

Remember that Jesus himself calls for repentance.

From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17, ESV)

The need for repentance didn’t end with the coming of his kingdom, we are still sinners. Luther says, of this verse, in the 95 Thesis (1517):

When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent’ (Mt 4:17), he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.

So, let’s talk about what repentance is, the Augsburg Confession says in Article XII that repentance has two parts. First, contrition, genuine sorrow over sin. Second, faith in Christ’s forgiveness, that is, trust in God’s mercy through Jesus. In the Large Catechism Luther doubles down:

Thus a Christian’s entire life is nothing else than a daily baptism, begun once and continuing ever after.

He ties repentance directly to Holy Baptism, a continual drowning of the old sinful nature and a daily rising of the Christian to new life in Christ.

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 6:4, ESV)

The verb buried (συνθάπτω) is passive. Meaning that the burying is done by God, not human beings. And it also is a onetime completed action (aorist). One Lord, one faith, one baptism Ephesians 4:5 emphasizes it. God has buried us in baptism one time. The result of that burying is that we live in it every day as an ongoing fact. For Luther, that means living everyday as a repentant, baptized child of God. And that brings us to our text. 2 Corinthians 5:20b-21, Paul writes:

We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake [God] made [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:20b–21, ESV)

He starts with be reconciled to God. If you hear be baptized you are right. Paul uses the verb reconciled as passive, again, the work of God, and a onetime completed action (aorist) with its result ongoing in our lives. The tie to Holy Baptism is very strong. God reconciles you. It is a fact of the past in your baptism. Here he urges people to take advantage of what God offers. If you are already baptized, he is urging you to live in the ongoing result of it. In other words, live in repentance.

So, where is the joy? Well, that’s what the second part of the text is about.

For our sake [God] made [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in [Jesus] we might become the righteousness of God.

Paul is describing in a few short words what happens to you because of faith in Jesus through Holy Baptism. For our sake [God] made [Jesus] to be sin… Jesus because sin. It was not his own but the sin of the whole world for all time. Jesus became the greatest sinner of all time, even though he personally knew no sin. The cross is in focus here. Jesus suspended between heaven and earth on that cold day so many years ago. Jesus crying out to the Father,

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

As God must do to all sinners, as the greatest sinner of all time, Jesus was forsaken to death and hell. The Father turned away from his only son and allowed the punishment for all that sin to fall on his shoulders. Jesus suffered our hell on the cross. His death, in Holy Baptism, becomes our death. He became our sin, all of it, from the little white lies you tell every day, to ignoring the needs of your neighbor, acting in your own self-interest, and on and on the list of sins goes. Every single one of your sins is laid on Jesus’ outstretched arms. The punishment is dealt out with prejudice. Where is the joy in this? Do you think that Barabbas wasn’t overjoyed at not having to die when the crowd chose him over Jesus? It is a very joyful thing not to have to face the eternal consequences of sin. What we faced was eternal rejection by God, the Father. Eternity in hell. Jesus hung in our place and took it from us. If that isn’t enough to elicit joy, I don’t know what is.

Repentance is recognition of Jesus for you. Jesus’ willingness to die for a poor miserable sinner, who doesn’t deserve any of his grace. Repentance is seeing your sin for what it is, damnable, and seeing the forgiveness Jesus gives you freely through faith in the for you of what he did.

But there is more, with God, there always is.

…so that in [Jesus] we might become the righteousness of God.

Jesus takes our sin on himself, and he gives us his righteousness. When we are baptized, God gives us righteousness. It isn’t ours but it belongs to Jesus. And just as Jesus is made sin, we become righteous. It’s not a slight of hand, but a sure and real transaction. Think of an accounting register. Our debt of sin, written in red, doesn’t balance. It is moved to Jesus’ account. He becomes sin. Our debt is removed, the balance is even. But even more miraculously we become righteous. Jesus’ righteousness, all that he did in his life, from never lying, to not ignoring the needs of his neighbor, and acting in your interest, on and on goes his list of righteous deeds. It is far from a fair exchange. But it is ours. And that is how God sees now you through faith in his only son. God sees you as righteous. You are righteous because God has declared it so in Holy Baptism.

So, what about the solemn reflection? Well, you still sin every day. It is the curse of life on earth. It is the curse of being born human, with a sinful nature. It is the curse of Satan continually pointing out our sin and saying, “God can’t forgive that!”

In his commentary on Galatians, Luther writes:

When the devil throws our sins up to us and declares that we deserve death and hell, we ought to speak thus: ‘I admit that I deserve death and hell. What of it? Does this mean that I shall be sentenced to eternal damnation? By no means. For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction in my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Where He is, there I shall be also.’ (Luther’s Works, Vol. 26, p. 196–197)

That is repentance. That is the Christian’s whole life lived in repentance. It is the joy of repentance. “I admit I deserve death and hell, but Jesus was made to be sin for me, he gave me his righteousness, and now God sees me a sinless.”

So, repent! Confess your sins, and in joy receive the forgiveness that Jesus offers. Amen.

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

John 11:1-44; The Fifth Sunday in Lent; March 26, 2023;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN

Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” The disciples said to him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”” (John 11:1–44, ESV)

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

It is important to understand Lazarus was rotting and the grave. He was four days dead. When word reached Jesus that Lazarus was sick, he had time to intervene. But he didn't. He stayed two more days where he was. "This illness will not lead to death. It is so that the glory of the son of God may be shown." That was Jesus’ response. After the two more days Jesus said it was time to go. The disciples were reluctant because Jesus enemies were looking for opportunities to kill him. But Jesus said, "our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, I go to awaken him." The disciples misunderstood they thought Lazarus was resting. Jesus knew Lazarus was dead. In fact, the two days were to make sure of it. "Lazarus is dead. If I had been there, he would not be so, but this is so that you may believe."

It took two more days for Jesus to arrive in Bethany. When he was out of town Martha, Lazarus sister, went out to meet him. "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, he will give you." It's an amazing statement of faith. And yet, she still misses the point. "Your brother will rise again." Jesus said. Martha says that she knows that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day. This is not what Jesus meant. "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." Jesus is telling Martha that he has the power to raise Lazarus, now. He is the Word made Flesh. He is the Word that spoke the world into existence. In him is life. He will bring it to Lazarus again, now. And although Martha believes she still doesn't see.

Lazarus other sister Mary, comes to see Jesus. The large group of mourners followed her. She meets Jesus in the same place Martha did. She says the same thing, "Lord, if you had been here my brother would not have died." Now Jesus is "greatly troubled." Mary doesn't see what's going to happen, either. "Where is the tomb?" says Jesus. They took him to see it. And Jesus wept. Lazarus was dead. The disciples didn't understand. Martha didn't understand. Mary didn't understand. The Lord of life was standing before them, Lazarus was dead. Something miraculous was about to happen. None of them see. And then the crowds there, the mourners, speak the truth but missed the point. "It's too bad Jesus wasn't here, Lazarus would not be dead."

"Take away the stone." Commands Jesus. It's Martha who comments on the smell of rotting Lazarus. "It's not a good idea the smell of death will be in the air. He is dead. Four days dead." Jesus’ response could be said, "Didn't I tell you that you would see the glory of God? Don't you see what's about to happen?" And Jesus prays. He doesn't pray for the sake of himself. He doesn't pray for the sake of Lazarus. He prays for the sake of the people who are standing with him. "That they may believe that you sent me."

Jesus turns to the tomb. He cries out in a loud voice "Lazarus, come out!"

The hymn "Amazing Grace" has the well-known line "I was blind, but now I see." but do we? Jesus disciples who lived with him, walked with him, ate with him, heard him preach, didn't see. Mary and Martha, Jesus good friends, didn't see. The crowds gathered around the tomb didn't see. They understood that Jesus could have prevented Lazarus' death. They likely knew that Jesus waited, delayed his coming. It was all to be sure that Lazarus was dead. And not just dead but four days dead. They didn't see. God had other plans then a miracle like all the others that Jesus had done. He allows Lazarus to suffer and die for the sake of what was about to happen. Jesus probes for faith among the crowds, Mary, Martha, and the disciples. He wants them to see who he really is. He wants them to have faith in him even while they stare death in the face. They all confess the truth and yet they miss the point. Chrysotom the 4th Century preacher said,

Many are offended when they see any of those who are pleasing to God suffering anything terrible. There are those, for instance, those who have fallen ill or have become impoverished or have endured some other tragedy. Those who are offended by this do not know that those who are especially dear to God have it as their lot to endure such things, as we see in the case of Lazarus, who was also one of the friends of Christ but was also sick. Chrysostom. (Homilies on the Gospel of John; 62.1; Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture; volume IV b page 3)

Do we see? When illness enters our family. Do we see? When we are troubled by the cares of the world that seemed to close in on us. Do we see? When life ebbs away in the hospital. Do we see? When the world around us threatens us. God's purposes are above our understanding. We cannot always see what God is about to do. Jesus probes for faith among you and me. Faith is not trust that we will see that things turn out for the best. Faith is trust that they will turn out for the best, despite how things seem. It's just as the writer of the Hebrews says,

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Heb 11:1, ESV) And the author of Romans who says,

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." (Rom 8:28, ESV)

These are the promises of the one who spoke to Lazarus in the grave. You realize that if he had not said Lazarus name specifically everyone in the grave would've walked out alive. Such is the power of the Word of Life. He speaks life into a dead rotting corpse. The smell of death that surrounded Lazarus faded into nothing. He allowed Lazarus to die so that we would see exactly who he is and what he is able to do. He allows Lazarus sickness that seems to lead to death to progress to death and then through his word back to life. Mary, Martha, the disciples, the crowds gathered around, and even Lazarus himself could not see the wonder of what Jesus was about to do. Do you think that some years later, when they gathered around the body of Lazarus once again, the second funeral was somewhat different than the first?

It was different from the first because of Jesus. They had seen Jesus raise Lazarus. They had seen Jesus dead on the cross. They had mourned at the tombs. And then they all rejoiced in seeing Jesus after three days again a life. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. He did it to show them his great power over death. And then he suffered and died on the cross for the forgiveness of all people. And again, showed his power over death in his own resurrection. Jesus is the Word of Life. He raises the dead. He rises from the dead himself. And this is his promise to you. If you go to the graveside this week as we commit the body of our brother [Al] to the ground, you will hear Jesus promise through Paul's pen.

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

And for the sake of all of this, Jesus' friend, Lazarus, was allowed to pass from life to death to life and into death again. And so, it is for you and me. Your troubles, your problems and your trials are all there for the purposes of seeing your faith in the Word of Life grow. You can be sure that the one who raises the dead will work them all out for your good. Amen.

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

John 9; The Fourth Sunday in Lent; March 19, 2023;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

Grace and peace to you from Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Well, there’s quite a cast of characters here in our Gospel lesson for today isn’t there. Jesus and his disciples, a born-blind man who sees, the blind man’s parents who are afraid of excommunication, the friends and neighbors of the blind man, and the Pharisees. They all have interesting reactions to Jesus. And we might wonder where we fit in the story too. Who are we most like?

Well, we could look at that unbelieving Pharisees and compare ourselves to them. How often do we refuse to believe what God shows us plainly? They had the proof of Jesus right in front of them, but they wouldn’t believe. It isn’t really a fair comparison. We have faith, they did not. We could compare ourselves to the parents who were afraid to tell the whole story that they surely knew. Isn’t that just like us, keeping quiet when we know God’s will or are just afraid to say what we do know about Jesus. But mostly we aren’t afraid of telling the story of Jesus. We could be like the neighbors offering other explanations, “He only looks like the blind man that we know.” Some of them said. When God’s word condemns our pet sin, we look for ways to excuse ourselves. We look for some other explanation so that we aren’t condemned. But that isn’t the case always, either.

Today I’d like us to think about the question that the disciples asked. In some ways you might say the whole disagreement starts because they ask the question. Now Jesus never discouraged them from asking questions, and they have a great one here. Who sinned, this man or his parents? It was a perfectly logical question for the disciples to ask. It’s a question that you’ve asked, too. It comes up every time we must deal with a problem we didn’t anticipate, like an illness, a complication, a loss of income, or even death. We look at the devastation caused by the fires last year, or the drought in California, and wonder what happened, what was done that was so evil to justify that kind of problem. When the World Trade Center Towers fell, there was some talk by some popular TV evangelists that it was God’s punishment for our country’s moral struggles. And there may be some truth to that. It’s only natural for people to want to know who to blame when bad things happen. In Jesus’ time was no different. The people in his day believed that problems like blindness were the direct result of a sin committed. A child in the womb could bear the punishment for their parent’s misdeed, especially if the sin had to do with worshipping pagan gods. In such a case, according to the prevailing wisdom, the unborn child was just as guilty as the parents were. It was assumed, especially in children born blind that it was the result of some hidden sin in the done by the parents. Notice how the disciples didn’t ask if the blindness is the result of a sin, they want to know what the sin was and whose fault it was.

People have asked this question of me. As I sit beside hospital beds, as I speak to people who are suffering illness and facing death, as I visit with people suffering from problems they can’t identify, from the actions of the people they love, they most often want to know why they must suffer. They want to know what they have done that caused God to treat them this way. In not so many words the questions always come up, “Who sinned to cause this problem? Did I do something wrong? Is God angry with me? Why is he punishing me?”

Jesus’ answer is as important as any uttered in Holy Scripture. “It was not this man or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” Jesus tells the questioning disciples that there is a reason for suffering that they have totally overlooked. The blindness in this man isn’t caused by a direct sin. Instead, it is allowed by God for his own purposes. Certainly, Jesus isn’t saying that sin doesn’t have consequences. If we break the law, we face the full force and punishment of the court system. If we overindulge our bodies will be affected; too much smoking causes cancer, too much alcohol causes cirrhosis of the liver, too much food causes obesity that leads to a host of other bodily problems. But Jesus is saying that sometimes God uses suffering in our lives for other reasons, reasons that may be beyond our grasp. “…that the works of God might be displayed…”

Wait just a minute? You mean God used this man by allowing him to be blind, just so he could heal him? Does God use people that way? Does God use me like that? Does he let me suffer so he can prove a point.

Imagine the pain in this family as they dealt with blindness. They had hopes and dreams for their son that were all dashed when he was born blind. Blindness meant shame on the family. Blindness meant no means of self-support except begging. Blindness meant, according to the thinking of the day, a sin had been committed.

But try as we might, an issue such as a person born blind mostly has no discernable answer in this life. Unless it is revealed to us by God’s word, as in the case of this man. When cancer strikes with none of the typical risk factors, when an accident takes a life or causes a permanent injury, when death come unexpectedly, suddenly of “natural causes”. Try as you might, we can’t always find the reason. In the Gospel of Luke Jesus puts a fine point on the issue.

Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?” (Luke 13:4, ESV)

He is saying that the world is broken, and people die of no fault of their own. It’s what happens in a fallen and sinful world. It is the curse of sin cast on everything. We die from many reasons, because we are all sinners, and the world is groaning in travail. He does point to what can be done about it,

No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:5, ESV)

Repentance is the only thing that changes the human destiny to death. Pleading to the Father for forgiveness, carrying our burdens to the cross, expecting forgiveness in Jesus blood, is the only thing that changes anything in this broken world. That’s repentance, it is just another word for faith.

Jesus uses the tower falling as an opportunity to preach repentance. When we see such things we are to remember that they come to us because we are sinful, because the world is broken. Our response can only be, “Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy.” Faith put into words.

Jesus in John 9 uses the blind man as an example. It’s interesting the way he does it. He could simply have spoken the word and his blindness would have been healed instantly. Instead, he spits on the ground and makes a spit-mud cake and puts the paste on the man’s eyes. He tells him to wash in the pool of Siloam. Jesus is, in a sense, catering to the common ideas of the culture. Saliva was thought to have curative properties. Healers would commonly use a method just like this in their practices. And the pool too, was thought to have similar properties. It appears that Jesus has set up the conflict with the pharisees.

In the investigation, the man can’t identify Jesus (it would have been much different if he had received his sight instantly). The grilling is intense, much like one you’d expect to see in a procedural police drama. They ask the same question again and again. “How? Where? Why?” and finally “What do you say about him?” His simple answer is “He is a prophet.”

It was not the answer they wanted. So, they move on to the parents. “Is this your son? Was he born blind or just faking?”

“Yes, this is our son. He wasn’t faking. We don’t know who did it. Ask him yourself.”

Just look at the animosity toward Jesus. The claim not to know who did the healing. But they have already decided to excommunicate anyone who claims (or even hints) that Jesus is the Messiah. The irony is that the man previously blind man doesn’t care about being put out. He is already out because of his blindness. He was considered unclean and not allowed to participate. So when they go back to questioning him, he gets in this zinger. “Ah, you must want to become his disciples?” I think he knew that wasn’t the case. The pharisees are outraged. “We are disciples of Moses. This man (they still refuse even to say his name) isn’t.” “Amazing!” he says.

Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”” (John 9:32–33, ESV)

They threw him out. Why? Because he was confessing Jesus as the Messiah. You see, curing blindness was a specific prophecy for the Messiah alone. Other prophets had done other miracles, but curing blindness, and particularly a man born blind is reserved for only the messiah. You see, they know exactly who Jesus is. How could they not. They had seen firsthand all that Jesus was doing among them. They know he is the Messiah sent by God. But he isn’t the messiah they want. He doesn’t hold them up for all they believe they have done right. He eats with sinners and rejects them. They will do anything to prevent Jesus from doing what he has come to do.

After all this, we get to the crux of the account of the man born blind. Jesus finds him again. And asks,

“Do you believe in the Son of Man?”” (John 9:35b, ESV)

He had already confessed his faith in a sense, seeing right through the Pharisees hypocrisy about Jesus’ identity. Jesus also here clearly identifies himself as the Christ. The title “Son of Man” does that. He isn’t just calling himself human, he is claiming to be the one sent by God as told about in the Old Testament. “Who is he, that I might believe in him?” Note that the formerly blind man is not asking who the Son of Man is, he just wants to be pointed specifically at the one who is. Jesus says, “He is me”. And the immediate response is faith.

Jesus caps it all off.

Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”” (John 9:39, ESV)

It is a statement exactly aimed at the Pharisees. The see, they know who Jesus is, and yet they refuse to believe. His last words in this account are chilling, “your guilt remains.” In other words, you have no faith, you are hell bound.

Jesus reveals what faith is. It is the entire purpose of the text. Faith is, not only knowing who Jesus is, but clinging to Jesus Christ for forgiveness. Faith is repentance. Knowing our sing and placing it at the feet of the one who forgives sinners. Clinging steadfastly to God who promises it and, through the work of the Holy Spirit, stubbornly confessing Jesus in the face of all odds.

Not all our troubles are so dramatically used by God. Yet, in a way they are. All of them push us to Jesus Christ. All of them clearly display our need in our brokenness. Our need for Jesus. Some are used in a very personal way, while others are more public. God uses them and us, none-the-less. He does it to point to Jesus our savior and the world’s savior. Amen.

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

Exodus 17:1-7; The Third Sunday in Lent; March 12, 2023;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the LORD, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” And Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?” But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried to the LORD, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.” And the LORD said to Moses, “Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.” And Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. And he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the quarreling of the people of Israel, and because they tested the LORD by saying, “Is the LORD among us or not?”” (Exodus 17:1–7, ESV)

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

Ok, it’s time to set the stage. The Children of Israel had only just been saved from slavery in Egypt. The Ten Plagues got them out, especially the last one that took the life of all the first born whose houses didn’t have the blood of the Passover lamb on the doorposts. Pharoah gave in and sent them away. After they were gone, he changed his mind and went after them with an army. They were trapped between certain death and the Red Sea. But God protected them by placing a pillar of fire between them and their enemies. Then he directed Moses to raise his arms and the sea parted so they could escape. The Israelites passed through the Red Sea on dry ground. Pharoah’s army wasn’t so blessed. They were all drowned when the water came back to place and covered them. It was time to move on to Rephidim. After this they would go to Mt. Horeb (also called Mt. Sinai). God moved them on to Rephidim in stages, maybe family by family. As they arrived it was plain to see that there was no water. I’m sure as their numbers grew each family was told by the previous arrivals the situation. No water meant death by thirst. So, the grumbling began. It's amazing after no less than a dozen miracles they wouldn’t see God at work. That they would grumble, complain, and make threats against Moses.

“Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?”

What had they just witnessed? Did they really think that God didn’t have something else in mind? Where not the many miraculous acts enough to tell them he would take care of them? Their complaints get right at the heart of the matter. According to them Moses/God had delivered them from Egypt to let them die.

Moses was exasperated already. “What shall I do with this people?” He seems to understand their lack of faith in the face of God’s miracles. “They are almost ready to stone me.” He means only a little bit will tip over the cart and they will resort to violence. Moses is afraid of death.

God replies.

“Pass on before the people, taking with you some of the elders of Israel, and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink.”

He will act in full view of them all. Moses will walk in front of them, taking the elders to the rock at Horeb, strike it with his miracle staff, and the people will have water. God will save them through a miracle once again.

There is something you should notice here. I know it’s a lot to ask so early on a Sunday morning, and maybe you don’t know Israel’s geography that well. But they are not yet at Horeb. Horeb is another name for Mount Sinai. It is their next stop. It is a fair distance away. Several days travel at the least. Moses didn’t travel all the way there, to strike the rock. It presents just a little problem in the text. It is a problem that was known even to the scholars of old. How did the rock at Horeb get to Rephidim? Some scholars (old and recent) have mocked this text for being inaccurate. But it should not give us any trouble. There are two answers.

The first, in the tenth century the Masoretes found that the old Biblical language was becoming lost. If you remember, I’ve told you that the original written Hebrew didn’t contain vowels it was written with only consonants. Over time the Biblical language of Hebrew fell into disuse. The Masoretes added vowels using a pointing system, to make it easier to read. Well, the pointing system isn’t inspired. When they added the text, they may have added the wrong vowels changing the word to “Horeb” from “dryness”. So the rock may be the “rock of dryness”.

The second, and this is the long-held church (Old Testament) tradition, is that the Rock of Horeb actually followed the people of Israel throughout their travels in the wilderness. It is just like the pillar of cloud and fire. (Add three more miracles the people ignored). In this case we see that the Masoretes may have purposely pointed the word as Horeb, because of the church tradition that predated them. And this seems to be exactly what Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 10 (he is referring to the people here).

… they (the people of Israel at Rephidim) drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:4, ESV)

Now of course Paul calls the Rock a “spiritual” rock and Christ. And Christ was certainly present with the people all through their travels in the wilderness.

The hymn we just sang, “Rock of Ages” understands the idea very well, and points us to Jesus presence with them and us. Jesus, the Second Person of the Trinity, the Rock at Horeb (or Rock of Dryness) is cleaved open so that water pours out to save the people at Rephidim. The same Rock is cleaved open at the cross where when he was stabbed with the spear blood and water poured out. Jesus saves us through his blood and water, through his cleaved side. It washes us clean from our sin. It is our cleansing baptism in his name, and his cleansing blood that cleans when “the labors of my hands” “All for sin could not atone”. It is a beautiful image the hymn brings to us. “Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee.” When our sins are a great burden to us, “to the thy cross I cling” and Jesus cleft side, his atoning work for us. We hide in the comfort of all that Jesus has done.

So, you may be asking the difference between Israel’s complaints and David’s complaint that we talked about Wednesday night. Paul clears that up for us. He says,

Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.” (1 Corinthians 10:6, ESV)

They were not clinging to the promises of God. In fact, their complaint is through a lack of faith (even in the presence of all those miracles showing God’s presence!). In their moment of weakness, in their sin, they refuse see what God that God is present, and what he can do and is in fact doing for them. “Is the Lord (YHWH) among us or not!” They were already receiving what David longed to see. David is calling on God to keep his promises in faith despite of how he feels. “God it feels like you are far away, paying no attention to me. God do what you have promised to do! Be present with me! Let me see it in my life!”

Dear Christian friends, cleave to the cleft Rock of Jesus. Take your sin to him and ask him to do exactly what he promises. At the cross he promises forgiveness, life, and salvation. At his resurrection he promises new “Life in Christ.” He promises his presence in your life. Hold him to those promises. Is it surprising that he has already done it before your prayer. Your signs are here, Holy Baptism, his act of cleansing and connecting you directly to Jesus. Water poured out on your head so you can be sure it is all for you. The Holy Supper on this altar today. God’s gracious act of forgiveness through the body and blood of Jesus that goes into your mouth. The Word preached into your ears. Law and Gospel to convict and comfort you.

Nothing in my hands I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling; Naked, come to Thee for dress, Helpless, look to Thee for grace: Foul, I to the fountain fly, Wash me, Savior, or I die. (LSB 761v3)

Amen.

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

Genesis 12:1-3; 15:1-6; Second Sunday in Lent; March 5, 2023;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”” (Genesis 12:1–3, ESV) After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.” But Abram said, “O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and a member of my household will be my heir.” And behold, the word of the LORD came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the LORD, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” (Genesis 15:1–6, ESV)

From a Sermon by Rev. Randy Asburry

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

When you plant a seed, after you have covered it up with dirt, there is time before you see the sprout come up. It becomes a time of faithful waiting. While you wait you can’t see anything happening. You can’t uncover the seed and see if it’s sprouted (if you do it will likely die). In the darkness of the soil the seed germinates and begins to grow and take root.

That’s the way it was with God’s family tree, too. He planted the seed and then came time for faithful waiting. God promised the Seed of His Savior to rescue sinful people. The promised seed would crush Satan’s head and bring life and forgiveness to God’s people once again. After it was planted there was a time when the Seed of God’s Family Tree was hidden, a time when no one could see what was happening. A time before it sprouted and began to grow.

It begins with Adam and Eve. After them the human family tree grew rapidly. According to Genesis “man began to multiply on the face of the land.” (6:1) But sin was ever present, and the tree was corrupt. “every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (6:5) God sent a flood to clean everything up and later he scattered the people every whereby confusing their language.

But still even during God’s judgment against sin, the Seed of the Promised Savior, remained planted. Even during trouble God kept his faithful people safe. They trusted Him and believed in the promised Savior. It’s after all of that that we find Abraham. He is often called the “Father of Nations.” God called him to faith in the promised Savior. God called Abraham with a promise.

And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Ge 12:2-3, ESV)

Abraham was 75 years old when God called him to faith through the work of the Holy Spirit. The life of faith is never easy. Before God called him, Abraham worshipped false gods. But even after he believed he still had troubles. He still had doubts about God’s promise to him. He had doubts about God’s planted seed, too. Abraham even thought that God’s promise would fall to someone else. He thought his servant Eliezer of Damascus, would inherit all that he had including God’s promises. But God made his promise clear, And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; your very own son shall be your heir.” (Ge 15:4, ESV)

In spite of all God’s promises to us, we too, like Abraham have trouble trusting God and his promises. Lot’s of times, it’s hard to see God’s work in our lives. Abraham was very old. He didn’t think God could give him the promised son. When things go bad in our lives, we too have trouble seeing the results of God’s saving work in Jesus. We struggle in our faith whenever we see things that seem to go against what God promises. You know what I’m talking about. Some of you have recently lost loved ones. Some of you have lost a job. Some of you have struggled to keep your business afloat. We all struggle with temptations to sin. In the face of these kinds of troubles it’s hard to believe that God is active life. Death makes it hard to believe that God gives us life through Jesus Christ. Economic troubles make it hard to believe that God provides for all our needs. Recurring sin makes it hard to believe that God makes us holy through the work of the Holy Spirit.

One of the times when Abraham had doubts about God’s promises, he tried to make his own solution. The Bible tells us about the additional trouble that that brought into Abraham’s life. Our solutions always fall short of God’s promises. Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. (Ps 146:3, ESV) one of the Psalms tells us. He’s talking directly to you. He’s warning you not to trust in yourself and your own ways of fulfilling salvation. God promised Abraham a son of his own He wasn’t going to fulfill that promise through Abraham’s servant.

But despite all his doubts, Abraham is still a great example of faith. And [Abraham] believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. (Ge 15:6, ESV) So, what is it that makes Abraham a great example? It’s not that he lived a perfect life. Before God called him to faith, he was an idol worshipper. It wasn’t he record of dealing with other people. Abraham lied about his wife two times, saying that she was his sister, to avoid troubles. And it certainly wasn’t because he always trusted God, he tried to make his own solutions, and he fell into despair and doubt on more than one occasion.

One of the Lutheran Church fathers writes this in our statement of faith. “Faith is that worship which receives God’s offered blessings.” (Tappert, Ap IV 49). That’s Abraham. He received God’s mercy and clung to God’s promise that He would send a Savior. At times for Abraham that promise was hidden like a seed in the ground. But, Abraham still believed even though the growth of God’s promise was hidden to him.

Finally, when Abraham was 100 years old, the promise broke through the soil, when Isaac, Abraham’s very own son, was born. The family tree grew. Isaac had two sons, Jacob, and Esau. Jacob had 12 sons. And God’s Family tree was in full grow mode. After a short stay in Egypt where God delivered them from slavery, God replanted His people in the Promised Land. But, even there, there would be struggle, and God’s people would still have to live by faith in the promise.

God delivered His promise when Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary. The Promised Tree came to full bloom in Jesus, when He hung on the cross, dying for all sin. Two Gospel writers (Matthew and Luke) trace Jesus family tree right back to Abraham and his family. Abraham looked forward to the promised tree. We look back in wonder.

Jesus called himself the “true vine” (John 15:1). He said that if you are connected to him, you will have life and bear fruit. That’s Jesus talking about The Tree Promised. The fruit that He gives is faith. In faith, we see Jesus as God’s Promised Tree of Life. He takes on human flesh and blood so that he can be nailed the tree of the cross. That’s the Tree of Promise in full blossom. That’s God fulfilling His promise to save people from sin. And He connects you to all that Jesus did through the promise He made to you in Baptism. And He renews that promise every time you take Jesus body and blood given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.

Faith receives what God gives. That’s the faith of Abraham. When you have trouble trusting in the promises of God, promises of forgiveness and life with Him, remember how God kept Abraham. Remember the Seed Planted. Your God will always bring you comfort in the same way. He gives you Jesus who was promised, who went to the cross for you, and who is coming again. Amen.

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

Matthew 4:1-11; First Sunday in Lent; February 26, 2023;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’ ” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “ ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’ ” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.” (Matthew 4:1–11, ESV)

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

Amid the lush vegetation of the Garden, a “son of God” was confronted with temptation. He stood casually by and watched… and listened… as his wife was spoke to the serpent. “If you eat of it, God knows you will be like Him.” Hissed out the Serpent. The words floated in the air with promise.

“Is it really possible,” thought the man. “That I could be like God, himself? Doesn’t that mean I would be God?” The serpent’s lips curled into a smile of victory as the woman’s hand reached for the temptation. “Well, it won’t hurt if she just looks at it… touch it…” her husband said to himself as she pulled it from the tree. “I wonder how it tastes?” as her teeth sunk into the soft pulp of the fruit, and soon the sweet liquid ran from his lips too. In that very instant this son of God, went form being His loving, obedient, trusting son, to being a suspicious, guilt-ridden, fearful stranger of God. He didn’t become God’s equal; he became God’s enemy. He was no longer even what God had created him to be. Adam had failed the challenge, and he failed it miserably. He had decided not to be God’s son. And he condemned all of his offspring from that moment on to the loss of son ship that accompanied that decision. All those born after him, that means you and me, share in that loss, we too, are born as suspicious, guilt-ridden, fearful strangers of God.

Another Son of God faced temptation, too. The people of Israel, the chosen Son of God, marched through the hot desert. Forty years God led them there. There were times when they were hungry. The question was this, would this son trust in the Father to give him the bread he needed? Would this Son trust in God’s word and promise? They, too, failed. “Did you bring us here to die in the desert, of starvation?” he cried out. And later again he failed to trust the provision of God, by demanding water. And still again when he entered the land God had promised him. He worshipped the false gods of the people he was to conquer. Over and over again we read of Israel’s unfaithfulness. Over and over again we read of his failure when he was tempted. This son also chose not to be God’s son.

Unfortunately, that failure is not limited to God’s ancient sons. God’s son today, the new Israel, his church, fails, too. When we look at the failures of Adam, when we look at the failures of the Children of Israel, we know that we often have the same responses. Even though God has specially chosen us, even though he has richly provided all that we need, even though he has over and over again demonstrated his great-undeserved love for us, we re-enact the failures of our ancestors. We repeat the choice not to be God’s sons. We want proof that God will provide for us as the economy begins to turn sour. We wonder how we will survive among the rumors of bankrupt businesses and lose of income. We want proof of God’s love for us when we are ill. We doubt his love when our loved ones suffer and die as we watch helpless; and when trouble comes into our family relationships. And when things are going well; when life is good and doubts are far away, we push our Father to a small place on Sunday, in reserve for when we need Him. We set ourselves up as the god of our lives. When we do these things, just like Adam, just like Israel, we chose death and permanent separation from our Father. We choose not to be the Son of God.

But, fortunately for us, fortunately for Adam and Israel, there is another Son of God. This one is the Son of God. He was faced with temptations, the very same temptations we are faced with. Whenever he was faced with the choice to be God’s son, he always willed to love, trust, and serve His Father. But, Satan, the very same serpent who had success in the Garden, did his best to tempt Jesus into repeating the failures of God’s other sons. He set before Him the temptations that lured Adam and Eve, the Children of Israel, and the temptations he sets before you and me. But Jesus Christ didn’t fall to them. Even though he was

“… tempted in every way, just as we are—yet [He] was without sin.” (Heb 4:15)

The Father, Himself, spoke about Him and said, “This is my son, whom I love, in Him I am well pleased.” Because of Jesus, because he was the perfect Son of God, His Father once again declares us to be His Sons.

This Son of God endured the temptations of Satan. The Holy Spirit led Him into the wilderness, and He was there without food for forty days. Satan pounced on the opportunity to have Jesus doubt that His Father counted Him as His Son. Satan asked if God would really supply all that was needed. “Turn these stones into bread. Take matters into your own hands. Satisfy your hunger.” But unlike Israel in the desert, this Son had absolute confidence in His Father. Instead of turning stones into bread he turns to the Bread of God’s word and relies on the Father. “Man shall not live by bread alone!” Jesus said, choosing to be God’s Son.

Satan gave no rest for the Son of God. Next, he tempted Jesus to ask His Father to prove that He was present with him. It had worked with God’s other son in the desert. Israel demanded water as proof of God’s presence. “Cast yourself down, God will prove that He is with you.” But this Son refuses to test God. Instead of demanding a sign of water, the true Son, the true Israel puts His trust in the words spoke at His baptism: “You are my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased!” And again, Jesus chooses to be God’s Son.

Finally, Satan offers what is not his to give. “These kingdoms I will give you! All the glory, all the honor, all the authority. Be like the first son of God, make yourself God’s equal, be like God. Worship me! Be like Israel and give obedience and worship to one who is not God! But Jesus again chooses to be the Son of God, not a worshiper of Satan. He yields to God’s will. He will accept glory, but His glory will come through suffering and death. His glory will come when He stretches out his hands on the cross to die. He cannot be turned from the course His Father has set before Him. Satan’s temptations have failed. Jesus, God’s Son, is stronger than the tempter. His power and reign are on earth is coming to an end.

Jesus Christ chose to be a son of God (a trusting, obedient, and loving man). He is the second Adam. He is the true Israel. He does what they had failed to do. He doesn’t fall to the temptations that caused them to turn from their Father. He consistently chooses to be the Son of God, He does it for them, He does it for us!

Because of Jesus the words that God spoke over Jesus at His baptism are spoken over us at ours. “You are my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.” God accepted the perfect love and obedience of His Son, Jesus, and that obedience and love is accepted as ours. Looking to God’s word spoken to us we can know the power of it in our lives. We have the assurance of the Father’s spoke word. We can resist the Serpent when he speaks to us and tempts us not to be God’s sons.

Jesus also chose to be the Son of God, even when it meant that the Father punished Him instead of us. When Jesus hung on the cross, the Father disowned him and rejected Him. He did it so that we wouldn’t be disowned for eternity. We celebrate this Son’s victory over sin and death every Sunday, and especially at Easter. God the Father raised Him from death as proof that the punishment of this only begotten Son sets all the other sons free from punishment forever. There is nothing better than being God’s sons. Armed with that knowledge, Satan’s voice has no sway over us.

Jesus “sympathizes with our weaknesses” when we are tempted. The Son of God invites us to approach the throne of God with confidence, where He speaks for us. “These are your Son’s. These are those for whom I died.” There we receive grace and mercy. There we receive strength to overcome whenever we are challenged to be or not to be God’s sons. Amen.

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

Romans 5:1-5; Second Sunday in Lent; February 28, 2021;

Romans 5:1-5; Second Sunday in Lent; February 28, 2021; Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN; 1Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:1-5 (ESV) Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We have been "justified" by faith. That's what St. Paul tells us. Justified. We see that word all over Paul's letters. And it is no wonder; this word is at the very heart of our faith. If we are not justified by Christ, we are still in our sin, St. Paul tells us. But I wonder if sometimes we see it and just kind of pass it over, because it's a word that we think we should know what it means. Do we really understand what it means? And do we really know that we have been justified? First let's make sure we understand what the word "justified" means. The picture is this. We stand before the judge guilty. There’s no plea bargain. There’s not fancy lawyer to get us of easy. We deserve the punishment that is coming our way. The worst part is we are standing before the most severe judge there is. He never lets anyone off that deserves punishment. “You realize your crime deserves death.” He says. We have to agree. Just when the judge is about to pronounce the sentence Jesus steps forward. “Father, this one is mine. I have already paid the price. I have already suffered his death.” “Ok, my son, with you I am well pleased.” the judge responds. Then to you he says. “I declare you to be not guilty on account of the punishment already paid. You are free.” What we are talking about here, being justified is what Jesus Christ has done for us. It's His life, death and resurrection that do it. We are declared to be righteous. That is sin set aside. Sin removed. Sin taken care of. My sin taken care of. Your sin taken care of. Whenever we talk about being justified it's important that we remember that we are indeed sinful people. We are born that way. We need to be justified. No one who's been a parent can really believe that children are born without any sin. The smallest child will bear this out. Of course, they need the attention they demand, but they are the most self-centered people on the planet. As they grow older, we tend to overlook the selfishness, or think that it's cute. Go to any playground anywhere and you'll see the bald truth that children have to be taught not to hurt one another. I know the folks who you see on TV don't agree. But in spite of what they say, children do not have to be taught to hate, they have to be taught not to hate. I have a teenager in the house. I think the teenage years are the time when all of us struggle the most trying to balance selfishness and living in community. That struggle between what we really want and what is best for us and the people around us is what makes those years so difficult. Even when we get older some of us never get over the fact that we are supposed to share our toys. We are sinful people. Earlier in Romans Paul says it this way: 10as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one; 11no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one." 13"Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive." "The venom of asps is under their lips." 14"Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness." 15"Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16in their paths are ruin and misery, 17and the way of peace they have not known." 18"There is no fear of God before their eyes." (Romans 3:10-18, ESV) The lying tongue, the bitterness, the anger, the pushing God out of our lives, we all have to admit that there we are, right there in the middle of the pack. We'd like all those "theirs" in there; "their tongues, their feet, their paths, their eyes, to be "theirs" that is someone else's. But we know that we lie, even if it's just those little white one that pop up in conversation to make us look better to our friends. And who hasn't been bitter about the nice things in life that other people seem to get so much easier than we do? And talk about no peace, even in our Christians families, yelling and anger are regular features of our lives. Just feel the tension as we try to make any decision at a voter’s meeting. But worst of all, we could walk around all day and simply ignore the fact that we are sinful people. We get into our everyday and everyday, and simply think that God will just ignore our sin because we do. But God won’t ignore sin. In fact, sin deserves punishment because it is an affront to God’s purity. God is perfect and holy, we are not. In order to be tolerated in God’s presence we have to be perfectly perfect, “without spot or blemish,” without any sin of any kind. To stand before God in sin is to stand before the judge who will condemn. "None is righteous, no not one" points out our need to be justified. When we realize that the law Paul wrote is talking directly to us, then that's when those first few words "Since we have been justified…" come to us as pure Gospel, that's when it's not simply Good News, it's Great News. "Since" Paul says. The word “since” means "in view of the fact that…." It's true. It's a fact. It's yours and it's mine. "Since we have been justified…" Even though we are sinners we have been made holy. We have been declared righteous. That selfishness that controls us from the time we are conceived through our adolescence and right into our adulthood, and even old age, is taken away. God has seen to that by sending Jesus. From His adulthood all the way back to His conception He wasn't a sinful person; He was never selfish; He never spoke lies; He wasn't ever bitter about His place in life; and He always kept God in His mind and always thought of other people’s needs. That law that Paul preaches to us "no one does good, not even one." applies to everyone except Jesus. Jesus never sinned. And yet, there is a way that all of it does apply to Jesus. He does something about our sin because we can’t do anything about it ourselves. We are helpless to change. We are born with sin and in order to get rid of it, it has to be killed. Paul talked about that too in another letter he wrote. 21For our sake [God] made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV) And in the verse right before our text he says, 25[Jesus] was delivered up for our trespasses... (Romans 4:25, ESV) All that sin, which deserves God’s punishment, was put on Jesus. He became the target of God’s anger. Jesus, God’s only and perfect Son, was killed because of it. He became sin… our sin… your sin… my sin… Jesus, the world’s only perfect person is also Jesus the greatest sinner who ever lived, not for sin of His own but your sin and mine. You know the sins that we wish weren’t ours. The ones that we wish were only “theirs” Their lying tongues that are really ours. Their bitterness that is really ours. The lustful thoughts that we love to have, but then regret when they are over. Our hating the judge for requiring us to be perfect. That sin that we wish was someone else’s really does become someone else’s in Jesus. In Jesus, our sins are put to death. In Jesus they are sent to the grave. In Jesus they are under the punishment and anger of God. Jesus dies on the cross and takes the punishment for our sin. And He gives to us the righteousness of God. When Jesus takes our sin, and when he becomes sin for us, he gives us his perfect life, we become his righteousness. All that living right, all that doing good, all that not sinning is given to us in exchange for our sin. Jesus becomes sin, we become justified. So that’s what it means to be justified. We’ve had here the best object lesson about justification that there can ever be. It has happened right here over and over again. Right here at this font the words are spoken. “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” When a pastor says it here, he isn’t speaking for himself he is speaking for God. He does exactly what God has commanded us to do. And little children, born in sin, become God’s children. All the promises of God are now true for them. God justifies them through the cross of Jesus Christ. In that moment God declares the to be justified, not guilty of the sin they are borne with. Now remember Paul’s word, that little word “since?” It means “in light of the fact.” All that happens here at the font is in fact, founded on Jesus. It’s all because of what Jesus has done. You see it. You have a real picture that you can’t miss the meaning. The sin is washed away by water connected to God’s Word. You witness it. You see justification in action. It is one of the reasons we do baptize publically, and why we recognize the private baptisms here during worship. There is no better picture than being justified and not lifting a finger to make it happen. Jesus comes and takes our sin and gives us his perfect life. Jesus lives perfectly. Jesus dies. Jesus rises again. When ever we see God working in baptism it is one of the clearest ways that we see that we have nothing at all to do with our justification. It is given to us through the work of God accomplished by Jesus Christ. And given to individuals given to you and me through water and God’s spoken Word and promises. Do you know that it’s true for you? You do if you’re pointing to Jesus. You do if you are remembering that in your baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, God declared you to be not guilty. Because in that baptism Jesus took your sin to death on the cross and in your Baptism, he gives you his perfect life. You’ve been justified. Amen. The peace of God that passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds Christ Jesus. Amen.

James 1:12-18; The First Sunday in Lent; February 22, 2021;

James 1:12-18; The First Sunday in Lent; February 22, 2021; Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN; Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” (James 1:12–18, ESV) Grace and peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen. It’s a rough world and getting rougher. You know people who are struggling with difficult issues. Some of you are struggling also. Cancer and violence, money and work, family and future, disagreement and broken relationships. It doesn’t seem as if things are getting better. In fact, I think Satan is making specific attacks against you all. Trials are a part of the Christian life. If anyone sells Christianity as an easy life, full of riches and blessings, as if once you become a Christian life gets easy, they are lying. Certainly, there are riches and blessings of a certain kind, to being a Christian, but not necessarily what is sold by preacher / hucksters. And there’s more. We not only struggle with what the world has to dish out, we struggle with our own self-made troubles. He is bent on your destruction. He leads you down the path of your own choosing. He feeds your own desires. He lures you in, like the fish going for the bait on the hook. It feels dangerous, but you go right ahead because you can’t stop the desire. After all that, sin is born. The temptation isn’t sin, but temptation married to desire have sin as their offspring. And sin, set in the heart, after all its promises to satisfy desire, really only brings nothing but death. Of course, I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. Your life is racked with it. Lost friendships. Regret that keeps you up at night. Hopelessness. You want to blame someone else, but as Pogo says, "We have met the enemy and he is us.” Just look at your own life and take inventory of the troubles you have that will only ultimately be resolved by death. It’s the lifecycle of sin. Temptation, desire, sin, death. How many times have you lived that? How many times has it ended up where sin ends up? How many times in your life will you do it again? How many times can you count on God’s forgiveness? Well, that’s the real question isn’t it? Does my temptation, desire, sin, and death lead to hell, permanent punishment, and separation from God, living in my sin and its consequences forever? Or is there some way out? St. James tells us carefully and directly, “Do not be deceived!” Temptation, desire, and sin are dangerous. The first place to realize some relief is early, when you are tempted by your desire. Recognize the lifecycle of sin, break it at the beginning. Recognize that sin is our own problem. We suffer the consequences. James tells us that when we “stand firm” we are blessed. Now I’m not saying that you should work harder to overcome your temptations, as if you, by yourself could do such a thing. Pray harder, and endure your suffering stronger, be all that you can be! Look inside yourself and find the strength to beat down your temptation. The problem is in your heart. Your sinful nature drags you toward sin and its consequences. No, in your heart is not the place to find help against the lifecycle of sin. Your sinful nature is the very problem. James actually gives you another idea, another place to look for help. He talks about good gifts that come from God. He talks about being “brought forth” by the word of truth. It’s a kind of lifecycle of salvation. Sin gives birth to death. Jesus, the Word of Life, gives birth to life itself. James is talking about being born of water and spirit just like our Lord says. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:6, ESV) We have a great example right here at the font. I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit! Born of the Spirit, brought forth by the Word of Truth. Baptized into Christ. Sin, disturb my soul no longer: I am baptized into Christ! I have comfort even stronger: Jesus’ cleansing sacrifice. Should a guilty conscience seize me Since my Baptism did release me In a dear forgiving flood, Sprinkling me with Jesus’ blood? LSB 594 © 1991 Robert E. Voelker. Good and perfect gifts that come from God the Father, reminding us that the lifecycle of sin is broken by the Word of Truth, Jesus Christ himself on the cross, the lifecycle of life. That is where James says to turn. Turn to the one who has paid the price for your sin already. Turn to the cross and your connection to it in New Birth, given in the water of Holy Baptism. Turn to the Holy Spirit, who pours into you His strength to avoid temptations pull. The Word of Truth calls us to confess our sin, our shortcomings, our sinful desires, our inability to avoid, and our failure again and again. We confess, he forgives. That is Holy Baptism, the good gift that comes down from the Father of lights. It’s just like Luther writes in the Small Catechism: What does such baptizing with water indicate? It indicates that the Old Adam in us should by daily contrition and repentance be drowned and die with all sins and evil desires, and that a new man should daily emerge and arise to live before God in righteousness and purity forever. From Luther’s Small Catechism © 1986 Concordia Publishing House, cph.org That New Man is the “first fruits” that James is talking about. A new man that avoids temptation and sin, not because he has some great power to do so, but because he has God himself, working, offering forgiveness, calming the guilty conscience, releasing us in that dear forgiving flood, the blood of Jesus shed on the cross for you. Amen. The peace of God that passes all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

John 9; The Fourth Sunday in Lent; March 22, 2020;

John 9; The Fourth Sunday in Lent; March 22, 2020;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

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

Since our text is a whole chapter, I'd like to read it through making a few comments as we go.

1 As he passed by, [Jesus] saw a man blind from birth.

Jesus "saw" a blind man. He sees people in need and he does something about it. After all he comes in human flesh to suffer and die on the cross for your need. He sees the forgiveness you need and does something about it.

2 And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.

The disciples ask the natural question. "God must be punishing someone!" Think Job's friends. Jesus corrects them. He talks about purpose. He talks about God's purpose. After all it's not your purpose that should consume you. It is God's purpose. This man is blind so that God has the opportunity to show this sign of healing from Jesus. To show everyone exactly who Jesus is.

4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Jesus doesn't only give the man physical sight. He gives spiritual enlightenment to those who "see" him for who he actually is. If you look back to the beginning of John's Gospel we see John talking about this light in the world.

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” (John 1:4–9, ESV)

There is a conflict here between light and darkness. And it will come out even more so in the rest of the reading.

6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

Now Jesus uses very earthly, physical, common elements to heal the man's blindness. God doesn't deal with people internally. Rather, he uses external means. In, with, and under the spit and mud, Jesus word from outside the man heals him of his blindness. God often uses ordinary, everyday, physical things to work in the lives his people. After all he used ordinary, everyday, physical human body hung on a cross to bring forgiveness into the world. And he chooses to bring that forgiveness directly to you through water, bread, and wine.

8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some said, “It is he.” Others said, “No, but he is like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” 10 So they said to him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” 11 He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” 12 They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15 So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. 17 So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him, since he has opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a prophet.”

It is fair to say a dispute arose. The man's neighbors wonder if he's really the same man. Blind men didn't every day receive their sight back again. Even the Pharisees are divided. "He can't be from God, because he doesn't obey the laws that we've made about the Sabbath. They argue about whether Jesus is "from God". Truth is when Jesus comes on the scene there is always division. With Jesus the primary question is always who he is. Since they can't believe, they turn on the man's parents.

18 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight 19 and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” 20 His parents answered, “We know that this is our son and that he was born blind. 21 But how he now sees we do not know, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” 22 (His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.) 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

They say clearly this is the same man, therefore confirming the Jesus indeed was the one who heal him. Also saying that Jesus is the Messiah. But the Pharisees our firm against Jesus. And the parents know it. They won't speak any more than is necessary because they know they will be excommunicated. And so they return to the formerly blind.

 24 So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.” 25 He answered, “Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” 26 They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” 27 He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” 28 And they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29 We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” 30 The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does his will, God listens to him. 32 Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” 34 They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out.

The Pharisees are openly hostile. They hate Jesus. They do not want to be Jesus' disciples. They can't abide that Jesus is actually "from God". The question is right there, "is Jesus, from God, the Messiah of God, or just a common everyday sinner?" The Pharisees actually take the position of the disciples. They accuse the formerly blind beggar of being a great sinner. When God speaks the truth, people will work very hard to justify themselves. They cast the man out of the synagogue. They remove him from the church. They don't do it out of love, but out of hate. They do it so they don't have to listen to him anymore.

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

Jesus finds the man speaks to him again. "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" "It is me, the one you saw and heard."

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:17, ESV)

St. Paul says. The man rejoices in what God has done for him. He sees who Jesus is. He calls him "Lord". He was blind, now he sees. Jesus says this is the very reason he's come into the world. To bring spiritual light, faith in him for the forgiveness of sins.

39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt; but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your guilt remains.

This text shows us that when Jesus comes, no matter how it is, there is always division. God's word divides. Sinful people, you and I included, do not like God's judgment against our sin. We would rather hold onto it, excuse it, brush it under the carpet. Jesus is from God, he is not from the world. It is a struggle against God that is only resolved by God judging the world. "For judgment I came into the world." Jesus has come to cast out the ruler of the world. That is, Satan's time, sin's time in the world has come to an end. But it is also true that Jesus comes not “to judge the world but to save the world” (12:47)

Jesus does both at the cross. He takes on the world's darkness and judgment. He becomes the sin of the world. He submits to the darkness, "he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and was buried." He sacrifices his perfect life for the sake of the whole world. Sin is judged in Jesus' death on the cross and his burial. This is Good Friday…

But there is also Easter. God raises Jesus from the dead. He walks and talks and eats with his disciples. He shows that sin is done in. He shows that he is indeed the one who is from God who brings God's light into the world. Amen.

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

John 4:5-26; The Third Sunday in Lent; March 15, 2020;

John 4:5-26; The Third Sunday in Lent; March 15, 2020;

Life in Christ Lutheran Church, Grand Marais, MN;

So [Jesus] came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”” (John 4:5–26, ESV)

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

This sinful woman has an encounter with God. She has questions. He answers them. She has no illusions about who she is, a sinful, mortal person looking for the hope of eternal life through the coming Messiah. It starts by Jesus asking for a drink of water. Already, she knows something is different. No Jewish Rabbi would speak to a woman in public, let alone ask her to do such a task for him as fetch him water. Jesus initiates the conversation. It is a conversation about who he is. "If you knew who was speaking to you…"

She doesn't understand. She sees a tired Jewish Rabbi sitting by a well. She is there doing a daily, menial, never-ending task. She goes to the well as thousands before her had done, to fill up pots of water and take them home. She goes in the morning early (or it could be during the midday sun) to do a task that she must do every day.

Jesus turns the conversation into a spiritual one. "I have 'living water' to give you. If you drink of my water, you will never be thirsty."

After her walk, carrying water jugs, she must've been thirsty, but Jesus was talking of spiritual thirst, her sin. "How is it that you have water? I don't see anything for you to get water out of this deep well."

Jesus answers, "The water I have is not from this well. If you drink my water you will never be thirsty again, and you will live forever."

"That's what I want!" She says. "Then I wouldn't have to keep coming to this well every day."

Jesus is about to drive the point home. He is opened her heart to listen to what he has to say. He's about to show her exactly who he is. "Go get your husband and bring him." Jesus knows exactly who she is, and exactly what her situation is.

"I have no husband."

"Yes, that's true. You don't have 'A' husband. You have had five. Now you're living with someone who is not your husband." The woman's life, her heart, her sin, is all an open book to Jesus. He opens the wound of her sin. The true nature of her thirst is all laid out before him.

Now she sees more in Jesus and she saw before. He has shown that he knows a part of her she already knew. "Sir, I see that you are prophet."

Jesus is drawing her in. He's revealed to her, her thirst. She has a need for forgiveness, and he is about to show her exactly where she can find it.

She continues, "I am a Samaritan." She believes she is on the outside. She brings up one of the primary differences between Jews and Samaritans. They are standing in the shadow of Mount Gerizim, the holy place of the Samaritans. They believed that true worship happened only there. The Jews had their temple on mount Zion. Jesus makes them both irrelevant.

"It's not the mountain, it's me! Salvation is from the Jews." A little bit later Jesus will say it this way, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6, ESV)

Jesus has laid it on the table. The woman is about to reveal her faith. "I know that Messiah is coming."

Now, there are two issues with the readings for this morning. The first is the gospel lesson that ends right here. We miss her reaction to coming to understand who Jesus really is. She can't wait to tell people that she has found the Messiah. She runs through the town.

The second is that I have an issue with the translation. According to the ESV text Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”” (John 4:26, ESV) and while it is technically correct, it misses a major point. A much better translation would be, "I am is the one speaking to you." The whole discussion that Jesus has with the woman is about exactly who he is. He shows her, her sin and points her toward the salvation she expects in the Messiah. The statement of Jesus here is one of the "I am" statements of Jesus. "I am the bread of life… The water of life… The gate…" The Greek is ἐγώ εἰμί. It's an emphatic "I". It's the language from the burning bush. Moses is a about to go free the people from slavery in Egypt. He asks of God, "Who shall I say has sent me?"

God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14, ESV) It was at that point that God gave his people that name, "I am" to his people.

Jesus is being very explicit. He is saying, "I am God in the flesh, the Messiah you expect, the one who has come to bring you forgiveness. I am here, the way, the truth, and the life. If you see me as the Messiah, if you bring your sin to me for forgiveness, you know the truth."

The woman's reaction was to leave her water jug there at the well. She had received the water of life promised by Jesus. The water from the well is not nearly as important as it was moments ago. She runs to the town asking the real question about Jesus. It is the question that must always be answered if we are to understand what Scripture has to say. The question is "Is Jesus Christ the Messiah."

Don't be fooled. There's so much noise about today. So many people declaring who Jesus is. So much in popular culture that denies "the truth." Movies that try to tell you that heaven is real and popularize God story of salvation through the flood and make the story of the Bible about the purpose of your life. When the truth is so much simpler than that. Here in this simple account we see everything we need to know about Jesus. In fact, he tells us what we need to know. He is God and man together in the flesh. We see his human nature, tired sitting at the well and thirsty. He declares that he is God by using God's very name. He tells us he has come to bring forgiveness, which is living water for thirsty people. Your sin and my sin is no less than woman at the well. It's not sex that's her problem. It is her sinful nature.

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

Our sin condemns us. There should be no living water for us to drink. That is exactly why Jesus is who he is. It is exactly why he goes from Jacob's well to the cross. The sin that is laid bare by the piercing of the Word, the thoughts and desires and intentions of our hearts, is carried by Jesus. One who knew no sin became sin for us. The living water that he has to give is that which comes from his pierced side flowing with blood and water. It is forgiveness of sins. Forgiveness from the Messiah. Forgiveness given to the woman at the well. Forgiveness for you and for me.

The Bible, the Word of God, is an encounter with God, in Jesus Christ. It is about that, more than anything else. We have questions, God answers them. Don't have any illusions about who you are. You are a sinful mortal person looking for the Messiah to give you eternal life. In the Word, Jesus offers you that very thing. He offers himself, his sacrifice, his forgiveness, his living water, to you. Amen.

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