John.19.30; Hebrews.10.1-14; Good Friday; March 29, 2013;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’ ” When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:1–14, ESV)

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” (John 19:30, ESV)

(From a Sermon by Pastor Tim Pauls)

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

Once a year, once every year, a very important thing happened among the people of God. On the tenth day of the seventh month, all work was to cease. Everyone refrained from buying and selling. No one plowed a field. No one made bread. All work stopped, except for one person among all the people. The High Priest, especially chosen by God, was the only one who worked on the tenth day of the seventh month of every year.

He worked alone because what he was to do was of utmost importance. And the work he did on that day was different than all the other times he worked in the temple. Instead of the elaborate clothing that was usually worn, he wore only a simple white tunic. On that day, especially, he was to stand before YHWH in humility. First, he would offer a sacrifice for his own sin. The blood of a perfect bull was needed to purify him. According to God’s promise his sins were removed. Then he was to deal with the sins of the people.

The important work continued with the selection of two goats. The first was sacrificed before the Lord. It’s blood and the blood of the bull were taken into the holiest place in the temple. There it was sprinkled on the Ark of the Covenant. On the very place that showed the people that God was present among them. The sprinkled blood covered the sins of the people. In this way, once a year, every year, God made atonement for his people.

But, the important work was not finished. There was still the other goat that had been chosen. When the Priest was finished sprinkling blood in the most holy place, he returned to the other goat. Placing his hand on the goat’s head he would confess the sins of all Israel, and place the sins of the people on it. That goat was then driven out of the city into the wilderness, carrying the sins of all Israel away.

Every year, once a year, on the tenth day of the seventh month, again and again, God provided a means for the people to have their sins removed; a bull and two goats; spoken words and actions; and the people were cleansed.

It was messy business; throats were cut, blood was spilled, and sprinkled. It was difficult to watch, it wasn’t enjoyable. But it was necessary. God is serious about sin. The consequences of sin are the spilling of blood and death. The bloody business made that clear. It also made something else clear. God had provided a way for the people to be forgiven. The High Priest was chosen. The sacrifices were made. One goat would carry the sins of the people away, one goat would be slaughtered and blood was used to cover the sins so that God would not count them against the people anymore. That one important day was known to God’s people as: the Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur (which literally means the day of covering).

How can blood do something like that? Remember the hymn:

Not all the blood of beasts on Jewish altars slain;

Could give the guilty conscience rest or wash away the stain.

It wasn’t the blood of the goat that did anything. The sacrifice on that one day a year pointed instead to the sacrifice on one day that was yet to come.

It happened once. Not once a year, but once.

It was a working day in Jerusalem. In fact everyone was busy because the Sabbath was almost at hand and there was much preparation to be made. The people were bustling around, buying, selling, and making bread. The Romans were working, too. They had bloody business to deal with. Three men have been crucified outside of the city.

Even though everyone seems to be doing important work, one is doing more important work than everyone else. The High Priest is at work offering the sacrifice for sin. But, he’s not working in the temple; instead he is working from the cross. He is the High Priest not just for the Jews, but the High Priest of all people. His humility is evident, but really it’s showing in shame, as the simple white linen garment has been taken from him and he hang there naked, wounded, and bleeding. It is a bloody, terrible, grisly scene. We’ve seen so many pictures; so much jewelry; that I think we forget how awful it was. If you and I had been there we would have wanted to leave.

But don’t look away because this is your Day of Atonement. Really, He is Your Day of Atonement. As Jesus Christ hangs there on the cross, He is your High Priest. He offers a sacrifice for you. He is the goat whose blood is spilled. His blood covers all your sins so that they are no longer counted against you. Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. By His death on the cross he atones for your sins. His blood covers them all and for His sake God no longer counts them against you.

Jesus is also the scapegoat there on the cross. God, the Father, places your sins on him. In the past the goat, who bore the sins of the people was driven into the wilderness, never to be seen again. Jesus carries our sin to the grave, never to be seen again. Jesus will rise again from death, but our sin will not.

Jesus, High Priest, Sacrifice, and Scapegoat, suffers an eternity of hell for your sins. His sacrifice is worth an eternity of sacrifice. No more blood needs to be spilled. No more animals need shed their blood. God commanded that it be done once a year, every year, for all eternity. And that’s exactly what Jesus did; he made the bloody sacrifice for you, for every year, for all eternity, forever.

“It is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.” The writer of the Hebrews tells us, “But, by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” He has taken care of all sin for all time, there is nothing left to be paid.

Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “It is finished.” He’s not just talking about his life, he’s talking about the price paid for all sin, for all time. Jesus speaks these words loudly and clearly. His death isn’t like our death. Death robs us of power and ability we are no match for death it will have its way. But Jesus is stronger than death. He cries out in a loud voice because he has power over it. Death doesn’t take Jesus to the tomb; he carries death there. He dies, not because death takes him, but because he wants to die for you. He defeats death for you and rises again on the third day. “It is finished.” … Completed, done.” Nothing more can or needs to be done.

Whenever we face doubt, guilt and uncertainty; whenever there is persecution, illness, worry, suffering; whenever we face the consequences of sin; the words of Jesus from the cross give us great comfort. But no words of Jesus bring more comfort, especially as we consider our own death, then the words Jesus spoke as he, himself, died. Each of us must sooner or later (unless the Lord returns) face our own death. When some one will speak over us “There’s nothing more we can do.”

Even for the strongest Christian, death is a fearful future. And Satan takes great advantage of the situation. He is always trying to distract us, to take our eyes away from the cross. His most often used trick is to lie to us and convince us that we shouldn’t be afraid of death. “If my faith was strong enough, I wouldn’t be afraid to die. Maybe I’m not truly saved after all.” It is a lie of Satan; the final destructive act of a desperate and defeated enemy.

Do not believe the lies of Satan, believe, instead the truth of God. Satan misleads and lies; he convinces you that those feelings are true and right. But they are not. Jesus Christ, your Lord, does not lie. When Satan tempts you, don’t argue with him, speak instead the words of your Savior.

“It is finished.” There is nothing more to be done. You don’t have to wonder what you must still have to do, Jesus Christ has done it all.

“It is finished.” You don’t have to wonder if God is still remembering some hidden sin that you haven’t dealt with. He isn’t punishing you just a little before your life ends. He has taken all the punishment of sin and placed it on Jesus. There is none left for you.

“It is finished.” Jesus Christ has died for you and all your fears. Many Christians are afraid of death. It’s ok to be afraid, it is a fearful thing. But say the words again, “It is finished.” God has made you his own in Baptism. If you are a fearful child of God, you are still a child of God. Fear cannot harm you, it can still frighten you, but its power died on the cross. It is finished.

Jesus is your High Priest, and Sacrifice. He offered himself for your sin. What He did has taken care of it all, there is nothing left to do. Your salvation is sure; because the price has been paid in full. It is finished. Amen.

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

John.19.28; Exodus 17:1-7; Holy Thursday; April 28, 2013;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

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)

After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.”” (John 19:28, ESV)

(From a Sermon by Pastor Tim Pauls)

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

I want you to picture the people of Israel, standing at Mount Horeb, as we read in our first lesson tonight. They are far away from Egypt, the 400 years of slavery is over, they aren’t slaves anymore. God has heard their prayers and He sent Moses to lead them out of Egypt. The blood of Egypt’s first-born children purchased their freedom. The first-born children of Israel were saved from death by the blood of the spotless lambs that was spread on their doorposts. They have passed through the Red Sea. God had saved them from the Egyptian Army. But right now they have gathered around Moses to complain. God has provided for them in the desert. They’ve received Manna and Quail, more than enough to feed the vast congregation of people. Still, they have gathered to complain, even though God has made promises, and kept promises all through their traveling in the desert. And even more than that God’s promise tells them they are going somewhere, He didn’t free them from Egypt to make them a wandering nation of nomads.

Still, after all the blessings, they have gathered around Moses to complain. Where they are gathered at the base of the mountain, there isn’t any water. They are dry and thirsty. But instead of remembering God provision for them in the desert, they complain to Moses. “Give us water, to drink! Did you bring us all the way from Egypt just to have us die of thirst here in the desert?”

Sin was doing it’s work in the people there. It makes people blind, deaf and of short memory. They don’t remember all that God has done for them. They only see their immediate need. They only feel their thirst. “Of course God did things for us in the past, but what has He done for me lately?” Instead of remembering God’s promises the people ignore them and complain. They are thirsty.

Moses does what a faithful Servant of God’s Word is supposed to do. He warns the people by reminding them of God’s law. “Are you testing God?” You see their real problem wasn’t lack of water to drink, their real problem wasn’t physical thirst, but spiritual thirst. Instead of trusting in the promises of God, they would rather doubt and complain about what God isn’t doing right now.

It is only God who can do something about their problem. Moses calls out to Him. “What am I to do with these people? They look like they want to kill me!”

God is faithful and He responds. “Take the people to Mount Horeb,” He says, “I will be with you there. Take the staff I used to part the Red Sea, and strike the rock there. Water will come from it and the people will have water to drink.” Moses did what God said and the people had enough water for everyone. God was faithful again…

Moses called the place Massah and Meribah. The words mean “Strife” and “Contention.” They complained that God was not being faithful. Yet, God didn’t leave them to die of thirst, He provided what they needed, in spite of their sin.

“Strife and Contention” characterize the relationship between God and the People of Israel all through the Old Testament. Right there, where God provided water for them, is the same place where they would melt their gold into a calf to worship. Another name for Mount Horeb is Sinai. Instead of striking a rock, Moses would break the stone tables to pieces on the ground. Israel had broken God’s Commandments… again.

But God will once again be faithful, in spite of their sin. Why? Because these people are God’s redeemed people and God’s plan is that the redeemer will come from them. Out of Israel the Savior would be born. He will redeem them by His suffering and death. He will pay the price for their strife and contention. Because of Jesus Christ they are God’s people and He is faithful.

That brings us again to another hill, centuries later. There are also people gathered around. These people have much to be thankful for also. God has delivered them from slavery again. This time is much greater than the delivery from Egypt. He has saved them from the Slavery of Sin. The people gathered there have seen God-in-the-flesh among them. They have seen His miracles, and listened to His words. They should know from it all, that He is the Son of God, the Messiah. And that He has come to bring the Kingdom of Heaven. And that He brings everlasting life, and Living water.

Yet, they too are complaining. Sin is working overtime. They can’t see what God is doing there. Rather than remember all that God has done in Jesus they see Him only as a criminal on a cross. Rather than support Him or believe in His words, they choose to accuse Him of blasphemy.

They are thirsty. We see that same great spiritual thirst as before. Instead of living by faith and believing in Jesus, they are motivated by their anger, fear, and jealousy. That’s sin taking control again, in the lives of human beings. They don’t have to threatened Jesus’ life; He’s already dying with nails holding Him to the cross. But, of course, Moses isn’t needed either, God, Himself is there in Jesus Christ.

And Jesus speaks. “I am thirsty.”

But there’s something more going on here than a dying man asking for water. Here we see Jesus suffering in the sinner’s place on the cross. Here we see God punishing the sin of those who complained to Him at Massah and Meribah. Here we see God punishing the sin of the people that mock Jesus on the cross. Here we see God punishing the sin of the whole world. Jesus Christ dies for you and He dies for me. He dies for all the strife and contention that we have against God. He dies for our spiritual thirst.

Isaiah called out to the thirsty people of God, calling them back to faith in His promises. (Isa 55:1) And Jesus offered help for sin-sick, thirsty people, too. (John 4:14).

Jesus has Living Water, for those who are thirsty. He offers forgiveness and life. He has these things to offer because He has taken our sin, the strife and contention, upon Himself. He can quench our spiritual thirst because He became spiritually thirsty in our place. He suffered our punishment. When Jesus said “I am thirsty” on the cross, He wasn’t just suffering from physical thirst; He is speaking also of being forsaken by God, and suffering the sins of the whole world. Because of that, the whole world is flooded with God’s grace.

When the people of Israel were thirsty at Massah and Meribah, God commanded Moses to strike the rock, and water poured out. On this mountain a Roman soldier strikes Jesus with a spear and blood and water flowed out. It flowed out for all.

The world around us feels an awful lot like a wilderness. With all that’s going on we even begin to wonder if God is really doing anything at all. Of course He has blessed us with so much already, but what about now. What’s God going to do about the threat of terrorists? What’s God going to do about our sagging economy? And what about our neighbors who are fighting in the Middle East? What about this illness that I can’t get rid of? And speaking about strife and contention; what about the trouble in my family? We are thirsty for action from God.

That is us, standing also at “Strife and Contention Mountain.” Massah and Meribah. That is us, standing on the place of the skull, complaining to God. It’s easy for us to see all our troubles and forget all that God has done for us in the past, and all the He promises for us in the future. We are deaf and blind because we want quick solutions to our problems. Sin is active even here among God’s faithful people. It is there, trying to dry out our faith, and make us thirsty.

But God was at Massah, Meribah and on the cross. God is still faithful. Just as He spoke to His people through Moses, just as He spoke from the cross, He speaks to you. The law reminds you that you are indeed a sinful person, and spiritually thirsty. But He tells you more than that. God tells you of His great love for you. He tells you that He has taken away your sin. Your punishment is gone, because Jesus Christ has already suffered it. He was thirsty for you. He died of your spiritual thirst, and you don’t have to. He was struck on the cross and out flowed blood and water.

And the water still flows. He floods your thirsty body with His word, and water at the Font. Baptism washes away sin and death. It is living water from God that quenches a thirsty soul. It is the promise of God that you are indeed forgiven because of what Jesus has done. His death is your death, and His resurrection is yours, too.

And the blood of Jesus still flows. Sin makes us thirsty and Jesus gives us wine to drink and bread to eat. People hungry and thirsty for forgiveness find it in His very body and blood. “Take and eat this is My body, this is my blood. Shed for you for the forgiveness of your sins. Drink it and don’t be thirsty anymore.”

In these things we find the promises of God for thirsty people. "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son" (Rev. 21:6-7).

Our strife and contention is gone. Jesus fulfilled the promises of God, and He continues to fulfill them in our lives every day. Jesus was thirsty so that your thirst would be satisfied. That is the promise of God. Amen.

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

John.14.23-29; Lenten Service Five; March 20, 2013;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. (Jn 14:23-29, ESV)

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

I remember this old movie (the way things are going these days, I expect it to be remade), a man accidentally gets locked in a bank vault for the weekend. When the doors automatically open he and comes to the street everybody is gone. Something terrible has happened and the whole population of the earth, every man woman and child, is gone. “Where is everybody?” he shouts at the empty buildings of the Manhattan skyline. He’s been left utterly alone.

It’s scary to be alone. It’s not the way we were created. When God breathed the breath of life into the very first man, Adam, He created for him, a helper, a woman, to be his life companion. Because even though God said the man was “very good” He also said that it was “not good that the man should be alone;” (Ge 2:18, ESV) We were created with the ability and the need to be in relationships. We were created to be in relationship with one another, but we were especially created to be in relationship with God. No one really likes to be alone, that is having no relationships of any kind. Nobody wants to be left alone forever.

In our Gospel lesson for today we see that the disciples, too, were afraid of being left alone. That’s exactly what Jesus has just told them. “I am going away and you cannot follow me, yet.” And you can understand the disciple’s feelings of fear. Jesus was drawing the attention of everyone. He spoke against the religious leaders of the day saying they were misleading the people. It made the religious leaders angry. Jesus stormed into Jerusalem and drove the money changers out of the temple. The situation seemed to be getting worse every day. So as the disciples gathered around Jesus in the Upper Room the night that He was arrested, they were all sitting in the shadow of fear. In the midst of all of this Jesus tells them He is going to leave them. They didn’t know what was going to happen. (Jesus did) They didn’t want to be left alone, especially now, with Jesus’ enemies breathing out threats and hatred against them. Jesus knew about their fear and spoke to them promises of God’s continued presence through the Holy Spirit. Just look at the strong words of promise found here: “will come to him and make our home with him”; “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you”; “I am going away, and I will come to you.” All of this is to assure the disciples that “I will not leave you as orphans.” (Jn 14:18, ESV)

Being abandoned and alone is a terrible experience. It just isn’t the way we were created to be. We’ve all seen News stories about abandoned children. We see people leaving one another all around us as the excuses for divorce continue to climb. In spite of how we were created we continue to make a mess of our relationships. We continually push people away from us. We are constantly pushed away by other people. We all know what it’s like to be alone. We’ve all been alone. The quiet emptiness can be relieving at first, but it quickly wears thin. We need noise, or people around.

Sometimes we are alone because we leave. We get angry and stomp out of the house. We feel threatened so we run away. We become uncomfortable with someone who is different from us, so we walk on the other side of the street. We separate ourselves from other people out of fear, or anger, or hate, or even bigotry. Sometimes we even separate ourselves from God. We ignore His desire to gather us together to hear His Word. We think we have good excuses. There is always work to do. There is always more sleep that is needed. There is always something that seems more important and immediate. “God will be there next week.” We separate ourselves from God by not speaking to Him in prayer. I’m not talking about getting down on your knees before bed time (although that’s a good thing to do). I’m talking about speaking with God during the busy moments of the day. We fail to remember that God wants to be a part of every part of our life. He wants us to speak to Him about everything that is happening, all the time. It’s not that He doesn’t know already what’s going on it’s just that God wants active communication. But we forget, or worse, pass up on the opportunities to speak. We push God from our minds during the day. We abandon Him, through our lack of prayer, our lack of communication and through our own actions we feel alone, and apart from Him.

Sometimes we feel alone because we are real victims of other people sinful actions, their rejection or hatred of us. You know what it is like to try to repair a broken relationship, but no matter what you do, nothing works. Families are often lonely places, where people are isolated instead of being full of the loving relationships that should thrive there. We don’t have much cause to feel alone because of racial prejudice, but class prejudice is certainly alive and well in Creston, Iowa. Many people are on the outside, and won’t ever be let in.

Well, it really doesn’t matter weather we are at fault or not. All of us have at times felt alone and abandoned. All of us have been alone. That is when God tells us that even if we are responsible for our being alone He is still with us. Weather we push ourselves away from Him, or weather we are rejected by other people; God promises to be with us always. Jesus words to the disciples speak the promise this way… “we will come to [you] and make our home with [you.]”

That promise was backed up by the very fact that Jesus was there with them in flesh and blood. “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” (John 1:14, ESV) The word became flesh and pitched His tent with us. The Word became flesh and made His home with us. He became one of us, a living and breathing person. The sin of Adam and Eve, the sin of the disciples, the sin of you and me, pushes God away. But Jesus closes the gap by becoming a person. Right there in Jesus is God and man without any separation. "What if God were one of us? Just a slob like one of us?" Joan Osbourne's song says. That’s Jesus, taking on everything it means to be human; breathing and eating, sleeping and laughing, crying and walking and dying. Jesus closes the gap, the separation between God and man, in the only way that really makes a difference, by living and dying to bring an end to the wages of sin by taking on himself the punishment we all deserve. Sin is what separates us from God, and sin is what Jesus destroys in his life death and resurrection. When God promises to be near, He makes it true… in Jesus. His Word of promise is true because He is God’s Word Made Flesh that “dwelt among us.”

That’s what’s really important to remember about the words that Jesus spoke to the disciples. They are a promise. And all the promises of God, in Jesus, are true. They are made true by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection. The one who gives his life on the cross and rises again from the dead can make any promises he makes true. And here He promises the Holy Spirit as an advocate and comforter, who stands with us. To… teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Through the work of the Holy Spirit in God’s Word, God makes His presence known and felt. He brings peace even to people who are troubled and feeling alone. That peace comes from knowing that we are not alone and abandoned. And that’s not peace as the world gives but God’s sure peace that can only come through His presence and through His Word. Just think about it, the very same Word that was spoken in the beginning “let there light… and let us create man in our own image”… the very same Word that brought life to Adam, brings life to you. “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Those Words of God bring life and give you identify you as a Child of God. And those words give to you all the promises of God. So no matter what you think separates you from God… how ever far away God feels is really just an illusion. God’s work in you doesn’t have anything to do with how you feel how you think. God’s work is true because it comes to us through His Word, through Jesus Christ and His life, death and resurrection, and through the promised comforter, the Holy Spirit, sent to you and me just as Jesus promised.

God’s presence with you makes all the difference. The Holy Spirit uses God’s Word to shape and form you. As you go about your life, even when you feel alone, God’s Word works to comfort you. God’s Word works to tell you how to live your life in service to other people. Yea, that’s talking about not being separated from them, that’s talking about not being alone. That’s the power of the Holy Spirit’s work right here, as He puts God’s Word into you from right there. You and I live and show God’s love to one another. Because even when we feel separated from each other we know that God, in Jesus, is where “two or three are gathered in my name.” Anger and trouble among Christians doesn’t need to separate, doesn’t need to make us feel alone. And The Holy Spirit also works to show us ways to share God’s love out there, with people who are not members of this church, even people who don’t know about God’s love for them in Jesus.

We can freely love other people, that is be with them and end our separation from them because the Holy Spirit makes our lives His home. Because God is always with us through the Holy Spirit, our lives are really a place of refuge, a place where we aren’t ever alone. Amen.

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

John.13.31-35; Fifth Sunday in Lent; March 17, 2013;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

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

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

“Love one another.” That seems simple enough. Jesus says we are to love one another. In fact, it seems easy enough that a little child can memorize it. “Love one another.” Jesus says. It was a new command from the lips of our Lord. But we should realize that it’s not new because it was different from before. After all just look at the Ten Commandments. Any confirmad will tell you that the summary of Commandments 4 through 10 is “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And it’s like a passage right out of the book of Leviticus,

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:18 ESV)

As soon as God sets down the commandments loving one another is a part of them. It was all about who they were as God’s people. Jesus says the very same thing.

The Pharisees come to Jesus and ask, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” Jesus gives them more than they asked for. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And there’s a second command which is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. These commandments sum up what God’s Word is all about.”

And yet even though it’s a simple commandment to understand Jesus sets the standard very high. “love one another: just as I have loved you.” Youch! There’s nothing like setting the bar high. “… as I have loved you.” Those are pretty loaded words, when we think about them. Right before Jesus gave this “new command” he washed the disciples’ feet. Jesus took a water basin and towel and knelt at the feet of each of them and actually washed their feet. It wasn’t his job to do it… It was the job of a servant to do it. “Do you know what I’ve done?” he said to them. “I’m your teacher and yet I’ve washed your feet. This is to be an example to you, wash one another’s feet.” I think it would be quite a lesson for us if we’d actually do this one. I mean if we all just took off our shoes and socks and washed each other’s feet. Some of you’d probably leave; some of you wouldn’t want anyone to see your feet. And for most of us it’s a job we’d rather just not do. And that’s exactly the point Jesus is making. It’s exactly what the disciples were thinking. “But, I don’t want to wash people’s feet!” If we can’t even do that simple thing without cringing, how are we supposed to love one another just as he did? How are you supposed to love the person three rows back who has noisy children? How are you supposed to love the person who just doesn’t dress up to the occasion of church? How are you supposed to love the person who you’ve had an argument with?

You know, that every time we use Jesus as an example we will always fall short. Imagine how the disciples felt just a few hours later when Jesus was dead. They had denied him. They ran away when Jesus needed them the most. They didn’t want to wash feet, but Jesus goes way beyond pouring water and drying feet. Jesus sets the standard that is actually impossible to reach. He gives up his very life, and suffers and dies a horrible death. We can’t even wash feet! In comparison to Jesus we see how deep our sin really is. When we see how deep it is, how it really fills us completely, we see really how great Jesus love is. The more we appreciate the love of Jesus the higher the standard is set, and the more we realize that we are indeed poor miserable sinners, in great need of a loving Savior. One who would serve us in such a way, that he was willing to bow down and wash our feet. One who would serve us in such a way, that he was willing to bow down his head in death for us.

Well, that is the depth of Jesus love. That he was willing to die for you and me. Jesus loves those of us that only God can love (and by the way that’s all of us). In spite of our deep seated sin; in spite of the ugliness that lives right here in our hearts; God loves us anyway. God’s great love for us is shown in the fact that Jesus died. Really that’s not the whole of it either. It wasn’t just an ordinary death. Our failure to love one another is really based in our failure to love God. We plain just don’t do it with our whole heart, with our whole soul and our whole mind. We’ve put too many other things in there to do that. We love our houses, our families, our money, our status, our… our… ourselves most! When God gave us everything for our benefit, we turn our back on him in favor of ourselves. God’s hand should reach out to us in punishment. But instead he stretches out his hand to us in love. He stretches out his hands on a wooden beam where nails were driven through them. Jesus stretches out his hands and receives God’s punishment for our selfish love. God’s love is shown to us when we look on the cross and see God himself suffering and bleeding and dying there. Out of his great love he suffered, but it wasn’t just physical punishment that he suffered it was spiritual also. God poured out, onto those outstretched hands, the eternal punishment of hell that was due to you and me, that was due to everyone who has ever lived and will ever live. In his great love, Jesus took it all, and suffered it all, and paid it all in full.

In the light of that, what are a few feet? Actually I’m not asking you to start taking off your shoes, that’s not really what Jesus was talking about either. Jesus wants you to be a servant, just as he was a servant. He did the most menial job that there was, a job only “fit” for a slave. “just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

First of all, we have to remember that love isn’t a bunch of feelings in our heart. That’s not the example that Jesus gives us. His example is His life. He fed, healed, taught, ate, and laughed with people; all kinds of people, but especially people that no one else wanted to spend time with. We’ve been conditioned to believe that love is a feeling, a deep desire to reach out and hug someone; an irresistible magical force, or a destiny that can’t be denied. But love isn’t a feeling at all. It’s action. It’s a way of living that makes connections with people. It’s a life style that says that people are worth something. People are worth something. Jesus life, death and resurrection show us that.

“Love one another.” It’s a tall commandment. In fact you and I will never do it perfectly. That’s why when Jesus says By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. The “if” there isn’t a condition, it does happen, we maybe should think of it as a “since” or a “because.” The love that Jesus shows you he gives you to give to other people. And there is plenty of his love to go around. You can and do love one another, even if you feel like keeping your distance, even if you just don’t like the cloths they wear, even if you don’t want to wash feet. Because you see, love doesn’t come from in here in our hearts. Love comes from right here, in the palms of Jesus hands. Amen.

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

John.13.31-35; Fifth Sunday in Lent; March 17, 2013;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

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

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

“Love one another.” That seems simple enough. Jesus says we are to love one another. In fact, it seems easy enough that a little child can memorize it. “Love one another.” Jesus says. It was a new command from the lips of our Lord. But we should realize that it’s not new because it was different from before. After all just look at the Ten Commandments. Any confirmad will tell you that the summary of Commandments 4 through 10 is “Love your neighbor as yourself.” And it’s like a passage right out of the book of Leviticus,

You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:18 ESV)

As soon as God sets down the commandments loving one another is a part of them. It was all about who they were as God’s people. Jesus says the very same thing.

The Pharisees come to Jesus and ask, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” Jesus gives them more than they asked for. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. And there’s a second command which is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. These commandments sum up what God’s Word is all about.”

And yet even though it’s a simple commandment to understand Jesus sets the standard very high. “love one another: just as I have loved you.” Youch! There’s nothing like setting the bar high. “… as I have loved you.” Those are pretty loaded words, when we think about them. Right before Jesus gave this “new command” he washed the disciples’ feet. Jesus took a water basin and towel and knelt at the feet of each of them and actually washed their feet. It wasn’t his job to do it… It was the job of a servant to do it. “Do you know what I’ve done?” he said to them. “I’m your teacher and yet I’ve washed your feet. This is to be an example to you, wash one another’s feet.” I think it would be quite a lesson for us if we’d actually do this one. I mean if we all just took off our shoes and socks and washed each other’s feet. Some of you’d probably leave; some of you wouldn’t want anyone to see your feet. And for most of us it’s a job we’d rather just not do. And that’s exactly the point Jesus is making. It’s exactly what the disciples were thinking. “But, I don’t want to wash people’s feet!” If we can’t even do that simple thing without cringing, how are we supposed to love one another just as he did? How are you supposed to love the person three rows back who has noisy children? How are you supposed to love the person who just doesn’t dress up to the occasion of church? How are you supposed to love the person who you’ve had an argument with?

You know, that every time we use Jesus as an example we will always fall short. Imagine how the disciples felt just a few hours later when Jesus was dead. They had denied him. They ran away when Jesus needed them the most. They didn’t want to wash feet, but Jesus goes way beyond pouring water and drying feet. Jesus sets the standard that is actually impossible to reach. He gives up his very life, and suffers and dies a horrible death. We can’t even wash feet! In comparison to Jesus we see how deep our sin really is. When we see how deep it is, how it really fills us completely, we see really how great Jesus love is. The more we appreciate the love of Jesus the higher the standard is set, and the more we realize that we are indeed poor miserable sinners, in great need of a loving Savior. One who would serve us in such a way, that he was willing to bow down and wash our feet. One who would serve us in such a way, that he was willing to bow down his head in death for us.

Well, that is the depth of Jesus love. That he was willing to die for you and me. Jesus loves those of us that only God can love (and by the way that’s all of us). In spite of our deep seated sin; in spite of the ugliness that lives right here in our hearts; God loves us anyway. God’s great love for us is shown in the fact that Jesus died. Really that’s not the whole of it either. It wasn’t just an ordinary death. Our failure to love one another is really based in our failure to love God. We plain just don’t do it with our whole heart, with our whole soul and our whole mind. We’ve put too many other things in there to do that. We love our houses, our families, our money, our status, our… our… ourselves most! When God gave us everything for our benefit, we turn our back on him in favor of ourselves. God’s hand should reach out to us in punishment. But instead he stretches out his hand to us in love. He stretches out his hands on a wooden beam where nails were driven through them. Jesus stretches out his hands and receives God’s punishment for our selfish love. God’s love is shown to us when we look on the cross and see God himself suffering and bleeding and dying there. Out of his great love he suffered, but it wasn’t just physical punishment that he suffered it was spiritual also. God poured out, onto those outstretched hands, the eternal punishment of hell that was due to you and me, that was due to everyone who has ever lived and will ever live. In his great love, Jesus took it all, and suffered it all, and paid it all in full.

In the light of that, what are a few feet? Actually I’m not asking you to start taking off your shoes, that’s not really what Jesus was talking about either. Jesus wants you to be a servant, just as he was a servant. He did the most menial job that there was, a job only “fit” for a slave. “just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”

First of all, we have to remember that love isn’t a bunch of feelings in our heart. That’s not the example that Jesus gives us. His example is His life. He fed, healed, taught, ate, and laughed with people; all kinds of people, but especially people that no one else wanted to spend time with. We’ve been conditioned to believe that love is a feeling, a deep desire to reach out and hug someone; an irresistible magical force, or a destiny that can’t be denied. But love isn’t a feeling at all. It’s action. It’s a way of living that makes connections with people. It’s a life style that says that people are worth something. People are worth something. Jesus life, death and resurrection show us that.

“Love one another.” It’s a tall commandment. In fact you and I will never do it perfectly. That’s why when Jesus says By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. The “if” there isn’t a condition, it does happen, we maybe should think of it as a “since” or a “because.” The love that Jesus shows you he gives you to give to other people. And there is plenty of his love to go around. You can and do love one another, even if you feel like keeping your distance, even if you just don’t like the cloths they wear, even if you don’t want to wash feet. Because you see, love doesn’t come from in here in our hearts. Love comes from right here, in the palms of Jesus hands. Amen.

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

John.12.20-33; Lenten Service Four; March 13, 2013;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die.” (John 12:20–33, ESV)

(From a Sermon by Norman Nagel)

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

The time had come for Jesus to be glorified. Make no mistake the glory of Jesus is the cross. So important is the cross to all that Jesus is and does, that if you take away the cross you have no Jesus. We Lutherans get very picky about this. We say crux sola est nostra theologia. Which means the cross alone is our theology. It is the theology of everything we believe, teach, and confess. It is the theology of every sermon. In fact a sermon without the cross is no sermon. A sermon that is the same if the cross is removed is no sermon. We Lutherans preach Christ crucified just as St. Paul said (the verse I used in the first sermon I preached to you)

For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2, ESV)

or even more so

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

in our catechism we are taught in morning and evening prayer that we should begin our prayers with:

...make the sign of the holy cross and say, In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

It is our connection to Holy Baptism and the Cross of Jesus. Every day we live in our baptism under the sign of the cross. And when we do that, every day we are reminded that in baptism under the cross we are incorporated into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God's name is placed on us with the sign of the cross. And were God's name is so is his glory.

Jesus is on the cross for you. Jesus comes to his full glory on the cross for you. He is located there in a way that is different from God being everywhere. He is there in glory, for you! It's a time and a location. We confess in the creed that it was "under Pontius Pilate." And Jesus says "the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified." And "for this purpose I have come to this hour." Jesus throne is the cross. There is God on the cross. There is God on the cross for you and for all people. It is located in time and space for you.

Martin Luther said "The Gospel is not Christ." The gospel is the proclamation of Christ. And the proclamation of Jesus Christ is the proclamation of the cross for you. It's the cross for you here and now. The word about Christ, the proclamation of the cross, brings all that was done for you to you. You can't travel through time and go back to the cross to have your sins forgiven. It is the word that delivers forgiveness to you. The word about the cross. And the word about the cross is put together with water and delivered to you. And the word about the cross is put together with bread and wine and delivered to you. The words spoken, the water, and the bread and wine are located here and now. It's easy to find. You only have to go to a particular place at a particular time to receive all that Jesus did for you on the cross.

So much is your need. So much is God's glory. That he would bring his glory to your need in a way that leaves no doubt. The word strikes your ears. The water strikes your head. The bread and wine strike your tongue. It is God in his glory there for you, on the cross and here for you now. Amen.

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

John 11:1-44; The Fourth Sunday in Lent; March 10, 2013;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

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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." 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 really 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.

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, in spite of 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 8:12; Third Sunday in Lent; March 3, 2013;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, IA;

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12, ESV)

(from an LWML Sunday outline)

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

“Let there be light.” Those are the first words we hear from God in the beginning of the Bible, “and there was light” the account continues. “And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.” These words begin a consistent theme of light and darkness that stretches all the way through scripture. Right up to the last page of scripture, in the book of Revelation, we have it again as St. John tells us about his vision of Heaven.

And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever. (Revelation 22:5, ESV)

As people who live since the harnessing of electricity we don’t really quite get the full understanding of what these symbols are all about. Before people could flip a switch and fill a room with light, darkness was the rule when the sun went down. Oh, they had oil lamps, candles, torches, and fires but they only barely pushed back the darkness for a time. Dusk meant that darkness was in control. Danger and difficulty thrived in the darkness. Evil lurked in the shadows were it could not be seen clearly. The sunrise brought safety. Light scattered whatever hid in the night. Back then, life was centered about the light. Darkness was limiting.

We just don’t have a firm grasp on these ideas. Maybe we’ve experienced it in a small way. Power outages caused by snowstorms sometimes bring the nighttime darkness. But it is seldom dark for long. And even then we have generators that put the light back in our homes. Some people have a better understanding. Police know what happens in the darkness. They know one of the best ways to control crime is to flood light where trouble breeds. We know about crime in the dark, but crime is the most shocking when it is perpetrated in broad daylight.

We should keep in mind the nature of darkness and light as understood by earlier generations when we hear Jesus words, “I am the light of the world.” For them it had a very important meaning beyond only the end of night time. Darkness and light in the bible is used to describe sin and salvation. Sin in human lives causes the darkness of pain, and trouble and death. When Jesus came he brought the light of salvation, forgiveness of sins, a canceling of the effects of sin. Jesus birth, life, death and especially His resurrection are the light of life to a dark and dying world.

What Jesus does is necessary. It’s easy to see the need. People of all times and places are in the darkness. It’s not just “out there” either. We confess to each other that we are sinful and unclean. We know about sin because we see it everywhere and most of all we see it in ourselves. Sin is darkness. As real as the darkness that was there before God said “Let there be light.” We know our place before God when we hear the truth about who we are.

If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? (Psalm 130:3, ESV)

Although we’d like to believe we are better, we know we are only a step away from those who kill young children; those who steal from the poor; and those who scandalize their office. There are those among us who are involved divorce and drug abuse. And although we try to say we aren’t guilty of these things, what those who do them openly is the same sin that you and I have in our hearts. That darkness that brings pain and sorrow and grief and death is very close and unavoidable.

And we must not forget that we have an enemy that takes full advantage of our condition. St. Peter warns us:

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8, ESV)

Satan creates darkness. He first brought sin into the world through his words to Adam and Eve. He continues to nurture it. He wants nothing more than for the darkness to grow. He wants nothing more than for you and I to spend our eternity in the darkness of Hell, that absence of God for all eternity. And make not mistake Satan is powerful. We are helpless against his attacks, without God’s Holy Spirit.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12, ESV)

Jesus is necessary. He brings light. And we need it because our sorry sin-filled condition is darkness and it is all around us and it is in us.

It is God’s nature to give light. In the beginning He said “Let there be light” and the darkness scattered. For our sake He sent Jesus, “the Light of the World.” It’s Good News about Jesus. When the bible talks about the coming light its talking about Jesus. Like Isaiah’s words to God’s people:

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined. (Isaiah 9:2, ESV)

That’s Jesus whom God sent to save His people from their sin. He is the great light that walked among people, healing and teaching, preaching and forgiving. He shined on them the light of God’s Word. He made it clear that God was in the world to save them from sin. He hung on the cross and died. The sky turned black. Sin and death and Satan seemed to have won. But Easter brought light and life. Jesus takes back our lives from the darkness of sin and death. He defeated them by rising again after death. He promises to you and me that after our eyes close in death we’ll see the light of our own resurrection to eternal life, too. It’s all too amazing to contemplate. This plan of God’s for our salvation, this pure light, was planned before time and eternity. You and I were in God’s mind, He loved us and planned to save us through Jesus, before the world began. That’s light. That’s light that we want to see and hear about again and again.

What’s most interesting about light is how it reflects. Think of the moon. It shines during the blackest night. It’s not its own power but the power of the sun. God’s people reflect His light. We don’t have light of our own either. But God’s plan of salvation for us can’t be concealed. You know the song, “This little Gospel Light of mine…” the Gospel light is the story of Jesus. The Gospel light is Jesus and all that He has done for us.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16, ESV)

for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (Ephesians 5:8, ESV)

that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, (Philippians 2:15, ESV)

It’s automatic when we have the light. We shine it into every corner of our dark world. You know how a child can’t leave their new flashlight alone. They keep turning it on. “Sally, leave that light off until later or the batteries will be dead.” Well, we don’t have to worry about the batteries. We’ve got the eternal light, Jesus. He’ll never go out. We can enjoy shining His Good News on everyone. Showing them what He has done about their sin. Pointing them to their one and only Savior from a life of terrible darkness. Let there be light!

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

John 6:1-15; The Second Sunday in Lent; February 24, 2013;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

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After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” (John 6:1–15, ESV)

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

It was the Fourth of July. Well almost. That's what the Passover was for the people that Jesus fed on that hillside that day. The Passover was near. It is the most significant event in the life of the people of Israel. It was especially heightened by the Roman occupation. The great crowds that followed Jesus were certainly expecting God to do something like he had done in Egypt. And what Jesus does here, in the feeding of these thousands, is so closely connected to what God did through Moses that the people's reaction is only to be expected. They wanted to make Jesus King.

The Passover was all about God's deliverance of his people from slavery in Egypt. Remember, Moses was sent to Pharaoh, "God says, 'let my people go!'" And when Pharaoh refused, God convinced him with the plagues. And of course, the last, the killing of all the firstborn living in Egypt, was the greatest. The people of God were spared by sacrificing a spotless lamb whose blood was smeared on their door posts. Moses led the people through the desert to the promised land. God fed them with bread from heaven. Every morning the people went out to pick up the manna from the ground. And the ate it every day until they crossed over the river Jordan fulfilling God's promise. They were free people, all they needed was provided by God.

But not now. Roman soldiers patrolled their streets. King Herod, no Jew, sat on the throne a puppet for Caesar. Taxes were high. Cost of living was high as well. Philip's answer to Jesus question about buying food could have just as easily been said, "If I worked for 200 days, although it might feed my family for six months, it would never feed this crowd!" And so in light of their hardship, in the shadow of the Passover, when Jesus feeds the people with bread from heaven (Exodus 16:4), of course they want to make him king.

The people, the crowds gathered around Jesus, were expecting a miracle working prophet. It was in fact God's promise through Moses.

I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.” (Deuteronomy 18:18, ESV)

There they were, gathered on a mountain. A multitude of people nearly 20,000. Sitting down on the green grass. Jesus takes five small barley loaves and two fish and multiplies it so that everyone has enough to eat, and more. The 12 disciples, gather up 12 baskets of food left over, one for each of the 12 tribes of Israel. The Passover was in their minds. God was raining bread from heaven. Jesus was the new prophet. It was more than a sign. It was a call to revolution. A call to reestablish his role as the kingdom of God. They must make Jesus King.

The thing is, they can't make Jesus King. Jesus is King already. The church father from Africa, St. Augustine says, "For he ever reigns with the Father, in that he is the Son of God, the Word of God, the Word by which all things were made. The prophets had foretold his kingdom." (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, volume IVa) But Jesus' kingdom is not the kingdom they think it is. It is not a kingdom of political power. One that would overthrow the Roman soldiers by force of arms. The people are, in fact, missing the main point of the kingdom, and Jesus kingship. Jesus doesn't come in power but rather in weakness.

Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate accused by the Jews of sedition. Pilate had political power. He held Jesus' life and death in his hands. He asked Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" And Jesus answers, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews." (18:36) Jesus will not establish his kingdom by force but rather through loving obedience to the Father's will. That is to become the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The people on the mountainside see Jesus and Moses as the same. But where Moses instructed the people to sacrifice a spotless Passover lamb, Jesus makes himself the Lamb who is slain. John the Baptizer knee-deep in the Jordan River said "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." Jesus comes up out of the baptismal water, and heads toward the cross of Jerusalem. He does signs and wonders to prove himself to be the King of King's. He feeds the people. He destroys Satan's power everywhere he goes. But he goes to the cross. He offers himself as the sacrifice to save the people from slavery. He is a spotless Lamb. The perfect sacrifice for sin. His blood is smeared on the wood of the cross. And the angel of death passes over those who have faith in the King on the cross. It was more than the people could see.

And then, there's you and me. We see Jesus on the cross. We know he was crucified for our sin. We know that he provides well more than we can ever need. And yet, we have a faith crisis when we think God is not providing what we think we need. Look at what Jesus does with the feeding on the mountainside. They have gathered around him to hear what he has to say. There followed into a place where they cannot feed themselves. There's nowhere to go to get food in the amount needed. And the need is great. 20,000 people is a large city. So Jesus cares for their physical need. And he provides for them in abundance. Not just enough so that everyone has a little to eat. He provides all that is necessary, everyone eats their fill. And then 12 baskets full are collected of the leftovers. What's left over is even more than the five loaves that were the seed meal. This is exactly our prayer when we say "Give us this day our daily bread." Give us what we need every day for our living. And it is provided, and more than we need.

There is no way to separate this providing physical food from the providing that St. John wants you to see in this account of Jesus feeding people. He provides more than is necessary for the people to eat. He provides more than is necessary for the people to be saved. Jesus death on the cross is a complete and total sacrifice for sin. Your sin no matter how great is forgiven. Your neighbors sins no matter how great are forgiven. Your neighbors sins against you no matter how great are forgiven. Even the sins of those who care nothing about what Jesus provides have been forgiven. It is all there in the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world hanging on the cross.

And as he looked out across the crowds gathered on the mountain he knew what they needed. They needed to be fed. They needed to be forgiven. He knew what he was going to do. He took the bread and broke it and gave thanks to God, the Father, and gave it to the crowds to have the food they needed to eat. He took himself to the cross, and his body was broken. The there hanging at the top of the mountain he looked out over the people and he knew what they needed. "Father, forgive them!" He said and he died for the sins of the whole world. And we give thanks to God, the Father, for all that our King has done for us. Amen.

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

John 6:1-15; The Second Sunday in Lent; February 24, 2013;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself.” (John 6:1–15, ESV)

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

It was the Fourth of July. Well almost. That's what the Passover was for the people that Jesus fed on that hillside that day. The Passover was near. It is the most significant event in the life of the people of Israel. It was especially heightened by the Roman occupation. The great crowds that followed Jesus were certainly expecting God to do something like he had done in Egypt. And what Jesus does here, in the feeding of these thousands, is so closely connected to what God did through Moses that the people's reaction is only to be expected. They wanted to make Jesus King.

The Passover was all about God's deliverance of his people from slavery in Egypt. Remember, Moses was sent to Pharaoh, "God says, 'let my people go!'" And when Pharaoh refused, God convinced him with the plagues. And of course, the last, the killing of all the firstborn living in Egypt, was the greatest. The people of God were spared by sacrificing a spotless lamb whose blood was smeared on their door posts. Moses led the people through the desert to the promised land. God fed them with bread from heaven. Every morning the people went out to pick up the manna from the ground. And the ate it every day until they crossed over the river Jordan fulfilling God's promise. They were free people, all they needed was provided by God.

But not now. Roman soldiers patrolled their streets. King Herod, no Jew, sat on the throne a puppet for Caesar. Taxes were high. Cost of living was high as well. Philip's answer to Jesus question about buying food could have just as easily been said, "If I worked for 200 days, although it might feed my family for six months, it would never feed this crowd!" And so in light of their hardship, in the shadow of the Passover, when Jesus feeds the people with bread from heaven (Exodus 16:4), of course they want to make him king.

The people, the crowds gathered around Jesus, were expecting a miracle working prophet. It was in fact God's promise through Moses.

I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.” (Deuteronomy 18:18, ESV)

There they were, gathered on a mountain. A multitude of people nearly 20,000. Sitting down on the green grass. Jesus takes five small barley loaves and two fish and multiplies it so that everyone has enough to eat, and more. The 12 disciples, gather up 12 baskets of food left over, one for each of the 12 tribes of Israel. The Passover was in their minds. God was raining bread from heaven. Jesus was the new prophet. It was more than a sign. It was a call to revolution. A call to reestablish his role as the kingdom of God. They must make Jesus King.

The thing is, they can't make Jesus King. Jesus is King already. The church father from Africa, St. Augustine says, "For he ever reigns with the Father, in that he is the Son of God, the Word of God, the Word by which all things were made. The prophets had foretold his kingdom." (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, volume IVa) But Jesus' kingdom is not the kingdom they think it is. It is not a kingdom of political power. One that would overthrow the Roman soldiers by force of arms. The people are, in fact, missing the main point of the kingdom, and Jesus kingship. Jesus doesn't come in power but rather in weakness.

Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate accused by the Jews of sedition. Pilate had political power. He held Jesus' life and death in his hands. He asked Jesus, "Are you the King of the Jews?" And Jesus answers, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews." (18:36) Jesus will not establish his kingdom by force but rather through loving obedience to the Father's will. That is to become the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. The people on the mountainside see Jesus and Moses as the same. But where Moses instructed the people to sacrifice a spotless Passover lamb, Jesus makes himself the Lamb who is slain. John the Baptizer knee-deep in the Jordan River said "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world." Jesus comes up out of the baptismal water, and heads toward the cross of Jerusalem. He does signs and wonders to prove himself to be the King of King's. He feeds the people. He destroys Satan's power everywhere he goes. But he goes to the cross. He offers himself as the sacrifice to save the people from slavery. He is a spotless Lamb. The perfect sacrifice for sin. His blood is smeared on the wood of the cross. And the angel of death passes over those who have faith in the King on the cross. It was more than the people could see.

And then, there's you and me. We see Jesus on the cross. We know he was crucified for our sin. We know that he provides well more than we can ever need. And yet, we have a faith crisis when we think God is not providing what we think we need. Look at what Jesus does with the feeding on the mountainside. They have gathered around him to hear what he has to say. There followed into a place where they cannot feed themselves. There's nowhere to go to get food in the amount needed. And the need is great. 20,000 people is a large city. So Jesus cares for their physical need. And he provides for them in abundance. Not just enough so that everyone has a little to eat. He provides all that is necessary, everyone eats their fill. And then 12 baskets full are collected of the leftovers. What's left over is even more than the five loaves that were the seed meal. This is exactly our prayer when we say "Give us this day our daily bread." Give us what we need every day for our living. And it is provided, and more than we need.

There is no way to separate this providing physical food from the providing that St. John wants you to see in this account of Jesus feeding people. He provides more than is necessary for the people to eat. He provides more than is necessary for the people to be saved. Jesus death on the cross is a complete and total sacrifice for sin. Your sin no matter how great is forgiven. Your neighbors sins no matter how great are forgiven. Your neighbors sins against you no matter how great are forgiven. Even the sins of those who care nothing about what Jesus provides have been forgiven. It is all there in the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world hanging on the cross.

And as he looked out across the crowds gathered on the mountain he knew what they needed. They needed to be fed. They needed to be forgiven. He knew what he was going to do. He took the bread and broke it and gave thanks to God, the Father, and gave it to the crowds to have the food they needed to eat. He took himself to the cross, and his body was broken. The there hanging at the top of the mountain he looked out over the people and he knew what they needed. "Father, forgive them!" He said and he died for the sins of the whole world. And we give thanks to God, the Father, for all that our King has done for us. Amen.

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

John.1.37-51; Ash Wednesday; February 13, 2013;

Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Creston, Iowa;

The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, “What are you seeking?” And they said to him, “Rabbi” (which means Teacher), “where are you staying?” He said to them, “Come and you will see.” So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter). The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.” Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered him, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”” (John 1:37–51, ESV)

(From a Sermon by Norman Nagel)

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

Nathanael actually asks a good question. "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" You see, Nazareth was nowearsville. One of my seminary professors said "Nazareth was of one-donkey nothing of a town." Nothing good or notable had ever come from there before. It wasn't in the history books. No famous people claimed Nazareth as their home. It was in the middle of nowhere, and you can't get there from here. So Nathanael's question stands, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?"

His friend Philip was from Bethsaida. He doesn't waste any time arguing with Nathanael, instead he takes him to Jesus straight away. "See for yourself!" There is nothing wrong with Nathanael's question, in fact we have it on good authority that Nathanael was a good man (the best authority indeed). When Jesus sees him he says in him is no deceit. Nathanael had spent time studying God's word. That's what it means to be "under the fig tree". Nathanael must've spent plenty of time there reading The Book. It's possible to read the Bible and never see Jesus. It's possible to read the Bible and think it's something like "Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth". That is a manual on how to live and what to do in every situation. In other words how to be a good person to make God happy. There wasn't a problem with Nathanael's question, there seems to be a problem with the way Nathanael thought about God. What he meant by the Nazareth question was "that's not the way God is supposed to work. Nazareth is not even mentioned in the Scriptures (for Nathanael that was our Old Testament). That's not the way God should be doing things."

Nathanael's understanding of God had to change. The God he had made for himself reading under the fig tree had to die. And the God from Nazareth had to be born. Nathanael needed a new heart created in him that could see not a God of his own making, one who couldn't do anything from Nazareth, but the one who came from Nazareth who was going to do everything, that is bring salvation in new life to him and all people.

This is the way of all people. It's even our way here at Trinity/First Lutheran. We have ways we think God should work. We have standards that we think God needs to meet. We need money to run the church, volunteers to fill our boards, new bodies sitting in the pews, and Sunday school classrooms full of little children. And if he can't do that, well, we just throw him out and make up our own God. One that can fulfill all our expectations. We want our God to point out the sins of other people and hold them to account, but not point to our sin is deadly, and damning. There are ways, we think, that God should work, and ways that he should not. When we place our expectations on God we are not dealing with the living God but were working with the God that we have made and put in his place.

Jesus knew how ridiculous it is to deal with God this way. Maybe he's even poking a bit of fun at Nathanael. Maybe you think he would never do such a thing. But he shouldn't have come from Nazareth. He shouldn't have been a plain old carpenter. He shouldn't of been born in a stable, either.

Nathanael wasn't seeing what God was really supposed to be like. He read under the fig tree but he missed the point. He wasn't seeing God while he was under the fig tree but God was seeing him. And actually, the question isn't whether you believe in God, the question is whether God believes in you. The question isn't whether you accept Jesus, the question is does Jesus except you. Jesus saw Nathanael under the fig tree. Nathanael came to Jesus of Nazareth. And he doesn't just see Jesus, he sees God in Jesus. He blurts out the truth. He sees with more than just his eyes. "You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

But notice that Jesus doesn't use any of the titles afforded him by Nathanael. Instead he uses the title "the Son of Man." As St. John always wants us to see, Jesus is true God and true man together. Jesus uses the title that makes him interchangeable with all people. He walks and talks and breathes and lives on the Earth as a son of man, a person. He walks and talks and breathes and lives on earth for anyone and everyone. Jesus says later "the hour has not yet come for the Son of Man to be glorified." He is speaking of his death on the cross, being lifted up from the earth. And there too, he is interchangeable with all people. He suffers, he bleeds, and he dies. And he does so according to God's perfect will. The Son of Man, Jesus Christ, true God, is glorified and lifted up on his throne of the cross. This is indeed the greatest thing that Nathanael will ever see. If he didn't think that God could come from Nazareth, he certainly didn't think that God should die on the cross. But this is exactly what happens in Jesus Christ. With all his weight bearing down on the nails, he bears our sin, especially our sin of replacing him with our own god. And there bleeding out of his head, hands, feet, and side he is not the God we think he is, or even want him to be, but he is the God that we need. For in his life, suffering and death he brings to us the forgiveness of sins, and as Martin Luther says "where there is forgiveness of sins, there is life and salvation."

So this evening, Ash Wednesday, you bear on your forehead a charcoal cross. It is a sign of death. What has been put to death in you is your old nature that wants to make its own God. A God that will do things the way you want them done. A God that will tell you that your sin is small. A God that will excuse your sin and the sins of those you love, and tell you you have no other way to go. That's the ashes. They remind you that you are dead to sin. But it's also a cross. And even though the cross is a deadly instrument, and it brings death to you through Jesus Christ, it also brings life. It brings life because in his death on the cross, Jesus, the Son of Man, is interchangeable with you. Your sin goes the way of death. Your sin goes the way of forgiveness. For you the cross is also life. And although it's not the way we think that God should work, thank God he does. Amen.

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